AWFUL "dog attack fatal"

[kiwirottie]

Hi Guys,

Yesterday in Dunedin NZ a 39 yr old women was mauled to death by her own dog, a bull mastiff. I have included the news link if interested. The dog rangers had been called to her home previously as she was afraid of him and was trying to stop him tearing her clothes apart!!! But she decided she didnt want him to go to the pound. So sad. But why did this happen, it sounds like he was in charge of her and her house and when she confronted him....kinda like JudyW's prince and princess fable.....he took charge. The whole of NZ is freaking about this as this is the 3rd person ever to be killed by a dog in this country.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/storydispl...ection=general
A warning the link is pretty horific.

[HerculesMomma]

Did anyone there have a gun laying around the house? Poor lady, what a horrible way to live your life.....and what a horrible way to have it end.

[JD102175]

What a terrible tragedy. Sounds like a few of the elderly neighbors were very traumatised from witnessing it happen.

Jaime

[Judi W]

This is the same type of woman who gets killed by a spouse or boyfriend and thinks there is some kind of virtue in being loyal to someone or something that abuses her. "oh, but I love him and he is sorry" is heard all too often from such women. Even in these civilized times, it is still often a Darwin world.

[kiwirottie]

Did anyone there have a gun laying around the house? Poor lady, what a horrible way to live your life.....and what a horrible way to have it end.

Unfortunatley not, only farmers and sport hunters really have guns in NZ and the only people that witnessed what was happening were an elderly couple who were far to scared to act.
Yes Jamie its a AWFUL way to go, I have to say JudiW I do agree somewhat from what i heard our correspondence show tonight she was so scared of him but at the last minute couldnt sign him over to be put down. They had a lovely big bull mastiff on the show also (dribbling away :-)) and a animal behaviourist explaining how dominance works and the pack heirachy. There are SO MANY dog owners that have NO idea about any of this.......as you all know.
Its a sad lesson for all of NZ dog owners.

[Patty1231]

Is the picture they show the dog in question? It doesn't look like a bull mastiff to me?

[TrishB]

No, that looks more like their standard 'dog attack' banner - more like a terrier type. Definately not a Bull Mastiff.

When I hear of attacks, I try to find the cause. I am 99% ALWAYS able to link it back to irresponsible ownership.

This is another sad case of the same. She couldn't control the dog. She couldn't train the dog. She couldn't establish herself as Alpha in her own household.

Her irresponsibility was when she refused to acknowledge both her limitations to handle the dog and her dogs inability to adjust to the beta role. She should have put the dog down or rehomed it in an experienced home that would have been able work with a behaviouralist to adjust his behaviour.

Sometimes the best, most responsible thing you can do, is admit that you CAN'T.

[kiwirottie]

Yes TrishB sadly you're right she thought she owed it to him to keep him??!! No the banner is not the dog in question infact last night on the late night news they said he was Bull Mastiff crossed with Rottweiler...great huh.

[kiwirottie]

AND the plot thickens...for those of you that have been reading this thread, when they searched her home they found no dog food and no dog bowl...nothing!!?? Also heard a neighbour of hers had said she doesnt deserve a dog :-(

[leonberger]

Most likely this was either a case where the woman got a "cute" puppy and didn't try to train it until it was too large for her to handle or she wanted a "protection" dog, bought what she thought would be good because of the breeds size but never tried to train it or socialize the dog because she didn't want to make it friendly. I have seen both of these situations all too ofter. Usually the person really has fallen in love with the dog and can't admit their own error.

[Judi W]

Well, it is now sounding like the dog was abused. If the exploration finds that, it will take the pressure off the "dogs are dangerous" idea. Starvation, although unusual with dogs) is not a new thing with some animal ownes as we here locally have charges pending against two people who starved their horses to death. It is most common with collectors who simply find they have too many animals to care for.

[brandygirl]

What a way to go on both accounts :(

I don't understand how people can be so cruel to animals (or to people too!)
They are sensitive and have feelings just as much as people. If treated right and properly trained they will be truer to you than anyone else. It breaks my heart to hear stories of this nature - especially with the pending BSL in Windsor, which doesn't look good according to the paper yesterday. This is the address of the article. I am not sure if this is going to work (having computer probs. this am ( )


http://www.canada.com/windsor/windso...7-3df23bfc0f01

[diddybopper04]

That dog in the banner looks AWFULLY thin....

Shocking looking, really.

What a sad story all the way around.....