Freeport neighbors upset over dog attack

FREEPORT (WGME) — There is controversy on the coast of Freeport, after a dog that many consider to be a pit bull allegedly attacked another dog. Police are investigating and several neighbors want the owners to get rid of the animal. The dog’s owner, Leslie Davidson, insists her dog is not a threat.

Kristen Bailey thinks it is. She and her son took their labradoodle, Webster, for a walk Easter Sunday, when she says a “pit bull” attacked their dog. Bailey says “The pit bull hit my dog with such intensity that I fell backwards. I lost the leash and fell backwards and hit my head on the pavement.”

Stunned at first, Bailey got up and tried to free her dog, while Davidson’s husband tried to pull his dog off. Bailey says “The pit bull had my dog by the throat and would not let it go. A neighbor jumped on top of the pit bull and pried open its jaws. And that’s what saved Webster.”

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It is recommended that American Pit Bull Terrier owners have and carry a break stick¹⁷. A break stick is a device designed to open a Pit Bull type dog’s mouth while it is engaged in fighting. Pit Bull type breeds have a very distinctive fighting style and often will latch on their opponent and not let go. They usually will shake the other animal violently when they are latched on. This can cause horrific damage quickly. The break stick was designed by dog fighters to be inserted into the Pit Bull’s mouth and release his grip. The original purpose was to safely end a dog fight. The break stick often is the ONLY thing that will release the dog’s grip. People have been known to hit Pit Bulls with objects such as a bat or even shoot them and the dog still will not let go. Bully Breed owners should always have one handy in cause of an emergency. The break stick is not safe to use on other breeds of dogs and is only recommended for dogs in the Pit Bull family that were once used for dog fighting purposes.

Research is advised before selecting an APBT as a pet. They are often on the list of dogs that many landlords/property management companies do not allow. There are many American towns that have breed specific legislation or restrictions on certain breeds, including theAPBT. There are also many countries that have enacted restrictions or bans, such as the United Kingdom, that include the breed. It is wise to make sure your pet will be allowed into your community.

Breeds in the Pit Bull family are the most common surrendered and stray dog breeds in the animal sheltering system. They are also the most commonly euthanized dog breed. Owners are often unaware and unprepared for these breeds. While many families own bully breeds successfully and have only positive experiences with the breed, there are families they are not suited for. Because shelters are so full of APBTs and other Pit Bull types, it’s important to neuter your APBT rather than breeding it – for the sake of the APBTs themselves¹⁸. No dog lover wants to breed any kind of dog only to have it quickly end up in a shelter after it’s sold!

The American Pit Bull Terrier requires a minimal amount of grooming and only sheds lightly. They are prone to several medical issues such as hip dysplasia, cataracts, allergies, and heart disease. They usually weigh between 30-70 lbs and their average lifespan is about 12 years.

In North America, from 1982-2014, Pit Bull breeds and mixes have seriously attacked 3,595 humans that resulted in 2,233 maimings and 307 deaths

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How many other animals did pit bulls kill in 2014?

^{JANUARY 27, 2015 BY MERRITT CLIFTON}

Fifty thousand dogs per year, including at least 34,250 pit bulls, attack other animals, according toANIMALS 24-7 analysis of dog attack data from 2013-2014.

Of the 82,000 animal victims per year, 59,000 die; 23,000 survive their injuries. Among the dead are 15,500 dogs, 95% of them attacked by pit bulls, and 6,000 hooved animals, 93% of them attacked by pit bulls.

Pit bulls also inflict at least 60% of the 29,000 fatal attacks on domestic birds and small mammals, and at least 60% of the 8,250 fatal attacks on cats. About a third of the fatal dog attacks on domestic birds, small mammals, and cats are by dogs who are not caught and identified, so might also include many pit bulls.

Pit bulls committed more than 60% of fatal attacks

Pit bulls appear to have inflicted not less than 60% of the total fatal attacks on animals (68,500), and probably considerably more, since pit bulls might also have inflicted a significant share of the 49,000 fatalities on other animals in cases where the attacking dogs were not identified.

Altogether, pit bulls inflicted 95% of the fatal attacks on other dogs (30,466); 93% of the fatal attacks on livestock (10,583); 95% of the fatal attacks on small mammals and poultry (56,400); and at least 61% of the fatal attacks on cats (21,226), of which 35% involved unidentified dogs.

About 90,000 pit bulls were involved in attacks on other animals in 2013-2014: more than 90% of all the dogs inflicting attacks who were identified by breed.

There are about 3.5 million pit bulls in the U.S. at any given time, according to the my annual surveys of dogs offered for sale or adoption via online classified ads. (See “Large retrievers still nearly twice as popular as pit bulls,” http://wp.me/p4pKmM-BA.)

Thus in 2013-2014 more than one pit bull in 40 killed or seriously injured another animal, compared with about one dog in 50,000 of other breeds.