I see your point, I can see both sides of the argument but with everything its not black and white.
With the scenario you posted I could add to it and it would change the whole build of it.
A 5yr old climbs into a garden and is attacked, despite the parents of the child being told the dog is "suspect" but you have made the garden secure so the dog cant get out, and you dealing with the problems the parents were also not keeping a close eye on the child.

Granted it would be a terrible thing to happen, but who is at fault, the owner of the dog who has took steps to prevent this or the parents knowing and still not keeping an eye on the child?

Thats why I think when people say if there dog bit a child it would be pts right away is wrong, its all fine us as dog owners being responsable but imho that works both ways.

Heather believe me I'm not being flippant at all when I say that if someone comes onto my property uninvited then they deserve everything my dogs give them, and I don't care if they are male, female, adult or child.

I have spent the whole of my working life to save and build up what I have got, and I am dammed if I going to put up with an intruder.

I am sorry I disagree, no child deserves it.

So is that an excuse ?

Should the dog still be alive then ?

I said it and if it had been put to sleep after attacking a family member that little girl would still be here.

Bajaluna states in her profile "My dogs are not trained at all "
Well maybe if they were this girl wouldnt be scared for life.

I understand what you are saying Stormey, but I am afraid any dog of mine that attacked a child would be pts. I have grandchildren coming to the house and god forbid that any dog of mine would attack them or any other child, as much as I have loved my dogs,they would not get a second chance. And that is the black and white for me.

I have to say - if one of mine seriously injured me or my family, someone they lived with and were going to have to live with in future - then I would certainly contemplate pts.

I doubt I would be able to trust that dog to live with me anymore and would most likely not have the confidence to deal with it.

However, in Bajaluna's case - it wasn't someone the dog knew and should never have been in contact with the child. It was not in any way Bajaluna's fault and she was in a situation where she would never have to face that case again - it didn't attack someone it knew and she knew what it's provocation was.


As far as my comment being 'unsulting' - I'm not in any way comparing a child's life to that of a sheep I'm merely stating a point. Someone who owned a sheep killing dog and who's house backed onto a sheep field, should not keep the dog - just like someone who had kids or came into contact with them regularly, could not own a dog afraid of children.

However, if you live in the middle of the city and never go anywhere to see sheep - you never have to worry, just like if you live in the middle of nowhere and never see kids - why shouldn't you own a dog that is known to be unsafe around children? It's irrelevant if the dog never meets them.

I'm not being flippant, I may not have kids, or even want kids (can't see the attraction personally ) but I would never, ever condone someone allowing their dog to come into contact with children knowing it could injure them.

Your right no one deserves to get bitten, but the problem is if parents kept better control of there children, teenagers/adults didn't go around vandalising peoples property or trying to break into them, then the dog would be put in that situation in the first place.

But on the other hand if I'm walking one of my dogs across the field and for no reason what so ever it decided to just run up to someone and bite them for the fun of it, then I would have the dog put down.

As I've said before and will say again. It all depends on the situation.

No it's not an excuse, it's fact.

If that grandmother hadn't of allowed that dog into the house, little Ellie would be with us today.

Having said that, in this particual case her son shouldn't of even had the pitbull in the first plase, but that's something else altogether.

I think that sums it up nicely

This incident happened a number of years ago, probably before most of us even decided that dogs should be trained, or even owned dogs of our own. We are all here learning new things everyday about dogs, and Bajaluna has too, you cannot condemn people for things they did/didn't do in the past, provided they learnt something by it and Bajaluna has .,..................... to put better locks on her doors and a warning sign saying KEEP OUT !

Absolutely.

If you corner someone/something in a situation they are known to be uncomfortable/unpredictable in, and they attack in defence, that person/thing is not in the wrong ! Just the same as if someone broke into my house, I would do the same, to defend myself not knowing their intentions ! That does not make me in the wrong, PROVOCATION is the devils work