Actor Jon Bernthal has attributed the negative public perception of pit bulls to "dog racism," suggesting that the stigma surrounding the breed is akin to judging people based on their race or sexual orientation.
During a recent appearance on "The Howard Stern Show," Bernthal, known for his roles in "The Punisher," "Spider-Man," and "Daredevil," argued that the widely held negative reputation of pit bulls is unfounded.
"Pit bulls don’t attack. It’s just racism. It’s just dog racism," Bernthal stated. "I think to be afraid of a breed of dog is completely ridiculous. It’s like being afraid of somebody for their race or their sexual orientation."
However, data compiled by Animals 24-7 indicates that pit bulls were involved in more than three-quarters of fatal dog attacks on humans in the U.S. and Canada in 2025. The organization recorded 64 pit bull-involved attacks out of a total of 84 fatal incidents that year. Additionally, approximately 89% of the nearly 29,000 fatal attacks on other animals over the past 13 years involved pit bulls.
Bernthal countered these statistics by asserting that pit bulls are not inherently more prone to biting humans than other breeds. He suggested that factors such as ownership and training play a more significant role in a dog's behavior.
"If a pit bull bites you, it kind of sucks. But they’re no more likely to bite you than a chihuahua or any other breed of dog," he said. "I think that it probably has more to do with who owns them and how they were trained."
The actor acknowledged that some individuals are drawn to pit bulls to project a particular image.
"I think that a lot of knuckleheads, unfortunately, are attracted to that breed of dog. When I see some wannabe gangster getting pulled down Venice Beach by his pit bull, to me that’s not manly or strong at all," Bernthal commented.
Representatives for Bernthal did not immediately respond to requests for comment.