Odin was Attacked by a Pitbull today

[Odin's Momma]

DH said he's definitely calling Animal Control today . . . It's just really hit him today that he's afraid to take Odin out now. Not really afraid for himself but afraid that Odin will get attacked again and he won't be able to stop it next time.

 

I'll keep updating as I get more news! Thanks for the support guys, I really needed it!

 

Tammy, my hubby's coming to visit for 2 weeks starting on boxing day, I'm counting the days!! I can't wait till Odin gets here too, he's gonna love it.

[Atlanta Smitty]

A buddy of mine was attacked by a Pitbull at a park. (Non dog park). He has a 1year old lab which is scared to death of anything that moves. Well the pitbull was loose and saw my buddy's dog and came running after him. My buddy grabbed his dog up and put it above his head and started kicking the dog.

 

Finally he tossed his dog on the ground and shoved his forearm into the pit's mouth. He had no choice but to pull his gun and kill the dog.

 

My buddy got arrested for having a firearm in a public area, reckless discharge of a gun, Assault with a deadly weapon, and a couple other charges which didn't make much sense.

 

And the owner of the pitbull has a civil case against him.

 

My buddy has a pitbull that's a female. She is not aggresive at all. It's my dog's best friend. My dog barks and nips at her and she doesn't do a thing. The owner has told me he won't get another pit bull. He feels he got lucky with her but will get a dog known for less aggresion next time.

[Rolf]

Oh dear, what a story. I am very happy that your husband and Odin are fine. I have very much respect for your husband how he defended Odin.

 

Well done, to call Animal Control.

[Eileen Stein]

Are you saying that the owner of this pit bull is employed as superintendant of the building by the owners of your apartment house? If that's true, I'm sure you can bring this problem to an abrupt end by informing the apartment house owners of this incident and the previous attack. Fear of liability is a great motivator.

[Odin's Momma]

Eileen, I told my husband as much. He's leaving in December anyway so he has nothing to fear. Maybe theother tenants will be less willing to report the super for fear of getting 'in touble' or somthing. At least one tenant has said she don't want to 'stir up trouble'

 

I'm proud of my husband as well. If that dog would have hurt his arm, I don't even want to think of it, considering DH is going back to school to study Music Industry and Performance and Recording Arts - he's a guitarist :eek: . . . so having his arm ripped up by a dog would have been pretty tragic But he said he didn't even think of that, he was only thinking of protecting Odin. He also says he'd do it again in a heartbeat. Let's just hope he never has to!

[Tiga's_mom]

I'm glad he's calling. I'm also happy for you that he's coming soon and Odin too! I'm sure Odin will love Nfld. I don't know anyone who's been there that hasn't liked it. lol. Are you staying in the city?

[Suprman]

Glad to hear everyone is ok.

 

That really ticks me off... Another Pitbull owner who has no clue how to raise a dog properly. I can't stand people who buy pitbulls (or rotties) just because 'they're cool'.

 

I'm glad I wasn't there... Would have been hard not to slam the owner against the wall a few times.

 

I had a pitbull show up in my backyard a couple years ago when Storm (RIP) was outside. As soon as I saw the pitbull I ran and got Storm inside. The pitbull turned out to be friendly, luckily. I put the dog on a leach and walked down the block and found the owner. He was working construction and said, "Oh, there she is.", like he wasn't even paying attention to his dog was. It could have been hit by a car and he wouldn't have known it. :mad:

[SoloRiver]

I'm sorry this happened. I'm sure it was quite scary.

 

I will say something though. The fact that neither your husband nor Odin had a scratch on him says that the attacking dog did not really intend to harm either of them. Dogs are quite good at controlling what they do with their mouths. They are also much faster than people. If the dog had been determined to land a bite, he would have.

 

I think this dog should be better controlled than he is. Maybe he'd be better off with a different owner. I do not think he is as dangerous as you suspect (otherwise, someone would have been bleeding, had ripped clothes, SOMETHING). In addition, if he didn't actually hurt anyone or anydog, I doubt the police will be interested in a report (unless Canada is considerably more fascist than the U.S.), especially if some time has gone by. They'd need evidence -- like vet bills, or an emergency room report, or witnesses -- to do anything.

 

I have had some scary experiences with pit bulls who appeared interested, in an almost predatory way, in my dogs. I have also had scary experiences with non pit bulls. The last dog that went after one of mine was a Lab mix. That dog jumped Fly when Fly was lying perfectly still on the ground (waiting for Solo to do something) and not even paying attention. It grabbed her by the neck and started shaking her. I could do nothing because I was restraining Solo (who, if I'd let him go, would have gone and launched a full-fledged attack on the Lab). The owner managed after some time to pull her dog off and was visibly upset. Fly was upset as well, and quite slobbery, but not at all hurt. I didn't call the cops. When dogs live in the same place and share the same open space, sometimes things happen. They're not robots, they're dogs, they don't always get along.

 

I don't agree with breed-specific legislation and don't believe that a dog should be muzzled in public simply because it is a pit bull. I think perhaps this particular owner should either try harder to control his dog, or maybe not have a dog, but I'm not willing to demonize the dog or declare it a menace. In the end, he scared the crap out of your husband and your dog but didn't hurt either of them. The owner needs to be talked to, but bringing down the law just fosters and feeds the dog-unfriendly state of legal paranoia that we unfortunately exist in these days.

[FlyByNight]

It sounds like this person has no business having a Pit Bull, especially in the BSL hotbed that is Ontario.

 

Responsible Pit owners are walking on egg shells in that province right now, because they know just how scary the times are for their dogs. And being responsible means at least walking your dog on a regular flat leash and flat buckle collar, and currently muzzling it in public (as per law in Ont.).

 

Trusting yours and other dog's safety to a piece of string is asking for it. Pit owners will always have a hard time fighting BSL with people like this wandering around.

[Odin's Momma]

Melanie, I think I get what you're saying, but I just can't *hope* that the dog won't really hurt anyone and go on with my life.

 

My husband witnessed how dangerous this dog is first hand and I trust his judgement. He is *not* the kind of person who would make up or even exaggerate about something like this, he doesn't believe in BSL. He believes in rescuing animals.

 

Regardless, even if the dog wasn't really serious about hurting Odin . . . I know I could go on saying "oh no, if the dog wanted to hurt Odin he would have hurt him".

 

But how would I sleep at night if next time it's old Mrs. Bennett down the hall taking her yorkie, Lady, for a walk? What could she do if those elevator doors opened and the dog went for Lady? She (Mrs. Bennett) is as old as the hills and about 90 pounds soaking wet!

 

I know for a fact that had I been still in Toronto, it would have been *me* taking Odin down that day . . . and although my husband was able to do something, what could I have done?

 

Do you see where I'm coming from? I feel I have a responsibility, not only to the people in the building, who are mostly elderly people, but to the dog itself.

 

Believe me, I'm not calling the authorities because I want to demonize the dog!! If anyone is being demonized here, it's the owner! She's an irresponsible twit who's going to get someone's pet harmed and her own rescue killed!

 

She *knows* it's violent, she admits that the dog "always does this" and she doesn't use any precautions to ensure other people's safety. And by doing that, she's actually endangering the dog's life as well. As the dogs owner, she should be protecting it by making sure it can't harm another animal or person.

 

I don't believe in breed-specific legislation, but I do believe in responsible ownership. And this dog deserves an owner who knows what she's doing.

 

Lord knows the very last thing we need is another pit crucified by the media. I'm sure the Toronto Star will just love it:

 

"Old Lady Attacked in Apartment Building, Beloved Dog Killed"

 

Are they going to care about the dog?

 

No, they are just going to perpetuate the misconceptions about Pits . . . the people fighting against the ban will have another loss and the people who created it will have yet another win.

 

Anyway, I'm going with my concience with this . . . I just won't be able to forgive myself if this dog harms another animal or person and ends up being euthanized. I'd end up wondering for the rest of my life what would have happened if I'd done something . . . maybe the dog would have been placed with a more skilled and understanding person and lived a happy life!

 

If I gave the impression that I wanted this dog killed, I'm sorry, that's just not the kind of person I am. I believe every dog deserves a chance at a good life . . . especially the ones who've had a rough start.

 

I guess what I'm trying to say is . . .

 

In the end, he scared the crap out of your husband and your dog but didn't hurt either of them.

It's not just my husband or Odin I'm worried about. I'm worried about the dog. I'm worried about Mrs. Bennett down the hall. I could put it all behind me and hope for the best . . . but I just won't be able to forgive myself if I do nothing and someone(another dog, the pit, an owner) gets hurt. My husband is 300 pounds, 6 feet tall and as strong as a bull - he can protect our pet. Or maybe he was just lucky, who knows? But someone else, myself included would not be so fortunate. Lady would have been dead with one shake of that dog's head.

 

Plus, the next person who's pet gets attacked might not be so sympathetic to the attacking dog.

[ellen]

what happened?

[KrisK]

Melanie, the grim reality in Ontario is that ANY dog which MIGHT be a 'pitbull' whatever that is! MUST be muzzled in public. This muzzling law also applies

(a) a pit bull terrier,

 

( a Staffordshire bull terrier,

 

© an American Staffordshire terrier,

 

(d) an American pit bull terrier,

 

(e) a dog that has an appearance and physical characteristics that are substantially similar to those of dogs referred to in any of clauses (a) to (d); (?pit-bull?)

 

After the regulations came into effect, any of the above mentioned dogs can be seized from owners IF someone THINKS they are a menace. Then...they are likely killed.

Puppies that were born after the regulations came into effect were 'illegal' therefore could be seized and euthanized or given to research faclities..

I could go on...but suffice to say, Ontario is as draconian as it gets when it comes to this type of dog.

'Nuff said...I'll getting off my soapbox..again