Pit Bull Kills Another Kid

[Bird]

I guess there're really nothing unusual about it, but this story is in the Dallas Morning News about a 6 year old kid killed by a pit bull pet that the family has had since it was 4 weeks old. With the things I've seen personally, as well as what I've read, it's just inconceivable to me that anyone would own a pit bull, especially if they have children. I know most pit bull owners say their dogs are friendly and safe. Who do they think they're kidding? Besides themselves. This family would have said the same thing a couple of days ago.

 

[LMTC]

Bird, we moved to the country in 1985. Learned soon after that a man about 2.5 miles away kept LIONS. Yep, African lions. I kept a shotgun loaded with slugs and a 30.06 with a loaded clip handy in the house at all times. Besides the lions, there were (and remain) several other things on my SOS (shoot on sight) list....pit bulls are among them. I know that not EVERY put bull attacks, but the % is so darn high among them and a few other breeds. All one has to do is look at insurance stats.

Had someone 1/2 mile down the road with a pit bull I saw for the first time this summer....appeared to be an adult dog when I first saw it (it chased my car). I told Momma no going out around the property, even close to the house, without a gun until it met it's fate. It took a couple weeks before it attacked a bicyclist going by. It fled into the woods, but with warden and sheriff responding everyone knew it was open season, and that dog hasn't been seen since. Problem is so many people have bred that particular breed for fighting, and often what people get are the culls. We have a border collie.....

BTW, the lions were taken by authorities some years ago after he was convicted as an accessory to murder (son was convicted of the murder).

 

[salopez]

Bird

First off...who leaves their child alone with a dog? any dog! there are lots of dogs that kill kids and its a travisty.

Allot if it comes with how babies communicate verses how dogs communicate. babys make eye contact to communicate and to dogs this is a sign of aggrettion.


I am not trying excuse what this dog did by any means. I just wish that people would realize that other dogs do bad things too.

 

[jbrumberg]

I have a large female German Shepard. I treat her as I do my weapons. I keep her secure, under supervision and control. The liability is too great . Jay

 

[Bird]

LMTC, 45 years ago there was fellow in Dallas who had a full grown male African lion for a pet, living in an apartment. Before I joined the police department, I saw it a few times in downtown Dallas in the back of a station wagon with the back window open. And after I joined the police department, at least a couple of times, we got calls when it got out and terrified the neighbors, although it never attacked or hurt anyone. Lots of weird folks running around loose.

salopez, yes, some other breeds are bad; usually not as bad as pit bulls, but bad enough. One that really stands out in my mind was when a Rottweiller killed a baby several years ago in Dallas and the baby's mother was only concerned about the dog; didn't want it euthanized; said she could always have another baby.

jbrumberg, when our kids were very small, a brother-in-law brought us a German Shepherd puppy, over my objections. She grew up to believe all kids belonged to her and she was very good, but very protective, with all kids, but I eventually gave her back to the guy who had her mother because I was afraid she'd hurt someone someday. We all loved that dog and it was heartbreaking to give her up, but it was also dangerous to keep her around.

 

[turnkey4099]

The owner was reported to say that 'it was only 1 year old and had never shown signs of aggression".

All the defenders who always jump up with 'but it is the way the dog is trained that matters, pit bulls make good pets' somehow ignore the statistics.

Not a firm statistic but I would estimate that 96% of the time when I open a paper or see a news report about a dog attacking it is a pit bull at fault. I would think people could draw the conclusion that even a "good" pit bull is dangerous.

Harry K

 

[Sigarms]

With the things I've seen personally, as well as what I've read, it's just inconceivable to me that anyone would own a pit bull, especially if they have children. I know most pit bull owners say their dogs are friendly and safe. Who do they think they're kidding? Besides themselves.

Bird, I'd bet you $500 that you wouldn't know a pit bull if one bit you on your butt.

American Pitt Bull Terrier is the dog you're probably refering to.

I have an American Staffshire Terrier, and you're probably one people who have no clue what breed the dog is and just catagorize it as a "pit bull".

Out of the 30 dogs I've fostered for the humane society (one average, each dog would average a two month stay with us), the American Staffshire Terrier is the MOST obediant (sp?) and MOST loyal dog that I have EVER come across.

That said, our American Staffshire Terrier has been with us for close to two years. Our standards are high with this breed as far as to who we would let her be adopted out by. Out of those two years, not one issue with our Terrier with any of our other dogs. That, after she was found with puppies under a trailer, with people wanting to kill her because they didn't want a dog living under the "new" $500 trailer that they just bought . The dog had been shot at a couple of times, and afraid of people.

However, owning a "bully breed", you need to be completely aware of how you interact the breed and know what signs to look for that things "may be getting out of hand".

No offense Bird, but your comments are made out of complete ignorance (I won't say stupidity).

A dog is what you put into it, just like children.

Oh, and turkey4099, per your statistics, again, a person sees and dog with a big snout, broad shoulders, somewhat low to the ground, guess what, that person thinks the dog is a Pit Bull. Yes, perhaps a bully breed heinze 57 mix of some sort, but always a pit bull.

That said, there isn't any other dog in the world that I would want by my side other than that American Staffshire Terrier (Pit bull for all you guys that don't know the breed) walking down a dark alley. Yes, never a problem with her AT ALL, however, come after me with her around me and mean to do me harm, if my .45 doesn't get you, THAT dog will.

If you don't know the loyalty a dog can show, you never will.

By the way, ANY dog can show unprovoked signs of aggression, I realize that. However, just like some people should never be allowed to produce and raise children, the same can be said for dogs.

Oh, and you see that dog in my avatar (about 10lbs soaking wet)? You should see the way he goes after that Terrier when they play fetch and how the terrier tolerates it. The Terrier knows her bouderies (sp?) and the "limitations" of the other dogs. However, get a 100 lb shepard that may "rough house" with that terrier, and the terrier can put the shepard in his place pretty quick. Again, the key word is supervision. That said, dogs are pack animals. They can figure things out pretty quickly on their own if you know how much space to give them. Blood may be drawn, but it's usally only once and done with. Animals don't hold grudges like people.

 

[Bird]

No offense Bird, but your comments are made out of complete ignorance.

Yep, such knowledgeable folks as yourself understand that it's just my imagination that those kids were killed and maimed by dogs that I wouldn't know anything about.

And if one of your dogs kills or maims a kid, you can always say it wasn't the dog's fault, or that you knew how to raise, train, and handle the dog.

And what are the reasons anyone would want to own a pit bull (or whatever specific breed we're talking about since I wouldn't recognize one if it bit me)?

1) For protection.
As Sigarms says, to accompany him walking down a dark alley (of course some of us don't spend much time in dark alleys). In my personal experience, most of the folks who had them for protection were drug dealers who needed the protection to keep other drug dealers from ripping them off.
2) For dog fighting.
Either for the purpose of gambling; i.e., betting on the outcome of fights, or perhaps just sadistic enough to enjoy seeing one animal kill another.
3) For bragging rights.
"I've got a tougher, meaner dog than you do", or perhaps, "I'm able to control, train, and handle an animal that's too mean for most folks." Is that you, Sigarms? Seigfried and Roy believed the same thing about their tigers.

And every time I've known of a dog killing or maiming anyone, I've heard the same story as Sigarms is telling.

But then, I'm completely ignorant.

 

[Sigarms]

But then, I'm completely ignorant.

If that were the case, why make any more comments? Lips getting sore?

Ok, so do all the Terrier breeds become outlawed?

What about shepards? How about Dobermans? Heck, any dog over 50 lbs?

Actually bird, what's funny is the most agressive dog I've ever worked with is the dog you own. They have what I call the small dog syndrome. Yes, that Paris Hilton dog.

By the way, I don't need any dog for protection, I've never been to a dog fight and with the work I do with unwanted animals, would probably be thrown in jail if I came across people involved in that "sport", and the terrier I'm trying to find a home for is one of the "toughest" dogs I've ever known. Not proud of it, just a fact.

As I said, dogs are pack animals, thats a fact as well. Get 10 to 15 together (not two or three, thats too easy) at your house and see how you handle it.

By the way, congrats Bird, I see over 20k post.

 

[Nat]

Bird, I'll be the first to back you up on this one.Anyone who owns a "bully" dog that say's they know just what their dog will do is the ignorant one. Just as the family of the young boy, the couldn't figure out what happened. "Such a gentle ,obeident dog.
Anyone who has one of these " bully" dogs is an accident waiting to happen, but if it is expected it isn't an accident is it?
The poor elderly lady that got attacked in her own bed cause 2" bully" dogs got thru her pet door and nearly killed her had some neighbors who had such gentle pets, they couldn't figure out what happened either. All I need to add to this subject is keep you "bully" dogs far away from me, cause I ain't scared of them.