Elderly Woman Mauled By Pit Bull

[GoldenRetrLuver]

Did anyone hear about this? I feel horrible for the poor lady...
*Sighs* Just another thing to damage the breed. :(

http://www.cnn.com/2004/USA/West/02/16/dog.attack.ap/ (http://www.cnn.com/2004/US/West/02/16/dog.attack.ap/)

[Logan]

I had not heard this, Julie. :( :( :(

[pitbullmommy]

I am so sorry to hear about that. But they must not have been trained very well. hopefully people learn to train there pit bulls. I have two of them and they are the gentlest dogs i have ever had and they love everyone. i feel very say for that lady :(

[Twisterdog]

My Gawd. I am speechless.

I hope that great-grandson rots in hell for keeping a dog like that around a 91 year old defenseless woman. That is way beyond lack of training. A dog that vicious needs to have been euthanized long ago, period.

I highly doubt that poor lady will recover. This will probably kill her - 91 years old and had to have both arms amputated at the elbow.

I believe the great-grandson ought to be charged with a crime. It is a crime to keep a vicious dog where it can hurt people - just as surely as it is a crime to let children play with a handgun.

I am appalled.

[guster girl]

It doesn't say anything about the dog ever having shown signs of being vicious previously, though, just that the neighbor always feared it. And, everyone knows people who fear pits usually do so for reasons other than the individual dog's personality. It's usually because of all the stereotypes. And, don't get me wrong, I'm not saying the dog isn't vicious, just questioning that it should have been euthanized long before that. Is there any more information about the attack or the dog? I hope the woman recovers. I can't even imagine what that would be like. :( Ok, I just reread the article, and, I see that it does mention that she called Animal Services multiple times, but, I wonder why. Was it because the dog was barking? Or loose? Or what? Again, I'm not saying the dog didn't deserve to be put down for this attack, just that I hate how everyone situation that pops up makes it sound like the dog was always horrible, and, that's not true in many cases. If anyone has any more articles, I'd like to see them. I'll try to find some, too. I'm just curious.

[Twisterdog]

Again, I'm not saying the dog didn't deserve to be put down for this attack, just that I hate how everyone situation that pops up makes it sound like the dog was always horrible, and, that's not true in many cases.


I'm sorry, but the dog mauled a 91 year old woman to the point that both her arms had to be amputated! That IS horrible! No one is "making it sound" like the dog was horrible ... the dog WAS horrible. I cannot comprehend how anyone could see it any other way.

This is not a case of the neighbor kids poking the dog with sticks for years, then saying, "Horrible dog!" when the dog bites one of them on the hand. I highly doubt a 91 year old woman who was busy putting groceries away did anything to provoke this dog. And, even if she wapped the dog on the head with her cane or something ... no normal dog practically chews off a person's arms. One snap, maybe ... but this is WAY beyond that.

IMO, there is no way to defend this. I suppose it it possible that this was the sweetest little pet you'd ever want, playing with babies and sleeping with kittens ... and then one day, it just decided out of the blue to chew an old lady's arms off. It's remotely possible ... maybe a one in a million chance. FAR more likely though, that this dog has shown aggression in the past, and the grandson either ignored it, thought it was "cool", or even encouraged it.

The article says, " "I was terrified," Moore said. "I had always thought that dog might hurt somebody." Moore said she had called Animal Care Services at least 10 times in the past year because she and her two young daughters feared the dog." Sounds like previous issues to me. I think crying "Breedism!" here is probably inacurate, and misses the point that a dog that terrified three of the neighbors and had AC called at least ten times ended up practically killing an elderly woman.

[GoldenRetrLuver]

I agree, Twisterdog.
As much as I'm positive the aggression had to have come from the up-bringing of the dog, it has to be put down. I don't think a 91 year old woman could have done anything. Puppies are not born mean, they are taught and treated to be mean. I'm just very, very sorry for the woman, and the breed in general. :(

[Shelteez2]

Originally posted by GoldenRetrLuver
Puppies are not born mean, they are taught and treated to be mean.

I agree with your other statements, but I have to disagree about that one. Sometimes puppies are born mean. Mostly I do think it is how the dog is raised or trained, but sometimes there just is a rotten apple.

Just MHO

[CathyBogart]

Originally posted by GoldenRetrLuver
Puppies are not born mean, they are taught and treated to be mean. I'm just very, very sorry for the woman, and the breed in general. :(

Then why do responsible breeders allow you to meet the parents of your puppy?

[thelwell2003]

I used to have a pit bull but sadly she died. I agree with everyone who said it isn't the dog was born agressive but because of the way it was brought up and treated... mine was quite agressive when we rescued her but after a lot of training she turned out the friendliest dog i knew. i think that most people discriminate against this breed because of so many attacks but they shouldn't until they have owned one and know exactly what they are like.