7 Year Old Girl Mauled In Central Coast Shopping Centre

[~Anne~]

The latest report in the Daily Telegraph in Sydney said the dog was tied up at a special dog station. Thses stations have been popping up apparently all over the place. The eldest girl patted the dog and there was no problem, and then a little bit later, the youngest girl bent down to pat the dog and he bit her. The dog was apparently drinking water from a bowl at the time.

See here;

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/nsw-...i-1225854291577

Dog attack exposes risky fad

PET "parking" station safety has been called into question after a seven-year-old girl was mauled outside a shopping centre on Wednesday.

Popular in parts of Europe, pet stations emerged in Australia two years ago as a way of encouraging people to walk to the shops instead of drive.

But the stands - fitted with a water bowl and a poop bag dispenser - are a magnet for children who approach tethered dogs thinking they are safe.

A walk to the Kincumber shops on the Central Coast for some lollies "like they had done every other day" of the school holidays ended in hospital for dog-lover Paige Staff.

After her older sister Anais, 9, patted a staffordshire bull terrier while it was drinking, the seven-year-old bent down for her turn.

The dog snapped and savaged the girl, latching on to her face and shoulder.

Without regard for her own safety Anais dived between them and dragged her sister to safety.

"I patted the dog and afterwards Paige went to go and pat it and it just jumped on her and bit her," Anais said.

Parents Trevor and Dianne said they knew the dog's owner and knew she was a responsible pet owner.

"It would make it easier if we didn't know her," Mrs Staff said.

"But she's the loveliest woman, she feels absolutely gutted. She said 'I would have never taken him out if I knew he had that inclination'."

Mr Staff said his daughter probably "loves dogs too much".

Leading dog trainer Steve Austin slammed the emergence of pet stations as "the height of irresponsibility".

"Tying a dog up and leaving it alone is a recipe for disaster," he said.

The owner surrendered the dog to rangers to be destroyed

Edited April 15, 2010 by ~Anne~

[SoL]

Thank you Steve Austin! I wonder which it is - Stafford or Bull Terrier? If they're asking a ranger, they wouldn't have a clue! Bloody stupid owners

[poodlefan]

Heartbreak for two families and a dead dog.

[justin19801]

Forget about all dogs having to be muzzled. Few would listen, even fewer would be motivated to enforce it, and even if they did, like I say, few would listen it would fall in a heap, not gonna happen.

Ask Swiss dog owners whether it can happen or not. Souff is right, dog ownership is in the cross-hairs and only one thing will save it, unified action. But as is continually shown here, that is the only thing thats not "gonna happen".

[poodlefan]

Forget about all dogs having to be muzzled. Few would listen, even fewer would be motivated to enforce it, and even if they did, like I say, few would listen it would fall in a heap, not gonna happen.

Ask Swiss dog owners whether it can happen or not. Souff is right, dog ownership is in the cross-hairs and only one thing will save it, unified action. But as is continually shown here, that is the only thing thats not "gonna happen".

The only thing that will save it Justin is ALL dog owners stepping up and shouldering responsibility for their dogs. I share your gloomy outlook on the likelihood of that "unified action" occuring.

Education about dogs for dog owners and kids would go a long way to help prevent situations like this one.

Gee, I'd so enjoy walking my dogs muzzled if others refused to obey the law and muzzle theirs. Same thing occurs now with leash laws.

[LOLAFOLATA]

Was only discussing this very scenario with a colleague yesterday. I have, on a couple of occasions taken one or other of my dogs to local shop and tied up out front where I can see them. They are big imposing looking dogs and most people give them a wide berth. They are friendly and Lola (avatar) loves pats, Arnie BMx more reserved but I could not guarantee how either would react to being approached in wrong manner.

I wondered whether I should muzzle them just as a precaution for their safety, in the rare event of being in this situation again (have seen kids want to approach and warned off or some silly adults ). I would never approach any unattended dog, dog lover or not, and have drummed same into my kids and now grandchild.

Colleague said this would be good deterrant as a muzzled dog is considered "dangerous" by general public. My concern was that if public official (ranger) saw my muzzled dog tied up in public place would they want to question why I don't have it declared as dangerous.

Sorry not very articulate, but hope I'm making sense

Edited April 16, 2010 by LOLAFOLATA

[Souff]

A lot of kids assume that every dog out for a walk is the same as their dog at home and will accept all their approaches with a happy lick.

Actually, many adults assume the same thing too.

Recently I quickly told a Mum and her 2 overly enthusiastic juveniles, to stay BACK because the dog in my care and control did NOT like children.

"Oh! But my kids LOVE all dogs and are used to being with dogs all the time!"

Souff snarled "Get Back Now!" to the humans, and the lead became very much shorter as I turned and walked in the opposite direction to where I had intended to walk. Once out of sight of the gregarious doghuggers, I set about my task of reassuring the dog that the world was once again a safe place.

Was this the first time I had to do this?

No.

It has happened more times than I have had hot dinners.

Should a dog who has a fear of certain situations not be exercised and be kept locked away for the rest of its life?

Of course not.

Not if there is a capable/trained person (and perhaps slightly warped) who can take them out for a walk and a sniff, and is prepared to snarl/yell at silly humans

I will do whatever it takes to protect the "problem dog" in my care and control from these overly enthusiastic, naive individuals in our society.

If I have to put a brightly striped muzzle and collar and warning flags on the animal in my care, be it Dachshund or Dobermann, mutt or micropod, then yes, I will do it.

Not because of the dog's breed, but because I know that the potential for disaster is not far away.

To date I have managed to prevent disaster by careful planning about where I take the potential child-eating dogs, and by being a nasty horrible dog person to starry eyed people who will later sue the pants off me if the entanglement between dog and child did occur.

Always happy to help children and dogs develop a happy relationship in the right environment, but it has to start with the right dogs for the right children.

It just does not work when an old grumpy dog who dislikes children is bombarded by enthusiastic little doghuggers for the first time in a strange place.

Does Souff take dogs to shopping centres? Not in a million years - Souff cant stand the places. And what all that noise would do to a dog's finely tuned hearing is just unthinkable.

Hope this child is OK and I hope the dog's owner keeps the dog away from shopping centres in future.

Souff

Edited to say that I have just read that the dog on the coast will be PTS.

Also read about parking stations for dogs ..... unbloodybelievable lunacy. Steve Austin is right, such places can only be a recipe for disaster.

Looks like another condition of sale will be put in Souff's contracts "THOU WILL NOT TAKE THIS DOG TO SHOPPING CENTRES!"

Edited April 16, 2010 by Souff

[Souff]

Gee, I'd so enjoy walking my dogs muzzled if others refused to obey the law and muzzle theirs. Same thing occurs now with leash laws.

Yes, it is double edged sword indeed Poodlefan.

But, just like with the tail-docking laws, I can feel that such a law is going to be inevitable.

Based on "contemporary community attitudes" ...... and mostly because of the bluddy slack attitudes of many humans, particularly those who cannot manage to observe the basic rules for dogs that we currently have. Those dog owners have brought this one on the rest of us.

Souff

Edited April 16, 2010 by Souff

[Quickasyoucan]

Trouble is with the continued focus on breed, there is no focus on education.

I agree with Souff, in that if I had a dollar for every kid who launched itself lovingly at my dog out on walks with their parents watching on, I would be a rich woman. Now my dog thinks every child is another licking target, but that's not the point, how do these parents know that my dog is safe.

Then again you only have to travel on public transport to see the things that parents allow their kids to do, hanging over the edge of ferries, real youngsters running around unaccompanied on deck, I could go on. Frankly I am surprised that more children don't end up hurt in all manner of ways given some of the things that you see parents overlooking or allowing them to do.

Irresponsible owners

and

Irresponsible parents = a very dangerous combination.

Edited April 16, 2010 by Quickasyoucan

[Souff]

I wonder which it is - Stafford or Bull Terrier?

Why does it matter?

Purebred or crossbred, or one breed or another?

At the end of the day it is a dog.

Whilever we keep focussing on the name of a breed when a dog bites somebody all we are doing is feeding a media frenzy and bolstering people's negative opinions of any one breed of dog.

Souff

[westielover]

Two of my dogs are very cute small fluffy dogs (westies) and they have been approached tonnes of times by excited kids wanting to pat them because they're so cute. Yes - they're cute but no dog appreciates being rushed at / patted by strangers standing over the top of them.

I am forever telling kids to stop and approach slowly. Then telling them that they should not approach strange dogs without asking if it's okay to pat them. It can be very annoying when they don't listen and even more annoying when the parents don't listen.

I refuse to put my dogs into a position where they can be accused of biting/attacking a child. I just don't understand why some parents can be so irresponsible when it comes to protecting their children. I am very protective of my dogs - gawd help me if I had children - they would live in a protective bubble

Terribly sad situation for the people & dog involved in this dog bite situation.

[justin19801]

I wonder which it is - Stafford or Bull Terrier?

Why does it matter?

Purebred or crossbred, or one breed or another?

At the end of the day it is a dog.

Whilever we keep focussing on the name of a breed when a dog bites somebody all we are doing is feeding a media frenzy and bolstering people's negative opinions of any one breed of dog.

Souff

Souff is right. However since the media and politicians care about breed it is incumbent on them to get it right. Perhaps then they will appreciate all breeds are potentially dangerous.

[Souff]

Souff is right. However since the media and politicians care about breed it is incumbent on them to get it right. Perhaps then they will appreciate all breeds are potentially dangerous.

Hey Justin, please stop agreeing with Souff it is not wise, not wise at all :D

And good luck with trying to get politicians and the media to get anything right.

If something is right it immediately loses its entertainment or political value!

Souff

[tianakaesha]

When I have the Little Bit with me out and about I hate it when there are dogs and Little Bit asks the owner if she can pat the dog. She ALWAYS asks (she is 4), but owners always say (to me), oh, Fluffy is GREAT with Kids. Is fine with kids. Would never hurt a kid. I say to them, "I don't care, I am teaching her dog etiquette. What happens if your dog decided he didn't like kids today, or if it was a different non-kid friendly dog?"

I have taught Little Bit never to pat a dog whose owner is NOT there.

I have taught Little Bit never to pat a dog directly on the head.

I have taught Little Bit to always ask permission

I have taught Little Bit to never put her face near a dog's (though she often tries to kiss them and i have to remind her!)

She is four, and it's still a learning curve, but we reinforce training her each and every dog she meets. If she gets it wrong, she has to stop what she is doing before continuing. I believe it is my duty as a PARENT to train my child about dog etiquette. But kids are not taught respect for dogs of any sort nowadays.

I just hate it when people say "oh, but my dog is fine" yes, he might be, but it is not up to you to decide if the risk is worth it or not.

I'll stop ranting about bad parenting now

[Souff]

She is four, and it's still a learning curve, but we reinforce training her each and every dog she meets. If she gets it wrong, she has to stop what she is doing before continuing. I believe it is my duty as a PARENT to train my child about dog etiquette. But kids are not taught respect for dogs of any sort nowadays.

I just hate it when people say "oh, but my dog is fine" yes, he might be, but it is not up to you to decide if the risk is worth it or not.

The risk to the owner is limited, so they think they are OK to say "my dog is fine" ..... until it bites a child.

Then they had better have what is needed to pay the legal bills.

You are teaching Little Bit to respect animals, and that is what all parents should be doing, but sadly are not.

Many have it in their brain that dogs are something for their child to play with.

The dogs needs and instincts are a long way from their thinking.

Children will be a lot safer around animals when all parents teach respect, but unfortunately some of the parents first need to learn it themselves.

Souff

[BigDaz]

I wondered whether I should muzzle them just as a precaution for their safety, in the rare event of being in this situation again (have seen kids want to approach and warned off or some silly adults ). I would never approach any unattended dog, dog lover or not, and have drummed same into my kids and now grandchild.

Personally I would never muzzle my dogs if I left them unattended, a stray dog could attack and they would have no defence at all.

I would just leave my dogs at home.

[RufusTheDoofus]

You can teach kids all you like but as their cognitive brain isn't developed until well into their teens, kids will inthe end, be kids. Fact of the matter is that dogs and kids must be supervised at all times.

[hortfurball]

Why is it that when I was a kid, and rather stupidly bent over to pat a dog and got bitten on the face, the only focus was on whether or not I'd had a tetanus shot, and now, it's "PTS the dangerous dog!"

The dog was more than likely just threatened by an intimidating stance from a stranger, as was the one that bit me, which incidentally was not one of the breeds targeted by BSL.

Unwrap the bloody cotton wool people! :D

Let's go back to the days when you tell kids "If you bend over a strange dog you're likely to get bitten" and when they do, say "You should have listened to your parents, we tell you these things for a reason, now you have to have a big yukky needle."

Society is so damn delicate these days, whatever happened to teaching consequences and taking responsibility for your own actions. Pathetic.

[Souff]

Why is it that when I was a kid, and rather stupidly bent over to pat a dog and got bitten on the face, the only focus was on whether or not I'd had a tetanus shot, and now, it's "PTS the dangerous dog!"

The dog was more than likely just threatened by an intimidating stance from a stranger, as was the one that bit me, which incidentally was not one of the breeds targeted by BSL.

Unwrap the bloody cotton wool people!

Let's go back to the days when you tell kids "If you bend over a strange dog you're likely to get bitten" and when they do, say "You should have listened to your parents, we tell you these things for a reason, now you have to have a big yukky needle."

Society is so damn delicate these days, whatever happened to teaching consequences and taking responsibility for your own actions. Pathetic.

:D

[Kirty]

Where was the dog's owner in all of this? Why did he bring a dog like that to a crowded place and allow it to bite a child? People need to take some responsibility for their dogs! They cannot just be bought and disregarded. They must be trained, socialised, etc. I know for a FACT that my dog would not do that. I know it. And if I had any concerns at all, I would not take them somewhere like a shopping centre! Perhaps instead of banning puppies in pet shops, we should all be pushing for mandatory obedience classes or something along those lines. If you want to impulse buy a dog, fine, but now you put in the hard work to make sure it becomes an acceptable member of society. Of couse, I don't know where this dog came from but it obviously hasn't had the training or socialisation that it needed.