Crowhugger said that even with licensing, the occasional dog will be dangerous. I agree but I would go further.

In the US licensing a dog has nothing whatever to with making a dog less dangerous or with educating its owner. Is it - would it - be different in the UK ? Is it different in Canada?

In the US, the only way it makes a dog less dangerous is that a licensed dog is on a schedule to have a rabies vaccine every three years. Since rabies is almost non-existent in the UK, I don't suppose that is the kind of safety you have in mind.

As for educating a person so that he or she is a more responsible owner that subject - trust me- never comes up. It is like bearing a baby and taking it home- no one questions whether you will be a good parent.

I too have a knee-jerk bias against pit bulls- but I recognize that my reaction is non-reasoning. I have known many a sweet pit bull. But because my bias is there, I would probably never own one myself.

I do believe, however, that most of us take much more note of an attack by a pitbull than by a collie or a Terrier or a chihuahua, all of which can be biters.

A generation or two ago, the angst was all about German Shepherd dogs. Which is just about my favorite breed.