Little Girl Killed Trying to Free Stuck Pit Bull

[LionRun]

She is so wonderful!!!!!!!! My friend for life, although at times, I have trouble getting her to come out of the car LOL! She is great. Just still no brushing. Oh well, it could be worse.

Ang

Oh good, Ang. I saw her pic, and she is very pretty too.

Lion

 

[Peter Hamilton]

The fully preventable and violent death of sweet little Amber rips at the very core of me. It was quoted in the article that it was, "just an unfortunate incident". Unfortunate incidences occurred long before the death of this heroic young girl.


Basically, dogs are designer bred wolves. The true definition for a species is that two of the opposite sex can mate successfully and produce fertile offspring. Since wolf hybrids are fertile, dogs and wolves are technically the species. In any event, humans, "created" dogs from wolves. Therefor, we have a heavy responsibility to breed carefully for temperament and physical health. Too many are not taking this responsibility when breeding, and I am referring to one-time, backyard pet breeders all the way up to large, commercial kennels. This must change.

Equally important is that dogs, many of which have big teeth, must be raised in a loving, stable home with appropriate training and socialization. Many are not, and this must change too.

We live in a world with lots of dogs, and from an early age parents need to be educated and teach their children how to interact with dogs. And, no child should ever attempt to free a dog in the described situation. Even a dog with a temperament not conducive to aggression may react out of sheer terror or feeling threatened as someone tries to free them in this awful situation.

To attempt to free a terrified pit bull terrier, or any large, powerful dog with possible tendencies towards aggression should be done by at least 2 capable adults with access for easy escape. Amber's mom just did not know, and she will probably suffer tremendous guilt in addition to her already profound guilt.

My heart is breaking for the loss of little Amber, a hero trying to help a dog. I am sorry for being so wordy. I have very strong feelings and beliefs on this subject.

Land softly,

Lion

-----Great post LionRun--you are perhaps the most articulate poster on this subject--you are correct that all dogs are designer bred wolves and that humans have "created" them--We have altered and modified their behavior over the centuries--Just a few months ago, scientists stated that DNA testing on dogs proved that all dogs are descended from wolves--All dog owners should remember that--and I am sure the nation's mail carriers already know this

 

[julianne]

-----Great post LionRun--you are perhaps the most articulate poster on this subject--you are correct that all dogs are designer bred wolves and that humans have "created" them--We have altered and modified their behavior over the centuries--Just a few months ago, scientists stated that DNA testing on dogs proved that all dogs are descended from wolves--All dog owners should remember that--and I am sure the nation's mail carriers already know this

Looking at my little 3 pound teacup yorkshire terrier, it is hard to imagine that she is a descendant from wolves. I don't dispute your statement, it makes sense that all dogs descended from wolves---it's just hard to imagine in looking at my tiny little "dot" of a dog, LOL

 

[LionRun]

Looking at my little 3 pound teacup yorkshire terrier, it is hard to imagine that she is a descendant from wolves. I don't dispute your statement, it makes sense that all dogs descended from wolves---it's just hard to imagine in looking at my tiny little "dot" of a dog, LOL

Hi julianne. Visions of a precious tea cup yorkie dancing in my head! lol. Amazingly so, if a 3 lb. yorkie were bred to a wolf, they would produce viable, fertile offspring. Of course, it would be dangersous to attempt it if the mother was the yorkie.

Lion

 

[LionRun]

-----Great post LionRun--you are perhaps the most articulate poster on this subject--you are correct that all dogs are designer bred wolves and that humans have "created" them--We have altered and modified their behavior over the centuries--Just a few months ago, scientists stated that DNA testing on dogs proved that all dogs are descended from wolves--All dog owners should remember that--and I am sure the nation's mail carriers already know this

Why thank you much, Peter!

Lion

 

[Amraann]

I have two Golden Retrievers....

I think my cat or ferret are more vicious. (sp?)

 

[LionRun]

I have two Golden Retrievers....

I think my cat or ferret are more vicious. (sp?)

Probably so. Golden Retrievers are bred to be minimally aggressive and to have a, "soft" bite(so game won't be bitten through during retrieval). Yes, there are exceptions. But, it goes to show that aggression and various drives can be, "genetically" bred into and out of a dog. It is not only environmental factors that influence a dog's behaviour. It is also in its genes, and the complex combination of both is what results.

Lion

 

[Mira]

i have loved many dogs in my life, including pit bulls. i have a scar on my ankle, not bad, but still there after 20 years. it came from an irish setter pup. any dog can bite if they are in pain, startled, feel threatened or simply because they dont know their strength. in my case i was brushing him and he had a bad tangle. i pulled too hard and he reacted like a pup, he snapped at me. he knew he had hurt me, and was so loving and concerned, he kept licking the bite and making sad sounds. i could almost hear him 'im so sorry, soooo sorry, forgive me'. we had him for a long time, he never snapped again.

even though i have had pit bulls, and they never bit a person, i have seen them fight each other, (2 alpha females) and its awful. they cannot help what they do, they dont mean harm, it is their instinct. they probably should be banned, but it makes me sad to think of it.

terrible what happened to this little girl, but in this case, she went to him, not vice versa. i have to assume that mother and child knew this dog, and that it had probably never been aggressive to them before.

 

[kgeaux]

Here I think the owner took precautions with this dog. It was chained and in a fenced yard. Seems this was a responsible owner. But even that did not stop the dog from killing! This breed of dog should NOT be kept within city limits.

Actually, if you want to CAUSE a dog to become aggressive, you chain it. Since the fence around the yard was not adequate to contain the dog, the dog should have been in an enclosure tall enough to ensure it could not jump out.

 

[eve]

I want to say my prayers are with this girl's family. Poor little thing. I can't even comment again on pit bulls except to say insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.

Eve

 

[RUNDAWAY]

----------------

Me too. Our City has banned PitBulls.

This should be the norm, country wide.

I have it up to here when someone says about these killers that, "It's the owner, not the dog."

Well, there are quite a few of these dogs around my town and, every dam* one of them is owned by an undesirable type.
However, evden if the owner IS a type, if the pitbull wasn't like it is, they wouldn't have one or more.

They are gotten by these types to make a statement and, nothing more.
Since we cannot do away with the owners, the least we can do for the protection of innocent citizens is get rid of the pitbulls.

 

[Baybee]

First let me say that I feel completely sorry for the parents of this young child. It's a devastating thing to lose a child.

Obviously the mother or child felt no fear of this dog knowing it was a pitbull. If the mother was worried she would not have let the child "help" the dog. Let's also remember here that the dog was in a survival mode situation where it was stuck on a fence by it's collar and could have very well bitten this child out of fear its self. I am not condoning what happened here at all, so please dont bash me. Dogs are just that, they are dogs, animals and their instinct is to survive. With that said, this sort of reminds of stories you hear about dogs being hit by cars or in some other way injured, they strike out at whoever or whatever comes close. They are scared and in survival mode. This dog should be put down because my belief is that if a dog ever bites and gets that taste of "blood" they will do it again. The little girl had obviously helped this dog many times in the past, so I really do not think that the dog intentionally attacked her. I think he attacked out of fear, not of the child but of death.

I own 11 dogs. They range from a small terrier mix to a large St Bernard, including a Rottweiler mix and a German Shepherd. My rottie mix is the BEST dog I've ever had and is completely controlled by me, my husband or my daughter. She's never attacked anyone, but I would not leave her alone with a child. I would not leave any dog alone with any child. Dog's are animals and as such are unpredictable at all times. However, if they are well trained, any unpredictable actions can be halted immediately.

I have had my own personal tradgedy with my own dog. I owned a HUGE male Saint Bernard, Charley, who weighed in at 170 lbs. Now as most know, St Bernards are "GENTLE GIANTS". Yes, but they can also turn aggressive at the snap of a hat too. I learned this unforunately fact myself with Charley. Charley was obedience trained, I worked with him every single day, walked him, played every day, all the normal dog stuff. Charley was an excellent dog, a fast learner and loyal to me and wanted to please me at every turn. His loyalty to me turned into a very possessive obsession of me. I was his "female" so he thought. And it started with him just low growling at the other male dogs in the house hold. Until one day he growled at my husband for coming near my computer room where I was and Charley was laying out side of. A week earlier, my husband had broken up a fight between Charley and Junior (one of my males, a pit bull mix), and in the mix, my husband ended up with 11 stitches in his jaw from Charley swinging his head around to grab Junior. Charley did not deliberately bit my husband and as soon as he realized what happened he stopped and laid down and did not move. After that, there was some fear on my husbands side and Charley knew it and began to take advantage of it. Anyways, after trying to find a rescue, a no kill shelter or some other alternative I was told no, because he was "aggressive" no one would take him and any where I sent him he would be put down. I made the decision to do this myself instead of having to always wonder and worry if he finally broke and attacked someone.

My point here is that it doesn matter about the breed. Any dog breed can be aggressive at any time. They are dogs and dogs are animals. As a pet owner, this must be the first thing in your head when owning and training animals. They are not "Charley" your best friend first, they are an animal first and Charley after they have submitted to your authority as pack leader.

I am so sorry for the parents of the little girl. And the dog should be put down.

Julie

 

[Jeana (DP)]

Unfortunately Julie, the breed here does matter. We've heard story after story after story about pit bulls who will not stop attacking no matter what. You've got to shoot them to get them to stop attacking. I know other dogs have been known to attack, but even a German Shepherd or a Rottie will stop if someone is kicking him in the head.

 

[Baybee]

I truly think that people that mostly own pitbulls own them for one reason - to show they think they are "big and bad" which is completely the wrong reason to own a dog of any kind especially one of such powerful standing.

Pitbulls CAN be good dogs in the right environment and the right hands. But there are bad seeds in every breed. We just tend to hear more about the pitbulls or rottweilers which attack than we do of the saint bernards or the german shepherds because they do not have the kind of rep that pits and rotties have.

As I said, the dog in question in this attack should be put down and the owners should not be allowed to own one again. Pitbulls need to be left to the people who understand the breed and how to handle and train them properly, not just the every day person.

Yes, the breed is a red flag breed which is enough reason for someone living in a family neighborhood to NOT buy one. I'm not blaming anyone for the attack. The little girl was doing what I probably would have done as well. It's just sad that people own these animals and really have no idea of how to keep them, train them or handle them.

 

[Jeana (DP)]

I truly think that people that mostly own pitbulls own them for one reason - to show they think they are "big and bad" which is completely the wrong reason to own a dog of any kind especially one of such powerful standing.

Pitbulls CAN be good dogs in the right environment and the right hands. But there are bad seeds in every breed. We just tend to hear more about the pitbulls or rottweilers which attack than we do of the saint bernards or the german shepherds because they do not have the kind of rep that pits and rotties have.

As I said, the dog in question in this attack should be put down and the owners should not be allowed to own one again. Pitbulls need to be left to the people who understand the breed and how to handle and train them properly, not just the every day person.

Yes, the breed is a red flag breed which is enough reason for someone living in a family neighborhood to NOT buy one. I'm not blaming anyone for the attack. The little girl was doing what I probably would have done as well. It's just sad that people own these animals and really have no idea of how to keep them, train them or handle them.

We hear about them because their victims are not just bitten, they're dead. Other breeds may "bite" more, but they don't kill. Pitts just don't stop until the thing their going after is dead.

 

[Amraann]

Everytime the news reports a PitBull attack this debate crops up here.

Lionrun TY for your articulate reply

I agree its in the genetics as well as how the owner trains the dog.
Having seen this debate here many times ... the standard arguement is that Pitbulls are not the most common breed to bite...
I think Jeana illustrates it well in that when a pitbull does bite it is far more dangerous then when another breed does it.
I have never witnessed a person attacked by a dog but I have seen a pitbull attack another dog (a puppy)
and it took 3 very large grown men a good 5 minutes to get the dog off.

 

[dingo]

We hear about them because their victims are not just bitten, they're dead. Other breeds may "bite" more, but they don't kill. Pitts just don't stop until the thing their going after is dead.

Sad but true.....a friend of ours had one......it escaped from its yard and killed a passing dalmation.....even the owner couldnt stop it.

 

[Baybee]

We hear about them because their victims are not just bitten, they're dead. Other breeds may "bite" more, but they don't kill. Pitts just don't stop until the thing their going after is dead.

I completely agree with you. And as I said before, I in no way condone what happened and think this dog should be euthanized. But, too many times the focus is on the dog breed and not the fact that it's an ANIMAL ATTACK. That is my point. Animals are animals and will attack. Some more than others and some more aggressively than others, but an animal attack is still an attack. But the focus gets put on one breed and people may think others are just dandy. Training and proper upkeep and treatment of dogs is the key.

I have a little mix breed something - I have no idea what he is, but he the most aggressive dog I have. He growls at every other dog or person. He looks sweet and angelic, but I will not allow people that he doesnt know to touch him because I can not say he wouldnt bite.

My point has just been to say that all dogs bite. And again, I am going to say that I am not defending this dog, his owners or whatever else. Just dont forget that all dogs have teeth and are animals and can bite at any given moment.

 

[Floh]

Baybee, welcome to Websleuths.

two very recent examples of pit bull attacks which are on threads here. it just keeps happening.

Five year-old mauled to death by pit bull

A five-year-old girl who has been mauled to death by a dog in her family home.
Ellie Lawrenson suffered fatal injuries when she was attacked *by what was believed to be a pit bull terrier at her house in Eccleston, St Helen's.
She died at the scene, Merseyside Police said.
The dog also attacked a woman, thought to be the girl's grandmother. She is being treated for serious injuries in hospital.

http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/news/...ve-year-old+mauled+to+death+by+dog/article.do

*turned out it was a pit bull!


Abilene Woman Loses Both Arms In Dog Attack


An Abilene-area woman remains hospitalized Friday in stable condition today after both of her arms were amputated following an attack by one of her pit bulls.

http://keyetv.com/local/local_story_363120327.html


the article about the British babe — pit bulls are illegal in Britain and have been for 15/16 years. doesn't stop the underground continuing to breed them, though.

edited to add: i do get your point about 'dogs are animals'. just that pit bulls appear to have more deathly bites.

 

[reb]

baybee, you are flat out WRONG.

*sigh* once again (and again and again and again and again and again and again and again and again and again... i'll say it as many times as i have to!)......

the breed DOES matter.
which breed is likely to do serious, life-threatening damage if it bites? a poodle, or a pit bull?

which breed is more likely to kill someone-- a child, or even an adult? a schnauzer, or a pit bull?

which breed is more likely to snap and clamp down on a person's or another animal's neck until they're dead? a lab, or a pit bull?

which breed was bred for many generations TO BE A FIGHTING DOG and to fight to kill, and to kill just for sport? and english sheepdog, or a pit bull?

which breed's body shows obvious physical characteristics of being a serious fighting dog-- including wide, strong jaw (and yes, one that LOCKS) and wide muscular body, and talon-like claws? a weimeramer, or a pit bull?

which breed is more likely to have the tendency to SNAP and go into a killing frenzy without provocation... NO MATTER HOW THEY ARE RAISED???... a borzoi, or a pit bull?

which breed is more likely to be on lists of 'high liability' and banned breeds for property owners all over the world, for obvious reasons (hello---look at the statistics)? a dachshund, or a pit bull?

to say "the breed doesn't matter" is just, logistically, a ridiculous and out-of-touch-with-reality statement on every possible level.