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Vicious Dogs: Who owns them and why?
• Study reveals deviant behavior among vicious dog owners
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Tuesday,
July 21, 2009
Florida Headlines in 2009 read:
6-Year Old Girl Recovering After Pit Bull Attack
Baby Boy Hospitalized After Family Dog Attack
Fort Lauderdale man pries open jaws of dog attacking little girl
Pit bull attacks 5-year-old boy
These are just a few. All having to do with vicious attacks by the dog we know as the Pit Bull, also referred to as the American Bulldog, American Pit Bull Terrier, American Staffordshire Terrier, Staffordshire Bull Terrier, Mixed Breed and a few others.
Both victims and witnesses of Pit Bull attacks describe the event as something like they’ve never experienced or seen: an angry dog; relentless in its mission to kill a pet, wound a child or attack a pedestrian until subdued by a good Samaritan or shot by police. The story ends tragically, usually in that someone or some animal ends up dead or seriously injured.
The victims in the stories change, but owners of the dogs in most attacks share similar reasons for their dogs running loose. The door to their dog’s pen was mysteriously opened; the dog somehow ran out the front door of the house; the dog got loose from the garage or became uncontrollable during a walk when the dog encountered another neighbor walking a pet.
In more tragic cases nationwide, Pit Bulls have gotten loose in the house and have preyed on owners and their families. They’ve attacked adults taking a shower and babies sleeping in their cribs.
In a recent report published in the Journal of Forensic Sciences entitled “Vicious Dogs: The Antisocial Behaviors and Psychological Characteristics of Owners” it appears that owners of vicious dogs have more than just blatant irresponsibility in common.
Report findings reveal that vicious dog owners are more prone to criminal behaviors than other dog owners.
The six breeds most commonly identified as “vicious” in the report are Akita, Chow, Doberman, Pit Bull, Rottweiler and Wolf-mix.
Of the average 4.7 million dog bites every year in the U.S.; more than 300,000 people are seriously injured and hundreds die.
“Vicious dog owners were higher in sensation seeking and primary psychopathy,” reads the report. “Study results suggest that vicious dog ownership may be a simple marker of broader social deviance.”
The study, only the second of its kind that attempts to scientifically profile the owners of vicious dogs, showed that, when compared to 189 owners of low-risk dog breeds; owners of vicious dog breeds had nearly 10 times more criminal convictions than other dog owners. Vicious dog owners were:
• 6.8 times more likely to be convicted of an aggressive crime
• 2.8 times more likely to have carried out a crime involving children
• 2.4 times more likely to have perpetrated domestic violence
• 5.4 times more likely to have an alcohol conviction
In surveying officials from PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals), the American Kennel Club (AKC) and the National Animal Interest Alliance (NAIA) regarding problems with Pit Bull attacks in South Florida, MargateNews.net has found top officials at all three organizations agreeing on one main point: The Pit Bull owner is ultimately responsible for its dog’s actions and vicious dog owners are prone to animal abuse, cruelty to their dogs and a heightened sense of aggression.
“Pit Bulls are the most dangerous dog breed on the planet” said Martin Mersereau Director of Cruelty Casework for PETA, “Their unconscionable owners make them that way.”
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Copyright Cassius Group 2009
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