Dog Mugshots Show Dangerous Pattern

When we think of mugshots, we think of criminals who have been accused of horrific misdeeds. A new trend, however, is changing the way dog lovers see the breeds they love and connecting vicious attacks to a familiar scapegoat: the pit bull.

Long associated with deadly attacks, the pit bull has been the source of controversy for several decades now. Whatever your feelings toward the breed, there is undeniable evidence linking the dog to violence. Now, a collection of dog “mugshots” brings a visual representation of this disturbing trend to light.

2017 Dog Bite Fatalities

There were 39 fatal dog attacks in 2017. Of the 39, 22 of the dogs had identification photos. Collected by the Dogs Bite blog, and experts estimate that 82 percent of those photos were of pit bulls. A majority of them were family pets. While far from complete data, the photos reveal a striking pattern – and continued evidence for those in favor of breed bans.

Missing Mugshots

Photos do not exist of several of the dogs involved in fatal maulings in 2017. Breeds are not always included in news coverage about deadly attacks. Even when details are included, breeds are frequently misidentified. As any dog lover can tell you, many pups are mutts or combinations of many different breeds. That’s part of why the argument against pit bull bans holds water: it is incredibly difficult to know what breed a dog might be solely based on looks. Since it is unlikely that doggie DNA tests will become commonplace, though, we have only photos to go off of.

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If the owner of the dog was careless, and their negligence led to your injury, you may be able to make a claim against the dog owner. If they knew of their pet’s propensity for violence and did nothing to prevent the animal from attacking, they can be held liable for the incident. If you’ve been attacked, you should contact an experienced Virginia dog bite lawyer to discuss your situation. We offer free consultations and our no fee promise means that you don’t owe us any legal fees unless we win.

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