Posted on 07/03/2006 7:10:02 PM PDT by GVnana
My sweet little cocker spaniel dog was nearly killed by two pitbulls who jumped a fence to get to her. She crossed a nearby driveway and they got her.
By the time my neighbors got the dogs off, (within seconds) the pits had grounded my dog, tore out her left eye, dislocated her left leg, and left ten gaping wounds in her body. She couldn't move or even howl in pain. That's how I found her.
My dog weighs 40 pounds. She's large for her breed. She's AKC registered and pedigreed. She was a very beautiful dog.
This happened 10 days ago and I'm still stunned at the viciousness of the attack. I don't know if a human child would have survived what those animals did.
I have since learned that homeowner's insurance will not cover pitbulls.
I'm posting this as a warning and also as an invitation to comment.
I may be able to still find the link, and if I do I will post it, but a few years ago I read about some cougars killing horses on a few farms. Only one example, but they went on to say that it was pretty normal for the big cats, and they weren't surprised that they did it, except for the fact that they did it to such large animals. I believe a search was done and the cats thought to be the offenders were destroyed. It happens more than most people think. It just doesn't get national attention.
Any dog will chase something if it runs, territory or not, vicious or not. I have been chased on bikes, in cars, jogging, you name it. Most dogs that chase like the act of the chase. Some get worked up and will try to attack if they can catch you, some will stop if you stop. That's just dogs. I have even seen some dogs attack the wheels of cars when they drive by.
And then, of course, there's always the undersocialized dog that never sees anyone because it lives in a yard chained up, and doesn't have any idea why it's chasing the person/dog/whatever, and is just plain unpredictable. I don't understand why those dogs do what they do, because they're dysfunctional.
And in this case, two dogs, probably a breeding pair, owned by a child for God's sake, escaped their yard and went after children. They were intact, and having a breeding pair of any breed of dog around, especially when the female is in heat, can be a very volatile situation if the dogs are strong. It's so sad that this 18 year old was in charge of two strong dogs and probably thought it would be cool to breed them. I know when I was bitten by a pomeranian and the dog ate my thumbnail off, it was because he was studded out to my friend's mother's dog. The pom was not normally like that, but being around a female in heat made it nervous and territorial. Not saying this was the case with the pit bulls, but just an example.
Here's my solution: Any dog, no matter the breed, unless it is for show lines and must be kept intact, needs to be speutered. Every dog should be registered, and I believe it would make all the difference if the government put a required animal caretaking course in schools. That way, the kids will know how to handle animals, a little about their behavior, and even if they never plan to have pets, how to react to strays so they don't become a statistic.
I think for large or strong dogs there should be a registration system that is slightly different. I think if people want that type of dog enough, they will do this and it won't hurt at all. Just like aliens coming into this country to be citizens have to take a test, people like me should have to take a general knowledge test. It can be breed specific, but must contain several very important questions to ensure the one wanting this dog is appropriately educated. It has to have questions about breeding, where the animal will be kept, what the person's training methods will be, what the reason is to have the dog, etc. much like many adoption agencies have now. If you aren't willing to take the test, register and speuter your pet, then you aren't really that into it, and can get a corgi.
There are lots of people, however, that would shoot this idea or any like it down, and it may never be a reality. In that case, it would be nice to see a law that states that if a dog is reported running loose more than one time and the owner has done nothing to prevent it, the dog will automatically be speutered, regardless of the breed. With the muscle dogs, many of the owners causing problems would never snip the dogs, so this is a great threat to them. Perhaps they might try harder to keep their pets contained. But these ideas require money, and as much as I would love to be the first to donate, I really don't think there will be enough other people like me out there. But I guess that is the current problem anyway, isn't it?
"That's just dogs"
Chasing kids into a school and attacking them is not "just dogs". Those are beserking monsters.
The Pit Activi are already sueing over the spay/neuter rules in CA.
You asked me what makes a dog chase someone and I gave you several possibilities. I also went into the fact that an 18 year old boy having a breeding pair of dogs is just stupid. Pit bulls aren't the only dogs that chase and bite people, though. Our entire history is full of dogs chasing and biting people, and sometimes killing them. Pit bulls are only a small part of the history, and soon it will be another breed.
If those dogs were "berserking" the kids would be dead or in intensive care, not just one having bites on her leg. One of the dogs was what I would call dangerous. If it runs after you and bites you when it catches up, then it isn't safe. However, the other dog was just along for the ride, and the officers basically said only one of them was dangerous.
It isn't just pit bull people that have a problem with the law in CA. I personally think the spay/neuter law is great, but I don't breed, nor intend to, and I don't see why it's a big deal to make people be more responsible. It will help so many pets. So what if there are less back yard puppies for 20 bucks? Thank God!
Well, miracles of miracles, my puppy's left eye is actually responding to light. The muscles are torn so she is cock-eyed, her left eye facing to her rear and upwards. That means she has two mis-matched visual planes. She probably can't see much with the left eye, but some sight has been restored in the last week.
We're leaving the splint/sling contraption on for another week. Her left leg is still in place. Thank goodness. It will be a matter of some time before we can be confident that it will remain that way.
Her wounds have healed remarkably well. There are scars, but no infections.
I've learned a lot from my little dog these last three weeks. She has pride, but no vanity. She just carries on with life. I'm very proud of her tough little will.
I'm glad to hear that your little dog is doing better. She will adjust to her vision impairment. I have a nine month old kitten who lost her left eye to disease when she was a month old. She has adjusted and sees well with that one eye. She's the sweetest cat we have.
Hug your baby for me. And she will love you no matter what.
Very good to hear, GV. Give her a hug from me.
And also to your love ~ such good news.
Brings chills and tears to my wink-a-peeps.
Then I hope they will come back here, if they are able to type again, and tell us what they are thinking post mauling.
Despite our differences in opinion, I am delighted at this news. Thank God your pup is doing well, and don't worry. The fur will grow over the scars and your dog will probably look fine in a very short time.
Take care.
Thank you.
Plaster of Paris and Hamburger.
I know why a dog chases but I just wanted to hear your ridiculous faux "Expert" opinion. A normal dog stops the chase after the intruder has left the dogs turf. A normal dog does not want to bite as someone flees it's territory.
As usual you made excuses for the conduct of the dogs in this case and implied the kids were at fault for running. Additionally, the attack was intervened by the janitor who had to hit one of the dogs with a trash can to get it to release one of the kids inside the school! The frequency of Law Enforcement having to shoot these dogs during beserking episodes is undeniable.
You'll enjoy this Police Chief's comments.
"But Police Chief John Douglass said pit bulls made up a disproportionate share of the dog bites in the city. He said pit bulls had more than twice the number of bites per 100 dogs than any other breed registered in the city so far in 2006. Dalmatians and Rottweilers ranked second and third, respectively, on the city’s list of bites per breed per 100 dogs."
http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansascity/news/local/15025584.htm
A "normal" dog will chase as long as it wants to. I work with dogs, and it's a fact that many dogs just like to chase things. It has nothing to do with territory. Not everything in a dog's life is about that. Dogs chase things for fun, because of a high prey drive, or to ward off threats. And yes, many dogs still try to bite whatever they're chasing long after chasing it down the street.
I am no expert, nor have I ever claimed to be, but I work with dogs, I read about them, and practically live them, so if anyone is going to know about dog behavior and what's normal, it's someone like me.
Like I said in my earlier posts, I am not saying that I know why these particular dogs did what they did. But I do know some reasons why dogs in general do what they do. I never implied that the dogs in question chased the children for any particular reason other than the possible ones given, and I never said the children were to blame.
Putting words in my mouth and calling me names will not change the fact that your not paying attention is exactly why you cannot be swayed. You refuse to read anything given to you, you constantly use petty argument tactics to avoid questions, and you dodge excellent points by citing news articles, some of which are years old.
As much as I am sure a police chief somehow knows better than all the animal welfare organizations except for PETA, (sarcasm, and I would looove to know if his source is just his mouth), I know there are several cities with the same problem. Some of them rank labs as the highest percentage, some rank pit bulls, and some rank bichons. It just depends on the city and the population of certain breeds.
"According to statistics kept by city of Boulder Animal Care and Control, "labs" — as they are so innocently called — were responsible for an astonishing 18.9 percent of the 748 dog bites in the city from 1997 to 2003, more than twice as many as the next highest breed (German shepherds, at 8.5 percent)."
"According to the city of Winnipeg's own data,
when Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada banned 'pit bulls' in 1990, there were 214 reported dog bites that year (with 68 bites by German Shepherds and crosses, 18 bites by Terrier crosses, 16 bites by Labs and their crosses, and 11 bites by 'pit bulls'). For the decade following Winnipeg's 'pit bull' ban, there were an average of close to 50 MORE dog bites per year, with immediate spikes in bites by German Shepherds and crosses (92 bites in 1991, and 97 bites in 1992); Terrier cross (29 bites in 1991, and 34 bites in 1992); up to 2001, when the top biters were German Shepherd and crosses 64 bites, Rottweiler and crosses 37 bites, and Lab and crosses 30 bites."
"There had been just over 500 reported bites, the year Kitchener, Ontario, Canada decided to ban the #8 'breed' in their dog bite statistics ('pit bulls', but not the #1 breed, German Shepherds, and not even the #7 breed, Poodles). Eight years later, the city again reported just over 500 dog bites. "
"According to the BBC, hospitalizations due to dog bites increased by 25% after 'pit bulls' were banned in Britain. "
The only reason pit bulls are getting shot is because people are afraid of them. Police officers are people, just like the rest of us, with phobias and superstitions, just like the rest of us. They are not dog experts.
Many videos I have seen of supposed "dog attacks" where the dog had to be shot simply showed dogs running around, not biting anyone, and PEOPLE freaking out, thinking the dogs were "attacking". How a dog can attack someone without actually biting them is a mystery to me, but this happens a lot.
It's been five weeks and we were finally able to take the splint off my dog's leg. Looks good for now. It's feeeble and sore, but she's building some strength in it. So that's the good news.
The left eye is another matter. She gets an ointment in it six times a day because she is not able to completely close it. Also the pupil remains dilated. Vet says there's too much cranial nerve damage to expect much improvement from here. We're giving her a rest, but we'll probably do a surgery to reduce the size of her eyelid and allow it to close moe normally next week.
Neighbors report that the pits have not been seen since the landlord gave notice. Still they are not completely satisfied with this solution, because the dogs may have just ended up with some other young and dumb people and become a problem elsewhere.
Met a woman whose horse was attacked by pitbulls. Some people from LA were visiting one of her neighbors. The dogs were left in a garage, but they broke out and took off across her pasture.
A woman driving along the highway saw the attack. One pit was latched onto the horse's nostrils the other was attacking the horse's legs. The witness said the horse was flinging it's head with the pitbull flying. This incident was reported in the local newspaper and I'll see if I can find the article.
By Dave Moller, davem@theunion.com
January 4, 2006
Two more attacks on livestock by pit bull dogs have been reported from the Cedar Ridge-Peardale area since an initial report made last week of an attack on a horse.
Gary Shannon, who lives on Tiger Lily Lane off Rattlesnake Road, said Tuesday that two pit bulls almost killed his llama Dec. 22. One of the same dogs also killed a chicken belonging to his neighbors the week prior, he said.
Susan Sarantopoulus of Peardale thinks those pit bulls are different from the pair that attacked her horse Christmas Eve morning, leaving a gash in its shoulder and bite marks. Sarantopoulus said thanks to a story in The Union and some subsequent phone calls, she was able to find the owner of the dogs that attacked her horse, Angel.
"They will take care of the vet's bill," said Sarantopoulus, adding that she was also able to discern that those two dogs were not in the area until Dec. 23, the day after Shannon's nearly 3-year-old llama, Avalanche, was attacked.
Shannon said neighbor Kurt Jackson witnessed the attack and when he came upon the pit bulls, one of them almost had the llama on the ground.
"If Kurt hadn't shot at it, it would killed the llama," Shannon said. He said anyone in his area with a pit bull that has buckshot in it, might now know what happened to the dog.
Shannon said the llama is recovering from bite wounds to the neck and the left front leg. The llama's ear was almost torn off in the attack, but it was saved.
"My wife and I put a sign at the top of our road to warn people," Shannon said.
Jackson's wife, Daphne Jackson, said a pit bull recently followed her to her house. Once there, it attacked the family's chickens "and we had to put one of the chickens down," because of its wounds.
Horses attacked by two pit bulls Owner seeks information about dogs
________________________________________ ________________________________________ By Dave Moller
davem@theunion.com December 31, 2005
A Peardale woman is looking for two pit bull dogs who attacked her horses on Christmas Eve.
Susan Sarantopoulos wants to know why the two dogs were allowed to roam into her pasture on Meadow Drive just off Highway 174 while she was away for Christmas. They injured a 2-year-old wild mustang who was protecting her 25-year-old Arabian from the dogs.
"If they attacked the horses, what would they do to a child or a large person?" Sarantopoulos asked. "For those dogs to attack the horses is really aggressive, I think."
The mustang received a 21 inch wound to its left shoulder and bites to its nose and a rear leg during the attack. The Arabian was not injured.
"I would like to get the story out so that these dogs can be caught before they attack other animals or possibly humans," Sarantopoulos said. "The (neighbors) involved in trying to get the dogs from the horses were lucky that they were not attacked."
One of those people was Bill Sumner, who saw the dogs run into the pasture from a nearby hill.
"The next thing I knew they were chasing the horses in the pasture, barking and nipping at them," Sumner said. "We yelled at them and made the dogs go away."
Sarantopoulos said the Nevada County Animal Control Office was called but was unable to respond due to short holiday staffing.
"Basically, if someone saw the attack and can identify the dogs, it should be reported to us," said Lt. Ron Earles at the Animal Control office, an arm of the Nevada County Sheriff's Department. "People should know they also have a right to defend their animal."
Earles said animal owners should cause a commotion if other animals attack them, in order to divert the attackers' attention. People should also keep their dogs close to home, Earles said.
"Too many dogs pay with their lives because of their owners," Earles said. "It's sad."
http://tu.us.publicus.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/bilde?Site=TU&Date=20051231&Category=NEWS&ArtNo=112310083&Ref=AR&maxw=180
Susan Sarantopoulos and her daughter Stephanie tend to Angel, a 2-year-old wild mustang that was attacked by two pit bulls recently. The Union photo/David B. Torch
Pits get a ton of bad press they don't deserve, that's for sure.
Sorry, you're wrong. An owner who fences in his dog--of any breed--with a fence they can easily jump, has a dog at least as "un-controlled" as GV's was.
Good to hear your pup is doing better. Did the Pit owners ever help with the vet bills?
I want all scawy Pit bulls away from me! I am so SCARED! Don't bother me with facts, I FEEL!
hop back to DU. theres a good girl.
Late late late .. but it is SO gratifying to see that this jerknozzle's account was suspended!!! Guys like this are embarassments to FR (not to mention humanity), and it's GOOD that he's gone. :^ )
GV, how's the pooch? Doing well, I hope?
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.