Pitbulls--are they really as bad as the media portrays?

I read with horror the report from Northland that a pitbull attacked a man while he was trying to rescue his wife from an accident. It raises the question once again about just how safe these dogs are.

In this case the man went to get help for his (not seriously injured) wife. The pitbull came from a neighbouring property and attacked the man, taking a chunk from his leg. That would in my book indicate that this dog was dangerous. The man had not gone onto its territory and apparently the dog had chewed through its lead, thereby allowing it to attack. Does not that constitute a dangerous mix?

What makes matters worse is that the owners of the dog did nothing to help with the situation. From the newspaper report it does not make it clear that they knew so I won’t accuse them of not caring or allowing the dog to be out of control.

 I think others may be less generous in their judgments re this sad incident. The authorities no doubt took the dog away and yet another dog will meet an untimely death.

We have to ask the questions again---‘who is to blame? --- Slack uncaring owners, or the nature of this breed. I walk my dog down at the park and the pitbulls I meet are OK and have not caused any problems. If anything, my naughty Jack Russell has tended to like them, but what if she or any of the fellow dog walkers comes across one that acts like the one described in Northland? I notice that people flinch when they see a pitbull in the park.

To be fair, the only problems I have seen so far have not been caused by pitbulls, but from other dogs that one would assume to be harmless.

However despite this, I thought it was illegal for pitbulls to be bred--- I see many with their ‘appendages,’ still intact and they are not puppies, so someone please inform me what the law says. Maybe I am wrong.

What to do about these attacks. Well, I would like to know more about the ‘owners’ in this case and whether they knew what was going on. If they did and they failed to offer help--- then let the law take its course.