All animals that attack humans must die??

In My Humble Opinion
1

Even wild animals, which are usually reacting naturally to a provocation by humans, are treated like criminals.

If they manage to kill the obnoxious human tourist, there seems to be a universal imperative to have the animal killed. Why???

If people demand to be safe from nature, they should live in areas where nature was banished long ago. But the animals’ territory is constantly shrinking, because we seem to think we have a right to be safe and stupid, anywhere we go.

Have you ever been attacked by a wild animal? Look into your conscience, and tell me: was it the animal’s fault, or yours?

This writer agrees with me.

2

I agree. I hate it when I hear on the news of some snot-nosed kid absolutley torturing a dog (pulling on it’s ears, stealing it’s food, etc.) and the dog fights back after days of these attacks. Naturally the kid gets showered with pity, and the dog is shot and it’s head is cut off so that they can test it for rabies. Of course the side of the story they NEVER tell is what the kid did to get himself bitten by a dog.

3

Well with bears, its different. Are we just talking about wild animals, or domestic too?

Because a dog may not know that it was “justified” in biting a human. That is, it won’t be able to tell that the human it bit was obnoxious/a jerk/etc. Dogs bite when they’re provoked. And if they’ve done it once, then they may think it’s an OK thing to do again. Plus they know they have the power to…that’s my thoughts. I mean, my sympathies would probably lie with the dog but you have to look at the whole picture.

4

Sometimes animals attack without being provoked, at least not by the person they attack. When I was 11 or 12 I was attacked by a stray dog I had never seen before. I was walking in a park when the dog appeared from out of nowhere, bit me on the had, and disappeared. I don’t know what happened to the dog.

5

I agree with that its a sad thing when an animal has to be put down due to some stupid human messing where he shouldn’t be. The reason they put the animal down is because once it kills, it will do it again. It will take less provocation each time. Eventually it will go out of its way to hunt humans down. Polar Bear are notorious for this. For domestic animals its a little different. Its a similar instinct, but after a dog attacks or kills a child it becomes easier the next time. The dog may target the kid consistantly. The dog will begin to bite other children or adults without being provoked. I’ve seen this happen many times. I was raised in rural Indiana. Where you didnt; have to put down your dog if it attacked you. Some would never bite again, others would pick you out and single you out in order to bite you. My opinion is don’t mess with the dog in the first place, don’t move where you are not wanted, and don’t feed the bears.

6

Not saying your wrong, mighty_maxx but I was under the impressions that wild animal “attacks” are pretty individual in cause and therefore risk of recurrance. Unfortunately, they’re very predicatable in outcome. Perfectly idiotic human behavior–real Darwin Award stuff–still results in the in the animal being killed if said human suffers any injury as a result.

This is one I witnessed: a dolt tourist in Yellowstone stopped his car upon spotting a bear. (First rule of the park: don’t get out of your car.) He got out, urged the family out, too–then popped a marshmallow into his toddler’s mouth, hoping for a Disneyesque “bear nuzzles tot” photo op. (Outraged bystanders intervened; he was pissed; the bear fled.)

Maybe this example proves your point somewhat. Animals in proximity to humans will get their signals confused. But there are semi-acclimated “wild” animals and animals genuinely living wild. Our hubris and self-importance aside, animals don’t hopelessly lust after long pig once given a taste. And they don’t lose their fear. Flukes happen.

Dog attacks? Years ago…had a rotten little socipath next door who taunted and tortured my dog . The dog (beagle and hound) was 1. inside a large, chain-linked fence and 2. attached by chain to a long wire run. The little creep threw rocks and fire crackers at the dog, tried to poke him with sticks, etc. (This was an ordinarily placid dog who nonetheless was a loyal watchdog to my grandmother, btw.) Idiot kid hopped the fence and tried to clobber the dog with a tree branch. Too damned bad he badly underestimated the speed, strength and agility of the dog. The dog could have easily mauled his leg for settled for just latching on; no blood but some scrapes.

The kid’s father was very upset at first and called the animal control officer. My father, who wasn’t a huge dog fan but had a huge sense of justice, calmly informed the officer the dog wouldn’t be taken anywhere. Then he walked him next door for a talk w/ the kid’s father.

End of unnecessarily long story…the kid’s father was Greek and had a huge respect for vulnerable old ladies (my grandmother) and Manhood. Anger turned quickly to voluble apologies, handshakes and expressions of good will. Then, in a moment of stellar justice, he dragged The Hellion into his back yard, yanked his pants down and gave him the hiding of his life. (The animal control officer and my dad gaped in confusion; the dog unmistakably grinned.)

The dog stayed inside for 10 days for quarantine–injustice enough–and The Hellion never taunted the dog again. I’m not advocating child beating; just relating facts. But several facts to remember: The Hellion learned something about respect and common sense and a good dog didn’t have to die for it.

Humans have so many more resources, power and understanding. IMO that entails commensurate responsibility.

Veb

7

Reminds me of a story I read about a few years ago.

Some kids broke into a zoo after hours and decided to hop all of the safety features and enter the bear den. One of the kids fled in fear and reported that the bears attacked him and his friend. His friend was not immediately found, so they killed the bears in the exhibit to check the contents of their stomachs.

The kid, as far as I know, was never found; the bears hadn’t eaten him.

My question at the time was, was putting the bears down necessary? I’m pretty sure heavy sedation would have been sufficient to check their stomach’s contents.