subject: Dog Bite Laws Covering Pit Bulls [print this page] Animal researchers found that 88 Americans were killed in dog bite attacks between 2006 and 2008, with 59 percent of these fatalities caused by pit bulls.
The researchers also released another surprising finding: majority of fatalities involving pit bulls were not children but adults in their prime years. According to data, adults accounted for 54 percent of fatalities compared to 46 percent among children.
Government Action
In January 2006, San Francisco has passed a law that requires all pit bull owners to sterilize their dogs which are considered to be the most dangerous canine breed in terms of fatal attacks on humans.
Eighteen months after this law was passed, the city government released a report showing that impoundment and euthanization for this dog breed declined by 21 percent and 24 percent, respectively.
Because this animal neuter law has been successful, several city and county governments across the US adopted this ordinance that aims to reduce dog bite attacks.
Meanwhile, some communities, mostly from California, also declare pit bull as a potentially dangerous dog breed and require owners to be extra careful when handling their pets.
But with the growing number of dog attacks in Ohio, the state government did not only declare pit bulls as particularly dangerous dog breed, it also required pet owners to carry $100,000 liability insurance which can be paid for dog attack compensation and claims.
In addition, some cities in Ohio even prohibit a household of owning more than one pit bull and require owners to put muzzle on their pets mouth every time these are walked outside their property.
Avoiding Attacks and Staying Safe
Majority of pit bull attacks happened outside the property of owners, suggesting that negligence on the part of the pet owners is the main cause of dog bites.
To stay safe, this is the list of guidelines when dealing with dogs, particular pit bulls:
Do not leave infants or toddlers alone with a dog.
Keep a distance when approaching a chained dog.
A person should not lean his face too close to a dog.
Do not disturb a dog that is eating or sleeping.
Never tease a dog even if this is chained.
A person should not turn his back on a dog and run away.
Be careful when dealing with a dog that is caring for its puppies.
If a dog is in attack mode (growling and showing its teeth), this is what people should do:
Never scream and run. Doing this may only provoke a dog.
If possible, remain motionless (with hands on the side) and avoid making eye contact with the dog. If the dog loses its interest, slowly back away to avoid startling the animal.
If being attacked by a dog, a person should feed it with anything like a jacket or bag.
If knocked out by a dog, a person should curl into a ball (with hands over ears while remaining motionless) and should avoid making any sound.
