Man Loses Finger In Dog Attack

[j]

http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/dog-attack-in-st-clair-man-loses-finger-police-attacked-20140809-102crx.html

A Sydney man lost one of his fingers to a neighbour's dog late on Saturday afternoon.

The 32 year old man was attacked by a brown, male Staffordshire Terrier after entering his neighbour's garden, where the dog lived, in St Clair in Sydney's west.

During the scuffle, the dog bit down on one of the man's fingers, severing it at the second knuckle in the middle of the finger.

The dog also attacked police officers who arrived at the scene shortly after the incident occurred. The police sprayed the dog with capsicum spray, causing the dog to run away howling.

Council rangers later captured the dog in a nearby street.

The man's finger was also recovered and sent with the man to Westmead Hospital, where he is receiving treatment.

According to the NSW government Dog Attack Register, more attacks were carried out by Staffordshire Terriers in the first part of 2014 than any other breed.

Of the 1,302 attacks recorded in January to March 2014, Staffordshire Bull terriers accounted for 158, followed by Australian Cattle Dogs (100) and American Staffordshire terriers (82). A further 43 attacks by Staffordshire terriers of unspecified types was also logged.

154 of the dogs involved were put down. Fewer than 40 of these attacks resulted in a person being hospitalised.

Local authorities are still investigating the incident. No decision has been made regarding the fate of the dog.

A spokeswoman for the NSW Police said dog was likely in the council pound.

"We're only investigating the attack. What happens to the dog now is up to the local council and its owner," she said.

Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/dog-attack-in-st-clair-man-loses-finger-police-attacked-20140809-102crx.html#ixzz3A5bcaPy3

[sandgrubber]

It's amazing to me that Australia (I mean the government, not all Australians) is SO, SO down on pit bulls and SBT's are either #1 or #2 in number of puppy registrations, not to mention common as mixes and bred off-pedigree register. I'm in pit bull land now . . . they're all over Florida, #1 in shelters, #1 in our equivalent of Gumtree, and when you walk around the neighborhood, #1 for the dog left out in the front yard. Pitties are a lot like staffies. Tthere are some nasty ones. More DA than HA, but you find both occasionally. Most of em are ok, and some are right sweet dogs. Hard to beat them for wiggly bums and snuggly affection. . . . when they are good.

Edited August 11, 2014 by sandgrubber

[Malakita]

But was the man invited into the neighbour's garden?

[Daxilly]

I heard a report that the man was coming to the aid of some children, whom the dog was about to attack.

Not sure who the children belong to.

[Staffyluv]

The report says he entered the garden where the dog was - nothing about kids or anything else.

To me the dog was guarding/protecting his home/territory.. That is all I can read from what has been reported.

If that is the case, the animal shouldn't be PTS - just my opinion.

Why do people go into yards with dogs that are not their own??

I wouldn't go into a yard with a dog in it (apart from my own yard with my own dog). Not even a neighbour or a friends yard.

[Sandra777]

Don't even know where to start with the whole report - and then the "official statistics". god give me strength

Staffordshire Terrier

American Staffordshire Terrier

Staffordshire Bull Terrier

Staffordshire Terrier of "unknown type"

All mentioned within 2 sentences of each other.

How can we ever believe any of these "statistics" when they are in such a total shambles.

American Staffordshire Terriers and Staffordshire Bull Terriers are two very different and distinct breeds. They have NEVER been inter-bred, one does not descend from the other, in fact they are not related to each other.

They both stem from the same foundation stock, but as recognised breeds they are actually not related in any way.

[Little Gifts]

So much for fact checking articles when they can't even get the names right! And so much for non-biased reporting. I hope most SMH readers understand if you have a high ownership rate of a certain breed then you will also have a high representation of that breed in any studies.

[LisaCC]

Don't even know where to start with the whole report - and then the "official statistics". god give me strength

Staffordshire Terrier

American Staffordshire Terrier

Staffordshire Bull Terrier

Staffordshire Terrier of "unknown type"

All mentioned within 2 sentences of each other.

How can we ever believe any of these "statistics" when they are in such a total shambles.

American Staffordshire Terriers and Staffordshire Bull Terriers are two very different and distinct breeds. They have NEVER been inter-bred, one does not descend from the other, in fact they are not related to each other.

They both stem from the same foundation stock, but as recognised breeds they are actually not related in any way.

Never interbred in the purebred world, but there are crap loads of Stafford and and amstaff mixes around.

[Sandra777]

Never interbred in the purebred world, but there are crap loads of Stafford and and amstaff mixes around.

Nothing to do with breed then is it - they are crossbreds and need to be listed as "American Staffordshire Terrier x Staffordshire Bull Terrier" cross OR just mutt.

"Statistics" which lump SBT, Amstaff and all crosses there-of as "Staffordshire Terriers" are not to be trusted.

The point of my post is that NSW government statistics are being quoted and are based on nonsense.

[Pattycake]

The news report and pictures I saw of this told of the dog outside the yard, chasing , harassing children on bikes. The man that was bitten went to the owners house to tell them and that is where the attack took place out the front of the house. I cant remember what channel it was on, probably prime 7. It had also been out of the yard many times before..........once again stupid owners

[Amax-1]

It's amazing to me that Australia (I mean the government, not all Australians) is SO, SO down on pit bulls and SBT's are either #1 or #2 in number of puppy registrations, not to mention common as mixes and bred off-pedigree register. I'm in pit bull land now . . . they're all over Florida, #1 in shelters, #1 in our equivalent of Gumtree, and when you walk around the neighborhood, #1 for the dog left out in the front yard. Pitties are a lot like staffies. Tthere are some nasty ones. More DA than HA, but you find both occasionally. Most of em are ok, and some are right sweet dogs. Hard to beat them for wiggly bums and snuggly affection. . . . when they are good.

The Bull breed problem with attacks is down to the large amount of them bred by people who should be leaving the breeding down to people who know what they are doing as it's actually an art form based on experience and knowledge to produce good dogs of the right temperament suitable for urban living. It wasn't that long ago people were messing around with GSD/Dobe/Rottweiler breeding's and mixes producing dogs with crappy temperaments, short nerved dogs, fear biters and the like and although we can blame the owners of these dogs and some are to blame without question in the poor management of such dogs, but dogs of crappy temperament unsuitable for urban living place a massive strain on a pet home in comparison to owning a dog of good temperament purposely bred from sound proven ancestry. Great breeders don't spend 50K importing a dog and specific blood lines only to win shows or sell over priced pups......many do it for breed improvement and temperament stability by doing what ever it takes to source the right breeding pairs to produce quality animals.

Whilst it's commendable that some owners of dogs with crappy temperaments have done a great job managing and training such a dog, if breeding dogs of good temperament and pet suitability was the primary factor in pups destined for urban living, these problems and breed targeting would be greatly reduced. There are many breeders of great dogs litter after litter in all breeds which doesn't happen by accident, that is they have the knowledge and experience to produce the type of dogs with the right genetic foundation to create joyous well adjusted pets.

[Staffyluv]

It goes for the same as breeding humans - just because you can, doesn't mean you should!!

[trifecta]

The news report and pictures I saw of this told of the dog outside the yard, chasing , harassing children on bikes. The man that was bitten went to the owners house to tell them and that is where the attack took place out the front of the house. I cant remember what channel it was on, probably prime 7. It had also been out of the yard many times before..........once again stupid owners

It was on the ABC news last night, & was exactly as you told it, Pattycake.

There was also video footage of 3 police officers trying to catch the dog, but it charged them & they retreated waiting for the ranger. The last few images showed the owner (who had been unable to secure the dog) & ranger with dog on a pole trying to get the dog in a crate.

[Clyde]

The news report and pictures I saw of this told of the dog outside the yard, chasing , harassing children on bikes. The man that was bitten went to the owners house to tell them and that is where the attack took place out the front of the house. I cant remember what channel it was on, probably prime 7. It had also been out of the yard many times before..........once again stupid owners

Yes, that's what I saw too. They also said the dog has always been a problem, menacing neighbours, loose etc. The owners were previously fined for not containing the dog.

[HazyWal]

The news report and pictures I saw of this told of the dog outside the yard, chasing , harassing children on bikes. The man that was bitten went to the owners house to tell them and that is where the attack took place out the front of the house. I cant remember what channel it was on, probably prime 7. It had also been out of the yard many times before..........once again stupid owners

Yes, that's what I saw too. They also said the dog has always been a problem, menacing neighbours, loose etc. The owners were previously fined for not containing the dog.

Yep this is correct. A friend lives a few streets from this dog and was not surprised when she saw what happened, she said the rangers had been called many a time.

[megan_]

Even if the man had entered the front yard, the dog was there and the gate unlocked. Not a safe prospect. If your dog is in the yard lock the bloody gate.