First, you have to define what legally constitutes a pit bull. Pit bull type dogs are several breeds that are commonly lumped together.

By law dog owners can be held legally liable for any personal or property injuries caused by their dogs.

Maybe we should try enforcing the laws we already have before inventing new ones.

Thanks Skeptic, I have been preaching the same for weeks. The reason we only hear of the pitbull attacks is being attacked by a Cocker Spaniel would not get anyones attention. I am sure breeds like German Sheperds and others breeds are right up even with the number of attacks on humans they just dont make the news. Also how would you enforce a breed ban? Where would this money come from? How about we all get together and tell our political leaders to quit passing new laws and start focusing on enforcing the ones that are in place now.

Its silly to consider banning a breed as Skeptic points out, proving a breed and attempting to hold someone responsible for the genetic content of their dogs is absurd.

The reason pit bulls draw more attention though, is because when a chihuahua attacks someone, they might get an ankle bite requiring stitches. And when a golden retriever attacks, they tend to snap and then release. But when a pit bull, or other fighting dog attacks, they hold on and are very difficult to remove. With big canines attached, they can do a lot of damage.

The nature of the breed is what attracts the toothless hillbillies. When you are cooking meth or growing dope, you want a dog that will keep strangers from imposing upon your batch. Being toothless hillbillies, they have no sense of right, wrong, and thus are more likely to train their dogs to be aggressive.

Well Y-S, I guess insulting toothless hillbillies will keep the crowds that criticize everything you say from calling you a racist.

Good one Loomis, and regarding the LTE, "....no dog that attacks a human being unprovoked....", defining unprovoked would be difficult and subjective

I have been bitten by three dogs-a cocker spaniel, a french poodle and a yellow lab. Do they need to be banned?

How about banning automobiles? Automobiles kill around 50,000 people a year in the US.

YS, Law enforcement K9's are trained to be aggressive. Should they be banned. One of the disqualifications for German Shepherds in the AKC standards is excessive aggression. I guess you are also in favor of banning hand guns because they kill people.

Ever watch the Dog Whisperer? He has a pack of very friendly Pit Bulls.

Toothless hillbillies. Funny. Well..I own a pit bull, and I'm a software consultant for a really large software company. I have all my teeth...and if YS knew ANYTHING about pit bulls....he'd know...they make LOUSY guard dogs. Pit bulls are people friendly...love kids....and generally see another human as another person to pet them. Pit bulls that are aggressive to humans are RARE...not the norm. Ever see police with Pit Bulls? Ever see pit bull guard dogs? Not normally. Doberman's and German Shepard's make much better guard dogs, because they are FIERCELY owner loyal and space territorial. Pit Bulls are not either. Walk up to my dog in the car...and she'll probably slink into the corner to avoid you....and Oh...btw...she's deathly afraid of Pugs....she won't even get out of the car if she seems them.

Breed Banning is retarded and counter to the USA. We don't jail people based on color...we jail based on the crime. Stereotyping dogs shouldn't be OK...just as it isn't ok for people. Grow up people. Punish the CRIME....not the fur color.

enough of the whinning.we have laws to handle this issue.our police,da and courts got this covered.poor scared old people,i pitty you.

I agree with everyone except for Y.S.,or should I say B.S. Y.S. you spend to much time on your computer pumping out useless nonsense!!!!

Oh and I just checked in the mirror and I have all my teeth,so does my beautiful pit bull!!! She is one of those sweet pit bulls that people robert and y.s. say don't exist!!! I have law enforcement that will back my dog tell the day she dies. She has grown up with their children climbing on and around her for ten years now!! BAN IGNORANCE!!!

whitewaterjunkies:......far far be it from me to defend YS under normal circumstances.....but the point he makes, valid I believe, is that in addition to those who love their pits and whose pits dearly love them, there is a contingent of freeckin "toothless" idiots who believe the pit is their best choice of defense as well as an outward display of apparent virility. I don't believe YS means to offend you...I certainly don't. I love the breed,...and Dobies, Sherpards, Rotties....on and on. In addition to "toothless idiots", there is yet another variety of idiots that we must deal with. The idiots who would impose their narrow minded thoughtless dog hating laws on the rest of us. To those, I suggest that they just......pack in! And I believe they all know what to pack in!

RN: We have enough laws. Pet owners should be responsible for their actions including those of their pets. Pay up when damage is done. Black and white: Take responsibility. Move on.

Thank goodness for all the rational comments in response to more of this nonsense.

Saying "pit bulls are vicious and need to be banned" is like saying [Insert race or ethnicity here] are violent and should all be removed from society. Generalizations are ridiculous.

As many people have pointed out, there are 99% great pit bulls out there, and we all have experience with vicious dogs of other breeds. My dog has been attacked by a German shepherd and a black lab. At the dog park, he used to get trampled (and badly scratched) by any dog bigger than he was, particularly the great danes. He loves playing with little dogs, although they tend to dominate him. His best buddy was a 6-pound chihahua. He's a goofy, sweet, calm, submissive lapdog.

Oh yeah - and he's a 60-pound white dog - most likely a lab/bulldog mix. Because I dared to adopt and care for this sweet dog, he and I face CONSTANT questions and discrimination. Strangers TWICE threatened to 'get their guns and shoot him' when he barked at them - on leash! The sad reality is, I would be scott-free if I had adopted a mean dog of nearly any other appearance/breed! So now, we work twice as hard to make him an incredibly well-behaved dog. Take that, preconceived notions!

Robert Namanny, You should be banned from Placer County! I adopted a pit bull 10 years ago and then had three children (5, 6, and 7). My kids crawled all over him, wrestled with him, and loved him to pieces. He was very gentle and always loving. Pit Bulls are great family dogs! My husband has his MD, MBA and I have my BA. We are both educated, pay our taxes, abide by the laws, we are good people, we live in a large home, we drive nice cars, and we provide a very comfortable life for our family, etc... WE are the type of people who own Pit Bulls! Your comment shows that YOU are ignorant and shallow. Does the Post Office require a degree to be a letter carrier or postmaster? How large is your home? What type of car do you drive? Hmmmm….doesn’t sound like you should be passing judgment on us Pit Bull owners!