Deep Dive: Why a Pitbull attacked and killed its elderly owner in Lucknow

The incident of an 82-year-old retired teacher being mauled to death by her son's pet Pitbull dog in Lucknow on Tuesday has created panic among people. Is aggression among Pitbulls natural? Read on to find out about such questions.

The Lucknow incident where a Pitbull dog mauled his elderly female owner to death has created ripples across the country. The dog breed has already been in a bad light for being involved in many similar incidents. India Today takes a deep dive into the problems related to the Pitbull breed’s aggression.

Unlike other thoroughbred pedigrees, the Pitbulls are a relatively new breed. The term ‘Pitbull’ was first used in the year 1927 in the United States of America for breeds of dogs descended from Bulldogs and Terriers. The breed has four sub-breeds—American Pitbull Terrier, American Bully, Staffordshire Bullterrier, and American Staffordshire Terrier—which are identified by the American Kennel Club.

The breed’s traces can be found in the United Kingdom in the early 19th century, where British bulls and Terriers were bred for blood sports, dog fighting, and bull baiting. Pitbulls are considered people-oriented and affectionate with levels of high energy. Pitbulls are being bred in India unregulated, largely for hunting and dogfighting in some states, making it arguably the most misunderstood dog breed.

Abhinav Srihan, a well-known animal rights activist and an animal rescuer from Delhi, has been complaining to the Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Jammu, and Kashmir, and other state governments about the illegal breeding of Pitbulls and related dog breeds for dog fighting. Once Pitbulls are bred for fighting, their bloodline carries the same aggression and fighting tactics.

Also read: 82-year-old woman mauled to death by her pet pitbull dog in Lucknow

“There are over a thousand evidence of illegal dog fighting in the states of Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir and I have repeatedly complained to the respective government agencies but to no avail. The illegal business of dog fighting is flourishing, leading to such unfortunate incidents," said Srihan.

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