Short History of the Pit Bull in South Africa
The modern day American Pit Bull Terrier (APBT) in South Africa, can trace its roots back to the United States and even further back to England and Ireland as early as the start of the 19th century.
Although much smaller in size than the present day American Pit Bull Terrier, it’s early European ancestors were used as working dogs, watchdogs, and herders in England and Ireland, controlling unruly bulls for butchers and farmers, guarding family and property against intruders and protecting life stock from attack by wild predators at risk of their own lives. Dogs taken from the British Isles to the United States of America, were used in crosses done by Boston Irish immigrants between a variety of their English and Irish “bully” type terriers which produced a proto-type of the present day American Pit Bull Terrier.
The Boston Irish breeders aimed to increase their dogs weight with a more muscular physique, adding an enduring stamina and an even more powerful head structure. These dogs were bred to preserve the high sprinted gutsy courageous traits of their British Isle ancestors with a lower pain threshold and a higher prey drive. The hallmark of this breed in America was unwavering tenacity, unfaltering courage, extreme endurance and bold determination in completion of any task required to perform, especially during pit matches.
The early pioneers of the breed in America understood that aggression towards humans was a bad quality that must be avoided at all costs. This breed of dog required extensive human handling prior and during their pit matches and most of these dogs were also kept as prized family pets therefore no human aggression in the breed could be tolerated by these seasoned dog men. Pit bull terriers that did exhibit aggression towards humans were typically culled, meaning that only human friendly bloodlines were desired, breed and perpetuated.
Recognised by South Africans for their tenacious endurance capabilities, intelligence, bravery and loyalty the American Pit Bull Terrier was imported into South Africa from reputable kennels in the United States as early as the 1960s and more proven dogs were later imported into South Africa from kennels in the South Americas and Balkan regions. One of the most popular breeds of its time in South Africa, highly prized by a wide variety of people for its unwavering courage and determination when confronted with sure danger, admired for their instinct of never giving up and never letting go, the breed flourished in South Africa.
As a result of the hard work, perseverance, diligence and dedication of local South African breed fanciers towards preserving this breed of pit dog in its true original form, the American Pit Bull Terrier in South Africa is today as game as his American cousin.
American Pit Bull Terriers make excellent, loving and protective companions despite the unfair and bias press they receive in the South African and international media. A very common question from unknowledgeable new South African owners is “Will this dog kill me, and my family?” If you purchase from a responsible reputable South African breeder who excludes any human aggressive pit bull terrier from his breeding program and you thereafter ensure that your puppy is well socialized from an early age by exposing him to everything imaginable, from young to old children, from the elderly to the wheelchair bound, from umbrellas to kites you will own a Pit Bull Terrier with sound and stable temperament. Unfortunately, in South Africa a vast minority of Pit Bulls are poorly socialized, chained, abused, neglected or allowed to roam freely and inevitably attack another living creature, typically a child.
Owners need to understand the breed’s fighting history and take necessary precautions by ensuring early socialization with other dogs and monitoring of their pit bulls interactions with other family dogs. Even with extensive socialization, some APBT’s may never be comfortable with other dogs around them, so each pit bull should be treated as an individual with careful consideration.
An American Pit Bull Terrier is not a breed for everyone, therefore careful consideration should be taken before acquiring an APBT.
1.) Since 1998, the breed most involved in fatal attacks has been the ********** (don't want to put any other breeds on the spot), not the Pit Bull.
2.) Although there are no accurate or even near accurate census records for dogs in the U.S., in some populations pit bulls are estimated to comprise some 30-40% of the dog population, making it by FAR the most popular breed. Considering that there are an estimated 53,000,000 dogs in the U.S., and assuming that pit bulls make up 20% of that population, there would be approximately 10,600,000 pit bulls in our society. In 1998, five pit bulls were involved in 2 fatal attacks.
That is roughly ONE dog out of 2,120,000 - or .00004716 percent of the pit bull Population.
3.) Over the 32-year period from 1965-2001, Pit Bulls have been blamed for/accused of an average of 2.48 human fatalities per year.
4.) About 40 people (children) per year die by drowning in 5-gallon water pails. A person, during their lifetime, is 16 times more likely to drown in a 5-gallon water pail than to be killed by a Pit Bull.
5.) Approximately 50 children in the US are killed every year by their cribs - 25 times the number of children and adults killed by Pit Bulls.
6.) Approximately 150 people are killed every year by falling coconuts. Therefore, you are more than 60 TIMES MORE LIKELY to be killed by a PALM TREE than a Pit Bull.
7.) Each year, 350 people drown in their bathtubs. You are 151 times more likely to be killed by your bathtub than you are by a Pit Bull.
8) Every year, more than 2,000 children in the U.S. are killed by their parents or guardians either through abuse or neglect. A child is more than 800 times more likely to be killed by their caretaker than by a Pit Bull.
9) It is estimated that 5,000,000 dogs per year are killed in shelters. Since in many places pit bulls make up 30-50% of the shelter population, and are less likely to be considered for placement than any other breed, guessing that 25% of those dogs killed are pit bulls is a very conservative estimate. Therefore, it can be assumed that roughly 1,250,000 pit bulls are killed per year. Therefore - it is at least a HALF MILLION TIMES MORE LIKELY that a Pit Bull will be killed by a HUMAN than the other way around.
10) The average Number of people killed by a Pit Bull each year is 3.
11) It can be estimated that for every Pit Bull who kills, there are 10.5 MILLION that DON'T!
This country wants to ban/destroy 10.5 million innocent dogs for the actions of 0.94% of its category?
PLEASE SPREAD THE WORD ABOUT THE MISCONCEPTION ABOUT PIT BULLS!!!
MANY WONDERFUL, SWEET DOGS ARE IN DANGER OF BEING KILLED!
A study by the National Canine Research Council reveals biased reporting by the media, its devastating consequences for dogs and the toll it takes on public safety.
Consider how the media reported four incidents that happened between August 18th and August 21st:
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 and only 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 two times by the local paper only.
August 20, 2007 - A 6-year-old boy was hospitalized after having his ear torn off and receiving severe bites to the head by a medium-sized mixed breed dog. This attack was reported in one article and only 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 injuries.
This attack was reported in over two hundred and thirty articles in national and international newspapers, as well as major television news networks, including CNN, MSNBC and FOX.
"Clearly a fatal dog attack by an unremarkable breed is not as newsworthy as a non-fatal attack by a Pit bull" says Karen Delise, researcher for the National Canine Research Council.
People routinely cite media coverage as “proof” that pit bulls are more dangerous than other dogs. Costly and ineffective public policy decisions are being made on the basis of such "proof". While this biased reporting is not only lethal to an entire population of dogs; sensationalized media coverage endangers the public by misleading them about the real factors in canine aggression.
www.nationalcanineresearchcouncil.com
Extensive research and investigation has conclusively identified the ownership/management practices that are at the root of the rare, but perfect, storm when a dog becomes dangerous.
Function of Dog –
Owners obtaining dogs, and maintaining them as resident dogs outside of the household for purposes other than as family pets (i.e. guarding/ protection, fighting, intimidation/status, irresponsible and negligent breeding).
Owner Management & Control of Dogs –
Owners failing to humanely contain, control and maintain their dogs (chained dogs, loose roaming dogs, cases of abuse/neglect); owners failing to knowledgably supervise interaction between children and dogs.
Reproductive Status of Dog –
Owners failing to spay or neuter animals not used for competition, show, or in a responsible breeding program.
In 2006, 97% of the fatal attacks were the result of one or more of these reckless or criminal ownership practices.
Karen Delise
National Canine Research Council
All statistics can be cited or referenced by the National Canine Research Council upon request.