WHO IS TO BLAME (other than the poor dog) WHEN A DOG MAULS A CHILD?

Question

What are my chances of saving this poor dog from being killed?
http://lfpress.ca/newsstand/News/Local/2007/12/11/pf-4718925.html
My Husband & I have a 50 acre Ranch where I spend my summer.So the poor dog (that never had a chance) would have endless space to play, inside or outside the Ranch....I would hire someone full time to care for the pooch, While I am absent.I have called the place where he is being held in Quarinteen, With no call back yet...several messages left....What else can I do?...HELP

On the late night news, a German Shepard life was thankfully spared today, after the Judge concluded that the Child provoked the dog to attack, by hitting and kicking the poor thing.
The owners of the dog compensated them financial of course.

Sadly most dogs are always blamed for defending them self.
People murder people and are not bumped-off/euthanized.
But if a dog bites a person, some people are out for blood and get a power trip and want to murder the dog immediately

Answer 1

I don't care if it were a Chihuahua - you NEVER leave a child that young unattended with an ANY animal.

Now, because of the parents stupidity and irresponsibility, the Pit is going to pay the ultimate price. What a shame!

Answer 2

There's nothing you can do. The dog is not going to be made available for adoption to the public.

This dog probably should be euthanized-its bitten a human. Thats a pretty far-removed behavior for a pit bull.

The situation doesn't sound like a maul or an attack at all-the very same sort of thing could and would happen with any breed of dog-you shouldn't be stupid enough to let a 22 month old crawl on top of a dog while its eating a bone.

There are thousands of perfectly wonderful animals euthanized every day because no one wants them. It doesn't make much sense to try and save one that bites.

In this case, the dog owners/parents are 100% responsible for the bite.

Answer 3

It's a whole different story if some angry dog chases someone or their child down the street and attacks them. Without reason.

However, most of the time, it's the child's and parent's fault. People are just quick to blame other people and things these days for their ignorance. You don't just go up to a random dog and touch it without knowing it. Kids can also be cruel to dogs. They can torture it and do all kinds of horrible things to it, yet when they get bit, they run screaming and crying to mommy and daddy and mommy and daddy end up suing and having the dog put to sleep. I don't agree with this, at all. People should teach their kids not to do those things, because what is a dog supposed to do? Just take it? If someone randomly came up to you and kicked you, hit you, tied your feet together, etc. would you take it? I don't think so.

So yeah, it can happen where it isn't the child's fault, but most of the time, it's the childs fault. And the parents for not teaching them better.

I was blessed with a friendly labrador. He lets EVERYONE love on him, even the mail person. However, my cousins are 12 and 9 and the first thing they asked before they even touched the dog was "Can I hold him"? If people teach their children to ask before they randomly touch a dog, then it would save a lot of trouble. The owners know more about the dog than someone who has never seen them before.

Most dog attackes are provoked. Period. and I don't think a dog should die for the fault of some spoiled brat and their parents who never taught them right from wrong.

Answer 4

All depending on the child's age. So i would blame the parents and the child. And to Sudette if someone was kicking and punching you would you just stand there and let it happen ???? I think not well a dog cannot say to the child "I am sorry but i am not enjoying the kind of attention that you are paying me could you please refrain from kicking the S**T out of me" no all the dog can do is bite to warn them and half of the time the dog is not doing it to maul the child it is only doing it as a waring but as the child's skin is so tender then the injury can be very severe. So anyway i don't think that it is your fault. Oh and by the way before people say ooooo just another dog lover what would she know we i myself was bitten on the face twice by dogs on 2 separate occasions once when i was 10 where the dog was just nasty and should have been put down as he had attacked others before aswell with no provocation and the other when i was 13 but as i do love animals i was smothering the dog too much and he was tired so he turned around and snapped but that is all he did i am 31 now and i have lived with the scars and torment when i was at school from other children but realise that on the second occasion that this was my fault. I have 2 dogs now they are golden retrievers and i will not let any children with them when i am not there and not because i don't trust the dogs as they are lovely it is because i don't trust the children.

Answer 5

There are cases where the dogs (of all breeds not just pits or boxers) are trained to be violent. In that case it is most definatly the owners and dogs fault and dog should be put down. Once trained to be a fighter or to be violent, you cant undo that. However, In most cases it is the parents fault due to negligence. Who in their right mind ever thought it was ok to leave a child alone with an animal? I dont care what size or what breed, why in the world would you do that? Your baby doesnt know not to pull the digs hair or claw at it or whatever else. When the dog is in pain or feels threatened, it will snap. Breed doesnt matter. Its self defense. Sometimes it is also the parents fault because they dont know how to prevent it. They focus on training for the dog, but neglect to teach the child what it should not be doing around or to the dog. Dogs snap when threatened, breed doesnt matter.

Answer 6

In this case it's the child's mother who is to blame, as she has pretty much admitted. No child should ever be left alone with any dog - what dog wouldn't bite if someone was trying to take away its food? Only one that was extremely well socialised and regarded the child as an equal or someone to protect - even then, they shouldn't be left alone together! The woman said they'd been left alone 'a 100 times' - it was just a matter of time before something like this happened.

Chalice

Answer 7

The child's parents are to blame for the attack. Had the child been watched and taught not to torment animals it wouldn't have happened. People don't understand that unless a dog is brought up with kids they really don't like them and I understand why, kids get a puppy, puppy has a toy, kid takes the toy, puppy chases and nips the kid for his toy back, who gets in trouble? The dog of course. Never mind teaching your kids, just blame the dog. Sorry but I have zero tollerance for people and their kids that do things to provoke the dog then get bit and want the dog destroyed. Try being as hard on your kids as you are on the dogs, The world will be a better place when people realize that actions have consequences.

Answer 8

I am a proud owner of two pitbills & a cocker spaniel. My dogs are very sweet and trained. I as a responsible owner, have never left a child (except my 17 yr old sons) alone with the dogs. My dogs allow us to take anything out of their mouths for thats how they have been trained but i would not allow anyone else to do it to them. I believe the owner / parent should have known better then leaving the dog, especially chewing a bone, alone with a child. I do not believe there is anyway to save this poor dog even though he was only protecting what was his.

Answer 9

Dogs are not people. Animals cannot reason like humans can and they act on instinct. They don't think like we do. As much as animals are nice and we love them and everything, an animal life is not as valuable as a human life. If an animal is going to hurt a person, it's better to euthanize the animal.

Obviously, the owners of a dog should train the dog properly. But I have little tolerance for people who will keep a dog after it has hurt a human with no provocation.

Answer 10

The dog owner is responsible. If the child provoked the dog, that suggests the owner was not there or it was not on a lead. Had the owner been there, the accident might have been prevented. It's negligence on the part of the owner.

Answer 11

So the dog has to die, but the people get to keep their child so that they can continue to neglect her and put her into potentially dangerous positions?

I wouldnt leave my kids alone with a dog anymore than Id leave them alone with their schizophrenic uncle. Usually he's fine, but he doesnt reason the same way as the rest of us and can thus become dangerous.

Good luck with this, but it does seem unlikely theyll go for it.