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Snarling beasts on the loose in Allandale Woods
By adamg on Wed, 12/16/2015 - 2:39pm
An area resident who normally walks her dog in the woods where JP, West Roxbury and Roslindale meet reports both wound up in an ER due to an attack by two larger dogs whose owner couldn't keep them on leash:
On Monday Dec 14 at 7:30am, my dog was attacked by two pitbulls in Allandale Woods. The owner had them on leash, but he lost control. My dog spent the day at Angell, and I spent the day at the Brigham ER. We were both very lucky to have relatively superficial injuries, but I need to find out who the owner is to ensure his dogs have been vaccinated against rabies. Until then, I have to have four rabies vaccinations. Their timing is such that I may not be able to go home for the holidays.
The owner has grey hair, medium build, about 65 years old. One pitbull/lab cross is black and the female is brindly and a bit smaller. He says he adopted them from 'Animal Control'. He walks them on short leashes with harnesses. He is not strong enough to control them and they are a danger to the community. If you can provide any information (dog's names, his name?) please call Boston Animal Control at 617-635-5348.
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Comments
What is the result this
What is the result this person is looking for? To ensure his dogs have their rabies vaccinations, or to have the guy's pets taken away from him because "he is not strong enough to control them and they are a danger to society" ? If they guy loves his dogs and the dogs love him, I hope they won't be taken away from him.
I hope they are found, taken
I hope they are found, taken away, and euthanized.
i hope they are taken away and hugged
TO DEATH
By that you must mean ...
The owners?
If I am wrong I am sure I will be corrected
When I was bitten by one dog as a little boy (in Massachusetts), the hospital was required by law to report the incident to the police, and the dog was quarantined to make sure it did not develop rabies. If the dog did develop rabies, I would have received the rabies vaccination. I'm sure that is still the law today.
10-day quarantine
...even if it's up to date on rabies vaccination. If the animal doesn't show symptoms by 10 days, it and the person it bit are considered rabies-free.
Someone identify that guy NOW, don't delay
By the time a human shows rabies symptoms, it's too late, and they die horribly, but their brain goes first.
And the rabies shots themselves can have permanent side effects, and there's only a small time window in which they can be taken.
If the person's doctors can be confident they don't need to do the battery of shots, that's the best outcome.
"Snarling beasts."
The only "beast" here is the irresponsible owner who (by description) cannot control his animals, putting other people and their dogs, his own dogs, and ultimately himself at risk.
I am a happy, proud owner of two pit bulls, aged 15 and seven years-old, and stories like this break my heart because they are so easily avoidable. Until a vetting system is in place for adopting pit bulls - I won't hold my breath - it should be on the best judgement of the foster home / adoption center / "animal control"* staff to determine whether a potential adopter is fit to care for such powerful animals. With the proper care, attention and discipline, pit bulls make for loving, compassionate, amusing pets - just like any other dog breed. It's not difficult to see the appeal in owning such a magnificent dog, but pit bulls are not for all pet owners, and not all pet owners are responsible enough to recognize that.
Reinforcing the misguided pit bull stereotype with inflammatory headlines does nothing to help the victim and his/her dog. I sincerely hope the victim finds the owner of the pit bulls, but it seems he would not have taken the animals for vaccinations or have the paperwork to prove so if he wouldn't pass off his contact information immediately after the incident. I really want to be wrong, only for the sake of his benighted dogs.
* I can't see any way in hell that an Animal Control officer or department would adopt out a rescued pit bull before going through the proper channels.
stopped reading at pit bull
congrats on owning two murder machines.
whats your justification for having such a savage and dangerous animal? machismo? lookin' cool? trying to scare people away that you're otherwise afraid of?
i lump pit bull owners into a similar category of those with illegal firearms.
just my opinion though!! maybe you'll be one of the lucky ones and they won't maul a toddler. if you even care.
Congratulations
You just made one of the most ignorant posts I've seen on the internet today. You get a cookie.
youre lucky im not a pit bull
or surely i would bite your hand while trying to eat it. if you're dumb enough to be near one, that is.
If you were trying to eat it...
If you were trying to eat it, what else would you do? Gum it to death?
do you genuinely think
'it' refers to a hand in this instance?
well done
You have been thoroughly owned by every commenter in this thread.
How do you have this much time to be Mad Online?
lol
i literally get paid to do it
Edit: well, sometimes, not currently though. but between 8 and 5
i think both of us know that i'm not mad tho :3
...
I'll "bite"
"congrats on owning two murder machines."
Thanks! They sure do kill it with cuddles and stinky kisses.
"whats your justification for having such a savage and dangerous animal? machismo? lookin' cool? trying to scare people away that you're otherwise afraid of?"
I found my first pit bull abandoned in a dumpster on Valentine's Day along with six other puppies in a trash bag. He was the only one still breathing and whimpering. I didn't pick him - I feel that he picked me. The second was passed along by a friend who, uh, "reclaimed" her after seeing the dog living in a car with two junkies in Allston, and I couldn't say no. I had the open space and free time to train her with the older dog and it's been a perfect fit ever since.
"i lump pit bull owners into a similar category of those with illegal firearms."
I lump people who jump to baseless conclusions with other morons I usually try to ignore. Also, guns are for pussies.
"just my opinion though!! maybe you'll be one of the lucky ones and they won't maul a toddler. if you even care."
I would never leave my dogs, or any dog, alone with a toddler, child, or adult without my direct supervision. Regardless, my dogs love kids - toddlers especially - because they stand at ideal kissing height.
For reference, meet just one of the millions of pit bulls that adore kids:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/08/26/emma-wishneski-_n_3817953.html
Don't know much about dogs, do you?
I volunteer at a local animal shelter and have been exposed to thousands of dogs, including a lot of pit bulls. It's easy for someone like yourself, with little knowledge about dogs, to make generalized statements about a breed. It's a simple way to explain things. People do the same things with Muslims, gays, various ethnicities, etc. because it's simple and they don't care to learn about the subject.
I've dealt with a number of pit bulls that were absolute pussy cats, and I've dealt with a couple that weren't fun. Just like any other dog.
You'll hear this countless times because it's true: It's not the dog, it's the owner.
yea its true
im a dogcist. ban all malteses from entering the country
ok so in this analogy if the dog is a gun and the owner is the shooter, if a dog kills somebody does the owner get charged with murder? i'm not really well versed in my dog law
i admit maybe i was a bit riled up by the headline! snarling beasts is pretty severe imagery! i imagined the beast from beauty and the beast- but before he was nice to belle, and he was definitely a big ol' jerk. plus i always thought gaston was cool and he is definitely anti-beast not pro beast sooo.
Fictional or otherwise
Fictional or otherwise, do you typically find pompous, vicious, misogynistic dickheads "cool?" I bet you can't wait to "Make America Great Again!"
As far as that ridiculous attempt at making an analogy goes, I don't know a lot of responsible shooters who train and socialize their guns... but yes, a dog owner can be charged with murder in an attack resulting in a death. Instead of using Google to find more troll-able comment sections, put it to work, Scum.
gaston
has the best songs in the movie though, and you can find a character cool because of his flaws not in spite of them. a cautionary tale of the potential downfalls of narcissism
i suppose you don't think darth vader is cool either
While I disagree with the murder machine comment...
Comparing dog breeds to human ethnicities or religions is bananas. Dogs were purposely bred by humans for certain physical characteristics and to perform different tasks, whether herding sheep, protecting castles, killing rodents, etc. Pit bulls were bred for tenacity, strength, and fighting other dogs. There are variables in every breed but generally herders gonna herd, retrievers gonna retrieve, and pit bulls are just going to be a lot more likely to go after other dogs with potentially serious consequences. You can say "oh it's the owner" but I have seen more unpredictable behavior--virtually all involving dog aggression not aggression towards people--by pb's with "nice" owners. And once they start they tend to be in it to win it. They can be awesome dogs but to say that there's no difference between the average beagle and the average pit just isn't true.
That wasn't my point
I wasn't comparing dogs to religions. I was comparing people's mindsets about said subjects - there's a big difference.
I absolutely agree - to a point. I'm not sold on the fact that pit bulls have an instinct-like behavior to maim in the same way that a Border Collie will herd or a Lab will retrieve. Hey, maybe I'm just in denial.
A difference in equipment
There are some valid generalizations about temperament, but I am not sure that it's valid to say that pit bulls are "a lot more likely to go after other dogs". What's valid is the observation about the consequences when they do. Any kind of bulldog has a strong bite: if they do bite, it's likely to do more damage. It's kind of like how some vehicles can do a lot more damage if they hit something/someone (a large truck vs. a small sedan, for example).
Talk to folks who know.
BAD RAP is IMO one of the best, most dedicated pb rescues out there and they're pretty up front about the dog aggression issue. It's still hot let debated in pb circles but my experience makes me agree strongly with those who say that there's a much higher rate of dog aggression with this type of dog. And it doesn't tend to be the same as say a Cairn terrier who growls and barks at other dogs--too many pits don't growl at all or give much warning, they just go, and once they're in a fight it can be very hard to stop them. The same calm that makes them impervious to a squealing toddler also makes them not care if you're whacking them with an umbrella--they focus on the task at hand. Does this make them "murder machines?" No. Is every pot dog aggressive? No. But it's a strong tendency and shouldn't be instantly blamed on some cruel owner.
Muslims, gays, various
Muslims, gays, various ethnicities, etc. = dogs. Nice rhetorical device you're using there.
Pit Bullshit
The worst dogs that I have encountered (as in out of control and attacking people and pets): A weimaraner, a rottweiler mix, a fucking goddamn psychotic king charles Cavalier spaniel, a great dane, a brain-damaged Pyranees, a Husky ...
Note what isn't in that list?
There is NOTHING DIFFERENT and NOTHING SPECIAL about pitbulls. They are DOGS. Period. The problem in any and all these cases was ... THE OWNER. Period.
in all fairness
chihuahuas are conspicuously absent!!
Jack Russells too
I've had issues with them, but not Chihuahuas.
I seem to speak Chihuahua, though. They are pandimensional beings and don't realize that, in these three dimensions, they aren't gigantic.
Hey scumkeesterdoor, were you
Hey scumkeesterdoor, were you glad when you read about Puppy Doe because it, too, was a pit bull "murder machine" ??? No further questions.
idk
what the blue f* youre even talking about
OK, I'll bite.
See what I did there. So clever.
In any case, hi! Seasoned vet tech here. I know this is an effort in futility, but what the hell?
Pitbulls are not 'murder machines', as you so beautifully stated. Can they kill? Yes! Can other dog breeds kill? Yes! Thing is, most dogs, of any breed, don't kill. There's a reason why dogs are referred to as "man's best friend", right?
So why the scary reporting of "PITBULL kills infant!" and other fabulous headlines? Let's examine this for a minute, and really put on our thinking caps:
1) Pitbull-type dogs are very, very popular. They overwhelm shelters. Breeders can sometimes even make thousands of dollars selling prize dogs (which is a whole other conversation). Sometimes they end up with people who, as you note, are more interested in machismo than the dog's best interest. This is sad, but it is reality. It is these people who give these dogs a bad name.
2) There are many, many pitbull mixes out there -- seems these days just about anything can be mixed with pittie. I've seen pits mixed with chihuahua, pits mixed with labs, etc. But, should the dog attack anyone, guess what the headline will read? "PITBULL attacks infant!". This leads me to my next point...
3) Many, many people are confused as to what, exactly, a pitbull is. Lots of breeds are confused with pitbulls. These breeds may include, but are not limited to: Bulldogs, American bulldogs, American bullies, Rotties, Cane Corso, Mastiffs, Bull terriers, Boxers, Dogo Argentino, Dobies, and so on. Oftentimes, even seasoned veterinary personnel cannot identify an actual pitbull based on sight. So what hope does the general public have? In America, right now, anything that has cropped ears and a barrel chest is a PITBULL.
4) Speaking of the word PITBULL. Wow. What a great buzzword, huh? Sounds scary and tough. I'm alarmed even typing it! We all know that the media loves buzzwords, right? I mean, we can at least admit that, yes? The media LOVES these PITBULL stories, people love these stories, extremists love these stories, etc.
5) Can we go to personal experience, being that I work with dogs every single day of my life? OK. Well, I'm going there anyway. I've never been attacked by a pittie, despite working with them every.damn.day. for 9 years. I've actually never even been growled at by one. Now, consider this: again, I'm a vet tech. This means I'm regularly lifting these dogs onto tables, restraining them on their side, touching their feet, looking into their mouths, drawing their blood, playing with their ears, etc. In fact, the *most recent* time I was sent to the hospital for a dog bite was due to a...... Chihuahua bite.
Man that chihuahua was vicious. No really, she was. She actually sent a co-worker to the hospital as well.
(Guess what? I still love other chihuahuas, HA!)
Actually, if a dog is going to bite me, 90% of the time, it will be a small dog.
6) Let's actually get down to the truth about animal bites:
Q: Which domestic animal bite is the worst?
A: As every veterinary professional knows, it's CAT bites.
This is because cat bites are puncture wounds. When a cat bites you, it is essentially inoculating you with its oral bacteria, and cat mouths are filthy. I've been sent to the hospital because of cat bites a few times. I actually know someone who nearly lost a limb due to a cat bite infection. Many people who are immunosuppressed are not even allowed *near* cats because of the risk.
Perhaps we should ban cats instead.
......
(My cat doesn't look impressed with that suggestion.)
I've heard this all before
and I take your points, especially from a vet's POV. Most pits I've known are hard to spook and very easygoing with people. Terrible guard dogs. Toddlers can pull their ears and climb all over them. They're rarely snappy or nervous the way, say, a cocker spaniel might be. But would you honestly say that they aren't more dog aggressive than average or that the average pit doesn't inflict more damage when it does bite than a sheltie, for instance? I just feel as if this "oh they're all just dogs! It's all the owners!" approach really leaves people unprepared. I doubt this guy at Allandale sic'ed his dogs on this woman--I'm guessing that they attacked her dog and she tried to intervene and got bit.
I've heard all this before, too.
To answer your questions:
1) No, pitbulls aren't more aggressive than the "average dog". There's no 'aggressive gene' that exists in these dogs. In fact, in terms of temperament testing, pitties routinely test better than other breeds. Dachshunds routinely test poorly, as do chihuahuas, and again, other small dogs.
2) You ask about damage. Yes, of course, a pittie can do more damage with a bit than say, a dachshund. But so can a Lab, Golden Retriever, Standard Poodle, as well as all of the breeds that I listed above that are commonly confused for pitties, and so on. I've personally known a Golden Retriever that attacked a co-worker in her face. I've personally been bit by a Standard Poodle (as well as many, many mini poodles).
3) Likewise, just because it's a common misconception (not that you mentioned it here), for chrissakes, pitbulls don't have magical locking jaws. They have strong jaws, as do all bully breeds.
4) With regards to this situation: I agree that it's a very, very unfortunate situation. It double sucks if these actually were pitties that attacked this person and dog, because it brings doubt about the breed. If these dogs are *that* aggressive that they break off leash and attack random people and dogs, we definitely have an issue, but that issue has nothing to do with breed.
5) As for leaving people 'unprepared' -- there is no need for people to specifically 'prepare' themselves when dealing with pitties. Folks should be cautious around any unknown animal, period. Cat, dog, snake, guinea pig, etc. (I'm not saying that the person in this article wasn't cautious -- I'm just merely saying that, in general, one does not have to take any special measures to get ready to interact with a pittie.)
This starts to feel like just talking points.
I know all of this. I know dachshunds bite people more than pits. I know about the temperament tests. But it just feels like denial not to acknowledge the dog aggression issue and again, I think it leaves too many adoptive owners unprepared. I can't go into my long personal experience with pits but let's just say I have stories. And despite it all I have a real soft spot for them--they are really lovable dogs. But I'll bet you anything that these folks were having a friendly walk in the woods and then the dogs went after her dog and she ended up getting bit as she tried to separate them. It doesn't make them vicious dogs or the owner a monster (unless it's happened countless times before) but it's unfortunate for everyone concerned.
I have a dog phobia
and will try to give them a wide berth (stems from a childhood incident where a large dog knocked me off my bike as I was going down a steep hill). But I totally disagree with this post.
Because they're desperate.
Any given shelter, at least in most urban areas, is going to be like 75% pit bulls. They're the most euthanized breed in the US. The number of truly suitable adoptive homes--who have the resources to handle a powerful dog who needs a ton of exercise and good training and discipline, oh and homeowners insurance--is teeny. If you're that shelter, you're just going to find a balance between finding a "perfect" home and having to put most of those dogs to sleep. So do you say "this is a strong-willed, muscular dog who will probably be awesome with your kids but might grow up to pick fights with other dogs and here's what you need to know" or do you say "this is an adorable Shar Pei Great Dane mix, have fun, byeee!"
Not in our case
In our shelter, that's not the case. Not even close, though we're not an urban shelter. We import a lot of dogs from the south, Jamaica, and mid-west, and there really aren't a whole lot of pit bulls.
If that's the case in urban shelters, it's kind of scary that one breed just takes over a shelter.
Wow.
Yeah, I'd say that's the case in most shelters here. There are some that take satos from PR or southern strays but the vast majority are pit bulls (apparently chihuahuas are also high on the list). Look at the craigslist pets section and it's a lot of pit bulls that people are either trying to rehome OR trying to sell puppies for $700--all those fancy blue ones are very popular right now but a ton of them end up in the shelters because of landlord/insurance issues or behavior problems or "not enough time."
Irresponsible dog owner on the loose in Allandale Woods
There I fixed it for you.
I feel for the person and dog who were attacked, but this headline is inflammatory.
Pit bulls are generally wonderful dogs that have a bad reputation due to bad owners. They're powerful and energetic and need the right kind of owner (one who can train and physically control the dog). Any dog can snap- I like to remind people that the person who had the world's first face transplant was mauled by a Lab.
Besides, the most vicious dog I know is a Silky Terrier. When I look into that thing's beady little eyes, I see nothing but evil.
I understand this was an
I understand this was an unfortunate situation, but this will not effect my love for pitbulls. Wasn't even a dog lover until I met a friend who has 2 pits. Love them to death!!!
You can love them while
recognizing that as a breed they have a lot of problems. I love them but I've had too many bad experiences with them, both with other dogs and sadly a few times with people. And these were nice people, not macho idiots who trained their dogs to attack or anything.
Muzzles
If he's physically unable to control his dogs ,they should be muzzled. At least he has them short-leashed,which demonstrates he's a responsible pet owner.
i get what youre saying
but at the end of the day he is just that- responsible for them- and they attacked a person. and unless theres an update i missed he certainly hasn't come forward and offered his dogs to be tested nor admitted guilt in what he was responsible for.
I hope they find him.
It's hard to gauge what happened from the post--sounds as if they were having a conversation before it all happened. These kinds of things are chaotic and terrifying of course--I'm hoping that it was just panic or oversight that caused them not to exchange information.
agreed
but i consider this to be similar to a hit and run in a car in that one needs to offer themselves up to the whims of the police