Windsor -- "Rottweiler" bites boy

[LikeToRun]

This probably has a lot more to do with pumping up public sentiment for the BSL that's being considered in Windsor in the coming days than it has to do with the actual incident. Several questions come to mind, was the boy (4yo) alone at the time? If the boy was supervised as indicated, how would the dog and owner get away? I'm curious about the Windsor Star's motives in this slant.

Read on:

PUBLICATION: The Windsor Star
DATE: 2004.07.26
EDITION: Final
SECTION: News
PAGE: A1 / Front
BYLINE: Dave Battagello
SOURCE: Windsor Star

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Rottweiler bites boy, 4

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Windsor police were canvassing the streets in the downtown area over the weekend to find a rottweiler that attacked a four-year-old boy.

Joey Meloche was bitten on the cheek and in the eyebrow area Friday as he walked with his mother in the 700 block of Bruce Avenue in the latest of a string of dog attacks across the city.

The boy's mother told police a black-brown rottweiler attacked her son quickly despite being on a leash and being walked by a person described only as a black female.

The latest dog-biting incident comes as city council will consider tonight a stringent bylaw to control and eventually eliminate pit bulls and three related dog breeds.

The ban would not include rottweilers.

Police confirmed the boy's name and that he lives with his mother in the downtown area, but would not release any further information about the family.

The boy was taken by his mother to Hotel-Dieu Grace hospital where he received one stitch on the cheek and two in the eyebrow area and was released, according to police.

Since the dog has not yet been found, Joey has already had three rabies shots with more scheduled today unless the dog can be found or its owner comes forward.

COPS CANVASSING

"We are in the process of canvassing the area," said Windsor police Staff Sgt. Tom Barker.

"Our primary concern is we need to find the dog and the owner so this child will not have to endure more of these rabies shots."

On July 8, two pit bulls running loose killed a neighbour's Yorkshire terrier. A few days later, a pit bull killed a cat. On July 15, a Windsor mail carrier was bitten on the arm by a mixed pit bull.

"It's another incident involving a large dog," Barker said.

Further investigation of the latest dog attack on the young boy will be referred to the police bylaw enforcement team.

"We can't make any further comment at this time pending further investigation," Barker said.

[Judi W]

It says that the boy was walking with his mother. I am fairly certain she spent the immediate time focusing on her child and not attempting to chase the person with the dog down the street.

[HerculesMomma]

Jeez, if the dog bit the child while it was on a leash - either the dog has a few screws loose for randomly biting the child for simply walking by it, or the child must have been making physical contact with the dog? Sounds like a bit of an incomplete story.

My favorite part of the story was when they said it was another incident by a large dog. Maybe all the BSL should then ban all dogs over 60 pounds! Oh wait, that was actually being proposed in another city per the forums here.

[LikeToRun]

Originally Posted by Judi W

It says that the boy was walking with his mother. I am fairly certain she spent the immediate time focusing on her child and not attempting to chase the person with the dog down the street.

Well, you're probably right about that...it just seems so odd to me that she wouldn't at least try to tell the person to keep to the scene (leaving the scene of a crime or injury you witness is illegal in Canada, though most people don't abide that law) and thus look at the person and get a better description than "black female."

I don't mean to sound inhuman, and yes, were it my child I would probably have looked to her first as well, but the story seems full of holes and that bit stood out to me for some reason. I can't imagine the scene going quite as described, in my mind, I can't see the offending dog owner running away after something like that...it's as vile as a hit-and-run. But that's just me.

[LikeToRun]

This from today:

PUBLICATION: The Windsor Star
DATE: 2004.07.27
EDITION: Final
SECTION: News
PAGE: A2
BYLINE: Ted Whipp
SOURCE: Windsor Star
ILLUSTRATION: Photo: Nick Brancaccio, Star photo / FOUND: Animal controlofficer Shane Pearson uses a collar to load a Rottweiler-pitt bull mix into a cage after Windsor police located the dog at 466 Elliott St. W. Monday. ; Photo: Nick Brancaccio, Star photo / ARRESTED: Windsor police arrest a woman at 466 Elliott St. W. Monday. The woman resided at the same address where police located the dog believed to be involved in last Friday's dog biting. The arrest was unconnected with the biting incident.

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Mother relieved as suspect dog found: Single mom describes weekend of torment after son bitten

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Relieved the dog that bit her four-year-old son had been found, Lisa Meloche remained angry and frustrated Monday.

"If I see her, I'm going to explode," Meloche said, after hearing from Windsor police that the dog's owner had come forward.

"They need to grab that dog," so it won't harm someone else, said Meloche, 26, who is a single mother with three children.

She described a weekend of torment following the incident Friday. Her son Joey, who was bitten on the cheek and eyebrow, received a stitch on the cheek and two more in the eyebrow and has endured three rabies shots as well.

Meloche said she spent the weekend so upset she couldn't eat or sleep.

"It's been horrible," Meloche said.

The knee-high, black-brown dog -- identified by the Windsor-Essex County Humane Society as a pit bull and Rottweiler mix -- was taken by a humane society animal control officer from a duplex near the Bruce Avenue park where the incident occurred.

ARREST WARRANTS

The dog's owner was arrested separately and taken into custody for unspecified "arrest warrants" unrelated to the biting incident, police said. Police have not identified the owner.

John Roushorne, humane society general manager, said the society has taken possession of the dog while it continues to investigate whether the biting incident fits provisions for dangerous dogs under Windsor's animal control bylaw.

The dog is expected to be put into quarantine by the health unit. The dog apparently has had rabies shots, and that will also be verified.

Health officials are also expected to determine the need for more rabies shots for Joey.

Windsor police Insp. Dave Rossell said he didn't anticipate any charges "at this point," but the investigation was continuing.

"It's good the woman called us," Rossell said of the dog's owner. "I think she realized it was the right thing to do."

Meloche, who lives on Pelissier Street, clarified how the incident had occurred. She said Joey had approached the dog's owner to tell her that her son had been throwing sand at him in the park. The dog apparently was on a leash at the time.

Meloche said her son remains "a little scared" since the incident, and she called on the city to ban breeds like pit bulls and Rottweilers.

The incident is the latest in a string of attacks across Windsor.

[sophie's-mom]

Originally Posted by LikeToRun

Meloche, who lives on Pelissier Street, clarified how the incident had occurred. She said Joey had approached the dog's owner to tell her that her son had been throwing sand at him in the park. The dog apparently was on a leash at the time.

A FOUR YEAR OLD was going up to the owner? I would have NEVER sent MY four year old up to an adult. Why wasn't Joey's MOTHER confronting the other mother?

Just curious.

It sounds a little off to me also. Something still seems to be missing.

There's no statement from the dog owner??

I'm not DEFENDING anyone or anything in this, I would just like to read MORE.

[LikeToRun]

Sorry SM, that's all there is today, and we're not likely to get a statement from the dog's owner, as she's been arrested and detained on other charges. I'll put a search tag on the story and try to keep it updated...there's a lot of stuff in the news in Windsor because of the BSL they're trying to push through there, and I still think this is being printed the way it is because of the newspaper's slant on that issue.

[TrishB]

There was another story from this - but I posted it in the BSL forum. Windsor IS considering BSL and there is going to be a meeting - please let me know if you can come along with me and the RCCBSL.

The owners had other outstanding warrants - so I'm sure she moved off quite quickly in an effort to get away.

This is just what we need, a dog owner with outstanding warrants representing us and our breed. :sad: Like it or not - we're going to be lumped in with her.

[TrishB]

Oh - and now they're saying it was a Rottweiler X Pit Bull. I'd like to see a picture. I'm sure a Rottweiler X Lab would also look like the aforementioned mix. Heck - I'm sure any heavy set breed bred with a lab could look like a Pitbull cross.

The fact of the matter is, there's no way to identify a mix breed dog - even DNA can't do it. So it should just be left as 'it's a mix' and be done with it.

And don't even get me started on the identification of breeds - veterinarians and animal control officers have NO idea. The only reason they get rottweilers right half the time is because they're a consistent colour.

[LikeToRun]

Here's today's happy addition...somebody needs to send this editor a letter explaining why you'd have trouble carting with a Shi-tzu, or SchH with a pomeranian :

PUBLICATION: The Windsor Star
DATE: 2004.07.28
EDITION: Final
SECTION: Editorial/Opinion
PAGE: A7
BYLINE: Barbara Cunningham
SOURCE: Windsor Star

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Choose from large variety of other wonderful breeds

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I am now starting to ask myself what kind of person insists on buying a pit bull, Rottweiler, etc. when there is such a large variety of other wonderful breeds to choose from.

What prompts these people to select dogs with such a well-known and well-deserved reputation for unpredictably dangerous behaviour?

I hope and expect that city council will finally gather its courage in hand to make some decisions that will start protecting the rest of us, despite their unpopularity among pit bull owners.

Barbara Cunningham

Windsor

Edit: I've quickly read over all the letters to the editor in the Windsor Star over the last week or so...the positive ones almost all come from proud Rotti owners decrying irresponsible ownership and breeding and BSL...I keep waiting to see one from you TrishB...

[TrishB]

Originally Posted by LikeToRun

Edit: I've quickly read over all the letters to the editor in the Windsor Star over the last week or so...the positive ones almost all come from proud Rotti owners decrying irresponsible ownership and breeding and BSL...I keep waiting to see one from you TrishB...

If you read the article that was on the front page yesterday, a letter that I sent to all of City Council was quoted several times.

http://www.canada.com/windsor/windso...1-8ddb5a55854d

But opponents of the breed-specific ban claim that it unfairly targets responsible dog owners and that the onus for control of such dogs lies with the owner.

In a letter to councillors dated July 26, Tricia Barrett, breed-specific legislation co-chairwoman for the Rottweiler Club of Canada, said that numerous experts "have agreed that breed bans are not effective for their intended purpose: safety of the public.

"Encouraging responsible ownership, education of children, implementing bylaws that punish those who are not responsible (owners) and giving law enforcement the ability to apply the laws has proven to be efficient and effective," said Barrett.

Barrett also said that "previously irresponsible owners simply shift breeds, responsible owners are punished, an underground market for dogs emerges and irresponsible owners will simply hide their dogs which limits the dog's exposure, socialization and training opportunities."

There are also 2 letters to the Editor that are pending. One is a general post the other is in response to the letter you quoted above - describing myself as the exact 'kind of person who wants to own a pit bull or rottweiler".

[LikeToRun]

Well...obviously!

Thanks for that link...my search machine missed it somehow.

More tomorrow...I'll have to add your name to the search parameters...you're famous now!

[fbkeays]

Originally Posted by LikeToRun

Here's today's happy addition...somebody needs to send this editor a letter explaining why you'd have trouble carting with a Shi-tzu, or SchH with a pomeranian :

...

Could someone post a link to where we can send letters to the editor? I got my second rottweiler BECAUSE of their predictable behavior. The breed standard describes the temperament as, "wait and see". That is what my dogs do.
I cart (drive), herd, track, obedience and conformation with my rottweilers. How many breeds can I do all of that with???

[TrishB]

Originally Posted by fbkeays

Could someone post a link to where we can send letters to the editor? I got my second rottweiler BECAUSE of their predictable behavior. The breed standard describes the temperament as, "wait and see". That is what my dogs do.
I cart (drive), herd, track, obedience and conformation with my rottweilers. How many breeds can I do all of that with???

Sure!

http://www.canada.com/windsor/windsorstar/letters.html

There's also an email addy if you don't want to enter it through the interface. Apparently letters to the editor must be 300 words or less to be printed.

[fbkeays]

Thanks,
I just e-mailed my letter off. I don't know if they would publish a letter from a foreigner (USA) or not.