Posted on 05/02/2007 3:26:57 AM PDT by DieHard the Hunter
George, a nine-year-old Jack Russell terrier, was put down after being savagely attacked by two pitbulls in the Taranaki township of Manaia on Sunday.
George was walking into town with a group of children who lived next door when the pitbulls rushed the group, heading for a four-year-old boy.
The boy's 11-year-old brother, Richard Rosewarne, said George started barking and rushed at the pitbulls as the children ran away.
George's owner, 69-year-old Alan Gay, said the pitbulls savaged George until a passing motorist intervened and managed to separate the dogs.
The first Mr Gay knew about the incident was when a local vet rang him and told him his dog had suffered horrific injuries. Mr Gay decided to have George put down.
He told NZPA today he had been receiving phonecalls non-stop from relatives and media organisations since word of George's heroics got out.
"The phone has been going since about half past seven this morning. Everytime I hang up it rings again. It's worn out, I might have to get a new one," he said.
He said as long as there were pitbulls there would be incidents like Sundays.
"I don't think it's wise for anyone to have pitbulls. They're killers, they only know one thing.
"But the little Jack Russells like George, they're harmless."
Mr Gay said unrestrained dogs had historically caused problems in Manaia and he would be reluctant to replace George.
"The town would have to clean up its wandering dogs first. If I got a puppy here he's going to couple up with the kids next door, they're going to go up town and he'll follow them and there'll be problems if there's pitbull terriers around."
He said the children next door had been fond of George and had written a note for him.
"In memory of George, we are sorry that George left in such a terrible way. He was our guardian and hero whenever we went walking and we will never forget him," the note said.
Mr Gay was told by South Taranaki District Council staff that the two pitbulls were found after the attack and the owner had admitted they had returned home on Sunday covered in blood. They were impounded awaiting destruction and the owner may be prosecuted.
The council said it intended hunting down all dangerous and unregistered dogs and neutering them.
I have two JRTs and I love them a lot. They are absolutely fearless and very protective. I’m very saddened to hear about poor, brave George.
Doubt the dogs were rushing the kids, though.
All sympathy to George's owners.
I am very sorry about George. He must have been a great dog. I hope you find another to be such a good friend to your children. Prayers for your family during this difficult time in your lives. ~Pandora~
Thats damned nice of you. Strange that only Jack Russells seem to like the taste of your leg though isnt it?
>> “I don’t think it’s wise for anyone to have pitbulls. They’re killers, they only know one thing.”
>>
> This statement is catagorically FALSE.
No, it is categorically TRUE. But perhaps we are talking about a different type of dog? I suspect we are.
The “pitbulls” owned and bred by gangstas in New Zealand are bred for aggression and are of dubious lineage. They do not socialize. Their sole purpose in life is to be an offensive weapon — something they do extremely well. They are often used to commit crimes. When they are not attacking people or other animals, they are training to attack and to fight.
They are seldom licensed, do not have a breed standard (except mean, meaner and meanest), and certainly do not have a pedigree.
There is no legitimate reason for anybody to own these dogs — they are killers and are incapable of being trained out of their undesirable traits.
You are in peril if you ever see one of these roaming at large. So far this year in NZ, they have been responsible for horrific injuries to people, ranging from wee kids to elderly ladies.
They also attack other animals: other dogs like wee George, surely. But also livestock. Pitbulls often kill entire paddocks of sheep — usually by attacking in pairs. This can happen overnight. They will also attack horses: there was a heartbreaking story about a family who raised miniature horses as something their little girl could enjoy: wiped out overnight, those not killed outright needed to be euthanized. A petting zoo has also gone the same way. Cattle? Certainly. Chickens? Geese? Yup.
They will attack without provocation and will continue to attack even if mortally wounded.
Now, we learn that they are also being given P-Methamphetamine, which makes them infinitely more dangerous (if such a thing be possible.)
Does that describe the “pit bull” you are referring to?
There is no justification for anybody to own or breed or keep these dogs. Nobody has the right to endanger the general public in this manner: it would be like breeding cobras or wolverines and keeping them as pets and allowing them to roam at large.
Every one of these dogs should be euthanized as a matter of public safety. We are not talking about the kind of dog that Kanawa owns — his “pitbull” would be in peril of these dogs, too: even if he can fight bears. No, we are talking about extremely dangerous mutts.
Kia Ora for that post, motheroffive.
Prayers going up...
*DieHard the Hunter*
>> “I don’t think it’s wise for anyone to have pitbulls. They’re killers, they only know one thing.”
>>
> This statement is catagorically FALSE.
No, it is categorically TRUE. But perhaps we are talking about a different type of dog? I suspect we are.
No, its totally false. Ask your vet.
I’m so tired of this urban myth being promoted as factual. Its simply not. Your opinion of this breed is due to the MSM.
> No, its totally false. Ask your vet.
My vet has absolutely no use for the pitbull “breed”, having had to put down far too many good animals, and repair those that she hasn’t had to put down, due to pitbull attacks. She and I agree.
> I’m so tired of this urban myth being promoted as factual.
Perhaps it’s being promoted because it is an inconvenient FACT? I’m tired of people defending the indefensible.
> Its simply not. Your opinion of this breed is due to the MSM.
My opinion is based upon being a long-time, experienced dog trainer. I don’t need the MSM to tell me about pitbulls: I know an untrainable dangerous mutt when I see one.
Sorry, I don’t like to bad-mouth another man’s dog. No doubt you love your dog and don’t like to hear it slagged off. That said, I doubt we could be talking about the same animal.
There is nothing redeeming about these “pitbulls”. They are not a “breed”, they are a wierd admixture of all the undesirable and dangerous traits imaginable, and are quite unsuitable for anybody to own. With no lineage, no breed standard, and no papers. Just dangerous ugly mutts.
No responsible breeder would strive for any of their attributes (particularly the aggression) in their bloodlines. A responsible breeder would cull any pup showing the characteristics so highly “prized” by our criminal community in the “pitbull”.
However, no responsible breeder has been involved in creating these mutts, which explains how they have come to be. And no responsible owners own them, which explains why they continue to be be produced. And no responsible trainer would go anywhere near them (more than once), which explains why they are undisciplined killers.
George deserves a bronze statue in the village square.
> No, its totally false. Ask your vet.
My vet has absolutely no use for the pitbull “breed”
Then you are making this up, or use a person impersonating a vet.
One of the two.
Noone should ever assume any dog is “harmless”; that attitude is dangerous. Have some real respect for the power of any dog - yes, I include Chihuahuas.
> Then you are making this up, or use a person impersonating a vet.
>
> One of the two.
She’ll get a good chuckle from that one, I’m sure.
‘She’ll get a good chuckle from that one, I’m sure.’
Glad she’s not our vet. I don’t take this ongoing misrepresentation about pit bulls lightly. Its based on stunning ignorance about dogs in general, and the breed in particular.
> Noone should ever assume any dog is “harmless”; that attitude is dangerous. Have some real respect for the power of any dog - yes, I include Chihuahuas.
Excellent advice — I agree wholeheartedly.
> Its based on stunning ignorance about dogs in general, and the breed in particular.
Or perhaps it’s based on fields full of dead or dying livestock: the aftermath of a night out on the town when a “pitbull” decides to get “playful”.
Or perhaps it’s based on seeing a kid with his face re-attached, the result of a “pitbull” introducing himself.
You keep talking about “pitbulls” being a “breed”. These animals that I refer to are categorically *not* a “breed”, by any fair definition. They are mutts of dubious parentage. There will be no breeding papers. Even a dog license is unlikely.
Pick any three or four of them: they will contain any number of different “breeds” all mixed together, and each will be different. There may be some Staffy hidden away in there somewhere, maybe some Ridgeback, maybe some Rottie, maybe some German Shepherd, maybe God Knows What. They are *mutts* bred and cross-bred to be dangerous.
If you are an owner of a *real* pitbull, then your wrath is misdirected: instead of poking sharp sticks at vets and trainers who object to these mutts, you should instead be directing your vitupritive at people who mess up your breed by creating BAD DOGS of dubious lineage.
You should have every bit as much interest in giving these mutts the needle as I do. They muck up the gene pool with BAD TRAITS and give your dog a bad name.
If this were happening with German Shepherds, I can guarantee that decisive action would be taken by German Shepherd owners and breeders. Same would be true with Rottweilers, or Dobermans, or any respectable breed.
Nobody wins from having dangerous mutts mucking up their breed. That is the situation with “pitbulls”.
So it’s over to you guys to clean up your “breed” and its reputation. You won’t achieve that by shooting the messengers. The only way to do that is to cull pups with bad traits and shut down the bad breeding operations.
*DieHard*
I love Jack Russels & Pitbulls.
A Jack Russell attacked my 90 pound Chow-Shepard mix one day. We we walking along (leashed) and this little demon jumped out of the owners car & came flying across the street....lunged at Bears neck & tried to latch on.
Jacks may be small, but they are just a capable of attack as a “pitbull”.
> George deserves a bronze statue in the village square.
I agree. I intend to nominate George for one of the awards that the SPCA or Humane Society put out, for dogs who have shown amazing courage. Police Dogs often get these awards (for obvious reasons).
I’m in the process of researching what is on offer and what is involved in nominating.
If George were a person, he would have qualified for the highest honors available: like the Order of New Zealand or the Victoria Cross. I intend to see to it that he receives the highest doggie honors, albeit postumously.
“Or perhaps it’s based on fields full of dead or dying livestock: the aftermath of a night out on the town when a “pitbull” decides to get “playful”.”
Link please....I’ll wait.
btw, I don’t own a pit bull. Never have.
:o) God’s speed!
“> George deserves a bronze statue in the village square.
I agree. I intend to nominate George for one of the awards that the SPCA or Humane Society put out, for dogs who have shown amazing courage. Police Dogs often get these awards (for obvious reasons).”
Full agreement here.
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