Guidence for ...

[tammy8833]

Hello, I have not posted on yt for some time.
I had this all ready to post and for some reason it deleted .

i would like some guidence on what steps i should take after a tragic event that happened yesterday.

my yt gidget was attacked by a mastiff mix in our back yard yesterday and was euthanized due to her injuries.

i am thinking this is the best place to learn what my next steps are.

The back story:

about a week ago my son jayson who is 8 got off the bus, we live in a rural neighborhood..moved here this summer...
jayson got off the bus and this large dog came towards him, i ran down the long yard and intecepted the dog, a driver even waiting to make sure we made it back to the house safely before pulling off..the dog was loose and running infront of moving cars but was very skittish of me, adults.

yesterday around 12:30 lunch time, i let the dogs out to potty i was basically at the door, it was so cold i knewed they wouldnt be out long at all..about 2 minutes pass and i called the dogs in, teddy surpringsly came running into the house with me..usually he is a little odd and will stop at the door and i have to pick him up to come in. he was visibly upset and i was surprised gidget didnt come running back in as usual she is very obedient. i slipped my shoes on and thats when i heard a big dog bark, i ran out the house and on the side of my house was gidget and the big mastiff mix. he got scared and ran, i called gidget she came to me and collapsed, thats when i saw the blood..i rushed her to a vet here, not her normal vet which is a about 40 minutes away.
i called my husband who left work and met me there.
gidget had punture wounds at her rump, her throat was torn (skin and fur but not bleeding) and her abdomen was brused and swelling with possible blood. she was in shocked and had trouble being stablized. i was sent home.
i did a neighborhood phone number search to find the owners othe dog..one neighbor was very sweet and came over to talk to me, they have several small poms. at that time the school bus arrives and jayson comes towards the house and theres the dog again..i put the kids in the car and me at the neighbor approached the house the dog came from (across the street from me) the dog was very skittish . we knocked on the door a man came to the dog and claimed the dog was his, i explained what had happened and he didnt seem concerned. he stated he couldnt keep the dog contained in the kennel he was chewing through it and that he nows he was loose today but disagrees with the time of the attack. he stated the dog attacked their own small dog the day before but their was no injuries. he appologized one time
animal control had been called previously they showed up at my home a few minutes later. i talked to the office and let him know i found the owners. he left to converse with the mastiff owners ( the guy stated he is mastiff mix) a little while later the officer came back.

his first comment or question was did i see the attack? no i didnt see him bite her, the attack was over and he was standing over her. the officer says thats not good enough..that i need proof that dog attacked my dog. that i should have had my phone ready to video tape the incident.
i was appalled in my opinion it was ovious..what happened their was only 2 dogs a 10lbs yorkie and a 80lbs masitff mix

he stated the owner again disagrees with the time frame..my repsonse was how did he know, he didnt know he was loose.

the owner recounted his attack on his personal small dog to a simple snap.

the owner of the mastiff also commented that my dogs had been in their yard before, and i agreed but i immediately got them back i KNEW they were loose i was there, and they are not large agressive dogs with no back ground of agressiveness

i explained the dog charging my child the week before and i was told i had no case no proof and he was not getting in the middle of a neighbor squabble its a he said she said case..and will not stand in a civil suit.

the officer stated the father who owns the property will be in town this weekend and will come speak to us, and the officer recommended them covering the vet cost.

is this animal control officer right? was he professional?

around 4 we were called to transport gidget to a all night er
once their they immediately did a xray (so i am confused why the first vet did not xray..they kept repeating she wasnt stable enough?)
it came back bad, her abdomen wall was torn and her instines were out of the cavity and she had a tremdenous infection. plus the throat which would have been ok stapled, and then the punture wounds

we could have done emergency surgery to repair plus a week of curing the infection and healing but the prognosis was grim

she was in alot of pain..the other option was euthanizing.

we choose euthanizing..i was suprised at how quickly she was gone. i was a basket case. they gave me time to hold her after she was gone and i just bawled...my parents came in and we sat a little longer with her, then let the vets continue.

the vet bill is about 1000.00 for the 1st vet, 2nd vet, xrays, meds, euthanization and cremation.

am i entitled to the vet cost? the cremation cost?

is the animal control officer acurate?

im not looking to replace her or make a profit but am i entitled to a replacement fee ( is that the right wording)

the only thing i want is the vet bills covered and her cremation.

if they do not pay do i have civil case?

we are supposed to meet this weekend to discuss everything and i want to be prepared.
we are looking in to the county laws and i have emailed a mastiff expert on the temparments of the mastiff breed, any awareness that a mastiff owner should have, about the dogs behavior and suggestions for the owners on what they should do with their dog. i believe they just acquired the dog in the last month or so. the guy claimed that he tried rehoming him but it didnt work out.

any helpful advice would be appreciated i just want to make sure i am doing what i am supposed to . i am more heart broken and sad then angry my husband is hurting but he is ANGRY..and wants to hurt the dog. honestly i blamed the dogs upbringing more then the dog.

rest in peace gidgey

[rubymoon2072]

im very sorry for you loss. hopefully others will chime in with thoughts on the legalities.

[Patti]

I am so sorry how awful for you and your baby. I don't know anything about the laws but I would maybe contact a lawyer and see if they can give you some advice on your rights in this situation. I hope the owner steps up but if not you can be prepared with what you are legally entitled to if the owner doesn't to the right thing.

[Buster Brown]

I am so sorry to hear of the horrible attack on your sweet Gidget. My deepest condolences you and your family. I do not know the rules in your town but it just doesn't seem right. Has your neighbor with the mom been menaced by the mastiff get a statement from them, get a statement from the bus driver if they saw the mastiff stalking your boy. I would also contact animal control again and ask where you can find a copy of the dog laws in your area and what their stance is. This animal control officer might not be enforcing the rules as he should. Again I am so sorry for your devastating loss.

[Buster Brown]

Here a few links that you might all ready have if not maybe they will help
Richmond VA > Animal Care and Control > Home

Virginia Consolidated Dog Laws

Virginia Dog Owner’s Responsibilities & “Leash Laws� | Allen & Allen Law Blog

[tammy8833]

thank you

[kjc]

So sorry for your loss..

IDK in MD now there's legislation re: did the owner have prior knowledge that the dog was aggressive?

You may want to investigate along those lines...

[kjc]

Can you stop the cremation? Get photos and measurements of tooth punctures... maybe some DNA from the wounds to prove it was the Mastiff

Contact an attorney

here's a search for Dog law in VA

http://www.google.com/search?q=dog+l...rlz=1I7ADRA_en

[horsnaround]

Oh my gosh I am so very sorry. I hope they do what's right and pay all the bills. That would be the least they could do. Again so sorry

[tammy8833]

so apparently both of my dogs were attacked, my male has 2 punture wounds..he looks ok but i will take him in he morning for a check up.

[Buster Brown]

Originally Posted by tammy8833

so apparently both of my dogs were attacked, my male has 2 punture wounds..he looks ok but i will take him in he morning for a check up.

I am so sorry. As KJC mentioned Get photos and measurements of tooth punctures... maybe some DNA from the wounds to prove it was the Mastiff
I hope Teddy is okay. I really am disgusted with your neighbors attitude and hope he is made to pay for his not keeping his dog contained and for the attack on your defenseless dogs. Not that that helps you get over the loss of your sweet Gidget and the damage done to Teddy.

[SWHouston]

Sorry, but, I'm just not the kind of guy who would deal with that, with anything less than using lethal force. I love animals, even the nasty ones for the most part, but I would/will not tolerate a violation of/on to my property in that manner, and am ready 24/7 to apply that policy.

That applies to crooks as well.

[Verbena]

Wow I am so sorry for your loss. Rest in peace Giget I can not believe he got both of them. I am so sorry I hope teddy will be ok. Good thoughts and blessing to you and your pups during this time

[tammy8833]

thank you everyone...i took teddy this morning and thankfully its just bruises. not open wounds....
we think that the dog went after teddy first he is smaller and im positive gidget jumped to his defense. she was a no bull s&*% kind of yorkie =) abd bigger at about 12lbs we teased her about gaining so much weight after being spayed. she was our BBG = Big Booty Girl...
i dont have the emotion to harm the dog..my husband does and his hurt has turned to anger.
everyone keeps saying if i see the dog to hit it with my car and i honestly dont blame the dog. its his up bringing. im angry that she was hurt that bad and im angry she had to live through the pain all day. i hurt for her.

the vets did take photos of her injuries and email me today..i was thinking of posting them but they are graphic.

its so hard not having her here. i expect her to bump the bathroom door open and come in..and stretch with her paws on my knees...to cuddle with me at night. to lay at my feet in the kitchen..to sit next to me on the sofa..to get into the cat food...and she's not...i miss her so much. she was my dog, my heart, my best friend.

she was taken so suddenly.

teddys is scared and sad...he has become my shadow. he stares at me with the saddest look i have ever seen. he is frighten to be outside. and he is very clingly...he is a sad little baby right now.

i miss my gidgey girl!

[Buster Brown]

Originally Posted by tammy8833

thank you everyone...i took teddy this morning and thankfully its just bruises. not open wounds....
we think that the dog went after teddy first he is smaller and im positive gidget jumped to his defense. she was a no bull s&*% kind of yorkie =) abd bigger at about 12lbs we teased her about gaining so much weight after being spayed. she was our BBG = Big Booty Girl...
i dont have the emotion to harm the dog..my husband does and his hurt has turned to anger.
everyone keeps saying if i see the dog to hit it with my car and i honestly dont blame the dog. its his up bringing. im angry that she was hurt that bad and im angry she had to live through the pain all day. i hurt for her.

the vets did take photos of her injuries and email me today..i was thinking of posting them but they are graphic.

its so hard not having her here. i expect her to bump the bathroom door open and come in..and stretch with her paws on my knees...to cuddle with me at night. to lay at my feet in the kitchen..to sit next to me on the sofa..to get into the cat food...and she's not...i miss her so much. she was my dog, my heart, my best friend.

she was taken so suddenly.

teddys is scared and sad...he has become my shadow. he stares at me with the saddest look i have ever seen. he is frighten to be outside. and he is very clingly...he is a sad little baby right now.

i miss my gidgey girl!

Thank you for sharing your stories about Gidget she was a great companion and best friend. She had a wonderful life with your family and did not deserve the last few hours of her fate. Hugs to you all.