The Truth Behind Dogsbite.org

Dogsbite.org is not an "expert" organization when it comes to canine behavior. There, I've said it.

While it seems that lately, several media outlets have been treating them like they have a particular knowledge on the subject of dog bites and attacks (I'll get to a possible "why" on that later in the post), it doesn't erase the reality that dogsbite.org is simply a website run almost entirely by an individual person who has an expertise in web design, access to google, and a desire to seek revenge on an attack that happened to her several years. Those are the qualifications behind the website. And it runs no deeper than that. And treating the website as anything more than that is a recipe bad information that will lead to less safe circumstances for people and dogs. Let me explain.

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Dogsbite.org is a website run by Colleen Lynn. In June of 2007, Lynn was an unfortunate victim of a dog bite while she was out jogging. Because of the dog bite, by a dog that is said to be a 'pit bull', Lynn decided to create the website dogsbite.org.  According to the original "about us" section of the website, the intent of the website was three-fold:

-- Distinguish which breeds of dogs are dangerous to have in neighborhoods

-- Help enact laws to regulate the ownership of these breeds

-- Help enact laws that hold dog owners criminally liable if their dog attacks a person or causes serious injury or death

While I actually agree with her original third mission statement, the original purpose of the website is very clearin the first two statements -- she intended to target particular breeds of dogs and ban ownership of those breeds. The goal was not public education or anything that she claims it to be about now -- it was about enacting breed specific legislation...even though she has no credentials to propose legislation like that with any basis of expertise.

And make no mistake, all of the experts organizations disagree with her idea on breed-specific legislation.

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Every mainstream national organization that is involved in canine/human interactions is opposed to laws targeting specific breeds of dogs. An at-least partial list of these organizations include:

American Dog Owners Association

American Humane

American Kennel Club (AKC)

American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA)

American Veterinary Medical Association  (AVMA)

American Working Dog Federation

Association of Pet Dog Trainers

Best Friends

Center for Disease Control

Humane Society of the United States (HSUS)

International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants

International Association of Canine Professionals

National Animal Control Association

National Animal Interest Alliance

National  Association of Dog Obedience Instructors

National Canine Research Council

No Kill Advocacy Center

You find nearly one-stop shopping of all of the position statements of these groups here.

These groups represent the best of the best in the United States for Dog Trainers, Rescues, Shelters, Animal Behaviorists, Government entities,veterinarians, and even Animal Control Officers. All of them oppose breed specific legislation. All of them, in large part, because they have experience working with the actual dogs, and read the science, and realize the aggession is not a breed-specific issue -and the reality is that most dogs, regardless of breed, do not show aggressive behavior -- and yet, some dogs, of each breed, have. 

All recommend dog ordinances that focus on the the behaviors of the actual dogs, and not on its body type.

And not listening to the professional organizations, and instead, listening to an "organization" that has no expertise, can lead to bad results. Again, their focus is not in the best interests of public safety...it's about getting revenge.

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For example: at the end of 2008, Dogsbite.org named Lucas County (OH) Dog Warden Tom Skeldon their "Dog Warden of the year." Their reasoning is that "Skeldon has vigorously worked to prevent horrendous pit bull maulings resulting in serious injuries or death of human beings, their domesticated pets and livestock."  Interestingly, in the same year that Skeldon received this "award", the actual number of dog bites in Lucas County had gone up 23%.

So dog bites go up, and they give the man the dog warden of the year award because he is targeting 'pit bulls'.   Does that sound like the resume of an award winner for a group advocating for public safety to you? Me neither.

Within a year of them issuing the "award",  Skeldon stepped down from his position under significant public pressure. The actual citizens who had to put up with Skeldon's behavior, outrageous shelter kill rates and lack of improved public safety actually forced him out of office. 

But nothing may be worse than a fairly recent post (you can click on the picture to the left to read a screen shot of it) actually claiming that parents shouldn't be expected to teach their children to be respectful around dogs even though major, well-respected, dog training groups recommend otherwise.  If you can teach a young child to not touch a hot oven, then they can at least understand "caution" around dogs.  It is this type of irresponsibility that is making people LESS safe, not more safe.

Oh, there are other greivences. There is the reality that they claim dogs of even distantly-related breeds -- including Boxers, Bulldogs and Mastiffs - to all be 'pit bulls' in their "statistics".  They consistently claim that all of the professional organizations that oppose BSL are only doing so because they are supported by dog fighters*. They sensor all comments on their website that even come remotely close to disputing anything they post -- even if it is someone who is providing acutal data that is correcting something they misspoke about -- again, censoring other types of thinking isn't exactly something you'd expect from a "public education" website.

* The all of these organizations are opposed to BSL because they are supported dog fighters  and dog breeders is a particularly funny notion. Many of the organizations that oppose BSL spend literally millions upon millions of dollars trying to shut down dog fighting operations, and all of the orgs oppose dog fighting in principle, even if they aren't actively working to shut the groups down. And as for breeding, several of the groups support breeders and several are working very hard to end breeding and spend countless dollars arguing amonst themselves on the breeding issue - -so the idea they would agree on this subject because they are supported by breeders is baseless too -- to the point that it's kind of comical.

And this doesn't even include their inaccurate use of case studies to support their point of view vs reporting the actual data. Or the reality that one city that allowed them to influence their policy-making, Omaha, has had a disasterous year.

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So, the question then remains, how is it that an organization that has so few real credentials continues to get quoted by media outlets out there?

One of the things that journalism schools around the nation teach is the importance of providing both sides of a story. There are always two sides, and they teach the importance of providing both. So when it comes to the argument about whether or not to ban 'pit bulls', dogsbite.org ends up being THE ONLY 'organization' in favor of banning 'pit bulls'. So the media almost has to use them, because they are the only ones with the alternative viewpoint.

And that folks, is the sad truth about dogsbite.org. They are the only one(s) that favor BSL. And they do so based on having a website and google -- not with any real expertise in working with dogs.

And that's very telling.

Oh sure, they will likely retort with criticisms of me, and what are my true credentials. It's true, that even though I've worked in rescue, and I've worked with hundreds of dogs that would be considered 'pit bulls', I have no credentials after my name. I'm not a certified trainer, or a vet. However, I will say this. My opinion is the same one shared by the national organizations that speak for veterinarians, animal control officers, dog trainers and rescuers throughout the nation. So my ideas and point of view is supported by pretty much everyone that has knowledge of canine/human interactions.

Their support group is a city attorney in Denver and an animal control officer that was forced out of his job in Toledo. That's it.

And that's the truth about dogsbite.org.  Fine, give them the "other" voice. But let's not mistake them for an organization that has any form of expertise, or any unique knowledge. Let's not mistake them for anything more than a person, with a website, that is seeking revenge for an incident that happened to her. No more, no less.

On one final note to Ms. Lynn. I am sorry that you were attacked by a dog. And I do hope the owner of the attacking dog was held appropriately accountable for the actions of their dog. But it was one dog -- and is not reflective of the millions of dogs out there of this type -- and I would encourage you to go to your local shelter and meet some more of the dogs that you seek to destroy. And I hope that pushing for ordinances that actually improve public safety, and that pushing for educating parents on how to introduce pets and children, will trump your desire for personal vengeance so that we can actually create a safer society. 

Comments

[PitBulls & Me]

Hey Brent, Thanks for all this great information. I am very familiar with this website and have been doing my homework on Colleen Lynn because I run a Pitbull rescue. What I found was that despite her desire to make owners criminally liable for their dogs actions, SHE chose not to press charges against the owner of the dog that bit her. After the dog was euthanized, she chose not to pursue any legal action.
I obtained my information from a copy of the original police report. Which btw there are a couple inconsistencies in the report, but I'll just leave it alone.....for now.
You should also be aware that her org is a 501(c)3 and she, under the name of her org, continually tries to influence legislation; which is a violation of the terms of having a 501(c)3.

[keith]

If you ever served in the armed forces of this nation the idea that the media has two sides is ridiculous. The statement should be the media in this country is slanted toward what ever is the going rate(which sells) of any given time. They might teach differently in journalism school,but the reality is "what ever sells--report it that way." "Hollywierd."

[Brent]

PB & Me,

Yeah, the whole background story on how she came to be is very interesting and full of holes and inconsistencies. And yes, she's a 501c3, but such orgs CAN lobby, but it can only account for a small percentage of their activities. I would suggest that she probably goes well beyond that percentage most of the time though....

Keith, I have a friend in the military and he would confirm everything you're saying in your post. Thanks for your service to our country.

[James]

I curently have two rescued pits at my home. I have had a pit as a pet since I was the age of 6 and have never had anything but great memories with them. I have a question for all the people that want to kill every pit that lives. How did the breed go from working with the military to being wanted and on every one sided persons kill list??? Wait ignorance to the facts. People that don't have any idea what they are talking about just need to keep their mouths shut and sit in the corner the world would be a much better place. I make a point to go to our local animal shelter and as much as I would love to take them all home I cant, but i can at least take them out of there cell and give them so freedom for a little while. Brent keep up the work and God bless you for all that you are doing

[Megafreestuff]

Interesting enough, most all of her Moderated Comments that are allowed are all called Anonymous!

Brent, I cannot understand why you choose to allow the comments of the Ignorant DogBite followers to comment on here!

Are you CRAZY?

Oh wait, I'm sorry - You must be - because you seem to "like the bully type dogs", and the Hater's would consider you Crazy! ;-)

Robert

[jackie davis]

People don't go out of their way like you have unless they view the individual to be a huge threat and the only reason she would be a huge threat is that her info is accurate. You forgot to mention all the sceintific studies and research she documents on her webage that supports everything she says, so i guess all the experts don't have the same opinion as you. Instead of using the lame tactic of discrediting your enemy, why don't you prove what she says is wrong, you can't that's why.

[Brent]

Jackie,

There is no science presented on her website. None. And while some of the information is accurate, a large amount is not -- in large part because she has no understanding of dog breeds and differences in dog breeds -- or in canine behavior.

Meanwhile, here are some links that prove her as being wrong:

A link to the position statements of the professional organizations that have expertise in canine/human interactions:

http://stopbsl.org/bsloverview/the-lack-of-professional-support/

Here's a very well researched article written by the Australian Veterinary Association that details why targeting breeds is wrong and ineffective on a global scale (there are also notations of other scientific studies that support their case that you should also take a few minutes to read):

http://www.ava.com.au/sites/default/files/AVA_website/pdfs/Dangerous%20dogs%20-%20a%20sensible%20solution%20FINAL.pdf

And here's a really good overview of a scientific study about breed differences in aggressive behavior.

http://btoellner.typepad.com/kcdogblog/2009/11/breed-differences-in-canine-aggression.html

Maybe more telling is the reality that I feel so confident in the case for pit bulls being just dogs, and breed-specific laws being failures, that I allow dissenting opinions such as yours to stay in my comments so we can have a dialogue about the realities. DBO does not do this, and anything seen as "pro" pit bull is quickly taken down because they do not want to hear or debate honest feedback and science. That should speak volumes.

[Kyle]

Wicked article Brent, as soon as i came across this ladys site i knew it was a farse! She had a bad experience and now shes out to destroy a breed. I have owned pitbulls my whole life and have been told thousands of times, my dogs are the nicest most well behaved dogs people have ever seen, around kids, adults and dogs. Its funny how people that are afraid of something are so quick to say KILL IT. Pitbulls are very affectionate animals and will do almost anything to please there owners. I bring my dogs everywhere and advocate to everyone i can on how awesome this breed truely is.

[Donna Finn]

My 10 yr old great nephew Justin Clinton was mauled by 2 pit bulls. He was passing by their home and they busted the gate to the fence and were in the process of dragging their fresh kill into the woods. A lady driving by stopped, beating one pit off with the skateboard while the other ran away. He was a 10 year old happy little guy. He grew up playing with these 2 pits because they belonged to his friend. They were "sweet dogs that wouldn't hurt a fly" This is what most pit bull owners say about their dogs. What do they say when they lower the casket of their 2 year old baby into the ground after the loving family "pet" kill's it? Where are their voices after the blood is washed away, lives destryed and wasted? In our case the family moved to a new town and probably got new pit bulls to replace the monsters that took Justin's life...since their 2 pit bulls were euthanized. They are cute puppies and I'm sure very loveable...but they have the propencity to kill and eat. Can you say anything to make us feel better? God forbid they remain in existence for much longer. Lonely aunt in Austin

[Brent]

Donna,what happened to your nephew Justin was a true tragedy and I am sorry for your loss. I obviously do not know the disposition of the dogs leading up to the attack although I do with the owners were firmly held accountable for the actions of their dogs -- as I would regardless of the type of dog involved. I would also note that this behavior is not indicative of the breed of dog or otherwise there would be literally MILLIONS of these incidents every year. They are the outliers, which is why we need to focus on the behaviors of the owners, and the dogs, prior to the attack to help prevent future tragedies.

[Pitties Love People]

Here is the FACTUAL account with LEGAL RECORDS of Crazeen Lynnchmob's "pit bull" "attack" lasting, according to her website, "approximately 5 seconds".
http://www.pitbulletinlegalnews.com/pro-bsl-experts/dogbiteorg/109-collen-lynn-seattle-animal-control-records

http://www.dogsbite.org/dogsbite-about.php

My summary: Crazeen is jogging, makes a bad decision to pass a person peacefully walking a leashed pit bull type dog on the side by the dog where there is NO ROOM TO PASS, doesn't announce her presence to the dog walker and dog, trips and lands on the dog from behind without warning, puts her arm down to catch her fall and breaks it and the dog grabs the nearest object to catch his fall, her arm, as he's tackled to the ground. Either arrogance prevents her from telling a lawyer friend who visits her in the hospital the humiliating klutzy truth OR she does tell the truth...regardless, when the lawyer hears "pit bull", tells her she's guaranteed a BIG PAYOUT. SHE BITES ON THE IDEA, files a contradictory police report the next day, has the dog murdered, takes the insurance blood money and dedicates her life to attempting to prove to the world that all pit bulls are bad so no one questions her "attack" - which, when the FACTS are analyzed, was actually 5 seconds after A PIT BULL WAS AMBUSHED FROM BEHIND BY A HUMAN.

[N. Lamascus]

All dogs are created equally. To say a pittbull is more aggresive then say, a mini-doxie, is prejudice. My little mini-doxie was more aggressive then all the pitbulls I came in contact with. Not one pittbull became aggressive towards myself and children. My mini-doxie, however, did, and she was raised around children, other dogs and cats from the time she was a puppy and she was spoiled by all.

[Brian Coffey]

I just found the "DogsBites" website and your blog. Great article, Brent!I love Pits. I've also been involved in an attack by a Pit on my Akita. (Long story that I won't go into). I only met Pits after that attack. I've also been almost attacked by German Shepherd. I also owned a German Shepherd. I was terrorized asa child by a neighbors Irish Setters that used to get loose and chase anything in the neighborhood. A Great Pyrenees who was one of the most vicious dogs I've ever met. Are ANY of these dogs to blame? No. it was always ALWAYS irresponsible owners.And I'm not afraid of any dog because of their breed. Colleen and her kindred spirits are ruled by fear. With this latest pit attack on a two year old, it will hit the news cycle again and no one will talk to the thousands of owners who have any "dangerous breed" dog and have never had an incident. Of dogs who have lived their lives giving only love and companionship. Keep fighting the good fight and now that there is a nation of animal lovers standing with you.

[Brent]

Thanks Brian for stopping by and for the kind words.

[Brittany]

Im glad to know im not the only who thinks that website is a crock of shit. If you ask me that stupid website is on a crusade to contribute to the negativity surrounding the pit bull. On the homepage of the damn website there's a quote estimating the number of casualties pit bulls have caused. Type dogsbite.org in the search engine, and alot of negative things about pit bulls pop up. Really??? That's quite a shitty source for the media to be using. The damn person who comes up with all this BS pulls all of their little "facts" straight from the media! And im sure we all know what a shitty source the Media can be! Not only for dogs, but for people also. Think about all that crap and false stories the media puts out about celebrities.

[mel1972]

You really believe that dogsbite.org is solely out for revenge? I believe it's out to promote public safety. Not all of us would put our toddlers in a room with a pit bull and hope for/expect the best. Talk about no logic.

[Brent]

I don't think anyone should "hope for the best". I think they should have the basic knowledge necessary to be sure that nothing but the best happens. This means supervising the interactions (regardless of the type of dog) and understanding basic canine warning signs so you can understand when a dog warns you that they are uncomfortable in a situation.

Dogsbite.org does not have any of this knowledge or expertise, and actually promotes policy that a) has consistently shown that it is not effective at improving public safety and b) actually misleads people into thinking that dog breeds are the problem and thus people with other breeds don't know the importance of supervision and understanding warning signals. Not only are they not promoting public safety, they're actually working against it, regardless of their intent.

[CeliaSue Hecht]

great post, thank you... I would add that dogsbite stats are wrong, culled from media reports which are often incorrect about the kinds of dogs who attacked, and exaggerated against pit bulls

[Cris Jimenez]

Brent I have followed you for a very long time and Thank you for outing these people again! They now have a new person they have added to their craziness by the name of Beth Robbins. She lives in Florida. She came to our events and tried to infiltrate pit bull organizations in the Tampa Bay area. She tried to get close to us and then she called us dog fighters as we didn't agree with her way of thinking. We chose to have active pit bulls who partake in healthy possible events such as weight pull, agility, lure coursing and because we work our dogs in many events , which she says is cruel she has now branded us dog fighters. She has made our lives pure hell. She went to the media and when that failed to produce the results she wanted she went to the county animal services division, who immediately shut her down as many of us are volunteers and work along side animal services to prevent animal cruelty. Now she is strong support of dogbites.com and a strong advocate of death to all pit bulls... Beth Robbins is someone that needs to be watched closely as she too is used in anti pit bull campaigns as she is very vocal and knows how to stir the pot....
Thanks agian , Crystal founder Pit Bulls Pounding the Pavement, Tampa Fl

[Kelsey]

Great article , I just came across dogsbite.org today and could not believe what I was reading . This lady obviously has an obsession against the pitbull breed. Calling pitbull owners "not normal dog owners". The ignorance is outstanding to me.

[Dog hero]

Brent what is a pit nutter or pit apologist i've been called that on multiple forums please tell me what it means . also I want to know if instability and aggression are genetic.

[Brent]

LOL. The "pit nutter"/"Pit apologist" labels are just labels given to anyone who doesn't agree with them (which is most people).

I'm not sure about instability, but it seems like it could be genetic (in the same way, some people are born with psychological disorders). If it is genetic, it is more of a specific genetics than breed and spans across all breeds of dogs.

"Aggression" is not a genetic trait. There are other traits that when combined with poor management, training, or other environmental factors can manifest themselves as what we call "aggression", but the aggression is not a genetic trait.

[shyster]

Actually, there are always at least two sides to any story. That is NOT to say there are always at least two equally meritorious sides to an issue, but those who believe that there is only ONE side to an issue, and who believe those holding opposing views should not be merely refuted, but banned entirely are the truly scary people out there, regardless of the merit their argument might otherwise have. I disagree completely with the opinions of dogsbite.org, but seeking to ban said arguments is the province of bigots and those with strong totalitarian impulses. It is also a reliable indicator of someone whose confidence in the merits of his/her opinions is sorely lacking… hence their desire to "ban" all contrary opinion. That's why organizations and individuals like the owner of "dogsbites" don't tolerate contrary opinions. Those who insist that those with contrary opinions from their own should be banned are no better, and likely worse, than the owner of dogsbite.com.

[Brent]

Shyster, while I agree that dissenting voices should not be shut out (that's pretty un-American), I don't think just because someone has an opinion that it should be given equal weight as the opinions of those who are experts in their fields....

[lee77]

You provide a list of organizations that oppose breed specific legislation and every one of them, with the exception of the CDC, is an organization comprised of individuals who value dogs above everything else on the face of the Earth. Furthermore, the study on which the CDC bases its position ended in 1998, before pit bulls became the dog-of-choice among the lowest echelons of society.

We do not need people (and organizations are made of up of people) whose primary concerns are the safety and promotion of dogs making decisions on BSL. We need people whose primary concern is the safety of human beings deciding whether or not pit bulls should be regulated or banned entirely. When you post a list of organizations comprised of emergency room physicians or plastic surgeons; or groups representing pit bull victims and their families and/or livestock owners who have had their animals mutilated and killed by pit bulls, who oppose BSL, someone might pay attention.