RiderSite.com - Motorcycle Forums

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/mers ... 222319.stm

Im lost for words So sad, so avoidable.

I agree. It's always possible for a trusted dog (which should never be trusted anyway) to turn, but when people are already aware that it's dangerous.........

My sister had a dog that was a bit dodgy - when anyone visted she always met them at the door with biscuits to give to the dog 'so it knew you were a friend'. I always said I didn't know why she kept it, and if it were mine I'd have it put to sleep.
She did that eventually - after it bit off the thumb of the little girl next door who was in the back of their car at the time.

Unforgiveable.

So should they put down wacky people?

It was a banned breed (a pit bull according to the news) and the owner had been warned it was dangerous. So it sounds like a case of manslaughter - hope they throw the book at the owner / keeper.

It's reported the owner is a convicted drug dealer - 20 kgs of cannabis is some stash!

A double reason to lock him up for a long time.

Sounds about right! bloke here wanders around with one, another junkie... 'luckily' his only attacked another wee dog but it cost him £200 in damages, which no doubt he'll have to pay at 10pence per week.

Anyone see that programme on Sky News the other night about them, a woman walking with her Lab and her son happened across one who started to attack her lad, the Lab saw what was happening and rushed in. The dogs fought for AN HOUR before eventually the police shot the pit bull. She had to watch for 20 mins whilst it mauled her Lab to death before the orders actually came through from the top that the policeman had permission to shoot it. Even then it took 3 bullets, it carried on fighting after being shot in the body twice until a bullet to the head finally killed it.

They described people who have these as pets as total morons, an opinion completely seconded imo. Would seem to me the breed of people who own these are equally as bad as the breed of dogs.

Although of no conosolation to that poor wee girl, hopefully it being publicised so much will at LEAST get some of these other morons to consider the implications of owning one.

Pit Bulls, et all, are FIGHTING DOGS, and therefore a lethal weapon!
Get caught with a knife/gun/big stick you get nicked and do time, so why do the Police have to wait for approval before they can shoot the feckin things!?!?
How many little kids are gonna have to get mauled/killed until the UK Gov takes action!?!?

How many little kids are gonna have to get mauled/killed until the UK Gov takes action!?!?

but the government did take action, in 1994 or thereabouts, when they banned pit bulls and some other dogs The problems are that it was the usual rushed inadequate piece of legislation and that (as with many laws these days) it's not enforced until events like this happen.

Gio wrote:So should they put down wacky people?

Dogs aren't people.

Not sure you can blame the police - there are so few of them out on the streets and so many low lifes around, that they only act when they trip over something or when instructed. Not even sure you can blame the govt - how on earth do you define a pit bull? And how much of the problem is breeding and how much is training?

We used to have Great Danes, and they were uniformly soft and dim dofs. But on one occasion, mine was wandering round the outskirts of a local wood with me about 50 yards behind it when it came across a very mixed pack of small dogs. Together they turned into a sort of dog pack and attacked (until I stopped it) some small mongrel. My fault really - just as this pit bull incident is the fault of the owner.

IMHO the best thing to do in this case is to shoot the owner.

People who still own this breed only do so for one reason....... illegal dog baiting/fighting.

ligloo wrote: They described people who have these as pets as total morons, an opinion completely seconded imo. Would seem to me the breed of people who own these are equally as bad as the breed of dogs.

That would include me then. My last dog was a pit bull cross. He was gorgeous, fantastic with people and other dogs but then I took the time to socialise him and train him. He was supervised when off the lead and never left alone with other animals or children......... something I do with every dog I own regardless of breed.

Dogs are generally, unless badly bred, born as innocent as people. It is how you treat them as they mature that makes the difference.

I can honestly say I never worried when I saw a rotti, GSD, mastiff, ridgeback come in to the surgery, but show me a biddy with a yorkie, chihuahua, lhasa apso, westie and I'd know the vet would have to bring it through for us to hold it. Even vets I've worked with have fallen into this trap...... oh it's only a small dog I don't have to train it. The only difference is the force behind the jaws, and you can't blame the dog for having the strength to do damage...... we bred them in the first place.

I think this

He was gorgeous, fantastic with people and other dogs but then I took the time to socialise him and train him. He was supervised when off the lead and never left alone with other animals or children......... something I do with every dog I own regardless of breed.

Is the crux of the matter. How the Dog owners look after the Dogs.(Myrrk clearly knows how to look after a dog) Jack Russells can be as dangerous as a Pitbull when there's 2 or 3 of them unsupervised. Nasty little bastids. Nippy, yappy and akin to Hyenas.

The girl who was mauled was in a house with the Grandmother (not the Dog owners) She probably did appreciate the dog was a volatile breed (right word?) but it's not her dog. she doesnt know it that intimately (steady...)

This no doubt would not have happened with the dog's owners there to supervise, but they werent..
The dog was startled possibly by new years fireworks, maybe by flashy christmas tree lights, who knows.. the woman wasnt in the room and the dog went banzai.
Maybe the owners neglected to organise the night properly.. maybe the grandmother failed to do what was explained to her.. who knows.

I dont think they do necessarily own them just for dogfighting.. I want a Rottie. I dont want it as a Guard dog, which is what theyre usually asscociated with tho' I want it cos I like the breed. Like I like sportsbikes as opposed to cruisers.

Any dog is a domesticated wild pack animal that can revert to basic instincts for whatever reason, much like human beings.

Yep, my daughter when aged about 9 got bitten by the father-in-law's soft natured Goldie bitch.

She was in season and daughter had been told to leave her alone. The bitch was horrified at what she had done (she barely broke the top layer of skin) and ran away and hid. But she'd been felling irritable and her instincts got the better of her.