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Pup sacrifices life for young girl (Tearjerker warning from DownUnder NZ)
Eastern Courier (Auckland, New Zealand) ^ | July 16 2007 | Faye Adams

Posted on 07/15/2007 3:19:52 PM PDT by DieHard the Hunter

Pup sacrifices life for young girl

By FAYE ADAMS - Eastern Courier | Monday, 16 July 2007

HERO: Jo Russell says Mickey is 'her hero' after the little dog procted her daughter from a savage attack.

DEVASTATED: Jo and Laura Russell are heartbroken over the loss of their little dog, Mickey.

A family's celebrations turned to tragedy when their dog was killed defending their daughter from a pitbull attack.

Jo and Gary Russell say they are heartbroken at the loss of their silky terrier Mickey but are relieved their daughter Laura, who had been celebrating her 13th birthday, escaped unhurt.

They want to know why a Manukau City Council call centre operator told her to approach the stray pitbull-type dog after Laura called for help.

DSS Animal Management carries out dog control for the council. It recommends no one should approach unfamiliar dogs.

Laura, a pupil at Farm Cove Intermediate, had been hosting a sleepover at the Russell's Half Moon Bay home when the attack happened on Saturday.

She and three friends were out walking with the family pet when they came across the stray dog on Sunderlands Rd.

The girls rang the council call centre asking the operator what they should do with the animal that at first seemed friendly.

"She said to take it to the nearest house, so we tied it up really tight and gave it water," says Laura, who took it to a friend's house.

But the dog, thought to have been a cross between a pitbull and a bull mastiff, broke free and went for the teenager.

Terrier Mickey leapt to her rescue but was crushed instantly.

The father of Laura's friend, Peter Jones, heard the girls' screams and ran to help. He tried to release Mickey from the dogs' jaws.

It only relented when Peter's wife Jodie punched the stray on the nose.

By then the terrier had suffered massive internal injuries.

"It happened within just two minutes of us arriving home," Mrs Jones says. "If it had happened two minutes later the girls would have been in huge trouble. Someone would have got hurt."

Police officers were called to the scene and pepper-sprayed the dog to calm it down. It later strangled itself in a struggle to get free.

Father of three Mr Russell says his daughter has had trouble sleeping since the ordeal and is devastated after losing their pet.

It had been a replacement for the dog they had to leave when they emigrated from Scotland.

Mr Russell says he will be 'eternally grateful' to the Joneses for intervening and is calling for a ban on pitbulls and similar breeds.

"How many kids need to become victims before we stand up and demand that these animals require special permits and controls?"

Mrs Russell has vowed their dog's death won't be in vain. She wants the council to review how they handle calls.

"Some of those dogs are vicious killers - even adults don't stand a chance."

Howick councillor Sharon Stewart agrees and says she was given similar 'poor' advice when told to catch a pitbull-type dog running wild in her street.

She believes the children's ordeal could have been worse.

"If it hadn't been for the neighbour getting hold of the dog it probably would have attacked the children."

Council organisational performance director Robyn McCulloch says she has spoken to the family.

She says the staff concerned are being interviewed.

"We're obviously deeply concerned about the outcome for the Russell family and the loss of their dog. "It's a distressing time. We are taking this matter seriously and carrying out a full investigation."


TOPICS: Pets/Animals
KEYWORDS: dogattacks; newzealand; pitbulls
Once again, mungrel Pit Bulls attacking people and killing other dogs.

What a heartbreaking story.

1 posted on 07/15/2007 3:19:57 PM PDT by DieHard the Hunter
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To: DieHard the Hunter
These animals can turn on their own owners in a second. A couple in town here were recently mauled by their "sweet" pitbull. Unbelievably, when they were released from the hospital they told the newspaper how good it was to be back home with their dog. Idiots.
2 posted on 07/15/2007 3:29:33 PM PDT by stm (Fred Thompson in 08! Return our country to the era of Reagan Conservatism)
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To: stm

> Unbelievably, when they were released from the hospital they told the newspaper how good it was to be back home with their dog. Idiots.

Astonishing. There is no limit to the stupidity of some people.


3 posted on 07/15/2007 3:46:11 PM PDT by DieHard the Hunter
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To: DieHard the Hunter

Mickey

RIP

4 posted on 07/15/2007 5:07:15 PM PDT by raybbr (You think it's bad now - wait till the anchor babies start to vote.)
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To: DieHard the Hunter
Police officers were called to the scene and pepper-sprayed the dog to calm it down. It later strangled itself in a struggle to get free.

Yeah, it strangled itself. That's their story and they're sticking to it.

5 posted on 07/15/2007 5:13:15 PM PDT by Tangerine Time Machine (Orange you glad it's not a lemon?)
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To: DieHard the Hunter
What is responsible for

the Brits'

and their bretheren, the

Canadians,

Australians

and New Zealanders,

aversion

to the use of

paragraphs?

6 posted on 07/15/2007 5:14:38 PM PDT by ForOurFuture
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To: raybbr

“My life for pack.”

This is the second Mickey I have known about who was killed.


7 posted on 07/15/2007 5:40:07 PM PDT by combat_boots (She lives! 22 weeks, 9.5 inches. Go, baby, go!)
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To: DieHard the Hunter

Cue the idiots who claim that because once, sometime in the last 50 years, a golden retriever attacked someone, that Pit Bulls are no worse than any other dog.


8 posted on 07/15/2007 5:54:13 PM PDT by Rodney King (No, we can't all just get along.)
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To: ForOurFuture

> aversion
> to the use of
>paragraphs?

I dunno. Why ask me?


9 posted on 07/15/2007 6:29:29 PM PDT by DieHard the Hunter
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To: DieHard the Hunter
Police officers were called to the scene and pepper-sprayed the dog to calm it down.

It tried to attack a person and killed another animal. They should have shot it on sight.

10 posted on 07/16/2007 6:22:38 AM PDT by metmom (Welfare was never meant to be a career choice.)
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To: stm

When the dog finally kills them, they can qualify for the Darwin Award.


11 posted on 07/16/2007 6:24:19 AM PDT by metmom (Welfare was never meant to be a career choice.)
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To: metmom

> It tried to attack a person and killed another animal. They should have shot it on sight.

Agreed. But chances are the cops did not have any firearms handy, as our cops generally patrol unarmed. Pepper spray was probably the extent of their handy weapons at the time.


12 posted on 07/16/2007 11:01:33 AM PDT by DieHard the Hunter
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To: DieHard the Hunter

Just like England.....

We live in Upstate NY and I don’t EVER recall seeing an unarmed cop.

What’s the use anyway? You might as well not spend all the money on fancy uniforms.


13 posted on 07/16/2007 11:46:57 AM PDT by metmom (Welfare was never meant to be a career choice.)
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To: metmom

> What’s the use anyway? You might as well not spend all the money on fancy uniforms.

Our police have access to firearms if they need them. But, strangely enough, they do not want to carry because they feel that it “ups the ante” and therefore invites an armed response from the perpetrators.

They are armed with pepper spray and a small truncheon, and they are only just now field-testing tasers. Aside from that, they can use a good right uppercut and harsh language.


14 posted on 07/16/2007 1:34:40 PM PDT by DieHard the Hunter
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To: DieHard the Hunter

Hmmm....


15 posted on 07/16/2007 1:38:10 PM PDT by metmom (Welfare was never meant to be a career choice.)
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