Pennsylvania: Woman takes her Fox Terrier to a friend's house to visit. Friend's pit bull attacks her dog and "friend" refuses to pay vet bill

PENNSYLVANIA -- My dear foxie friends.... Our poor sweet girl Molly was attacked today by our " friends" pit bulls! We were visiting our friend's home, & their dogs went after Molly!

My fiancé saved the day by literally pulling the dog's jaws off of Molly! When he picked her up, I was in tears, shaking, asking if she was okay?! All of a sudden the blood started pouring from her neck! It was beyond horrifying! We were screaming for something to put around her neck. Finally, someone grabbed a rag. My fiancé wrapped it around her neck & applied pressure. We were freaking out asking them where an emergency vet was?!?

 

 

We jumped in my truck & I drove like a bat out of hell to the nearest emergency vet. It was a 20 min drive, but I got there as fast as I could! We got her there, thank God! She had to have surgery, she has to stay there for another day or so. I am so thankful she is okay! I am a wreck bc I can't be w/ her! I can't get the images out of my mind!

Please say a prayer for our sweet girl! She is 13 years old & I'm so worried about the effect it will have on her! When we called our " friends" to tell them she was admitted, we asked for a credit card for the bill. She told us " were not paying it"!! My fiancé said " well, you can pay the bill now, or we will have to take you to small claims court". She then hung up on him! I could really use some advice on how we should proceed. Please say a prayer for our sweet foxie girl!!

She created a GoFundMe page and animal lovers raised the entire amount within just a few days. :)

 

Kathy St. Germain: Poor sweet girl. My sweet Nipper(RIP)was attacked by two off leash pit bulls roaming the neighborhood, in front of my two young children, while he was on a leash. They picked him up like a rag doll and shook him by the flank. He had multiple puncture wounds and hematomas that I had to drain daily, and they bit the baby sitter for trying to pick him up and out of their mouths. I hate that breed. I don't care what anyone says. They're unpredictable and vicious toward people and other dogs. I'm so sorry you and your baby had to endure that and even sorrier that your "friends" have no remorse for their beast's behavior! Let animal control know, and they'll pick it up and make sure it's vaccines are current, as well as its license

John Marra: Totally agree with you. I will not let our Wire interact with them, plus I know how she likes to dominate encounters so it's best to avoid a situation. Glad to hear your baby is okay.

 

 

Dog attack owner wants dangerous dog put down

AUSTRALIA -- The owner of a dog mauled in a "brutal killing frenzy" wants the vicious animal euthanised.

Kerikeri resident Jeff Knight was walking his wire-haired fox terrier JJ with his daughter in Roland's Wood on November 3 when two pit bull Staffordshire crosses without collars rushed at them.

The stronger one attacked without warning, leaving JJ with a deep gash under his throat and puncture wounds on his front legs and neck.

"The dogs came roaring towards me," Jeff says.

"It attacked without warning. It just came up, it didn't growl or anything, it just grabbed my dog. It had him by the neck and it was chew, chew, chew.

"His [JJ] tongue was blue and his eyes were glazed."

Jeff and Cherry grabbed JJ's lead and put it round the attacking dog's neck to try and choke it off.

The dog also bit Jeff's hand, which required medical treatment.

JJ had vet treatment including sutures for the puncture wounds. He is now home recovering but "it was touch and go."

An owner can be fined up to $3,000 if their dog attacks a person or another animal under the Dog Control Act. The court can also order the destruction of the dog.

Owners of unregistered dogs can be fined $300.

Jeff wants to warn Kerikeri residents about dangerous dogs.

"We've still got vicious dogs roaming around unregistered...the owners are irresponsible and don't care. There's only one thing to happen to it...put it down."

Council spokesman Dean Myburgh says a council animal management officer attended the incident and a dog was taken into custody.

An investigation is underway and decisions will be made on taking appropriate follow-up action under the Dog Control Act.

Options could include prosecution and seeking a destruction order.

"Animal management staff have had previous dealings with this owner and dog," Myburgh says.
"This history will be taken into account...Under the Dog Control Act owners are responsible for ensuring their dogs are under control at all times."

*What do you think should happen to vicious dogs? Email jenny.ling@fairfaxmedia.co.nz

Some points Cherry Knight made in her letter to the Far North District Council. She has agreed to meet the owner as part of a restorative process.

If this was my dog that had attacked another dog... I definitely wouldn't be able to trust it around other animals and children. I find it unacceptable to have children or any person at risk of such an experience.

Had it been a child walking a dog on a lead the consequences would have been more serious or fatal.
This dog was definitely in a kill mode with myself and my 76-year-old father fully physically engaged trying to dislodge this dog from the attack.

If it wasn't for the thinking and courage of my father...we would have witnessed a brutal killing frenzy that would have no doubt resulted in his dog being killed.

Even then we were shocked to find he was still alive when it was eventually released.

Given the owner is quite young, I feel for him to meet or witness the scars of victims of such attacks might help him understand the impact dogs can have in these situations.

If the owner had witnessed his dog in the process of this attack...he might easily come to the same conclusion, that the risk would be too high for his dog NOT to be put down.

(Auckland Now - Nov 10, 2015)

Victim of bull terrier attack says dog owner won't pay up

AUSTRALIA -- The owner of an eight-year-old terrier attacked by another dog last August was promised fortnightly payments to cover vet bills and the cost of a blood stained winter coat – but she still hasn’t received a cent.

Dr Horace Tang checks over Teddy, who was
attacked by a bull terrier in August.

Miranda Croft, 71, was walking her daughter’s dog, Teddy, on Chisholm Street back on August 16 this year, when she suddenly felt threatened by a bull terrier bearing no collar.

Gathering Teddy up in her arms, Ms Croft went to walk away but was chased by the bull terrier, who jumped at her, biting her arm and thumb before clutching onto Teddy.

Both she and Teddy were then dragged along the footpath, Ms Croft being face-down clinging onto the lead.

Luckily, Ballarat man Glenn Bye was able to intervene, kicking the bull terrier and bashing it with a piece of wood until finally Teddy was released.

Ms Croft said the bull terrier was out of control and then went and attacked another dog in a nearby yard. Police eventually used capsicum spray to get it under control.

The ordeal left Teddy with a number of deep wounds including on one of his legs, and his chest. He spent the night at the Ballarat Veterinary Practice and racked up a bill of more than $300. Ms Croft’s winter jacket was torn and soaked in blood.

Following the involvement of police and the ranger, the bull terrier owner agreed to pay Ms Croft’s daughter for both the coat and vet bill through fortnightly payments. But more than four months on, the pair still have not received a cent.

“It seems strange something like this can happen and a person can get away with it,” Ms Croft said.

“I feel indignant that no payment has been made to repay my daughter’s vet fees. Nothing can really recompense the shock and trauma and pain – and it was a really painful experience.

“Really the payment is just compensation and all the other things can’t be paid for.”

Ms Croft’s daughter, who preferred not to be named, said she was frustrated by the lack of responsibly shown by the owner, and the lack of compassion in making the payments.

“It’s more the principle of it, the fact this woman had given her word and she hasn’t made good on her word,” the daughter said.

“My mum is elderly and we felt so upset that this had even happened.”

A City of Ballarat spokesperson said that the owners of both attacked dogs chose not to prosecute the owners of the bull terrier, and that a compensation agreement was reached between all parties.

“As agreed, City of Ballarat provided the owners of the bull terrier with payment details for the victims. City of Ballarat has had no further involvement with the case,” she said.

The bull terrier was put down.

(The Courier - Dec 29, 2011)

Maine: Two girls, 5 and 9, attacked by dogs in separate Harpswell incidents

MAINE -- Two young girls are recovering from separate dog bite incidents Sunday that sent both to the hospital and leaves one girl facing treatment for rabies.

Harpswell Animal Control Officer George Lee Johnson said Tuesday morning that a 9-year-old girl and 5-year-old girl were bitten in separate incidents on Sunday.

The 9-year-old girl, from New Gloucester, was visiting family friends at 235 Cundy’s Harbor Road and playing in a yard shared with neighbors when a pit bull belonging to those neighbors entered the yard.

“It was just an unprovoked attack,” Johnson said. “(The dog) just jumped on her and bit down on her neck.”

Johnson said the dog was unregistered and had not received a rabies vaccination. Johnson said he spoke with the girl’s father Tuesday and was told she is in good condition and will likely receive treatment for rabies.

Johnson said that the dog also lashed out at a law enforcement officer who responded to the call.

In a separate incident Sunday, a family pet attacked a 5-year-old girl in a home at 300 Long Point Road. Johnson said that child is also in good condition.

Johnson said the breed of that dog is unclear, but that the owner told him it is a Boxer and Wire-haired terrier mix.

Johnson said both owners were fined for having a dangerous dog, and both animals were quarantined for 10 days.

Johnson said he “will closely monitor the situations” with both dogs and that he is assured that neighbors of both homes will “have their eyes on what’s going on.”

Beyond further fines, Johnson said there is not much that he can do if the dogs stay confined to their owners’ properties.

“I can’t take the dog and police can’t do anything with the dog,” Johnson said.

In six years on the job, Johnson said he has only handled four dog bites, including the two Sunday, which he said were the worst that he had seen.

History and prevention

Johnson said the pit bull at 235 Cundy’s Harbor Road has no record of fines with the town.

In the Long Point Road incident, Johnson said he learned Tuesday that other family members had been bitten by the dog in the past and recommended that it be euthanized.

“People’s behaviors with their dogs, I just don’t get sometimes,” Johnson said. “Even if they bite someone or another animal they just don’t get it.”

Johnson said the situation is difficult to prevent because there is no way for him to know whether a dog is registered or dangerous until something is reported.

“It’s a very difficult situation,” Johnson said. “People love their dogs and in some cases it may be the only thing that they have. I wish I had the answer as to how to prevent it.”

Johnson said he would recommend caution around strange dogs, but that such caution would not have prevented either incident Sunday.

In each case, Johnson said, the child was not attempting to approach or provoke the dogs.

“I wish I could say there was a good lesson learned here,” Johnson said, “but there’s nothing they could have done.”

(Bangor Daily News - Nov 15, 2011)