“Viiiiiiicious” Dogs In My ‘Hood
This happened right down the street from me and is very, very scary especially since I have four dogs (one is my grand-dog) and we walk them all the time. It’s long, so I put it in the jump. Every ‘hood has its issues. The best way to stop dogs from fighting is to turn a hose on them — works better than a brick, if you can locate one. Anyhow, I welcome your opinion:
Sunday night just before dusk, a neighbor and I were walking our dogs in the 6300 block of Royalton. When we reached the house at the southwest corner with Tibbs, I heard a sound and looked back to the third house where I saw two pit bulls taking off towards us at a run. There was nothing we could do except yell NO!!! and Get your dogs !!! In no time at all, the two dogs were attacking me and my dog, who is a giant schnauzer/pointer mix. Luckily my friend had picked up her little rat terrier and turned her back to the dogs so they didn’t see hers. The pit bulls kept tearing at my dog’s ears, nose, head and throat. Luckily he had 3 collars on – his pinch collar, his canvas collar with his IDs, and a light collar – I think that’s the only thing that kept them from tearing his throat out. The owners followed slowly and took a long time to be able to get their dogs off mine. And they still didn’t have control – at least one broke loose and latched onto my dog again. There was really nothing I could do – in the course of the fight my pinkie was bitten, luckily not off. My friend thought one of the dogs was going after my leg to bring me down, but I was not aware of that. My friend picked up a brick and was reaching in between us to hit one of the dogs in the head while he was attached to my dog. When she was about to deliver the fatal blow to the dog, the owner grabbed the brick and threw it away! The owners finally got hold of their dogs and hustled them away – literally. My dog and I were bleeding all over, and I called 911 while the owner was saying we didn’t need to do that. The dogs apparently were driven away before the police and ambulance got there. Anyhow, the dog and I were very lucky; he lost part of one of his ears and had puncture wounds to his head and neck, and I have a slashed and bitten pinkie, but it was not broken and no tendons were severed.
14 Comments to ““Viiiiiiicious” Dogs In My ‘Hood”
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You really should retain a lawyer, and go to the press: one of the major news stations would probably be more than happy to run such a story. We all remember what happened in San Francisco a few years ago: pet owners can, and should, be held personally responsible in situations such as these. I’m amazed that something like that would happen in such a nice, well kept, upscale neighborhood in Dallas.
This is my hood as well. I typically jog the neighborhood in the AM and occasionally after work. The folks I see with dogs almost always have them on a leash. Those I have seen off the leash (labs) are usually very well behaved. I am pretty suprised to hear of pit bulls in the neighborhood - no less without a leash! Do these people live in the house where you initially saw the dogs? I would definately follow up and find out how to make a stink about this with neighborhood watch, police, etc. Sounds like someone needs to turn a hose on the pet owners as well!
Yikes! This is my neighborhood. My family (including young kids) walks this area regularly with our dog. The owners must be held responsible. Perhaps if they cannot get homeowner’s insurance, they will think twice about keeping dangerous animals in their home.
What did the police do when they showed up? Was a police report filed? I guess I’m not clear if the owners live in the neighborhood or not (since they fled in a car). They should be held accountable for vet/medical bills as well as being cited for not having their dogs on a leash and under the owners control - there are leash laws in Dallas right? This is a very scary thing to have happen.
As Trey Garrison would advocate, a concealed handgun would be handy in this situation. When in fear for your life, as well as your dog’s, shooting the pit bulls would be my first course of action. Fort Worth just passed an ordinance or law where you have the right to shoot a dog attacking you, your family or your pet(s), while posing no liability to the owners of the attacking animal(s).
I personally love all dogs, so feeling forced to shoot one would be a tough thing. But if it is a choice between my life and my dog’s or the humane treatment of the attacking dogs, I will take my life and my dog’s any day.
I am saddened to hear about this situation. I have owned my (wonderful & loving) pit bull for over 6 years and it breaks my heart when I hear about irresponsible owners giving the breed a bad name! I am sorry for the victims of this and hope they are all doing well after this traumatic experience. Unfortunately until owners take better care of these animals this will continue over and over again.
Steph’s post says most of what needs to be said. Any dog is vicious and mean if it’s treated that way by its owner. Generally, it is only acting in the manner consistent with how it acts behind closed doors.
We’ve taken to carrying pepper mace for this very reason when we walk our dogs and I guarantee that not only would a coupe of attacking dogs be casualties if they got one of my dogs, so would the owner.
If you were bitten, don’t you have to get tested for rabies? Also, wouldn’t the dog need to be quarantined?
Here is the deal: there are certain dogs that have aggressive tendencies that run through the breed. No real way around that other than saying it. That’s why apartment buildings have restrictions against “aggressive breeds.” Pit Bulls do not have a good name for a couple of reasons: 1. their innate aggressive nature 2. their jaw: not only does it contain sharp teeth, but, when clamping down in a bite, a Pit Bull can actually lock its jaw and refuse to let go. You can own one, it’s still legal in Texas (as are a lot of things), but it’s probably an unnecessary risk if you have small children or other small animals.
I personally would never want to own a Pit Bull, no matter how sweet it is at any given moment.
It’s like owning a Lynx and calling it “a big kitty.” Sure, it’s in the “cat/feline” family, but it’s a cat with sharp fangs and claws. All cats have minds of their own, so its best to keep them to a manageable size (you try telling a Lynx “no”).
But back to the topic at hand: I hope the victims (the attacked pets and their owners) in this attack were not badly hurt. I also hope that the owners of the attacking dogs are held fully accountable for their animals: criminally, civilly, etc etc. Also, why hasn’t this been anywhere in the news? (or did I just miss it?)
A lot of things don’t make it into the news. One reason why I love this blog so much is we can post the overlooked/buried stories coming right from the source. This is especially helpful when it comes to neighborhoods and Real Estate.
P.S. Just so happens…the owner’s home is on the market!
The owners of the viiiiiiicious dogs?
I am not an advocate for the legal system. Try to avoid judges and attorneys at any cost. It is very clear that the owners trained them as fighting dogs. The dogs need to be put down. They have proven time and time again to be a danger to humans. What if a child was envolved. Please contact your local dog pound. I cant believe the owner has not been arrested by now.
BS. Was your pinkie bitten or slashed? Some of you people are ****** like C.R. The locking jaw is all BS. Typical response from a tool who doesn’t know what they hell they are talking about, but will spill it out as fact. Did a friend of a friend tell you this one? Or perhaps a doctor at an ER gave you first hand knowledge that Pit Bulls have locking jaws? Exactly where did you learn this “fact” of the locking jaw? No canine species has locking jaws, none not one. Period. Look it up people. Try Googling “Pit Bull Locking Jaws” and see what you find.
Who wrote this? Candy or someone else and you just cut and pasted it here? I’ve got some questions for the person who wrote the above and just assume its Candy. Your dog had 3 collars? You really think 3 collars saved your dogs life? A choke chain is at most 5cm wide. The other collars would be at most 1″ wide. There is no way that those 3 collars could protect your little precious from the jaws of not one, but two Pit Bulls. Especially if they had the locking jaws that ****** like C.R. would like you to believe. If they did have locking jaws, how would you have removed said Pit Bulls from your dog? Wait for thunder? Do they have reset button to “unlock” the locking jaws? Of course not. They don’t have locking jaws.
Sandy, the police didn’t do jack because they realized that Candy (or whoever wrote this piece) here is a complete loon and realized that dogs (no matter the breed) do what any dog does when others walk by and run out to say hello. She just went all nuts and I would bet her finger that was injured (of course she can’t differentiate if it was bitten or slashed) was due to the fact that she probably cut it herself by over reacting.
You and your dog were bleeding all over? From a pinky injury? Does your blood not clot? Got any pictures you can share or are you just one who like to blow and go. Nothing like the internet to exaggerate the facts and see other like mindless individuals offer up moronic advice.