Owning a pit bull could soon be illegal

TAMPA - A bill now before the Florida legislature would open the door to banning some dogs based only on their breed. Pit bulls are the likely target.

"They make up a large part of our pet population, so the statistics will bear out that they're the most likely to be impounded. They're the top biter. But they're right up there with the shepherd, the chow, and the labs that are also significant biters in the community," said Bill Armstrong, head of Animal Services in Hillsborough County.

There were more than 2,100 reported dog bites throughout Hillsborough last year. Nearly a quarter of those bites came from pit bulls or pit mixes.

So far Miami-Dade is the only county in Florida that has banned pit bulls. That could change when state lawmakers discuss the issue in Tallahassee. We will let you know if the proposed ban passes.