American Pit Bull Terrier
The Pit Bull Terrier is not technically a breed but a group of similar dogs. It was bred as a cross between Bulldogs and Terriers. Although once a popular dog for families before World War II, its popularity has declined in recent decades. On average, the pit bull weighs 30-60 pounds.
Staffordshire Bull Terrier
Originally bred in England, these pit bull relatives are known for their good nature around children. The "staffy" is the fifth most popular breed in the UK. Extremely stocky and muscular, they usually weight between 30-40 pounds.
Other Vick Breeds
There were also 9 Beagles, 2 Rottweilers and a Tosa dog found at 1915 Moonlight Road.
The Beagle is in the hunting class and is known for its happy personality. The Snoopy character is America's most famous Beagle. Their average weight is between 18-35 pounds.
The Rottweiler is a herding dog whose average weight is between 90-130 pounds. Rottweilers also receive negative attention in the press and are portrayed as an agressive breed.
The Tosa breed is a relatively rare Japanese dog that weighs between 130-200 pounds. It was originally bred in Japan to be a fighting dog and is currently illegal in some countries, including Norway, Denmark and New Zealand.
Logo by Phantastic Tees
The Beagle is in the hunting class and is known for its happy personality. The Snoopy character is America's most famous Beagle. Their average weight is between 18-35 pounds.
The Rottweiler is a herding dog whose average weight is between 90-130 pounds. Rottweilers also receive negative attention in the press and are portrayed as an agressive breed.
The Tosa breed is a relatively rare Japanese dog that weighs between 130-200 pounds. It was originally bred in Japan to be a fighting dog and is currently illegal in some countries, including Norway, Denmark and New Zealand.
Logo by Phantastic Tees
Media Bias
The following information is from the ASPCA's article "Pit Bull Bias in the Media." It is a short quantitative analysis of media coverage of dog attacks. It suggests that pit bull incidents are sensationalized.
The National Canine Research Council asks us to consider the source when reading news of dog attacks. Often, they caution, reporters are looking for a snazzy story and use comments from regular people near the scene who may not correctly identify the dog's breed or the cause of the aggression.
- August 18, 2007—A Labrador mix attacked a 70-year-old man,
sending him to the hospital in critical condition. Police officers
arrived at the scene and the dog was shot after charging the officers.
This incident was reported in one article in the local paper. -
August 19, 2007—A 16-month-old child received fatal head and neck injuries after being attacked by a mixed-breed dog.
This attack was reported on twice by the local paper. -
August 20, 2007—A six-year-old boy was hospitalized after
having his ear torn off and receiving a severe bite to the head by a
medium-sized, mixed-breed dog.
This incident was reported in one article in the local paper. -
August 21, 2007—A 59-year-old woman was attacked in her home
by two pit bulls and was hospitalized with severe, but not fatal,
injuries.
This attack was reported in over 230 articles in national and international newspapers, as well as major television news networks including CNN, MSNBC and FOX.
The National Canine Research Council asks us to consider the source when reading news of dog attacks. Often, they caution, reporters are looking for a snazzy story and use comments from regular people near the scene who may not correctly identify the dog's breed or the cause of the aggression.
