Saint Bernards Kill Steer, Other Animals In Local County (Macomb)

WDIV Detroit ^ | 5-9=04

[Dan from Michigan]

Saint Bernards Kill Steer, Other Animals In Local County
Judge To Decide Fate Of Dogs

POSTED: 8:17 p.m. EDT May 7, 2004
UPDATED: 8:52 p.m. EDT May 7, 2004

Two Saint Bernard dogs were placed in a Macomb County shelter after they apparently went on a killing spree.

Among the victims of the dogs were a steer, a sheep, deer, llamas and a 200-pound pig, according to Local 4 reports.

Robert Wangelin, who sells fresh produce and beef, said he was confronted by the dogs when stepping out to work on his farm in northern Macomb one morning.

"There was two dogs on the other side of the fence and they were standing there growling at me," said Wangelin.

[Dan from Michigan]

There's a video as well at the link

[Larry Lucido]

[darkwing104]

Cujo Lives!

[Miss Marple]

Once dogs kill stock, they cannot be changed back. It is like an addiction to them. These dogs will have to be destroyed; they are a danger to the community.

[Varda]

These dogs may or may not be re-trainable but plenty of dogs have killed stock and are not a danger to the community.

[Miss Marple]

My experience with dogs leads me to a contrary opinion. I don't wish to argue, since you have your opinion and I have mine.

[I still care]

The farmer said they were also growling at him through the fence. Thank God he had a gun.

Two aggressive St Bernards trying to get through a fence at a person - the man is lucky he wasn't the subject of the story.

[Varda]

OK I won't argue but I've retrained stock-killing dogs and any number of trainers I've known have retrained stock-killing dogs. A pro sheepdog competitor I used to know had a great cattle working dog which was retrained from sheep.

[ExSoldier]

I have a Newfoundland (our second) and they are cousins to the St Bernard. Newfies are WATER rescue as oppsed to the Saint which is designed for mountain/snow rescue. There has to be some sort of abuse/starvation or disease angle here! Egad shades of Cujo! BTW, if Cujo had happened to me or my wife it'd have been a five minute movie. Dog attacks, driver draws 45 and kills dog. Roll credits. Ever stop to think how many movies would end like that? Saints and newfies are the absolutely sweetest, gentlest, most intelligent (did I say sweet?) pups there are!

[Varda]

St Bernards can be dangerous dogs if not properly trained. In the farm country I used to live in any dog acting aggressively toward humans (off their property) would be toast in pretty short order.

[joesnuffy]

Sounds like good dogs to employ as Iraqi prison guards
imo

[ken5050]

About ten years ago, on Long Island, thee was a huge story abotu a pair of St Bernards that had turned on a group of 9-10 year old kids, severely bitign and mauling many of them. THe dogs belonged to a neighbor of thre of the kids, who had played with the dogs since they were puppies. The dogs had never displayed any aggression, inded, the kid's momfelt that the two dogs were like baybysitters for her kids...well, a huge hue and cry, the dogs are impounded, and a vetinary inspection revealed that the "litle darlings" had stuck several pencils deep into the dogs ears...They were destroyed anyways...

[Ronaldus Magnus]

Once dogs kill stock, they cannot be changed back. It is like an addiction to them. These dogs will have to be destroyed; they are a danger to the community.

False. I've lived with three Saints. The first one, back when I was a small child, on a few occasions herded sheep into a swamp and killed and ate one of them. One time my aunt had to beat him over the head with the flat side of a shovel to get him to release a neighbor's retriever who's head he had locked his jaws on to. He would also swim out into a near by lake for carp. Although I never saw it, people fishing there told us he looked just like a grizzly on a salmon run. He was always my loyal protector. I still have picture my mother took of me riding him like a pony.

The last one, who died this spring at age thirteen of hip displacia, took a neighbor's loose holstein calf. She was so patient and loving my infant children could and did crawl up to her, take the bone she was chewing away from her, beat her over the head with it, and then crawl away with it! All dogs, like all people, are capable of killing. These particular dogs are the most loyal I know and they can clearly separate people from game. I've never met a bad one.

[Judith Anne]

I agree. A dog that has killed stock is a danger to any other stock. Maybe not dangerous to people, but to animals.

As far as two dogs together roaming around--dangerous to animals AND humans.

[RichInOC]

Let this be a lesson to you all:

Keep your dogs fed...especially the big fellas.

[Miss Marple]

You gave me multiple examples of your dogs killing stock and attacking other dogs. Just because they didn't attack you doesn't mean they weren't dangerous to other stock, pets, and people.

A dog who has attacked stock is dangerous, even if he doesn't attack his master. My dad and I lost a whole flock of sheep one year because of dogs like this. In Indiana, if you catch a dog killing stock you are allowed to shoot them. Harsh, but based on years of country experience with dogs like this.

[steplock]

Ban Dogs - Kill all Dogs - St Bernards are Killer Beasts! Save us J F'in K! It's Bush's fault!!

We need Dog Control!

[Russian Sage]

Ping

[Miss Marple]

The point is that people should control their dogs. This is not a laughing matter to folks who raise livestock.

[B Knotts]

Maybe they were drunk (you know...from the liquor they carry on their collar)? :-)