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Originally Posted by miabellaamoure  IMHPO...it's really the degree of strength that certain breeds of dogs can inflict with a bite that I think contributes to the idea of locking jaws.
Pit Bull - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Any dog's jaws can be locked in a closed position by surgically-correctable jaw abnormalities,[22] but there is no evidence for the existence of a physiological "locking mechanism" in the teeth or jaw structure of normal pit bull-type dogs[23] so this is not a factor in the number of fatalities attributed to them; however, pit bull-type dogs often exhibit "bite, hold, and shake" behavior and refuse to release when biting,[24] so some pit bull rescue organizations and advocacy groups recommend owners of pit bull-type dogs carry a "break stick" to lever their dog's jaws open if it bites a person or animal.[8][25]
Fatalities reported in the United States (2006-2008)
For more details on this topic, see List of people killed by dogs in the United States.
The following table summarizes the number of pit bull-related fatalities in the United States from 2006-2008 as reported by news organizations.[20]
Dog Bite-related Fatalities in the United States
Year------Total------Involving Pitbull-type dogs
2006------30--------16 (53%)
2007------35--------20 (57%)
2008------23--------16 (65%)
2009------16--------8 (50%)
This is how I would like to see a Pitbull out in public...again, it's my personal opinion and one based on personal experience, too. |
One thing I think we have to keep in mind is where the majority of these types of dogs live and what they were purchased for. Sadly I believe you will find many in the poorer sections of towns (not in all cases but many) and were not purchased to be a loving pet. While your stat's are correct in terms of going up I believe it is because these dogs are going into homes that using them for protection or dog fighting rings. It is so sad but how do we protect these dogs from getting into the wrong hands. These dogs use to be a beautiful breed and are being ruined by lowlife's.
The following website does track dog bites and dog kills in the US. While I am not surprised by the breeds that have killed for the most part (they are trained to do this in many cases) I was surprised by the baby that was killed by a Pom as I did not know they were bred to be guard dogs (I don't know if this is true - just what the website says).
DOG BITE LAW - Statistics about dog bites in the USA and elsewhere