Posted on 12/29/2004 6:15:34 AM PST by the_devils_advocate_666
Local health officials hope to soon receive the results of a rabies test on a dog killed by police after it bit a 4-year-old girl in Fairmont on Christmas Day.
The girl and her family, who live in Florida, were attempting to visit friends at a home on Washington Street at about 10 a.m. when she was bitten, Fairmont police Chief Steve Cain said.
"The dog got loose from its owners and went out in the road and bit the little girl as they were trying to go inside the residence," Cain said.
The child was taken to a Morgantown hospital for treatment and later released. Cain chose not to release the name of the hospital for privacy purposes and not to release the identity of the girl because she is a juvenile.
The dog, a rottweiler mix, was uncontrollable, Cain said. It was shot with the owner's assistance.
"It had to be destroyed because officers and the owners couldn't quarantine the dog safely," he said.
To check whether it had rabies, local health officials had the animal's head cut off and shipped to a state laboratory in Charleston.
"The procedure is routine anytime you don't know for sure if (a pet) has been vaccinated," Cain said. "Hopefully we will know something tomorrow."
But I'm sure, as numerous posters will soon attest, that he was probaly a "big ol' teddy bear" that wouldn't harm anyone. At least until he tried to maul a child.
People are stupid.
Good, kill all dogs of that breed (any mix)
Dog was out in the street when he bit child who was entering the house - makes no sense but then neither does owning and probably training dogs to be vicious.
The disposition of dogs is an indiviual thing, just as in humans. I know of Rottweilers that are very docile and friendly, and cocker spaniels that are mean and nasty.
I assume that the dog was probably NOT vaccinated for Rabies; otherwise, they wouldn't need to start Rabies vaccine on the child, as well as to send the dog's brain for analysis. It's the owner's responsibility to have the dog vaccinated, as well as to keep the dog restrained so as to not harm others.
Kill all dogs. Period. Track them all down and kill every one of them. The owner's pleas of "he would never bite anyone" should be ignored because that's what they all say; but we know that deep in the bowels of the beast is a prowling killer waiting to maul any child within reach.
Kill them. All of them.
"People are stupid."
Yes, many are, dog owners may tend to think that their animal acts the same in all situations and this is not always true. A dog may be gentle in the presence of the owner but undisciplined when out on his own. I owned a purebred Rottweiler and the dog never offered to bite anyone but my brother owned one than was half Rott and half German Shepherd and that dog was put down after biting me.
"The disposition of dogs is an indiviual thing, just as in humans. I know of Rottweilers that are very docile and friendly, and cocker spaniels that are mean and nasty."
I know a lot of breeders who my disagree with you on that "disposition of dogs" comment. I'm still looking for that "Cocker Spaniel mauls toddler" story ot the "Daschund sends animal control officer to hospital" story.
I love dogs but there is no way I would own a Pit. I don't trust them and the liability is way too high.
This story really bothers me.
Time after time, we hear stories of people who own animals and fail to control them.
The animal gets out control hurts or kills somebody.
Then the police kill the animal and fine the owner.
I have had it.
Laws need to be enforced to hold the owner accountable.
A person has no right to own animals. If a person owners an animal that person should be held 100 percent accountable for the animal.
Lets put things into prespective. We all have the right to walk down the street and NOT get maul by some attack dog.
Agreed, the owner is an idiot. But I would assert that anyone who owns a Pit or Rotty in a residential area is a borderline idiot.
A person's right to own a dog does not override a child's right to own a face.
Agreed. My opinion is that if an animal causes damage, the law should observe it as if the owner committed the act.
Put them on trial for mauling a child. Might make a few people wake up and smell the roses.
I have owned pets for most of my 52 years and have a hard time understanding the mindset of those who think their pets are more important than people. Hopefully I won't have to get bitten and to break their dog in front of them.
Sometimes I feel the same way. I don't trust any dog. I've seen too many "gentle, harmless" dogs snap at the wrong time. When a dog is friendly and loyal it is the greatest thing, but I've seen "the nicest dog in the world" kill a kitten who had wandered too close to it's food bowl. I watched in horror as my best friend got his face lacerated by our old "harmless" St. Bernard mix. I came within inches of having my jugular severed doing a favor for a neighbor who was out of town and had to leave before his dog came back inside.
Nope, no thanks. No dogs for me. Ever!
And if anyone else's dog harms any of my family, be prepared for Biblical retribution.
I love dogs, but I don't trust them around my children. I had dogs for most of my adult life. However, any creature that is bigger than my four year old is not allowed in my house. I watch them in Mom attack mode when we are out in the street.
People need to understand that dogs are dogs and not humans.
I have a friend who kept her dog after he bit her son twice. Sorry, she is a loon. She calls the "puppy" (10 years old) another one of her children.
You have serious issues!! I highly recommend you seek professional help.
I think Skooz forgot the sarcasm tag...
Check the facts. Cocker's were at the top of the biting dog list as of the middle of this year.
Well, I guess you can only hope this person isn't living next door to you, right?
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