There seems to be certain breeds of domesticated dogs that are more prone to attacking people than others. The first one that springs to my mind is the Pit Bull. These dogs once used to be the number one breed for causing fatalities by dog attacks. However, by the end of the nineteen nineties the Rottweiler has overtaken in this status and has become a bigger threat to man. From 1991 to 1998 Rottweilers were involved in more than 33 fatal attacks in America, with pit bulls only registering 21 fatalities for the same period.
It seems that there is a significant problem with dogs attacking people, and the only answer is to be vigilant, especially when dealing with children and dogs. I grew up with a dog right throughout my childhood, and not once did I ever have any sort of fear that one of them might have attacked me. The fact that I was never attacked by any dog was probably largely due to the fact that my parents were extremely vigilant and always supervised my brother and I wherever we were, including when we were around animals. Now as a mother myself I make sure I never become complaisant when my children are in the company of animals. I'm always telling my daughter, who absolutely loves all animals, that she should never approach and touch any animal that she does not know before talking to its owner. The problem with this piece of advice is that often the owners of dogs will say to her "of course you can pat the dog". Why is this a problem? You ask. Well, the reason this is a problem is because in most cases where a dog attacks a child or adult the dog's owner usually reports that the animal has never attacked any one before and this was the first time. Unfortunately, if you happen to be the first person who has ever been bitten by the dog it doesn't make your injuries or trauma any less significant.
Many times the person who is attacked by a dog are members of the family that owns the animal. It may be an uncle or aunt's dog, a grandparents, or even the family pet. Animals that have been docile and loving for years and years and years can suddenly turn in an instant and attack the hand that has been feeding them. Nobody seems to know why animals suddenly turn nasty. Maybe it could be something to do with the dog getting older and becoming less tolerant of being pulled and pushed around, or maybe it could be due to the animal having some kind of illness that could cause it to snap.
Go To Page: 1 2
| Here's the follow-up discussion on this article: | View all related messages |
For a complete listing of article comments, questions, and other discussions related to Jacqueline Dell's Killer Animals topic, please visit the Discussions page.