Most comments on articles I don’t respond to, but in this case I agree with Big Dog. Animals are not mean unless the owners make them that way. I don’t know how many times I read about these incidents and they kill the animal.
Agreed – or else it’s simple neglect and lack of discipline. We recently had an incident where I live – the police were called to a house on a domestic disturbance. When the officer entered the house, two dogs charged him (each was about 40 lbs), and one had the officer’s arm in his mouth. The officer shot the dog biting him (it died) and since then, the cries of “animal cruelty” and “police brutality” are unbelieveable!
“Wagner’s attorney, Don Evans, said he is considering appealing the decision, which he called one of the worst he’d seen in 30 years. He said Astro had no history of aggression.” Well, he has one now and should be put down. Human beings should not have to worry about being ATTACKED AND MAULED (OR KILLED)by some large animal. This isn’t the wild west. Remember what happend with the 200 pound monkey in CT? That woman had her face torn off, is blind, and has no life.
Evans is part of the problem. So is the theory that an owner shouldn’t be liable just because there was “no history of aggression”. There is no such thing as “the first bite is free”. It’s illogical and an insult to all humans. It matters not that this was the first attack. Let’s be clear: this was an ATTACK, not a dog bite. Pit Bulls ATTACK. Rotweillers ATTACK. Most other dogs simply BITE. Big difference.
A lousy $50K liability policy doesn’t cut it. This, and equally aggressive, brutish breeds shouln’t be allowed in neighborhoods. People get these dogs for “image”. Makes them look rough and tough. Enlightned owners of breeds with a pre-disposition to ATTACK should have to post a$500,000 bond with the city to cover any injury/death resulting from their animals. Homeowner insurance carriers should either refuse to underwrite a household with one, or make it extremely expensive to purchase coverage.
it figures a raider fan would come out in defense of a pit bull. dogs are just stupid animals, unpredictable and viscious by nature. just because most pits are smarter than your average raider fan, does not mean they should be allowed in any residential area. for that matter i would like to ban raider fans from my neighborhood as well. i am so tired of people blaming bad pet owners. if you own a pit you are already an idiot, so what chance is there that any pit will be a nice dog?
I totally agree with Jake’s comments. I love dogs, but I hate being chased down by a pitbull when going for jog! I firmly believe that EVERY dog owner should have a $500,000 liability policy. And, ANY dog bite is grounds for a law suit.
Dog Bites should result in removal of the animal from the owner while making the owner pay for the incident. As far as insurance, good luck finding a carrier that’ll write a policy for several different breeds. Any carrier willing to write it…kudo’s. However, once an owner can’t control his animal, he should not be allowed to ever have one again.
You people that can’t talk without throwing daggers at other proples opinion cracks me up! The only thing I was saying that discipline starts at home and apparently alot of you negetive people missed it when you were growing up. We all should have commen sense that a human being knows right from wrong. If an animal atttacks someone, KILL HIM!!!!! or her! It is just sad that these things have to happen.
In the event of injuries caused by a vicous dog (catgegory) who needs to sort through the claims process and denials to obtain closure? A bond would place the funds needed on hand, and the bond would cost a lot more than the insurance premium thus economically eliminating johnny the drug pusher as a viable candidate for owning a vicous dog. Now you would need to put felony level laws in force with sufficient actual penalties for owning such a dog without a Bond.
Great idea. Make them work with bail bondsmen for the Dog Bite bond. The only problem is if Senator Dodd hears about it, he will say that only people who could afford a dog and the bond would qualify and people who could not would be unfairly discriminated against!
Banning the breed is not the answer. There is no such thing as a bad dog, just bad owners. THATS A FACT to all you hard core cat lovers. (I love cats too, relax, I love all animals)I have a bird dog, it’s in her blood. However, she wouldn’t know what to do if she were taken hunting, she hasn’t been trained for it, although I believe she would have a knack for it if the occasion came up. Similar concept with pits, rots or boxers. Not everyone has a pit to look ‘rough and tough’ they’re guard dogs. Being a young woman living alone in a city of 70K, I feel much safer running all alone in the early mornings at the park with my pit. I know of at least one occassion a woman had been raped while early morning running in the park alone…not this park but it’s happened. It’s not to look tough. She’s my gaurd dog(I have two dogs) Yes, I have socialized her with other dogs and people. Sometimes I wonder if she would protect me or rather flop on her back to have her tummy rubbed. This rubbish of requiring someone to take out a huge liability policy is covering up the problem. Too many abuse these breeds and it’s wrong to blame the animal. My opinion is anyone with a “fighting” dog must register them, be required to take obedience classes and become certified to own one. Not for reasons of knowing how to react in the event the dog attacks but to deter negligent or abusive potential owners because those are the ones drawn to more known aggressive breeds. This man should no longer be in possession of this dog. It needs a new home. I would be terrified to walk ANY of my dogs down that street.
I dont get the joke with the Raider fans and pitbulls but I totally agree with the Raider fan, some people on here will rip your head off if your opinion is in the minority. And not even directed at ANYONE, just simply stating your opinion is dangerous on this site. It’s happened to me on a couple of occassions on here.
We don’t have dog problems in our neighborhood. If one of the local dogs becomes a problem it simply disappears. Strays are either taken in and become locals, or they also disappear. Depending on local authorities is a quaint notion in current “polite” US society that no longer makes sense out here in the “wild west.”
Here in the “Wild West” dogs that bite get killed too. Dog bite claims are getting all too common, we had two claims just in the last month in our agency. One claim didnt even break the skin- cost $6,000.00. What insurer in their right mind would want a dog with a bite history? The reason a dog will bite is a combination of nature and nuture and only one factor can be controlled.
There are plenty of agruments on both sides of this dilemma but one irrefutable fact remains: some breeds have a genetic propensity to ATTACK AND MAUL, not simply bite. That propensity may be dormant for years and suddently appear without any apparent provocation. There is a reason that Pit Bulls and Rotweillers consistently appear as numbers 1 & 2 on the annual list of breeds to attack, maul, and kill humans. Armed with that historical information based on actual attacks, maulings, and deaths, nobody should expose the public to these risks by keeping those breeds in populated areas. Unless you own a junkyard, there is no justification to have one of these other than image and ego. Just look at the people who own them. When it comes to decisions between the “right” to own one and public safety, the dog loses.
I agree with you, Ana. But I have decided not to comment at all because the discussion becomes shrill, vitriolic and vituperative; mud slinging and name calling are the result….kind of sounds like that right wing rally in Gettysburg where they used a bull horn; any opinions are shouted down if they are not the “preferred” or “right” opinions. I see no need to add anything, except this, unless you underwrite, most folks don’t know the risk management issue that dog breeds present; the heck with all the other opinions, what does it mean in terms of safety for all, not just the owner or those who live nearby.
Ana, you’ve been seriously mislead if you think that breed doesn’t matter. While it’s true that all pets need to be socialized with people and other pets, the fact is (and every decent VET will tell you) that there are inherent differences in specific breeds of dogs. Until I hear of a pack of Golden Retrievers going on a killing spree, I’ll continue to believe this.
A locked gate would’ve prevented the whole incident. Any dog left unattended in a yard should be locked in for their safety as well as the safety of others.
Did everyone miss the fact that the dog was minding his own business while the little yappers were yapping and yiping outside of his fence, with the intention of inciting him. (that’s what little dogs do, in case you didn’t know) Then the bratty neighbor kid opened the gate and the yappers got the fight they were looking for; when Astro did what dogs do!!!!!
I think the neighbor kid’s parents should have to pay for the $50,000 insurance or better yet put up a bond.
It’s not the dogs, nor the owners fault. I’m so sick of everyone blaming everyone else.
As for the dog that was shot by the cop, self defense!! BTW- i would say the same if the yappie dog lady would have shot Astro while he was biting her.
Can someone please name ONE insurance company that would even write a policy where the insured has a boxer mix with an ATTACK history? Looks like a bond is the way to go because no personal lines writer would touch this.
I agree that common sense would have easily averted this situation and that the owners should have had a padlocked fence. I do the same at home, we have a Great Dane, she’s a darling with kids, small dogs, etc. but her weight alone could inadvertently cause an injury just by her being happy to see someone!
With all respect to dog lovers or non dog lovers, we are our own worst enemey and we create our own monsters. I believe when a dog bites, he has Learned this whether it came from the owner, or maybe neighbor kids that teased. I am a witness to a Golden Doodle who was loved and disaplined properly. He was contained with an invisible fence. The neighbor kids loved to tease this dog because he made it look like fun to them because he couldn’t step ouside the boundry line or he’d get shocked. Kids think this is funny. In my opinion this is “provoking”. The people with the dog were charged with harboring a dangerous dog wihout provocation. The Dog bit a woman, yes, but no body wants to listen to the rest of the story. People judge and are found guilty way before they have a chance to explain. Unbeliveable.
euthanize the owner, and send the dog to Cesar Milan?
Most comments on articles I don’t respond to, but in this case I agree with Big Dog. Animals are not mean unless the owners make them that way. I don’t know how many times I read about these incidents and they kill the animal.
Sad state of affairs in this country!
Agreed – or else it’s simple neglect and lack of discipline. We recently had an incident where I live – the police were called to a house on a domestic disturbance. When the officer entered the house, two dogs charged him (each was about 40 lbs), and one had the officer’s arm in his mouth. The officer shot the dog biting him (it died) and since then, the cries of “animal cruelty” and “police brutality” are unbelieveable!
“Wagner’s attorney, Don Evans, said he is considering appealing the decision, which he called one of the worst he’d seen in 30 years. He said Astro had no history of aggression.” Well, he has one now and should be put down. Human beings should not have to worry about being ATTACKED AND MAULED (OR KILLED)by some large animal. This isn’t the wild west. Remember what happend with the 200 pound monkey in CT? That woman had her face torn off, is blind, and has no life.
Evans is part of the problem. So is the theory that an owner shouldn’t be liable just because there was “no history of aggression”. There is no such thing as “the first bite is free”. It’s illogical and an insult to all humans. It matters not that this was the first attack. Let’s be clear: this was an ATTACK, not a dog bite. Pit Bulls ATTACK. Rotweillers ATTACK. Most other dogs simply BITE. Big difference.
A lousy $50K liability policy doesn’t cut it. This, and equally aggressive, brutish breeds shouln’t be allowed in neighborhoods. People get these dogs for “image”. Makes them look rough and tough. Enlightned owners of breeds with a pre-disposition to ATTACK should have to post a$500,000 bond with the city to cover any injury/death resulting from their animals. Homeowner insurance carriers should either refuse to underwrite a household with one, or make it extremely expensive to purchase coverage.
it figures a raider fan would come out in defense of a pit bull. dogs are just stupid animals, unpredictable and viscious by nature. just because most pits are smarter than your average raider fan, does not mean they should be allowed in any residential area. for that matter i would like to ban raider fans from my neighborhood as well. i am so tired of people blaming bad pet owners. if you own a pit you are already an idiot, so what chance is there that any pit will be a nice dog?
I totally agree with Jake’s comments. I love dogs, but I hate being chased down by a pitbull when going for jog! I firmly believe that EVERY dog owner should have a $500,000 liability policy. And, ANY dog bite is grounds for a law suit.
Dog Bites should result in removal of the animal from the owner while making the owner pay for the incident. As far as insurance, good luck finding a carrier that’ll write a policy for several different breeds. Any carrier willing to write it…kudo’s. However, once an owner can’t control his animal, he should not be allowed to ever have one again.
An excellent suggestion that could be backed with common sense. A $500,000.00 bond should cover any potential event even if the dog had a “history”.
You people that can’t talk without throwing daggers at other proples opinion cracks me up! The only thing I was saying that discipline starts at home and apparently alot of you negetive people missed it when you were growing up. We all should have commen sense that a human being knows right from wrong. If an animal atttacks someone, KILL HIM!!!!! or her! It is just sad that these things have to happen.
Smile everyone, it is not the end of the world!
In the event of injuries caused by a vicous dog (catgegory) who needs to sort through the claims process and denials to obtain closure? A bond would place the funds needed on hand, and the bond would cost a lot more than the insurance premium thus economically eliminating johnny the drug pusher as a viable candidate for owning a vicous dog. Now you would need to put felony level laws in force with sufficient actual penalties for owning such a dog without a Bond.
Great idea. Make them work with bail bondsmen for the Dog Bite bond. The only problem is if Senator Dodd hears about it, he will say that only people who could afford a dog and the bond would qualify and people who could not would be unfairly discriminated against!
Banning the breed is not the answer. There is no such thing as a bad dog, just bad owners. THATS A FACT to all you hard core cat lovers. (I love cats too, relax, I love all animals)I have a bird dog, it’s in her blood. However, she wouldn’t know what to do if she were taken hunting, she hasn’t been trained for it, although I believe she would have a knack for it if the occasion came up. Similar concept with pits, rots or boxers. Not everyone has a pit to look ‘rough and tough’ they’re guard dogs. Being a young woman living alone in a city of 70K, I feel much safer running all alone in the early mornings at the park with my pit. I know of at least one occassion a woman had been raped while early morning running in the park alone…not this park but it’s happened. It’s not to look tough. She’s my gaurd dog(I have two dogs) Yes, I have socialized her with other dogs and people. Sometimes I wonder if she would protect me or rather flop on her back to have her tummy rubbed. This rubbish of requiring someone to take out a huge liability policy is covering up the problem. Too many abuse these breeds and it’s wrong to blame the animal. My opinion is anyone with a “fighting” dog must register them, be required to take obedience classes and become certified to own one. Not for reasons of knowing how to react in the event the dog attacks but to deter negligent or abusive potential owners because those are the ones drawn to more known aggressive breeds. This man should no longer be in possession of this dog. It needs a new home. I would be terrified to walk ANY of my dogs down that street.
I dont get the joke with the Raider fans and pitbulls but I totally agree with the Raider fan, some people on here will rip your head off if your opinion is in the minority. And not even directed at ANYONE, just simply stating your opinion is dangerous on this site. It’s happened to me on a couple of occassions on here.
We don’t have dog problems in our neighborhood. If one of the local dogs becomes a problem it simply disappears. Strays are either taken in and become locals, or they also disappear. Depending on local authorities is a quaint notion in current “polite” US society that no longer makes sense out here in the “wild west.”
Here in the “Wild West” dogs that bite get killed too. Dog bite claims are getting all too common, we had two claims just in the last month in our agency. One claim didnt even break the skin- cost $6,000.00. What insurer in their right mind would want a dog with a bite history? The reason a dog will bite is a combination of nature and nuture and only one factor can be controlled.
There are plenty of agruments on both sides of this dilemma but one irrefutable fact remains: some breeds have a genetic propensity to ATTACK AND MAUL, not simply bite. That propensity may be dormant for years and suddently appear without any apparent provocation. There is a reason that Pit Bulls and Rotweillers consistently appear as numbers 1 & 2 on the annual list of breeds to attack, maul, and kill humans. Armed with that historical information based on actual attacks, maulings, and deaths, nobody should expose the public to these risks by keeping those breeds in populated areas. Unless you own a junkyard, there is no justification to have one of these other than image and ego. Just look at the people who own them. When it comes to decisions between the “right” to own one and public safety, the dog loses.
I agree with you, Ana. But I have decided not to comment at all because the discussion becomes shrill, vitriolic and vituperative; mud slinging and name calling are the result….kind of sounds like that right wing rally in Gettysburg where they used a bull horn; any opinions are shouted down if they are not the “preferred” or “right” opinions. I see no need to add anything, except this, unless you underwrite, most folks don’t know the risk management issue that dog breeds present; the heck with all the other opinions, what does it mean in terms of safety for all, not just the owner or those who live nearby.
Ana, you’ve been seriously mislead if you think that breed doesn’t matter. While it’s true that all pets need to be socialized with people and other pets, the fact is (and every decent VET will tell you) that there are inherent differences in specific breeds of dogs. Until I hear of a pack of Golden Retrievers going on a killing spree, I’ll continue to believe this.
A locked gate would’ve prevented the whole incident. Any dog left unattended in a yard should be locked in for their safety as well as the safety of others.
Did everyone miss the fact that the dog was minding his own business while the little yappers were yapping and yiping outside of his fence, with the intention of inciting him. (that’s what little dogs do, in case you didn’t know) Then the bratty neighbor kid opened the gate and the yappers got the fight they were looking for; when Astro did what dogs do!!!!!
I think the neighbor kid’s parents should have to pay for the $50,000 insurance or better yet put up a bond.
It’s not the dogs, nor the owners fault. I’m so sick of everyone blaming everyone else.
As for the dog that was shot by the cop, self defense!! BTW- i would say the same if the yappie dog lady would have shot Astro while he was biting her.
Can someone please name ONE insurance company that would even write a policy where the insured has a boxer mix with an ATTACK history? Looks like a bond is the way to go because no personal lines writer would touch this.
don’t you just hate when little dogs incite a riot and then get eaten up because of it?
I agree that common sense would have easily averted this situation and that the owners should have had a padlocked fence. I do the same at home, we have a Great Dane, she’s a darling with kids, small dogs, etc. but her weight alone could inadvertently cause an injury just by her being happy to see someone!
With all respect to dog lovers or non dog lovers, we are our own worst enemey and we create our own monsters. I believe when a dog bites, he has Learned this whether it came from the owner, or maybe neighbor kids that teased. I am a witness to a Golden Doodle who was loved and disaplined properly. He was contained with an invisible fence. The neighbor kids loved to tease this dog because he made it look like fun to them because he couldn’t step ouside the boundry line or he’d get shocked. Kids think this is funny. In my opinion this is “provoking”. The people with the dog were charged with harboring a dangerous dog wihout provocation. The Dog bit a woman, yes, but no body wants to listen to the rest of the story. People judge and are found guilty way before they have a chance to explain. Unbeliveable.