Another Dog Attack - Front Page Of The Border Mail

[Trisven13]

I have posted the link to the article

Dog Disgrace

Obviously another case of an idiot owner walking their dog off-lead, particularly if it was the same dog involved in the incident earlier in the day. What an absolute bitch of a woman to leave the guy there injured. Whilst his injuries weren't life threatening at all, it is still a callous act.

Whilst it doesn't change what happened I would love to know what breed of dog it actually was as the dog remains, at this point, unknown. Can't imagine the middle-aged woman coming forward now however.

[WreckitWhippet]

It's more than a disgrace and it's a shame we can't euth owners along with the dogs.

I hope Mr Schoppert recovers from his ordeal.

A LAVINGTON grandfather has told how he feared his whole jaw would be ripped off by an aggressive pitbull terrier during an unprovoked attack on Anzac Day afternoon.

Police are trying to confirm if there are links to a separate attack on another Lavington man earlier the same day.

The family of Siegfried Schoppert, who was still in hospital yesterday after undergoing a skin graft to his thumb on Monday, has been left disgusted by the owner of the dog who did not help the 73-year-old.

“The woman just left him there ... he was soaked in blood,” daughter Lorraine Frederick said.

Her father hobbled home and called her to go to the hospital.

“I was in shock because I didn’t know how bad it was and on the way to the hospital I could see he was bleeding pretty bad,” she said.

Mr Schoppert suffered scratches to his face and stomach with bites to his hand leaving a hole in his right thumb.

“I was scared he was going to rip my whole jaw off,” he said.

“The woman was hysterical and yelled for her dog to get off but once she got the lead on she left quickly.”

He believed the owner, a middle-aged woman, should have taken more responsibility and had the dog on a lead.

“The dog should be off the streets and destroyed immediately,” Mr Schoppert said.

The incident happened just before 6pm along

a thoroughfare between Breen and Henderson streets in Lavington.

Earlier that day, a man, 66, was attacked by a pitbull terrier belonging to a middle-aged woman.

The man was bitten on the elbow.

The dog that carried out the attack was described as a fawn-coloured pitbull terrier.

The man was attacked while walking out the front of Centro Lavington.

He was taken to Albury Base Hospital where he received six stitches to his elbow.

Albury Insp Lynelle Rodwell said both attacks were concerning and could have proved fatal if the dog had attacked a young child.

“Both attacks are serious and we don’t want any more to occur,” Insp Rodwell said.

“Under the Companion Animals Act, owners have a responsibility to maintain effective control of their dogs in public places.

“We cannot confirm if it is the same dog.

“However, given the locations and the brief descriptions, we cannot discount it.

“We are urging all members of the community to be aware of these dog attacks and give a wide berth to any dog that appears to fit the description.”

Insp Rodwell said she urged the owner of the dog or dogs to come forward and assist police with their investigation into the matter.

Albury Council team leader for compliance John Mulvey said that council rangers had not received any reports about pitbull attacks taking place on Anzac Day.

Mr Mulvey encouraged people to report dog attacks early to both the council and police.

Anyone with information is urged to contact Albury police on (02) 6023 9299.

[mita]

Obviously another case of an idiot owner walking their dog off-lead,

I wish they'd apply the blow-torch....& fines....for the owners who set up these incidents to happen.

I saw a bloke ahead of me walking from the shops with his ridgie-type dog running free.

I lurked with our small dogs, on leads, around the corner of a building, because I had no idea how his dog would react.

Then I saw coming down a joining street, a young mother with a pram & with a nice black staffie on a lead.

Now these 2....were going to come around a corner & meet face to face. God knows what the loose ridgie-type dog would do, confronted with the staffy.

It was like watching a train wreck about to happen.

Fortunately, the mum paused to adjust something in the pram & it took her a few minutes. By that time, the bloke & his dog had disappeared along the street, she was going to turn into.

Edited April 28, 2010 by mita

[spottychick]

This is worse than just a case of an idiot owner not having an idiot dog on a lead. She also ran away from the consequences of her irresponsible behaviour and left an old man to suffer and - for all she knew - die from his injuries. What kind of moron does that? And if she and her dog are also responsible for the previous attack then she is criminally negligent. I hope they find her and throw the book at her. Never mind the dog, she needs to be taken off the street ASAP.

SHe sounds like the woman whose dog startled the guide dog resulting in it's blind owner falling into the bay and ending up in hospital. Wonder if it's the same stupid moron?

[GeckoTree]

Yep its a lot more serious than just a dog attack, its akin to a hit and run imo.

[poodlefan]

That's beyond irresponsible behaviour - that's criminal. ;)

[Her Majesty Dogmad]

Yes, I'm afraid it seems that far too many people who choose to own these types of dogs don't have any sense of right or wrong behaviour.

I rang the council yesterday to make sure that a pitbull attack in the next street had been reported. This dog lives at a house with waist high fencing, the gates are often left open.

A young girl was crossing the road with her Jack Russell and the pitbull leapt the fence, ran straight into the middle of the road and attacked the JRT. The owner appeared but was unable to stop his dog. The traffic was held up. The witness I know called the police. The council have not received any reports of such an attack and will not investigate until they do. They do not have a dog registered at that address.

The house was sold recently, I saw the pitty sitting there one day a few months ago and was horrified as the fencing was so low. I would be equally horrified at anyone attempting to contain a large dog with such low fencing - it may well be an accident waiting to happen. I should have rung the council and asked them to check and perhaps an innocent little dog would still be alive and his owner would not have endured such horror.

Edited April 28, 2010 by dogmad

[Earthdog]

God how callous is that woman? I hope the gentleman recovers fully from his ordeal. I also hope they find her and throw the book at her.

[Andrea&John]

Follow up story http://www.bordermail.com.au/news/local/ne...im/1815605.aspx

Catch dog before it kills someone: victim

SARAH DEAN

29 Apr, 2010 11:13 AM

THE first victim of a pitbull terrier attack on Anzac Day has come forward, saying the dog needs to be found before someone is killed.

Lavington’s Peter Rodgers experienced the brutal force of the aggressive dog when he was mauled outside Centro Lavington on Sunday morning.

The owner of the beige-coloured dog, a middle-aged woman, did not try to help the man who was bleeding from a bite on his elbow.

What do you think? Click here and have your say

“One minute I was walking along and the next this dog was hanging off my arm,” Mr Rodgers said.

“I was in a state of shock ... I told (the owner) she needed something done about her dog before she fled and left me there.”

Mr Rodgers had to have six stitches to his elbow.

Police and the council are still hunting for the dog and its owner who is believed to live around the vicinity of Breen Street, Lavington.

Another Lavington man, Siegfried Schoppert, was attacked by what may be the same pitbull when he was walking along a thoroughfare between Breen and Henderson streets in Lavington on Anzac Day afternoon.

Mr Schoppert suffered scratches to his face and stomach with severe bites to his hand that left a hole in his right thumb.

He was still recovering in hospital yesterday after two skin graft operations to his thumb.

Mr Rodgers said he now held concerns for the community.

“This dog could kill, no problem,” he said.

“I count myself lucky, but it could be a different story if it were a child or someone not strong enough to pull the dog off them.”

Albury Sgt Mark Watson said police were working on several leads from the public after reading yesterday’s front page of The Border Mail.

“There’s nothing concrete yet, people have called but we haven’t got anything at this stage and the woman in question has not come forward,” he said.

Council inspectors have door-knocked the area but have failed to find the dog.

Albury Council team leader for compliance John Mulvey said the council urged dog owners to be responsible in public places and that under the Companion Animals Act there were penalties for having a dog unrestrained in public.

He said penalties for dog offences varied, starting from fines of $165 to prosecution stage where the maximum fine was $55,000 or two years in jail, or both.

Anyone with information about the dog or owner is urged to contact Albury police on (02) 6023 9299.

[WreckitWhippet]

Someone has to live next door to her and the dog. Hopefully they dob her in

[Sandra777]

Yes, I'm afraid it seems that far too many people who choose to own these types of dogs don't have any sense of right or wrong behaviour.

Sorry dogmad but it's not just "these types of dogs" who have idiot owners. I cannot even count the number of idiotic owners of small yappy dogs I have met, and don't even get me started on the brain dead owners of ''Labradors'' (many aren't really).

[Trisven13]

There was another article yesterday where the local RSPCA President AND owner of a number of veterinary surgeries was quoted as saying the dog was a ticking time bomb.

There apparently was another possible attack by the same dog 2 weeks earlier. This man came forward after reading about it earlier in the week.

The man told police the dog was in a harness on a lead, but rushed at and snapped at him as he approached the woman and her dog while walking in Breen Street.

He described the woman as middle-aged with sandy blonde hair walking a dog described as a staffy cross or similar.

......

Dr Frauenfelder said the dog was dangerous because it was probably protecting its owner.

The dog might not have been out as much as it needs to and has not been socialised, he said.

These bigger dogs become protective of the females they associate with unless they totally dominate them.

The dog will look friendly in the backyard and around the house but is still a potential time bomb.

I must admit that when I went walking my dogs today I deliberately avoided the area which is an area I often walk in. I will continue to do so for a while most likely, though I'm sure the woman will not be walking her dog for quite some time. She must live very near if not in Breen Street as that is two incidents in Breen Street and one very close to it.

Edited May 1, 2010 by Trisven13

[shel]

Hey T,

Do you have that article?

I'd be really interested in getting a copy.

Ta!

:)shel

[Trisven13]

Which article shel? There have been 3 in total.

[Leithy]

This is quite disturbing- can only hope the dog gets found before it does some more serious damage.

And as for the lady leaving him with his injuries? A cowardly and inhumane act, karma will come around and get you, no doubt about that. She's not only criminally liable, but he could probably do her in the civil courts as well.

Unfortunately the outlook for the dog looks pretty grim thanks to this stupid lady- its a shame as to what good training and socialisation can do for a dog.

Here's hoping this dog doesn't attack a small child or anyone else- thoughts are with this elderly man and hope he recovers well.

[Trisven13]

Another article in the paper today.

The pitbull believed responsible for at least three savage attacks in Lavington, and its mystery owner have gone into hiding.

Yesterday the tiny one-bedroom flat near Centro Lavington where the woman and dog at the centre of police inquiries are said to have been living, was empty.

A next door neighbour said she moved out more than a week ago and just after a series of well-publicised attacks.

Residents of other flats in the brown brick, single storey block said the fawn pitbull terrier accused of putting one man in hospital and leaving another with a bloodied arm on Anzac Day was generally quiet and kept on a lead.

But others in the surrounding streets said the the dog was notoriously aggressive.

One woman said the pitbull was territorial and protective of its owner, growling and snarling at people on the street.

They also say the middle-aged woman and the dog, who were seen walking up to four times a day, have not been since the most recent attacks.