As family mourns, propaganda hides danger of pit bull attacks

TEXAS - A tragic deception has been perpetrated on the American public, says Colleen Lynn of Austin.

And the gruesome consequences were seen in Dallas last weekend.

In a scene almost too sickening to imagine, a 2-month-old baby in a bouncy seat was attacked and fatally mutilated by the family’s pit bull.

The baby’s grandmother expressed the family’s complete shock. The dog had been in the family and around other children for eight years without problems, she said.

But it’s no surprise at all for Lynn. In fact, it’s disgustingly familiar.

“It’s what they always say. They’re always shocked,” she said.

Lynn is founder of Dogsbite.org, an advocacy group working to reduce serious dog attacks, particularly by pit bulls.

Lynn was the victim of an attack herself while jogging in 2007. A woman was walking a pit bull. As Lynn ran by, the dog lunged, jerking the leash from the owner’s hands.

“The dog jumped up and hit me in the chest, knocking me down. And just as they are bred to do, it went for my face and throat,” Lynn said.

Fortunately, she had instinctively crossed her forearms in front of her face. The dog grabbed her right forearm and began to drag her.

In the few seconds before the owner pulled the dog away, Lynn’s forearm was lacerated and a bone was broken. Two surgeries were required.

While recuperating, Lynn began to research dog attacks. “What I found was all these propaganda websites saying wonderful things about pit bulls. They were even called ‘nanny dogs’ for supposedly being so good with kids,” she said.

The more she dug, however, the clearer it became that pit bulls are responsible for most serious attacks every year.

“Yes, all dogs bite. That’s a big part of the propaganda. But the real issue is the severity of the attacks,” Lynn said. “Most dogs bite and release. Pit bulls bite and hold. They rip and they tear.”

She says it’s like holding a firecracker in one hand and a hand grenade in the other. “Yes, either one of them can explode. But one of them is going to do a whole lot more damage than the other.”

Because there are no uniform reporting requirements, statistics on serious dog attacks are hard to come by. For one basic measure, Dogsbite.org tracks news reports of fatal dog attacks across the country.

Last year, there were 42 such attacks. Pit bulls were responsible for 64 percent of the deaths. Pit bulls make up about 6 percent of the total dog population.

And deaths tell only a small part of the story. Horrific injuries are far more frequent. “As part of my work, I have to look at the imagery sometimes, and it’s unbelievable,” Lynn said.

“People buy into this idea that it’s all in how you raise them. That’s the bottom-line propaganda,” she said. “But it’s just not honest. It denies all the heritage of the breed. For centuries, these dogs were bred to attack and to kill.

“We all do breed research before we buy a dog. That’s just normal. We understand breed traits. But there’s this big cover-up about pit bulls.

“If people had more complete information about these dogs, they would make better decisions — parents especially,” she said.

Lynn supports laws that specifically regulate pit bulls. Most veterinary and animal-welfare groups say breed-specific laws are ineffective. We won’t settle that debate any time soon.

But we can do much as individuals. Spaying and neutering to curb aggression. Not leaving children alone with a dog. And easiest of all, never allowing anyone you love near a pit bull.

I know from experience that I will hear from irate pit bull owners telling me what wonderful dogs they are. Try telling it to one Dallas family.

The funeral is Friday morning for 10-week-old Brayden Lamar Wilson.

(Dallas News - April 23, 2015)