A woman who refuses to let her mother-in-law babysit her young son because she owns a Pit Bull has asked other parents if her decision is justified.
The mother said the dog, which is known as an aggressive breed, is not kept separate from her one-year-old when he visits the home.
She told an online parenting group that her mother-in-law ‘refuses to acknowledge’ her safety concerns about the dog potentially hurting her child.
‘She claims the behaviour the Pit Bull is showing around him is because of ‘excitement’ and she has ‘never been aggressive,’ the woman wrote.
The mother said she would instead give up date night with her husband than risk her son’s ‘life and safety’ by leaving him at his grandmother’s house.
The mother was quickly validated by a host of concerned parents.
’90 per cent of all dog bites I have seen were from bully breeds,’ an ICU nurse wrote.
‘Of the remaining 10 per cent, the majority were police dogs after a police encounter and a small handful were infections from cat bites or small dog bites.’
‘In-laws have a Bully XL. Seems like a chill dog, but I still request that the dog be separated (in the garage or outside) from my toddler if we come over,’ a second added.
A third shared: ‘I work in criminal justice. EVERY DOG BITE CASE I’VE SEEN ENDING IN DEATH OR SERIOUS INJURY WAS A PITBULL OR PITBULL MIX. Every. Single. One.’
Other mothers said they always kept dogs separate, regardless of the breed.
‘I put my lab away when we have guests,’ one woman said.
‘She’s incredibly docile and trained, but sometimes forgets she’s 60lbs (27kgs) and turns around too fast, knocking my toddler over.’
‘I have two dogs; one is the sweetest, snuggliest pit in the world. I also have a four-year-old. Unless I’m right there, they’re separated,’ another wrote.
‘I have very well-behaved doggies who have so much love for our baby… but they are NEVER left alone with her.’
