Posted on 08/23/2007 5:55:30 AM PDT by grjr21
69-year-old Victim in Critical Condition
Three pit bull terriers attacked their owner, inside a Frankford home Wednesday night.
69-Year-Old Margaret Grace is hospitalized in critical but stable condition, after having surgeries to repair injuries to her face, ear, arm, and leg.
Philadelphia Police say Grace was mauled by the three dogs in the living room of her home in the 5400 block of Montague Street.
Grace lives in the home with her daughter and adult grandson. All three had ownership of the dogs.
Right now, it's still unclear what provoked the attack. The victim's daughter says the dogs did not show any signs of aggression, but neighbors tell Action News they were frightened by the two adult dogs, and one puppy.
"I asked her (Grace), ain't you afraid of these dogs? And she said 'Yes, they're getting kind of mean'," said Dorothy, who didn't want her last name used.
Officers with the Philadelphia Animal Care Control Association took the dogs into custody shortly after the attack.
Police say they normally see cases where dogs have gotten free and attacked strangers, not their owners. "Here it's unusual, because they're inside the residence, and they are the owner of the dogs, so we're going to conduct an investigation as to what happened here." Said Police Captain Frank Bachmayer.
Right now, the fate of the three dogs is unclear.
Right. They were getting kind of mean for sweet babies ;-)
I have no disagreement with you protecting yourself against attack by a vicious animal. However, you and most here on FR are getting suckered by MSM reporters that would not know a PBT from a Beagle. Too many times I see so-called "pitbulls" blamed for attacks committed by such breeds as P. Canneras, South African Mastiffs, Dogos, Bullmastiffs, American Bulldogs, even Rotties and Boxers. As a general rule, the dogs most often associated with pitbulls--American Staffordshire Terriers, (English) Staffordshires and Bull Terriers--are people lovers. The dogs that I have owned were abysmal watchdogs and would more likely lick the hand of home invaders than attack it. In fact, I would never recommend a PBT as a watchdog, rather opting for a Shepherd, Rottie, or a Dobe.
Just because you see a pitbull doesn't mean that the dog is vicious.
I told my Akitas that you don't like them. They said they don't give a sh*t.
There is a policeman who lives a half a block away. He’s always had dogs and they mind him completely. He comes out in the yard with them...off leash, but they are totally under his control, well, until....
he inherited this pit bull from his son, who has moved in with him and his wife and the son has a baby daughter.
My dog (a huge friendly lab) would go over and visit with his bunch when we went on walks.
Not any more.
The pit got mean with my dog.
A few days later, I notice the cop has the pit on a leash.
I will not walk by them when the pit is out with his wife holding it. Dog gets very aggressive when Bubba walks by and I don’t think she could hold it if it decided to cross the street to us.
I worry about the baby as well.
I guess you can do as you please ... but I have to question your judgment on this matter. Sorry.
I agree.
A long lifetime of dogs and I do believe the current “love of my life” ROMEO is among the very best!
Small size Rat Terrier, 10-12 lbs.
1. All dogs are territorial and PBTs are notoriously territorial; your lab shouldn't have gone into your neighbor's yard. I have a lab too...very curious, but I don't let him wander off lead (and the PBT shouldn't be off lead either).
2. The PBT is also protective of what he believes is his pack and extremely protective of pups (the baby) in what he thinks of as a pack.
3. If the cop's wife cannot handle the dog and he attacks your lab, you have every right to protect your dog with lethal force.
4. The cop should purchase insurance for the dog if it is a danger as you say.
5. The owner is responsible for socializing the PBT, if he cannot then the dog is considered "redzone" and should be euthanized.
6. The way to socialize SOME PBTs is often thought by those who do not know the breed as cruel because it requires a steady hand and the use of e-collars and other shocking devices (SOME PBTs are hard-headed) but it, if done humanely and professionally, it doesn't break the dog's spirit and produces a fine pet.
7. Voice your concerns to your neighbors in a tactful way.
8. If that doesn't work, voice your concerns to the mayor of your town, police chief, SPCA and local PBT rescue groups...they will insist that the dog be trained and socialized.
9. Ever see the movie "Patton"...if you have you might remember the scene where the general's dog "Willie" shied away from a poodle--even if that scene was "Hollywood" not all PBTs are killers.
10. Sometimes, attacks are not the dog's fault. As I said, PBTs are extremely protective of their owners. I know of a case where a man had an Am Staff when unfortunately his wife was dying of cancer. The dog somehow sensed the disease and was highly protective of his master's wife. One day she was busying herself in the garden, I suppose to take her mind off her ailment, and was hoeing out weeds. Her brother came along about the same time, and knowing that she had the disease, believed he could help her by doing the hoeing. And so he grabbed the hoe from her hands as she protested--BAD MOVE! It cost him more than 250 stitches.
No need for hysteria, nor even excitement.
Just spay/neuter or euthanize. It can be done quite calmly.
Yes, you’ve made your irrational final solution pitch before.
Prediction: When you’re dead, the dogs will still be here.
Funny how final solutions turn out that way.
a little story...
By the grace of God I don’t drink alcohol.
I look and I see the carnage it causes, the pain, the suffering,
the deaths; not just to the drinkers but to the innocent.
I see the tragedies reported day after day after day and I ask myself
wouldn’t the world be a better place without alcohol.
It could be done quite easily.
Just close the brewers/distillers and the ban the selling.
Too many irresponsible people drink and alcohol is too dangerous in their hands.
Oh, I know that some people believe they drink responsibly
and perhaps they do or perhaps they’ve only been lucky so far,
but for the good of all, for the protection of the innocents, they must give it up.
There is no reason people must have alcohol.
There are 100’s of other drinks that are just as tasty
and are not as dangerous, that don’t result in violence and death.
I’m not being hysterical or excited, I am quite calm.
The banning of alcohol is the only, the final solution.
You see this don’t you? There is no other way.
I have been told, repeatedly, that attacks like this are rare with toy poodles.
>>”old woman”<<
IMHO, she is probably older than a lot of posters, here, but also possibly much younger.
I happen to be 89 years old - and still feel young.
OK. I’m kidding - but please........don’t call any age “old” - because you might be talking to your best friend, here.
And, our heart doesn’t know how old our body is.
In any pack, someone’s got to be the alpha dog. If it’s not you, then expect to get your butt chewed by the pet who realizes that he’s top dog in your house.
besides...every year, every one of us gets...older.
: )
Good night B-Chan
Because it is the inherent danger of the breed that these people find attractive. They don’t want harmless dogs- they want Godzilla on a leash, because it makes them a Godzilla Master. You have to be ‘tough’ and ‘special’ to control a pitbull. That IS the thinking.
Until, of course, Godzilla acts according to his nature-and even then, they insist he was ‘provoked’.
Pit bulls should be made to wear a turban from birth - some are going to be compassionate, caring, loving dogs. Others - well............
I, personally, would never own a pit bull. I don’t think it matters how well you raise it...that breed is just not the same as others....like labs, for instance.
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