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Thursday, July 10, 2008

[Phoenix_Exotics] FYI dog owners beware

[NAIAandNAIATrustMembers] Seattle, WA: Proactive Dog Policy: Why
Seattle Needs It -- fyiþ
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http://www.dogsbite.org/blog/2008/07/proactive-dog-policy-why-seattle-
needs.html Dogs Bite Blog ::
browse topics: sticky stories, fatal attacks, dog law &
bsl, senior citizens, family dog attacks, police
shootings, dogfighting, pit bull owners, postal service,
criminal trials, roaming dogs, horse attacks, livestock
attacks, dog attacks, victims
Wednesday, July 9, 2008
Proactive Dog Policy: Why Seattle Needs It
Seattle, WA - On March 4th, 2008, the founder of DogsBite.org,
Colleen Lynn, submitted a white paper to Seattle City Councilman Tim
Burgess. The paper examines the nationwide pit bull problem,
Seattle's pit bull problem and the pit bull breed itself. It also
offers solutions that other U.S. cities have found effective in
preventing future victims, while simultaneously protecting pit bull
dogs.

View full paper:
Proactive Dog Policy: Why Seattle Needs It

Highlights of the document include recognizing that the pit bull
problem is over 20 years old. In this time, many policymakers have
failed to take action. As a result, the pit bull population has
exploded; euthanization rates have soared; dog fighting has
escalated; animal shelter insurance has spiked and victim medical
costs have flown out the window.

The document reveals Seattle's pit bull problem. Between 2002 and mid-
September 2007, city shelters had to euthanize 3,407 dogs, 48%
percent were pit bulls. Though 128 different biting breeds were
recorded in Seattle, pit bulls were responsible for 24% and only make
up 2.6% of the registered dogs. Before diving deeper into Seattle
bite statistics, the document discusses, What constitutes a bite?

In the national section of the document, the paper shows the results
of two widely known studies regarding breeds of dogs and fatal
attacks. It reminds readers that in 2007, 35 fatal dog attacks
occurred. Pit bull type dogs were responsible for 60%. A third study
mentions the frequency of dog bite injury in U.S. emergency care
centers. On a daily bases, about 1,000 Americans require emergency
care treatment due to serious dog bites.

On several occasions, the paper asks a pointed question, 'The
argument that lies before the City of Seattle is not
the 'demonization' of pit bulls, it is instead: What steps can we
take to prevent future attacks? And who pays when they do attack?'
The question is underscored by the fact that many pit bull owners in
Seattle are renters and cannot provide medical payment after an
attack.

The paper also explores the genetic history of the pit bull and the
opinions of leading researchers. Experts agree that pit bulls display
unique traits when they attack. In a police officer training video,
Randall Lockwood, the Senior Vice President to the ASPCA, specifies
the unique dangers posed by pit bulls that non-fighting breeds do not
pose:

'The main impediment to reading a dog's communication is when the dog
is a fighting breed. The best strategy for a fighting breed is to not
communicate your intention. This is why we hear about so many
fighting breeds attacking without warning. Meaning there was no
growl, there was no bark, there was no direct stare, the dog just
went from point a to point b and did what he wanted to do. Likewise,
they are disrespectful of the traditional signs of submission and
appeasement.'
Alan Beck, a world-renowned dog ecologist, educator and author, was
also quoted in the paper. In written testimony to the Province of
Ontario -- a Canadian province that was in the stages of enacting a
pit bull ban -- Mr. Beck writes:

'While all breeds of dogs can and do bite on occasion, pit bulls (due
to their inherent fighting nature, strength and high pain threshold)
have a much higher potential of being involved in a serious attack
than most, if not all, breeds. There is no doubt that the fear of pit
bull dogs is reasonable and social tension about them should also be
considered when a community is developing policy.'
Three pages of the report are dedicated to the physical and
psychological injury that victims suffer after an attack.
Incorporated were topics such as, 'sustained attacks,' which is an
attack that lasts 15 minutes or longer, and 'massive soft tissue
lost,' both of which are unique to the pit bull breed. The paper also
discussed the rising number of victims that require one million
dollars in medical care after a pit bull attack.

The last portion of the paper provides recommendations to the City of
Seattle to help prevent future victims and protect pit bull dogs. The
items include: mandatory microchipping for identification purposes;
liability insurance of $250,000 for victim medical recourse; and
mandatory spay/neuter to reduce pit bull bites and euthanizations.
The paper adds that under Washington state law, such policies are
constitutionally sound.

View full paper:
Proactive Dog Policy: Why Seattle Needs It

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