DOGS SHOT AFTER ATTACKING BOY

[K9-man]

02/06/2001 6:01 AM CST

More bad news. :(
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DOGS SHOT AFTER ATTACKING BOY

From Tribune News Services
February 5, 2001

INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA -- Police shot and killed two Rottweilers after the dogs attacked a 10-year-old boy Saturday.

Benjamin Johnson was riding a bicycle when the two dogs attacked him in a yard.
The boy suffered a large gash to his right arm and was taken to Wishard Memorial Hospital.

A passing motorist saved him from further injury by trying to back her car over the dogs.

"The dogs just attacked him. From the way the dog was jumping around, I could see he wasn't playing," said Beverly Okumu, who was driving home when the dogs attacked.

Benjamin jumped into Okumu's car to escape the attack. Police, summoned by neighbors, said the dogs also threatened them, so they shot the Rottweilers.

Neither animal wore a collar with identification. Their owners were unknown.

[KatMc]

No words can even come from my thoughts on this. Where the hell are the owners, most accurately is they shouldn't have been owners.

Kathy

[Homerhomer]

there have to be some harsh penalties for the owners, otherwise this will never stop and the inocent poeple and the breed will continue to suffer.

[winniecnm]

He is one lucky boy to have come out of that situation alive. :(

They ought to shoot the owners too.

[LORHEL]

Thank goodness the boy will be ok. The owners should NEVER be allowed to own an animal again. They obviously have no respect for them, or for other people. And there ought to be some form of criminal punishment, although it is never enough it seems like. Its people like this who make it bad for everyone.

[SASSY'S DAD]

I am truely distrubed by this the boy is very lucky to have live the dogs regardless needed to be shot as for the owners at least attempted murder would be an appropriate charge...I hear so much about the owners but I also think when this happens the breeder should be at the very least partially responsible for the hospital bills I know this will never happen but he/she that sold the dogs should have been absolutly sure about the home the dogs were going to...I just want to add that we heard about this but probably not about the hundreds of other attacks by small or non-aggressive"laughing" type dogs the media knows what sells and rottweiler and pit attacks get attention..Sad but true our breed is a target get use to it..

[Stanzi's Mom]

Shoot the owners. Doesn't it make anyone else angry that the dogs are punished for the owner's idiocy? Dog owners have a responsibility to protect and keep their animals safe. This boy would never have been injured if the owners had done their job. Just had to vent. Stories like this make me so mad! Just what our beloved breed needs, more bad press. AARRGGG!!!!

[rottmommie]

i agree that the owners should be boiled in oil....although a lot of folks think that I am an extremist when it comes to these issues!!
Why the hell should a dog have to pay cause they have idiots as owners>?????????
Of course I do understand if you are in fear for your life, you may have to shoot a dog to prevent injury......
Dont cops carry mace???

[German Vanegas]

While totally I agree that irresponsible dog ownership is ruining our beloved breed, bear in mind that there are civil remedies in place to correct this problem, namely: liability lawsuits. Also, some states have criminal laws dealing with negligence from owning a dog that bites unjustifiably (Texas does). Therefore, I can't believe such comments like "shoot the owners!" or "boil them in oil!"... Come on! This is the new millennium! That "mob-lynch" mentality takes us way back in time! The dog's owner will probably be sued in a court of law. I know of irresponsible dog owners that have lost quite a lot financially! In some cases, they are charged with criminal negligence too and end-up in prison or under restrictive probatory conditions. That is the right way to deal with this problem: implementing specific laws to reduce the occurrence of these unjustified so-called "accidents".

[rottmommie]

german....
If you live in my state...your dog could bite an intruder in your home in the middle of the night , eho esd in possesion of a gun, and ready to shoot you .You would still have your dog put down, and you would also be sued.....
What faith I have in the "system"
and sometimes, the one that is in the right is the one who Loses......
glad to see that sometimes people really pay for their mistakes......but it doesnt happen often enough.

[German Vanegas]

Originally posted by rottmommie:
german....
If you live in my state...your dog could bite an intruder in your home in the middle of the night , eho esd in possesion of a gun, and ready to shoot you .You would still have your dog put down, and you would also be sued.....

You are not suggesting taking the law in our hands (like an outlaw society?!), right?... If your state protects criminals more than law-abiding citizens (that's just ridiculous), then you move out to one where you feel your rights are protected (as it should be!). It's really that simple!

Don't get me wrong, we do need stiff laws to penalize irresponsible dog ownership, I agree, , but I disagree with the "shoot the owner" mentality. It's kind of frightening actually, to think that people rush into judgement, without knowing any facts or background about an incident, to quickly become a judge-jury & executioner and decide to "lynch the dog onwer".

Again, sensible sanctions and penalties are needed to punish irresponsible dog owners and to prevent those unjustified biting "accidents" from happening, but those laws have to fit the offense. We can't afford to lose rationality and logic ;)

[ February 21, 2001: Message edited by: German Vanegas ]

[LORHEL]

German: No one is losing rationality, we are just upset and venting. Not really going to shoot or boil anyone. It is just very frustrating when you start off with so much negativity (especially in the press when there are incidents-and them now showing Rotties as the #1 dog on their list as far as bites/viciousness) to have to have more negatives when stupid people can't take responsibility for what they have done. No one says, oh, what kind of a person could do this or puts the blame on the owner, they look at the breed. Oh another rottweiler, dangerous vicous breed figures. That is where people don't listen to the facts. Yes, they are large, powerful dogs, and have had instances like EVERY OTHER breed, but it all depends on how they are bred and raised. Any dog is going to react in a situation, doesn't matter what the breed is. And how many people out of all the incidents nationwide etc. really do time because of this. There may be a few, but more than not. Sure, they may pay some, but it is always the dog who suffers. It is up to us to be responsible owners (yes, accidents do happen and that is understandable) and try to make sure things like this don't happen and ruin it for our beloved babies.

[2rotties2luv]

So what can we do? Time for Susan to get up on her soapbox again:

WE are responsible rottweiler owners!
WE have trained and socialized our dogs !
WE NEED TO GET OUT THERE AND SPREAD THE WORD EVERY CHANCE WE GET !!!

We can't change what or how the media chooses to portray our breed, but we CAN get out there and change people's minds !

Get out in public with your dogs and be a great example of what this wonderful breed can be. And tell everyone "YES, they're wonderful dogs - IF you put LOTS of TIME and EFFORT into training and socializing them - and NO, IT'S NOT EASY !!!"

The month of May is National Pet Month - many schools have programs on pets. Call your local High School or Middle School. Call the library or Humane Society. Offer to give a demonstration and talk on obedience training, agility, canine assisted therapy, tracking, rescue, carting, whatever you do with your dog !!

WE can change people's minds by EDUCATING them and by training our dogs to be THE BEST THAT THEY CAN BE !!

[German Vanegas]

Originally posted by LORHEL:
German: No one is losing rationality, we are just upset and venting. Not really going to shoot or boil anyone.

I am glad you say so, because when passions "run wild" they tend to over run reasoning. Venting by stating: "shoot the owners" or "boiling them down in oil" are inflammatory comments and not a solution to the problem.

In the other hand, I believe the following comments are quite sensible:

Originally posted by 2rotties2luv:WE are responsible rottweiler owners!
WE have trained and socialized our dogs !
WE NEED TO GET OUT THERE AND SPREAD THE WORD EVERY CHANCE WE GET !!!

We can't change what or how the media chooses to portray our breed, but we CAN get out there and change people's minds !

Get out in public with your dogs and be a great example of what this wonderful breed can be. And tell everyone "YES, they're wonderful dogs - IF you put LOTS of TIME and EFFORT into training and socializing them - and NO, IT'S NOT EASY !!!"

WE can change people's minds by EDUCATING them and by training our dogs to be THE BEST THAT THEY CAN BE !!

The above makes sense to me ;) :)

[German Vanegas]

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[ February 21, 2001: Message edited by: German Vanegas ]