Actor Jon Bernthal calls pit bull fear 'ridiculous': 'It's just dog racism'

Action star Jon Bernthal came out in defense of the most widely criticized breed of dog and said their behavior depends on the owner, not the animal.

Star of "The Punisher" and "The Walking Dead," Bernthal appeared on "The Howard Stern Show" on Saturday and briefly referenced pit bulls when asked about his own dogs.

'It's like being afraid of somebody for their race or their sexual orientation.'

Doggie DEI

Bernthal has advocated for pit bulls on numerous occasions and has three of his own: Lil Bam Bam, Boss, and Venice.

On Saturday, host Howard Stern asked whether Bernthal's dogs were present when he got into a fight, a story he told earlier in the interview.

"Did they attack?" Stern asked.

"No. ... My dogs are the greatest, and they're unbelievably well-trained," Bernthal replied, immediately defending the breed against those who see them as aggressive. "People have got to stop that."

The 49-year-old then chalked up any bias toward the dogs as a form of racism.

"It's just racism. It's just dog racism. 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; it's completely ridiculous."

At that point, Bernthal made his most distinct claim, saying that "if a pit bull bites you, it's going to suck, but they're no more likely to bite you than a chihuahua or any other breed of dog."

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Killer stats

A study published in the Journal of Surgical Research in May stated that out of 276 patients who sustained dog bite injuries between 2016 and 2024, "pit bulls were implicated in nearly one-third of all injuries and were significantly more likely to require surgical intervention" in comparison to other breeds.

A 2023 study by DogsBite.org stated that "attacks by pit bulls are associated with higher morbidity rates, higher hospital charges, and a higher risk of death than are attacks by other breeds of dogs."

The study went on to say that between 2011 and 2017, pit bulls "inflicted the highest prevalence of injuries" where the breed of the dog was known. This totaled 245 out of 511 cases, or 47.9%. The breed was known just 36% of the time, or 511 of 1,422.

Data from the same organization claimed that pit bulls were responsible for 71% of fatal dog bites in 2017, 72% in 2018, and 68% in 2019.

RELATED: Rabid defenders of pit bulls are spiritually blind — and ignoring the tragic stats

ROBYN BECK/AFP/Getty Images

Bite ban

The same literature review concluded that "strict regulation of pit bulls may substantially reduce the U.S. mortality rates related to dog bites.”

National legislation surrounding pit bulls exists in countries like the U.K., where they are banned, and New Zealand, where they cannot be imported.

Additionally, animal care retailer Hepper stated in a 2025 article that at least six municipalities in the U.S. restrict pit bull ownership. This includes Council Bluffs, Iowa; Prince George's County, Maryland; Melvindale, Michigan; Kearny, Missouri; Sparta, Tennessee; and Miami, Florida.

As for Bernthal, he attributed the pit bull rep to "a lot of knuckleheads" who "unfortunately are attracted to that breed of dog."

"To me, when I see some wannabe gangster getting pulled down Venice Beach by his pit bull, and I'm like, 'You feed that f**ker, and he's pulling you?'" Bernthal exclaimed. "To me that's not manly or strong at all. I think you gotta train your dogs."

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