In late 2000, The Centers for Disease
Control and prevention released a report on fatal dog attacks occurring over a
20 year span from 1979 to 1998 and the results are shocking!
Rottweilers were ranked second only to the Pit Bull Terrier.
We as responsible Rottweiler owners know that these statistics
are skewed by idiot owners who acquired the breed for all of
the wrong reasons, consequently, the breeds reputation has not
improved. It is for this reason that most Insurance Companies
will not sell a policy to a homeowner in possession of a
Rottweiler.
We must report this kind of owner! Our
beloved breed is being condemned by the acts, or lack there
of, of the idiot owners out there. If you know of an owner
that chains their Rottweiler to tree or the like, and does not
socialize or train the dog, they are asking for trouble, and
by doing nothing, so are we!.
In retrospect, Rottweilers are not doing too
badly considering that they are the most popular breed and have
been so for the past 6 to 8 years. Knowing this, the ratio
could be much worse (# of dogs of a breed - fatal bite), let's
protect our right to own the Rottweiler by first being
responsible owners ourselves. Report those that are neglecting
our breed so that the owner goes on record as the offender and
not the dog he or she is abusing.
The breeds that the CDC considers highest
risk are pit bulls, Rottweilers, German shepherds, huskies,
Alaskan malamutes, Doberman pinschers, chows, Great Danes, St.
Bernards and Akitas. Owners of such dogs should be aware that
if their dogs attack a person, the attacks may be scrutinized
by law enforcement. The reason is that irresponsible behavior
with or toward a dog whose breed is known to bite has caused a
rising and unacceptable injury and death toll, which
authorities are determined to stem.
"Irresponsible behavior" is defined differently from place to
place. In California, for example, it can be a felony for a
person to possess a dog trained to fight, attack or kill that,
because of the owner's lack of ordinary care, bites two people
or seriously injures one person.
In different parts of the United States at the current time,
there are a number of parents who are on trial for
manslaughter because their dogs have killed their children. In
these cases, the prosecutors have taken the position that the
parents behaved irresponsibly because they left their children
in the company of dogs most likely to bite.
There is an 8 out of 10 chance that a biting dog is male.
(Humane Society of the United States.)
Although pit bull mixes and Rottweilers are most likely to
kill and seriously maim, fatal attacks since 1975 have been
attributed to dogs from at least 30 breeds.
The most horrifying example of the lack of
breed predictability is the October 2000 death of a 6-week-old
baby, which was killed by her family's Pomeranian dog. The
average weight of a Pomeranian is about 4 pounds, and they are
not thought of as a dangerous breed. Note, however, that they
were bred to be watchdogs! The baby's uncle left the infant
and the dog on a bed while the uncle prepared her bottle in
the kitchen. Upon his return, the dog was mauling the baby,
who died shortly afterwards.
In all fairness, therefore, it must be
noted that:
-
Any dog, treated harshly or trained to
attack, may bite a person. Any dog can be turned into a
dangerous dog. The owner most often is responsible -- not the
breed, and not the dog.
-
An irresponsible owner or dog handler might
create a situation that places another person in danger by a
dog, without the dog itself being dangerous, as in the case of
the Pomeranian that killed the infant (see above).
-
Any individual dog may be a good, loving
pet, even though its breed is considered to be likely to bite.
A responsible owner can win the love and respect of a dog, no
matter its breed. One cannot look at an individual dog,
recognize its breed, and then state whether or not it is going
to attack.
Click here
to view the CDC report (PDF format)
Article Statistical Credits:
Mark Payne - webmaster
