Posted on 11/22/2006 12:25:48 PM PST by JZelle
I sympathize with you. I used to be afraid of dogs until I married my second wife, who had a boxer. I learned to love the dog, and, since then, because dogs don't live very long, we've had four more, mostly in succession. I've learned to love them more and more.
What you say about owners assuring you their dog won't hurt you: that's based on their observations and they really believe it, but the reality is even they never can be sure what their dog may do, never mind how gentle it has been. You are right to carry pepper spray.
If you ever see your way clear to own a dog, I think it might change your whole view of them, as it did me! Good walking. Arf!
I was very interested in your post as I read it all. It pretty much checks with my experience, but I really did meet a mild-mannered Pit Bull once. Maybe I should quit while I'm ahead, eh? (No, I'm not Canadian) (eh?)
It's widely available here in Canada.
I think you need to be very careful before considering breed bans. How do you define a pit bull? Do you think these dogs are registered with the AKC? How would you know?
No, really breed bans are based upon how a dog looks. If your local authorities think your dog is too big or too scary looking, then they would ban your dog. I don't think that is right.
Pit Bulls are like Muslims. Everybody says they're peaceful, but I am not convinced. If one is around, I feel better if I'm armed.
The white one looks a lot like my Lucy.
Er (Eh, for you Canadians), Well Done(??).
That's my boy Sam. He's my only dog
The bitch with the one ear flying is Hailey, the mother of Sam, and now retired from breeding.
The remaining one is Honey from Hailey's first litter. She was never bred.
Of course the Pastor will accuse you of photoshopping. Such things are not possible in his universe.
Well by all means, let's ban them based on your opinion. Then we can ban "assault weapons" based on the opinion that John Q. Average Gun Owner is incapable of understanding how to handle them, and SUVs since John Q. Average Car Owner is incapable of how to handle them as well....
Don't forget Twinkies and alcohol. :)
LOL...I hope you're happy: my two sheps are looking at me asking why I never smear my face with sauce for them...
Mine two pitters have been in the kitchen with me all morning, with me preparing ham and turkey and the like. I haven't been attacked yet. But just wait. When I break out the broccoli (they love it), there's no telling what will happen to me.
First bears and now this....
That's one of the funniest things I've seen in a long time.
Pitbull ping to #54
Sorry I disagree with your experience, too many times young children have been injured by these breeds.
I've had pit bull crosses, rotties and several other "nasty" breeds over the years, and have NEVER had one uncontrollable. To be frank, the most difficult ones were the smaller dogs (Jack Russels especially).
Trying to explain about dogs manners being more a case of breeding and training than any inherent "evil" in the breed on this board is about as productive as trying to be rational on D.U.
These people's minds are set, and no proof, reason or fact is going to deter them from their mindset.
They make Democrats seem rational.
Don't base anything on just my opinion. Let people own whatever they want. When what they own kills, maims or mauls innocent persons or children what do you suggest the consequences should be?
Houston Chronicle Nov. 23, 2006, 12:54AM
Death puts focus on dog regulation Because there were no reports, county didn't pick up 2 pit bulls that mauled 4-year-old
CYNTHIA LEONOR GARZA,, BILL MURPHY AND and ANITA HASSAN Copyright 2006 Houston Chronicle
•Nearly one in four animal bites reported in Harris County last year involved children 10 and younger.
• 56 percent of the 1,301 animal bite cases reported were caused by unconfined animals. Pit bulls and pit bull mixes accounted for 214 of all cases — the largest share of any dog breed.
•Harris County's 14 animal-control officers pursue 20 to 25 stray dog complaints they receive each day.
Source: 2005 Harris County Public Health and Environmental Services annual report and county officials
The two pit bulls that fatally mauled 4-year-old Pedro Rios Jr. as he played near his home Tuesday were seen before by residents of his northeast Harris County neighborhood, but no one ever reported the dogs to county authorities.
Police investigating the boy's death think the animals were strays. County officials said Wednesday that they do not pick up strays unless they encounter them or receive a complaint. And before Tuesday's fatal attack, officials said they had not received any calls about the animals.
So far, no one has claimed ownership of the dogs. If an owner is found, that person could face criminally negligent homicide charges, said Harris County Sheriff's Lt. John Martin.
Residents of the King Parkway mobile home community where Pedro lived said it isn't uncommon for unattended dogs to wander freely in and out of the gated community because the front entrance is always open.
Maria Ramirez said her husband and three young daughters had seen the two dogs in recent days. They barked at residents, but they hadn't attacked anyone, she said. Ramirez, who for a decade has lived next door to the Rioses, said she was "in shock. Apart from being my neighbor we saw each other as family."
"There's always a lot of children around here. It's a safe place, I don't know what happened," Ramirez said.
Attempts to reach the boy's parents, Pedro and Isela Rios, on Wednesday were unsuccessful. Family said funeral arrangements were pending.
Pedro was the first person to be killed by stray dogs in unincorporated Harris County in more than two decades, said Colleen Hodges, a spokeswoman for the county's Veterinary Public Health division.
County can't ban pit bulls
Hodges said that Harris County's 14 animal-control officers tend to focus on pursuing the 20 to 25 stray dog complaints they receive each day. Three animal-control-officer positions remain unfilled, although there are more field officers now than the department has ever had, Hodges said.
Harris County Commissioner Steve Radack said the state Legislature should give the county power to pass regulations on issues such as the types of pets residents can keep. He said he would entertain a limited or full ban on owning pit bulls if the state gave the county the power to pass such a regulation.
At present, under state law, the county doesn't have the authority to ban pit bulls or other breeds deemed dangerous.
Harris County Judge Robert Eckels was out of the country and could not be reached for comment.
In Texas, cities do have the power to pass regulations, and last month the issue of dangerous dogs prompted Houston City Council to update its animal ordinance for the first time in two decades.
The measure, pushed by Councilwoman Toni Lawrence, allows both neighborhood protection and animal-control officers to investigate complaints about dangerous dogs.
Those declared dangerous after a hearing must be registered, restrained and implanted with a microchip. Owners of the animals also must get $100,000 in liability insurance.
We hope it acts as a spur to more responsible dog ownership and a deterrent to people who keep dangerous animals," said Frank Michel, a spokesman for Mayor Bill White.
More than half of the 1,301 animal bite cases reported were caused by unconfined animals.
Although area residents have said the pit bulls in Tuesday's attack were strays, statistics show that 73 percent of the Harris County biting animals reported last year had identifiable owners.
The increase in animal bites parallels a steep rise in the number of dogs impounded or abandoned in Harris County animal shelters, Hodges said.
Of those, a growing share have been pit bulls. The breed accounted for about 5 percent of all impounded dogs in 2000 but more than 16 percent in 2005.
"They've just infiltrated the dog population," Hodges said. "People are raising them with little to no knowledge of the breed. ... You're talking about a dog who can eat his way through a wooden fence in 20 minutes. You can't just leave them outside while you go to work."
In Tuesday's deadly attack, Pedro was playing with his 2-year-old brother, who managed to escape, as the dogs approached.
Upon hearing screams from her child, the boy's mother ran outside and tried to fight the dogs off her son, but the dogs refused to let go.
The dogs released him only after they were distracted by the lights and sirens of the patrol cars that arrived minutes later. Deputies shot the dogs, killing one and injuring the other, which was later taken into custody by Harris County Animal Control. The boy was flown to Memorial Hermann Hospital and died a short time later. The boy's toddler brother was with him before the attack but was able to run to safety.
Leash laws hard to enforce
It's tough to say what could have prevented the child from being mauled by the dog, said Amy Bures Danna, vice chairwoman of the State Bar of Texas' Animal Law Section. Although leash laws are in place in Harris County, they are difficult to enforce, she said.
Ramirez said that "the managers are very careful." All residents are required to keep their pets caged or fenced, she said. The front office also asks for pet identification information, such as breed and color.
Rodney Covington, a manager of the mobile home park, said because police were still investigating the attack, he could not make any statements regarding the incident or their policies regarding pets.
Donal Swanner, who has lived in the mobile home park for 10 years, said "stray dogs coming in here — when we see it, we report it" to both the managers of the residential area and animal control authorities.
Swanner said sometimes it takes several hours for animal-control authorities to show up and by that time the dogs have wandered off. Though Swanner said he's phoned authorities in the past, other residents said they had never felt threatened by stray dogs, so they never called anyone.
One of the pit bulls remains at the county shelter, where it will be euthanized. Law enforcement officers shot the dog to subdue him. But he seemed undaunted Wednesday.
"Even with four gunshot wounds, he is standing up and staring people down," Hodges said.
Staff writers Matt Stiles and Chase Davis contributed to this report. cynthia.garza@chron.com, bill.murphy@chron.com, anita.hassan@chron.com
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.