Dog owners defend pit bulls after an attack on a 7-year-old girl

They are athletic and often aggressive with a force you can feel behind their leash. Pit bulls often get a bad name just for their breed.

"They have muscles of mastication. They have muscles in their jaws that are so strong they have 500 pounds of pressure. They can snap a broom just like that," said Dr. Kim Hammond, Falls Road Animal Hospital.

The pressure of two American Bull Dogs severely damaged the face of 7-year-old Amanda Mitchell, who was riding her bike in her Dundalk neighborhood over the weekend. Dr. Hammond says the dogs are like having a loaded gun near kids.

"They're a predator if you're lower on the food chain and they're good at their job then they're going to win," said Dr. Hammond.

But Alma Holokai, of Catonsville, says the dogs get a bad reputation because the owners are irresponsible. She's had several breeds over the years, and her two pit bull mixes are the most demanding.

"You have to stay on them all the time. You have to let them know where their place is all the time. You have to work them. A happy pit bull is a tired pit bull," said Holokai.

Holokai walks her dogs twice a day and plays games with them. She claims if the pit bulls are tired they're less likely to attack. And being in a yard is simply not enough.

"The reason that that child got attacked wasn't because of the dog. It was the owner; it was an irresponsible owner who allowed that dog outside, without supervision, without being fully secured," said Holokai.

The dogs involved in the attack were euthanized and the owners will face civil violations. The breed may need more care, but the nature can't be ignored.

"It's not just the owner. It is the owner plus the breed," said Dr. Hammond.

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