topic Re: Pit Bull in Community Chat

Pit Bull

Isobel Archer — Fri, 29 Dec 2017 14:05:19 GMT

Just been advised by a neighbor in an adjoining home owner association, that there is a pit bull who has attacked a person walking - putting him in the hospital. This is apparently the second time this dog has attacked someone walking by.

The dog was chained - and broke free to attack the walker. The owners want to keep the dog and do not believe any of this is their responsibility. The person who is hospitalized is suing them and I guess we'll see how that turns out.

Animal control was called and the dog is being "evaluated" whatever that means.

I'm glad I was informed about this as I frequently walk (glad it's too cold right now), but won't until I hear how this is resolved.

I know all the arguments about how pit bulls are really good dogs and the ones who bite have just been treated badly/weren't properly trained, etc. But I also believe that once a dog has attacked (especially more than once) that there is little hope of changing that behavior.

This is all very sad.

Re: Pit Bull

dex — Fri, 29 Dec 2017 14:17:31 GMT

@Isobel Archer I think that if the dog must spend its life chained up that it has no life or love.That dog is better off being taken from that home.

Re: Pit Bull

bonnielu — Fri, 29 Dec 2017 14:19:23 GMT

I have mixed feeling about Pit Bulls. My daughter has one and she sits in our lap and could not be sweeter. I had a student in my class who had two of them and he was mauled and he and his parents opted to keep them.

I have two Chihuahuas who was more than wonderful but once we took them out at a rest stop and my golden one must have thought I was being threatened by a person walking two German Shepherds. My little gal came full force and attacked both dogs. They backed up as did the owner. Never expected THAT.

No idea what to think about the breeds. BUT in this case the dog has "done criminal activity" and should not be allowed in the neighborhood. It was an act of aggression and someone was hurt.

Re: Pit Bull

kelsey17 — Fri, 29 Dec 2017 14:21:27 GMT

I agree .......but i believe one attack is too much...there is a reason these animals are banned in certain countries....

Pit Bulls are banned in 12 countries around the world: New Zealand, Brazil, Belgium, Canada, France, Finland, Denmark, Poland, Norway, and the U. S. territory of Puerto Rico.

Re: Pit Bull

Isobel Archer — Fri, 29 Dec 2017 14:22:22 GMT

@dex wrote:
@Isobel Archer I think that if the dog must spend its life chained up that it has no life or love.That dog is better off being taken from that home.

Agree. I don't know if the dog is chained for long periods or what the situation is with the owners' treatment of him. Also don't know the specifics of the first attack.

The houses here sit far back from the street so the walker was not in close proximity to the house - apparently the dog raced down the long driveway to get to him. However, even if the house was very close to the street, that is still no excuse for the dog to attack.

I'm surprised at the owners' attitude about this (I don't know them), but we'll see how it all plays out I guess.

Re: Pit Bull

Stevie Nix — Fri, 29 Dec 2017 14:26:26 GMT

It's never a bad idea to carry a can of mace with you. Don't let fear of the dog or dogs take away the joy of your walks.

Re: Pit Bull

Isobel Archer — Fri, 29 Dec 2017 14:29:04 GMT

The other thing that scares me is that we have a 92 year old next door neighbor who walks his lab twice a day every day. (We are the last house in our association and his house begins the one with the pit bull - and it is only about 4 houses down where this dog lives). I'm now worried about his safety.

Re: Pit Bull

granddi — Fri, 29 Dec 2017 14:37:03 GMT

@Stevie Nix wrote:
It's never a bad idea to carry a can of mace with you. Don't let fear of the dog or dogs take away the joy of your walks.

I don't think you would have a chance against a pit bull with a can of mace. I do think you should fear that a pit bull lives in your neighborhood and that the dog has a history of attacking. You shoud get answers from your home owners association.

Re: Pit Bull

chrystaltree — Fri, 29 Dec 2017 14:50:36 GMT

If the dog (any dog) spends his life on a chain in a yard, that dog isn't socialized. That dog is also angry and bored and perhaps even hungry and thirsty. So, I can understand how such a dog would attack people. It's an abused dog. Perhaps after evaluation, they'll be able place the dog in a home where he can be cared for properly. That would be nice but I think after two attacks, he'll be put down. Sad for the dog, sad for the people he attacked. I don't blame the dog, I blame the owners of the dog.

Re: Pit Bull

cherry — Fri, 29 Dec 2017 14:59:03 GMT

I don't trust PB. I was out in front of my home ,starting to take a walk. A PB came tearing across the street, and charged at me. One of my elderly neighbors yelled, and swung an object trying to distract the dog.

Lucky for me, the owner saw what was going on ,and called the dog home. He did apologize. He had his own problems with the dog. It went after one of the children ,and he was forced to stab and kill the dog to save the child

I will never trust one of those dogs again.

I think they are dangerous, and have been bred to attack. It's part of their nature.

A small boy in Detroit was dragged away from his mother and mauled to death by several of these animals. They are suing the owner, and I hope they win. It was a terrible event for that poor mother to witness.

Re: Pit Bull

GSPgirl — Fri, 29 Dec 2017 14:59:08 GMT

@Isobel Archer wrote:
Just been advised by a neighbor in an adjoining home owner association, that there is a pit bull who has attacked a person walking - putting him in the hospital. This is apparently the second time this dog has attacked someone walking by.

The dog was chained - and broke free to attack the walker. The owners want to keep the dog and do not believe any of this is their responsibility. The person who is hospitalized is suing them and I guess we'll see how that turns out.

Animal control was called and the dog is being "evaluated" whatever that means.

I'm glad I was informed about this as I frequently walk (glad it's too cold right now), but won't until I hear how this is resolved.

I know all the arguments about how pit bulls are really good dogs and the ones who bite have just been treated badly/weren't properly trained, etc. But I also believe that once a dog has attacked (especially more than once) that there is little hope of changing that behavior.

This is all very sad.

Carry your mace spray. My substitute mailman once sprayed my large dog who got out on our front lawn with pepper or mace. I apologized because he didn’t know my dog. My dog’s face ballooned up as if he were in a fight. My dog wasn’t a biter, but you never know. He may have bit him protecting us and we would have had to go to a PO BOX to get our mail. US mail can do that.

Re: Pit Bull

MorningLover — Fri, 29 Dec 2017 14:59:53 GMT

Pit bull attack kills Kentucky woman, injures her husband on Christmas Eve.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation-now/2017/12/25/pit-bull-attack-kills-woman-injures-man-christmas-eve/980529001/

Re: Pit Bull

SeaMaiden — Fri, 29 Dec 2017 15:02:36 GMT

Once biting someone is enough... but twice? He is a danger to the public... no different than someone shooting someone walking by their house. The dog needs to be put down NOW.

Re: Pit Bull

Isobel Archer — Fri, 29 Dec 2017 15:07:51 GMT

@chrystaltree wrote:
If the dog (any dog) spends his life on a chain in a yard, that dog isn't socialized. That dog is also angry and bored and perhaps even hungry and thirsty. So, I can understand how such a dog would attack people. It's an abused dog. Perhaps after evaluation, they'll be able place the dog in a home where he can be cared for properly. That would be nice but I think after two attacks, he'll be put down. Sad for the dog, sad for the people he attacked. I don't blame the dog, I blame the owners of the dog.

At the very least, I would hope this dog is removed from the current owners - who whether they have abused the dog or not - seem clearly to be incapable of responsible dog ownership.

Re: Pit Bull

chrystaltree — Fri, 29 Dec 2017 15:11:58 GMT

@Isobel Archer wrote:
@chrystaltree wrote:
If the dog (any dog) spends his life on a chain in a yard, that dog isn't socialized. That dog is also angry and bored and perhaps even hungry and thirsty. So, I can understand how such a dog would attack people. It's an abused dog. Perhaps after evaluation, they'll be able place the dog in a home where he can be cared for properly. That would be nice but I think after two attacks, he'll be put down. Sad for the dog, sad for the people he attacked. I don't blame the dog, I blame the owners of the dog.
At the very least, I would hope this dog is removed from the current owners - who whether they have abused the dog or not - seem clearly to be incapable of responsible dog ownership.

If the dog can be socialized, I hope that happens too but I'm a realist and after attacking 2 people, one so serious that the victim had to be hospitalized; it's almost a given that the dog will be put down.

Re: Pit Bull

Isobel Archer — Fri, 29 Dec 2017 15:13:05 GMT

@granddi wrote:
@Stevie Nix wrote:
It's never a bad idea to carry a can of mace with you. Don't let fear of the dog or dogs take away the joy of your walks.
I don't think you would have a chance against a pit bull with a can of mace. I do think you should fear that a pit bull lives in your neighborhood and that the dog has a history of attacking. You shoud get answers from your home owners association.

Their HOA is involved. Not sure what legal steps they can take. I'm not even sure of the rules of our HOA about dogs - particularly menacing dogs - so I don't know. Animal control is involved - and apparently the courts are now involved also as there is a lawsuit over the injury. So we'll see what happens.

Re: Pit Bull

CrazyDaisy — Fri, 29 Dec 2017 15:19:59 GMT

Oh good another pitt bull discussion........

Any dog that has bitten, charged, challenged, attacked, lunged etc need to be assessed as to their behavior and the situation. Judging a dog by how they look is as bad as judging a person by how they look.

Re: Pit Bull

software — Fri, 29 Dec 2017 15:14:48 GMT

@chrystaltree wrote:
If the dog (any dog) spends his life on a chain in a yard, that dog isn't socialized. That dog is also angry and bored and perhaps even hungry and thirsty. So, I can understand how such a dog would attack people. It's an abused dog. Perhaps after evaluation, they'll be able place the dog in a home where he can be cared for properly. That would be nice but I think after two attacks, he'll be put down. Sad for the dog, sad for the people he attacked. I don't blame the dog, I blame the owners of the dog.

I agree

Under similar circumstances most dogs of any breed could do the same.

Re: Pit Bull

stevieb — Fri, 29 Dec 2017 15:18:43 GMT

I also wonder with all the breeds available and lovable mutts needing homes, why some seem so drawn to a breed that's questionable.

I've lived in several neighborhoods with HOA's and in each instance, this is one breed that wasn't permitted.

Re: Pit Bull

Isobel Archer — Fri, 29 Dec 2017 15:19:40 GMT

@software wrote:
@chrystaltree wrote:
If the dog (any dog) spends his life on a chain in a yard, that dog isn't socialized. That dog is also angry and bored and perhaps even hungry and thirsty. So, I can understand how such a dog would attack people. It's an abused dog. Perhaps after evaluation, they'll be able place the dog in a home where he can be cared for properly. That would be nice but I think after two attacks, he'll be put down. Sad for the dog, sad for the people he attacked. I don't blame the dog, I blame the owners of the dog.

I agree

Under similar circumstances most dogs of any breed could do the same.

I think you are right, but I do recall - years ago - being charged by a snarling dog (looked like a mixed breed) while walking. I immediately stood still and spoke calmly to the dog and he stopped and continued to growl, but did not bite or attack me. I remained still and speaking calmly until he eventually walked away.

I know I was lucky - but I doubt seriously this would have worked with a pit bull.