Yet another example of why Pit Bulls should be banned from the city limits. They are dangerous and unpredictable. They lower property values for neighbors.

I bet a thumb jammed into the eye socket of one of these dogs would make it let go.

decatur has a dangerous dog law...it is not enforced....and as for sticking your thumb in a dog's eye...most victims are so terrified they stop thinking and just re-act....as usual in decatur ...it is too little too late....

Pit-Bulls are not the problem! We should ban some of the people. I've had pit bulls for 10 years and they are very submissive. I tell my dog to get in the bath tub and he climbs right in. Your statement really makes me mad because you obviously don't understand the breed. This is not a communist country. When things happen we don't solve a problem by taking rights away from other people.

ALTON PEOPLE WHO MAKE STATEMENTS LIKE THAT ARE OUT IN LEFT FIELD W/O THEIR GLOVE,SO ITS HARD FOR THEM TO CATCH ANY BALL. COMPRENDE ??? NO DOG IS BORN MEAN NO HUMAN IS BORN A KILLER. WE NEED TO BAN ILLEGALS THJAT MAKES MORE SENSE.BBB

This is another reason for a law abiding citizen to carry a concealed weapon. I guarantee you a 230 grain Black Talon projectile in 45 caliber launched into the dogs chest at 900 feet per second will take care of the problem. I think I still have the right to protect myself.

Pit bulls may not be necessarily “vicious” or “dangerous”, but they are unquestionably assertive and territorial. As such, aggressive behavior comes naturally to them while submissiveness must be vigorously trained into the animal by a highly assertive master. This is a labor and time intensive process and may require more time than is available to a typical pet owner.

We don’t hear of such attacks by Labrador Retrievers with such frequency. While a “lab” can become vicious through neglect or abuse, they are a more naturally submissive breed and make a better pet with less formal training. There are differences in breeds requiring very different levels of training. Banning of a breed as a pet may be harsh, but in a close-quartered society, it may be also be an unfortunate necessity.

PB's are victims. Victims of terrible owners. Labradors and Golden's etc., fair much better with the type of people who adopt them. My bullie mix is the best pet I've ever owned. She's smart and loving and a wonderful member of our family. Please don't hold it against all of them because so many of the breed have had the misfortune of falling into unsavory circumstances. Instead of getting rid of the dogs, we should get rid of the vermin that has created the bad rap for this great breed.

Ja, your right, the problem is people buy pits and don't know how to train them from PUPS how to act. If they are agressive with the pup the pup it will grow up aggressive, but if you pet them and just hug them they will gow up tame. The problem is people buy them as watch dogs and then when they protect the propery it's the dogs fault.I can take any breed and make them aggressive, in turn I can make them a loving pet. Owners need to take the responsibilty of the dogs and be charged with the dogs actions.

I have to disagree...some dogs are born mean and with killer instinct. Just like a wild lion that is born into captivity they have this instinct that is in their DNA to attack things. Pit Bulls have been bread for years (hundreds upon hundreds) to be attack dogs and for protection. You cant stop what thier DNA makeup is. You can raise them from pups and say "oh but mine are as gentle as a lamb!" BUT one day your little gentle lamb could attack and kill and it is very likely. They arent a very smart bread...do the research. It is just a fact! would you keep a loaded gun out somewhere where a child "MIGHT" come along and pick it up and play with it? Having a vicious dog like this is NO DIFFERENT in what could happen. ITS CALLED PREVENTION!!!

Carbajal? Anyone notice that she's a relative of the suspect from the fun;and park shooting?

Pit Bulls have a bad rep but I believe if a dog of any breed is raised with love and kindness it can be a good pet. I've had rotts and they were never mistreated and were very gentle loving dogs. I never had a problem with any of them. On the other hand if you discipline with harsh treatment that can make a dog turn bad. Another thing is putting a dog on a chain can also cause very aggressive behavior. Treat your animals with kindness rather than a stick or fist.

I don’t own a dog, but I know that pit bull attack stories get more attention. A report of a dog bite from a Labradoodle, Pekinese, Chihuahua, Collie, etc. doesn't sell advertising space in newspapers or on TV quite like another dramatic pit bull story. I wonder how many people have died, been paralyzed, or otherwise seriously injured riding horses. I don't think horses should be outlawed I don’t think dog ownership should be legislated down to what breed you can own.

Animal owners need to be held responsible for the actions of their pets and we don't need big brother forcing more laws down our throats. I don’t need my every move and personal decision mandated by lawmakers and I’ll bet the silent majority out there doesn’t need it either. Wake up, we are not a “people of the government” it’s the other way around.

I have 14 dogs, one being a pit, she is a very sweet and loving girl. There has been no aggression to people nor our other dogs. I think pits get a bad rap. I am in the pet care business, and i have seen alot of pits, i have never had a problem with any of them. They are just like kids, it is how you raise them.

Chris from Trinity, why do you suppose that an ankle nip by a Chihuahua doesn't get as much press as a pit bull attack requiring hospital treatment or a funeral? And Jay from Tanner, I cannot tell you how many times I have seen children seriously bitten by the family pit bull or the neighbor's dog that was always "sweet and loving" right up until something in a child's running across the room or the yard triggered an attack. Most of the attacks never make the papers. Then the owners are surprised (why? who knows!) and just can't believe it, the dog has "never done anything like that before." And the other pit bull owners still say their dog is different, the other owners must have raised it wrong. So pit bulls continue to be carelessly kept or even allowed to roam free.

RE: SPARKMAN JUNIOR,

I can tell you why genius, but I think I explained it earlier. You don't hear from the press when someone is attacked by any other species of dog, because it's hard to make it sound dramatic and the bleeding hearts don't listen to that story, therefore ratings go down and Mr. Advertiser doesn't try to sell his wares on an outlet that's not viewed. That's why you said "an ankle nip by a Chihuahua", because that's how all are viewed, regardless if the attack is equal in severity to the pit bull attack. Thank you for reinforcing.

I also have a hard time believing you've been the personal witness to more pit bull attacks than you can keep up with. Now I'm not saying you're lying, but you ain't telling the right truth. Where did you get your info on the number of attacks that go unreported, because I'd be interested to know how those stats were obtained if the attack wasn't reported. Again not calling you a lair, but....

Did you know that Dalmatians and Labs are also on the list of deadly dogs? Why not legislate those breeds out too?

I, along with you, don't buy the comments either that any pit bull can be trusted, based on who raised it or how it was raised, but I don't buy that for any animal. Dogs, cats, horses, snakes, monkeys, etc. are all wild beasts and unpredictable, henceforth they're capable of harm at any moment, but I'll be darned if we need a law saying what type of breeds free citizens can own.

I think the MOST dangerous of all is not a dog, but an uneducated and inexperienced US citizen willing to pass all common sense decisions on to the government, because someone played on their emotions a wee bit. We need strong willed men and women of this country to slap some sense into all these cry-baby socialists who are trying to give America away!