Me-OWWWW! Of All Pets, Cats Bite, Scratch Most

By VALERIE KALFRIN vkalfrin@tampatrib.com

Published: Apr 28, 2006

TAMPA - About three times a day, teeth bare, claws flash and an animal bites or scratches someone in Hillsborough County, statistics show.

Records from the county's Animal Services show that 1,219 animals caused 1,382 bites and scratches reported during the past 12 months, 221 involving children ages 1 to 12. At least 400 bites have been reported since Jan. 1.

The worst offender is the domestic shorthair cat, the culprit in 341 incidents.

The second-worst is the pit bull, a classification that includes the American Staffordshire and Staffordshire bull terrier. These were involved in a total of 309 incidents.

Wildlife such as raccoons, bats, rats, squirrels, a ferret and a hawk bit or scratched in 51 cases.

Most people are bitten by a cat while tending to one they think is a stray, said Dennis McCullough, the agency's investigations supervisor. They feed the animal and try to pick it up or pet it, and it lashes out. Cat scratches can transmit rabies because the animals lick their paws and interact with wildlife.

Most dog bites, however, occur closer to home, usually by the family pet or a familiar dog, he said.

To owners, a dog is part of the family. To a dog, the family is a pack where it asserts its place in the hierarchy.

"In the animal kingdom, it's a constant struggle. If you have an animal not happy with its position in the pack and it wants to move up in the food chain, it can perceive anybody who comes into that house as a threat," McCullough said.

Irresponsible Ownership

Last week, a loose male pit bull named Prince clamped onto the arm of Steven Smith, 56, while Smith walked his neighbor's 1-year-old terrier mix at East Bougainvillea Avenue and North 29th Street.

Smith needed 21 stitches and will need five vaccinations in his arm as a precaution against rabies if the dog remains at large. His attack is not listed in the Animal Services database because the dog has not been recovered. "We have a sneaking suspicion where it is," McCullough said.

There were seven cases of animal rabies in Hillsborough County in 2005, according to the county health department.

Although loose and stray animals present a danger, McCullough thinks the real peril is irresponsible pet ownership. Most bites can be prevented through three steps: spaying or neutering an animal to reduce aggression, checking its health regularly and undergoing obedience training, he said.

The animal's health plays a role because a tooth problem, liver ailment or brain tumor can alter the animal's behavior, much like when a human is sick and becomes irritable.

The training helps owners as well as pets because before many attacks, people miss indicators of aggression, illness or territoriality, McCullough said. Afterward, they think the dog's behavior changed suddenly when in reality the animal had issued warning signs.

He recalled how one family's Doberman attacked a relative seemingly without provocation after the man walked through the kitchen door. Investigators soon realized the dog had the run of the house: It would growl to keep people out of the kitchen while it ate, and if it climbed onto the owner's bed at night, the owner slept on the couch, leaving the dog and his wife in bed.

The last fatal attack in Hillsborough County occurred in October 2004, when two pit bulls temporarily staying with an Orient Park family mauled 8-year-old Anton Brown. McCullough keeps photos of Anton and one of the dogs, Chief - its white coat stained with blood - in his desk as a poignant reminder.

The dogs would snap at and jump on Anton whenever he walked into the yard, McCullough said. One day, Chief came up behind the boy, shook him and broke his neck, McCullough said.

"We knew how preventable that was," McCullough said.

Breeding Contempt

Pit bulls are popular in Hillsborough County, although many aren't registered because such a dog can cause increased homeowner's insurance premiums, McCullough noted. Some owners, especially those involved in illegal activities, like pit bulls as guard dogs.

Others are drawn to the dog's reputation. "A lot of people get these dogs because they want - pardon my expression - a bad-ass dog," McCullough said.

To prevent problems, all dog owners should understand their particular breed. A pit bull, for instance, has been used traditionally as a hunting or fighting dog - its strong jaw can latch onto a hog - and is bred to be "animal-aggressive," McCullough said.

To temper that aggression, "you need to socialize these dogs," he said.

He thinks the male and female pit bull that attacked Smith last week were focused on Poochy, the pup he was walking, and turned on Smith when he tried to protect the smaller dog. "They were locked in on that dog," he said. "When he picked up that dog, they bit him on his arms."

A Bite In The Wallet

County ordinances crack down on owners with aggressive dogs. A dog is classified as vicious - and the owner fined $450 - if the dog chases or bites someone, or puts someone in fear. A dog is classified as dangerous if it causes a disfiguring bite or severe injury, such as broken bones.

In either case, the dogs must be spayed or neutered, undergo obedience training and be examined by a veterinarian. In addition, dangerous dogs must be registered, which carries a $500 fee; implanted with a microchip; and wear a head-restraint collar or harness when outside their enclosures.

Owners of these dogs can be charged with culpable negligence, a misdemeanor, or face felony charges if the dog gets loose or attacks someone again, officials said. Also, the dog might be euthanized.

There are more than 40 dogs registered as dangerous in the county. To search for one in your area, go to http://florida animalcontrol.org/index.htm.

To guard against an attack, never make eye contact with a growling dog, McCullough said. It will interpret that as a challenge.

Those being attacked - especially children - should curl into a ball and protect their neck, face and ears. If a dog is charging at you, try to stay still, McCullough said. Running triggers a hunting response, which heightens aggression.

"It's like being on the Serengeti and they're chasing you down," he said.

MOST AGGRESSIVE

Hillsborough County Animal Services records show these animals bit or scratched people the most in the last 12 months:

Domestic shorthair cat (341 incidents)

Pit bull-American Staffordshire-Staffordshire terrier (309 incidents)

Labrador, golden and flat-coated retrievers (85 incidents)

Shepherds, German shepherds and Australian shepherds (82 incidents)

Chow chow (77 incidents)

Rottweiler (36 incidents)

Raccoon (30 incidents)

Domestic longhair cat (24 incidents)