This is awful, the original owner has alot to answer for i would say! she put her friends son at risk..

Great post C&D I have 5 dogs and 3 of them have bitten people, 2 because people interfered in a fight and broke it up and one a rehomed Dobermann who had previously bitten a little person, She did it for a second time and she's still here. Does that make me an irresponsible owner ? probably in the eyes of some. The injury was minor in my opinion and that of both childrens parents, did it warrant the dog being pts not in the eyes of either set of parents or myself. Neither child has a fear of dogs, it would seem quite the opposite in both cases. She has been on an enormous learning curve something she didn't get as a puppy, she's found her feet and is very respectful around all people but especially little ones. That doesn't mean she's not closely supervised, of course she is but she's turning into a truly wonderful dog considering the sh!t start she had. I've had worse injuries acquired during play with the most docile of my dogs, I think it's something I just accept as part of owning the breeds I do. They can cause damage without any intent to do so.

Kitty, please come back and let everyone know how you are.

Have you still got Oscar? Have you had him P.T.S, or have you rehomed him?

People wont comdemn you whatever you have decided, they just want to know what's happened.

Please do post something soon to let everyone know what's happened xx

Spot on!.......

Unfortunately, because of the press releases when a dog savages a child, it seems that the first instinct is to call for any dog that bites to instantly be put to sleep, without finding out any facts...just put it to sleep and be done with it, regardless of whether its an accidental nip or a full blown bite.

I'm not trying to belittle the tragedies of the past, god only knows what went on then, and my heart goes out to anyone that has been affected by a dog mauling, however, I am just trying to get my head around why so many people instantly call for a dog to be destroyed when it has bitten.

Some keep saying that you cannot guarantee a dog will not meet up with a child and put that child at risk whereas we have people stating clearly that their dogs never meet children, when I had all the land my dogs roamed about freely so didn't go for walks so never met children unless my family were visiting, but they wouldn't have got anywhere near the dogs had my dogs been aggressive, so I know for a fact that it can be done.

I hope the OP does come back to the thread to let us know how she is, how her little boy is and whether she has made her decision about Oscar, at least that way we can stop speculating and worrying ourselves about things that may have already been taken out of anyones control.

To all intents and purposes the dog was a good egg based on the year it had been around. Original owners had it for 6 months no probs then her mother for about 5 months then Kitty for just over a month or so.

Im sure the rspca dont say 'we do not rehome to homes with kids under 5 because the dog might bite them' not to say they dont have good reason for this rule. But the child could have been 6 and in the same circumstances/actions/prior events still got bitten. If blame can be put at anyones door then it has to be with the people who had this dog and let it stray be scarred? And even then perhaps you could go back as far as it was the 'breeder' who produced the dog in the first place allowing it to go to an unsuitable/inexperienced home to start with that ended up letting it stray or not taking due consideration of the parents temperaments?

There is no blame to be dished out I dont think, its an emotive topic but kitty was in the room she could have done nothing more than she did and it happened for whatever reason. Hindsight is a great thing. Terrible consequences for all concerned really.

I'm not suggesting every dog in the care of RSPCA Preston cannot be placed into a home with children 5 or under, of course there's got to be a dog in their care that is suited to younger children, I'm not that naive.

What I was merely pointing out, you cannot blame the current owner for this, nor does the fault lie at the door of the RSPCA - Unless the owner who took the dog pointed out she could no longer keep the dog, how on earth are the RSPCA to know the dog has been passed on? I'm sure those specific rules are in place for good reason, I'm not saying every dog in the care of the RSPCA has a history of biting/wounding children, of course they don't.

What I am saying, this dog was took from the care of the RSPCA and rehomed in a home that was deemed suitable, I am sure the questions were asked whether children under the age of 5 resided there, and their reasons for asking such a question would have been explained - thus, this information SHOULD have been released to the OP and a straight NO should have been issued to them, and said dog should have been returned BACK to the care of the RSPCA.
I'm sure there is something in their contracts that states said dogs should be returned if people find themselves in the unfortunate position of not being able to keep said dog.

Sorry I didnt make myself clear, I didnt think you were suggesting that. My point was this dog could have on the basis of the rspca criteria gone to a home with a child of 6 for example. And replace kittys 3 year old with a 6yr old and the outcome would more than likely have been the same, the dog doesnt understand age it bit for a reason only really known to itself. Yes the friend should have taken the dog back to the rspca but on the basis of what kitty said their response was to her then maybe the rspca wouldnt have been able to take it back. and if the friend had pointed out that the rspca had the no under 5's rule would this have changed her mind? i doubt it, like i said i dont think the rspca stipulate that no children under 5 because of 'a, b, and the dog might bite a child'. and the dog had behaved exemplary on the occasions she had him Im sure kitty bitterly regrets her decision to take on the dog but she did and whats happened has happened and the poor girl is dealing with the consequences.

the dog should have gone back to the rspca

Kitty_ how is your son today, and how are you?

I really feel sorry for Kitty,she is in an impossible situation, it isn't practical to keep an aggressive dog ,even temporarily with a child. It would be like living with a timebomb, and terribly stressful for the dog too, to be kept seperated. TBH who would want an aggressive dog in their house with their child? Who would be willing to put their child at risk?

I feel sorry for the dog, and especially if it is unwell or stressed, but how many of us have lived with dogs that have been terminally ill, in pain, and kids too, and the dogs have never snapped or acted aggressively towards the children, even though they were ill. I have had 2 dogs like that who were ill for a long time, and still managed to cope with children, and not so much as a grumble.

The day you bring your child home, you have a duty to do what's right for your child, and your child's safety must always be first! So, I would never keep a dog like that,or pass it on to anyone else. Kitty said she was right next to her baby and dog, and even if her son touched a sensitive spot, the dog should not of reacted like this, no warning grumble or moving away, just straight into attack mode, and he didn't stop, she had to pull him off the baby

Some of you are out and out hypocrites, you moan when you hear about someone keeping a known aggressive dog in the family house,when some poor family lose their child ,why did they keep the dog? why was nothing done earlier? excpet here you are telling Kitty to keep rehome her dog, or seperate it until help can be given,what sane parent would take the risk.

Go on then, go pick that dog up today, you keep it with your children, or you pass it on to someone else. Sometimes dogs are too damaged to help safely, a dog that bites a child IMO should not be given a second chance I adore dogs, and my dogs mean everything to me, but I love my children more, and I just could not keep or rehome a dog like that,there is no way of saying it won't happen again, and next time, an adult might not be quick enough to help.

Then again, maybe not depending on the dogs history, whatever was on file.

Not all dogs are suited to life with children, maybe with this dog something may have been picked up on, who is to know?

Not all rescue centres tell the truth, not all give you full history on there dogs, I am not saying this is the case here.

I do still think whoever took this dog from the RSPCA has been highly irresponsible, without fully thinking/understanding of the rules in place there.

Dire consequences for the dog and a very upsetting situation for the family involved.