Northpinellas: Pit bulls are a danger; ban them now

The mauling that occurred in Tampa in January could have had such a devastating ending if 9-year-old Dontae Vincent or his rescuer, Angel Perez, had died from the brutal attack on them by four pit bulls. They lived, but if they had died, the outcome would have been as it usually is: sadness, until the next attack and the next death.

In February, we read of the attack on 2-year-old Ian Keo in Plant City while he was helping to feed a family pit bull.

Three years have passed since 8-year-old Anton Brown was killed by mixed breed pit bulls in Tampa. In 1999 a 5-year-old girl in Citrus County was found dead, covered with bite marks from four pit bulls. Her body was in the Tsala Apopka lake, her ripped clothes on the banks.

Mike Mailles of Tarpon Springs was attacked early this month by a pit bull that had just killed a miniature dachshund in his neighborhood.

The stories continue to be featured by the newspapers, yet not one legislator has put forth legislation to ban these abhorrent animals in Florida. Communities such as Denver, Miami and the Canadian province of Ontario have responded to the growing danger of pit bulls by banning these animals.

The most frequent victims of dog attacks are the most vulnerable members of our society: the very young and the elderly. According to a study of fatal dog attacks by all breeds from 1965 to 2001, children under 12 account for 79 percent of the attacks. People over age 65 account for 12 percent. The remaining 9 percent are between those ages.

According to a study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, pit bulls accounted for 32 percent of the fatal dog attacks in the United States from 1979 to 1998.

Do the victims have to be related to the people in charge of making laws before something is done? Any one of us could be a victim at any time.

The state of Florida must act on behalf of our elderly population as well as our innocent and defenseless children by placing a ban on private ownership of this breed.

The city of Denver has enacted a ban on pit bulls, but only after so many people were brutally maimed or killed. Action needs to be taken here before so many lives are profoundly affected.

While many owners of pit bulls try to be responsible by keeping their dogs trained, neutered and under strict control, these precautions do not prevent some of these aggressive animals from turning on their masters or on a member of their family.

We cannot go door to door and selectively say who is a responsible owner and who is not. Prevention is paramount. It is reasonable to have laws that prohibit lions and tigers as pets, as it is understood that these animals have innate instincts of aggression and tremendous power. So do pit bulls. It makes sense that pit bulls not be kept as pets.

It is time to act now to protect our citizens. Please enact a law banning pit bulls. The life you save may be your own.

Mary Kousathanas lives in Clearwater. Guest columnists express their own views, which do not necessarily reflect the opinions of this newspaper.

Share your thoughts on this story

Read our guidelines for comments

Comments on this article

by Enrique	09/09/07 12:49 PM
Darla hmmmm comparing humans to dogs??? Cory named wild animals. Cory .. you have no valid argument. Who has a pet shark?? or moose?? Those animals ARE banned!!! What people are missing is the killing potential and ill nature of these beasts

by Ben	09/09/07 12:03 PM
Dr. Brady Barr of national geagraphic tested the bite force of 3 dog breeds, rotties, pits, and a sheperd. the rotties was the highest, and it was no where near 1000lbs/sq.inch. Warren,Lucy, Toby and Rueben say to check your facts.

by Mariane	09/06/07 06:31 PM
I have a 5 yr old Pit named Zoe and a 2 Yr old 20 Lb Peek-A-Poo named Abby. Zoe lets Abby hang from her jowls, eat first, and give kisses. Every morning and night my kids snuggle with her...her patience with them is amazing! Educate don't hate!!

by Jennifer	09/06/07 06:03 PM
I have a wonderful loving male pit. I educated my children how to behave around any animal that out powers them. After all that what make us the superior species. Common sense would tell you not to let a 2yrd old around a FEEDING animal.

by Jennifer	09/06/07 05:58 PM
In most cases above there is a lack of responsibility of the parent not the animal. Like humans NOT every animal is identical to the next. Therefore not all PITS are agressive.

by Jen	09/06/07 12:17 PM
Breeders, careless owners and the perceived "cultural" differences in people who like to breed their dogs to be vicious guard dogs or even worse, fighting dogs is what's to blame here, NOT the breed. Stop Pit Bull abuse and you will see a change.

by Cory	09/06/07 10:43 AM
why dont we ban sharks, snakes, bears, moose, crocodiles, lions, tigers, all large birds of prey, too, just in case ya know, cause they sometimes kill people. oh yeah, spiders we gotta ban spiders

by Darla	09/05/07 11:42 PM
Based on the logic like this the argument could be made to ban a race of humans. EG Race X was invloved in 25 fatal gang shootings in Los Angeles, therefore they should be banned. All individuals should be altered or killed. Absurd, just like BSL!

by Beth	09/05/07 03:56 PM
Ban the stupid owners, not the breed!!

by Jesse	09/05/07 12:28 PM
A bit bull's jaw can exert 1200 lbs per sq inch, more than 10 times of comparable large dogs like german shepards and rotweilers. Add to that their proclivity for unprovoked attacks and you have a deadly mix. They should definitely be banned !!!

by Chuck	09/05/07 11:24 AM
Comparing pit bull attacks to the bites of other breeds is ludicrous. Pit Bulls viciously and relentlessly attack. They clamp their strong jaws down and fight until death. How many reports are there of dachshunds or labs that have killed humans?

by Warren	09/05/07 04:29 AM
The time has come, please ban them.

by Larry	09/05/07 12:13 AM
I couldn't agree more with this column. I have a cousin that had her thumb ripped completely off by the family pet which was a pit bull. The dog showed no indications that it could do such a thing but it did. Ban these creatures!!

by Jamie	09/04/07 09:39 PM
Small breed dogs make up the vast majority of animal bites upon humans and other animals.Instead of banning a breed how about stricter laws governing animal ownership with proof of insurance, obiedience training and spay/neuter? Ban stupid people!!

by responsilbe owner	09/04/07 09:16 PM
Your ignorance is showing Mary. Fla law makers have recognized that legistlating a specific breed (BSL)is unfair, unconstitutional and not based on reliable facts. That's why it is illegal to pass these laws, unless already on the books. Smart people

by Nick	09/04/07 08:46 PM
Pit Bulls are a product of their environment. We have a pit and 3 dachshunds. Our mama doxie raised him like her own. He is a big lap dog and is the best. Don't pass judgement on something you have not experienced. It's the way they'r raised & loved

by sue	09/04/07 08:27 PM
the dachshunds went after the pit! we raised our pits right but you always have to be careful around an animal. NO MATTER WHAT BREED.

by Pat	09/04/07 08:26 PM
Link to CDC article - Rottis responsible for 50% '93-96 - oh, I get it! The pitbull stats based on HSUS data, their motto "kill them all, including Mike Vick's dogs", surprised they didn't ask PETA http://www.cdc.gov/ncipc/duip/dogbreeds.pdf

by Jeffery	09/04/07 08:22 PM
Its Not The Breed Its The Deed Its The Way The Dogs Are Raised ...what happens after there banned an gone ...than ban rotti's??? than dalmations an than evenually every dog will be banned set restrictions an more in depth in to the owners than dog

by Vicki	09/04/07 08:19 PM
Save your family,friends and pets,bann these dogs who I have seen kill my own pets and the citys we live in dont do what they should do.I pray with these who have had losses from these dogs. Miss our four dogs who were killed by them.

by Vicki	09/04/07 08:16 PM
My family are still very sad from the death of four well loved family pets,other neighborhood dogs also killed by neighboring pitbulls.Bann them to save lifes.

by Mike	09/04/07 08:11 PM
It is all in how they are raised. Before pit bulls it was dobermans and before that sheperds. Running second place for over hyped media exposure at the moment are rottweilers. When 101 dalmations came out. Every family with children had to have one

by Vicki	09/04/07 08:09 PM
I agree that pit bulls should be banned in all states,we no longer have four family pets that were loved,and in our fenced yard,neighboring pit bulls got into our yard and killed our dogs.Bann these mean dogs

by Seth	09/04/07 08:09 PM
I agree with the article but I also feel that the owners are to blame as pit bull owners suffer from the lowest self esteem and use these animals to compensate for a deficiency. YES pit bulls should be banned. In Cali today yet another pit bull bite

by Laura	09/04/07 08:05 PM
The majority of severe dog bites are from pit bulls but the percentage of pit bull ownership is miniscule in comparison. Search the archives of the St. Pete Times or watch TV and you will see one story after the other of pit bull attacks.

by Rick	09/04/07 07:57 PM
It's NOT how they are raised as the mean aggressive spirit of the pit bull is documented and consistant. No matter how you raise a poodle it will never be an effective seeing eye dog or k-9. Certain breeds have regular behavior patterns.

by Skotoseto Skilaki	09/04/07 07:51 PM
There is no doubt whatsoever that pit bulls are aggresive as a species and that's why they are used for fighting. Certain breeds have inate characteristics and levels of aggressiveness and that is why specific breeds are used for specific functions.

by Michelle	09/04/07 05:54 PM
Mary Kousathanas needs to read the article about the Pit Bull that attacked Mike Mailles that killed the dachshaund in his neighborhood again! He was bitten by pulling the pit bull off of the dachshund which was his sons dog, that's why he got bit.

by cindy	09/04/07 05:54 PM
lets be real here. why not talk about implimentng some tougher laws on the people who are responsible for this behavoir. dogs don't get to choose there owners.lets discuss a bann on ignorant reporters who don't know there facts?

by brandy	09/04/07 05:48 PM
are you kidding me. i have been a vet tech for 6 yrs and i believe you should do some research before you start breed discriminating.poodles minpins and yes those lovley golden retrievers have more dog bites reported per year than pitts.

by Reality	09/04/07 05:42 PM
Remember folks, this is merely the "OPINION" of a "guest columnist", not even an expert. She has no credentials as an animal behavioralist, veterinarian, etc. Do your own research and make an educated decision for yourself.

by Lee	09/04/07 05:41 PM
It is the owner's responsibility for the dog and the dog's poor behavior. Punish the owner, not the dog.

by Lisa	09/04/07 05:17 PM
Poor journalism & embarrassing journalism. Carol, Kathy, Maxcine, Tony, Jennifer, Snickers and especially Shelly thanks for intelligent comments. If opposed to pit bulls quit reading the sensationalized paper and do some research! You know no facts.

by Annie	09/04/07 04:16 PM
Don't know where this person got her statistics. CDC refutes their own report as inaccurate and false. Last "pit bull" attack in Denver was in 1986 but almost 2000 dogs who were not and would not have been, in any way, a danger have been murdered.

by To Snickers (below)	09/04/07 04:03 PM
You are right on with this! The information she cited has been proven skewed and inaccurate many times over. This is poor journalism.

Guest Column

Pit bulls are a danger; ban them now