Dog mauls Orlando second-grader

This is what leash laws are for.

What a predicament, and a tragedy. Humans and dogs have lived together for centuries. This dog was a pit bull/lab mix. Pit bulls have a reputation for nasty dispositions- Labs are usually gentle beasts.

I think that there needs to be a law that all dogs over a certain size must be kept either at home, or tightly leashed, and the owners made responsible for any injuries due to an action of their dog.

Hmm- Recently there has been an increase in popularity of many dogs that are potentially vicious. Maybe if owners were forced to purchase expensive liability insurance for their dogs, the rates based on the probabillity of tha animals causing injury, there would be less of the dangerous kinds!

Interesting thought...

What's the Problem?
What's the problem here?

I grew up delivering newspapers as a teenager, would be attacked by 2-3 dogs on my route every day, and fight them off with a 10-inch knife. Nobody thought it was unusual. Anytime I go bicycling 50-100 miles, I am chased (sometimes for 1/2 mile or more!) by Rottweilers, Pit Bulls, German Shepherds, etc, etc. As an adult these days, if I take a walk around my neighborhood I must carry a stick or some pepper spray to use on one or two dogs.

I'm not talking nuisance dogs that yap and jabber. I'm talking dogs that run full speed straight at me and leap to neck height as they get closer, lunging for my throat, fangs bared.

The few owners who witness these events always say "Oh, he doesn't mean any harm". Or "his bark is worse than his bite". Or just "Rex! Rex! Bad dog! I'm so sorry..." Or the one I like most: "Oh, he was just startled, and was trying to protect me". That explains it. That makes it alright.

I personally know someone who has lost an ear to a dog.
Another who lost a finger.
Another (12-year old boy) who lost his entire groin area.
Another (6-year old girl) with multiple lacerations across the face.

I don't know any car, motorcycle, establishment or institution that could ever get away with such atrocities. But it's an invisible part of life we prefer to ignore. "Bad dog! Sit! Oh, you rascal, you behave now okay? He's really a sweetheart, he really is. Sorry about the ankle."

So what are all you wimps whining about?
ANY dog can turn on a person in half a second, if startled or threatened.
It happens all the time. It's an animal. No owner will face the reality of it, but when you get a dog you take on great risk and liability.

That's just life, learned on the street, the hard way.
Dogs bite, maim, and kill. Be aware at all times.
Get used to it.




(These events happened in Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New York, Colorado, Nevada, California, ... pretty much anywhere I've travelled. Sorry, but it's universal).

Good show. I always have a ten inch knife tucked away on my person somewhere. Actually, I own one with a nine inch blade and it is truly a conspicous piece of cutlery. Pepper spray is good (depending on the prevailing winds), but it does spoil the drape of the trousers, don't you know?

Would you consider controlling the dogs instead, Borg?

More info
If a large German Shepherd is running 15mph directly at a 12-year-olds throat, there's not much you can do to "control" it.
Scream my head off, cover my head with arms, use a stick, use a knife, use anything I can find ... whatever.

Over 2 dozen times (in my own history) the owner was present and wasn't able to control it either, so what exactly are you suggesting?

Just curious, y'know. I so rarely see a dog actually "controlled" by it's owner.

Just another example
Food for thought.... this occurred 12 miles from my house a couple months ago:
Memorial Fund Established

Or check the Police Report

An 11-day old baby.
Laws don't change the fact that it happens all the time.

Interesting, CodeBorg. What would you like to see happen to solve the problem? Or do you feel that it's fundamentally unsolvable, end of story?

I'm suggesting, CodeBorg, that large dogs be contained within a fenced yard, high enough and strong enough to confine that dog. Anyone not able to afford such a fence just can't have a dog.

What are you suggesting? That every twelve year old strap on a 10 inch knife like you used to carry before leaving the house? I can see problems with that approach, too.

My suggestion applies to American dogs, by the way. During my tour of duty in Germany, I was initally surprised to see large dogs on sidewalks, in parks, and even in restaurants without a leash. They were under control.

Ownership of large and dangerous dogs carries the same kind of responsibility as ownership of firearms. I am just not interested in blaming the victims for not being adequately prepared every time they leave their homes.

This is very topical in New Zealand at the moment as a six year old girl was attacked by a pitbull in a public park and had parts of her face and scalp removed. She survived but will have months of plastic surgery. Since then there seems to be a dog attack story in the paper every day and last nights television news reported large numbers of people handing dogs into the SPCA or local councils to destroy as they do not want the responsibility of a doubtful dog.
The general opinion seem to be that we have enough laws in place to deal with the problem but there is not enough effort put into enforcement.

Knowledge, Publicity, Awareness.
The following is my fantasy, wild, impractical, and impossible.
I apologize for the length ... feel free to scroll right past.

1) Mandatory liability insurance.

Every dog owner would know, through their pocketbook, the
total and actual cost to society of owning their species dog.
Paid in advance.

2) Education

Every kid should be taught "never ever pet a dog you don't know",
even more strongly than "Never take candy from strangers".
Far more kids are injured by dogs than strangers.

3) Licensing

I own a streetbike that I occassionally ride over 200MPH, yet
I don't own a dog because the risk is too high, and I can't
afford to be that attentive and focussed 24 hours a day.
Also, more of my motorcycle friends have been hurt by dogs
than by motorcycles.

Dog owners should be required to take a safety training
class at least as long as the 2-day motorcycle handling class.
Present facts and figures, photos, statistics, strategies,
psychology and the myth of "control", etc.
Only then is a dog license issued, and a dog legally purchased.

4) Publicity

Each breed has it's own particular disposition.
Keep detailed statistics nationwide, and no license is issued
unless the dog owner signs and acknowledges the reality of what
their breed has actually done to people.

5) Instant Owner Liability, No Questions Asked.

Every owner should be held accountable for what the dog does,
no different than if the owner did it themself. You pee on my
doorstep, then you are prosecuted for trespassing and vandalism.
Your dog chases me with fangs bared, then you are prosecuted
same as if you chased me down the street swinging a knife.
You, the owner, did it through ignorance and negligence.

I'm tired of fighting for my life against a random assailant,
and having people consider it "normal".
And I don't want my kids to endure it.

6) A Lot More Publicity and Reality

Above all, we need to stop owners from constantly denying what
their pets are capable of. Acknowledging a danger would let
people pay attention and take care of it completely!
It's the constant polite denial that creates a very dangerous situation.

The mother of the 11-day-old baby was alone in the house, laid
the baby on her bed, and left the room for only 3 minutes.
She had no idea her cute always friendly doggy was so jealous
of the new arrival. When she walked back in the room, it was
already far, far gone. The community response was to have a
funeral and get on with life, just another story.

People need to be knowledgeable and aware, so they can be
constantly watchful.



I still go dog-sledding for fun, time to time, and handle
seven charged-up dogs just fine. Plus I walk my friends dogs
every month or two, we play and get along great. But it takes
attention, dominance, and constant awareness. For
security I use motorcycle gloves and we have a great time.

I'm with Roger on the fence thing. All dogs should be contained. Just last week a five year old here in Canada was mauled to death by 3 dogs. When we first moved here my son was chased on his bike by a neighbors german shephard. Luckily my son was not hurt, but the owners of the dog said my son egged the dog on because he laughed at the dog when he drove by on his bike. My son was on our land when the dog went after him and I told the owners that if I ever see any of their dogs on my land again I will kill the dog and if the dogs attack anyone in my family I will sue the hell out of them. They accused me of being unneighborly, but they did put up a fence. There is no excuse for any dog owner not to contain their dogs. If you can't afford the fence, don't get the dog.

Carrying either a knife or pepper spray here would get you arrested.

People shouldn't have to carry weapons to protect themselves from dogs who should be fenced in.