Can't believe these writtings.

[Obelix]

Sounds like racism against dog-owners.


Barking mad Oct 1 2006


Angharad Mair, Wales on Sunday

THERE is nothing worse than animal-lovers who stick up for dogs when a five-month-old baby girl has been brutally mauled to death by two Rottweilers; or a two-year-old has had half his face bitten away.

Instead of complete condemnation we have had the usual doggy do-gooders clouding the really important issues with the usual nonsense that people not pooches are to blame.
These kinds of headlines were commonplace in the late 1980s, and in response the Dangerous Dogs Act was brought into force, a new law that mostly pampered dog-owners instead of protecting victims
It prohibited the breeding or sale/exchange of four types of dog - the pit bull terrier, the Japanese tosa, the Dogo Argentino and the Fila Brasileiro.
These were also ordered to be muzzled in public and neutered. The list did not include Rottweilers and so this breed, which has leadership and dominance as its main characteristics, are free to be family pets.

Steve Cheetham, Chief Veterinary Officer for the RSPCA believes that "the deed, not the breed, should be punished".

It's a nice little catchphrase that lets the huge, frighteningly powerful Rottweiler nicely off the hook. He thinks that responsible pet ownership is the key in ensuring that attacks don't happen.

But the case of five-month- old Caydee- Lee proves that he is dangerously wrong. The couple running the pub could well have been the most responsible owners in the whole world, but they weren't there. There was no law to insist upon these dogs being muzzled or tethered and so an open door allowed these two beasts to hunt the little baby girl and drag her to their rooftop den. A primal reaction that takes us back to a time of wolves and caves. The law failed to protect little Caydee-Lee just as much as her parents.

These latest attacks have brought the story of four-year-old Anna Knuckles from Carmarthen back into the limelight.

She was just two when she was attacked by a neighbour's Akita in its own home 18 months ago. She needed hours of surgery and more than 100 stitches to her face and head.

The owner didn't want the dog put down so, I believe, it is still living next door to them, with the police completely powerless to intervene because the Dangerous Dogs Act doesn't apply if the dog happens to be on private property.

And imagine the uproar had this dog been forcibly put down?

We would have had dog owners everywhere protesting about the dog's right to live, even though a little girl came within seconds of dying.

Dog owners should grow up.

They should accept that a dog's life is of no consequence compared to the life of a child.

They should also accept unconditionally that breeds of dogs that are inbred with killer tendencies - and let's all be honest, that includes Rottweilers - should be put down immediately when that dog crosses the line from pet pooch to potential slaughterer.

The events of last week, including also the mauling of two-year-old Harvey Lawrence by a Rottweiler at his grandmother's home has proved beyond doubt that this mollycoddling Dangerous Dogs Act needs to be changed, NOW, to prevent more deaths such as that of little Caydee-Lee.[/left]

icWales - Barking mad

[Daisy Duke]

Can anyone find an email addy for the writer of that BS??? I would like to send him a little message.

[alfaevans]

It's a she.

I can't find an email address but you can post a form/letter via the IC Wales website to the editor of that newspaper (Wales on Sunday).

icWales - Wales on Sunday Letters

The form is about halfway down on the right handside.

[tiddler1976]

I am annoyed at the moment in the way at which Rotweillers are being portrayed in the press. They are showing nothing but pictures of rotties barking at wire fences and dogs snarling with all their teeth on show. The Sun newspaper being one of the worst!

These dogs are no more dangerous than any other breed! The images that are being shown are of guard dogs/outdoor dogs and they are likely to be looking menacing as they are being approached on there territory. Even yorkies bark if someone knocks on your front door but they are not showing pictures of them.

I have had my Rotweiller, Harley, for 3 years now and she is a great pet and a wonderful companion. She is friendly and great around kids but I am a responsible owner who has taken her on three training courses and she has been socialised from a puppy.

The attacks recently have not been solely down to the dogs, leaving a baby unattended in a strange environment with guard dogs? I am not a parent but I would not do that. I would not leave my dog, who I trust explicitly with a new born baby, it is irresponsible and inviting trouble.

The toddler who was attacked also was allowed "by a grandparent" to approach a Rotweiller on their own territory again this is not a sensible thing to do. Dogs and children can be unpredictable at the best of times so together they are not a good combination.

I feel that these attacks could have been completely avoided if the people involved had used a little bit of common sense. The dogs were following instinct, the people were damn right irresponsible!

How many Jack Russells have bitten people in the last week? They wont make the papers!!

I am not condoning these attacks but I am just stating they are down to human misjudgement.

Leave the dogs alone, use your intelligence if you are not sure, stay away.

Sorry to waffle on but the images being portrayed are inaccurate and biased. These animals make great family pets, it is the few irresponsible owners out there who make the majority look bad.

[RJB230972]

Responsible pet ownership IS the key to preventing tragedy.

Respecting your animal involves understanding the 'mechanics' behind their instincts and behavioural patterns. The unfortunate incidents you highlight come as no surprise based on the evidence available. The animals in question have been neglected by their owners. This is very clear. The owners here have ultimately failed the breed albeit unintentional. It is vital to remember that we are dealing with an extremely intelligent canine in the Rottweiler.

I maintain the owners were at fault. It was their responsibility to care for the breed properly.

It is a pity tragedy has to occur to highlight negligent owners. Put them down!

[jcxena]

I am so tired of everyone stereotyping the Rottweiler and hollywood showing them as monsters. This is my first time owning a rottie and she is the best companion and is the sweetest dog. People in my neighborhood were afraid of her just becasue of her breed, but then she goes and licks them and the fears are gone. It is amazing how the name "Rottweiler" instills fear in people. Yes there have been many attacks on people, but they are not all attacks by Rottweilers. I have had many experiences when the little ankle bitters or the ultimate family dog (labs) bark and snarl at me or my dog. There are not bad breeds, only bad owners who do not take the time to train their pets or their children on how to interact.

[Highclimber]

Yes all this media coverage of the breed has been a sham,and i'm affraid alot of it stems from the 70's cult film the Omen,dipicting the Rotti as some devil dog,we have 2 rotts a 4yr old dog,and a 2 year old bitch,and over the weekend we had been reported to the council who prompty sent the dog warden round for a visit,now we have never had any complaints before about our dogs up until now,our dogs will walk to heel,and the complaint was that we walked them off the lead,which we where told is not a legal requirment,so no one is hurt,what's the problem, and why should we be victimised like this,its just a witch hunt,and really upset my wife,and in my opinion,the bottom line its the owner is responsible for the dog, and they that should be punished, end of storey !

[Highclimber]

yes this is a witch hunt,and all rotti owners seem to be getting tarred with the same brush,down to some irrisposible owners,and no matter what anyone says,the dog is your responsibility,we own 2 Rotts,a 4 year old dog, and a 2 year old bitch,who up until now have had no complaints against them,over the weekend we got a visit from the dog warden,who says we had a complaint about walking the dogs off the lead,which we have always done for nearly 4 yrs,and the dogs walk to heel,but some busy body must think now is the time to jump on the band waggon,and have go.This really upset my wife,but unfortunatly,until hollywood stop making films like The Omen,ect this is going to go on,and the breed is always going to be recognised as some devil dog.

[TR Young]

Maybe someone needs to remind the UK media that humans are capable of murder as well. Should the UK ban humans????

[mannos]

she's a little known Welsh tv host, with absolutley no credentials to base what she said about rottweilers on. she probably had nothing to else to say this week, so she had a quick look at a BBC news site, googled some stuff about rottys, then dribbled this crap out.
were not all idiots in wales, just the few ppl like her.

[Tywaknya'sBABY]

"The couple running the pub could well have been the most responsible owners in the whole world, but they weren't there. "


I thought it was reported that these two rotts were kept on the roof and had been terrorizing school children for months! Yeah thats responsible ownership alright
Funny how quick the media will twist a story.

[TR Young]

Originally Posted by mannos

were not all idiots in wales, just the few ppl like her.

We've no doubt of that, my friend. One can't paint an entire country with a broad brush because of the opinions or actions of a few ignorant individuals.

Uh oh... that being said, do I have to change my mind about France??

[Gunsey'sMom]

I have yet to hear exactly what the parents were doing when this baby gorl was attacked-can anyone clue me in?

[Karyn]

Well, if they are going to leave a kid alone with a rottie - they should also give the kid the keys to the car or better - turn on the car and let the kid go for it. Responsible parenting.

[RyanK9]

The parents accidentally left the fire escape open. The dogs were very poorly socialised and were only really used to break up trouble in the pub. I attended the scene last week where the death occured. Sad to say but this was an accident waiting to happen and has absolutely nothing to do with Rottweilers. The writer of this pice is not only an ignorant, bandwagon jumper she is just about the lowest of the low when it comes to journalism - using the (very rare) death of a child as a platform to launch your own misguided hatred of dogs on the world is sickening. If she had bothered to do her research she would realise that breed specific legislation is not the answer. Let's be honest, she could care less about the death, she simply wanted to use the tragedy as a 'reason' to attack a breed she so clearly hates and does not understand.