Has Anyone Heard of a Yorkie Killing Anyone?

[fasteddie]

I'm sure that a Yorkie COULD potentially kill someone, but has anyone heard of this? The article quotes that over 30 breeds (including a Yorkshire Terrier) have fatally attacked people...
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The pit bull attacks seem to just keep coming, jarring nerves and leaving Bay Area residents with searing images:

Twelve-year-old Nicholas Faibish of San Francisco, mauled to death in his home last month by one or both of his family's dogs.

Eleven-year-old JaQuan Rice of Concord, tossed in the air in March by two pit bulls who tore flesh from his stomach and broke his leg.

Eighty-eight-year-old Mabel Wong of Concord, hospitalized last year in critical condition after a pit bull attacked her while she visited a neighbor.

The violence has stepped up calls to ban the popular breed and prompted equally vigorous campaigns by pit bull lovers to fend off controls.

But many experts say the answers to the dangerous dog problem may be far more complex.

Dogs deemed the most dangerous have shifted over the decades, notes a report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

In the late 1970s, German shepherds caused the most fatalities.

From 1979 to 1980, it was Great Danes.

Since 1975, more than 30 breeds have fatally attacked people , including dachshunds, a Yorkshire terrier and a Labrador retriever.

Now pit bulls are capturing the headlines and striking fear in nervous neighbors.

Most pit bulls have a devoted, friendly temperament, said Donna Reynolds, director of Bay Area Doglovers Responsible About Pit bulls or BAD RAP.

"They can make an exceptional pet," she said. "They're joyful, they're optimistic and they're fun. They bring a lot to your home."

The problem, Reynolds said, is the overbreeding of pit bulls by irresponsible people more interested in making a fast buck than instilling a good temperament.

"We have the most horrific overpopulation right now of this one breed," he said. "It's a crisis."

Glenn Howell, animal services director for Contra Costa County, agrees.

More than half of the dogs in the county's animal shelter are now pit bulls or pit-bull mixes.

"They are overbred -- it's a money machine," Howell said. "They're an easy sell. It is a problem throughout the state. We've got to do something to deal with this uncontrolled breeding."

Because the pit bull has become the dog du jour among drug dealers and those seeking a macho guard dog, some people are purposely breeding in aggressive behavior, Howell said.

"Society is paying the price for that right now," he said.

Other backyard breeders are responding to another fad -- the desire for blue-coated pit bulls, the bluer the better. Such breeders give little heed to behavior or the dog's health, Reynolds said.

BAD RAP is lobbying Craigslist to refrain from allowing breeders to sell dogs on its online site. During some months, as many as 300 pit bulls are offered at prices from $500 to $2,000. Unhealthy and defective dogs often go to ill-prepared homes, Reynolds said.

Many of these dogs end up in county shelters. BAD RAP estimates Bay Area shelters euthanize 20,000 pit bulls each year.

The nonprofit organization attempts to find homes for as many of the dogs as it can, but only after first running them through a temperament test, provoking them to see how they respond.

During the past five years, BAD RAP has arranged placements for 300 pit bulls and has never had a report of violent behavior, Reynolds said.

"We understand the breed, and we know how to identify a stable dog," she said. "Those that are not stable, we really want them to be destroyed."

BAD RAP members and many other pit bull enthusiasts say the animals become a devoted, affectionate member of their families. BAD RAP routinely holds pit bull training classes to teach obedience and socialization skills.

While many types of dogs can exhibit aggressive behavior, the pit bull stands apart for its sheer power, said Dr. James Betts, surgeon-in-chief and director of trauma services at Children's Hospital Oakland.

Betts treats many of the 100 children who are brought to the hospital each year with dog bites. He operated on Shawn Jones, a then-10-year-old Richmond boy who was dragged from his bike and severely mauled by three pit bulls four years ago.

Pit bull jaws can generate a bite pressure of 1,200 to 1,800 pounds per square inch, Betts notes. Smaller dogs may generate only a third of that.

"When you do have a pit bull, obviously there is a propensity to have much greater damage," Betts said.

Pit bulls, with their strong muscles, powerful back ends and heavy jaws, were originally bred in the early 1800s to bait bulls.

After bull-baiting became illegal, many of the dogs were used for dogfights. Breeders sought to foster pit bulls that acted aggressively toward other dogs.

At the same time, pit bull enthusiasts say, breeders worked to weed out dogs that would bite humans. The goal was to ensure that handlers could lean into the fighting areas and pull battling dogs apart without getting hurt.

Whether breeders succeeded at creating such a human-friendly dog is a matter of great debate. Few studies exist to shed light on the question.

The most comprehensive analysis may be a 2000 report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It examined which dog breeds fatally attacked humans from 1979 to 1998.

Researchers found that pit bull-type dogs and Rottweilers were involved in more than half of the deaths, placing them well ahead of other breeds.

But they also noted that fatal attacks represent only a small portion of the dangerous dog problem.

There were about 300 fatal dog attacks during the study period, a number that has remained stable over the years.

By contrast, dogs bit nearly 4.7 million people in 1994, including 800,000 who sought medical care. That represented a 36 percent jump from eight years earlier.

No one has statistics to reveal which breeds were involved in the nonfatal attacks.

There are clues about factors that may indicate a propensity for violence.

A 1991 Denver study found that male dogs are 6.2 times more likely to bite than female dogs, sexually intact dogs are 2.6 times more likely to bite than neutered dogs, and chained dogs are 2.8 times more likely to bite than unchained dogs.

The CDC researchers noted that banning a specific breed might raise constitutional questions and practical issues. It can be difficult to determine a dog's exact breed, especially for mixed breeds and those that are unregistered.

A ban might simply cause people who desire a dangerous dog to turn to another large breed and foster aggressive behavior in those animals, the researchers noted.

Instead, they suggested making owners assume legal liability for their dog's behavior and educating them about the importance of socialization and training.

California law bans cities and counties from imposing restrictions on specific breeds, but some are seeking to change that.

State Sen. Jackie Speier, D- Hillsborough, has introduced a bill that would enable local governments to establish mandatory spay or neuter programs for a particular breed.

The male and female pit bulls, one or both of which fatally attacked the San Francisco boy, were in heat. Some say this triggered their aggressive behavior.

Speier's bill would also allow municipalities to regulate breeding, including licensing breeders and setting limits on the number of puppies each year.

Her bill would still make it unlawful to ban breeds.

Speier introduced the bill at the request of San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom, who has sought ways to curb pit bulls after Nicholas' death.

In a sign of the strong emotions the issue engenders, Speier has had 1,500 e-mails and phone calls regarding her legislation. Ninety percent were from people opposed.

"It's a very well-organized group," said spokeswoman Tracy Fairchild.

The pit bull lobby has succeeded in blocking previous attempts by California lawmakers to impose breed-specific regulations.

Reynolds questions whether mandatory spaying and neutering programs would be effective.

"Do they have the resources to enforce it? Do they have the manpower? I'm guessing probably not," he said.

Contra Costa County is considering tougher restrictions under existing state law, including mandatory requirements for dogs that have been deemed potentially dangerous. This might include forcing owners to install new fencing, take the animal to obedience school or spay or neuter it.

District Attorney Bob Kochly has suggested limiting ownership of dogs by felons.

Betts, of Children's Hospital, notes that 5 percent to 7 percent of all children ages 5 to 9 will get bitten by a dog, and nearly half will have permanent scars.

Regardless of the breed, the important thing is to make sure any dog is submissive to every member of the household, including toddlers, he said.

"Obviously, there's a problem here," he said. "Whether it's a Chihuahua or a Great Dane, you have to be the dominant force."

Dog attacks

• Pit bull-type dogs and Rottweilers were involved in more than half of fatal human attacks from 1979 to 1998.

• Male dogs are 6.2 times more likely to bite than female dogs.

• Sexually intact dogs are 2.6 times more likely to bite than neutered dogs.

• Nearly 58 percent of fatal dog attacks involve unrestrained dogs on their owners' property.

• Most victims of fatal attacks are children.

Source: Studies cited in a 2000 report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

http://www.contracostatimes.com/mld/...s/12104599.htm

[whispersmom2]

OMG, I am so mean but I gotta say this. Did the Yorkie kill someone one finger at a time over a period of, say, 2 weeks?? Yuk-yuk

[Marie]

I never heard of anyone being fatally injured by a Yorkie. I can't believe it. I try doing a google search on the subject and i wasn't succesful. If in fact this happenned most have only being once a long time ago.

[dianne]

didnt you guys hear about the yorkie that killed six people up north single handed no just kidding but really I find it hard to believe show me the evidence.........

[natalie]

I'm pretty positive that a Yorkie with Kung-Fu lessons that can support up to 50x their weight on their shoulders can kill someone.

[LvMyYorki]

Rini & Diane...LMAO!!! You guys crack me up!
Marie- I would have been google'ing too, but you beat me too it! If you didnt find it then its not there!
FE- If you find out I would be curious to hear the circumstances!

I feel like I'm having one of those protective mother rants with myself.......

"A Yorkie? No! Not a Yorkie! Couldnta been. Maybe it was a Silky? You know those Silkies have that Australian in them. I bet it was one of them and someone just confused it with a sweet little Yorkie, because of course it couldnt have been a Yorkie. Yes, like I said...musta been a Silky!"

[fasteddie]

I believe a Yorkie could fatally attack a baby or a child, if they attacked at the neck or something, which would be incredibly sad of course. I guess I hope I never read about a Yorkie killing any human!

[babi1542]

Hard to believe!

[txshopper73]

fasteddie, you're right. I can see that happening to a small child, but not an adult. I just don't think they have the jaw power to do that as a pit or any other large breed would. It would be a sad, sad day if that ever happens.

[dianne]

Originally Posted by fasteddie

I believe a Yorkie could fatally attack a baby or a child, if they attacked at the neck or something, which would be incredibly sad of course. I guess I hope I never read about a Yorkie killing any human!

no disrespect fasteddie but i had visions of an adult .A baby never entered my mind sorry if I offended anyone but just having fun.

[fasteddie]

Well, still couldn't find anything concrete, but a few sites pointed out that Yorkies have killed humans. Here's a link to an article about a Pomeranian killing a small child:

http://www.dogexpert.com/FatalDogAtt...lifornia00.htm

No offense taken, dianne, we all would like to think Yorkies can do no harm! They're all sweeties! I was just personally curious about it, since I had never heard of it before today...

[lily's mom]

Originally Posted by whispersmom2

OMG, I am so mean but I gotta say this. Did the Yorkie kill someone one finger at a time over a period of, say, 2 weeks?? Yuk-yuk

[ingallsra]

Fasteddie--Thanks for the story. It's a subject I'm very interested in, and this article has a lot of facts in it.

[Junebug]

Otis has killed me several times over with his bad breath.

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Seriously, I think someone inserted "Yorkshire Terrier" in that article as a joke. How can you even classify a Yorkie with Pit Bulls? Also, the article seems like to focus in the Bay Area (Concord, SF, Hillsborough, Oakland). I have lived in this area my entire life, my family has always had small terriers, and I NEVER remember hearing about a Yorkie killing anyone here.

[Laura]

Well, just don't forget about little 'chucky' - and he was just a doll!