Man Strangles Rabid Pit Bull

AP ^ | September 5, 2003

[Shermy]

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Will Stewart says he didn't have a choice in strangling a 6-month-old pit bull-mix puppy.

The puppy that wasn't known to be aggressive suddenly turned violent last week. The dog bit or scratched four adults and two children in an Indian Trail neighborhood and was later found to be rabid.

Stewart says the dog, Jake, went crazy. He says after the dog bit the children and his wife, he had to act.

He called the dog, which he thinks weighed between 50 and 60 pounds, and pinned him to the ground. Stewart says he couldn't wait for animal control to arrive, so he strangled the dog as he and the dog's owner held him down.

The Stewarts, the couple who owned Jake and their two children -- all of whom Jake bit or scratched -- have begun the painful and expensive treatment for rabies. Stewart says his first treatment involved seven shots, and he has four more appointments for additional shots.

[The Other Harry]

I would not shoot a neighbors animal if I could pick up a phone first.

Who do you call?

Around here, the police do not respond to animal calls quickly. You can't call fire or rescue. The animal's owner obviously does not care.

But you have a still hazard in your yard.

At that point, I think killing it makes sense. That is the option you are left with.

[The Other Harry]

I don't like them and am suspicious of them.

I think that is just being smart. Keep doing it.

[The Other Harry]

Yeah, well...

I might just be going to buy a new Ithaca 16. I know it probably isn't the smartest choice, but I want one.

[JLO]

Hey Finny, my questioning mind went and did a google search. Here's one reference - that mentioned frontier dogs, and might be related, I think. But that's about all I could find specifically about them. JLO

http://www.angelfire.com/or3/pitbulls/pitbull_history.html

Interesting...

[ModernDayCato]

that over 50% of all DEATHS attributed to dog attacks were committed by Pit Bulls (24%)

That's an easy one. For the one millionth time, PIT BULL IS NOT A BREED. Theoretically, 'Pit Bull' encompasses four different breeds: Pit Bull Terrier, American Pit Bull Terrier, Staffordshire Terrier and American Staffordshire Terrier (that's what Pooh is).

In actuality and unfortunately, many dogs that bite people are automatically labelled as Pit Bulls when they are other breeds. If you want to see for yourself I suggest you visit the Find the Pit Bull Game. It may surprise you.

You also have to keep in mind that the idiot press hypes the crap out of fatal dog bites, but they are very, very rare. From 1979-1996 there were an average of 17 per year. If you go take a look at the report from the CDC, you will see that they acknowledge what I said above by putting the 'Pit Bull'in quotes. You may also be surprised to see (look at the chart) that in several of the years other breeds were responsible for more fatal dog bites than the amalgamation of breeds now known as the 'pit bull.'

From personal experience-- I have been in animal rescue for almost twenty years, and I've worked in big city pounds for almost all of that time. Most people are quick to hang a Pit Bull sign around a dog's neck. I've seen it with lab puppies, full grown Shepherd mixes, Saint Bernards and Siberian Huskies. I've even heard veterinarians say 'this dog has Pit in it,' which as a statement is not only ignorant but laughable (this particular dog was clearly a Shepherd/Akita mix).

[metalcor]

So these four breeds commonly recognized as the pit bull comprise 24% of the dog population?

Why were these breeds developed? For what purpose? I have personally been around 2 pit bulls. One broke loose from his owner (who swore his was the sweetest best family pet he aver saw or heard of)and tore two kittens out of the hands of a group of 4-5 year old kids. One of them was my daughter. The dog tore the kittens to shreds and began crouching and growling at the terrified kids. I retrieved my pistol from under the front seat of my truck and sent the dog to hell. My other experience was going to the hospital to visit the son of a good friend who had been attacked by a pit bull. He spent 10 days in the hospital and received upwards of 150 stitches. These were certainly dogs I recognized as pit bulls, regardless of what they may have been historically and technically. Everyone knows what one means when referring to a pit bull. And I hate them with a passion. And hold defenders of them to either be misguided or fools.

[gortklattu]

Good post. I see no reason for pit bulls other than some machismo need to have a bad ass dog.

If you want a good dog, the odds of getting one with a pit bull are a long shot compared to a golden retreiver.

[Finny]

Fascinating! Good read -- THANKS!

[Mr. Mojo]

Choking a rabid Pit? Damn. How about using a gun, or even a knife?

[ModernDayCato]

I find it amusing that you are calling me a fool after:

a. Making a sweeping generalization about several breeds that can't possibly be true.

b. Carping about 'historically or technically.' I don't give a rat's @ss about 'historically or technically.' I'm talking about reality.

When I was a kid we had an Irish Wolfhound who hated cats. She could run faster than most cats or kids, and could quite possibly have found herself in the scenario you describe, HAD WE BEEN IRRESPONSIBLE ENOUGH TO LET IT HAPPEN. Should she have been shot as well?

Misguided breed prejudice (against any breed) is why millions of companion animals die needlessly each year.

There are tens of thousands of 'pit bulls' in the US. 9 have gone bad. You know of bad experiences with 2. Isn't it just a LITTLE illogical to 'hate them with a passion' and call me and others fools?

[ModernDayCato]

As I said in an earlier post, I no longer post here on Free Republic due to bullying by Bushbots and censorship by JimRob and Moderators. And I certainly am no longer on the reservation on GW Bush. However, here is a picture that speaks to his character, which I never doubted:

[BnBlFlag]

One common theme I've picked up on on this thread is that most of the "sweet" pit bulls people are talking about are females.
My 200 lb.+ couch potato Mastiff has a head big enough to swallow a pit bull whole is asleep in my den. He has never been agressive, but his mere size is intimidating.
He tolerates my 23 YO cat (Who died this AM).
I have to go out and bury her when it gets good daylight so I am not a happy camper right now.
The kids took her in as a kitten when she showed up at our house. They have been gone off on their own for several years, but I've had her ever since.

[Darnright]

>I suppose they can be fine dogs, but they rarely are. Nine times out of ten they were owned by sociopaths.

Here lies the problem. If you succeed in ridding the world of "pit bulls" (and just how many breeds do we mean, when we use this term), the sociopath will then move on to the Presa Canario, or the Fila Brasiliero, or the Neopolitan Mastiff, or heaven forbid, the Tosa (shudder).

[Darnright]

>If one goes with a reputable breeder, one has no need for papers. In fact, I'd be a lot more inclined to trust a breeder who had dispensed with the whole papers scam. But how many people know how to identify a "reputable" breeder?<

Not meaning to be offensive, but by your statement above, you have not the first clue as to what constitutes a "responsible breeder". No breeder worth his or her salt would breed without a registry such as the United Kennel Club or the American Kennel Club. There are registries for individual breeds (Border Collies come to mind).

In previous posts, you have outlined the weaknesses of registries. Like anything in life, it's possible for a dishonest or ignorant person to misuse such a tool. However, misuse of the registration process automatically labels that person as the opposite of the responsible breeder.

Responsible breeders do not stop at registering their dogs. They screen breeding stock for health, and more importantly, for temperament, not to mention using stock that possesses the physical characteristics for that breed. A responsible breeder would not breed a white Boxer (because it would probably be deaf, or would produce deaf pups), for example.

A responsible breeder will screen the buyer to make sure he will be a match for the pup he wants. If someone is breeding large dogs responsibly, they will not sell a pup to someone who wants to "make the dog mean". Good breeders are not selling a product, they are emotionally invested in the pups they produce and want to find owners that will value and keep their pet as a family member.

Responsible dog breeders are out there, but if you are looking for a pup to add to your family, you may have to do some research to find someone who is not making their living on the backs of the pets they produce. You may have to ask your Vet for a referral, or you can contact a local dog training club, or a dog groomer, to find a reputable place from which to get your dog.

[berkeleybeej]

What would you recommend to someone who has never fired a weapon, but needs to eliminate a badger?

[Capitalist Eric]

Pit bulls can make fantastic family pets if you train them properly. I can attest to that.

Ummm... I hope you're wearing your flame-retardent suit. It seems that this is one of those polarizing issues, where people come out of the woodwork to attack pit-bulls, usually with only the information that has been spoon-fed to them, by the media... And ironically, they'll feel so superior, because they'll think they're "well-informed," when they actually don't have a clue.

Just like a Democrat.

Good luck- you're gonna' need it.

[The Other Harry]

He tolerates my 23 YO cat (Who died this AM).

My regrets to you. That is not easy. You gave her a good, long life. That is what to think about.

[The Other Harry]

the sociopath will then move on...

True enough.

Where I used to live, some of these people would keep their dogs on short chains precisely in order to make them mean. If one of the dogs ever got off its chain (a coincidence? maybe not), it would usually try to attack something.

Really, it was the owners more than the dogs that needed killing. But I did come to associate the violence with the dogs.

On the other hand, how do you explain that dog in San Francisco that attacked and killed the dyke a few years ago? It was apparently never trained to be mean. It simply was mean. I guess it just didn't like dykes.

[Sabertooth]

He told me the Rott was a really nice dog, the little pooch just annoyed him.

Some people just don't get it.

Some people think it's cute when their yap dogs yap at big dogs, day in, day out. Those are challenges for a fight. Fighting words, in dogspeak.

Chihuahuas, Yorkies, Toy Poodles, etc. are always barking off more than they can bite. When they end up on the wrong end of the tooth, it's often the fault of the owner of the poorly behaved, smaller dog.

If people want a lap rat, they should get a real one, or show enough discipline to muzzle their yappy little canine imitation.