Woman's Fingertip Bitten Off By Bull Terrier

[mac'ella]

So with more of the facts known now, the article should read more like this:

http://www.news.com....2-1226706778657

A PITBULL terrier Bull Terrier has bit off the tip of a woman's finger as she tried to stop it from mauling her Jack Russell while she was walking in Sydney.

The dog has been taken under the control of City of Sydney Council.

The pitbull's Bull Terrier's owner, an 80-year-old woman, had been walking the dog on lead in an on-lead only area of Pyrmont early on Wednesday morning when it attacked defended itself against the approaching Jack Russell, which was running around the park off its leash.

The pitbull mauled Bull Terrier bit the 43-year-old woman as she tried to protect her Jack Russell.

Police separated the dogs and the woman was taken to hospital for surgery.

Pitbulls are one of five breeds of dogs that fall under the "restricted" category in NSW, which are required to be on a leash and muzzled when in a public place.

However Bull Terriers are not a restricted breed. They are not required to be muzzled in a public place. And the woman was quite legally walking the dog in an on-lead only area. Which is more than can be said for the Jack Russell's owner, who allowed her unleashed dog to rush up to the on-lead Bull Terrier.

Read more: http://www.news.com....7#ixzz2dMQj3Nqu

I'm not having a go at you Dogmad, but the situation sounds like it was quite different to how the media portrayed it. Do the media ever issue a correction on these sorts of stories?

I agree, the media should issue a correction. Owner with the JRT was obviously very irresponsible and stupid - I have a JRT myself and whilst she's friendly, she doesn't appear that way and recently a friend had looked after her - loosened her collar which I hadn't realised and as I walked her, she slipped her collar, ran across the road to greet a Maltese and scared the crap out of the dog, its owner and me.

My concern with the elderly having very strong dogs is that one fall at that age and they may never get up.

I rehome to elderly people regularly, most recently a 76 yr old. They generally don't have heaps of strength at that age and most don't want to even be pulled slightly by a dog when out walking.

That sounds like a valid concern Dogmad, and one I hadn't thought of.

Edited to add: Mind you I suppose it depends on the dog a bit? A lady I know is in her 70's and had the most beautifully-behaved Boxer girl. The dog was well-trained and calm, walked beautifully on lead. She was a more mature dog though too, not a boisterous pup.

my mother broke her hip when a neughbour's dog rushed her in the front yard,her dog dragged her lead around her legs tripping her on the driveway

As for News .com I sent them a message on their FB page but surprise no reply

[Clyde]

Why has the heading been changed to a Bulldog It was a Bull Terrier.

[persephone]

Why has the heading been changed to a Bulldog It was a Bull Terrier.

I just noticed that ,too!

[JulesP]

So does the JRT owner get a fine?

Up to the Council's discretion once they've concluded the investigation.

Ill bite - why is it up to the council's discretion ?

It's always up to the individual Council's discretion what action to take following a dog attack or any breach of the Act. One Council would fine this woman, another Council would decide that losing her finger is punishment enough and warn her. You'll get a different response to the same attack depending on where it happened. Some will declare the dog dangerous, others will declare it a nuisance, others will issue a Court Attendance Notice and go for a Control Order instead.

My council actually left it up to me to decide what action should be taken. I thought that was very unfair. It was a pretty nasty attack too and I believe a smaller dog would have been killed.

[Her Majesty Dogmad]

Why has the heading been changed to a Bulldog It was a Bull Terrier.

I just noticed that ,too!

Sorry but you'll have to excuse me for being tired at the time, fixed now.

[Kavik]

So does the JRT owner get a fine?

Up to the Council's discretion once they've concluded the investigation.

Ill bite - why is it up to the council's discretion ?

It's always up to the individual Council's discretion what action to take following a dog attack or any breach of the Act. One Council would fine this woman, another Council would decide that losing her finger is punishment enough and warn her. You'll get a different response to the same attack depending on where it happened. Some will declare the dog dangerous, others will declare it a nuisance, others will issue a Court Attendance Notice and go for a Control Order instead.

My council actually left it up to me to decide what action should be taken. I thought that was very unfair. It was a pretty nasty attack too and I believe a smaller dog would have been killed.

When Zoe was attacked the council also left it up to me to decide what action should be taken.

[Sandra777]

Is it 100% proven fact that the BT was the one to nip the lady's fingertip off? In the heat of a dog fight, either dog could have caused that sort of damage to a human finger, and JRT's aren't piddly weak biters either...

Wouldn't it be interesting if it were her own dog that caused the damage?

I suppose we will never know the full story though...

T.

agreed there, we have a JRT at the park which can be a bit aggressive, on one occassion it bit its owners hand when he stopped it from going another dog,done a bit of damage for a small dog.

Still not clear on this question. Worst people-injuries I've personally seen in a dog fight was between an Airedale & a Bull Terrier and ALL the people bites were from the Airedale - because the Bull Terrier got a grip with it's first bite did not move at all. Two dogs snapping at each other, two people freaking out - is there ever any absolutely certain way of knowing who bit what?

Edited September 1, 2013 by Sandra777