Irresponsible Pet (dog) Owner

[Nemo]

Maybe some of you in the past have squadded with my friend Bruce Wallace. He's a M-class senior shooter from Jacksonville and the nicest guy you can ever meet. Until last week Bruce was all ready to go to Open/Prod Nats. Walking his dog Sunday before last changed his plans.

While walking his old labrador friend, Buddy, a neighbor's pitbull attacked them. The pitbull was just loose walking the street and when it saw the lab dashed accross the street and started basically chewing Buddy's neck with the force of toothed vise-grip pliers. Bruce tried to get the pit off of his dog only to have the beast drive one of its fangs straight through his left bird finger's distal carpal bone. He described it to me as "it didn't hurt at the time but it sounded like when you're eating celery. It hurt later."!

A samaritan driving by stopped and helped Bruce (now all bloody) by kicking the pit to get it off of Buddy. Bruce's pet ran as soon as the pit let go, but it followed and got him by the neck again. Bruce says that the screams of his pet were of excrutiating pain and terror.

My friend was left with no other choice, from his pants pocket he drew his Sig P239 and strong-hand-only fired a 9mm slug down the spine of the pitbull. He couldnt shoot it in the head because it had Buddy's neck in its jaws. The pit died in about 20 seconds but Bruce tells me its jaws kept working after life left it.

The JSO deputy that got to the scene asked Bruce for ID and he presented him with his CCW. The officer replied "Good thing you had your pistol when you needed it." (gotta love Florida).

Buddy had to undergo emergency surgery to get his cuts and bites fixed. The skin on his neck looked like it was lifted off his body like a carpet. $800 later... I believe Bruce told me he had a total of 74 stitches taken. Now Bruce has a steel nail down his shattered finger and it won't ever be the same, he also has some holes on his hands he wasn't born with. $9,000 medical bill. The pit's body was analyzed by animal control and declared to be rabies-free.

The pit's owner hasn't even addressed Bruce to apologize. Guess he'll have to talk to his attorneys... His other neighbors are sending him "get well soon" cards and thanking him for getting rid of this menace. They've also send goodies and treats to Buddy.

Bruce and Buddy could've been a mom and a toddler or a pre-school kid on a trike or a senior citizen. Not even a teenager could've handled this kind of attack. Bruce had the Sig, a mom would've had to watch her baby chewed to death.

I hate my friend had to go through this, that he almost lost his pet and what's worst the use of his hand. I hate my friend is going to miss the match for which he practiced so hard all year because of the actions (or lack thereof) of an irresponsible neighbor.

OTOH, I'm glad Bruce had his niner in his pocket and that he dispatched the animal to doggie heaven or better yet to doggie hell.

[blackdragon]

That is a sad story!!!! Some people need to be "Educated"

Ivan

[Merlin Orr]

What a damned shame!

IMO....Civil and criminal charges should be filed against the owner of the rampaging dog.

[SiG Lady]

God, that's sickening!!!!

Except the part about the gun.

Sue the (stupid irresponsible) dog owner to hell and gone.

[XRe]

That just sucks... I'm glad Bruce had his pistola - and that Buddy is all right and had relatively cheap vet bills for something that serious.

People who own dogs should be responsible for the damage they cause (I own three...) - just like people should be responsible for any damage their (minor) children cause, too. The owner of that dog should be liable for both damages and pain and suffering. If you're going to own a dog that's been bred to be agressive (oh, yeah, all pit bulls are gentle little babies... until they aren't), you need to be responsible about handling it, etc. This person wasn't...

[blackdragon]

I believe it is the owner not the breed! He needs a whoopin!!!

Ivan

[BSeevers]

We have a special "vicious dog" law and I am pretty sure FL does too(you think the deputy would know but we have many laws LE doesn't know or enforce). I would visit a lawyer for civil proceedings.

The owner deserves it.

Could have been a child but it almost as bad in my IMO nobody or nobody's pets should be attacked like that.

[ysued]

+1 on the 9mm

I hope your buddy recovers soon and that Buddy gets well soon!!

Back when I lived in Sidney, NE a pair of nasty Black labs got loose on the neighborhood, they Killed my Neighbors cat and tried to chew up anotehr Neighbors Dog, I was late coming out with my Benelli M1 Super 90 with 8 rounds of Federal Full Power HP Slugs.

This just pisses me off!!

Y

[Jasonub]

That really sucks and is scary. Once in awile i jog and some dogs are loose in my neighborhood. Makes me think twice. Problem is i sold all my carry guns and only have my competition pisol. and boy thats heavy and big.

time to buy a jogging pistol soon.

These aggressive dogs should really be tied up and not let loose to prevent things like this from happening.

Once, a loose dog, not a pitbull charged me when i was inside our yard.

Somehow he got in our yard which was fenced. I ran towards my house and got my silenced 22 rifle and shot the sucker in the chest. He/she ran away with a shriek.

We never recovered the body but the neigbor who owns the dog came and asked why i shot his dog. Told him the dog attacked me inside my property. i just dispatched him/her where he belongs.

the neigbor just left. and since then started to tie up his dogs.

[blackdragon]

Rant mode on!!!!!

These people get these Macho dogs and tie them in the back yard, Tease them, Feed them crap, and neglect them! It gives the breed a bad name!!! Most of these " high risk dogs" are people person dogs, If you neglect you kids what do you have?.....Sorry. Its off!

Ivan

I agree the owners need the attitude adjustment!!! See the above!!!

Ivan

[ima45dv8]

What a damned shame!

IMO....Civil and criminal charges should be filed against the owner of the rampaging dog.

Yep, right after he gets that long-overdue beating. That sorry sumbitch deserves extended physical therapy for his negligence.

[blackdragon]

+1

Ivan

[tightloop]

[Bigbadaboom]

That just SUCKS!!!!!

It's amazing how the stupidity of some can have such a negative effect on the lives of good people.

Tell Bruce that he and Buddy are in our prayers for a good and fast recovery.

[Nemo]

Pics of Buddy and Bruce's hand.

[XD Niner]

I shoot with Bruce often and can only echo Nemo's comments about this very fine gentleman. He is a great squad mate and role model. My best wishes for both Buddy and Bruce. Heal fast guys!

Edited September 23, 2006 by XD Niner

[raz-0]

Man, that sucks. It's an odd day when I find myself agreeing with any of NJ's laws.

Here, you wouldn't have been able to have the sig, but at the same time, the owner of the pitbull would have been able to be charged with felony assault with a deadly weapon.

I love critters, but frankly if the pitbull didn't come off with a good kicking, I'd have shot the thing before putting my hand in there.

[bountyhunter]

The pit's owner hasn't even addressed Bruce to apologize. Guess he'll have to talk to his attorneys... His other neighbors are sending him "get well soon" cards and thanking him for getting rid of this menace. They've also send goodies and treats to Buddy.

Bruce and Buddy could've been a mom and a toddler or a pre-school kid on a trike or a senior citizen. Not even a teenager could've handled this kind of attack. Bruce had the Sig, a mom would've had to watch her baby chewed to death.

OTOH, I'm glad Bruce had his niner in his pocket and that he dispatched the animal to doggie heaven or better yet to doggie hell.

This is really terrrible. Hope his finger heals soon. I have been attacked walking a dog three times in my life, one was very bad. But, out here in kali, we are not allowed to carry guns.

I still remember it to this day when I was walking my Labrador and I saw a door open across the street and this bulldog terrier put bull thing came streaking at us like a cruise missile. No barking, nothing..... just ears back full run.....

It went straight for my dog's neck and latched on and I saw a chain around the bull's neck. I wrapped my hand around it and yanked straight up as hard as I could and broke him free from my dog and actually threw him up in the air.

The owner arrived then and took th dog away. The amount of force it took me to yank him upward exploded the two lower discs in my spine and I collapsed in agony and could not move. I crawled home on my hands and knees, and the bastard who owned the dog never showed his face a agin.

I couldn't move for some time, but my wife went over there to raise hell. It turns out the owner was some a-hole who was visiting them from down south and sleeping in his truck in their front yard..... and guess what? he left town.... sure is nice to have white trash across the street from us (they have since moved).

My dog was not hurt badly (I was). We can't carry guns, so every dog walk is gambling with your life.

I don't know what to say, except that whenever you see a dog coming at you: shoot first and let the owner carry the body home.

That just SUCKS!!!!!

It's amazing how the stupidity of some can have such a negative effect on the lives of good people.

It is genuinely amazing how stupid people are. I swaer, the last thing said by the owners of the dogs that attacked me on two different occasions were:

Don't worry, he's friendly

He just wants to play

And they are SOOOOO surprised when their dogs rip somebody to shreds.

Edited September 22, 2006 by bountyhunter

[Vlad]

I have a big mean looking dog. Well sorta, most people go "How cute!" and some cross the street. I don't get why so many different reactions. That said leaving your dog to run around uncontrolled should be a criminal offence and in my state a dog attack is considered assault by the owner (as Raz-0 pointed out). I walk my (well behaved) dog for miles every day and so far I got charged by loose dogs about 7 or 8 times. Most of the time my dog gets in a defensive posture and stand between me and the other dogs and the other dogs just back up. One got hit by a car as it ran across the road at us. Two got pinned to the ground by my dog (no damage to either dog).

People need to friking control their animals. I have a big dog, an American Bulldog. You know what? It is a dangerous animal because of his size and strength alone, no matter how sweet his demeanor, and that means you have to friking train them and you have to make sure they are under your control, ALL THE TIME. I just loved the idiot across the street from me when his german shepperd charged us from across the street. After he retrieved his dog, and I yelled at him to not let his dog loose, he tells me his dog NEVER gets out. Well it just did nimrod, which means "Never" doesn't really apply.

What also PO's me is that a few untrained dogs give all others a bad name. We all hear about pitbull attacks and have an idea that for some reason pitbulls are so much meaner then other dogs. The things is .. there are just a lot of pittbulls around, more then people realize, in some state they are more popular then labs. Of course you are going to hear about a lot of pitbull attacks, no one bothers to have a news conference with the dumb pug down the street bites someone because it dosen't do much damage. That doesn't mean that one breed really is more violent then other.

That being said, it stinks that your friend and his best four legged buddy where attacked. I'm glad thate he lives in a state where he was able to defend himself and his dog with the most efficient tool we have yet invented. Buddy seems to be recovering well, and now he has some scars to show off to his doggie friends together with his new green fuzzy toy.

Edited September 22, 2006 by Vlad

[sarnburg]

This is the second time I have herd something like this. My shooting partners mother was walking her boxer when a German shepherd attacked them both. Well after dashing into a nearby open garage she dispatched the Shepard with the help for a baseball bat. Turns out the dog had been acting funny for a week according to the owner and having rabies. I glad to hear that Bruce did not have to go thru the added nightmare of rabies treatment.

Edited September 22, 2006 by sarnburg

[tightloop]

My younger son has a pit bull mix dog...big, about 90 lbs but always on a leash or in the house...very well trained but you can never forget how big he is and how fast things can go South...best to be watchful rather than hostile...

[BigDave]

That's terrible what happened to Buddy and his owner. I also can't help but feel bad for the pit. What happened to that dog was 100% it's owners fault. The dog didn't know any better.

Myself and co-worker were both bitten by a German Sheperd about 4 years ago. We had 3 of those dogs when I was a young and I know they are fantastic, loving animals. The dog that bit us had the unfortunate luck of having an a$$hat as an "owner." That time, too, I felt and still feel that it was 100% the fault of it's owner, not the dog.

I've never met a dog I didn't like. The same can't be said of every human I've come across.

[Cuz]

Nemo,

Please, Please, Please don't think I'm trying to be a jerk, but I've read your post and I have a question. I also walk my dog on occasion, and often am out walking with my two small children (or playing with them in the park) so I've given this (or similar scenarios) some thought. At the first sight of a charging pit bull or other ferocious dog coming my way I would have my hand on my gun and would place myself between the animal and my kids/pet. The dog would have only a few seconds to decide on a course of action. At the very first sign of agression I would shoot it. I know it's not really fair to the animal but I don't care. I would rather shoot the dog and deal with the consequences than ever allow it to sink it's teeth into my loved ones.

Also, I've watched dogs fight before. Once the pit bull engaged Buddy why wouldn't you use the gun right from the start to try and break up the fight rather then step into the middle of it? I'm assuming part of the reason is because when this stuff happens it tends to happen real fast and often times rehearsed plans go to crap. Usually the whole mess is already over before your brain can even process what just happened. I only ask because I want to try and learn from the mishap.

-Cuz.

[Bigbadaboom]

The untrained, sane, human brain doesn't think "KILL" first. The untrained, sane, human brain will think "PROTECT" first. A solid, trained, soldier or L.E. officer would probably think "KILL" the attacker rather that "PROTECT" the victim but not the average person. I guarantee that when the attack began all that entered Bruces mind was "I have to protect Buddy" not "I have to kill that Pitbull". when the only way to protect Buddy was to draw and shoot that is what he did because it was still about protecting his friend.

Bruces actions were totally normal and he did absolutely nothing wrong.

I have extreme training in attacking aggression with extreme prejudice therefore I know that if I were walking my dog Ben or walking with my 5 y.o. son and some Pitbull came at us I would shoot the Pitbull first but I know that if my wife were walking down the road with my 5 y.o. and a Pitbull came at them she would get between them by grabbing up my son rather than drawing her gun and killing the aggressor

[Cuz]

The untrained, sane, human brain doesn't think "KILL" first. The untrained, sane, human brain will think "PROTECT" first. A solid, trained, soldier or L.E. officer would probably think "KILL" the attacker rather that "PROTECT" the victim but not the average person. I guarantee that when the attack began all that entered Bruces mind was "I have to protect Buddy" not "I have to kill that Pitbull". when the only way to protect Buddy was to draw and shoot that is what he did because it was still about protecting his friend.

Bruces actions were totally normal and he did absolutely nothing wrong.

I have extreme training in attacking aggression with extreme prejudice therefore I know that if I were walking my dog Ben or walking with my 5 y.o. son and some Pitbull came at us I would shoot the Pitbull first but I know that if my wife were walking down the road with my 5 y.o. and a Pitbull came at them she would get between them by grabbing up my son rather than drawing her gun and killing the aggressor

Well said. I agree. I guess that's why I go over these types of scenarios in my mind quite often. I'm always thinking about how I should/would react in such situations. Of course, you never know until it happens and then you rarely do what you thought you would do.

-Cuz.