The problematic “statistics” that Phil Innes quotes from dogsbite.org [“The pit bull quandary,” Viewpoint, June 13] are compiled from newspaper and media reports by a group of random citizens with no scientific credentials whatsoever.
According to the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), these “dog bite statistics are not really statistics, and they do not give an accurate picture of the dogs that bite.”
Why isn't data from media reports complete or accurate? Here are a few reasons:
• Not all dog bites are reported to authorities, and not all dog bites are reported on in the media.