[News] Pet Owners Looking For Answers After Pit Bull Attack After a Yorkshire terrier was killed in an earlier attack, Rosebank resident Ricky Kavanagh made sure he never took his Chihuahua, Daisy, anywhere without a leash, and was careful to eyeball the surroundings on their walks. His precautions failed Saturday, when a neighborhood pit bull attacked and killed his little dog. And he said things only got worse in the following days, when New York City Animal Care and Control, 311 and the ASPCA not only failed to help but responded with indifference and recorded messages. Kavanagh, 49, and his wife, Luz, 50, feel betrayed. "We have all these ... agencies with 'animal' in the name, what are they doing?" the 49-year-old asked yesterday, his voice a mixture of anger, frustration and sadness. "I'm a taxpayer, I'm a resident, what are you doing for me?" Mrs. Kavanagh is distraught, sobbing as she pores over pictures of the toy-sized Daisy in her many doggie ensembles. She is a diabetic and her blood sugar has spiked and asthma worsened since the attack, she says. "Daisy, why did you leave?" she asks repeatedly. The attack happened while Kavanagh was taking Daisy for her normal walk on Bay Street. He was alert, always mindful of the incident in December when a stray dog killed a Yorkie terrier belonging to New Lane resident Ana Rios. The attack on Daisy happened "like lightning," he said. A pit bull who neighbors said lives across the street squeezed through gaps in a wooden fence and pounced on the Chihuahua, grabbing her midsection. Kavanagh screamed for help, and neighbors rushed over to help fend off the larger dog. He gathered Daisy up in a sweater and hopped into a friend's truck and they rushed to a veterinarian's office. Halfway there, "She looked at me, and she took her last breath. And that was it," Kavanagh said. He went to the police, but since a dog-on-dog attack isn't illegal, he was referred to a city mediator, who in turn referred him to the ASPCA. Then he, his wife and brother-in-law spent hours calling different agencies, only to be hung up on, redirected or passed to an answering machine. Finally they were told that if the dog didn't have identity tags or a leash, which Kavanagh says it did not, they could call 311 for assistance, as dogs are supposed to be leashed at all times, in accordance with Health Department regulation. They again encountered a recorded message, this time on what to do in case of a dog bite. An Advance reporter asked the Health Department about the case. "A dog must be observed off leash in a public place by an issuing officer" for the Health Department to fine an owner, an agency spokesman said. Fines can range from $200 to $2,000. If a complainant reports an unleashed dog with the owner's information, the Health Department sends a warning letter. More severe penalties would only occur if the dog attacked a human. On Saturday, Rosebank neighbor Bateman Harris said the offending dog's owner, a young woman, came outside her Bay Street house and called the dog back. The woman did not respond to neighbors pounding on her front door, witnesses said. Attempts to reach her yesterday were unsuccessful. Colleen Conroy, who lives two doors down with her 9-year-old daughter, says there are many youngsters living on that portion of Bay Street, adding that the whole neighborhood has been on edge since the attack on Daisy. "I don't want to see the [pit bull] get killed, but I don't want to see my daughter get hurt," she said. " http://www.silive.com/news/advance/i...340.xml&coll=1 |
That is so sad!!! :( |
That sure doesn't sound like the "animal police" stories that we see on Animal Planet, does it? Whatever happened to action when a dog attacks? If it attacks a small dog, it will attack a small child. |
that makes me so mad! They should deem that dog as visious, and if it gets out again the owner should be fined. This just makes me sick!!! |
This is getting beyond a joke. I'm already upset about a bull terrier trying to attack my Yorkie yesterday and I've spent most of the night reading up on this. The law in America and the UK is pathetic. Why don't they understand that our dogs are like our children? The loss of my Yorkie to me would equate the loss of a child. No, I don't have children, yes, I'm probably too attached but that's just the realistic way it is From now on, I'm carrying a screwdriver or ice-pick. Any bull terrier or mastiff tries to attack my dog, I will lift it up by its hind quarters and drive a screw-driver into the area between it's neck and it's head. If they don't want to do anything about our dogs getting attacked, then we might as well do something ourselves - at the very least we'll get some kind of rough justice |
I'm so sorry for your tragic loss. Check to see if one of your local TV stations might be interested in a story like this. Tell them the WHOLE story - who all you contacted and what they said to you. That might get things rolling for you. Organizations don't like to be put "in the negative spotlight" for the public to see on TV! You just might get some action then so it doesn't happen to someone else's dog. I'd go and take a picture of where the dog gets out of the fence. Even take a picture of the dog when he's out. Good luck! |
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i misunderstood the context in which you would do such a thing. sorry. the laws are quite diff here and most judges here take the stance of 'two wrongs do not make a right'- their dog shouldn't have been in a position where it was able to attack your dog but you also should not have killed the other dog and depending on how set on making an example of you the particular judge is it is very poss to serve jail time here. i just wondered if you knew what you were in for. you do. carry on! |
Yup! And I don't know how things work there, but we don't 'make examples' of people in this country. The courts here are very fair and very objective. I can't imagine any reasonable British judge saying that I should have to stand by and watch my three pound dog being savaged to death and not do anything to try and save it. If anything, it may send out the message to dangerous dog owners once and for all, that their monstrous animals will not be tolerated and that there are consequences beyond the usual ridiculously unrealistic excuses of 'its just a poor, dumb animal' And as of tomorrow, I'll be carrying a five inch wide studded belt with me when I walk my dog so woe betide any bull terrier that comes anywhere near us. My dog is not a pushover and neither am I |
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The Locking Jaw The most common myth about 'pit bull' dogs is that their jobs lock. This is untrue. Breeds like the American Pit Bull Terrier do have very powerful jaws, and this is where this myth comes from. However, the jaw does not 'lock' - and you cannot get the jaw to 'lock' through abusive actions such as breaking the jaw. (yes, we have heard from people who believe this is how you get a 'locking jaw' and we have incredibly sympathy for any animals they own.) On this topic Dr. 1. Lehr Brisbin of the University of Georgia wrote: "The few studies which have been conducted of the structure of the skulls, mandibles and teeth of pit bulls show that, in proportion to their size, their jaw structure and thus its inferred functional morphology, is no different than that of any breed of dog. There is absolutely no evidence for the existence of any kind of "locking mechanism" unique to the structure of the jaw and/or teeth of the American Pit Bull Terrier." The 'pit bull' has powerful jaws, but they are not alone in this. This is yet another myth - that 'pit bulls' are more dangerous because they have the most powerful bite. Most large breeds and cross breeds have a very strong bite, and even smaller dogs can inflict a bite powerful enough to kill. Any dogs can be dangerous in the hands or an irresponsible, negligent or abusive owner. |
Thank you for the information. That's very interesting. I certainly didn't know that about the locking jaw but I do think it's fair to say that they inflict an extremely damaging bite and are a lot more tenacious in doing so than any other breed (this applies to all terriers). Again though, I think the point is still less the power of the bite rather than the tendency of the bull terrier breed to give chase to and kill other dogs. This is their inherent nature and while I'm sure other dogs will certainly bite and indeed kill, they do so a lot more rarely and under a lot more provocation. I'm also not entirely sure that I agree that all dogs are capable of killing. It's certainly relative to size I should think |
i have actually never heard of bull terriers attacking on the news i dont like when people group breeds as (pits vicious) chihuahuas snappy (poodles hyper) every dog is different its the way they are raised YES they do have alot of the same traits but just dont think bull terrier are the only ones that are vicous any dog could be vicous they also say silky like to chase and kill small animals i have had 2 and they both play with the gunieapig oh please do not blame the dog blame the owner |
that is so shocking, and so sad!!! i wish all stories like this were treated like the ones you see on animal planet precinct/cops. :(:( |
Reading this article makes me so upset :cry: I have 3 dogs a 3year old pit 1 and 1/2 year old beagle mix and an 8 month old yorkie. My pit loves my yorkie, she hangs on his ears and climbs all over him. He is by far extremely gentle and loving with her. I hate reading articles out about pitbull and attacks, you never hear anythiong positive about the breed. Taj is an extremely loving dog. When you have a "bully breed" as an owner you just have to take extra precautions. We never let him off his leash out and ALWAYS make sure the gate is locked and closed. My heart goes out to that family. I know I would feel the same way. I would blame the owner for not taking the extra precautions. You are responsible for your pets just if you had children you are responsible for them. |
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