Another child dies in teeth of dogs

No apologies for starting a new thread on this very serious problem, I consider a couple of comments on the Springfield dog topic a little frivolous.
Once again we are witness to a horrible death of a young girl at the teeth of a pack of vicious dogs. You all know I own a guide dog and have never changed my mind on what I would do if my dog attacked a person, let alone a child, (it would not live another day for new comers here). I am under no illusion that ALL dogs are basic animals and some are obviously more dangerous than others, the ‘hard jawed’ ones that is.
When are we as a society going to cease navel gazing and insist that this aspect of our tolerance of things not right is addressed by those, yes even under a bylaw, who are entrusted with our safety.
It pains me to listen to the moaning and groaning about ‘them’ not doing anything about the meaningless popular recent incident, the weather, car congestion and the price of everything from a ton of pepper to the latest thong when this is allowed to continue.
This young girl suffered a horrendous death which only those capable of the thought process of what a veracious killing machine can do to a human body, yes I’ll say it she was eaten to death. Next time you see a dog ‘ragging’ a soft toy or knotted rope think of a Childs throat in its jaw.
Sorry no humour today I’m so upset at this.

Anyone who knows about bull mastiffs, or bothered to find out would know about this. No arrests have been made. With the law as it stands, dog attacks, even fatal ones, if on private property are not illegal. 'They' are talking about changing that law, 'they' have been talking about it for years. Does the same apply to other animals on private property, if someone invited into the house is bitten by a venomous snake for example?

Well, for a start there could be greater monitoring of 'puppy farms' and greater responsibility taken in selling these dogs on to the general public. Perhaps home checks (as is done at rescue centres and the like) although this is probably unworkable in truth because we are talking about whole litter's and not just one dog plus, it's all about the £££££'s.

Bring back the dog licence, chip all dogs, bring a law in that ALL dogs MUST be kept on the lead whilst out in public. The situation can never be fully managed but doing something must be preferable to doing nothing

Of course when these attacks take place within someone's home, that is a totally different ball game but, bringing in some controls/monitoring of breeders and buyers is at least a step in the right direction.

Many (but not all) of the bull breeds and larger dogs for example are purchased purely as status symbols and are owned by irresponsible types with neanderthal type mentalities who have bought the dog for peanuts from a mate of a mate on some back street and whose sole aim is to teach the dog to be aggressive from the onset.

My heart goes out to the family of this young girl.

Whilst married Charly, we also owned 2 rottweilers at one point who were with us until they both died of old age, we went on to buy a Japanese Akita (my ex was all for the larger breed of dog) and this dog also lived his life out with us. My ex husband took the time to go on residential courses and qualified as a dog trainer (rotties). I own a staffie now who is never let off the lead when I am out with him, not because he is aggressive (just the opposite in fact) or is disobedient but because I prefer to be in control of him at all times, he is also chipped.

We were very responsible large breed dog owners as yourself and is why I made that distinction in my post, it wasn't a 'one cap fits all' comment at all, but these people are out there and are far too many, I see them most days whilst out walking my dog.

What would have made a difference would have been if the dogs owner understood the breed, bull mastiff. The bull mastiff is a guard dog. On it's own territory, it will attack anyone it does not consider is part of the family. It's one of those dogs that when it does attack, it can be fatal. With four or five dogs in the house, to leave a young girl not well known to the dogs alone in the house was a fatal mistake.

It wouldn't have made any difference in this case but chipping all dogs would be useful in identifying stray (potentially dangerous) dogs allowed to roam our streets.

There might be a few more soon Charly, haven't they done away with (or are about to) with the Council's Dog Warden post?

I own an Akita. He is a family pet and placid and extremely well behaved in the house.He does not jump up at or pester visitors at all.
He is NEVER let off the lead whilst out for several reasons:
We know he is not to be relied apon to come when called. 99% is not good enough.
He was attacked as a pup twice by off lead dogs and so is very much on his guard with other male dogs.
He is big dog, looks intimidating, and could knock a child or older person over as he chases children to play!!! My own kids play with him in this way, and are fine cos they know he wont hurt them, but others do not.

The one aspect of walking him that is a problem is other dog owners who do not keep their dogs under contol. The number of times I have been told a dog wont come back to its owner, or it only wants to play (whilst growling at and generally winding my dog up) is without number. KEEP THE B****Y ANIMAL ON A LEAD.

What was the girl doing on the premises?

Not to defend, but in a spirit of explanation?

SB I absolutely adored my Akita! We have had a labrador, rotties and now I have my staffie but my Akita was so special, a gentle giant. My grand-kids were heartbroken when he died, they were 10 and 8 at the time and are now 15 and 17 and both still keep a framed picture of him in their bedrooms (and so do I)!

I am totally with you regarding the keeping of dogs on a lead, I too am sick to death of other people allowing their dogs to come and bother mine whilst off their leads. The owner will often make comments such as "oh, he's friendly, is your's"? well, it's a bit too darned late to ask that question now as they are yards away and their dog is all over mine! Worse still is when they allow a 'pack', 3 or 4 all off the lead to harrass my dog, NOW it is times like that when my dog clearly does mind and usually starts to grumble (probably out of fear) what do I do if they all kick off and the offending dog owners are still yards away?!

Yes, I echo your sentiments exactly!

johnb wrote:What was the girl doing on the premises?

Not to defend, but in a spirit of explanation?

It said on the radio she was thought to have gone to her friend's house (who was out) to eat something in there which she had purchased for her lunch. Apparently this account was from a near neighbour, so its veracity is not corroborated as yet.

Err, not even vaguely witty Hinch.

Dear God how that poor girl must have suffered just heartbreaking, why would anyone want to keep 5 dogs in one house ?
Just so very sad

Jeanie wrote:why would anyone want to keep 5 dogs in one house ?

Why would anyone keep two staffies, an american bulldog and two bull mastiffs all in a small house? We don't know exactly, but, generally speaking she must be mental.

The dog you decide to own is a personal thing and they vary from the "toy" to "guard" dogs. Dogs which are bred for aggression or at least were in days past such as Bull terriers and Bull mastiffs may well at some time display those characteristics for which they were bred. I had a neighbour who kept a very aggressive terrier, your ankles were not safe. My neighbour used to call him "a good tenter" and was happy with him.
Because of the fear of burglars and unwanted visitors there seems to be a trend towards keeping intimidating dogs, nothing wrong with that but it puts the responsibility very much on the owner to ensure the safety of visitors to the house. How many times have I heard the words "he wouldn't hurt a fly".

And so you come to the 'nub' of the matter. Five dogs (a pack). A limited area (confined). A stranger. Food. No master present. I wouldn't have trusted any of my dogs no matter what the breed not to have begun to get aggresive with each other and leading to aggression to all - which this time included a young girl. I don't doubt the dogs themselves have fought regularly over the food bowls. This was crass stupidity on the part of the owners and negligent to boot. Whatever happened in that room should 'never' have been 'possible' in the first place. The owners (if only to make example) should be charged with negligence to endager life and 'jailed' for a time if found to be guilty - especially in the case of a death by savaging. Only by taking such action will the word get around. If you keep animals that are capable of endagering or taking life and they do so - expect no mercy from society.

A Japanese Akita crossed with a Rottweiler ? That's a dog I wouldn't like to meet.

http://www.oldham-chronicle.co.uk/news-features/8/news-headlines/79935/chloes-crusade-to-bring-owners-of-vicious-dogs-to-justice

I have, in the past, owned 2 Rottweilers at one point plus, owned a Japanese Akita at a different point in my life. All dogs were sound, but they all attended training classes and we were very good owners. They were never allowed off the lead and, if someone who was a stranger entered the home, they were shut off somewhere else first.

All it takes is a bit of 'forward thinking'!