Pit Bull Restrictions Debated

A growing number of communities around the country are taking steps to stop dangerous dogs, such as the pit bull that jumped a fence and mauled a 2-year-old boy playing in his own backyard. Quick action by Brent Stofer's mother and sister kept him from being killed.

The Early Show resident veterinarian, Dr. Debbye Turner, says more than 4.5 million Americans are bitten by dogs each year, and 800,000 of them need medical care. Children are the most frequent targets.

Turner says Stofer's physical wounds are healing, but his emotional wounds are still raw. He has nightmares.

His mother, Kim Stofer, is exhausted and upset. "We shouldn't have to fear riding a bike down the street, or just having our kids play outside," she says.

Neighborhood dogs, such as the one that bit Brent in the rural, northern California community of Prunedale, and other family pets, account for 80 percent of the attacks on children.

Eight-year-old Annette Rojas, who lives in the San Francisco area, barely escaped death from the jaws of a dog that lived next door.

Six-year-old Tyler Babcock, of Fresno County, Calif., died after a pack of pit bulls broke his neck.

A teary Chrystal Babcock, Tyler's mother, says, "I can only imagine the suffering my son did."

Twelve-year-old Nicholas Faibish of San Francisco was mauled to death after being left home alone with his family's pit bulls.

As a result of such incidents, Turner points out, pit bulls have been banned in Cincinnati, Miami and Denver.

In California, legislation is in the works to limit the breeding of potentially vicious dogs. "This is about trying to reduce the aggressiveness that appears to be prevalent in certain breeds," says Calif. State Sen. Jackie Speier, who wants to restrict pit bull breeding to licensed professionals.

"It's modest, and it is not — underscore not — a ban on any specific breed," Speier says.

But, Turner notes, angry dog owners hope the governor doesn't sign the bill into law.

"Take these hard-working people's dogs away from them — it's not right, and you folks know it ain't right," says one angry, elderly man.

Insurance companies are taking aim at pit bulls as well. Many carriers won't grant policies to homeowners with potentially vicious pets.

Candysse Miller of the Insurance Information Network says, "About one quarter of all homeowners insurance liability claims are dog-bite related."

Pit bulls do have their supporters. One group of pit bill owners calls itself BadRap.

BadRap member Tim Racer observes that pit bull ownership isn't for everyone: "You give a bad dog to an irresponsible owner and that's a recipe for disaster."

Bambi Banys is one of the mothers in BadRap who insist they even trust their dogs with their own children. "He's actually very tolerant," she says of her family's pit bull. "Toddlers will smack him in the head, and he just comes back and gives them more kisses."

BadRap's Noelle Rossi says her pit bulls are fabulous with kids.

That doesn't surprise animal behaviorist Craig Norman who, on a scale of one to 10, with one being nice and 10 naughty, puts most pit bulls at around three or four, adding, "I'm really surprised by the really nice number of pits that I run into."

Pit bulls can be nice but, more than other breeds, they must be trained because of their unique physical structure, Turner says.

Calling them big, powerful dogs, Norman says the chances of getting a pit bull off someone or something that the animal has clamped down on are "very slim. If he's motivated, I think you would have to be willing to fight to the death with this dog."

But most kids couldn't win that fight, say advocates of pit bull restrictions.

There are 19 states with "dangerous dog" laws. More are sure to follow as the attacks continue, Turner says, but so will the debate as pit bull owners fight for the right to own and enjoy their dogs.

Turner says that if you're ever confronted by a dangerous dog you shouldn't run because, "You'll never outrun a four-legged animal. You shouldn't scream at them. That only incites them. Hold your fingers in (in a fist-like position), protect your head if you're on the ground, and stay perfectly still until someone comes to get the dog."