Dog attack

[AustinMike]

My wife was walking our two toy poodles the other day and a big black lab ran up from behind and latched onto our smallest dog, Lucy. My wife did her best to beat the dog off and people in the neighborhood came to help. She didn't hurt and our other dog wasn't touched, but Lucy was cut up bad. Thankfully the damn lab didn't get a good shake on her, so her neck didn't break. A neighbor took them home and my wife rushed Lucy to the pet hospital. No organ damage that they can tell, no broken bones, but bad bruising and many punctures and cuts. They shaved her down and she has stiches everywhere. One big gash has a drainage tube hanging out.

Lucy is my little buddy and I can't even begin to describe how worried and angry I am. We've got several people in the neighborhood with large dogs that get out a lot, including pit bulls. Thank God it wasn't a pit that got her! I've told my wife time and time again to carry a gun or at least bear grade pepper spray when she walks the dogs. Maybe this will convince her. I always pack for this reason and there is no way in hell I would have let this bastard harm my little ones.

She knew where the dog came from and I had no idea what to do, call animal control, a lawyer... While Lucy was in recovery I decided to just go to the house. They seemed like nice people, of course said the dog has never done anything like this before, etc. They said they would pay all of Lucy's medical expenses (damn right!) I already collected a check for the emergency hospital and said I'd be back for payment for follow up visits and anything else she needs. I'm not a malicious person and have no time or desire to sue or anything. Do I just leave it at that? Assuming Lucy recovers completely and everything is paid for? I'm also concerned that the dog will get out again. It won't be attacking my dogs on my watch again, but what if it attacks a child? They have two kids and a couple other small dogs and cats and claim this dog has never done this before.

Dammit, I'm supposed to be shooting Double Tap this weekend and I don't know if I can do it! I'm so pissed, tired, and I've cried my eyes out the past couple days. I just want Lucy back the way she was. I hate that this happened, I hate that she is in so much pain she can barely stand up, and I hate irresponsible SOB's that don't keep their crazy f**kin' animals locked the hell up!!!!

[HI5-O]

I feel your pain. We were attacked a few years ago by a loose dog while visiting family. Our beagle, Mollie, suffered a punctured chest, had to have surgery with a drain tube and then stitched up. I had puncture wounds to both hands and my wife had a strained back and scraped knees.

The owner's son was a punk and said "they just ran out of the house". The owners apologized and offered to pay medical bills for all of us. Now Mollie is always on the defensive when strange dogs approach, something she has never done before being attacked.

Since then, I always carry my G27, OC spray and my expandable baton (used a few times on loose dogs since then).

Heres to a speedy recovery.

[Joe4d]

Well first thing is if only the dog was injured even if you did sue all you would get is the medical bills, most states look at animals simply as property, and it looks like the owners are paying the bills anyway. I feel your frustration about you wife not carrying you have probably spent alot of time and money giving her and teaching her the use of tools to defend herself and then they sit at home when something bad happens. I think alot of us have been through the same issues with our wives. As far as canine problems I have a few simple rules. If your dog is on my land and you arnt behind it trying to catch it the dog is dead, if your dog is unrestrained in an area I am legally allowed to be and acting in any way shape or form agressive it's dead. If it is a dog that has acted agressive in the past and it is unrestrained in a public area it's dead. I have no idea why owners arnt held more liable when their dogs attack and kill or injure people.

[Jack Suber]

That normally isn't the nature of a black lab. Very surprising. I have two labs (yellow and black) and they have never done anything like that. They have jumped on people and they will run up to smaller dogs, but never grab or attack. Now, if you have feathers, you are in trouble..... Mine are extremely gentle around small children. They play with my cat who messes with them constantly.

On the other hand, I worked at an animal hospitol for a fews years while I was in high school. The absolute meanest dog I have ever seen in my life was a 110lb yellow lab. That dog was made that way by its owners (they must have worked hard at that). I had to use a pressure hose on the dog to keep it away when I fed it. It eventually attacked its owners and had to be put down.

Sorry to hear that about your dog.

[vluc]

File a report with your local animal control officer and police so it is on record.

I feel your pain, having had that happen to my old dog. Now, taking no chances with my new puppy, I carry Fox pepper spray, and have a walking stick.

[AlamoShooter]

Mike take some pride in that you went the extra mile to action. Maybe you confronting the owner of the dog will be what it takes to keep it from happening again. You Broke the Cycle. and they may look after their dog better.

I have Sean good dogs and good people go Bad at moments and act out of character.

[Jman]

Very sorry to hear. This happen to my wife and her dog several years ago on a morning run. Traumatic to say the least. Once the dog healed up they went back to running together. Best thing to do really. She carries the strongest pepper spray she could find too. Can't predict what animals will do especially four legged ones. Hit the trail again as soon as you can.

Jim M

[GentlemanJim]

Real sorry about you little buddy geting hurt

I guess as long as the people are cooperating, you should also.

Sounds like your pup will be ok....but having her all chewed up makes you want to bring out the 88 magnum and make sure it cant happen again.

It could be that those folks are just as upset as you are..let it run its course and see.

Best wishes for you and Lucky!

Jim

[G-ManBart]

Wow, sorry to hear about that and hope for Lucy to get better quickly.

That's really out of character for a lab. Every once in a while they'll be a mean one, but it's pretty unusual. My old lab was a tough SOB, but he never started anything with another dog....he actually ended to attacks from other dogs by knocking them down and pinning them to the ground without biting them. Something strage must have been going on with that other dog. At least the owners are being decent about it. If they're paying the bills I think that's about all that you can hope for....not that it makes it any easier.

[JThompson]

I'm very sorry for your family and the pup. I like my dog more than most people.

What needs to be done is to kick the living tar out of the owner... dogs aren't mean unless they are trained to be that way or have been abused. Some moron trained this dog improperly which led to this attack. I say we throw the fk a blanket party.... all in favor?

[XRe]

Man, that sucks Poor Lucy... poor you guys, too. Unfortunately, I think the other folks are right - unless the dog hurt Tonya, you're probably getting the most you can hope for.

[bountyhunter]

My wife was walking our two toy poodles the other day and a big black lab ran up from behind and latched onto our smallest dog, Lucy. My wife did her best to beat the dog off and people in the neighborhood came to help. She didn't hurt and our other dog wasn't touched, but Lucy was cut up bad. Thankfully the damn lab didn't get a good shake on her, so her neck didn't break. A neighbor took them home and my wife rushed Lucy to the pet hospital. No organ damage that they can tell, no broken bones, but bad bruising and many punctures and cuts. They shaved her down and she has stiches everywhere. One big gash has a drainage tube hanging out.

Lucy is my little buddy and I can't even begin to describe how worried and angry I am. We've got several people in the neighborhood with large dogs that get out a lot, including pit bulls. Thank God it wasn't a pit that got her! I've told my wife time and time again to carry a gun or at least bear grade pepper spray when she walks the dogs. Maybe this will convince her. I always pack for this reason and there is no way in hell I would have let this bastard harm my little ones.

I am sure gald you and the dog will be OK. There is nothing more terrifying than being out on a walk and being attacked by another dog. It has happened to me about five times in my life. The worst attack was by a big bulldog pit bull mix that came flying out of a guy's house like a cruise missile... NEVER MADE A SOUND, just straight for my dog and latched onto him.

This stpid dog had a choke chain on his neck so I grabbed it and yanked upward withy all my might.... with the adrenaline flowing, I managed to yank that 50 pound dog about four feet into the air, breaking him free from my dog. But the force it took to do that blew two discs in my lower back and I immediately collapsed onto the ground. We would have been dead if the dog's owner hadn't arrived to run the dog away.

I was unable to walk, so I crawled home (literally) with my dog Bart next to me. Bart was a real character, I still remember his mouth was torn up and bleeding but he wasn't at all upset. I think he must have been a Marine in a former life, he was the most fearless dog I ever knew. When I crawled into the garage, there was bart with blood dripping from his mouth sitting patiently next to the tupperware container that held the Milk Bones like nothing had happened at all... just waiting for his treat.

The SOB that owned this vicous dog was "visiting" the owner of the house and disappered REAL quick. That was the resident white trash house on our block, thank God those people moved away.

[bountyhunter]

They seemed like nice people, of course said the dog has never done anything like this before, etc. They said they would pay all of Lucy's medical expenses (damn right!) I already collected a check for the emergency hospital and said I'd be back for payment for follow up visits and anything else she needs. I'm not a malicious person and have no time or desire to sue or anything. Do I just leave it at that?

They always say they will pay the day it happens, then back out when they see the bill.

Call animal control, call the cops, get written reports and document EVERYTHING.

If you were injured, you should document that too.

[bountyhunter]

I've told my wife time and time again to carry a gun or at least bear grade pepper spray when she walks the dogs. Maybe this will convince her.

You are lucky if that is legal in your area. Out here in kali, we are forced to remain unarmed at all times. After the last severe attack, I called the local cops and asked about carrying open and they said it was a felony. Firing a weapon in the city limits is a felony, even if the dog is on my property.

I'd carry a gun if I could.

[Chris Keen]

That dog was made that way by its owners (they must have worked hard at that). I had to use a pressure hose on the dog to keep it away when I fed it. It eventually attacked its owners and had to be put down.

Am I the only one who sees something wrong with that comment ? Why is it a "tragedy" when it attacks it's owners, but any other attacks can be tolerated ?

......... They seemed like nice people, of course said the dog has never done anything like this before ...

Even if the dog had done "anything like this" before ..... they aren't going to admit to it.

[JThompson]

That dog was made that way by its owners (they must have worked hard at that). I had to use a pressure hose on the dog to keep it away when I fed it. It eventually attacked its owners and had to be put down.

Am I the only one who sees something wrong with that comment ? Why is it a "tragedy" when it attacks it's owners, but any other attacks can be tolerated ?

......... They seemed like nice people, of course said the dog has never done anything like this before ...

Even if the dog had done "anything like this" before ..... they aren't going to admit to it.

Call in "El Perrero" AKA or is that AKC... Ceser Milan. That friggn guy is a dog.

Edited March 27, 2008 by JThompson

[chp5]

Fox pepper spray worked very well on the one aggressive dog (yellow lab) that I've sprayed.

Glad there's no permenant injuries.

[trodrig]

Glad to hear that they're not giving you a fight on the medical bills! That's the least they can do!! I hope that Lucy recovers ok!

Take care!

Thomas

[Jack Suber]

That dog was made that way by its owners (they must have worked hard at that). I had to use a pressure hose on the dog to keep it away when I fed it. It eventually attacked its owners and had to be put down.

Am I the only one who sees something wrong with that comment ? Why is it a "tragedy" when it attacks it's owners, but any other attacks can be tolerated ?

Did I state that it was a tragedy the dog had to be put down? Nope. The purpose of my reply was to state that attacks of this sort are very unusual for that breed. I have owned and bred many labs and have only encountered one that was agressive. Had Austinmike stated that it was a Pit Bull or the like, then I would not have been surprised as I have had one come after my dogs in my yard. If I was implying any tragedy it would be that the moronic owners of the dog I referred to made the dog that way. Labs are not inherently agressive or mean. You have to work hard to get get them that way. The only tragedy in that case it that the lab was not able to take the S.O.B's that made him vicious with him.

Again, Austinmike, I am glad your dog is going to be OK. Like a previous poster stated, you do need to report this to law enforcement. When the Pit Bull came after my dogs the police issued the owner a citation. In front of the owner, the officer told me that since I have children, it would be within my rights to shoot the dog if it ever came back in my yard (where I live they are considered dangerous animals). I made it very clear to the owner that is exactly what would happen. He got rid of the dog.

[Chris Keen]

I was paraphrasing Jack. Not intending to put word in your mouth, so maybe I shouldn't have worded it that way, but it comes across as "We (as humans) draw the line at animals that turn on their owners".

Why can't that line be drawn a little closer to this side of safety (before a child or another animal gets hurt) ?

[Jack Suber]

I was paraphrasing Jack. Not intending to put word in your mouth, so maybe I shouldn't have worded it that way, but it comes across as "We (as humans) draw the line at animals that turn on their owners".

Why can't that line be drawn a little closer to this side of safety (before a child or another animal gets hurt) ?

Chris,

No foul. . My reply seems a little more harsh than I intended...sorry. I love dogs but when they get dangerous, especially to kids, I have to draw the line. I have no tolerance for those who abuse animals or do not act responsibly with their own animals. I feel for Austinmike and hate he has gone through that. On the other hand, I am a little surprised that a lab did that. Makes me wonder about the lab's owners. They are responsible and should be held accountable.

Take care.

[Brian Payne]

Make sure to call the Police. In my city, if this sort of thing happens the dog is classified by the Chief of Police as a potentially dangerous dog, and the owner is made to pay all medical bills. It must get microchipped and those records are held by the Police Department.

If the dog does the same thing a second time, the owner must meet very strict guidlines for kenneling, control of the animal and must get a $200,000.00 bond on the animal for liability reasons. The animal might even be ordered to be destroyed depending on the circumstances.

As far as carrying a firearm for protection, I hate to say it but if were in Minnesota you could legally only protect yourself or another "person". Granted your "Lucy" is every bit as important as any other "person" but it would not be looked at the same way by a Judge. Sucks. I agree with the previous poster that suggested pepper spray. Odd thing about this law is that if a stray dog shows up in one of my horse pastures and goes after my horses (livestock), I could legally shoot it. If it attacked one of my dogs (pet) I couldn't. Go figure.

I hope your dog recovers quickly. I also hope this was/is a one time incident for the other dog as well. I would hate to be the owner of a dog that attacked another dog or person unprovoked. I would hate even more the thought of having to put my own dog down because it attacked someone or another animal without provocation. Losing situation for everyone involved.

If your dog is healthy enough for the trip I recommend going to the shoot you had planned. Just bring her along. She will enjoy all of the attention.

[Rob Boudrie]

Here in MA, you're allowed to use deadly force against a dog if it's worrying you or livestock, however, pets are not specified. One of the local USPSA members is an attorney who has an excellent track record defending in self defense cases, but to date, has only handled self defense against canines (with a 2:0 record), if you could getting the shooter off with a $50 civil ticket for carrying on federal land a "win".

[bountyhunter]

As far as carrying a firearm for protection, I hate to say it but if were in Minnesota you could legally only protect yourself or another "person". Granted your "Lucy" is every bit as important as any other "person" but it would not be looked at the same way by a Judge.

Shoot the dog, then take out your pocket knife and make a few cuts on your hand.

"Your honor, I tried to pull that vicious beast off my dog and look what he did to me. My life was in danger, so I had no choice but to shoot him six times, reload and give him the other six."

Edited March 27, 2008 by bountyhunter

[AustinMike]

Thanks for the kind words, ya'll. Lucy says thanks for thinking of her. She seems to like laying on the futon in my office looking out the window while she recovers. She's not panting much anymore, so the pain killers must be working. She's wagging her tail again. Standing up and walking obviously hurts her. Man, it was hard not to have her run and greet me when I came home today. Here's wishing for a speedy recovery. We'll have some games of fetch to catch up on!