Pit bulls kill Wisconsin toddler
Two pit bulls killed a 14-month-old boy Wednesday in southeastern Wisconsin, CBS 58 in Wisconsin reported.
The Walworth County sheriff's office reported that the county coroner's office confirmed the boy died of his injuries at a Milwaukee-area hospital Wednesday afternoon, the Associated Press reports.
The sheriff's office had received a 911 call from a 30-year-old woman who said she and the child were being attacked by the dogs in the Town of Walworth, the AP says. The dogs were euthanized, CBS 58 reported.
Incidents involving pit bulls inevitably bring out the breed's critics and its passionate advocates. Pit bull lovers say the dog has developed an unfair stereotype as violent because criminals and other animal abusers mistreat the dogs and provoke them.
A Minnesota rescue group says the breed is "unjustly maligned."
A WebMD article outlined three common myths about pit bulls: that they have locking jaws, can tolerate intense pain and that they are unpredictable.
And the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, or ASPCA, in an article "The Truth About Pit Bulls," says, "Despite this bad rap, a well-bred, well-socialized and well-trained pit bull is one of the most delightful, intelligent and gentle dogs imaginable."
