Sad Incident

[fritz03]

There was a sad incident last Saturday involving a family's Border collie puppy.Go to www.durhamregion.com and in the search box type puppy killed by pit bull,click search and just click on the story there.

[CathyBogart]

Here's the article:

OSHAWA -- Just two weeks ago, Greg Gorham and his girlfiend Tammy McCabe were elated after bringing home a tiny, border collie puppy.

On Monday night, the Oshawa couple held a funeral for the dog, named Sam, who died after he was brutally mauled by a pit bull Saturday night.

"Even though we only had him for two weeks, we got attached to him, he was our boy," Mr. Gorham says. "All I keep thinking is, what if that had been a child?"

Ms. McCabe took Sam out for a walk around 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, near the couple's home in the Park Road and Bond Street area.

She says the pit bull came out from behind an apartment building and attacked without warning, latching onto Sam and shaking the tiny dog. When she tried to rescue the puppy, Ms. McCabe was bitten on the arm and scratched.

"I was screaming and crying out there for about five minutes before the pit bull's owner came out," she recalls. "He had to hit the dog and punch it before it finally stopped."

Sam was rushed to the vet, where he later died, while Ms. McCabe was treated in hospital for her injuries.

Mr. Gorham says this isn't the first time he's seen a pit bull off leash or unmuzzled in Oshawa, and wants to know why tough provincial laws introduced two years ago in August, don't seem to be enforced.

"It's just unreal when you see these dogs running loose in the park or out on the street," he said.

Kathy Duncan, the City's manager of Animal Services, says pit bull laws are enforced.

"People call us if there's a violation, we come out and conduct an investigation, and if there is enough evidence we will lay charges under the Dog Owners Liability Act," she says.

Ms. Duncan said Animal Services is handling this incident, but couldn't comment on specifics.

The provincial government introduced legislation on Aug. 29, 2005, that prohibits people in Ontario from owning, breeding, purchasing or importing pit bulls and certain other, similar breeds.

Because the law is grandfathered, pit bulls born before Oct. 29, 2005 can remain with their owners, but must be spayed or neutered and leashed and muzzled at all times when off their owner's property.

Those found guilty of violating the law can have their pets seized and euthanized, or face fines of up to $10,000.

While pit bulls have received a lot of attention since the provincial ban was implemented, Ms. Duncan says the statistics don't point to them posing a higher risk to the public, than other breeds.

"Of all the bite reports we get, we don't see a predominantly higher level of pit bull reports," she said. "They're in the media more, you don't hear about the golden retriever that leaves someone with hundreds of stitches."

According to Durham Regional Police spokesman Sgt. Paul McCurbin, the pit bull involved in this incident will be quarantined for 10 days, before being put down.

At this time, he said no charges have been laid against the owner.

If you see a pit bull off-leash or unmuzzled, contact Animal Services at 905-723-3488.

[CathyBogart]

What bothers me is that they don't say "If you see a DOG off-leash call animal control.

All the anti-pit cr@p in this article really ticked me off.

RIP little border collie.

[Seravieve]

What bothers me is that they don't say "If you see a DOG off-leash call animal control.

All the anti-pit cr@p in this article really ticked me off.

RIP little border collie.

Thats exactly what I thought! If you see any pit bulls unmuzzled? Wow.. So ALL Pits have to be muzzled there.. interesting. Nice.. Slanted.. Article..

I do feel bad for the couple and their puppy.. dont get me wrong. Itd be hard to lose a dog two weeks after you got it.. shoot. And obviously we can blame the owners.. not the breed... Punched and hit.. Nice.

[caseysmom]

Its pretty annoying there is a shepherd in my neighborhood that has attacked a dog very badly, pits aren't any different than any other dog.

[elizabethann]

That's so sad. Poor little puppy. RIP little pup.

[luvofallhorses]

pits aren't any different than any other dog.

I agree.

[3muttsandaboston]

Poor pit bull and poor puppy.

"All I keep thinking is, what if that had been a child?"

Umm just because a pit bull kills another dog (which they are bred to do) doesn't mean it will kill a child. I hate negative media attention towards pit bulls.

[Daisy and Delilah]

What a sad story Rest In Peace Little Fella

[Jods]

^ the reason why it says if you see a pit unmuzzled is because pits are banned in ontario if they are born after a certain date and the ones that were born before the date must be leashed and muzzled when out at all times. Thats why it is so anti pit cuz our whole province is

R.I.P little puppy...