The issue with pitbulls is once that aggression switch is flipped, it’s flipped. There is no calming them down and once they latch onto something, short of incapacitating them or shoving smelling salts up their nose, they aren’t letting go until whatever they’re biting is dead or has stopped moving.

Most pitbulls that are raised right can go their whole lives without that switch ever being triggered and will never hurt a fly. Most privately owned big cats (pumas, leopards, etc.) are the same way when raised right and go their whole lives without hurting anyone. But we consider big cats tame, not domesticated, and require licenses for those who choose to own them.

Why? Because they are still a dangerous animal who’s aggression towards people/other animals has not been fully bred out of them. If they attack, there’s no calming them down. And it only takes one incident to turn things into a nightmare.

Pitbulls are not domesticated. They can be tamed, they can be trained, but that potential for uncontrolled aggression is not gone. There is a concern and a danger with them that you just don’t have to worry about with breeds like a Golden Retriever or a Labrador. Other aggressive dogs like German Shepherds or Rottweilers will listen to their owners and disengage from an attack, or stop after a single bite. But not Pitbulls. They will latch on and continue to maul their prey.