Warning....Rant about dogs running free out of control
I received a call this morning from my dearest friend and co-worker that her dog had been attacked and mauled by a dog in her neighborhood. He too had severe external and internal injuries and had to be put to sleep. Rocky had managed to run out over one of her kids before she got home from work. Two precious babies gone in two days. I do know the importance of never leaving your dog unattended in the yard, but this is so sad. I asked my son this morning "What is happening to our animals, have they all gone crazy?" His response to me was "No, Momma, it's not the dogs, it is the owners fault". Boy, I didn't see that one coming, he really surprised me with that, but he is right. The dog that attacked Rocky is part Pit and is allowed to run the streets. The county won't do anything because he has a collar and rabies tag. Just what does that prove? I don't know what I expect from this post, but I just had to get this off of my chest. What can we do to teach people about responsible pet ownership? Are these dogs capable of injurying a child? How far does it have to go before something will be done? Is there something I can do? Sorry that this just went on, but I warned you before I started. If anyone has any ideas, I'm open for suggestions. |
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| That's horrible. And I guess if you can't prove which dogs were responsible for the maulings then the county can't do anything. Owners like that are so selfish - you can surely tell if your dog comes home on a regular basis looking like he/she's been in a fight. Once again, I'm so sorry for your loss! |
| Wow, that makes it all the more heart breaking...Im so sorry! It is the owners fault. If you cant keep your dog under control, then you should at least have a fence and keep it in your own yard... |
| Wow, Alabama's dog laws pretty much suck! Here's the link for a readable version of what the laws mean: http://www.aces.edu/pubs/docs/U/UNP-0047/
The big thing about the law seems to be that the owner has to know that the dog could be vicious. If this were to be a first time offense then the owner could claim no knowledge and nothing would be done except establishing a record for that dog and possibly makes the owner have to keep them confined. They can still leave them outside if they're fenced or chained and they can still take them in public if they are restrained. There is no provision for if the dog injures a domestic animal, per say. They do address if a dog or a hog (who knew pigs were so mean?) were to kill livestock. But it's once again based on if the dog was known to be vicious. Even then it's only a fine between 5 and 50 dollars and the cost of the damages. It would seem that you don't have much recourse and probably won't get much satisfaction either. There doesn't seem to be any way to get justice from those people from the courts. It's less than a slap on the hand! I'm very sorry for your loss. It's an absolutely terrible way for this to have happened and I can't even imagine what you are feeling. Rant all you want, at least we will be here for you! |
Bailey's Mom wrote: Owners like that are so selfish - you can surely tell if your dog comes home on a regular basis looking like he/she's been in a fight.
That's the problem exactly, Sue. You can't force people to have good sense! 
What a horrible tragedy, Betsy! |
| One thing I forgot to mention, not that it really matters to the outcome. Both dogs appeared to have rolled on their back, showing submission to the other dogs. That is the reason for the seriousness of the internal injuries. It would appear that in both attacks, it was not a dominance issue, these dogs were in it til death do us part. I believe that the dogs were "interrupted" by the uprights in both cases, causing them to leave their "prey". |
| God, it just gets worse.... |
| Find the owners and maul them. They should be fined and forced to pay the vet bills.
We have had 2 issues arise in Edmonton this past summer. The first was a little girl went into the backyard that had 2 dogs (Mixes) in it and she was mauled required something like 200 stitches to close her wounds. IT was a huge contraversy in the city. Some people said the dogs should be destroyed, others said No cuz she went into their territory and they were just protecting it. The owner eventually put the dogs down on his own.  The other one was a 14 year old Rotti that bite a child right in front of his owner and the childs dad. The owner had him put down immediately. He just snapped.
I have no patience for people who let their dogs run wild, I called the pound and have them picked up. The owner is fined and has to pay the kenneling fee for how many days its there for. I'd rather see the animal in a cage than on the side of the road. |
| Max-you are right, our laws suck. They are very lenient. In our county we have no animal control or leash laws. Each county has it left up to them to make up their own rules. I am one of the very few people in our neighborhood that have fences for their dogs. There are only two of us that I can think of out of about 40 families. Most have dogs, but they simply roam free.
Thanks guys for all of your comments. If only we could just form our own community with 20 foot walls and let our babies go play with each other. Sounds like Sheepie and People heaven on earth doesn't it?  |
| This is just so dreadful. I really don't know what to say. I can't imagine a more terrible fate for a beloved pet. I am so sorry. |
That is just heartbreaking, so sorry for your beloved pet. It is such a tragedy.  |
| Wow, what a terrible loss.
I can't believe the differences in the laws.... here ours are so strict, some people feel it is an infringement on their freedom, but I think a lot of the laws are just plain smart. Pitbulls, mixes, or even anything that resembles a pitbull,are banned in Ontario. Anyone who owned one before the ban is allowed to keep it, but they ALL must be fixed and if they are taken out they are to be on a leash of a certain length and muzzled at all times. I think that is extreme.... but it just goes to show the differences in laws. |
| This is just horrible and very disturbing. I'm so so so very sorry. I know that there are many discussions in the Chicago area counties for laws to ban certain types of dogs. I don't think that's the answer as I think it's the owners or people who train their dogs for fighting purposes. It's just awful. There have been many incidences in the last few months about pitbull type dogs attacking children and adults. It seems that is what needs to happen in order for change to occur. Maybe you could start to petition to your local law makers about unleashed dogs. |
| I'm so sorry about Molly.
You ask how can we educate people, its just my opinion, but people don't have the respect for life that they once had. I believe it got worse when abortion was legalized. Everything is "if you don't want it - get rid of it." Some people don't care much about what or where their own children are, you can't teach those people anything about dogs until they've been taught to love, honor and respect one another first. They have no responsibilities. The kids run as wild as the dogs, sometimes the kids are worse than the dogs we're talking about, and they're being taught by the examples set before them. As they grow into adults some of them will be even worse than the examples they're learning from. Does this mean its going to get better or worse for the animals? I have hope, so I expect it to be, but I don't remember kids being as violent as they are now. It has to stop somewhere. Maybe they will learn from the dogs. |
| Betsy, I feel so bad for your mom, what a horrible thing to happen. Sadly, laws won't change anything if dog owners don't care. I would not be suprised if the dogs were found with bullet holes because at some point someone will do something to stop the problem. |
| That is so horrible. My sister in law in Wisconsin was walking her long haired dauschands not sure of spelling} with her husband. A neighbor was going in the opposite direction with a bigger dog on a leash and the neighbor tripped and the leash slipped out of her hand and her dog grabbed my sister in laws dog by the neck and bit it killing it. So your not always safe even when the dogs are on leashes. My dad recommended carrying pepper spray but I don't think there would have been time to react anyway. I can't wald either direction on the road I live because of loose dogs. I'm going to call the dog enforcement one of these days. |
| Betsy, I'm so sorry that you had to go through that. What's the use even having a pet if you just let him run wild? Even with no leash laws, you'd think people would be concerned about getting sued. |
| Betsy, I'm so sorry for your Mom to have had to find her dog like that. Life just isn't fair sometimes. And I agree with Holly - sometime someone will take the law into their own hands and handle the dogs themselves. So sad - these might have been good pets, had they been raised and trained properly.
Chris |
| Betsy,
I'm so sorry to hear of how Molly passed, how awful for you and your family. Hugs to you all. Marianne |
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