Dog Attack Victim's Story

[Skruffy n Flea]

hey

so i was out friday night for drinks with some ex-colleagues and one of 'em tells me that 3 weeks ago she was out jogging, came up behind a lady walking a german shep on leash, takes a wide berth [dog and walker on footpath, jogger on nature strip close to roadway] and as she passes by them she sees in her peripheral vision, the dog lunge at her and it then bites her quite badly on her rear, tearing thru her jogging pants and knickers and taking in its mouth a fair amount of flesh! when she could she turned to the handler but without knowing what to say or do, the handler says to her something to the effect 'i wish you joggers would wear bells or something ...' [i guess [i]so as to not startle a dog as you come pounding up the frikken pavement behind it[/i]]!!!

wtf!??! no wait --- W-T-F !??!

my friend says that she was in a great deal of pain, bleeding, tearful and was not in a fair state of mind to take stock or control and so left without name or number or anything so as to contact handler when the time came.

she's received medical attention, has contacted the police, the local council and of coure, she has the photos to prove the damage done --- even after 3 weeks, she still feels discomfort in her glut muscle when walking...

[Tapferhund]

While it's not good to be bitten under those circumstances .....I tend to agree with the comments made by the dogs owner. Joggers , as do bike riders, give no warning they are approaching and it can frighten the living daylights out of you !

[Erny]

It was a silly thing to say, under the circumstance, but I'd imagine the dog's owner would have been in a bit of a shocked state as well, and probably did wish he/she could have known and been a bit more ready to steady her dog back - perhaps the comment was an initial knee jerk reaction/response. Just as your friend, having been hurt, responded without thinking by leaving without the presence of mind to take name/number etc.

I'm not defending the owner of the dog, but just want to create some balance - some benefit of the doubt, if you will, rather than take the assumption that the dog's owner didn't care. I can well imagine the thoughts the dog's owner might be having about his/her dog's fate as well.

I work with a number of dogs who need more work on people running past them (from the front and from behind) as doing so can trigger the 'chase' response, but many times in these situations it can be just the sheer fright/surprise of it, especially with a jogger whose approach is fairly silent.

I hope your friend is ok and heals both physically and mentally. I do understand the trauma of a bite.

I have also had the bejeebees frightened out of me with a person unexpectedly running past me from behind. ETA: And like TH has mentioned, likewise with cyclists whom are even more dangerous because it is so easy to unknowingly step into their path at the last minute.

Edited November 7, 2010 by Erny

[Skruffy n Flea]

oh, thanks for those replies --- it does give me better perspective cuz, yeah, i've had my knees go to jelly on occasion too!

but it seemed to me that my friend had already passed by the dog and it's handler [as she said, she saw it lunge in her peripheral vision] and that the handler should have or could have in that very instant been able to short-leashed the dog --- or am i being unreasonable here?!?!

i guess it bothers me that with where my friend says she was at the time of the attack, the handler was in control of a dog that likely she knew had a propensity to fear bite and also on a relatively long leash!

[Erny]

oh, thanks for those replies --- it does give me better perspective cuz, yeah, i've had my knees go to jelly on occasion too!

but it seemed to me that my friend had already passed by the dog and it's handler [as she said, she saw it lunge in her peripheral vision] and that the handler should have or could have in that very instant been able to short-leashed the dog --- or am i being unreasonable here?!?!

Peripheral vision means to the side. All of that in a nanno second. Yes - I can see how it is possible for you to be being a bit unreasonable in your expectations of response time of the dog owner. We weren't there though - so the actuality of it is something we would not be able to attest to.

i guess it bothers me that with where my friend says she was at the time of the attack, the handler was in control of a dog that likely she knew had a propensity to fear bite and also on a relatively long leash!

You're placing assumptions, SnF. Both dog and handler might have been startled. How can you assume the handler would have known the dog to be a fear biter? What do you mean by "relatively long leash"? Nothing wrong with a long leash. Had the handler had some warning of your friend's approach from behind, perhaps the lead might have been shortened. There is too much room here for assumptions.

ETA: Regardless, in the eyes of the law the handler and dog are in the wrong for the mere fact that the dog bit.

Edited November 7, 2010 by Erny

[lovemesideways]

Whatever the case there is no way in hell I wouldn't be taking full responsibility for my dog biting someone. Leaving them with no name or contact number is not on.

Edited November 7, 2010 by lovemesideways

[Erny]

Whatever the case there is no way in hell I wouldn't be taking full responsibility for my dog biting someone. Leaving them with no name or contact number is not on.

LMS - There is nothing to say that the dog-handler wouldn't have. Perhaps there was too much adrenaline and too little time before SnF's friend left the scene for clear thinking to reign.

Edited November 7, 2010 by Erny

[Skruffy n Flea]

erny, by virtue of the handler's response, it seems to me that to have make such a retort she'd had joggers come up behind her and the dog before but yes, i am making assumptions but my friend, having given the dog wide berth, was still bitten by a dog on leash assumed to be under effective control...

and

it's such a bloody quandry cuz in one hand there's a dog, likely if located, to be branded dangerous and in the other hand, a friend now seeing a therapist because a bloody dog lunged at her and srsly bit her on the butt!

that's another thing lms, the handler didn't even offer the information to my friend; walked off!

[Skruffy n Flea]

Whatever the case there is no way in hell I wouldn't be taking full responsibility for my dog biting someone. Leaving them with no name or contact number is not on.

LMS - There is nothing to say that the dog-handler wouldn't have. Perhaps there was too much adrenaline and too little time before SnF's friend left the scene for clear thinking to reign.

i should have mentioned that erny; the handler, once she'd reeled in her dog promptly left, leaving my friend to manage on her own...

[Mrs Rusty Bucket]

I don't like people or joggers or other dogs or children etc etc surprising me so I keep a good eye out. I very rarely get surprised. In this situation - pounding the footpath - how did the handler and dog not notice? Though I admit my dog has missed seeing the cat just there, because she's too engrossed in the smell here. She's not going to notice a jogger either when that happens.

[sas]

We used to walk the dogs on a bike path in our last neighbourhood and people would always ring their bells as they approached - which was great because it means you can A) Get out of the way and B) Rein the dog in if need be.

However if I had a dog that would take a bite out of someone in those situations I'd muzzle it, to me that's the responsible thing to do.

I don't think it's appropriate what the owner said although I wonder if she was in shock and that's just the first thing that came out of her mouth.

[Aussienot]

The street where my dog daycare is located also has a few fitness places, and frequently there are people running up and down the street and nature strip, passing within a cooee of dogs on leads. Too oxygen depleted to realise you do not run directly in front of a dog, I guess. Almost any dog has the potential to chase a moving object. I have no human aggressive dogs in care, but a fair few with some prey drive.

Of course, I move away anytime I see one, and try my best to tight leash and control if I am suddenly surprised from behind. A couple of times it was a close call. I do my best to get walks out of the way in mid day, when there usually aren't many around. I would take full responsibility for any incidents, and be glad I have insurance.

Sorry your friend was injured, and the dog owner did not act responsibly. I hope she recovers quickly. If joggers took some defensive action, perhaps fewer of these type of accidents would happen.

[Vickie]

However if I had a dog that would take a bite out of someone in those situations I'd muzzle it, to me that's the responsible thing to do.

ditto! Lunging in fright is almost exusable. Taking a chunk out of someone IS NOT!

[pipsqueak]

We used to walk the dogs on a bike path in our last neighbourhood and people would always ring their bells as they approached - which was great because it means you can A) Get out of the way and B) Rein the dog in if need be.

Yes, a simple "on your right/left" as your friend passed the dog and owner may have avoided the situation entirely. I thought this was actually standard practice amongst joggers and cyclists - obviously not.

[Starkehre]

Awful situation for your friend. I hope she recovers without too much emotional distress.

When I am out riding my bike with my dog in hand (I do this on a footpath as it is a shared bike/walking path) I do appreciate what a fright pedestrians and dogs being walked can get when you pass them. When I get within a range where I feel confident they can hea me, I say in a loud but very friendly and a smiley voice "friendly dog and bike coming up on your right"

They always appreciate it and I follow it up with a greeting etc as i go by.

Admittedly, not as easy for a jogger who is likely to be more out of breath and talking is slightly more difficult. But perhaps your friend might consider warning walkers in the future for her own safety.

Of course she absolutely should not have been bitten and there is no excuse for that, but a reason and a possibly an avoidable reason for the future.

[Janba]

However if I had a dog that would take a bite out of someone in those situations I'd muzzle it, to me that's the responsible thing to do.

ditto! Lunging in fright is almost exusable. Taking a chunk out of someone IS NOT!

I think that is the real point here - the dog BIT and bum height on an adult is face height on a young child. The vast majority of dogs when startled don't fear bite hard enough to tear someone clothes and puncture them. Dogs also have far more acute hearing than we do and are far better at pin pointing the direction a sound is coming from.

The dog handler may well have been in shock and worried about what her dog did and just said the first thing that came to mind but leaving someone who your dog has just bit is not responsible. If it had been a car driver leaving after an accident before details were exchanged would responses have been the same?

[Greytmate]

However if I had a dog that would take a bite out of someone in those situations I'd muzzle it, to me that's the responsible thing to do.

ditto! Lunging in fright is almost exusable. Taking a chunk out of someone IS NOT!

Yes, I agree.

It sounds like from the comment that the woman's dog had reacted to joggers before.

If there is any chance at all that the dog will react negatively to joggers, it should be muzzled.

Joggers have a right to use any footpath they like without being bitten. Joggers are not obliged to give warning, where as people are obliged to prevent their dog from biting.

It is not normal or acceptable for dogs to bite people running past. Normal, sound-minded dogs that have been adequately socialised/neutralised are not likely to bite people running past. If you have not achieved that level of trust with your dog, please muzzle it. Or exercise it on private property where you can control who runs past.

[The Ark]

I am amazed the lengths people will go to in order to excuse a dog biting someone! Sorry, but it sounds like the jogger gave the dog a reasonable amount of room (according to the OP, and I realise this is hearsay) and I really think the person responsible is the one holding the leash (and at least it was ON a leash, thank goodness). If the jogger ran up behind it and kicked it in the arse, then maybe it would have a reason to bite but if it is so nervous that it would not only lunge but remove flesh from a passerby it should not be in public unless it is wearing a muzzle. I would not accept my dogs biting ANYONE when out for a walk.

We are trying to convince the public that dog owners are responsible citizens and that we should be able to enjoy more freedom in more places with our well-trained companions - and then some moron lets their dog take a chunk out of a jogger. FFS, control your dogs or keep them at home and let the rest of us have a chance to convince people that dogs can be valuable members of society!

[poodlefan]

We are trying to convince the public that dog owners are responsible citizens and that we should be able to enjoy more freedom in more places with our well-trained companions - and then some moron lets their dog take a chunk out of a jogger. FFS, control your dogs or keep them at home and let the rest of us have a chance to convince people that dogs can be valuable members of society!

And leave the Ipod at home and keep your ears open. I've missed being mown down by plenty of lycra louts on bikes because I hear their wheels. I'm tempted to get a T-shirt that says "Use Your Effing Bell" on the back.

[Staranais]

We are trying to convince the public that dog owners are responsible citizens and that we should be able to enjoy more freedom in more places with our well-trained companions - and then some moron lets their dog take a chunk out of a jogger. FFS, control your dogs or keep them at home and let the rest of us have a chance to convince people that dogs can be valuable members of society!

Yes. Dogs are already banned from so many places. Every incident like this is a nail in the coffin for the rights of responsible owners and their dogs.

It doesn't matter if the jogger startled the dog, biting someone is not an appropriate response to being startled. People should be able to run down the street without being bitten.