I keep thinking about this issue and I'm afraid that it's really too emotional to be rational about 'banning breeds'. I've seen first hand, in dog parks, pit bulls attacking other dogs, their owners and jumping fences to attack small dogs in the small dog park. It's one of the main reasons I don't take the Newfers to off-lead parks anymore. I completely agree it's all about the lack of control by the humans and there should be a special license to own one of the aggressive (wrong term??) breeds but I don't think the people that are to blame for the attacks would bother to get one. I also realize, from owning an Akita for 13 years that some people, like me, have NO business having a dog like that. Red, you are COMPLETELY qualified to handle any dog, but you are a minority. Most people don't have a clue where to begin to control a dog that has such a strong prey drive.
I keep equating it to gun ownership: many people who own guns are completely responsible, have training, are licensed and obsessively observant about how the guns are cared for, stored and handled. I think that owning those breeds who have been earmarked for control should be held to the same standards. The problem is always, whether it guns or dogs, those who refuse to follow the laws and are completely devoid of common sense ruin it for everybody else. I guess it boils down to the fact that I have absolutely NO idea what the right answer is....and I don't think any politician does either. Spaying and neutering seems like the most humane answer.
