• alcoholicorn@lemmy.ml
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    5 months ago

    The statistics about 90% dog attacks being pitbulls is because cops can call any dog a pitbull.

    • sorrybookbroke@sh.itjust.works
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      5 months ago

      Pit bull is a large category which many, completely unrelated breeds can be classified as too. Entirely different genetics, from entirely different regions, with entirely different temperaments.

      Sure, if a person lumps together any dog that kinda looks like it belongs in the bully classification, you’ll get pretty high statistics. Especially when you compare against singular breeds like a rottweiler.

      If you look at the graphic (which states 67% not 90) “pitbull” makes up atleast 8 breeds, though like many others I’ve read my assumption is that they’re still classifying many breeds as a singular breed.

      You need to look at per-capita data by the way, even if you didn’t need to separate the breeds. With simply this data, there could simply be more pitbulls in existance than other breeds.

      • BigFig@lemmy.world
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        5 months ago

        Also, there is no dotted line on the police report for “Dog Breed”. It’s just a dog bite/attack/fight etc. No police department is out here compiling and retaining data on what dogs are involved in what fights, let alone doing a fucking DNA test to make sure that was a pitbull or not involved

    • CptEnder@lemmy.world
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      5 months ago

      My theory: pitbull hate is just a thinly veiled dog whistle (lol pun) for racism. The majority of pit owners are POC and the vitriol people have for those dogs is eeriely similar to what you see in hate speech. Like German Shepherds are literally bred specifically for cops to bite people professionally but you never hear anyone bitch about them, because they’re associated more with authority and White America…

      Here I can speak from experience. I was mauled by a dog when I was a kid. It had shitty owners that left him chained up all day no matter the weather. The breed? GSD. Not that it matters at all.

      I love all dogs, not some owners.