The "threat" posed by pit bulls - who's really at fault?

Animal lovers have long argued that the biggest problem with pit bulls often is to be found at the human end of the leash. Irresponsible owners create dangerous dogs.

Despite their sometimes intimidating looks, pit bulls have been bred to be affectionate toward people. (Just ask Martha, our pit bull/lab mix.) Helen Keller had a pit bull. So did Theodore Roosevelt and Woodrow Wilson. They were once known as nanny dogs, because of their docility with children. But just as environment plays a big role in how children turn out, the same is true with dogs as well.

The following incident, which was reported in the Daily Herald, a newspaper published in suburban Chicago, probably makes that case as persuasively as anything I’ve read, other than coverage of Michael Vick’s dog-fighting ring.

At 6:39 p.m. last Saturday, police in Elgin, Ill., were called to the home of Faustino Gonzalez because of a report of a loose pit bull. Police said Gonzalez, who was “seated in a chair in front of his garage with several beers,” put the dog, Snoopy, in a fenced area after the police arrived.

Less than an hour later, police were dispatched to the same address, for the same reason. The newspaper quoted Lt. Glenn Theriault as saying Snoopy was running loose outside the house when the officers pulled up. The story continued as follows:

As two officers got out of the squad car, he ran at both officers and they got back into their squad until he ran to the driveway. Officers told Gonzalez 15 times to secure his dog, and each time he refused. He finally asked police to back away while he grabbed Snoopy by the collar and led him to a cage. But instead of putting the dog in the cage, Gonzalez slammed the door shut and released the dog at the officers.

Police said Snoopy leapt at one of the officers and was shot and killed. As for Gonzalez, he has been charged with obstructing justice for refusing to restrain his dog. He also has been cited for having a dog at large, providing no proof of rabies inoculation, failing to put tags on Snoopy and allowing Snoopy to behave aggressively. He is being held on a warrant as a previously deported felon.