Board makes correct choice on vicious dog (Illinois)

[Rene Allegrini]

Poor Major never had a chance. Chained and isolated for most of his life, his fate is now sealed.


Article and link provided by fightBSL group and Jodi Preis

SaukValley.com - Serving Dixon, Sterling & Rock Falls


A man's right to swing his fist extends only as far as the next man's nose, so the old saying goes. Swing a fist in the middle of an empty field and no one's going to complain. Swing it in the middle of a crowd and punch someone in the nose, and you've got trouble.

People who live near other people should always keep their neighbors in mind, using a combination of respect for others and a desire to treat them the way they themselves would like to be treated.

Where are we going with all this?

Let us consider the case of Major, the 140-pound Rottweiler dog that made news last week. Major has been condemned to death by the Polo Board of Health - an unfortunate yet entirely appropriate decision.

You see, Major has been causing a major headache for the residents of Polo. Major is not only a major nuisance but a major threat to the health and safety of Polo citizens.

The oversized, aggressive dog already had been the subject of at least seven previous loose dog complaints when he confronted a Polo police officer last March. Major bit the officer in the thigh, prompting the Polo Board of Health to declare the dog to be vicious and order it to be euthanized at that time. When Major's owner promised to keep his dog secured with a heavy-duty chain, so it no longer could pose a threat to the health and safety of others, board members relented and gave the animal a reprieve.

A chain is only as strong as its weakest link. Two weeks ago, Major finally broke the log chain that had restrained him for the past 10 months. The Rottweiler roamed loose until it became entangled in a neighbor's bush.

Major first barked and lunged at a neighbor woman who was holding her baby boy. Then, when Polo's chief of police arrived, Major barked and lunged at him. The dog was retrieved by its owner, but Major already had made a major point: Not even a log chain could keep him restrained indefinitely.

For the safety of Polo residents, the health board did the right thing in again ordering the dog to be put down. After Major's latest rampage, the dog deserves no more second chances.

The Ogle County Animal Control administrator, Thomas Champley, said Major was more aggressive than other dogs, adding: "It is my opinion that this dog should be 'put to sleep' before it causes serious injury to a person or other animal."

Owners of aggressive dogs must continually take responsibility for ensuring the safety of their animals - and their neighbors. If dogs are going to bark, lunge and bite, don't ever let them loose. Otherwise, there will be a price to pay - a major price.

[Obelix]

Thanks again for confronting us with the stupidity of some dog-owners.IMO the board made two wrong decissions:
1:after the second incident the dog should have been taken away from the "owner".
2:at the same time the dog is PTS the "owner" should be PTS too,because if not,one day he'll buy another "victim" and start all-over.