Odin was Attacked by a Pitbull today

[Odin's Momma]

Sorry for not keeping up on the previous thread about the move, but to be perfectly honest, the net is soooooo slow here that I can hardly browse. Stupid dialup :mad:

 

Anyway, on that previous topic, my husband did get accepted in the college and we'll be moving here permanently. Odin will be here in a week or so, we're flying him here to Newfoundland via Air Canada Cargo.

 

On this topic . . . it's upset me so much that I don't care if I have to wait 10 minutes for a page to load, I'm still posting.

 

This morning I woke up to find an email from my husband . . . he had been taking Odin out to pee and when the elevator door opened to the lobby, a pit bull was there and immediately broke free of his leash and attacked my puppy

 

Luckily, my hubby is quite a big guy and was able to save Odin. He pushed Odie to one corner of the elevator (yes, all this was going on in a small elevator because the dog basically cornered them there) and tried to get the dog to concentrate on him instead of our puppy. He basically slammed the pit up against the wall a few times and finally managed to pin him and the owner was able to get the dog out.

 

Both my hubby and Odin are physically well, but Odin now refuses to go near the elevator and DH is mad a hell. Apparently, this dog belongs to our building's new Super and it's a rescue dog who was bred primarily for fighting. The Super apologized but I still want to call the police. Another dog was attacked already and there's a wonderfully gentle Rottie in the building who blind due to diabetes that I'm worried about.

 

Needless to say, if it had been me in the elevator, both Odin and I would have been ripped to shreds. My mother in law comes by every day to spend time with Odin and take him out to pee . . . she's shorter than me and no match for an angry pitbull either.

 

I wish I was there to work with Odin through these things, but unfortunately, I can't be. I feel so helpless and angry . . . I just needed to make a post. I feel like flying back to Toronto and choking the living daylight out of the super. Thank the Lord we put our notice in this month.

 

Anyway, rant ended!

[Kat's Dogs]

Yikes!!

 

I am so glad Odin is OK!! Something needs to be said if there is a very aggressive dog about. That little fight could have been so much worse.

 

But, everyone is OK! That is something to be thankful for! But for sure you should do something about it otherwise what is to stop it from happening again? Maybe with a not-so-happy ending?

[smileyzookie]

I agree. There is no way I'd let that owner and his dog get away with it. Odin and you guys are so blessed that it was your husband, and not your MIL or that poor blind rottie. Thats super scary. Im so glad Odin is coming to you. Been wondering how you've been.

[Lunar]

Holy crap. If the guy KNOWS it's a pit bred for fighting WHY wouldn't he have a muzzle on it or SOME OTHER method of protecting other dogs/people? That is flat out dangerous. Part of owning special dogs is taking responsibility for them - protecting THEM from getting into trouble. Yikes. I'm really glad Odin is okay!

[borderlicious]

Argh . . . Poor Odin! I'm glad he is okay.

 

Pit Bulls are banned in Ontario (grrr don't get me started on BSL) because of morons like this guy. The owner of that dog deserves to be reported . . .

[Joe Anne]

Thank God Odin and Hubby are ok. There is absolutely NO excuse for the SuperI's lack of responsibility, period.

I would definately follow up on notifing police, this is obviously a dangerous dog. And that being said, it appears that even though intentions may have been good on the superI's part, he does not appear to be the one to "rehabilitate" (if possible), this dog.

Keep us posted on what your follow up is.

Take care, and special luv's to precious little Odin (((hugs)))

[MaggieDog]

You mentioned that hubby tried to get the dog to focus on him - did the dog actually try to go after him? Human aggression in pits is never to be tolerated (even the old fighters selected away from this) - if the dog did redirect to your hubby, he is dangerous and MUST be reported.

 

Dog aggression sucks of course and I feel sooo bad for Odin, but if you want something to be done about this dog, demonstrated human aggression is the way to go w/ the authorities.

[ellen]

Call the police immediately.

[ellen]

...and call the building owner to tell him you reported the incident to police. Do not mess around even if your husband is hesistant to do it. Be decisive and act.

[Odin's Momma]

The thing that gets me here is that this dog attacked Odin as soon as the doors opened . . . what if it had been a child bringing his dog for a walk? I know there is at least one family who's little boy takes their froo froo dog out frequently

 

Not sure if the dog tried to attack DH as well, he's working nights so he's sleepign right now. He said he basically put Odin in a corner with his left arm and used his right arm to slam the dog against the elevator wall a few times cause the dog kept lunging for Odin. DH did manage to pin the dog and I assume that at this point the dog's owner did something, but I don't really have many more details. Thank God DH is build like and ox and has the strength to match.

 

What I want to know is, which organization allowed this dog to be placed with this person? Is is quite obviously not the right kind of person for the dog. So . . . was the dog even rescued at all? Or is that just a tale the Super's spinning? I find it hard to believe that a responsible rescue group would give this dog to a person living in an apartment.

 

Sigh . . . anyway, I gotta go for a bit but I'll be sure to give some updates when I hear from DH later.

[Kat's Dogs]

That is true, most rescues (and even just plain old shelters) will not (or CAN not) place an aggressive dog. Maybe if the person was some kind of animal behaviorist that had expirence with aggressive pits, but that doesn't seem the case. Sooo..... How did he get the dog in the first place?!?

[PSmitty]

Poor Odin and hubby. I'm glad they're ok.

 

I think the pit needs to be muzzled when going on a walk.

[Lunar]

Maybe it wasn't through an organized rescue, but through "a friend" type of deal. Who really knows.

[nancy]

I'd sure call whoever I had to to get that dog at least muzzled. The idiot probably thinks he is now "socializing" the dog. But if that kid or your mother-in-law gets between that dog and their own....

 

I wouldn't demand the dog leave, much less get put down. But a muzzle would sure be appropriate.

[INU]

I can't imagine how worried you were... I am so glad they are both okay. You should be proud of your husband how he protected him! It's not just the dog, this can affect owners mentality. I'd be scared to use the elevator for a long time.

[hoku's mum]

Holy-moly, really glad to hear that Odin and your DH are OK. That is so dang scary. I had nightmares for a few nights after Gussy got attacked. That dog and owner should be reported. If the owner is not strong enough to keep the Pit under control while it's leashed, that is the wrong owner for that dog, period. The muzzle idea is really good, at least if the ding-dong owner looses control again, the dog can't kill anything.

 

So glad to hear that Odin will be with you soon.

[Odin's Momma]

Well, DH is going to talk to the owner of the other dog who got attacked to see if she reported the dog yet or not. Either way, tomorrow something is getting done about this. This is definitely not an appropriate owner for this dog.

 

Oh, and apparently, the owner *works* for a rescue organization

 

This is the same owner who admitted that the dog "does this all the time" yet has no muzzle on it.

 

The same owner who stands directly in front of the elevator doors instead of waiting a few feet behind so that the dog can't reach anyone who exits the elevator. (Even I stand back to give people room to exit, even if I'm on my own)

 

Oh, and also the same owner who had the dog on one of those flimsy retractable leashes, which broke almost immediately once the dog lunged for Odin.

 

The same owner who is obviously a big fat idiot. This poor pit is probably going to end up killing some person's beloved pet and then end up being killed itself, all because of an owner who has less sense than a tape worm.

 

Ugh.

[Kat's Dogs]

Ugh is right.

 

This seems to be getting worse as it unfolds.

 

It makes you feel bad for the Pit, what if it had been with some other (smart) owner? Maybe this dog could have been "fixed" and lived a very happy, non-aggressive life.

 

Hope everything goes well and something gets done.

[silhouettestable]

Having that dog muzzled is not just a "good idea", in Ontario it's the law. They also must be spayed/neutered. Even at my vet's there is a notice on the door that no pit bulls are allowed entry unless they are properly muzzled, and of course all dogs must be leashed. Now I realize that the pits have to be muzzled "in public" and that there may be some controversy as to whether an apartment hallway or elevator qualifies as a public place, but it is a common area shared by all the tenents. I'm sure that police or the courts would uphold muzzling in those circumstances, especially given the dogs background as a fighting dog.

Glad that Odin and your husband are both okay.

[Odin's Momma]

On top of all this, my husband and I are among just a handful of younger tenants in the building . . . I'm sure that at least 75% of the tenants occupying the building are elderly.

 

This is just a disaster waiting to happen. I feel bad for the pit as well . . . a responsible owner really can be the difference between life and death for these rescues.

[Skye]

Holy crap, what a story! There's no doubt that this dog, BY LAW, should be muzzled in those circumstances. Elevators in apartment buildings are still public places (only the actual apartments once behind the apartment door is considered private, as far as I know), and Ontario pit bulls must be muzzled, period ... no ifs, ands or buts (whether they are aggressive or not). But PARTICULARLY with this owner knowing this dogs tendencies, this dog should be muzzled AS SOON AS it steps foot outside its home. It's ridiculous, and it's so negligent that it's pathetic. Grrrr it angers me.

 

I'm so glad that no physical damage was done to Odin, but I'm sure it shook him up. Poor guy. :-( I strongly encourage you or your hub to report this incident regardless of whether or not the owner says he has. It can't go on.

 

Skye

[Allie Oop]

Sorry to hear about Odin! I'm sure he is a little traumatized at the moment, but hopefully he will recover soon. Poor pup! Poor Hubby!

 

Not all pit bulls are bad, unfortunately this one appears to have been trained to be aggressive. The owner has an obligation to make sure that the dog (rescue or not)does NOT attack or injure other people or animals. If he is not willing to take serious precautions to prevent his dog from attacking others, the authorities MUST be contacted.

 

Hopefully this problem can be resolved before this poor creature has to be put down. Good luck!

[Dixie_Girl]

WOW! Sure glad Odin is ok! Good thing DH is big enough to protect! It's a shame Odin is afraid of the elevaters now. Good that something will get done. All of your 'what ifs' are true! This guy is an idiot! And yes, most likely the dog will suffer the most because of this guys stupidity! Let us know what happens.

[Bellaz]

It's a terrible feeling to be so helpless when it comes to a dog attack, but we've all been there unfortunately. In our case I was lucky I've got 2 small dogs and could hold them above my head. If Jess (Border Collie) had been with us I wouldn't have been able to lift her.

[Tiga's_mom]

I'm glad he's ok! I would report it for sure. I know it's hard being away from your SO and Odin, I've been away now since the middle of August but I'm going home for 3 weeks in 24 days! I'm jealous that you're moving back to the rock. I miss Newfieland. Hang in there, they'll be with you soon and Odin will be away from that dog.