Ever have your dog bite your child?

Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
1

My 11 month old daughter figured out how to open the dogs cage, crawled in and got a puncture wound on her face. She has been treated by a doctor and no stitches were needed but they did put her on antibiotics. We filled out a dog bite report.

A little history on the dog. She is at least 15 years old. I found her when she was about 3 months old. She was expected to live 2 days. She was severely abused, malnourished, anemic, etc. She has been a phenomenal dog, in spite of the fact that for the first years, she was afraid of everyone and every thing. She has never shown any sort of aggression whatsoever and in fact, would do anything to avoid it. To discipline her, all I have to do is look at her and speak sternly. That would be enough to send her into a shivering mess. My husband and I have been together 12 years, while she loves him, she will not eat if I am not home, and to this day, will not go outside with him.

I have been wanting to put her down for about a year. She has health issues such as blindness, deafness, incontinence. She has always had a history of lumps that range from harmless to dangerous and I’ve always had them treated. The past two years, she is failing in so many ways, I want her to die peacefully. I don’t want to put her through surgery. I don’t want her to suffer. My vet has flat out refused to put her down. She knows how I feel about her quality of life and insists that she will not put her down for what she feels is “just because.” The dog has outlived all her contemporaries by years and deserves to die in peace.

Because of this incident, I am unsure of what to expect. I have been told that animal control will come take her and quarantine her for 10 days. I know that if they take her, she will die. She will not eat if I am not around. When I got married, we had to kennel her and she did not eat anything, she lost significant weight. I’ve been told if I can find someone to put her down, criminal charges can be brought against me.

I do NOT hold the dog responsible. Nor do I hold my daughter. I am responsible. I am willing to do whatever is necessary to protect my daughter AND my dog.

Everyone says very easily “kill the dog.” I know my dog needs to die, but not because she bit my child, because its past her time and as her owner, I have an obligation to do what is best for her.

Please, even if you have walked 50 ft in my shoes, tell me your experience with the aftermath.

2

First, my sympathies to all involved including the dog. Had your dog had her rabies shots?

Yes, IMHO, it is time for your dog to go.

I can’t understand your vet refusing to euthanize your dog when she has had all these health issues. I recently had to put down a 15 year old cat who had some of those problems: she was blind and had an ear cancer. My vet didn’t even hesitate. Perhaps you need to find a new vet?

The part about criminal charges sounds insane to me. It’s a concept most people don’t like to think about but you own your pets in just the same way you own livestock. You can chose to kill them, though there might be laws on doing so in a humane manner. I would assume that good sense would dictate a humane method of death.

Aftermath: I still had a lot of grief, even though I knew I had done what my kitty needed me to do.

3

Go to another vet and have her put down. The issue with the baby will get worse over the next few years as she begins to understand that she’s not “attached” to you. They get this independent streak where they don’t exactly understand consequences for disobeying, and she’ll undoubtedly be drawn to the dog/cage and completely forget what you’ve told her.

To respond to your question: Kid Kalhoun (around 5 years old) was with me at my Boss’s place one night when I was working. This was the early 80s and the whole breakdancing thing was in full swing. He brought his little piece of cardboard and was spinning on the sidewalk downstairs and the downstairs neighbor (also a friend of mine) had a great dane. The dog bit Kid Kalhoun right through his ear. I didn’t report it, as the dog was behaving normally. Of course you want to catch a spinning 5-year-old when you’re a 140lb great dane!

But that’s a different sitch. Your dog is old and feeble and your daughter is growing and inquisitive. I would just find someone to do the sad but necessary deed. Huge bummer, but…what are ya gonna do?

4

Re: the criminal charges, your vet sounds like a nutcase. I don’t know of any law that prevents an owner from putting a sick old dog down. I’d check with the authorities. Sounds like bullshit to me.

5

I’ve worked and trained dogs, although not for a few years. You have the right to put your dog down for any reason, and this sounds like a good one. I’m really glad that you are taking responsibility, and doing the best thing for all involved. I wish more pet owners were like you.
The reason why the authorities want to quarantine your dog is for the possibility of rabies, and a ten day observation period removes all doubt whether the dog has them or not. The reason you might be criminally charged, is because the inability to prove the dog is rabid or not. You have a couple of choices, you can quarantine the dog for 10 days, you can show that the dog has current vaccinations, (that might be good enough,) or you can have the dog put down and send the tissues necessary for determination of rabies.

I am really sorry that this had to happen, it’s always difficult. Consider your child very, very fortunate.