Posted on 07/18/2009 5:01:20 AM PDT by csvset
EAST ALTON - A pair of Russian wolfhounds that attacked and killed at least four animals last year struck again Thursday, injuring two dogs and an owner.
The wolfhounds, which also are known as borzoi, escaped from their back yard in the 300 block of Washington Avenue about 10:30 a.m., attacked a man walking his dog and mauled a dog in its home.
Sgt. Brent Wells with the East Alton Police Department said a 911 call was received from a woman at 10:33 a.m., stating her son was being attacked by two large white dogs.
Kevin Bartles, 46, suffered 13 puncture wounds to his arms while trying to defend his small mixed-breed dog from being attacked by the threatening hounds as he neared his home in the 500 block of Monroe Street.
Wells said a second call came in at 10:34 a.m. from another woman who said two dogs came into her house and attacked her small dog.
Wells said the pair ran into a house in the 100 block of Lakeside Avenue and attacked a rat terrier. He said the dog suffered severe injuries. Its owner, Laura Ward, took the canine to a veterinarian.
Public Works Superintendent Denny Weber, who also is in charge of the village's animal control, received a call about the attacks and responded the scene, where he was able to take the dogs into custody.
"The dogs are now at Madison County Animal Control, where they will be quarantined for the next 10 days," Weber said.
Police Chief Dwynn Isringhausen said he was disturbed by the incident because this time the dogs attacked a person who got in the way of their "prey."
"The dogs were violent in the past, but they had never attacked a person before now," Isringhausen said.
Residents were extremely upset last year after the pair of canines went on a killing spree between April 14 and July 11. The dogs escaped their yard, hunted down and killed three small dogs and mauled a fourth.
Records show that the owners of the wolfhounds - Cody Butry and Christopher Hinkle - were sent a letter from Madison County Animal Control following the incidents stating that the courts had deemed the animals as dangerous.
According to Illinois' Animal Control Act, a "dangerous dog" is an individual dog that is unmuzzled, unleashed or unattended by its owner or custodian and behaves in a manner that a reasonable person would believe poses a serious or unjustified threat of physical injury or death to a person or companion animal.
The Borzoi Club of America Inc. states that the animal originated in Russia and was bred to chase and catch small game. Even though the dogs are kept as pets, they still have the instinct to hunt, and small animals are believed to trigger their response.
Because the dogs are considers "dangerous," Weber said they're required to be muzzled and on a leash whenever they are outdoors. He said the county again would seek to declare the dogs dangerous.
Typically, after a dog is declared dangerous three times, authorities will seek to have it deemed vicioius, would could result in the animal being euthanized.
Isringhausen said that after last year's incidents, he heard the owners reportedly had moved the dogs out of town, but he didn't know that for sure. Because there had been no reported attacks since then, he said he had assumed the dogs were gone.
Isringhausen said the owners were not home when the dogs got out on Thursday. He said his department would seek charges for two counts of criminal damage to property and would issue them a citation for a leash law violation.
He said he's most afraid if the dogs are brought back to East Alton that they could escape again and possibly attack a child who may be playing with a small dog.
"We don't want this to happen to anyone or their pet again," he said. "The village will do whatever is within its power to take care of it."
cynthia_ellis@thetelegraph.com
Non Pit Bull dog attack ping.
Borzois were used to hunt down and kill wolves. Small game, little dogs and such, are just the appetizers.
I know someone who has two of them. The dogs are quite standoffish and aloof, polar opposites to the way a Golden Retriever is in personality. Hers sleep on the sofa with her cats, strangely enough. They don’t chase the family cats but are hell on possums and racoons. Haven’t slaughtered any small dogs, yet.
The Borzoi is quiet, but an athletic and independent dog. Most Borzoi are almost silent, barking only very rarely. They do not have strong territorial drives and cannot be relied on to raise the alarm upon sighting a human intruder.
They are gentle and highly sensitive dogs with a natural respect for humans, and as adults they are decorative couch potatoes with remarkably gracious house-manners.
“They don’t chase the family cats but are hell on possums and racoons. Haven’t slaughtered any small dogs, yet.”
My Golden was vicious. After he knocked you down he would slobber all over you.
WOW! Wikipedia is being so polite about these dogs.
I have a dog book of 140 breeds written by a German woman. She advises caution when purchasing a Borzoi because of their prey drive, and describes their chase and attack as ‘terrifying to watch’.
Definitely there has been a concerted effort by breeders to eliminate the hunting instinct from Borzoi. But some specimens still have those old “chase’em down and kill’em” instincts. It can’t always be bred out totally.
I love Goldens.
I think they must get their lovey-dovey genes from their Spaniel ancestors. My American cocker spaniels were both like that, as is my Springer, who wags her tail when she barks at strangers.
In those circumstances, does her tail wag farther to the left or farther to the right?
Farther to the right (their right) means they see someone or something they like. Farther to the left means they’re not sure or it’s an unknown person or animal, possible danger.
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/24/science/24wag.html
I know a Kansas farmer who hunts coyotes with greyhounds. He had one dog that was huge and the best hunter of his pack. It was part wolfhound, part greyhound and part wolf.......its wolf eyes made it really spooky looking.
Mickey is a field bred English Springer Spaniel.
All field bred dogs used for hunting are bred for their temperaments, intelligence and hunting abilities, not for looks. Because hunting involves relating to people and having to think about interpreting signals, these dogs are unusually intelligent and people-oriented. She’s my best friend.
Bench bred Springers, bred for the show bench, are the ones that have the most genetic problems. Cavalier King Charles Spaniels carry a gene that causes Red Cocker Rage, and it sounds as if that Springer you referred to had something similiar.
But some specimens still have those old “chase’em down and kill’em” instincts. It can’t always be bred out totally.
Dog Pack Attacks Gator In Florida -
http://forums.military.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/409192893/m/3800010031001
The dog I saw was at my brothers vet clinic. It was one of the most beautiful dogs I have ever seen and like you said, probably from a show dog line. My brother advised the owners to put it down because it was so out of control. Don’t know if they did but I have a feeling he told them to find another vet.
What a cool question!
If she had a longer tail it would be what I call a ‘coffee table sweeper’. Barking at strangers, it furiosly sweeps back and forth. I guess to her everyone is a potential friend.
Not as short as other Spaniels tails, she has a tail twice as long as usual because the owner of the mama dog tried docking the puppies tails using small, strong rubber bands. Mickey must have been a determined puppy, as she managed to get her’s pulled down her tail a bit before giving up.
I was thinking along the same lines for when I bought a farm. Coyotes are a problem and Borzoi, or Borzoi mix, would be able to run them down.
Good one!! Like one of the commentors, I scrolled down slowly, mostly because I couldn’t imagine dogs crazy enough to go after a gator, even as part of a pack.
They’re very cute. Sometime soon I expect that ‘alligator’ will be in shreds.
I was going to add that the usual fate for a spaniel with the rage is euthanasia. No matter how beautiful the dog, it is a genetic trait that must be eliminated, and as far as I know there is no medication that can control it.
Just a shame.
I didn’t know Springer Spaniels had their tails docked. I’ve only seen them with full feathered tails. My bad.
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