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A case of mistaken Identity...

Quite often dogs that attack are identified as pit bulls when they are not.  It seems that that any dog of medium build with short hair is thought to be a pit bull.  There are 20+ breeds that are commonly incorrectly identified as pit bulls.  

The worst part of this identity problem is that the initial attack has frontpage coverage with PIT BULL all over it.  Then several day's later when they properly identify the dog as a mix breed or another breed that story is a line or two on page 30 buried.  

Some examples:

Dog attacks that were identified incorrectly

 
Story headline is "mauled by pit bull",   the story goes onto say "pit mix, then to Lab/Pit mix and at the end its indicated the dog is a Lab Rott mix.    Once the dog was identified as a Lab/Rott the term pit bull should have never been used.
 
Fatal attack in Ariziona, reported in the media as "pit bulls"  The dogs were properly identified as American Bull Dogs, yet some of the media still uses "pit bull".

Google Alert - States "pit bull", when you click on the link the dogs are identified as American bull dogs.   Texas News station,miss reporting as pit bulls.

 
Dogs attack cat and lunge at man.  Dog was identified as a pit bull but found to be a Bull Mastiff.
 
March 17, 2007 Friendswood, TX Headlines reported a woman was apparently killed by her dogs,  when police arrived they had to shoot and kill the "pit bull" because it attacked.  A quote from Officer Lisa Price,  “All three dogs were in the backyard, but the pit bull was the one that tried to attack,” she said."  

The dog was not a pit bull but a Catahoula Bulldog.  The media jumped on the "pit bull" There were even stories identifying the dog as a pit bull, after the dog was properly identified. 

Yet again,  officers on site have made a knee jerk identification, the media takes and runs with it and the breed image suffers.

Story 1    Story 2    Story 3

 

Kansas City, MO March 6, 2006  Headlines on the news report "Pit Bull attacks 12 yr old".  However the dog pictured being captured isn't a pit bull, nor does it appear to me a pit mix.  After complaints to the News station regarding the breed id and using the term Pit Bull,  what did they do?  They removed the picture of the dog and left it as a pit bull attacks story.  

Read Story  

Picture of dog:

 

February 2006 Massachusetts - A 7yr old was killed by a large breed dog.  The dog has been reported as a Bull Mastiff as well as an English Mastiff.

 

Dog is identified as a Rottie but from photo appears to be a Rhodesian Ridgeback

 
December 2005, Detroit.  There was a 91yr old woman that appears to have been killed by her dog.   Initial reports of course indicate it's a pit bull, a report the next morning identifies the dog as a Bull Mastiff, and yet another says it's a possible pit bull / American Bulldog mix.   Then end result,  it's a 90lb mixed breed dog, end of story.  If you don't know the breed, don't write it.

Story indicating the victim was 91, it was a 90lb pit bull 10 years old and had belonged to her grandson who died last year.

Another story saying it's a pit bull and that she was 92 and her grandson died 4 yrs ago.  Also says there was a visitor in the home and as well as gentleman who rents a room in the home.

Here the dog is an 80lb 3 yr old Bull Mastiff

In this story we have a Pit bull / American Bulldog mix.

 

 

December 2005 - New York;  Article indicates the officer was attacked by a Pit Bull, yet the picture of the dog being led aware is not a pit bull.

 

Indiana (September 2005) American Bulldog attacks child it was initialy reported by press as pit bull attack.

Initial Story       Corrected story

 

North Towanda, NY (October 2005)- This attack was initially reported as Pit bulls.  The dogs were later correctly identified as a Lab Mix and a Mastiff Mix. 

 

So it happens yet again.  In Saginaw Michigan (August 2005).  A couple of dogs entered a petting zoo and killed some animals and wounded several others.   The two dogs were identified as "pit bulls", one dog was shot and killed by a zoo employee and the other was taken into custody.  This story made national news because of course it is a "pit bull" story.  The problem,  it was NOT a pit bull, nor a pit bull mix.  

 
This dog was identified as a Pit Bull.  This dog is not a pit bull and based on this picture doesn't appear to be a pit bull mix even.  Indiana Zoo Story
 
Another case of mistaken identity.  Headlines after fatal attack " Pit bull kills baby",  The TRUE story, it was an American Bulldog that killed the child.  The families American Pit Bull Terrier, attempted to save the child by attacking the other dog in an attempt to get her to release the child according to the parent.
 

Boy LIES about being attacked by Pit Bull.  It was his friends German Shepard!

 

In Sterling Heights Michigan there was an incident involving a pit bull and a Rottie.  According to police records the rottie lunged at them on scene and had to be killed.  The Major TV news and print press of course wrote that the pit bull was the dog that attacked the officers and was killed at the scene.  The small local paper, got the story right!

 

Article title reads "Rapid Dog" but reading the story it's a Racoon. 

 

Boxer mauls toddler, dog incorrectly identified as a Pit Bull :  This one is the worst of the worst!!   The headline read's Pit Bull, but you will find as you read the story it is correctly identified in the story as a Boxer.

 

Ottawa Sun, headlines read about a Pit Bull attacking to brothers.  Many days later they find the dogs are believed to be Bull Mastiffs not pit bulls.

 

Council Bluffs, IA (who passed BSL based on stories like this one) Teen NOT bitten by pit bull as originaly said.  When properly identified the dog is a Lab mix.

 

Loose dog attack fabricated!!  Woman reported loose dogs, one described as a Rottie came into her house and attacked her.  It turns out she was attacked by dogs that lived in her house!  The dogs were a Dachshund and a Labrador.

 

Media Misreported - Teen was NOT bitten by a Pit bull.  Once the dog was PROPERLY identified it turned out to be a LAB Mix. Feb 2005

 

An attack incorrectly labeled as a Pit Bull.  Dog was correctly identified as a Dalmatian Mix!

 

 

 

 

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