Wash. appeal scourt says pit bull a deadly weapon - Page 11

Aries_jb · 06-14-2007, 03:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mandyv

When's the last time you saw a story in the paper or on the news about a GS that attacked or killed someone and the owners or neighbors say "He was such a sweet thing and wouldn't hurt a fly"? Screw loose.

Right here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pvDcZ3f_f1I

Koukla72 · 06-14-2007, 03:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bailey422

Quote:

Originally Posted by Koukla72

Bailey, I didn't mean people who do take their pits out on walks without a muzzle are by default knowingly irresponsible and horrible. It certainly sounds as though you care about other people's feelings and it also sounds like your dog is, either through training or socialization or whatever, a lovely dog. But it's still true that most pit bulls, if they conform to the breed standard, have the ability to be animal-aggressive without warning. I do think you might want to think about the reality that on sidewalks and jogging trails that most people use to walk their dogs, people, children and other dogs are always "coming at you" and in close quarters, even if they don't want to be. A lead that's only a couple feet long is still plenty long on a sidewalk or trail only four feet wide or less, for example. And it's not their responsibility to make sure anything bad doesn't happen or even that we don't inadvertently scare them, it's ours as dog owners.

I'd also like to point out that these things also protect our dogs from people's fears of them.

In response to the bolded: if they fear my dog based on the way he looks, I would hope they make a small circle around us, not run straight at us and then get freaked out. My dog won't lunge or growl, so if merely coming into close proximity to him makes them afraid, it is their responsibility to go around. Surely you don't expect me to go two yards off the sidewalk every time I see someone. I'm not a mind reader, so I don't know if what makes them afraid. If I see someone who is obviously acting nervous (holds their child tighter for example), I will go to the side and stop until they pass. I do the same to people on bikes, in this case because bikes scare my dogs. But if somebody is coming towards us, my assumption is that they are ok being near a dog, and my only responsibility is to keep my dog from coming into physical contact with them, which I do. If I did scare someone (which in my 4 years of dog ownership has not happened), I can assure you it's because of their lack of common sense, not mine.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aries_jb

I for one consider myself to be responsible when it comes to my dog. I respect the fact that some people are scared by big dogs and that they might find them intimidating. If people coming towards me don't cross the street, then I do. If I see children playing in their yard, I cross the street. When I take my dog to the vet, I wait outside until we are called in. I don't try to bring him around little yappy dogs that might excite him because they're growling at him. If someone wants to pet my dog, I warn them that he jumps up. Then I proceed to have him sit and I hold him while they pet him. I don't take him to places that are frequented by other people walking their dogs, and it's not so much that I'm afraid he'll attack another dog, but that another dog will attack him. He's strong dog and if he decides to defend himself, he could potentially kill another dog. I don't want that hanging over my dog OR me. I don't care who caused it. To me that wouldn't be the point.

As far as what you're willing to do or not do while you're walking your dog, Bailey, I'm really sorry, but I think the difference in how you feel about what you think is acceptable and, just for example, Aries_jb's post a couple pages back about how she acts when she's out in public with her dog, kind of makes my point for me. Do you think she's misguided or foolish to take those measures to be considerate of other people, and to protect her own dog from others? Because I don't. People who hold up examples of their own wonderful dogs as anecdotal evidence that extra precautions needn't be taken in general are the ones that are misguided, IMO. I also don't think of the known history of a breed's breeding purposes as "fearful propaganda".

I think if you have a dog, especially a large dog of any breed (German Shepherds, too) but particularly a breed that's developed a bad reputation (unfounded or not), you have certain responsibilities to society and the dog itself. As aries_jb, and 2Happy, and I pointed out, it's just as much for the dogs' sakes as for the other person's. It's definitely a pain, it's definitely unjust, and it's definitely frustrating. Unfortunately that doesn't matter in the real world, and I still think that someone who doesn't acknowledge that and act accordingly is acting is some way very irresponsibly. And, come to think of it, rudely.

As my Dad sometimes says, if I have to choose, I'd rather do right, than be right.

gekko422 · 06-14-2007, 03:27 PM

Quote:

When's the last time you saw a story in the paper or on the news about a GS that attacked or killed someone and the owners or neighbors say "He was such a sweet thing and wouldn't hurt a fly"? Screw loose.

Quote:

Little Boy Mauled by German Shepherd
by Steve, Friday, July 22, 2005

I don't normally blog about specific dog attack cases, but I wanted to point this one out, in light of "gestapo-style tactics" targeted towards owners of pit bulls.

In this case, a six-year old boy in St. Joseph, Saskatchewan, was mauled by a german shepherd. The dog, which belonged to a neighbor, put deep cuts into the boy's face, around his left-eye. He will be requiring plastic surgery.

http://www.wric.com/Global/story.asp?S=6600485

Quote:

JCC boy injured in attack by dog
The incident, involving an 11-year-old, was the second canine attack in recent months in the county.
BY KEITH RUSHING AND STEPHANIE HEINATZ
247-7870
February 18, 2006
JAMES CITY -- Earlier this week, a
German shepherd attacked an 11-year-old James City boy, leaving him ith puncture wounds on his arms and legs.

Around 5:15 p.m. Thursday, Christopher Banks and a group of neighborhood children were playing in the 100 block of Williamson Drive, police said. Banks' mother, Tracy McGilvary, said her son was visiting a young girl he went with when the dog broke away from its chain, jumped a fence and ran toward them.

http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dl...1804/706080524

There are FOUR stories right there involving German Shephers or Shepherd mixes.

geeky · 06-14-2007, 03:30 PM

Quote:

http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dl...1804/706080524

Silly Gekko, that was a Shepherd-Rottie mix. And everyone knows that Rotties are just pit bulls, so that was a pit bull attack.

btw, I am waiting for some moose pics on my other thread.

spiderlashes5000 · 06-14-2007, 03:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mandyv

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bailey422

So I wonder, do you think German Shepherds should be in the same category as pits? I'm asking because I worry a lot more about my german shepherd mix than my pit mix. In fact, she's the one that doesn't get to go to the dog park b/c she scares people.

Nope. They don't have a screw loose like many pits. They also listen and can be trained. When's the last time you saw a story in the paper or on the news about a GS that attacked or killed someone and the owners or neighbors say "He was such a sweet thing and wouldn't hurt a fly"? Screw loose.

Actually, a German Shepherd bit me and that's exactly what his owner said to me.

:x Still have the scars on my arm that the sweet thing left more than 10 years ago.

gekko422 · 06-14-2007, 03:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by spiderlashes5000

Quote:

Originally Posted by mandyv

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bailey422

So I wonder, do you think German Shepherds should be in the same category as pits? I'm asking because I worry a lot more about my german shepherd mix than my pit mix. In fact, she's the one that doesn't get to go to the dog park b/c she scares people.

Nope. They don't have a screw loose like many pits. They also listen and can be trained. When's the last time you saw a story in the paper or on the news about a GS that attacked or killed someone and the owners or neighbors say "He was such a sweet thing and wouldn't hurt a fly"? Screw loose.

Actually, a German Shepherd bit me and that's exactly what his owner said to me.

:x

Same thing when I was standing in my neighbor's kitchen having coffee with her and her dalmation came up off the floor and bit my forehead. Luckily it was just a scrape, it could have been so much worse.

mandyv · 06-14-2007, 03:34 PM

And how many were on pit bull attacks...? May I say the GS looked like it was getting annoyed and gave physical warnings and didn't go for the man's throat, not letting go? Should I say that or is it obvious?

I couldn't bear to watch the one with the pit attacking the baby. What idiot parents allowed that dog around their child?

mandyv · 06-14-2007, 03:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gekko422

Luckily it was just a scrape, it could have been so much worse.

...if it had been a pit.

Nobody here is saying dogs are play things, so that's a red herring.

Peppy · 06-14-2007, 03:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mandyv

Nope. They don't have a screw loose like many pits. They also listen and can be trained. When's the last time you saw a story in the paper or on the news about a GS that attacked or killed someone and the owners or neighbors say "He was such a sweet thing and wouldn't hurt a fly"? Screw loose.

Quote:

Camden Co. Boy Attacked By German Shepherd

Angela Russell
Reporting

(CBS 3) SOMERDALE, N.J. A 7-year old Camden County boy was seriously injured during a dog attack in Camden County Monday.

Police said Frankie Lavella was attacked by his neighbor's German Shepherd outside his Somerdale home Monday evening.

Lavella’s father Frank said the German Shepherd, named Ozzie, would often come into their yard to play with the dog. He was stunned by the vicious attack.

"(Frankie) was laying on the ground, Ozzie was in between him and my dog and (Frankie) was laying with blood on his face and on his shirt," the victim's father Frank said.

Neighbors said they have never seen Ozzie act aggressive.

"I am very shocked because usually the owners are out there with the dog," neighbor Spring Minter said.

Frank Lavella insisted that his son did not provoke the animal.

"He just went to put his bike away in the shed and when he was coming back in the backyard, coming back from the shed to the back door, the dog growled at him and jumped on him," he said.

The 7-year-old is listed in stable condition at Cooper University Hospital in Camden. He was treated for bite wounds to his cheek and chest as well as two broken bones in his right arm.

It is unknown if charges will be filed or what will happen to the animal. The Somerdale Police Department is investigating the incident.

(© MMVII, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)

http://cbs3.com/topstories/local_story_113232414.html

edited to fix quotes

mandyv · 06-14-2007, 03:41 PM

Any dog will attack. We know that. My brother was attacked by a chihuahua (sp) with puppies. Any dog will attack. The issue is to what degree, how often, and how severe.

Nobody can say any particular dog won't attack. Did I ever say german shephera GS won't attack?!

gekko422 · 06-14-2007, 03:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mandyv

Any dog will attack. We know that. My brother was attacked by a chihuahua (sp) with puppies. Any dog will attack. The issue is to what degree, how often, and how severe.

Nobody can say any particular dog won't attack. Did I ever say german shephera GS won't attack?!

The question YOU asked was, When's the last time you saw a story in the paper or on the news about a GS that attacked or killed someone and the owners or neighbors say "He was such a sweet thing and wouldn't hurt a fly"?

We are answering.

If you didn't want us to answer you, maybe you shouldn't have asked.

Peppy · 06-14-2007, 03:45 PM

This entire thread is just laughable. You ask if we've seen anything about GS attacks. We show you some. Then you get all defensive again.

Peppy · 06-14-2007, 03:47 PM

Gekko, you need to get out of my head. Every time I post something, I see you posted almost the same thing but always right before me. At least let me go first next time so it doesn't look like I'm just copying you!!!

M2LR · 06-14-2007, 03:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mandyv

The issue is to what degree, how often, and how severe.

If your issue TRULY is "to what degree, how often, and how severe" then the BREED of the dog won't matter; and therefore banning breeds of dogs is moot.

Kaia · 06-14-2007, 03:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mandyv

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bailey422

So I wonder, do you think German Shepherds should be in the same category as pits? I'm asking because I worry a lot more about my german shepherd mix than my pit mix. In fact, she's the one that doesn't get to go to the dog park b/c she scares people.

Nope. They don't have a screw loose like many pits. They also listen and can be trained. When's the last time you saw a story in the paper or on the news about a GS that attacked or killed someone and the owners or neighbors say "He was such a sweet thing and wouldn't hurt a fly"? Screw loose.

Is that the technical term?

LisaAnn · 06-14-2007, 03:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gekko422

If you didn't want us to answer you, maybe you shouldn't have asked.

Man you are SO demanding.

Kaia · 06-14-2007, 03:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Peppy

This entire thread is just laughable. You ask if we've seen anything about GS attacks. We show you some. Then you get all defensive again.

Agreed.

gekko422 · 06-14-2007, 03:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Peppy

Gekko, you need to get out of my head. Every time I post something, I see you posted almost the same thing but always right before me. At least let me go first next time so it doesn't look like I'm just copying you!!!

Send me cookies and we can talk!!

Peppy · 06-14-2007, 03:55 PM

I get the distinct impression that the purpose of this thread was NOT to discuss breed-specific legislation. I think we were just all expected to say, "Yay! That's great!"

gekko422 · 06-14-2007, 03:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Peppy

I get the distinct impression that the purpose of this thread was NOT to discuss breed-specific legislation. I think we were just all expected to say, "Yay! That's great!"

I let you go first. Now send me my cookies.