if these people work with animals I find it odd they don't know pit bulls are sweet dogs. and most shelters have pitties so I'm confused by this.

pit bulls were selectively bred to fight. it doesn't matter how they're raised, the possibility always exists that they could freak at any moment and attack anyone. The handful of cases that involve a perfectly behaved animal for 10+ years are outliers and should have been monopolized upon. ie. breed the animals that display such docile behavior to help pass on said behavioral instincts and affect the reputation of these animals positively. don't, as an owner, just whine like an idiot saying it's all in their upbringing because that's not 100% correct.

This sounds pretty standard for the UK. Pitbull terriers are a banned type of dog and shelters have very strict adoption criteria

It's all in training not breed. My aunt had this horrid spaniel that was so vicious it jumped off a second story balcony broke its legs but continued to try and tear our throats out. (Mind it was mentally unstable and a puppy mill dog to.) I've had big dogs all my life. Never had a problem. You got to remember that dogs that were bred for protection, were also bred for obedience. The last thing anyone wanted was a giant crazy animal. Small dogs (ie your terriers, dashhounds, some small sporting dogs to give just a few examples) were bred for persistence. They were designed in such a way (mentally and physically) that they would keep trying until they figured it out. Working dogs were bred for a specific task and their bodies and mentally reflect that. Big dogs like your rotties and pitties usually understand they can eat you if they have to do there's no point trying without a reason where small dogs get the napoleon complex of eat them before they eat you. If the animal is probably trained, respected, and treated properly then there's no need to be all worried about it. I have a pit-cross, a mastiff, and a lab-rottie cross. Not one of them has ever so much as growled aggressively at someone. People have to do their research. The ones who want a 'aggressive dog breed for the purpose of protection' are usually the very last people who should have a dog of any kind. It's sad that we live in a world where if we push the animal too far and it says 'enough' that it's the animal who gets labeled as dangerous and in need of putting down.

for those who say breed is a factor, pitbulls involved in fatal dog attacks is more common in the US with ones used in illegal dog fights, while in other countries other breeds are the majority involved in fatal attacks. Also many pitbulls were bred as family pets to guard children while parents were out giving them the nickname "Nanny dogs"

I had them say no because they claimed there were coyotes in the area. I've lived there for 24 years and never seen or heard a single one.

Every time I meet a pitbull it has thrown up on me other than that they've been adorable and their temperment is based on how they are being taken care of like all dogs.

This is horrible. Pit bulls are the most loving and friendly breed I've come across. The animal shelter here RECCOMENDS people take home their pit bulls/pit bull mixes. So sad.