Kids mauled by husky-wolf cross (Portage la Prairie, Manitoba, Canada)

[Rene Allegrini]

Kids mauled in dog attack

By Leighton Klassen
The Daily Graphic
Friday September 08, 2006


Portage la Prairie — While their classmates spent the day in the school, two Portage la Prairie children spent time in hospital nursing injuries from a vicious dog attack.

Portage RCMP said Jennifer Burston, 12, and a 13-year-old boy, who are students at Yellowquill School, were mauled by a dog, described as a husky-wolf cross, while walking to school on 14th Street N.W. around 8 a.m. yesterday.

Continued at:
Portage Daily Graphic, Portage la Prairie, MB

[Tanka and Tams]

This really makes me angry...everytime a rott or a pitbull attacks the cops shoot it but because this husky attacked police they tasered it instead...not that I want them to necesarily kill the dog...but they kill rotties why not taser them and put them in quatrintine instead of killing them on the spot...It kinda upsets me that they kill rotts and pitbulls but as soon as the dog isn't from either of those breeds they don't shoot it! Don't get me wrong I love all dogs and I feel really bad for those kids...but I think you all know where I'm coming from. They should use tasers for all dogs in that kind of situation...
Sorry I had to get that out, thanks for listening

[spidey]

Wolf hybrids are about the only breed where BSL is suitable, IMO, they are accidents waiting to happen, and are dangerous even when properly raised and socialized. Crossing a wild animal with one domesticated for thousands of years leaves you with an animal suspicious of humans, but not frightened of them, and that is a very dangerous combination.

[GypsysMom]

My neighbor across the street has 2 wolf/husky dogs and they are very very mean, everyday at 4-5 am 12-1 pm and 4 pm they go crazy like they are being killed, the people on the other side have kids and have always been afraid these dogs would get loose, they are confined in the enclosed yard all day, they are never let inside that I know of..

[tilly]

no, rotties and pitbulls don't "get shot everytime" they attack. let's not over-generalise here. the police did the right thing in tasering this dog and taking it in for a quarantine period. i'm sure it's not easy being a police officer facing the business end of an angry dog!

what we should get angry about, is yet another dog being tied out on a leash while the owners weren't home.

i hope both children recover completely.

[Tanka and Tams]

I'm sorry I didn't really mean everytime...it's just that they tend to get shot more often then other ones I don't really hear of them tasering rotts or pitbulls. I'm glad they tasered the dog too I just wished they'd do that more often in those situations...I do get angry about dog's being out when the owners are away because it puts people at risk if the dog gets loose. I just kind of over reacted because you hear of them shooting rotts and this is the first one I've heard of them tasering a dog instead.
I understand being a cop is hard...but I'm glad this cops handled this situation as they did and I wish they could do it more often.

[TamieK]

We recently in my county had a woman mauled by 8 wolf hybrids that she had been breeding. She had been turned in several times for owning them, but when she register for license, they were mixed breed dogs, when she sold them they were wolf hybrids. I really wouldn't want them in my neighborhood. Also, I read somewhere that you cannot give a wolf hybrid rabies shots or they don't work or something.

[angel girl]

Some points:

1. Rabies immunity via vaccinations has never been scientifically verified effective in wolves, therefore most communities do not consider the vaccination valid in either captive wolves or hybrids.

2. Not every cop carries a tazer. In my city of 17,000 there are 4 tazers. If a situation warrants a tazer, and it is at the scene then, it will be used. But NO cop is going to wait around for a tazer to be delivered if it means endangering themselves or the public. There is also the effectiveness of the device. It may take several shots to incompacitate a suspect in which time the suspect could conceivable harm someone. Most cops I know trust the weapon they KNOW will work on the first shot, rather than risk their lives more than necessary. Remember they have families to go home to at the end of the day too. And we want them to come home in one piece.

3. Personal point. BSL is not appropriate for hybrids. For the simple fact that hybrids are not a breed. I don't even consider them dogs. They are dangerous wild animals that need to be treated as such. Handled by professionals who have trained/apprenticed for many years with people who know these animals. Keep in suitable zoo-grade enclosures that provide for physical/mental needs but prevent escape.

If people want a dog that looks like a wolf, get a Husky, Malamute, Inuit dog (if you are qualified to handle them). If they HAVE TO HAVE a wolf go to univeristy, get a degree in Animal Husbandry, move to the country, and build a suitable habitat. Otherwise, leave the wolves alone.

[RottieMom51503]

This is so sad. You would think people would be happy with the dozens of breeds available today without coming out with designer dogs and wolves.

I had some wolf mixed puppies that were dropped off here and I really do think their temperment was different from any other puppy I had ever been around. When you think of puppies you think of curious happy little dogs running all over the place checking things out. These puppies were always scared, quiet and wouldn't hardly do anything in front of me including eat.

I wish the lawmakers would step in here and make people leave the wolf in it's place which, is in the wild.

[Tanka and Tams]

2. Not every cop carries a tazer. In my city of 17,000 there are 4 tazers. If a situation warrants a tazer, and it is at the scene then, it will be used. But NO cop is going to wait around for a tazer to be delivered if it means endangering themselves or the public. There is also the effectiveness of the device. It may take several shots to incompacitate a suspect in which time the suspect could conceivable harm someone. Most cops I know trust the weapon they KNOW will work on the first shot, rather than risk their lives more than necessary. Remember they have families to go home to at the end of the day too. And we want them to come home in one piece.

Wow I didn't realize there was so few tasers available I guess I could've looked that up...but that really sucks...it is more humane than having to shoot them. I know it's the dog owners fault for not keeping their dog in a safe place for themselves and those around them I just hate the idea that dogs are in the hands of people that don't take these things into consideration before leaving for the day.

[Cdn1050]

Originally Posted by angel girl

If people want a dog that looks like a wolf, get a Husky, Malamute, Inuit dog (if you are qualified to handle them). If they HAVE TO HAVE a wolf go to univeristy, get a degree in Animal Husbandry, move to the country, and build a suitable habitat. Otherwise, leave the wolves alone.

I agree. They are not like domestic dogs at all. Wolves are naturally shy and timid towards humans. It's scary that these wolf-hybrids are becoming popular and are in the hands of the wrong people. I'm not sure if I can mention the website but one of the facts on a website I came across stated "over 300,000 known wolf-hybrids exist in the US, and the population continues to grow." If you do a Google search on wolf-hybrid rescues, it's interesting to see how many of these wild dogs end up in wolf-hybrid rescues and how many actually get adopted out. I'm actually surprised that some do get adopted out.

[Barb and Raven]

I don't know about other states but here in my state of Georgia it is illegal to own Wolf Hybrids. My local newspaper carries a notice in the Pets for Sale column that it is illegal to own them in this state. I just don't understand why people think they have to have such animals. Perhaps it is the same reasoning that they have to have a designer dog.....it's something different. Yet there are a lot of people out there that get pets that they seem to know nothing about as to temperament.

[twomanydogs]

Lots to say about this....I had a wolf/dog (54%wolf )when I was younger.
It is all about feeding your ego. My young one included. No good can come from it. Very sad for everyone involved.. Animal and human.

[missy8]

I Agree, these animals do not make good pets, My neighbor had visitors that brought one with them(they are illegal in Mass.) these people were from Maine, lived in wooded area, anyway, we went over to see him, let me tell you, this animal was scary, you would not want to look him in the eye, and for someone like me, who has had dogs all my life, it takes alot to scare me. I got out of there real quick. They will kill any other animal, dogs, cats whatever - I agree that wolves are beautiful animals, but they are not pets, in any way, shape or form!