Charlotte-Mecklenburg Animal Care And Control Says Pit Bull Attacks Have Increased

Since the beginning of July, Animal Care and Control in Charlotte-Mecklenburg has recorded 23 pit bull bites. The majority have only caused minor personal injuries, but some of those personal injuries have been serious.

In one of those 23 bites, a 9-year-old girl required hospitalization after being bitten in the face.

According to Melissa Knicely of Animal Care and Control, pit bull attacks have seen an increase in 2009, thanks in part to more people owning the dogs.

Not only are pit bulls showing up in more homes, they’re showing up in more police reports. In an August 7 incident, police were required to shoot two pit bulls after a resident police were attempting to serve a search warrant to sent the dogs after them.

Animal Care in Control, which keeps track of the dog bite statistics in Mecklenburg County, says that in the fiscal year ending June 30, pit bulls were responsible for 208 bite incidents. Labradors had the second highest total with 152, followed by German Shepherds and Chow Chows.