Are these people for real ??
I thought ANY dog biting ANY human was close to being put down.
If it was my daughter, the dogs days would be numbered.



Quote:

THE father of an eight-year-old girl savaged by a rottweiler has lashed out at the dog's "stupid" owner, and says the dog should be destroyed. Jessie, 8, was helping her dad and uncle clean out cages and feed more than 20 rottweilers at a breeding farm at Snake Valley, near Ballarat, when she was attacked. Police said they would take no action over the attack, because Jessie touched the dog's food while it was eating. But her father Craig this morning told heraldsun.com.au his daughter was not touching the animal's food and criticised the dog's owner. "I believe the owner is very very stupid, she doesn't have collars on any of the dogs which makes it very hard to control the dog when it has it's mind set on something,'' Craig, who refused to reveal his last name, said. He said he had to belt the dog with a very large plank of wood to beat it off his daughter and the animal should be destroyed today. "I am waiting for confirmation the dog has been destroyed. "The dog had no reason to do what it did, it already had its food in front of it. “It circled the food trolley twice and then attacked Jessie. There was no reason for it,'' he said. Jessie is expected to be discharged from hospital today after enduring three hours of surgery for puncture wounds on her legs. “It looks like there is no permanent damage, she will just have scars which will fade,’’ Craig said. Mum Sue McGillivray said Jessie was in a feeding pen with her uncle when the dog turned and ran at her. "She'd been there all day feeding, then one of the dogs just attacked. It went straight for her, jumped on her and latched on to her leg," she said. Jessie said she couldn't prise the dog's jaws open. "As soon as he got out of his kennel, he went straight for my leg," she said. "He got on to that one and he ripped my pants and then got his teeth straight in. "Then (uncle) Ian got it off this leg and it went straight for this leg and bit me everywhere." Jessie's uncle used a plank of wood to prise the dog's jaws open but he couldn't hold the animal back. Her mum said: "She was able to get herself up on to a fence but then the dog attacked her again. Her dad then hit the dog with an iron bar and grabbed her." Jessie was taken to Ballarat Hospital where she was treated for serious leg and hand injuries. Ms McGillivray said the family wanted the dog put down. "It was just a random attack, there was no reason for it. It ran past and launched itself at her," she said. Jessie's sister Michaela, 11, saw the attack and thought her sister was going to die. "He got her and pinned her to the ground," Michaela said through her tears. "My uncle had to rip his jaws off, then my little sister tried to run to the gates but he went for her again. I thought she was going to lose her leg." The girls were visiting their father, who is separated from Ms McGillivray, when the attack happened on Saturday. Ms McGillivray defended her ex-husband's decision to allow the children into the dog enclosure. She said there should have been warning signs on the feeding pens and lashed out at the dog's owner, who is believed to be in Perth. "They are bred to be pets. You would assume they are safe," she said.

http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,25356870-661,00.html

Quote:

Ms McGillivray defended her ex-husband's decision to allow the children into the dog enclosure. She said there should have been warning signs on the feeding pens and lashed out at the dog's owner, who is believed to be in Perth. "They are bred to be pets. You would assume they are safe," she said.

This quote from the mother smacks of lala land. "They are breed to be pets??????" These are the type of animal that were breed to be War dogs in other eras. "Warning signs????" Like what, "Warning : Parent has no brain" "Do not enter without rolled up newspaper". There is shared culpabilty in this situation, and the poor little girl was let down by all the adults involved.

Sprint I agree with you though 100%, dogs that attack children, should be immediately put down. The only exception for attacking is if the dog is protecting the owner/family pack from an aggressor.

Personally Rottweilers, blue heelers and American Pit Bulls should be shot on sight anyway. :P

not only do cats not bark..they dont do this to kids..no matter what anyone says..

I dont have dogs because of theyre unpredictability...
The dog should be put down.

One can never completely domesticate any animal..alway traces of the wild/pack animal in there to some extent.

Dogs are pack animals who hunt. Putting on a cute collar and calling it some idiot name doesnt change who it is.. a wolf in sheeps clothing.

It may have been abused but then it is still to dangerous to take any further chances with.

oceanz wrote on Apr 20^th, 2009 at 4:29pm:

not only do cats not bark..they dont do this to kids..no matter what anyone says..

Oceans, you're confusing a lack of ability with a lack of will. Cats, domestic cats, don't do this because they cannot, If they were only 20 kgs heavier there would be dead children everywhere. Ask the local wildlife.


oceanz wrote on Apr 20^th, 2009 at 4:29pm:

I dont have dogs because of theyre unpredictability... Dogs are pack animals who hunt. .

Of both animals I would have to say that the cat wins hands down for predicability, it is a killer, pure and simple. The pack like nature of dogs is what really made them valuable to humans. They will defend their pack. There are many dogs that unfortunately have crap owners, people that should never own dogs, but there are dogs that are just potential tragerty makers because of their size and bred-in characteristics.

Most dogs, even the largest and most savage, would not survive in a wolf pack because wolves are at pinnacle of current dog evolution. The wolves that became the hangers on and friends of man are the ones that could not make it with the pack, they had not the strength or will, so found a new and less demanding family. Wolves have a powerful family sense but it is all based on heirachy.

Of course bad owners, and bad breeders will have an effect on their dog's behaviour, and when they are in large groups, like they were here, a definite "pack" mentality, as Oceans said, can certainly be a result.

I know of a few people that have been attacked by cats, and have the scars to prove it.
I was working for a lady in hawthorn once, who was an avid cat lover, who had two of her own, and she had a big chunk taken out of her calf, by the neighbours cat.
It just latched on and ripped a big piece of meat off.

I have also seen feral cats, larger than any domestic cat I have ever seen, and I would rather face an attack from any dog, than be attacked by one of them.

Even so, the point is valid, that all animals should be closely controlled by their owners, be they cat, or dog, irresponsible owners are the real culprits on most occasions.

Not confusing anything loc..

I had someone very nastily tell/troll me last night ,to tell me how dangerous cats were to wildlife ( birds etc) ..so i guess I was in part making the point that no matter how many mice/birds a cat kills it will never tear the jugular out of your child whilst it playing in the yard or anywhere else for that matter.

I dont value dogs..they are to me a nuisance for the most part and a menace to society..The amount of dog attacks that happen to owners and their children on a daily basis now has far supassed any reasonable persons expectations that dogs are still mans best friend and a safe animal to entrust near your loved ones who are malued for hugging the dog or a small baby torn to shreds in its cot.....the dog deep in he heart of him clearly doesnt think so.

Of course you have all the dog lovers who tell you how gorgeous and placid theyre dog is and that what I am saying is rubbish.,.and yes there are a lot of dogs who are lovely pets..

But that wont stop the alarming number of dog attack reports that will continue to be reported on a daily basis and the children killed by them.

Mozz... even a large feral cat cannot kill a human....even tho they will scar you up a bit. I've worked with and around them when I was a professional shooter and never felt afraid as I do near certain dogs I have come across..

Cats cannot and do not kill pple..they do not kill for the hell of it on the whole , whereas dogs do.

I loved my hunting dog tho..she was great.

Dogs in service such as Guide dogs and police pooches are not to be lumped in with the domestic dogs tho..they are invaluable.

oceanz wrote on Apr 20^th, 2009 at 5:18pm:

I dont value dogs..they are to me a nuisance for the most part and a menace to society..The amount of dog attacks that happen to owners and their children on a daily basis now has far supassed any reasonable persons expectations that dogs are still mans best friend and a safe animal to entrust near your loved ones who are malued for hugging the dog or a small baby torn to shreds in its cot.....the dog deep in he heart of him clearly doesnt think so. Cats cannot and do not kill pple..they do not kill for the hell of it on the whole , whereas dogs do.

Oceans, I think if any animal was to wear the title of mans best friend it would have to be the dog. The failings of dogs can be attributted to the owners and breeders almost 100% of the time.

While I would call cats aristocratic, dogs are noble.

As for killing for the hell of it, I think that statement best decribes the cat. Of course the killing is not without purpose, it is training and practice for the cat, but like a fox, the most catlike of the canines, the destruction can be tireless.

Oceans, I think if any animal was to wear the title of mans best friend it would have to be the dog

The failings of dogs can be attributted to the owners and breeders almost 100% of the time.


While I would call cats aristocratic, dogs are noble.

As for killing for the hell of it, I think that statement best decribes the cat.

Agree to disagree


Of course the killing is not without purpose, it is training and practice for the cat, but like a fox, the most catlike of the canines, the destruction can be tireless


Ok thats your opinion, but this is not about who is the most efficient killer between cat and dog ( pound for pound it is the cat btw), this is about which is the most dangerous to humans..your deflection will not go unnoticed Loc...

The most dangerous to humans is the dog.

I agree with most of your points there Oceans, the number of dog attacks is unacceptable, and the dangerous breeds need to be more carefully controlled.
I have always been very much against people breeding "guard" dogs by trying to breed aggression into them.
My last dog was a red heeler, staffordshire terrier cross.
I got him from the pound at six weeks old, and despite my best efforts to suppress a natural aggressive streak in him, he always kept it, and I had to look after him with that knowledge in mind.

He never hurt anyone, but in different circumstances he could have, and that unpredictable, aggressive streak is in quite a few dogs.

I have had a purebred German Shepherd, and a cross breed Shepherd, both large dogs but also both dogs, which did not have a nasty bone in their bodies, and could confidently leave them in a nursery of children to get poked and prodded and they would never have shown any aggression.

To cater for safe and responsible dog ownership, it could well get to the point, where dogs must go through an assessment from a specialist animal behaviour expert to assess their suitability to be kept as pets, and as a prerequisite for licencing them.

It would also be nice to see owners receive some training as part of dog licensing as well, and while it may seem extreme, if it saves some from going through the horror of an animal attacking them, it could well be worth it.

As well, I think we need to accept that some breeds just carry too many aggressive tendencies, and therefore should be banned.

Pitbulls, and Huskies immediately spring to mind, but I am sure there are many more breeds we can happily do without, which will make dog ownership safer for all.

mozzaok wrote on Apr 20^th, 2009 at 7:52pm:

To cater for safe and responsible dog ownership, it could well get to the point, where dogs must go through an assessment from a specialist animal behaviour expert to assess their suitability to be kept as pets, and as a prerequisite for licencing them. It would also be nice to see owners receive some training as part of dog licensing as well, and while it may seem extreme, if it saves some from going through the horror of an animal attacking them, it could well be worth it.

I would have to, almost reluctantly, agree with this suggestion. I have an American Staffy, for those who don't know the AmStaff were bred from pitbulls as show dogs. I also have a 3 yo boy. I trust my dog 100% I have had him since the day he was born, and socialised him since he was 5 weeks old . He has never shown aggression to people and never instigated aggression to other dogs, never even had a fight. I used to have to drive around town to find him in someones backyard playing with their dog. I've seen him chased home by a Jack Russell X, and running from a poodle X with his tail between his legs. He is 4 yo 30 kgs of solid muscle and jumps around like a puppy
Regardless, I never leave my son outside with him alone, it would be too late to have to say "well....he has never done that before". If he ever bit any person under any circumstance I would have him put down.No dogs life is worth the damage they can do to a child.

merou wrote on Apr 21^st, 2009 at 11:23am:

I would have to, almost reluctantly, agree with this suggestion. I have an American Staffy, for those who don't know the AmStaff were bred from pitbulls as show dogs. I also have a 3 yo boy. I trust my dog 100% I have had him since the day he was born, and socialised him since he was 5 weeks old . He has never shown aggression to people and never instigated aggression to other dogs, never even had a fight. I used to have to drive around town to find him in someones backyard playing with their dog. I've seen him chased home by a Jack Russell X, and running from a poodle X with his tail between his legs. He is 4 yo 30 kgs of solid muscle and jumps around like a puppy Regardless, I never leave my son outside with him alone, it would be too late to have to say "well....he has never done that before". If he ever bit any person under any circumstance I would have him put down.No dogs life is worth the damage they can do to a child.

Merou - I know American staffy (aka pitbulls) owners love their dogs passionately and I don't say this to appear rude, but although you wouldn't leave him alone with your 3 year old when he used to escape into other people's yards - did you not feel worried that he might attack a child playing innocently alone?

Legally I think American Staffy's have to be kept in special cages and yes like all dogs - they have beautiful natures when treated properly, but it is the unpredictable hunting instinct that surfaces with Staffy/Pitbulls which is one of the main concerns people have with this breed.

Deflections oceans?  ::)You're the one that bought cats into the conversation, I just ran with the flow of conversation and what I thought you were implying. That cats were a better pet option than dogs. Owning a cat is akin to dumping your plastic bags next the turtle or pelican breeding grounds, or cigarette butts in a mangrove.



Certainly dogs are more dangerous to humans, and I agree with Mozz and have no problem with all dog owners being licensed and that license categories and minimum fencing and restraint requirements be enforced for dogs, varying with the type of dog. Certain breeds of dogs and all cats should be removed eventually from the Australian landscape if possible or at least attempted.

I would still stand by this statement though as I also understand where Merou is coming from
Quote:

The failings of dogs can be attributted to the owners and breeders almost 100% of the time.

Locutius said_


Quote:

Deflections oceans?  ::)You're the one that bought cats into the conversation, I just ran with the flow of conversation and what I thought you were implying. That cats were a better pet option than dogs.

No thats not what I was implying Locuitus, even tho i believe it to be true..cats do not lie about how much they love you , with a cat what you see is what you get..if you piss a cat off, you know about it, not so with a dog, he will hide his resentment and it will surface when he is playing with your small child and or you
I used the cat example to answer a post that said how evil cats were ( I should not have)..I have already said so above


locutius said _

Quote:

Owning a cat is akin to dumping your plastic bags next the turtle or pelican breeding grounds, or cigarette butts in a mangrove.

now your making it personal, that is an ignorant comment


Locutius said_

Quote:

Certainly dogs are more dangerous to humans, and I agree with Mozz and have no problem with all dog owners being licensed and that license categories and minimum fencing and restraint requirements be enforced for dogs, varying with the type of dog. Certain breeds of dogs and all cats should be removed eventually from the Australian landscape if possible or at least attempted. I would still stand by this statement though as I also understand where Merou is coming from The failings of dogs can be attributted to the owners and breeders almost 100% of the time

I dont 100% agree, but the same could be said of cats..

mantra wrote on Apr 21^st, 2009 at 11:54am:

Merou - I know American staffy (aka pitbulls) owners love their dogs passionately and I don't say this to appear rude, but although you wouldn't leave him alone with your 3 year old when he used to escape into other people's yards - did you not feel worried that he might attack a child playing innocently alone?

No if I had any concerns about my dog's nature do you think I would let my 3 yo play with him?


mantra wrote on Apr 21^st, 2009 at 11:54am:

Legally I think American Staffy's have to be kept in special cages

Oh okay, then i should lock my dog in cage......that should turn him into an obedient loyal pet.........should I keep him sedated as well?
They should lock the owners who teach dogs to be aggressive in cages.


If all nuns are females does that automaticaly mean all females are nuns???
If all terrorists were muslim would that make all muslims potential terrorist???

Does every single pitbull attack humans?
Is every Rottweiller viscious?
Does every "tame" lion in the circus or at Dreamworld attack their handlers?
You need a license to drive a car, operate construction machinery or a boat, but any mug can own a dog.

oceanz wrote on Apr 21^st, 2009 at 1:30pm:

locutius said _ Quote: Owning a cat is akin to dumping your plastic bags next the turtle or pelican breeding grounds, or cigarette butts in a mangrove. now your making it personal, that is an ignorant comment

Oceans, that was not personal, that is what I think of cats and it's based on the reality of cats in Australia rather than ignorance. It is what I think of about foxes running around in Tasmania as well. The individuals that released foxes into Tasmania should do serious jail time if caught. 10 years and then earn minimum wages for the rest of their lives helping to eradicate them.

Cats love?? I'll give them the credit they deserve. They are the ultimate users.

locutius wrote on Apr 21^st, 2009 at 5:24pm:

oceanz wrote on Apr 21st, 2009 at 1:30pm: locutius said _ Quote: Owning a cat is akin to dumping your plastic bags next the turtle or pelican breeding grounds, or cigarette butts in a mangrove. now your making it personal, that is an ignorant comment Oceans, that was not personal, that is what I think of cats and it's based on the reality of cats in Australia rather than ignorance. It is what I think of about foxes running around in Tasmania as well. The individuals that released foxes into Tasmania should do serious jail time if caught. 10 years and then earn minimum wages for the rest of their lives helping to eradicate them. Cats love?? I'll give them the credit they deserve. They are the ultimate users.

This has desecended into a silly argument Loc..feral dogs are just as much a menace to stock and wildlife as foxes and cats..I used to be a shooter of these ferals ( ie dingoes and halfbreed dogs ,foxes and cats) so i should know..


As for cats being the ultimate user..perhaps that is why i love them, they are like humans..you have to earn their love..but once a cat loves you its is for life and it would NEVER turn on you.

So where does your cat go and what does it do after you have fed it and it has had a sleep on your lap?
go on, tell me it never leaves your property

Quote:

Oh okay, then i should lock my dog in cage......that should turn him into an obedient loyal pet.........should I keep him sedated as well? They should lock the owners who teach dogs to be aggressive in cages.

Of course it's cruel to keep a dog in a cage, but there are laws in some states where this is required for an American Staffy or pitbull.  I know pitbulls are loyal and loving dogs, but they've unfortunately earned themselves a terrible reputation and are probably one of the most abused animals on this planet through no fault of their own.

It's not only the pitbull - but the mastiff also has a reputation for turning suddenly even on a loving owner and mauling them to death.  

All we can do is keep our dogs restrained or supervised at all times.  I've had dogs all my life and wouldn't live without one - but there is still an unpredictability in dogs today that we didn't see a few decades ago.  Perhaps it's the preservatives in canned dog food - who knows?

merou wrote on Apr 22^nd, 2009 at 9:43am:

So where does your cat go and what does it do after you have fed it and it has had a sleep on your lap? go on, tell me it never leaves your property

No merou she never leaves my property save once or twice when she slipped out the door and I found her in a catfight a couple of hours later, in my garage.
She is a feral cat who is now 7 years old. She is locked up every night and sleeps inside during the day as well, except when she is in her cat cage outside or on her leash in the yard, or if she isnt on a leash, she is under observation by me, for her own safety more than anything. She was the victim of a dog attack ( on my property, neighbors dog, when she was 6 months old and only has 3 legs)
Why are you having a go at me merou, I never had a go at you for letting your dog wander, and he does have a suspect pedigree.