Here's some proof of what we've been telling people all along:  that the types of dogs which bite, attack and kill in Canada differ from those featured in media-hyped, flawed US studies.

This abstract of a recent study should be of interest to those who are looking for ways to prevent dog bite-related fatalities and who realize that the breed, or more correctly shape of the dog(s) involved is the least important aspect of these tragic events. One problem with this paper is that it relied on media reports as a source for information.  I wonder if news media will run this story?

1: Can Vet J. 2008 Jun;49(6):577-81. Links

Fatal dog attacks in Canada, 1990-2007.

Raghavan M.

Office of the Dean, Faculty of Medicine, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba. raghavan@cc.umanitoba.ca

In Canada, public debates on dog attacks are dominated by studies from the United States. An electronic search of media reports in the Canadian Newsstand database, for the years 1990 to 2007, identified 28 fatalities from dog-bite injuries. Predominant factors in this case series were owned, known dogs; residential location; children's unsupervised access to area with dogs; and rural/remote areas, including aboriginal reserves in the prairies. A higher proportion of sled dogs and, possibly, mixed-breed dogs in Canada than in the United States caused fatalities, as did multiple dogs rather than single dogs. Free-roaming dog packs, reported only from rural communities, caused most on-reserve fatalities. Future studies are needed to assess if this rural/urban divide is observed in nonfatal attacks and if the breeds that bite in Canada are different from the breeds that killed. Breed representation in this paper and, perhaps, multiple-dog overrepresentation should be understood in the context of the overall Canadian dog population.

It sounds as though the people in Grand Island, Nebraska actually know something about the dog bite issue.

There's some good common sense going on down there.

GRAND ISLAND — While the Nebraska cities of Osceola and Minden have added dog breed bans to their city laws this summer, Grand Island will not pursue such a ban.

The Animal Advisory Board met on Monday and was adamant that a ban on any dog breed not become a part of the Grand Island city code.

City Attorney Dale Shotkoski had asked the board if it wanted to pursue a ban after his office received calls recently about pit bulls.

"Any type of dog can do severe damage," said Laurie Dethloff, Central Nebraska Humane Society executive director. "We prefer to make the owners accountable, not the breed."

It is so refreshing to read an article like this one and realize that there are people out there who understand the issue and are in a position to do something about it.

Refreshing but unfortunately much too rare.

Thanks, Grand Island.  You made my day.

It sounds as though all the recent attacks in BC were the fault of one weirdo who tripped around with a pack of nasty dogs described as 'pit bulls'.  What a bizarre story.

Man arrested for pit-bull attacks

Katie Mercer, The Province

Published: Monday, August 11, 2008

VANCOUVER -- A man wanted in connection with a rash of pit-bull attacks was arrested Monday morning by Vancouver police.

Hal Harris, the owner of the pack of five pit bulls, was arrested on a warrant from Nanaimo. The dogs have been seized and are being held at the Surrey SPCA.

"The dogs are in custody and will not be released in the public," said B.C. SPCA spokesperson, Lorie Chortyk. 

The former Sidney resident was wanted in relation to a number of attacks by pit bulls on Vancouver Island and in Surrey in the last 11 months, including one in North Saanich on July 7.

Don't let your guard down in BC, though.  The foaming mob has been incited by the newsies out there so you aren't out of the woods yet.

Here's the rest of the story.

There's another article in the Surrey Leader.  Check out the 'pit bull' pictured with it.

KC Dog Blog has a great Weekly Roundup - lots of hobgoblinry, coneheadedness and even a few straight-up reports.

I like the new layout  - categorizing the stories makes sense, since he highlights so many of them at a time.

I'm a little worried about KC though.   I'm afraid he may have fallen in with a bad element.  The word 'eh' has cropped up a few times on his blog - used correctly.