LOS ANGELES, Calif. (AP) - McDonald's apologized and pulled an ad that came back to bite them.

The ad that said eating a Chicken McBite was less risky than petting a pit bull enraged pit bull owners and their defenders.

McDonald's spokeswoman Ashlee Yingling said Monday the Kansas City-area radio ad for Chicken McBites ran just a few days before it was pulled Friday.

The company issued an apology by email and social media sites and people who called a toll free number got a recorded apology.

Rachele Lizarraga of Sacramento says she found it reckless so she started a Facebook site and an online petition.

Some critics said McDonald's should also donate to pit bull causes or use a pit in an ad.

No word from McDonald's on those ideas.