The city of Aurora, along with 700 other communities throughout the nation, are taking a proactive approach to “aggressive breeds” like pit bulls by banning the animals altogether. That means Aurora residents must give up their aggressive dog breeds in order to adhere to the city law.

Although the average person may not know it, Aurora and 700 other cities throughout America have banned dogs like pit bulls in wake of the multiple dog attacks – and the bad reputations the dogs have for being aggressive. In Aurora, the ban has been alive for nine years strong, but the city will put the future of the law in the hands of the voters this November. The vote is a controversial one – the first of its kind on a general election ballot, according to Oregon Live.

“We wanted to resolve the question,” an Aurora councilman said. “This issue would just continually come back to us every couple years.”

If the law lives on after November, the city will join the Colorado cities of Denver, Louisville, Castle Rock and Commerce City among many other cities nationwide that prohibit city residents from owning pit bulls.

Statistics continue to shed a negative light on the pit bull breed. According to reports,” dog bites in the city have gone down since the ban was adopted in 2005,” and some experts are concerned that allowing the animals back into the community only invites increased risk.

Others, though, insist that it is the owner that should be educated rather than banning a dog breed altogether.

“These kinds of breed bans hurt responsible owners more than irresponsible owners,” AKC spokeswoman Lisa Peterson said.

DOG BITES: WHAT DO THE STATISTICS SAY?

California is second to Texas for the most dog bites that lead to fatalities according to DogsBite.org. Tragically, 28 people died in California from 2005 to 2012 due to dog bites and 23 of these deaths were caused by pit bulls – that’s nearly 82 percent of all dog bite fatalities in our state.

Nationally, 60 percent of all deaths caused by dog attacks are caused by pit bulls. The incidence of injury is alarming as well: 368,435 people are treated for dog bite injuries every single year and 81 percent of these attacks are from pit bull type dogs (molloser breeds).

The statistics are indeed frightening. The truth is that owners are partly – if not fully – responsible for their animals and yet pit bulls are front and center when it comes to aggressiveness. The picture remains foggy as animal activists and safety experts come together to find a resolve. Nevertheless, 17 cities in California have restricted the breed or have implemented mandatory sterilization. Although multiple dog bites have occurred in San Diego County, the city has not yet implemented a ban against pit bulls. Nevertheless, areas like La Mesa and Imperial Beach have taken the first steps to prevent pit bulls in their cities after a pit bull attack affected those communities.

Will San Diego take note and pass a law to ban pit bulls? Some cities in San Diego have already taken action. Tell us, what’s your take on the situation? Should more cities in San Diego County join others who have taken a proactive approach to removing pit bulls from their community?