Uk Baby Killed By 'banned' Dog

[Amax-1]

With the Pitbull thing, we need to embrace as stupid as it is, that's it's a law which is no different than countries were Wolf hybrids are illegal where owners of GSD/Husky type dogs if you can't prove they are not Wolf hybrids, they can be seized and destroyed in a similar fashion to dogs here who have a vague Pitbull resemblance. Like the Wolf hybrid scenario, there are many breeds and crossbreeds that don't look like Wolves as there is many that don't look like Pitbulls and we need to be mindful if we do acquire a dog that can fit into an illegal category in a bizarre way, you may loose your dog and be faced with some traumatic dramas to contend with.

We can take the attitude that they can get stuffed my dog isn't a Pitbull which may be rightly so, but if they are empowered by law to give you grief over such a dog by appearance then it really amounts to whether or not you are prepared and willing to do battle with the authorities and if not, there are plenty of alternative dogs available that will keep us out of trouble :)

[OSoSwift]

Harper (Staffy/Dane - 28kg) was billed as a "large" dog when boarded recently... and Trouble (Labrador - 26kg) was billed as "medium"...

I think it was because Harper's legs are longer... *grin*

T.

It would be based on breed I would imagine a Great Dane is a larger breed than a Labrador.

In my program I charge the same for medium and large then a little more for giant breeds.

What material were the runs constructed of? I have never seen happy tail here yet.

I have no doubt the dog in this story is a large cross breed mutt of indeterminent heritage. It will also have a severe lack of training and discipline.

Edited February 13, 2014 by OSoSwift

[Chris the Rebel Wolf]

I have no doubt the dog in this story is a large cross breed mutt of indeterminent heritage. It will also have a severe lack of training and discipline.

These were my first thoughts too. The time it escaped into the neighbor's yard and scared the kids there was likely the only time it go anything resembling a 'walk'

[poochmad]

What I'm interested in knowing, is why did it attack? If the baby was asleep, what happened to provoke it? The only thing I can think of was maybe it was interested in the nappy?

Regardless, a terrible tragedy. Poor baby and poor family having to live with this.

[OSoSwift]

Babies are noisy even when sleeping. Small squaeky type sounds may have been enough to engage the dog.

[melzawelza]

Tragic. Absolutely tragic. Unfortunately we've already seen a few of the usual key contributors to fatalities by dogs such as no able bodied person present to intervene. The fact that the dog was named 'killer' also provides a possible look in to the reasons the dog was sourced and what behaviour it was encouraged to display.

Dogs with very high prey drive can be triggered at the high pitched squeaky sounds that infants make, especially if not suitably socialised/exposed to infants and then left unsupervised. It may have been that the baby was making noise that gave the dog the impression that it was a prey animal and it behaved as dogs do towards prey animals.

[JulesP]

The dog was owned by the Mother's boyfriend. Reports say that hadn't been going out for long so maybe the dog hadn't met the baby much.

[melzawelza]

The dog was owned by the Mother's boyfriend. Reports say that hadn't been going out for long so maybe the dog hadn't met the baby much.

Aha. There's another common co-occurring factor for dog bite related fatalities. The victim having no familiar relationship with the dog.

In fact we can tick three off the list from what we know so far:

Based on an analysis of all DBRFs known to have occurred over a ten-year period, the researchers identified a striking co-occurrence of multiple, controllable factors:

• no able-bodied person being present to intervene (87.1%);

• the victim having no familiar relationship with the dog(s) (85.2%);

• the dog(s) owner failing to neuter/spay the dog(s)(84.4%);

• a victim’s compromised ability, whether based on age or physical condition, to manage their interactions with the dog(s) (77.4%);

• the owner keeping dog(s) as resident dog(s), rather than as family pet(s) (76.2%);

• the owner’s prior mismanagement of the dog(s) (37.5%);

• the owner’s abuse or neglect of dog(s) (21.1%).

Four or more of these factors were present in 80.5% of the cases.

- See more at: http://nationalcanineresearchcouncil.com/dogbites/dog-bite-related-fatalities/#sthash.L4jRQm8y.dpuf

Edited February 18, 2014 by melzawelza

[JulesP]

The dog already been reported for killing a cat so you can probably add in mismanagement. It had also been jumping the neighbors fence and scaring their kids.

I wonder if the dog normally goes upstairs or if it snuck up there because the baby was up there. My dog never goes down my hallway but did twice last week, I think there was a critter under the floor from her reactions. It was quite out of character for her. They normally come in and don't move from their beds.

[melzawelza]

The dog already been reported for killing a cat so you can probably add in mismanagement. It had also been jumping the neighbors fence and scaring their kids.

I wonder if the dog normally goes upstairs or if it snuck up there because the baby was up there. My dog never goes down my hallway but did twice last week, I think there was a critter under the floor from her reactions. It was quite out of character for her. They normally come in and don't move from their beds.

You're right, I had forgotten about that. So we're up to four which is the minimum factors that were present in 80.5% of cases in the study. I wish it wasn't so easily predicted as that also means it was easily prevented, which is heartbreaking.

[Nic.B]

Tragic, poor little soul

Interesting that the mother and boyfriend are being charged with manslaughter.

Is that because they think they were involved? I hope they didnt put the dog up to it.

Or are they being charged on negligence?

Either way I agree it was forseeable and preventable, so many clear risk factors ingored.

[_PL_]

That poor little girl. Rest in Peace angel.

[Tempus Fugit]

Doesn't seem like others have learned: A six-day old baby has died after reportedly being attacked by her family's pet dog. And not even a banned breed.

[kelpiecuddles]

Nic.B over there the laws are such that the owner of a dog who kills a person is charged with manslaughter.

[Nic.B]

Ok, thank you :)

Poor little soul, Rest in peace sweetheart