Girl mauled to death by a pit bull - I'm outraged!

This topic always garners a lot of discussion, and, as a dog owner, I too, am outraged. I don't own pit bulls, and never would, but people who do have to accept responsiblity for them. The need to train their dogs, and realize that people have an inherent fear of them. They are big and powerful dogs, and are not usually people agressive, but when they are, they do a lot more damage than other dogs. I would rather be nipped by a golden retriever that a pit. The pit bulls are so powerful, a bite will do a lot of damage. My prayers are with this little girls family. I hope this owner is sufficiently punished, but, historically when this sort of thing happens, it usually doesn't.

First of all, do people really know what kind of dog this was? I know of cases where Labs mauled people & the media still called it a "pit bull". American Pit Bull Terriers are bred not to be human agressive (the true ones. 70 lbs & under). But for some reason, people have started breeding other dogs with these great dogs & then they end up huge agressive dogs. It's a shame really. & it's horrible when things like this happen. But it's rediculous that people try to blame a breed of dog. I have 4 American Pit Bull Terriers & I wouldn't trade them for any other breed.

What make me mad is how uneducated people are about the breeds that people call "pit bulls". It's more than one breed. What also makes me mad is how the media calls every stinkin' dog that mauls someone a "pit bull" when it's usually NOT. But they do it because it sounds better than saying that someone's Lab mauled someone. So called "pit bulls" have the same temperament as a Golden Retriever. Would you tell someone that those are dangerous dogs & can't be around children?! Of course not! ANY dog can be dangerous if they are in the wrong hands. I don't get why almost everyone tries to label certain breeds of dogs unless they happen to own those breeds.

it is outrageous but its far from the first time - in the UK - that this kind of thing has happened. its the dog owners that should be brought to book and made to protect us from out of control animals.

i think we should look at all of the risk on taking up an animal at home before we get one, and we have tomake sure that our children are safe at home poor kid... :0(

the first question that came to my mind when i read this was... "Where was the owner of the pit bull and why wasn't this nasty animal on a lead?" Iam outraged at the thought of this because there are so many kids playing on the streets, this could happen to anyone ( i hope it doesn't! ).

Aww...! I feel bad for the little girls mom and dad and also for the Pitbull. I honestly dont think it was the Pitbulls fault. Pitbulls arent bad dogs. It is the way the Pitbull OR any other dog is brought up. Any dog can turn at any moment for any reason. I watch Dog Whisperer all the time and Ceaser said that small dogs are the most viscious dog in the world! I bet all u people putting hate towards Pitbulls never would have thought about a small dog mauling someone. Right? It could happen! Dont think of the "BREED" of the dog think of the dog as a dog. All dogs are the same no matter what breed they are. A dog is a dog. I mean think about it....

too many people out there refuse to acknowledge the tests and studies that conclude there are dogs out there predisposed to violent attacks and sometimes they happen even if nothing provokes them. They value their dogs over the lives of humans, and that's just plain sick!

i have a pit bull and she is very sweet

yes i read this incident before, it's sad :( the owner of the dog shouldn't of let it near that child as he did know that it is a dangerous animal, i think he is stupid and alot more words but can't say them on here!

I really feel sorry for the girl and for the family. It is sad to know that there are pet owners who cannot really be responsible to their pets. I love dogs, I take care of them and hold responsible whatever they do, but I do not own large breeds. Huh! everybody learns from something, it's just hard to accept that before you learn a life was taken.

thats crazy..u know people are now beginning to love animals more than humans. i am serious. otherwise why would they have pit bulls around children..don't they know that these are dangerous dogs.

I am also outraged by people who even have a pit-bull. I think they should go to prison and suffer a little too , its not all the dogs fault, yes I beleive they should put the dog to sleep but the owner especially after being warned should pay his dues too...big fine and prsion time...

I make me mad that this 5 year old girl got kild today by a pit bull. The dog was destroyed but at wat cost? A life for a life? The owner is the responsible here because he was warned about his dangerous animal. If he listen to this warning that shoul not hapend.

If you're outraged, it should only be at the owner for not raising their pitbull properly. It's very sad that pitbulls are seen as such bad animals just because they weren't trained properly and brought up in the right living conditions. Of course it's unfortunate with what happened to this little girl but it could have been prevented in my view..

ok so the pit bull learned how to open the door and go in the home?? not all pit bulls are bad, and the ones that are were probably abused. so somehow these dogs that get abused are in the wrong? hmm...being thrown into fight after fight by the people who feed him...and the dog turns agressive...so kill him and kill all the other pits too. does that not seem stupid? ok, lets look at it this way. OMG i heard that this man killed a little girl today at the little girls grandmas home. so now lets kill the entire human race cause they are too agressive...right...its stupid.

it is very sad ...

Too sad news :(:(:( Yes u must not take ur children out, instead if there is some little park which is covered and where dogs are not allowed. When animals overcome human it means the stone age damn ppl dont care warnings :(

You are right.The owners of these dogs should be very carefull about what the "pet" is doing.They must realise that the "little dog" is in fact a beast and they should be aware about what a pit bull can do.

Its not the breeds problem.. Many pit bull owners will give their hands on the fact that pit bull is no more aggressive than other terriors.. The lack of care and proper training is a big reason that the dogs misbehave...