A Dog Killed

[Red Fox]

I have watched the news report and listened to the radio interview. One thing I can't fathom though is that why, in a situation that dangerous, with a dog so aggressive that (in her own words 'threw itself against the fence with no warning' and maimed her dog) why would the woman bring her other dog back and stand outside the same fence for a TV interview?

[BlackJaq]

Because good things are coming her way now that she has the nation's attention and pity?I know it sounds bad but I cannot fathom another reason for going back there?

I thought it was pretty low to be filming the dog and putting it on national television as well and on the video it didn't appear as the slavering beast she would have us think it was? It kept its distance and was alarm barking a little but it wasn't exactly attempting to scale the fence to get to the other poodle or "throwing itself against the fence"... Surely they would have shown the footage if it acted that way at all.

I would expect most dogs to react pretty strongly if something (regardless of what it actually was) came through a gap in their fence, especially when they cannot see through the fence. I do hope the owners fix that fence though.

Edited April 18, 2013 by BlackJaq

[Sheridan]

I wouldn't be kicking the poodle's owner over that. It would have been the media arranging that whole thing. Saying good things are coming her way is very nasty. Her dog was killed FFS. How is that a good thing?

[mixeduppup]

From what I saw she was holding it well away from the fence. Although I have to say that if there was an aggressive dog throwing itself against the fence I would have given it a wide berth. Poor lady and her poor dog.

[mantis]

Because good things are coming her way now that she has the nation's attention and pity?I know it sounds bad but I cannot fathom another reason for going back there?

I thought it was pretty low to be filming the dog and putting it on national television as well and on the video it didn't appear as the slavering beast she would have us think it was? It kept its distance and was alarm barking a little but it wasn't exactly attempting to scale the fence to get to the other poodle or "throwing itself against the fence"... Surely they would have shown the footage if it acted that way at all.

I would expect most dogs to react pretty strongly if something (regardless of what it actually was) came through a gap in their fence, especially when they cannot see through the fence. I do hope the owners fix that fence though.

Great post.

[Her Majesty Dogmad]

Because good things are coming her way now that she has the nation's attention and pity?I know it sounds bad but I cannot fathom another reason for going back there?

I thought it was pretty low to be filming the dog and putting it on national television as well and on the video it didn't appear as the slavering beast she would have us think it was? It kept its distance and was alarm barking a little but it wasn't exactly attempting to scale the fence to get to the other poodle or "throwing itself against the fence"... Surely they would have shown the footage if it acted that way at all.

I would expect most dogs to react pretty strongly if something (regardless of what it actually was) came through a gap in their fence, especially when they cannot see through the fence. I do hope the owners fix that fence though.

Wow, do you always see the worst in people? How about she's trying to protect other dog owners from having it happen to them - either by walking past the same property or by demonstrating how a seemingly harmless gap can result in a horrific incident that causes your dog to die?

I'm pretty sure most dogs would not react in such a vicious way - I've come across plenty of dogs on walks who are in their gardens and are not too bad with dogs passing by, sure they might bark but I don't think they are going to rip my dogs apart. There are two dogs round the corner that are DA and I no longer walk past there and worry about other people who do because they may not realise there are no gates, a 2 foot high fence and dogs with no collars or leads on in that property who regularly frequent the front yard ... A terrible accident will happen one day, council are aware but sadly it seems someone's pet may have to suffer before something finally gets done. The owners hardly have a brain cell amongst them.

If you want to own an aggressive dog then fine, but just ensure you don't ruin someone else's life because you don't take the proper precautions to protect the community and their pets at all times and in every way possible.

I hope it never happens to me but if something like that does happen, believe me I will not go quietly, I will take plenty of action.

Edited April 18, 2013 by dogmad

[BlackJaq]

Wow, do you always see the worst in people?

Alas, yes. I can't seem to help it. Either way I am free to say so if that is what I think :)

Your theory is plausible, too. I guess we'll probably never know.

[Her Majesty Dogmad]

Wow, do you always see the worst in people?

Alas, yes. I can't seem to help it. Either way I am free to say so if that is what I think :)

Your theory is plausible, too. I guess we'll probably never know.

You are free to express your opinion, I never said you weren't and we can't all agree, all of the time. Insert a smiley face here.

I'm just sorry that you and others can't seem to empathise with someone whose dog has died in this way. Instead, you seem to prefer to demonise the owner. Nice. I imagine this would be a trauma that would last a lifetime. As someone else has said, some people simply cannot empathise unless it happens to their own dog. Could it have something to do with the breeds of dog involved, I can only wonder.

Edited April 20, 2013 by dogmad

[tdierikx]

Many of us who have had input in this thread certainly do empathise with the dog that died... but we also believe that there may be a whole lot more to the story than has been told to the media.

I've said it once already in this thread (or in the other one in News), that the fact that the offending bull breed dog hasn't been seized, declared, or destroyed by now - bearing in mind the strict BSL laws now in effect in Victoria - then maybe the side of the story we are being told might not be the whole story...

T.

[hankdog]

Just my 5 cents worth, if both dogs were on leash and the poodle owner allowed her dog to get close enough to get bitten whilst the other dog was displaying agressive signals, who would you consider to be responsible?

If the staff was on leash and the poodle ran over on one if the extendable leashes, who is then responsible?

Just so my cards are on the table I own a DA dog and whilst I keep him securely leashed I frequently have to fight off the "don't worry he's friendly " brigade. I think this is a tragic situation but looking at the fence I do think the poodle owner has some responsibility for allowing her dog to be close enough to the gap.

[mantis]

I remembered this terrible story yesterday, after coming back from shopping.

Directly across the road from the shopping centre, there is a house with a little maltese, They have gates across the driveway, like pool fencing, the little dog barks when you walk past & sticks it's whole head through. I am so worried about that dogs welfare if someone is walking their dog past & has a go at the maltese.

I feel like I should warn the owners of the dog & suggest they put wire or mesh on the gates, so the dog can't stick it's head through. The risk is though, they will probably tell me to mind my own business. It's an accident waiting to happen.

[Her Majesty Dogmad]

Just my 5 cents worth, if both dogs were on leash and the poodle owner allowed her dog to get close enough to get bitten whilst the other dog was displaying agressive signals, who would you consider to be responsible?

If the staff was on leash and the poodle ran over on one if the extendable leashes, who is then responsible?

Just so my cards are on the table I own a DA dog and whilst I keep him securely leashed I frequently have to fight off the "don't worry he's friendly " brigade. I think this is a tragic situation but looking at the fence I do think the poodle owner has some responsibility for allowing her dog to be close enough to the gap.

Are you suggesting that - as a dog owner - every time you walk along the road and see a gap in a fence or pool fencing that you should keep your dog away from the gap?

With the gap that I've seen on the news, maybe this owner DIDN"T KNOW that there was a dog behind it that would take it's dog's face off. I'm sure if she'd even had the slightest inkling that would be the result that she would have kept her dog well away - perhaps even as far as the next bloody suburb.

No, the responsibility lies with the owner of a dog that has gaps in the fencing, so close to a public footpath. They should be fixing their gaps. I walk my dogs along the road each day, footpath is wide enough only for 1 person. My dogs sniff the grass, by fencing. I don't expect them to turn around with half a face left, as a result of that.

I'm quite sure they could tell from their side of the fence if their dog was agitated by people/dogs walking on the other side of the fence. It wouldn't be rocket science to figure it out.

Edited April 21, 2013 by dogmad

[Staffyluv]

Just my 5 cents worth, if both dogs were on leash and the poodle owner allowed her dog to get close enough to get bitten whilst the other dog was displaying agressive signals, who would you consider to be responsible?

If the staff was on leash and the poodle ran over on one if the extendable leashes, who is then responsible?

Just so my cards are on the table I own a DA dog and whilst I keep him securely leashed I frequently have to fight off the "don't worry he's friendly " brigade. I think this is a tragic situation but looking at the fence I do think the poodle owner has some responsibility for allowing her dog to be close enough to the gap.

Are you suggesting that - as a dog owner - every time you walk along the road and see a gap in a fence or pool fencing that you should keep your dog away from the gap?

With the gap that I've seen on the news, maybe this owner DIDN"T KNOW that there was a dog behind it that would take it's dog's face off. I'm sure if she'd even had the slightest inkling that would be the result that she would have kept her dog well away - perhaps even as far as the next bloody suburb.

No, the responsibility lies with the owner of a dog that has gaps in the fencing, so close to a public footpath. They should be fixing their gaps. I walk my dogs along the road each day, footpath is wide enough only for 1 person. My dogs sniff the grass, by fencing. I don't expect them to turn around with half a face left, as a result of that.

I'm quite sure they could tell from their side of the fence if their dog was agitated by people/dogs walking on the other side of the fence. It wouldn't be rocket science to figure it out.

I do.. I never walk the dog so close to a fence that he could touch another dog behind the fence. And yes, I will walk on the road if I need to. My dog, is my responsibility to keep safe. I wouldn't allow him to sniff grass at a fence either. To me that is just annoying a dog behind a fence for no reason. It is easier to keep walking to the park or a house with no dog and let them sniff there.

We have dogs next door that rush us as we walk past and although they are behind a fence, it only just comes up to the bottom of their chest, so they could easily step over it (not to mention the gate in the front yard is never closed, so they can just walk out if they really wanted to).

They have on occasion come rushing out at us but a swift kick action or a loud 'get' usually sends them both back into their yard.

I still maintain we can't lay blame anywhere as yet because all of the facts are not known - we have one side of a story.

I am not saying it wasn't the other dog owners fault, I am just saying we really don't have enough information to lay blame.

Hopefully this horror story will make those less responsible owners realise that they need to fix gaps in their fences. Hopefully it will also make others realise that just because there is a fence there, doesn't mean their dog is safe - it is up to us to keep them safe, as best we can.

[Simply Grand]

Well said Staffyluv, I agree with all your points.

[hankdog]

I agree that this particular case will be hard to tell exactly what happened but yes I do think if your dogs on lead it is your job to keep it and other dogs safe. The biter is also now at risk because of the incident. I think people assume every dog is safe to greet and regard dogs that are not so as the exception. I think it should be the other way around and people should assume that unless an owner expressly invites you to meet then dogs should be kept separate. Dog parks are the place for dog free for all. I definitely think letting a dog get close to a fence is not really a great idea.

[Rozzie]

I remembered this terrible story yesterday, after coming back from shopping.

Directly across the road from the shopping centre, there is a house with a little maltese, They have gates across the driveway, like pool fencing, the little dog barks when you walk past & sticks it's whole head through. I am so worried about that dogs welfare if someone is walking their dog past & has a go at the maltese.

I feel like I should warn the owners of the dog & suggest they put wire or mesh on the gates, so the dog can't stick it's head through. The risk is though, they will probably tell me to mind my own business. It's an accident waiting to happen.

And if they do? You might be thanked for giving them the heads up.

[mantis]

I remembered this terrible story yesterday, after coming back from shopping.

Directly across the road from the shopping centre, there is a house with a little maltese, They have gates across the driveway, like pool fencing, the little dog barks when you walk past & sticks it's whole head through. I am so worried about that dogs welfare if someone is walking their dog past & has a go at the maltese.

I feel like I should warn the owners of the dog & suggest they put wire or mesh on the gates, so the dog can't stick it's head through. The risk is though, they will probably tell me to mind my own business. It's an accident waiting to happen.

And if they do? You might be thanked for giving them the heads up.

I think I will take the risk tomorrow when I go up the shops, if they aren't home I will put a note in their letterbox. It's a lovely little dog, I'd hate something bad to happen it.

[RubyBlue]

Just my 5 cents worth, if both dogs were on leash and the poodle owner allowed her dog to get close enough to get bitten whilst the other dog was displaying agressive signals, who would you consider to be responsible?

If the staff was on leash and the poodle ran over on one if the extendable leashes, who is then responsible?

Just so my cards are on the table I own a DA dog and whilst I keep him securely leashed I frequently have to fight off the "don't worry he's friendly " brigade. I think this is a tragic situation but looking at the fence I do think the poodle owner has some responsibility for allowing her dog to be close enough to the gap.

Are you suggesting that - as a dog owner - every time you walk along the road and see a gap in a fence or pool fencing that you should keep your dog away from the gap?

With the gap that I've seen on the news, maybe this owner DIDN"T KNOW that there was a dog behind it that would take it's dog's face off. I'm sure if she'd even had the slightest inkling that would be the result that she would have kept her dog well away - perhaps even as far as the next bloody suburb.

No, the responsibility lies with the owner of a dog that has gaps in the fencing, so close to a public footpath. They should be fixing their gaps. I walk my dogs along the road each day, footpath is wide enough only for 1 person. My dogs sniff the grass, by fencing. I don't expect them to turn around with half a face left, as a result of that.

I'm quite sure they could tell from their side of the fence if their dog was agitated by people/dogs walking on the other side of the fence. It wouldn't be rocket science to figure it out.

I do.. I never walk the dog so close to a fence that he could touch another dog behind the fence. And yes, I will walk on the road if I need to. My dog, is my responsibility to keep safe. I wouldn't allow him to sniff grass at a fence either. To me that is just annoying a dog behind a fence for no reason. It is easier to keep walking to the park or a house with no dog and let them sniff there.

We have dogs next door that rush us as we walk past and although they are behind a fence, it only just comes up to the bottom of their chest, so they could easily step over it (not to mention the gate in the front yard is never closed, so they can just walk out if they really wanted to).

They have on occasion come rushing out at us but a swift kick action or a loud 'get' usually sends them both back into their yard.

I still maintain we can't lay blame anywhere as yet because all of the facts are not known - we have one side of a story.

I am not saying it wasn't the other dog owners fault, I am just saying we really don't have enough information to lay blame.

Hopefully this horror story will make those less responsible owners realise that they need to fix gaps in their fences. Hopefully it will also make others realise that just because there is a fence there, doesn't mean their dog is safe - it is up to us to keep them safe, as best we can.

To be perfectly honest as an owner of large breed dogs I would not think twice about a gap like that. It certainly wouldnt have crossed my mind that a freak incident like someones little dog sticking its nose through a tiny little gap and getting hurt would happen. As others have said, as renters we dont get to determine the type of fencing, at the moment it is it is hard enough to get a rental that even allows dogs - you take what you can get. I certainly dont think it is reasonable to expect everyone to go boarding pickett fences up on the off chance that a passer by will allow their dog to put its nose through the gaps.

The phrase 'make it idiot proof and someone will make a better idiot' comes to mind. What is a reasonable expectation for people to do to prevent others from putting themselves (or their kids/pets) at risk on or near their property? Id hate to see commonsense thrown out the door - as it is the world already has a large number of people who demand their rights but think nothing on their own responsibilities.

[Dame Aussie]

I agree RubyBlue, but if an idiots kid stocks their hand through the fence and gets it bitten off you'd better bet your dog will be in trouble.

That's why I like to cover up gaps, of course we shouldnt need to and if others don't want to that's fine, but I like to protect myself and my dogs against others stupidity.

[Staffyluv]

I own my own home and I have put a small gap wire (the one used for dog runs, it is thicker and harder than chicken wire) across the gates so that my dogs can't get their head out and others can't put their head in.. I just rolled out the length I needed and used long cable ties to attach it to the gate.

If I can do it, I think just about anyone can - it wasn't hard and from memory, the wire and cable ties costs very little.

My dog is very friendly and would most likely welcome another dog in the yard with no issues (or even a head through a gap). But I did it to protect them from not so friendly dogs putting their head in.

We can't just assume that others know as much as we all do about dogs, their behaviour and reactions - we need to protect our dogs against situations such as the one that has occurred here..