My Pet World: Once again, anti-pit bull frenzy is unwarranted

When a dog attack results in a fatality (or serious injury), other factors supplant the alleged breed responsible, according to the National Canine Research Council. Sadly, it seems some of these factors may be relevant to what happened to little Victoria, such as:

--A victim's compromised ability, whether based on age (such as children) or physical condition, to manage their interactions with the dog(s).

--No able-bodied person being present to intervene (children should have adult supervision when interacting with any animal).

--Dogs not spayed/neutered. There's no data to suggest intact dogs are inherently more dangerous, but intact males are determined to roam in search of a female, and when they're off-leash without supervision, anything can happen.

--The owner keeping dog(s) primarily outdoors, often poorly socialized and with little or no training, rather than as family pet(s).

--The victim having no familiar relationship with the dog(s).

--The owner's prior mismanagement of the dog(s). Often, concerned family members or neighbors previously contacted officials about dangerous dogs, but no action was taken.

--The owner's abuse or neglect of dog(s). Dogs of any breed or mix who are abused and unsocialized may be fundamentally damaged as a result.

At a very practical level, identifying pit bulls is nearly impossible. What a dog looks like doesn't necessarily match the animal's genetic makeup. Modern genetic testing has shown that dogs most people identify as "pits" are, in fact, almost always mixes.

The Time story sourced PeTA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) as an expert source, and presumably in the corner of canines. That's hardly the truth. A long list of organizations that truly are in the business of animal welfare are actually opposed to legislation directed at a specific breed, including the American Veterinary Medical Association.

In July, experts from the American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior will release a position statement documenting why breed-specific restrictions and bans fail (in full disclosure, I co-authored this document).

At the end of the day, the vast majority of dogs we call pit bulls, based on a general 'look', are wonderful family pets. Many serve without incident as therapy dogs or in programs where children read to dogs; others are service dogs, some assisting wounded soldiers.

Blaming a dog breed and placing unenforceable restrictions on those dogs only distracts from addressing why any dog bites in the first place. For starters, we need sensible enforcement of current dangerous dog laws. If dogs are spay/neutered and kept as well-socialized, loving members of the family, and are supervised around young children, the number of serious dog bites would drop significantly.

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Steve Dale welcomes questions/comments from readers. Although he can't answer all of them individually, he'll answer those of general interest in his column Send e-mail to PETWORLD(at)STEVE DALE.TV. Include your name, city and state. Steve's website is www.stevedalepetworld.com; he also hosts the nationally syndicated "Steve Dale's Pet World" and "The Pet Minute." He's also a contributing editor to USA Weekend.