Explained: How Safe Is Pitbull As A Pet
The dog which is held responsible for the death of the 82-year-old woman in Lucknow has been showing ¡®good behavior in the shelter home and continues to stay under observation till a further update.
Sushila Tripathi, an 82-year-old retired teacher from Lucknow was recently mauled by her pet pitbull when the two were in their house courtyard. Tripathi succumbed to injuries hours after being rushed to the hospital, leaving the family and everyone in shock.
According to reports, the three-year-old female dog has been a part of the victim¡¯s family for the entirety of her life. Following the incident, the Lucknow Municipal Corporation has taken the dog into custody which is now being approached by several Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs), animal shelter providers and general citizens to adopt the dog in question.
India Today
The dog has been shifted to LMC¡¯s animal birth control centre and has been under supervision ever since the incident to understand its behaviour and possible reasons for the attack. The Union Minister for Women and Child Development and Animal Rights activist Maneka Gandhi has asked the concerned authorities to give the Pitbull back to its owner, to which the Lucknow Municipal Corporation has responded to act in accordance with the rules.
What might have aggrieved the Pitbull?
In an interview with The Quint, a dog trainer and founder of India¡¯s flagship K9 School Adnaan Khan attributed pitbull's behaviour to a combination of lack of social interaction, an unfit environment, and even genetics. The prevalence of crossbreeding can cause a dog to become aggressive.
In an interview, the owner of the dog said that the family did not take Brownie out of their house which was "big enough for the dog to play in" and was agitated by the doorbells, which Khan anticipated to the dog¡¯s urge to get out and play, chase or run. The dog¡¯s environment was limiting, and maybe that¡¯s why it lashed out.
Unsplash/Representational image
Why is it considered dangerous?
The incident has reiterated the debate on the dangers possessed by certain breeds like hounds, alsatians, Dobermans, Rottweilers, Malinois and Pitbulls. In the purview of this case, the Lucknow Municipal Corporation issued an advisory stating that ¡®people should avoid keeping hunting dog breeds like American Pitbull, Rottweiler, Siberian husky, Doberman pinscher and boxer as pets because they tend to become ferocious.¡¯
Animal behaviouralists pointed out that dogs of such breeds need a lot of physical exercise and fatigue to burn their calories. If not taken care of meticulously, the dogs shall get frustrated and may attack someone in the vicinity, which might have happened in this case as well.
Is the Pitbull now considered safe?
As a lot of people are now rising to adopt the dog, the Animal Welfare Board has reported that the Pitbull is gradually returning to normalcy. According to Animal Welfare Officer Dr Abhinav Varma. "The dog's behaviour is now normal and he is playing around and having food thrice a day."
Unsplash/Representational Image
The Animal welfare board in an interview with India Today said that the dog has not shown any sign of aggression ever since she was brought there and has observed its physical, feeding and social behaviour substantially.
"The Pitbull will be kept in the shelter till July 27 and a decision on his new home will be taken later," Dr Verma added. If the owner of the dog does not wish to take the Pitbull back into custody it shall be then made available for adoption, if the signs continue to stay positive for the dog.
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