Detroit weighs tough pit bull restrictions

The Detroit City Council is proposing a ban on pit bulls that could place a host of costly restrictions on owners, require those visiting the city with the dogs to get a permit and force any puppies older than 8 weeks to be taken out of the city or put to death.

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Pit Bulls in the City

“Pit bulls are different; they’re like wild animals,” says Alan Beck, director for the Center for the Human Animal Bond at Purdue University School of Veterinary Medicine, West Lafayette, IN. “They’re not suited for an urban environment. I believe we should open our eyes and take a realistic approach to pit bulls.”

Those who condemn pit bulls and call for breed bans targeting these dogs tend to be members of the general population, or most often, it seems, politicians. Beck isn’t calling for breed bans – he stops just short of that resulting from research yet to be published. Still, it’s exceedingly rare for an animal expert to vilify pit, and few would doubt Beck’s credentials.

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