The only thing more dangerous than being within sniffing distance of Joe Biden is apparently being within reach of a pit bull.
Earlier this week, disturbing footage went viral of a police officer having to shoot one canine after a pack four dogs (three of which were pit bulls) attacked a man in the street in Philadelphia.
[Warning: Graphic!]
Just two days later, it was reported that a nine-year-old girl was recovering in hospital after she was attacked by a pit bull in Iowa.
It feels like every week, we're bombarded with heartbreaking stories of children (and adults) being mauled, and sometimes killed, by pit bulls. And yet, despite the staggering numbers, nothing seems to change. It's like a violent, pit bull-themed version of Groundhog Day.
Let's take a look at the numbers. Between 2005 and 2017, at least 433 Americans were killed by dogs. And guess what? Pit bulls were responsible for a whopping 66% of these deaths. Pit bulls — a breed that makes up only 6% of the dog population in the U.S. — is causing the majority of fatal attacks.
It's not even just humans who are suffering at the jaws of these dogs. In 2017 alone, pit bulls were responsible for the deaths of 13,000 dogs, 5,000 cats, and 20,000 horses and other farm animals.
Those are numbers Kristi Noem can only dream of.
Despite all this carnage, pit bull attacks rose a staggering 773% between 2007 and 2014, and between 1982 and 2018, pit bulls and pit mixes killed or maimed over 6,000 Americans, with over 2,400 of them being children.
So... what's the solution? First off, I believe we at least need stricter regulations when it comes to owning pit bulls. Mandatory spaying and neutering, liability insurance, and breed-specific legislation are just a few ideas that have been thrown around, but at the highest level, we need owners to face severe consequences when their animals cause irreparable harm to those around them.
And if that fails, is it time to start thinking about banning pit bulls?
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