The Ongoing Dog Attack Mega-Thread

[Sliver]

Another unfortunate dog attack in Calgary. Here is the Herald article.

A family is devastated after a pack of three pit bulls “ripped” apart one dog, severely injured another and sent one of their children to hospital.

The owner of the pit bulls tried to get the dogs away, but couldn’t control all three...

That's a real issue I'm having lately. People with multiple dogs. What do you need three pit bulls for? Of course you can't handle or control that many dogs, particularly when they're a vicious breed. Don't dogs have to be licensed or something in Calgary? Why would we let some dude in Ogden have access to three pit bulls (looks like one was his and two weren't)? It's assinine. Of course this was going to happen.

I feel really bad for these two kids. Imagine how frightening that must have been for them. I really wish the city would ban these breeds and take a long sober look at households with more than one dog (of any breed, really). There's no need for it and it's too dangerous to allow.

Anyway, best wishes to the little girl who is still in hospital after this attack.

[puckluck2]

Why do people need more than one kid and the more important question is why do you care how many dogs people have?

[Sliver]

Originally Posted by Iginla

Why do people need more than one kid and the more important question is why do you care how many dogs people have?

At some point on this board could we stop comparing children to dogs? They're not the same thing and they don't serve the same societal function. It's a bad comparison/false equivalency every single time it's employed.

I care how many dogs people have because multiple dogs are harder to control than single dogs. I spelled it out in the post above yours so I don't see why you'd need clarification, but there it is for you. In addition to the safety aspect, multiple dogs rile each other up, so they bark more. It bothers me because I have multiple neighbours with multiple dogs, and the barking drives me nuts. It's not even legal for dogs to bark in the city, but there really isn't anything you can do to prevent it as bylaw has more important things to worry about than barking dogs.

[CMPunk]

So now the issue is where people live and how many dogs they should be allowed? Good lord

[puckluck2]

Originally Posted by Sliver

At some point on this board could we stop comparing children to dogs? They're not the same thing and they don't serve the same societal function. It's a bad comparison/false equivalency every single time it's employed.

I care how many dogs people have because multiple dogs are harder to control than single dogs. I spelled it out in the post above yours so I don't see why you'd need clarification, but there it is for you. In addition to the safety aspect, multiple dogs rile each other up, so they bark more. It bothers me because I have multiple neighbours with multiple dogs, and the barking drives me nuts. It's not even legal for dogs to bark in the city, but there really isn't anything you can do to prevent it as bylaw has more important things to worry about than barking dogs.

I wasn't comparing kids to dogs, obviously they're not the same but who is the government to limit how many dogs someone can have? That would be as dumb as the Chinese limiting the number of kids someone can have.

And I love your multiple dogs causing barking argument. My neighbor has one dog and it barks all the time.

[Red Potato Standing By]

See if more people were packing, these dog attacks wouldn't happen.....

[RougeUnderoos]

Originally Posted by Iginla

Why do people need more than one kid and the more important question is why do you care how many dogs people have?

Whether or not we love dogs, hate dogs, are indifferent to dogs... can we please stop comparing them to people?

I don't want my neighbour to have (or be allowed to have) five dogs because dogs tend to make noise, take dumps outside, they often stink, I'm allergic to them... So I think there should (and may be) rules against people in the city owning a bunch of dogs.

I also don't want my neighbour to have five kids, but since my neighbour's five kids are human beings, they are different than dogs, in that they are not dogs and are people and are therefore far more important than dogs, so I (and nobody else) really gets a say in how many kids they can have.

This isn't China. Oddly enough, if it was, some of us might eat dogs.

[Sliver]

Originally Posted by Iginla

I wasn't comparing kids to dogs, obviously they're not the same but who is the government to limit how many dogs someone can have? That would be as dumb as the Chinese limiting the number of kids someone can have.

And I love your multiple dogs causing barking argument. My neighbor has one dog and it barks all the time.

Good point. I guess because I said multiple dogs bark more than single dogs, it clearly meant single dogs don't bark at all.

Who is the government to limit how many dogs someone has? Well, they're the government. It's not unreasonable at all for them to limit something like the number of large, vicious dogs somebody should be able to own. You do know the government is the only thing standing between you and owning a lion, right? You're also not allowed to own a gorilla. Etc.

[Kybosh]

The breed hate is completely nonsensical. Pitbulls get a bad rap because it's dirtbag owners who buy the breed to live out some faux-gangster lifestyle. When I was a kid, the dog attack breed of the day were German Shepherds. Now you rarely see people with German Shepherds. They weren't banned either, it just sort of happened. The same thing will happen with pit bulls when a new breed takes the spotlight.

I do agree that people should not own a pack of dogs unless they are capable. I also think that people shouldn't own sports cars that can be beyond their driving capabilities. I don't, however, think the government should do anything in either of these fronts. You shouldn't legislate based on 'maybes'.

[moon]

Originally Posted by Sliver

That's a real issue I'm having lately. People with multiple dogs.

Not that you actually care to understand the issues and would rather just spout off your ignorant hate when it comes to dogs but when I got my second dog it actually worked to calm my other dog down, reduce its barking, reduce its excess energy and make it a much better behaved dog all around. So no your stupid blanket statement of people shouldn't be able to own multiple dogs isn't really that good of an idea.

As for comparing dogs to people it is obviously unfair to the dogs who deserve more consideration but it is a natural thing for people to do in terms of dealing with it when you see what horrible things people do and try to figure out why a harmless dog would do something similar.

[Super Nintendo Chalmers]

Originally Posted by Sliver

You do know the government is the only thing standing between you and owning a lion, right? You're also not allowed to own a gorilla. Etc.

Most laws regarding exotic species are enacted to conservation and protection of the species or to prevent an invasive organism from gaining a foothold in an ecosystem.

Unless the government is authoritarian, it won't act unless a large proportion of the populace makes it an issue. People like their animals. I don't understand pet ownership myself, but that's the way things are.

[Sliver]

Guys. Three pit bulls just murdered another dog last night and maimed a young girl while they were leashed. That's horrendous. Are we so desensitized to dog attacks that your first reaction is leave the poor pit bulls alone instead of outrage at the fact that people are allowed to wander the streets with small packs of ferocious animals? I don't understand that mentality. You sound like the pro gun lobby.

[Sliver]

Originally Posted by Super Nintendo Chalmers

Most laws regarding exotic species are enacted to conservation and protection of the species or to prevent an invasive organism from gaining a foothold in an ecosystem.

Unless the government is authoritarian, it won't act unless a large proportion of the populace makes it an issue. People like their animals. I don't understand pet ownership myself, but that's the way things are.

That's a component for sure, but public safety is the other component.

[Cole436]

Originally Posted by Sliver

Another unfortunate dog attack in Calgary. Here is the Herald article.





That's a real issue I'm having lately. People with multiple dogs. What do you need three pit bulls for? Of course you can't handle or control that many dogs, particularly when they're a vicious breed. Don't dogs have to be licensed or something in Calgary? Why would we let some dude in Ogden have access to three pit bulls (looks like one was his and two weren't)? It's assinine. Of course this was going to happen.

I feel really bad for these two kids. Imagine how frightening that must have been for them. I really wish the city would ban these breeds and take a long sober look at households with more than one dog (of any breed, really). There's no need for it and it's too dangerous to allow.

Anyway, best wishes to the little girl who is still in hospital after this attack.

What an ignorant, fear mongering attitude to have. The fact that anyone has to engage in a discussion which depicts pit bulls as a "vicious breed" of dog is beyond ridiculous after you have been constantly ridiculed for your supposed facts.

It's horrible it happened, and not every dog is right in the head, but to blame it on the breed of animals and not how the owners trained the dogs is ridiculous.

[MrMastodonFarm]

Originally Posted by Sliver

Guys. Three pit bulls just murdered another dog last night and maimed a young girl while they were leashed. That's horrendous. Are we so desensitized to dog attacks that your first reaction is leave the poor pit bulls alone instead of outrage at the fact that people are allowed to wander the streets with small packs of ferocious animals? I don't understand that mentality. You sound like the pro gun lobby.

Don't be too dramatic now.

[Sliver]

Originally Posted by Cole436

What an ignorant, fear mongering attitude to have. The fact that anyone has to engage in a discussion which depicts pit bulls as a "vicious breed" of dog is beyond ridiculous after you have been constantly ridiculed for your supposed facts.

It's horrible it happened, and not every dog is right in the head, but to blame it on the breed of animals and not how the owners trained the dogs is ridiculous.

But if Pylon's wiener dog isn't trained it can't rip a dog to shreds, injure another dog and maim a little girl while on a leash. A pit bull can and they do. That's the critical - and no offense, but obvious - difference.

A good dog owner would obviously decrease the chances of one of these attacks, but let's face it more bad owners are attracted to the breed than good.

[moon]

Originally Posted by Sliver

your first reaction is leave the poor pit bulls alone

Who said that?

[jayswin]

Originally Posted by Cole436

What an ignorant, fear mongering attitude to have. The fact that anyone has to engage in a discussion which depicts pit bulls as a "vicious breed" of dog is beyond ridiculous after you have been constantly ridiculed for your supposed facts.

It's horrible it happened, and not every dog is right in the head, but to blame it on the breed of animals and not how the owners trained the dogs is ridiculous.

Wait, are you saying pitbulls aren't commonly refferd to as vicious dogs? I'm not arguing on either side here, this comment just stuck out to me, as everyone I've ever talked to considers pitbulls to be nasty dogs. Is that not the whole appeal of owning them? Because it certainly isn't cuteness, as they're one of the uglier animals out there.

[Kybosh]

Originally Posted by Sliver

Guys. Three pit bulls just murdered another dog last night and maimed a young girl while they were leashed. That's horrendous. Are we so desensitized to dog attacks that your first reaction is leave the poor pit bulls alone instead of outrage at the fact that people are allowed to wander the streets with small packs of ferocious animals? I don't understand that mentality. You sound like the pro gun lobby.

How about we bring some actual statistics to this (again). As per the city of Calgary, reports of dog incidents have gone down dramatically since the 1980s while the city has almost doubled in population.

Yes, it is horrible when a dog attack happens but the numbers don't lie. Calgary is very safe city where dogs and people more of less live in harmony.

[killer_carlson]

I think some people with a prohibition from owning or posessing frearms should also be prohibited from owning pets as well.

I have 2 dogs that i love dearly. They bark and are not well behaved when together, but hey are great with my kids and i keep them on leash when around other people. I dont like taking them to the off leash area by my house because of the multitude of pure meat heads with large aggressive dogs. There are some people with super obedient large dogs which i have no problem with, but the majority there have no control over their animals and most of these clowns own pitbulls, rotties, and boxers. I have had my kids knocked over by a large shepherd cross with the owner nowhere in sight, thereby having no control over their dog.

It seems in my area being an Affliction shirt wearing wanna be tough guy meathead has a linear relationship to being the negligent owner of an aggressive dog.

Bottom line is that more has to be done on the ownership side of things and subsequent enforcement. I would expect that part of that discussion will include breed restrictions (and i have no set opinion on that issue either way). Those who oppose breed restrictions best put their mind to practical other solutions to address the issue. There is a problem, please come with solutions. Im all ears.