The outpouring of comments and opinions about Pit Bulls following this week’s deadly attack in Jacksonville has been intense. It’s very clear that people feel strongly about their pets and are passionate about many breeds, including Pit Bulls.

Chelsea Donovan covered the facts of the case on WITN News, straight and to the point. Audrey Washington talked to a family that trains dogs and showed how they allow their child to be and play with their Pit Bull with supervision. We aired statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and other government agencies on which breeds have been most involved in fatal attacks. 

One commenter suggested we would not have covered the story if the dog in question had been a Labrador Retriever. The breed has nothing to do with whether we cover a bite/attack story. A fatal attack by a Lab would be reported. To be frank, the national media would probably pick that story up as well. It is rarer for a Lab to be involved in a fatal attack than a Pit Bill, according to statistics. 

No matter what you think about Pit Bulls or any other breed of dog, no matter how you feel... "ban the breed” or “ban the deed, not the breed”... the comments suggest most viewers are united in one respect: the sympathy felt for that little boy and his family.