Terrier saves 5 children from pit bull attack

[SlowwHand]

Sorry to hear it, Joseph. I would never presume to indict all of a breed. The predisposition is there, and too many people cultivate it.

[Arrian]

Holy crap, Joseph... sorry to hear that!



-Arrian

[Berzerker]

They should jail the ******* owner of the dogs... I really hate these *******s who get these dogs and then cant keep them on their own property.

I delivered newspapers as a kid and I had 3 Dobies, a Shepard, and a crazy Airedale (is that redundant?) all on the same 1/4 mile stretch of road. The damn Airedale was always out in the morning and when it wasn't trying to bite me it was waiting for the paper to be thrown so it could rip it to shreds. The ******* owners would then call up and complain about their paper.

[Berzerker]

And this notion dogs are a product of the owner ignores that some breeds are naturally more aggressive and there is variation within species...and thats excluding insane dogs...

[Frozzy]

Hero-dog George has touched plenty of hearts - now he's being honoured with a Purple Heart.

American war veteran Jerrell Hudman was so moved by the Jack Russell's story of sacrifice that he is sending George his Purple Heart medal.

Last weekend George gave his life in saving a group of Manaia children facing attack from vicious pitbulls. The plucky pooch put himself between the dogs and the children and, in the end, it was George the pitbulls savaged.

His injuries were so bad George was later put down by a vet.

Mr Hudman contacted the Taranaki Daily News yesterday requesting owner Alan Gay's address.

On the phone from Austin, Texas,yesterday Mr Hudman (58), a US Marine for 30 years, described George as a little warrior.

"Yes ma'am, he was a brave little doggy," Mr Hudman said.

He says his wife Alice came across George's story when she was reading news on the Internet.

George's picture now graces the wall in the Hudmans' computer room, next to a photo of one of their sons - they have two and both have been Marines - taken during his tour of duty in Iraq.

Mr Hudman says the dog-loving couple immediately decided George's memory deserved the medal, awarded to him in Vietnam in 1967 for being wounded in combat.

"I was with the Ninth Marines and we were up by Kontum and a mortar round came in and and landed in a hole where myself and some other Marines were. I was one of the lucky ones who survived."

The Purple Heart is one of three he received in Vietnam and it will arrive in Manaia by post within the next few weeks.

Mrs Hudman (59) describes George as a "hero of all heroes".

"When I read that story I just started crying and when I found out that poor George didn't make it that made me feel just so bad. But, of course, that's what he wanted to do for that child and those children. I just wish he could have made it," Mrs Hudman said.

Mr Gay described the Hudmans'gesture as amazing and was still being overwhelmed by messages.

He was woken at 3.30am yesterday morning by a reporter from a Washington DC paper seeking some comment.

"He said they'd run the story and had been inundated with feedback," Mr Gay said.

While he's feeling better each day about the loss of his beloved pet, nothing would bring George back.

"He's not there when I get up in the night and make my cup of tea, and not in his little bed."

Mr Gay has had many offers of replacement pets but, as yet, he's turned them down.

"Maybe one day when things quiet down I'll get another dog, but not yet."

The Taranaki Daily News has received e-mails from around the world from people wanting to pass on their condolences to Mr Gay.

American media heavyweight USA Today has started a blog about George, which is getting hundreds of comments.

The pitbulls that attacked George were destroyed on Thursday.

NZPA | Saturday, 5 May 2007

An elderly man lost an index finger when he was bitten by a pitbull in Auckland yesterday.

The 73-year-old was trying to help the dog after it was hit by a bus on Auckland's busy Great North Rd in the suburb of Grey Lynn at about 9.30am.

The man's son told Newstalk ZB his father was trying to move the badly injured pit bull to the side of the road to care for it.

The dog took a chunk from his dad's finger and bit his other hand. He had lost his index finger on his left hand and has bad puncture wounds on his right hand.

The man claimed the dog's owner refused to let the SPCA help the dog and had gone into hiding.

Leo is one tough and loyal old companion. Three times in the past 18 months, the West Auckland guide dog has been savaged by pit bull terriers.
VIEW VIDEO

Once, guiding his handler Petrus Tuerlings along the street, somebody shot at Leo with an air rifle, hitting him the leg.

Leo, an 11-year-old great dane-pointer cross guide, is a survivor and for the Royal New Zealand Foundation of the Blind (RNZFB) a symbol of the war-zone their guide dogs work in.

Not only is it an expensive battle with dogs costing the foundation $22,500 each to breed and train, but after an attack many dogs have to be retrained or withdrawn.

For their handlers that can be a catastrophe as there is a long waiting list for trained guide dogs and a hurt dog cannot be quickly put back into action.

Foundation guide dog instructor Angie Coupar told Fairfax Media that in the last year 15 of their dogs ? worth around $330,000 - have required significant veterinary intervention following dog attacks.

"The out of control dog population is a significant risk to our dogs, historically and lately," she said.

"Menacing behaviour toward guide dogs happens on a daily basis some where in New Zealand."

The plight of guide dogs at the jaws of fighting dogs has been highlighted by the recent spate of attacks around the country, including the fatal mauling of a Bay of Plenty woman.

Mr Tuerlings was with his dog when it was hit by an air rifle and managed to get to the vet quickly. But then there have been the pitbull attacks. He has been bitten by them and finds them utterly frightening.

"I am more frightened for (Leo) than for me."

In the latest attack in December a pitbull charged at Leo, tearing his stomach.

"There was no warning, he just came running out."

Although a big dog, Leo didn't fight.

"He was giving little whimpers and little nips at the dog because he was latched onto the stomach, but he wasn't really fighting at all."

RNZFB says both the guide dog and handler suffer crises of confidence after attacks.

"I think my confidence has waned more than Leo's."

Just the other day they were out walking and Mr Tuerlings heard dogs barking ahead. He stopped, nervous.

"Leo stopped; I was going 'huh what's happening there?' So he turned around and went home. He could pick up that I was nervous and he thought we should go home."

It is tough; his West Auckland suburb is known for it's out of control dog problem.

For Guide Dog Services the problem is made more awkward by the need to breed and train non-aggressive dogs.

"If one of our dogs shows aggression they cannot be used," Ms Coupar says.

"It makes it more difficult for one to defend itself.

"It's not used to that kind of behaviour, they have been socialised all their lives with other friendly dogs?. They are restricted in a harness; they cannot jump or leap out of the way."

They train dogs to communicate with other dogs.

"They can give signals like; 'I'm friendly, I'm not threat to you, let me walk down the footpath and I'll go about my business, I'm not interested in any aggie bargee with you'."

But they cannot do any more.

"There is no way we can train the dogs to do anything. We cannot train them to respond aggressively or defend themselves. They are guide dogs and they are out there in the public eye the whole time and they have to be beyond public reproach."

After an attack from another dog, the guide dog's temperament can change.

"They now see other dogs as a potential threat?. Depending on the individual dog's temperament, if these events continue to occur, eventually the guide dog will think 'I'd better get in there first, before this dog attacks me' and then you can begin to have an aggressive response from a guide dog."

Once that happens the guide dog has to be withdrawn.

After an attack the handler can lose confidence too and that affects the dogs.

A guide dog needs a confident and relaxed handler and the dog will pick up the human's tensions. The dog can be distracted by that, placing the handler in danger.

They try to patch up the dog's physical injuries and then re-socialise it by flooding it with lots of friendly dogs.

"But is it fair on the guide dogs? Even the ones that are patched up and put back on the road they say 'like I'm okay, I'm reasonably comfortable with this' but you can see it in their body language."

Ms Coupar puts the problem on the owners of aggressive dogs.

"Personally I don't think there is any need for these fighting dogs in the country at all."

She says in many of the cases of attacks on guide dogs, the owners of the aggressive dogs have had it fenced but they often get out.

"While you have these breeds out there this kind of thing is always going to happen."

Often the handlers have to move because the area has become too dangerous.

"That's so unfair, should he have to move his house because some people will not control their dogs properly."

Leo takes the knocks and is now facing retirement. Mr Tuerlings is keeping him though; he found young Leo at a dog pound and Guide Dog Services later recognised his guiding talents.

Age has barely wearied him, although his handler says he no longer goes to restaurants because he is not keen on lying under a table for an hour or so.

"He's lost his patience for all that."

Relatives of the latest victim savaged by a pit bull terrier, as she rushed to protect her grandchildren, say the breed should be banned.

The woman, 59, was mauled by a neighbour's pit bull in Palmerston North, suffering deep bite wounds to her legs and arms.

As the dog went for the two children, aged four and two, the woman had tried to distract it.

But the dog chased her on to the owner's neighbouring property, dragged her to the ground and mauled her on the front lawn.

Its owner was unable to pull the dog off.

It is understood that the owner has two other dogs, and there had been several complaints about the pit bull roaming free.

The woman was recovering at home yesterday, and her husband said the family was sickened by the incident. As the dog mauled his wife, its owner had not been able to pull it off. The pit bull was destroyed.

The husband said the public had to be made more aware of the damage pit bull terriers could do. He wanted the Government to outlaw the breed.

"I don't mind pet dogs but are these pets? My wife stood in to save our four-year-old grandson and now she's covered in stitches.

"She was very lucky it didn't get her in the face or neck. It's terrifying to think of what could have happened. Our grandson has a ripped T-shirt, but if it got the kids in the neck it would have all been over. And there were other kids playing just up the road."

He said the attack began when the neighbour pulled up in a car, and as he got out, the dog escaped and went for the two children.

Detective Nigel Affleck said the woman had a deep wound in her left calf muscle, and bites on her upper arms, among other injuries, in the "horrific incident".

The dog's owner was cooperating and police and Palmerston North City Council's animal-control staff were investigating.

Prime Minister Helen Clark has ordered a review of dog-control laws, suggesting the law needed to be rewritten to deem more breeds and crossbreeds dangerous and menacing. The move follows other dog attacks, including the fatal mauling of Murupara woman Virginia Ohlson on April 22.

Meanwhile, the owner of two dogs that savaged ducks and swans at Napier's Anderson Park could face charges.

A police marksman shot one dog dead and the second, which fled when the gun was fired, was captured at its owner's house after the park rampage ended just before 1am yesterday.

Animal-control manager Alan East said the second dog would be put down and an investigation would decide if the dogs' owner should be charged.

Also yesterday, Nicholas Moke, the owner of two pit bull dogs that jumped a fence and attacked two children, appeared in Papakura District Court and pleaded guilty to six charges of owning unregistered and dangerous dogs.

Moke could be ordered to pay damages to the family of Jackson Williams, 8, who was dragged to the ground and bitten several times on the legs, causing deep puncture wounds. Jackson needed stitches and an overnight stay in hospital.

Te Aroha Pakuivi, 15, and Jackson's aunt, Joanne Waerea, rushed to help the boy but were also bitten.

NB: These stories all came out in the past day in NZ...

[Joseph]

There is a Vet that works in Concord, Ca. and lived here in Napa. 2 Years in a row, he came to our Summer School class and spoke to up.
One of question was, what type of dog bites more people. His answer was some small dogs like a Terrier. Pit Bulls were down around 10th to 15th on the list. We last saw him July 2005.
He also told us that most small dogs bite are never reported, because the bite might just small to medium scratch.
But he most big dogs bite are reported because the bite is bigger and more severe.

He agreed that if all bite were reported, that little dogs bite would be maybe 20 to 1 over big dogs.

[Joseph]

Originally posted by Berzerker
They should jail the ******* owner of the dogs... I really hate these *******s who get these dogs and then cant keep them on their own property.

I delivered newspapers as a kid and I had 3 Dobies, a Shepard, and a crazy Airedale (is that redundant?) all on the same 1/4 mile stretch of road. The damn Airedale was always out in the morning and when it wasn't trying to bite me it was waiting for the paper to be thrown so it could rip it to shreds. The ******* owners would then call up and complain about their paper.

I bet he chase Cars to. To him you were a car.

[Joseph]

Thank guys.

[Straybow]

Originally posted by Arrian
Terriers are aggressive little dogs. Pit Bulls are big, powerful terriers. There ya go.

Bull dogs are NOT terriers! Terriers (tunnelers) are bred to attack vermin, chasing them into their burrows. "Bull" dogs are herders (cow herders rather than sheep herders).

[Straybow]

Originally posted by Wernazuma III
From my personal experience:
The Golden Retriever of my 2nd degree aunt was a complete normal dog, no problems over several years. And then there was the day the dog decided to run amok and bite a visiting cousin so badly that he had to stay in hospital for a few weeks.
You never know.

Retrievers and spaniels are subject to a known genetic condition called acute Cocker madness. They will suddenly see everyone around them as a threat and not recognize owners, respond to their name, etc. The episode will typically last a few minutes, but in that time they are very likely to attack and injure somebody.

[Straybow]

Originally posted by Frozzy
The 73-year-old was trying to help the dog after it was hit by a bus on Auckland's busy Great North Rd in the suburb of Grey Lynn at about 9.30am.

I've seen this happen, typically less than a minute after the dog has been struck by the vehicle. The animal is primarily reacting out of fear and pain, and will even bite anyone who reaches toward them. Naturally, a more aggressive animal will bite more readily than a very passive one in that situation.

[SlowwHand]

Pomeranians are little terrors.

[Sprayber]

My aunt raised Rotts and Dobbermans for several years and the only problem I had with them as a kid was them knocking me down when they were playing. They were always great acting dogs. Now if I saw a Rott or Dobberman anywhere else but at my aunts, I would definitly have a problem with being around them. She would always tell us not to assume that dog was nice just because hers were. The problem I have now is that my step daughter likes to pet dogs and being in a slightly rural area, we have a hard time trying to tell her that all dogs aren't nice like her Emmy.

One of the local towns around here is about to enact a city ordinace banning pit bulls and generally I have no problem with it. I know a lady who used to breed them but quit a long time ago because so many people were raising them the way they do.

[Wernazuma III]

Originally posted by Straybow
Retrievers and spaniels are subject to a known genetic condition called acute Cocker madness. They will suddenly see everyone around them as a threat and not recognize owners, respond to their name, etc. The episode will typically last a few minutes, but in that time they are very likely to attack and injure somebody.

Didn't know that. Interesting.

[Dry]

Originally posted by Straybow
"Bull" dogs are herders (cow herders rather than sheep herders).

Uh?!?!

http://www.bulldoginformation.com/Evolution_of%20_the_Bulldog.html

At that time [50 A.D.] there were ``pugnaces", or war dogs, in Britain, which were used in war, for the contests in the amphitheatre and in the chase. These fighting dogs of Britain were known as the ``broad-mouthed dogs of Britain" during the Roman era, and there is very little doubt that they were the original and remote ancestors of our Mastiff and Bulldog.
[...]
The ``pugnaces" of Britain were specifically alluded to by Arrain in the year 130, and somewhere about 390, when the Western Empire was beginning to decline, Claudian, the poet, mentioned them, and distinguished them from all other dogs as being able to pull down a bull.
[...]
As early as Henry II's time (1154) the baiting of bulls and bears by dogs was a popular amusement.
[...]