ANSC 250 1st Edition Lecture 18 Outline of Last Lecture I. Intro to dog fighting in U.SII. Overview of dog fighting and dog fighters III. ASPCA videoIV. “Off the Chain” V. Laws and casesOutline of Current Lecture I. What is a Pit Bull?II. Why do dogs bite?III. Media ReportingIV. Myth vs. FactV. Breed discrimination and IdentificationVI. What can we do? Current LectureI. What is a Pit Bull?a. A pit bull is not a true breed. It is a generic term used to describe multiple breeds ormix of those breeds. It can also be used to describe a dog that shares common physical traits of certain breeds. b. They descended from bull dogs. Were all pit bulls bred for fighting or bull baiting? --> No! (bull baiting and dog fighting, work dogs, companionship) c. Famous pit bulls in early 20th c. i. Sergeant Stubby- war heroii. Petey the Pit bull- Little Rascals iii. Other media figures, famous owners- Teddy Roosevelt, Buster Brown Shoes, Helen Kellerb. Today pit bulls have a “dangerous” image enhanced by the media which increases their popularity with people who have poor intentions for them. They are also sometimes used in fighting- professional and street level. But, the majority of pit bulls today are kept as family pets by responsible owners. c. Which other dogs have been viewed as more dangerous or aggressive in the past?i. Bloodhoundii. Newfoundlandiii. Sled dogsiv. ColliesThese notes represent a detailed interpretation of the professor’s lecture. GradeBuddy is best used as a supplement to your own notes, not as a substitute.v. German Shepherdvi. Doberman Pinchervii. RottweilerII. Why do dogs bite?a. When a dog breed gains a dangerous image, the number of reckless owners increases. When dogs are abused or neglected, the number of incidences of aggression increases. When a bite occurs, the image created by the media report is reinforced.b. Just remember, the HUMAN is the biggest variable in a dog’s behavior and aggression. c. Reckless owners will chain their dogs, allow their dogs to roam, neglect or abuse their dogs, and allow unsupervised children to interact with unfamiliar dogs.d. Resident dogs are those that:i. Maintained exclusively on chains or in kennelsii. Obtained for negative functions that encourage aggressioniii. Have limited or no positive human interactions, kept isolatediv. Do NOT exhibit the same behaviors as family dogsv. Animals are likely unalteredb. Family dogs are those that;i. Learn appropriate behaviors and are well socialized with humansii. Interact regularly with humans in humane and positive waysiii. Have owners who are more likely to train, spay/neuter, and provide appropriate care for their dogs.b. The AVMA study from class found that in fatal dog bites fatalities was not a common factor. (breed was NOT a common factor- note pit bull is not a breed, but rather a group of dogs; 40-50% of dogs in US are mixed breed) c. Some common factors of bites (7 or more of these were present in most cases) include:i. No able-bodied person able to intervene ii. Victim had no previous relationship with dog(s) iii. Dogs not spayed/neutered iv. Victim had a compromised ability to manage their interactions with the dog v. Kept as resident dogs vi. Owner’s prior mismanagement vii. Owner’s abuse or neglect of dogs II. Media Reportinga. The main difference between media reporting of the past (19th and early 20th c.) compared to today is that today the function of the dog and the circumstances of the attack are often known and the blame used to lie with the owner, but now it is on the dog. (focus on breed; function of dog circumstances of attack are unknown orunreported) b. With this type of reporting, we’re assuming the following has changed:i. Dogs now attack without warningii. All dogs are kept as family dogsiii. All dogs are purebredb. Papers were 9 times more likely to include the breed of the dog in the headline when the story involved a "pit bull". (only 8% of articles reporting on dogs attacks byother breeds mentioned the breed)II. Myth vs. Facta. Do pit bull have locking jaws or the ability to lock their jaw during an attack?i. No b. How many pounds of pressure per square inch can pit bulls exert in their bite?i. 200-450psi (pit bull has less amount of bite pressure than most other dogs) b. In the National Geographic study discussed, which breed had the most and the least amount of pressure in their bite?i. Least = pit bulls ii. Most = Rottwellers b. We know there are some friendly pit bulls out there, but are they just the exception?i. No, most are friendlyb. The results from the American Temperament Test Society show pit bulls have reliable, friendly behavior.c. Are pit bulls more intolerant to pain than other dogs?i. Nob. Who owns the majority of pit bull type dogs?i. Anyone!b. According to the Banfield Pet Hospital’s report, where do “pit bulls” rank in terms of breed popularity with their clients?i. 5th (1st- Labrador Retriever) II. Breed Discrimination and Identificationa. Breed Discriminatory Legislation is a statute or regulation based on specific breed orbreed types.b. Which city has the most infamous of these types of regulations?i. Denver, CO- 1989 pit bull ban is the most notable- born out of unsupported fears; dogs were register, confiscated and killed- majority were family dogs; overall dog bites have not decreased- Americans with Disabilities Act opposed the bans) b. Are breed bans shown to be effective in reducing the number of dog bites and increasing public safety?i. No (dog bites can't be predicted by breed alone) b. Who is mainly being punished with these types of regulations?i. Responsible pet owners and family dogsb. Which government group recently announced their opposition to breed bans?i. The White House (thinks that bans are ineffective and a waste of public resources) b. Is there any organization(s) that are knowledgeable about dog behavior or aggression that support breed regulations or bans? If so, list them below.i. National Animal Welfare organizations 1. HSUS2. ASPCA3. Best Friends Animal Society4. AHAi. Vets ii. Governmentiii. Lawyersiv. Animal Control Officers v. Dog trainers vi. Dog Breeders b. What is the state of Illinois’ stance on breed regulations?i. Anti-BSL provisions! No city can enact a breed-specific ban b. A problem with breed bans involves knowing what a pit bull is. This is because most of these dogs are mixed breed dogs and most bans are based on visual appearance- not