Pit bull is an umbrella term for several types of dog believed to have descended from bull and terriers. In the United States, the term is usually considered to include the American Pit Bull Terrier, American Staffordshire Terrier, American Bully, Staffordshire Bull Terrier, and sometimes the American Bulldog, along with any crossbred dog that shares certain physical characteristics with these breeds. In other countries, including the United Kingdom, the term is used as an abbreviation of the American Pit Bull Terrier breed specifically, while the Staffordshire Bull Terrier is not considered a pit bull. Most pit bull–type dogs descend from the British bull and terrier, a 19th-century dog-fighting type developed from crosses between the Old English Bulldog and the Old English Terrier.
Iberville Parish is a parish located south of Baton Rouge in the U.S. state of Louisiana, formed in 1807. The parish seat is Plaquemine. The population was 30,241 at the 2020 census.
Catahoula Parish is a parish in the U.S. state of Louisiana. As of the 2020 census, the population was 8,906. Its seat is Harrisonburg, on the Ouachita River. The parish was formed in 1808, shortly after the United States acquired this territory in the Louisiana Purchase of 1803.
Harrisonburg is a village in and the parish seat of Catahoula Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population was 348 as of the 2010 census, down from 746 in 2000.
Sicily Island is a village in Catahoula Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population was 336 at the 2020 census.
Village St. George is a census-designated place (CDP) in East Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population was 7,104 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Baton Rouge Metropolitan Statistical Area.
Youngsville is a city in Lafayette Parish, Louisiana, United States, and is part of the Lafayette metropolitan statistical area. The population was 8,105 at the 2010 U.S. census, and 15,929 at the 2020 United States census.
Bonita is a village in Morehouse Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population was 170 at the 2020 census, down from 284 in 2010.
Palmetto is a village in St. Landry Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population was 188 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Opelousas–Eunice Micropolitan Statistical Area.
Epps is a village in West Carroll Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population was 358 at the 2020 census.
Pioneer is a village in West Carroll Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population was 171 at the 2000 census.
Dog fighting is a type of blood sport that turns game and fighting dogs against each other in a physical fight, often to the death, for the purposes of gambling or entertainment to the spectators. In rural areas, fights are often staged in barns or outdoor pits; in urban areas, fights are often staged in garages, basements, warehouses, alleyways, abandoned buildings, neighborhood playgrounds, or in the streets. Dog fights usually last until one dog is declared a winner, which occurs when one dog fails to scratch, dies, or jumps out of the pit. Sometimes dog fights end without declaring a winner; for instance, the dog's owner may call off the fight.
In law, breed-specific legislation (BSL) is a type of law that prohibits or restricts particular breeds or types of dog. Such laws range from outright bans on the possession of these dogs, to restrictions and conditions on ownership, and often establishes a legal presumption that such dogs are dangerous or vicious to prevent dog attacks. Some jurisdictions have enacted breed-specific legislation in response to a number of fatalities or maulings involving pit bull–type dogs or other dog breeds commonly used in dog fighting, and some government organizations such as the United States Army and Marine Corps have taken administrative action as well. Due to opposition to such laws in the United States, anti-BSL laws have been passed in 21 of the 50 state-level governments, prohibiting or restricting the ability of jurisdictions within those states to enact or enforce breed-specific legislation.
The American Pit Bull Terrier (APBT) is a dog breed recognized by the United Kennel Club (UKC) and the American Dog Breeders Association (ADBA), but not the American Kennel Club (AKC). It is a medium-sized, short-haired dog, of a solid build, whose early ancestors came from England. When compared with the English Staffordshire Bull Terrier, the American Pit Bull Terrier is larger by margins of 6–8 inches (15–20 cm) in height and 25–35 pounds (11–16 kg) in weight. The American Pit Bull Terrier varies in size: males are normally about 18–21 inches (45–53 cm) in height and around 35–60 pounds (15–27 kg) in weight, while females are normally around 17–20 inches (43–50 cm) in height and 30–50 pounds (13–22 kg) in weight.
The American Staffordshire Terrier, also known as the AmStaff, is a medium-sized, short-coated American dog breed recognized by the American Kennel Club, but not the United Kennel Club, which instead allows American Staffordshire Terriers to be registered under the American Pit Bull Terrier breed.
A dog bite is a bite upon a person or other animal by a dog. More than one successive bite is often called a dog attack, although dog attacks can include knock-downs and scratches. Though some dog bites do not result in injury, they can result in infection, disfigurement, temporary or permanent disability, or death. Another type of dog bite is the "soft bite" displayed by well-trained dogs, by puppies, and in non-aggressive play. Dog bites can occur during dog fighting, as a response to mistreatment, by trained dogs working as guard, police or military animals, or during a random encounter.
Status dog is a term used in the United Kingdom to describe a potentially dangerous or aggressive dog that is kept as a symbol of the owner's hard or tough image, to intimidate others, and possibly as a weapon. This idea has persisted through centuries, tracing back to Roman times. More recently, after news of vicious dogs mauling young victims, the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 placed restrictions on the ownership and care of four types of dog ; while two further breeds, the Rottweiler and the Staffordshire Bull Terrier, are also widely perceived as status dogs. The UK has been taking steps to address the problem, starting with the Metropolitan Police establishing a dedicated Status Dog Unit in 2009.
DogsBite.org is a nonprofit organization that publishes accounts of and compiles statistics of dog bite related fatalities throughout the United States, victim testimonies, an overview of breed-specific legislation within the United States, and advocates for victims of dog bites by promoting breed-specific legislation as a means to reduce serious dog attacks. The organization provides statistics and information to news organizations and has filed amicus briefs in court cases related to breed-specific legislation. The organization has been criticized for publishing misleading or inaccurate information.
Fatal dog attacks are human victim's deaths caused by dogs. The study of fatal dog attacks can lead to prevention techniques which can help to reduce all dog bite injuries, not only fatalities. Dog bites and attacks can result in pain, bruising, wounds, bleeding, soft tissue injury, broken bones, loss of limbs, scalping, disfigurement, life-threatening injuries, and death.
