Unfortunately, that is way too common. There are pet owners out there who help give that perception though. Around where I live, there's a tall young man who owns 2 muscular black (and impressive looking) pit bulls. We walks them with a thick chainlink around their neck and lets them lead as though he were holding the reigns on a horse. Now, as he walks, OF COURSE, everybody gets out of his way -- and I mean out!!. What does the idiot do? He smiles and looks proud that people are intimidated by his dogs. He walks them in a menacing way, and I sincerely believe he enjoys how other people fear them. All his doing is ruining the reputation of a lovable breed (in the right hands).
I'm sorry you went through that with your pet. That's sad.