Nor the size of bite radius.

Owners of the two dogs that killed the little boy, should go to prison for Murder!!!!!

Sheriff said no one complained (to the dept) about the loose dogs.

He requested everyone should report loose dogs, even if the dogs are not causing any issues.

This thread reminds me about Michael Vick. Poor dogs.

Except I believe he was involved with pit bull fights. Those dogs would probably try to bite anyone.

fatal pit bull attack on boy
 

First of all there is a leash law all across the country, all dogs must be on a leash. The owners should be jailed for manslaughter, the dogs should be put down right away. dog owners are respopnsible for the actions of their dogs

"Law enforcement officers who went door-to-door after the incident heard "horrific stories" from neighbors about how the dogs are frequently running loose and have destroyed chickens.

Officials also discovered that the dogs may have been involved in a previous incident in another county."

Statistics
 

Pitbulls are statistically more likely to bite than other dog breeds, even outperforming Rottweilers in reported dog bites.

Yes after-the-fact................not before which might have prevented the death........the neighbors should have "complained" (past tense) before.

While you are right, between a third and two thirds of dogs in shelters are pit bulls or pit bull mixes. There are too many! They are clogging the shelters! In 75% of big city shelters, Al pit bulls turned in for adoption are immediately euthanized. A good start toward a solution to these horrible facts is to ban breeding and require all pit bull males to be clipped. That is much better than having to kill them off. I’ve known sweet pit bulls. Nevertheless . . .

German Shepherds? NOT!
 

I haven't met a German Shepherd that I would trust, or leave them alone anywhere close to my grandchildren. I can tell you, all three of my children have pit bulls, and I have pictures of my 4 year old, and almost 2 year old crawling into the dog beds with them and falling asleep with them. I see those terrible dogs licking those poor children to death as they giggle. Pit Bulls, just like any other dog, or human, can be good or bad. Training, socialization, and attention are important to all dogs. Personally, the yippie, ankle biting, fur ball that craps in everyone's yard is not a good neighbor and should be banned.

There is no United States leash law.

Many states do not have a leash law and Florida appears to be one of them.

In states without leash laws, many jurisdictions (counties, towns, etc) have leash laws.

See Florida statutes chapter 767.

Very misleading statistics.

Statistics are on *reported* bites and hospital visits. That doesn't show a propensity for biting, it shows an effectiveness in biting. Small dogs might be twice as likely to bite but the wounds they cause are much less severe and rarely require hospital visits.

If all pit bulls were removed from the nation today, prior owners would simply choose another breed and the statistics would shift.

The statistics show that a bite occurred and the dog was of a particular breed. What the statistics don't show is how frequently dogs of that breed bite, the circumstances behind the bite, or how the dog was trained or treated. A dog that bites is bad but that could have less to do with the breed and more to do with the owner.

Boxers, pugs, all types of dogs with bull in their name, Newfoundland, Great Dane, St Bernard would have to be included in your definition of dogs that were breed to fight. Why not hold bad owners accountable? Especially people who neglect or treat their dogs as babies and dont know how to properly own a dog.

Florida is a permitless carry State and you have a right to protect yourself from harm.