Post by elaine on Jul 8, 2015 20:34:57 GMT
warning - if don't want to read graphic details, close this thread and back out.
It was a long day yesterday, including a painful teeth cleaning visit to the dentist. The kids were grouchy, etc. I was telling my husband, who is going out of town today until Monday, that I was taking Maggie - our 18 pound puppy - for a walk after dinner for some alone time. We had almost finished our mile-long loop and were about 4 blocks from home.
I live in a residential neighborhood with a mix of single-family homes and townhouses. Lots of people walk dogs here and over the years I've gotten to know quite a few people and their dogs - you know, there is Crystal the schnauzer and her mom, and Sammy and his mom, and Colby and both her parents...
So, we were heading down the sidewalk watching 3 adults walking a Pitbull that I haven't seen before and wearing cone. Let me say that I walk 1-4 miles in my neighborhood with my dogs every day for years, so I know almost all the dogs, if I haven't met the dog, the owners either don't walk it much or just moved into the neighborhood.
As we approach I talk nicely to the dog and say, "aw, hi guy! Who's wearing the cone of shame?" The owners start to say something conversational when their dog literally broke his collar and runs and grabs Maggie by her hind quarter.
Maggie is screaming - no one should ever have to hear a puppy scream. The 40-ish couple - guy who had been holding leash and his wife and I are all trying to get Maggie out of his mouth. The older woman (60 ish) stood back. I am the only one grabbing the Pitbull by the scruff and pulling. The guy just keeps tackling the dog.
We finally got the Pitbull to let go of Maggie's leg and she starts to run. I let go of Pitbull to go after her and the guy is lying on top of it. Of course, that wasn't enough and Pitbull wiggles out and tears after her. He grabs her by the neck and keeps running a half block shaking her like a rag doll.
She's screaming again. I'm screaming. I actually peed myself I was so scared. We get to the dogs again, and after another 1-2 minutes of struggle. Again with me pulling on his scruff, we finally got her neck out of his mouth. She ran off, I wouldn't let go of pit until someone else took him by the scruff. I then ran after her. She ran the 3 blocks home - thank heavens a car that was driving by saw her and tailed her.
She made it up our steps, but was barking and snapping and wouldn't let me to the front door. I screamed for my husband and he opened the door from the inside.
By now it was 8 pm and so husband was trying to find an emergency vet. We found one, dh carried Maggie to the car because she wouldn't let me near her. We stopped by the scene on way out and animal control was there. Dh told the officer where we were going and officer said he'd come talk to us there.
Officer did come by and said dog belonged to the older woman, who said she was taking the dog to be put down today. It was the second time, according to her that the dog had gone after another animal and that she couldn't control him very well. Hence, it was her son holding the leash when they were out walking. She also says she is going to cover our costs. Hopefully she will follow through so we don't have to take her to court.
Maggie ended up being EXTREMELY lucky. Bites on her butt and her neck and some swelling, but no breaks. After three hours they let us take her home. I have no doubt that if 3 adults weren't there trying to set her free, she would be dead.
Husband dropped me off at the ER on the way home, because our two boys were home alone with a neighbor looking in. I was there until 1:30 am getting a tetanus shot, antibiotics and the bites on my right hand professionally washed. Even though I could have used them on two of the bites, they didn't stitch them because the doc was afraid of infection. He says it is still 50/50 one or more of them will get infected. I stay on antibiotics for a week and get the bites rechecked on Friday. I was the second Pitbull attack in the Fair Oaks INOVA ER yesterday, according to one of the nurses.
One of my biggest fears was that Maggie, after all the trauma and not letting me near her earlier, would have nothing to do with me again. It was making my heart hurt. Thank heavens when I took a cab home and went upstairs and lay down on the bed on my side, she wormed over and curled up against my chest and slept next to me like that. I think she has forgiven me.
I know this is controversial, but Pitbulls have no place living in residential areas. They are bred to kill, not to do anything else - killing is their "work." Since there is no control over who can own what breed of dog, I believe we need to control what breeds we allow to be owned and live in residential areas. That woman had no business owning that dog in my neighborhood. Just like someone shouldn't keep a bobcat or a coyote as a pet. Unfortunately for Pitbulls, and other dangerous breeds, killing for sport is in their genetic code
I never could have imagined how truly horrific it is to watch a dog tearing one of your family members apart. I will never be able to erase those sights and sounds from my memory. If you haven't witnessed it happen, you have no business defending dangerous breeds of dogs like Pitbulls as pets. If you want to defend them, first take your family pet or child and watch while a Pitbull attacks her or him, and then come back and discuss with me and justify why people should be allowed to keep bred-to-be-killers as pets that interact with other animals and people.
Here is a picture of my Maggie today. You can't see in the picture, but she is also shaved around her neck where her collar would be, with bites there too.
It was a long day yesterday, including a painful teeth cleaning visit to the dentist. The kids were grouchy, etc. I was telling my husband, who is going out of town today until Monday, that I was taking Maggie - our 18 pound puppy - for a walk after dinner for some alone time. We had almost finished our mile-long loop and were about 4 blocks from home.
I live in a residential neighborhood with a mix of single-family homes and townhouses. Lots of people walk dogs here and over the years I've gotten to know quite a few people and their dogs - you know, there is Crystal the schnauzer and her mom, and Sammy and his mom, and Colby and both her parents...
So, we were heading down the sidewalk watching 3 adults walking a Pitbull that I haven't seen before and wearing cone. Let me say that I walk 1-4 miles in my neighborhood with my dogs every day for years, so I know almost all the dogs, if I haven't met the dog, the owners either don't walk it much or just moved into the neighborhood.
As we approach I talk nicely to the dog and say, "aw, hi guy! Who's wearing the cone of shame?" The owners start to say something conversational when their dog literally broke his collar and runs and grabs Maggie by her hind quarter.
Maggie is screaming - no one should ever have to hear a puppy scream. The 40-ish couple - guy who had been holding leash and his wife and I are all trying to get Maggie out of his mouth. The older woman (60 ish) stood back. I am the only one grabbing the Pitbull by the scruff and pulling. The guy just keeps tackling the dog.
We finally got the Pitbull to let go of Maggie's leg and she starts to run. I let go of Pitbull to go after her and the guy is lying on top of it. Of course, that wasn't enough and Pitbull wiggles out and tears after her. He grabs her by the neck and keeps running a half block shaking her like a rag doll.
She's screaming again. I'm screaming. I actually peed myself I was so scared. We get to the dogs again, and after another 1-2 minutes of struggle. Again with me pulling on his scruff, we finally got her neck out of his mouth. She ran off, I wouldn't let go of pit until someone else took him by the scruff. I then ran after her. She ran the 3 blocks home - thank heavens a car that was driving by saw her and tailed her.
She made it up our steps, but was barking and snapping and wouldn't let me to the front door. I screamed for my husband and he opened the door from the inside.
By now it was 8 pm and so husband was trying to find an emergency vet. We found one, dh carried Maggie to the car because she wouldn't let me near her. We stopped by the scene on way out and animal control was there. Dh told the officer where we were going and officer said he'd come talk to us there.
Officer did come by and said dog belonged to the older woman, who said she was taking the dog to be put down today. It was the second time, according to her that the dog had gone after another animal and that she couldn't control him very well. Hence, it was her son holding the leash when they were out walking. She also says she is going to cover our costs. Hopefully she will follow through so we don't have to take her to court.
Maggie ended up being EXTREMELY lucky. Bites on her butt and her neck and some swelling, but no breaks. After three hours they let us take her home. I have no doubt that if 3 adults weren't there trying to set her free, she would be dead.
Husband dropped me off at the ER on the way home, because our two boys were home alone with a neighbor looking in. I was there until 1:30 am getting a tetanus shot, antibiotics and the bites on my right hand professionally washed. Even though I could have used them on two of the bites, they didn't stitch them because the doc was afraid of infection. He says it is still 50/50 one or more of them will get infected. I stay on antibiotics for a week and get the bites rechecked on Friday. I was the second Pitbull attack in the Fair Oaks INOVA ER yesterday, according to one of the nurses.
One of my biggest fears was that Maggie, after all the trauma and not letting me near her earlier, would have nothing to do with me again. It was making my heart hurt. Thank heavens when I took a cab home and went upstairs and lay down on the bed on my side, she wormed over and curled up against my chest and slept next to me like that. I think she has forgiven me.
I know this is controversial, but Pitbulls have no place living in residential areas. They are bred to kill, not to do anything else - killing is their "work." Since there is no control over who can own what breed of dog, I believe we need to control what breeds we allow to be owned and live in residential areas. That woman had no business owning that dog in my neighborhood. Just like someone shouldn't keep a bobcat or a coyote as a pet. Unfortunately for Pitbulls, and other dangerous breeds, killing for sport is in their genetic code
I never could have imagined how truly horrific it is to watch a dog tearing one of your family members apart. I will never be able to erase those sights and sounds from my memory. If you haven't witnessed it happen, you have no business defending dangerous breeds of dogs like Pitbulls as pets. If you want to defend them, first take your family pet or child and watch while a Pitbull attacks her or him, and then come back and discuss with me and justify why people should be allowed to keep bred-to-be-killers as pets that interact with other animals and people.
Here is a picture of my Maggie today. You can't see in the picture, but she is also shaved around her neck where her collar would be, with bites there too.