Diva

I usually pop the ones not going outside while I take whoever is to the car. Then I go back and let the others inside. It’s just to avoid lots of ‘pick me’ excited behaviours around the door. They have quickly worked out that routine and don’t seem to worry too much when they can’t actually see the lucky one go. They are very good in the house, never any accidents and damage is confined to a cushion becoming a toy from time to time. I can live with that. Mine have no separate anxiety, just lots of desire not to miss out.

Your email doesn’t sound like you were trying to get to the bottom of anything though. It doesn’t contain any questions or interrogate the issue. Just lots of ‘you failed’ and ‘I expect more’ type comments. That doesn’t tend to lead to constructive responses and putting myself in their shoes I can see why. Their response reads to me like a busy and confident vet acknowledging the mistake but letting you know that they would be very happy to not have you as a client. How much that matters depends I suppose on how easy vet behaviourists are to find and whether the current one gives favourable rates to the rescue.

I’m amazed the vet dropped the script off in your mailbox. That is great service and it wouldn’t happen here. Nor could I ring and expect to get them on the phone- they ring back if it’s a complicated matter but mostly exchange messages through the nurses. Vet practice is hectic these days. Tbh, it sounded like you were complaining for no particular purpose except to reprimand them. It didn’t seem that you were seeking any obvious outcome or redress, you just wanted to list their faults. Maybe to put it on the record for the rescue? It would have been better for them to have given a more sincere apology but I am not surprised they suggest you go elsewhere. They likely care a lot that they made an error, but probably not much about your complaint. I don’t think pursing it would get you anywhere, if their reputation is strong a one off error that has been acknowledged and that led to no consequences isn’t going to count for anything much. Good job on picking up on it though, the little dog is lucky to have you looking out for them.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-10-20/dog-found-five-months-after-fleeing-car-crash-broken-hill/102997988 some heart warming news for a change

In this case I wouldn’t go too far down the path of assuming the dog had no prior history of aggression. Still a lot to be learnt. There is a public document that says the dog was so reactive that the female owner needed a prong collar to walk it in public. I don’t know what that means for human aggression - most dog reactive dogs, as far as I know, are only that way to other dogs, but there is a trainer somewhere who may have insight. Absolutely agree that necropsies need to be part of the investigation tho’.

I have a friend who lives locally and told me some of it the day after it happened. It’s partly why I am so confounded by the incident. No obvious answers.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12642811/amp/Dog-attack-Allens-Rivulet-Rottweiler-Tasmania.html A lot more info in this article.

Thanks DogsAndTheMob, I’ll have a look for the interviews. It’s the appropriateness of the response stuff that interests me, why they target who they do and why they escalate. I’ve owned very large dogs all my life, but their social conflict resolution has always been more like a ballet than a fight. Actual harm done within a household is just beyond my experience and understanding.

I don't think it is media reporting - death by dog has been news for as long as I can recall. It's not really 'bites' that I am interested in either, it's this sustained mauling of adult owners that leads to death or multiple serious injuries. I can get my head around single bites, however serious, and prolonged attacks on strangers. I can even see why serious injuries leading to death happen to children. But dogs that maul their primary caregivers really make me wonder what is going on. What is it about with their temperaments, life experiences or relationship with their owners that make this possible?

I’m astounded by the run of deaths and serious injuries of adults by their own dogs recently. What on earth is going wrong?

I’ve used fexofenadine 180 (Telfast) for a big swollen face reaction on my dog from an insect sting. Recommended by the vet and worked fine. None of mine have ongoing allergies but I do, so that was what I had on hand for me.

I hope he is sent to a prison full of men who like dogs, and is treated as he deserves.

I agree tdierikx, the dog breaking off then resuming the attack really struck me too. I‘m not clear if a fight between the dogs did start things, I think it’s speculation from people trying to work out what happened. I’m not sure if witnesses saw the second dog bite her either. But that shot dog showed some chilling behaviour. I hope they did a necropsy.

Very sad. There was a similar case in Canberra a while back, a woman killed by her Staffie cross when she intervened to stop it attacking a male visitor. Only a few months before the same dog had received serious injuries trying to stop a violent home invasion.

If you mean the ones in Perth Mairead then no, not left with her, the owner was only 31 and the breeder of one of the dogs has spoken and it was sold directly to her, it sounds like as a pup.