Humans breed dogs to do certain things. In general one should get a dog and live with a dog that is best for their environment and where the dog can do what it is bred for. That is the best case scenario.

If you live on a farm and need a dog for the job of: "Farmers and ranchers used their APBTs for protection, as catch dogs for semi-wild cattle and hogs, to hunt, to drive livestock, and as family companions."

Then that is one thing.

But there are people living in the city who are breeding them for fighting and then keep like one or two puppies and the other ones get given away or end up at the pound or taken by animal control, and this is what needs to be stopped at the source. Yes Pit Bulls can be sweet with a certain upbringing, but the source from where they are coming from many times where bred with bad intentions, with the intentions of breeding a dog to be the meanest baddest dog in the hood. This is what needs to be watched and stopped.

From Wikipedia:

American Pit Bull Terriers and the law

American Pit Bull Terriers have historically been and are still commonly used for dog fighting. Although dog fighting is illegal in the United States and many other countries, it is still practiced, and is usually accompanied by gambling. In the United States participating in dog fighting is a felony in 49 states, and United States federal law prohibits interstate transport of dogs for fighting purposes. [11]

Due to the nature of dog fighting and the image of the Pit Bull as a "tough" dog, American Pit Bull Terriers can be subjected to severe abuse and often end up in the custody of animal control services, where they are routinely euthanized.[12] A large percentage of dogs euthanized in New York City, Chicago, and Los Angeles are pit bull type breeds.

In the United Kingdom, the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 prohibits the sale or breeding of "any dog of the type known as pit bull terrier." Some jurisdictions in the Australian states of Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria and the United States have similar breed-specific legislation, varying from a total ban on ownership to muzzling in public. Similarly, in Ontario, Canada, the ownership of APBTs has been banned in the Dog Owners' Liability Act.

As of August 29, 2005, the "owning, breeding, transferring, importing or abandoning" of APBTs is illegal in Ontario, Canada, given that it was found that the APBT breed "poses a danger to the public". [13]

Since 1993, after a number of serious incidents, it is forbidden in The Netherlands to breed pit bulls or pit bull like dogs. Pitbulls and pitbull like dogs without a FCI pedigree can be and are being impounded by authorities and will be put to sleep. Basically, this will mean that the number of pitbulls and pitbull like dogs in The Netherlands will decline as years progress.

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So it is not about the dogs that are already alive it is about stopping the breeding of these dogs for these purposes of dog fighting, and the home breeding.

It is not about the breed being exterminated at all. Domestic Dogs are bred by humans and we breed the breeds and make them up, so we can choose to breed a new breed if we want and to change the American Pit Bull. We can choose to stop breeding dogs that are good for fighting. We can breed pit bulls down and not breed them to have bigger jaws and tougher muscles. It is up to the dog breeders. I live in Brooklyn and there are plenty of people who purposely breed pit bulls themselves at their homes with the goal of trying to breed the toughest dog in town. And so it is a human construct to breed these dogs to be the meanest and toughest dogs around and then also train them that way.

So it goes both ways, why breed a dog to be good at fighting if dog fighting is not allowed?

It is not just the training but also the breeding. Sure a loving home with an owner that does not train the dog to mean and fight helps. But also not breeding dogs to have the most muscles and the biggest jaws also helps. It goes hand and hand. We are the breeders of domestic dogs and we can choose not to breed a dog that is built to lock jaw.

Ban Pits, and these dog-thugs would raise Rotties or Dobies or Chihuahuas to fight and attack people. The people belong in a cage.

I used to stereotype pit bulls myself until I became a dog owner myself, they really get a bad rap.

They're sweet lovable dogs when raised in a normal environment where they're socialized with other dogs/people at a young age, instead of being hung from lightpoles, starved, beaten, weed smoke blown in their ears, burnt with newport butts, set on fire, and on a choke collar 24/7.

What made you so "special" that your parents wanted to keep you? Wouldn't another child have fulfilled their needs? Are you "more intelligent, more friendly, more playful..."? What an absurd question, right?

One more time...DOGS ARE NOT PEOPLE. Trying to use this analogy to argue that pit bulls should not be licensed or banned is RIDICULOUS. You don't need a dog of a certain breed as a pet.

I'm sure there are pits out there who are warm and fuzzy and would never harm a fly. There are also vicious Yorkies out there who would take someone's face off if they could. The difference is that the pit bull has both the demonstrated ability and propensity to cause damage.

When pit bull owners and supporters try to brush off criticism and the need for licensing, they don't realize they're harming both themselves and the breed, as well as any other dogs who have to be on the street with these animals. The argument "well, the dogs are sweet if raised right..." doesn't hold water. The dogs aren't being raised right, and if the current laws stay on the books, that will continue to be the case.

If pit bull fans were truly concerned about their welfare--and not just their their own selfish need for gratification with the dog breed of their personal choice--they'd be at the forefront of trying to get these dogs licensed, regulated and only owned by responsible humans.

What made you so "special" that your parents wanted to keep you? Wouldn't another child have fulfilled their needs? Are you "more intelligent, more friendly, more playful..."? What an absurd question, right?

It's close-minded people like you who refuse to see any good in this breed. I have had my lab/pit mix since he was 9 weeks old (now a year and a half) and the most "brutal attack" that has ever occurred is on the football he plays with everyday. And then, he doesn't even growl or show his teeth.) In fact, I can take the football out of his mouth and he does nothing...never has. (Heck, I even brush his teeth!) I have raised my dog to obey, play with kittens, and provide immeasurable companionship. He is very much a part of my family.

BTW, I had a full-blooded cocker spaniel and it attacked my daughter out of the blue when she was a baby. I don't see that breed being "exterminated" any time soon, though.

Granted, every single animal (including humans) follows their natural instincts to protect themselves. But, animals can be trained to behave and curb those instincts if provided a loving and safe environment. If you raise a ANY DOG BREED to be vicious and aggressive...it will be.

You still haven't answered the question. Why are they so special that another breed couldn't fill a dog owner's needs? Are they more intelligent, more friendly, more playful and/or more loyal than other dogs? If not, then there's no real loss if people aren't allowed to own them.

Just about anyone who hates pitbulls or thinks they should be banned has probably never met a well trained and socialized pitbull with a responsible owner. They're incredibly intelligent, friendly, playful and loyal dogs. What people don't realize about them is that historically, they've been bred for DOG aggression, and specifically bred AGAINST human aggression. Why? Because early breeders knew they didn't want strong dogs attacking them. Generally, a pitbull needs to be trained for human aggression, and if it demonstrates a natural tendency towards human aggression it should be put down or neutered and given to someone who understands how to deal with such an animal. Irresponsible breeding and ownership is what's led to the breed being demonized.

Licensing for breeders and mandatory education for potential owners would be a godsend for this misunderstood breed.

#12 - thanks so much for the link to the Malcolm Gladwell story.

I'm not crazy about pitbulls, but I tend to lean more towards licensing and registering them. As usual, it's the stupid humans who are behind stupidity. Banning the animals would only take care of *half* the problem. O_o

When will we wake up and exterminate pit bulls???

Was he black?

The pitbull I mean...

the worst part is that this mom will probably forgive him... ya know for trying to kill her and nearly killing her baby. she'll say something like, "jail changed him. he loves me. really."

Why can't they euthanize the guy?

Somebody wanted this dog breed because it makes them feel a certain way about themselves. And as a result of some stupid, posturing male vanity hangup, this poor child is horribly mauled and disfigured. How could anything be worth that?

Send the sick motherfuckers who own these dogs up the river.

Just what would be so terrible about banning pit bull ownership? Is there anything so inherently special and wonderful about them that you couldn't make do with a dog of another breed? One of the immutable facts of life is that you can't have everything you want. Get a golden lab or a collie.

pitbulls also defraud the social welfare system. They stay home and pee all day and don't take care of their kids!

But at least it wasn't a bicyclist.

Or was he?

Blah, blah, blah. I've got a vicious chihuahua, but the chances of her ripping off a kid's ear or eating a 90 year old man alive is zero. My mom had a Rottweiler who was 120 lbs of slobbering puppy love, but he stayed safely behind a 6 foot fence in the suburbs. People who live in close quarters should not have dangerous animals with the potential to kill their neighbors. That's why that guy had his tiger taken away, remember?

With all these cases it isn't the dog's fault. It is the fault of the idiot subhumans who abuse these dogs to the point they are weapons.

Any dog can be turned into a vicious one - from a Chihuahua to a Great Dane. It all depends on how they are treated, trained and socialized.

I have known Rottweilers who were just big sweethearts, loved other dogs, loved people, and wouldn't hurt anything except pigeons. The biggest problem with him was him finding and eating unattended sandwiches.