Still shaking in my socks
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| Thu, 12-03-2009 - 2:34pm |
Hi everyone.
I just had the worst experience. First of all I am going to appologise to any owners or lovers of pit bulls. I am sure there are good ones out there and I know that you love your dog.
However my little dog, Bernie, and I just got attacked by one no more that a block or two from our door. There are rules in the park where we live that dogs have to be under 40 pounds and no aggressive breeds. This pitbull is a "service" dog for someone who came in the park this year with all the proper documents. Legally because it is a "service" dog the park owners had to let it stay. However there have been many complaints of barking, growling and aggressive behavior and some cases of the dog being too friendly jumping up on people. I had seen the dog a couple of weeks ago and it acted very aggressive when we walked by it. I was afraid at the time that it could get loose so I backed up and went the other way. The park management had asked people to please bring them something in writing about any aggressive behavior they may have witnessed but nobody did. I didn't find this out until today.
Today little Bernie and I were walking happily along the street minding our own business, when this big brown/brindle blurr jumped out from behind a parked car and attacked us. Had I known that that dog was anywhere around I would not have been anywhere near it. I don't think it lives where it attacked us. Though it had a leash attached to it's collar it had either broken free or the owner/handlers were just letting it be loose which is a big no no even if it were a Yorkie. Two women I assume one of them it's owner tried in vain to get the dog to back off but it just kept trying to trample and bite Bernie. I tried getting away but it kept trying to get Bernie in it's mouth and when I tried stepping between them it slammed into my legs almost knocking me down. I was trying to pick Bernie up but it wouldn't let me. This was an unprovoked and vicious attack. Both Bernie and I are lucky to be OK. I have a bruise on my shin and Bernie seems to be favoring a paw and is walking gingerly, but other than being scared and upset seems to have no other injuries.
Before I got back to my house several people had called the office to report the attack on us. I had to make a written statement to legally have the dog removed from the park. The owners of the dog were very nice and very sorry for what happened and immediately stated they could no longer keep the dog. They are trying to find a place for it right now. I am so sorry on the one hand but on the other I wonder: Why does someone need a service dog from such a known aggressive breed as a pit bull when there are so many other breeds of dogs that are not aggressive and will do the same thing? If you are in need of a service dog then it should be one that you can handle and controll.
If you know and love a good well behaved pit bull I am sorry to be negative about them but after the experience I just had I am just not in favor of them as a breed. Too many experiences just like mine with more dire consequenses. I won't say I saw my life flicker before my eyes but I was horrified that I would loose our dog. I am so glad he is alright.
Well that is my scarry story for today. Hope everyone else is having a better day. MM

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Mary what a terrifying experience. For the longest I did not like big dogs because of a bad experience. I really get ticked at people who insist on having an aggressive breed, but not confining it to an area where people cannot be hurt. No there are not any non aggressive Pit Bulls or Rotweilers. I'm glad they are finding it another home. But most of all I'm glad you are OK.
((hugs))
Well, for (Pit)y sakes....sorry, couldn't resist that...lol
That IS a scary story!!! The friend of mine who lives in CA has a pit bull and the first few times I visited there I was quite afraid of her.
I just find it so hard to believe that that was a trained "service dog" Mary. I just don't believe a professionally trained service dog would act like that. They're trained to ignore outside distractions. I'm just glad those people are giving that dog up and I'm so happy you and Bernie weren't hurt.
I've had 2 rottweilers before and a couple of my friends have had them too. I know they are also considered "aggressive breeds" but both of mine were sweethearts...gentle giants. They would lick you to death before snapping or biting. In fact they thought they were lap dogs and would climb into you lap when you sat down to watch TV! LOL
I never heard of a pit bull being used as a service dog, Mary. A service dog is trained to assist the person it is assigned to. If this lady was out looking for her dog, what kind of affliction does she have, anyway?
I hope you and Bernie have no lasting affects from this attack and all people and children in the area have been warned to stay clear of that house; but Pits can leap over fenses and cars to get at their prey. Someone should have called authorities higher than your block captain.
Kathey
all the leaves are brown
and the sky is grey
Kathey
Dogs have families, Cats have servents.
Mary, I'm so glad that you and Bernie weren't seriously hurt.
K
I love dogs, but dog owners have a BIG responsibility.
I've never heard of a pit bull being a service dog.
I'm so sorry you and your little Bernie had to suffer so, Mary; and am very glad neither of you were severely injured.
I have never heard of a "service" dog that was in the least bit agressive.
Mary,
I am so glad you and Bernie are okay. I know there are some pit bulls that are very mellow but I am still leery of them. My DD was sharing a house with one of her friends and he had a young pit bull. She was very friendly and calm but he was in the habit of hitting her and neglecting her for long periods of time. His parents took her in and she ended up killing one of their other dogs who was old and ailing. She will probably be put down. It is a real shame that a whole breed has been damaged by the way people breed and treat them.
Hopefully now your dog park will be able to amend their rules, like some cities have done, and be able to control access better so that all of you will be safe.
Ellen
I am so glad you and your dog are ok. Lucky in other respects. Those dogs can lick you to death one minute and take your throat out the next. That is just fact.
Another reason you are lucky is because the owners of these dogs would blame you for getting attacked......luckily the law is on your side they don't like them either.
I am going to say this and over the years I have seen and heard a lot....I love RR and The dog Whisperer....but they are and I don't care what they say....they are wrong. Pits are inbread for death and that is always there. Love does not take it out of them. And why would you want a dog that you know can and at some time or other turn on you or someone or something who needs to live like that.
There has been people in the last say 7 or so years that have moved her from and they had no roots or jobs but it is cheap to live here. They bring their pit bulls and rotts.. before long things go wrong......and because of that all of the little towns and some of the bigger ones have made new rules to live by. If you have an agressive dog and it isn't chained and fenced in and it barks all the time...You will either have to get rid of the dog or move elsewhere.....no does that sound like the kind of pet you want to deal with?
I have to say this as a side note.....the people that move here have kids, dogs and both the (if there is both) parents work and the kids are in school hence the dogs are not taken care of. The kids can't play with them so you can see why those would not be a good thing to have around. But I have also seen pit bulls that have loving families and the dog was so lovable they didn't understand that it wasn't ok to leave their 6mo old on the floor. Guess the baby egged the dog to chew it to pieces......
Judge Joe Brown on tv would like them to be in some other country I think.....they are bad news and just a matter of time before that dog is going to get agessive he can't help it.......that is the way he is.....
That is what I feel and have for many years.. so don't write and scold me.
I just thank God when someone isn't killed in one of those attacks.
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