Pit bulls - not good dogs. Dogs around kids - dangerous situation.

Pitbulls are as bad as the one training them.

Portsmouth needs to hire an animal control officer. I do not know the circumstances of the above article and I have nothing negative to say about pit bulls but I do know there is a serious problem with dogs running loose, deficating everywhere and owners not picking up after them. Without a dog officer on patrol it is getting out of control in Island Park. Last night alone there was a large german shephard running loose around the Mason Ave area for at least two hours. There is a leash law that is blantanly ignored and owners are supposed to be responsible to pick up after there pets. It is not only pit bulls that we need to be concerned with. It is dogs all of sizes and breeds that are posing a hazard to our children and our community.

Pit bulls are horrible dogs. You cant tell me that just because this is a on the news that it is just because it is a pit bull. Yes dogs bite people all the time. but the majority of dog bites are Pit bulls. Island park is going crazy with unleashed dogs. Makes me wonder if this is the same pit bull that the petition was going around about.

@concerned - Could you tell us more about this petition? Was it an online petition?

wow...i cannot believe the comments on here.....i have a pit bull and he's the sweetest thing and i also had a german shepard that attacked ME. so it's not the type of dog, its the raising. do you want to say because a man commited a murder, that ALL men are murderers. i mean come on!

Apparently the town council decided not to hire a full time dog catcher. Supposedly it's going to be a part timer.. if that. Looks like this is the work of the new town administrator and town council in order to use that money elsewhere like a legal defense fund, and advertisements in the paper to hire some new department heads that are leaving because of them. What a disgrace. This town is headed for a train wreck.

I live in the playground area and there is a HUGE problem with loose dogs and excessive barking from numerous homes on Highland and Russell Avenue. New owners have moved in and it sounds like they are running a kennel. Have not heard about any petitions going around but would love to see in this area to get these dog owners to keep their dogs inside if they can't control them!!!

At this point a part timer would be better than nothing. The PPD needs to start enforcing the dog laws of our town. It is getting unbearable and it isn't even summer yet.

“A study performed by the American Veterinary Medical Association, the CDC, and the Humane Society of the United States, analyzed dog bite statistics from the last 20 years and found that the statistics don’t show that any breeds are inherently more dangerous than others. The study showed that the most popular large breed dogs at any one time were consistently on the list of breeds that bit fatally. There were a high number of fatal bites from Doberman pinschers in the 1970s, for example, because Dobermans were very popular at that time and there were more Dobermans around, and because Dobermans’ size makes their bites more dangerous. The number of fatal bites from pit bulls rose in the 1980s for the same reason, and the number of bites from Rottweilers in the 1990s. The study also noted that there are no reliable statistics for nonfatal dog bites, so there is no way to know how often smaller breeds are biting.”

Come now...I live drive all around this island...I must be missing the massive number of free roaming packs if dogs defecating on lawns. Maybe it's the coyotes?

Regardless if it’s the owners or not...the violence is in the breed. Check out the table at the bottom of this report at the CDC. They’re like a loaded gun with someone’s finger on the trigger. You have no idea if the gun will go off or not.

http://www.cdc.gov/MMWR/preview/mmwrhtml/00047723.htm

http://newport.patch.com/articles/newport-police-log-domestic-dog-bite

Amazing. Two dog bites on The Island in the same day. What do these two stories have in common? You tell me.

Any dog that becomes popular tends to run into problems. It is called "inbreeding". As J. stated above, those numbers... The pit numbers you are chosing to highlight are during the ownership boom of the '80s.. If you bother to look at the years '89 and beyond you will note that the number dereases every year. People want to make a quick buck and breed them with cousins etc. Look up cocker spanials. I am sure you will see the same thing from when they were very popular.

Hmmm???? Riddle me this one Batman(that's for all the Pitbull advocates here)??? Tuesday(today), quoted from the Newport Patch- "Cyndi A. Smith, 43, of 22 Bay View Ave., Newport, was cited for failure to restrain an animal Tuesday after her pitbull reportedly bit a passing jogger."
Oh it's only an isolated incident this Portsmouth pitbull attack. Seems there are a lot of these "isolated incidents"? With those odds, I better play Powerball this week.

From aspca.org

Pit Bull Bias in the Media

Animal control officers across the country have told the ASPCA that when they alert the media to a dog attack, news outlets respond that they have no interest in reporting on the incident unless it involved a pit bull. A quantitative study by the National Canine Research Council of dog-bite reportage in a four-day period proves that anti-pit bull bias in the media is more than just a theory—it’s a fact.

1.August 18, 2007—A Labrador mix attacked a 70-year-old man, sending him to the hospital in critical condition. Police officers arrived at the scene and the dog was shot after charging the officers.
This incident was reported in one article in the local paper.

2.August 19, 2007—A 16-month-old child received fatal head and neck injuries after being attacked by a mixed-breed dog.
This attack was reported on twice by the local paper.

3.August 20, 2007—A six-year-old boy was hospitalized after having his ear torn off and receiving a severe bite to the head by a medium-sized, mixed-breed dog.
This incident was reported in one article in the local paper.

You raise an interesting question Robert. Should breed be reported in dog attack articles?

The Hell with the DOG!!!!! How's the Little Girl and the man who was bitten while saving her???

Most dogs bite and retreat. Pit bulls bite, clamp down and tear. Most dogs were bread to perform a job or duty. Pit bulls have been bred to fight other pit bulls. Aggressive behavior is in their DNA. Pit bulls have far greater jaw power than other breeds.

Long and short, pit bulls probably bite people no more often than other breeds but when they do the damage is FAR more severe.

Can't wait to see the headlines once we get a dog park built.

Robert E. There were two horrific pit bull attacks on kids in New England this week. You had to go back to 2007 to find those lab attacks.

Please you can't blame the pit bull and as far as the dog officer goes it will do no good if they are only hired to work Mon-Fri daytime hours. I have a neighbor with two little "water rat" type dogs that are out all day and night yapping away and nipping at anything they can get their teeth into. These dogs bite more then any pit bull I've ever known. Not to mention the noise complaints. The police don't care they just think it's a joke. We don't know the whole story as tragic as it is - was the girl left unattended, did she play rough with the dog, i.e. pull it's tale, etc. Again, I'm not blaming the child by any means, this is tragic and thankfully someone was there to take charge. But unless you were there, you can't judge!

You don't know what happened it the pit bull is mine and so is the child envolved its a hard time for us and I would appreciate it if people would stop starting rumors about me my boyfriend my child and my dog it was an accident this dog plays with my daughter out side and sleeps with her he was trying to play tug of war with her blanket and got her arm he is just a puppy so please stop he is not a bag dog he is never out of the yard with out a leash we are responsible owners

I myself do not care for pitbulls, that being said they are one of the most loyal breeds and have been given a bad rep because of some owners and breeding issues. It is truely the owner of the animal and not the dog in most attacks. This could of been a unfortunate accident like the owner stated above. I hope the little girl makes out good and has no future problems.

It was not a random dog attack. It was an accidental bite and everyone involved is fine

I see a lot of pitbull advocates here. That's fine. I directly feel that most pit attacks are casued by aggressive training or abuse by the owners. I know several pit owners and their dogs are perfectly fine. However, the dog in itself is a an agressive dog by nature. I have read of attacks by pits that were raised by loving people. Still these attacks happen. My proof is in the numbers. You had two attacks in one day. Now if it were a lab that bit the little girl, my comments(IMO) would not have merit. It always seems pit owners are like Obama supporters. I can throw factual numbers at you about how dismal his record is, yet you will still say he is doing a wonderful job. Facts are facts folks.

I am beyond disgusted at the ignorance when it comes to the particulars of this breed! Anyone who is saying they are bad/dangerous dogs have based their opinions off of horror stories in the media! I am willing to bet they have never personally owned one. If so, you would know otherwise. What about all of the heroic pitbull police dogs across the country & heroic Pitbulls in general! YouTube it or google it. Only the negative makes the news, never the positive! As an owner of this breed I couldn't disagree anymore. My female pitbull is always around children & she adores them!!! She lights up and licks everyone to death when she sees them! Stop blaming the breed and make the owners take responsibility for what they're animal has become!!!!

Of corse the proof is in the numbers! Where there is an over abundance of a breed, it is bound to make the news more frequently! Pitbulls are without a doubt over bred and THAT is the problem. In the 80's we blamed the Doberman, in the 90's Rottys, and now Pitbulls! When wi we start blaming the right person, THE OWNERS!

Ask any dog trainer, they have been bit by more little lap dogs then pits! And if you want to say "they are bred to fight" if you know anything about how dog fighting works the dogs are trained to not be people aggressive in order for it's owner to get directly in-between a fight and break it up with no harm done to the owner. Dogs who are people aggressive are shot in the ring! Pitbulls are usually aggressive with other dogs if not properly socialized, NEVER people!

My dog is from a loving home it was an accident that he unfortunately being held accountable for its not like my dog was out with out a leash and attacking people I wish everyone would drop it your all just making it worse

Vicious pit/vicious Lab... which would you get in the cage with?

Pit bulls are known to be dangerous. This isn't some new thing that is being reported! It seems like the woman is more concerned with her dog than the fact that this dog attacked a girl. The petition was online and was to get that pit bull out of Island park. Clearly it didnt work and it should still be done!

@Concerned- first this particular Pit Bull was always in its yard. Fenced in yard. Second- this dog needed training. He comes across as an insecure dog looking for a fight. That is NOT Typical Pit bull behavior. They are an extremely loving and loyal pet. Truth be told, American Cockers and Golden Retrievers have more of a propensity to bite than a Pit does. Pit Bull bites make the news because of how devastating the bite can be. Learn your facts.

Beth- read the newspapers, watch the news.... All over the US they have horrible pittbull attacks. If the dog needed training then he def shouldnt have been allowed near kids. The woman should feel lucky it was her daughter and not a kid in the beighborhood. then she would be dealing with a very big lawsuit.

Dear ip resident u don't know me so shut up please

That is very immature. You live in an area with many children. You need to be responsible for your actions. We are all as residents allowed to voice our opinions. I'm sorry if you dont like the truth. But this is Portsmouth, If it was any other child you would most certainly be sued.

Ip resident I'm not lucky it shouldn't have happened to anyone and if Beth has seen my dog in the yard he has been playing with my daughter the dog won't go out side alone either me or my bf have been out there at all times and how dare anyone say I care more about the dog than my daughter that is rude and completely untrue.

I agree with IP. PR, I'm sorry but the whole situation is horrible. I'm sorry your daughter got hurt but IP has a point. If this had happened to anyoen else you prob would be in court. Your responses show how much you seem to think you are right. Your dog is a danger to the community

The dog is a PUPPY! accidently got the little girls arm while playing tug of war! ANY puppy could do that! I am disgusted with everyone bashing the American Staffordshire Terrier...because that is what they are! google that!! Pit Bull is a term that is negative for these sweet dogs!

American Stafforshire terrier is a breed very similar to pit bull visually but far different in temperment and what it has been traditionally bred for. Staffordshire terriers are recognized by the American Kennel Club and were never bred for fighting thus they are not aggressive. The Pit Bull Terrier is recognized by the United Kennel Club (which has far lower standards) and was primarily bred for fighting until people decided to make them "pets".

Saying a pit bull is only as bad as his owner is like saying an alligator is sweet unless he is owned by a bad person. Both are dangerous. You could play with an alligator every day of your life and he might never harm you but that one day he decides to clamp down on your arm and twist and tug, well, that will be a very bad day. Hopefuly it's your own arm and not that of someone passing by your yard.

My dogs paper work says he is an American stafforshire terrier..... It was an unfortunate ACCIDENT cause by a puppy with a bad rap and for the person saying she walks by my yard and my dog is looking for a fight I'm sorry where did u go again to be qualified to make this conclusion

Pit Bull terriers were once called Nanny Dogs because of how loyal & devoted they become to their owners especially children please get your facts straight. When Pit Bulls were tested for temperament they scored higher than golden retrievers and many other "family" breeds...

Most dogs that are considered "pi bulls" in the media lately are not even actual pit bull terriers... Please do some research before you bash a breed... I have a 2 yr old Pittie and she is loving sweet & going to be trained as a service dog for my 11 yr old autistic son....

The stereotype that all pits are aggressive is as preposterous as all African Americans like watermelon or women are bad drivers... blah blah blah... This was an accident not an attack but see how everyone got up & arms and inflamed this story... do some searches for pit bull rescues and see what we civilized humans do to these poor animals that just want to be loved... Acid in the face, mass killings on "kill day" at the shelters of momma dogs and entire litters of puppies, stop blaming animals for the crimes of their owners

From 2005 to 2011, pit bulls killed 128 Americans, about one citizen every 20 days. Of these attacks, 51% (65) involved a family member and a household pit bull.4 In the first 8 months of 2011, nearly half of those killed by a pit bull was its owner -- one was even an "avid supporter" of Bad Rap, a recipient of Michael Vick's dogs.5

A Cape Breton, N.S., woman says she's lucky to be alive after a pit bull dog attacked her while she was walking in her neighbourhood.http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/story/2012/05/18/ns-woman-bit-pitbull.html

HUGE cootoes to the guy that saved her!! Hes the hero! Everyone else just stood and watched! Pitbull or not and im not knocking to breed at all! (they're the most loyal breed if raised RIGHT) But its the owner that should be prosecuted it should be people with a criminal history shouldnt be able to own large breeds like that!! this poor girl is going to be tramatized for her life and thats not fair to her!! If it was my daughter and my dog as a responsible parent I would want that dog removed even if its been in the family for years or months the safety of my child is beyond anything else! I also wouldnt care if it was the first time Or and accident it WOULD BE THE LAST!!Think about the child and the well being of her and all the others around!

For all of you with your "check your facts" Read this story! 5 year old attacked by a pit bull her mom owned. mother saying all the same things PR is saying... never was mean, always played till now. how funny. maybe you should check your facts http://www.ktla.com/news/landing/ktla-norco-toddler-attacked-by-pitbull,0,4915710.story

Why Do We Hear So Much About Pit Bull Attacks?

Consider the following study performed by the National Canine Research Council: In August of 2007, four serious dog attacks were tracked. The attacks involved four different breeds (only one involved a pit bull). All of the attacks were severe, ranging from a fatal head and neck injury to severe hospitalizations (the fatality was not caused by the pit bull). The two hospitalizations and the fatality were reported only by local newspapers either one or two times. In contrast, the pit bull attack was reported over 230 times in national and international newspapers and in major television networks, including CNN, MSNBC and FOX. This severe bias has a devastating effect on public perception and takes a toll on public safety.

For example, since 1965-2008, there have been 17 different breeds/types of dogs have been identified in connection with dog bite fatalities in Texas. All of the dogs have been intact (not spayed/neutered). A significant number of the dogs involved were either being used for breeding and/or lived their lives at the ends of chains. Dogs who live their lives outside and on chains are considered “resident” dogs and normally used for protection purposes only and not companionship. These causal factors are too often ignored as we focus on breed, and this is a detriment to public safety.

Dog Biting Incidents: 2008 to 2012

DogsBite.org - Animal control departments in at least 25 U.S. states report that pit bulls are biting more than all other dog breeds. These states include: Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Massachusetts, Maryland, Michigan, Nebraska, Nevada, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Rhode Island, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia and Wisconsin. The oft-quoted myth by pro-pit bull groups that pit bulls "do not bite more than other breeds" is categorically false. In addition to leading bite counts, the pit bull bite is also the most damaging, inflicting permanent and disfiguring injury.

Roanoke, Virginia
In May 2012, Roanoke Valley SPCA confirmed that the number one breed brought into the regional animal control center is pit bulls -- a situation mirrored by nearly all open admission shelters in the country. Wsls.com stressed that a single breed, pit bulls, have been "taxing resources for both the Roanoke city animal control and adoption services" for some time. Roanoke police provided statistics showing that between May 2011 and April 2012, 41% (397 of 978) of all dogs brought into the center were pit bulls. During this same time period there were 169 biting incidents in Roanoke. Pit bulls were responsible for 38% (57).1

Dogsbite.org is a website biased against the pit bull breed as a whole try the aspca or another site that will give you actual facts

Can Pit Bulls Do More Damage Than Other Breeds?

The damage that a dog does when it bites depends on the location of the bite, the victim’s behavior while being bitten (twisting away will cause more damage than holding still), and the size ratio between dog and victim, among other factors. Breed has very little to do with bite strength or level of damage. You can look at a dog bite and guess the dog’s size, the victim’s behavior, but you cannot guess the breed of dog that bit a person by looking at the dog bite.

One study conducted by Dr. Brady Barr of National Geographic showed that the average domestic canine has an average bite of 320 pounds of force. In one portion of the documented study, Dr. Barr tested three dog breeds, a German Shepherd Dog, a Rottweiler and an American Pit Bull Terrier. The Rottweiler bit with 328 pounds of force, the highest pounds of force ever recorded from a domestic dog. The German Shepherd bit with 238 pounds of force, and the an American Pit Bull Terrier bit with 235 pounds of force.

Should Pit Bulls Be Around Children?

A 2008 University of Pennsylvania study of 6,000 dog owners who were interviewed indicated that dogs of smaller breeds were far more likely to be “genetically predisposed towards aggressive behavior” than breeds such as those falling under the category of “pit bulls.” Dachshunds were rated the most aggressive, with 20% having bitten strangers, as well as high rates of attacks on other dogs and their owners. Because small dogs are less likely to cause serious injuries, they usually go under-reported. However, there is a case of even a Pomeranian killing a child. So, it is always important to supervise children with dogs. The American Veterinary Medical Association suggests that parents wait until a child is four years old until getting a dog, regardless of breed. Like most other large breeds, pit bulls can be excellent with children. They have a high tolerance for the normal child’s play. However, as with all dogs, children should be supervised around dogs and taught how to interact around dogs. And, the dog must be properly socialized and trained. Most importantly, the dog should be treated as a family pet, not abused or neglected.

Furthermore, if aggression was something we could breed into a dog, dog fighters would not need to train, condition, and torture their dogs so extensively. Unfortunately, since pit bull owners are continually told that their pit bull is naturally dog-aggressive (by other well-meaning pit bull owners, rescuers, and other misinformed individuals), this can become a self-fulfilling prophecy. Pit bull owners stop socializing their dog or taking it out in public for fear of an incident (a justifiable fear, since the “pit bull” is most likely to be blamed for any incident); they assume the worst about normal dog behaviors like grumbling, snapping, or even rough play between dogs; they fail to act when genuine aggressive behavior does arise, because they believe such behavior is in the dog’s nature and is not changeable; and they are told by trainers that the situation is hopeless. Compare this to an average Lab owner, who is not told from day one that his dog is going to be aggressive. The Lab owner will take his dog everywhere and socialize it, because he believes his dog is going to be a friendly, lovable dog. If and when aggressive behavior occurs, you can bet that owner is going to call up a trainer, because aggressive behavior in a Lab is not considered “normal.”

You also need to keep in mind that any LARGE breed dog needs socialization and daily exercise or it will become bored and destructive... This goes for Labs, Shepherds, retrievers or Pits... But not aggressive... From what the owners have states this was a Puppy... what puppy doesn't bite when learning its boundaries its like a 2 yr old have a tantrum... So should we call all 2 yr old's menaces to society????

9-10months old should already know to do what the owner says (drop it, leave it, no) it should be well enough to know its doing bad but that dog continued to go after the girl even when it let go....

My daughter is fine the main issues we are dealing with is making sure there is no infection

Christ I bet more two year olds bite than ANY dogs!! Let's deem them vicious! I will continue to adopt/save these misunderstood dogs they give my family so much love, I'm glad my children were raised with pittbulls.

hey there is a new story about how a 26 year old man molested a 13 year old why dont all of you go read that story and let this one be over with!

If you are all talking about studies why don't you look up dalmation's! Did you all know that the # 1 bites to humans are from dalmations! The point her is a girl got bitten and yes it was a pit bull if it was a lab nothing would be said! I have worked with animals for years I have seen labs who would bite as well as shihtuzs and many more breeds! This is an unfortunated thing that happened and I agree the dog should not be allowed back in the house but I would say the same thing even if it was a jack russell! I have worked with pits and know a few people who own them they are very loyal dogs when raised correctly as well as any dog who is raised and trained right! So bottom line the dog SHOULD not be brought back to the home! Remember a little girl was bitten why don't we all be glad she is ok! Bottom line we could all debate this issue for years, let's just hope the dog does not go back!

@Portsmouth mom- You are right. Dalmations rank #1 for dog bites. However, I can say that comparing how many people own dalmations to how many own pitbulls? It is probably a 10 pitbulls to 1 dalmation ratio, if not higher. I am sure if you look at another study in the amount of bites just from pitbulls based on numbers owned, it would dwarf the amount of bites by dalmations. Plus, I would also state that pitbulls not only bite, but they maul. The more info that comes out about this dog and the household it came from, it seems (IMO) that the dog may have been enticed by agressive play or other negative stimulation by it's owner(s). Now I'm reading where this same dog bit just a few months back.

If you haven't owned a pitbull yourself, you don't truly know how wonderful the breed can be! Likewise, just like any other breed, if not raised properly, ANY DOG can be vicious.

If this was any other breed we would not having such issues.pit bulls are sweet loving dogs if raised properly I would own one and I have kids but I would make sure I did the proper raising so it would be a family dog!you know we have parenting classes for first time mom's to be why don't they recommend classes to dog owners also whatever the breed is! We could all agree on one thing this dog does not need to go back to that home!

After reading these comments its hysterical. I was there and "puppy " or not he should've let go- accident hahaja why did he refuse to let go-@ pr that's ALLL lies we watch EVERYDAY your kids outside tge fence playing in your car with all the doors wide open in tge street by herself frobt door open or not she is NEVER supervised ....and how abour ever single day when you leave the house and open tge garw and he runs out down the street and your yelling and chasing him down the road and he's urinating un MY YARD, he should have a leash on before the gats open so u rrsponse he never leaves the yard without a leash lie 100 from your mouth...all the neighbors who were thrre know the trutg as me and my fiancée who pryed his mouth of ur kids arm and we'll be more then happy to attend the vicious dog hearing to MAKE sure he doesn't come back on ou stree around our daughter or any other many children that live on this street because we care about out children and don't want them used as an experiment if he decides to attack again :)

I see that your daughter is on the mend and that's terrific news. I am in full support of you getting your dog back. Only you know the temperment of your dog and if this was an accident, then you have to make sure that this type of play is not allowed again. Despite all of the ignorant, anti-pit bull comments, you should know that pits are great pets when trained and socialized properly and that's where your responsibility lies- making sure he grows into a well rounded, social dog. Also, please neuter your dog! Good luck to your family and Chopper!

Pit bit bulls are terrible they shouldn't be alive