Posted on 04/19/2011 10:22:22 AM PDT by JoeProBono
OTTAWA - Home Depot Canada is considering policy changes after a greeter lost part of her nose when she tried to pet a customer's pet Shih Tzu dog in suburban Ottawa.
Greeter Anne Riel, 39, told the Canadian Broadcasting Corp. the little dog was in a shopping cart being pushed by its unidentified 74-year-old owner Friday when the dog bit her.
"No sooner had I slightly bent down … [when] the dog bit my nose with its entire mouth," Riel said.
A small piece of her nose is missing after emergency plastic surgery and Riel will need more procedures, the report said.
The owner of the dog tried to leave, but was stopped by paramedics. City officials said they expect to charge the owner. The maximum fine is $600 and the court could also order the dog to be euthanized, the CBC said.
"Please, please understand it's not only the pit bulls and German shepherds and the big dogs that are nasty," Riel said. "The small dogs can be just as nasty and that's what's deceiving."
She said she is considering suing the dog's owner.
Meanwhile, Home Depot said while it has signs up saying only service dogs for the handicapped are allowed in the stores, the policy hasn't been strictly enforced and that is being reviewed at head office.
Or any store. I used to work in a store where a couple of women insisted that the "No Animals" rule posted on the door didn't apply to them. I'm just glad I didn't have to mop up the floor after those annoying creatures ... or their dogs either.
You never stick your face or hover over a dog; especially one you don’t know.
bttt
That breed is repulsive looking.
And the only one I’ve had the misfortune of personally knowing is boring and has no personality.
I have to admit I’m not a fan of how their appearance either, but the few I know from the dog park are pretty spirited little clowns.
The little flying pic looks like my baby! Gorgeous!
Only my baby is a Maltepoo. GREAT personality, loves everyone. So energetic he makes coffee nervous. Big BIG personality in a little package!
I once saw an idiot lean forward and bark in the face of a Doberman sitting in the back of a pickup parked outside a bar. Lots of stitches, and the idiot never came back to that bar.
If the dog had been bred with a bulldog all that dog would have done is give the lady a bunch of BS!
There seems to be a growing trend to bring little dogs EVERYWHERE. We live in south Florida and people bring their small dogs into the mall, into stores, everywhere. And I believe one driving factor is that store owners cannot do much about them because of the ADA, that is if a dog is any sort of service animal, they are allowed virtually everywhere. And, that seems to be pretty much unregulated.
I think eventually there will be enough dog bites that they will have to get a handle on it, but for now, it’s gotten pretty crazy.
Yeah, people shouldn’t approach a strange dog, and it’s stupid to put your face in a strange dogs face, but it’s equally stupid to take your dog out into a public place where stupid people might do that. If your silly little dog bites a child in the face...well, you will not like the outcome. (I don’t mean you poster, I mean all the stupid people who refuse to leave their dogs at home).
And yes, I love dogs.
Especially little bad-tempered yappers. I even wonder why people bring those dogs to PetSmart. Sure, it's a pet store; but the dog is not the one doing the shopping. All these people accomplish is to show other people how obnoxious their dogs are.
Look at the listing of THE INTELLIGENCE OF DOGS. Of 80 dog breeds listed, Shih Tzus are at # 70. Not very bright. However, in defense of the dog, I don't think people should jump to pet dogs they do not know. Sometimes when I am walking our Pembroke Corgi, some kids ask if they can pet him. I usually tell them "no, he gets nervous around kids". I do not want him to get rattled and bite some kid and then have the kid's parents demand to have him euthanized.
I housesat for a friend years ago, and took her two Dobermans shopping with me. I didn’t worry about locking the car or even turning off the engine for short stops.
Personally, I have noticed more and more people bringing small breed dogs into hardware type stores, grocery stores etc... I always thought that service dogs were acceptable because of a law and the fact that they are trained/kept vaccinated/clean etc... Just this last week, I saw a woman with a small poodle in Target. I wonder if this is becoming a trend.
1) Never get up close to a strange dog’s face. Ask the dog’s owner if it is friendly and offer the back of your hand for the dog to sniff.
2) Dog owners, regardless of the size of the dog, should train their dogs to respond appropriately in social situations (apparently the old lady allowed the dog to think it is alpha. Alpha dogs don’t like people in their faces).
For those people not familiar with dogs: they bite.
‘Tis but a scratch. She’ll live.
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