This seems like the right place to put this. I mean, it’s relatively meaningless and pointless. I know, I know… we’re taxing the servers that allow us all to post these inane commentaries and questions, but I hope you’ll bear with me here. If no one’s interested, of course, the thread can simply die off. And, of course, if this happens to be the wrong forum for this, please, Mods, feel free to move it as you see fit.
Yesterday, our dog died. I know this isn’t a unique situation. But he died as a direct result of an attack by another dog, a pit bull terrier.
Our dog was 11 years old (we think). We got him from the local pound in 1993, and they had said he was about 3 years old (our vet had this opinion as well). He was a midsized beagle with butterscotch markings, rather unusual colors for a beagle. At any rate, he was the smallest male dog in our neighborhood.
Three months ago, I moved from New Jersey to Maryland. The dog remained with the rest of the family. This past weekend, the family drove the three hours down to Maryland to visit me, leaving the dog in the care of a neighbor. My family left on Monday morning around 9 am; at 9:15 I got a call from that neighbor, saying the dog had escaped. This isn’t terribly unusual, because beagles are born running dogs. Usually, he just runs around for a couple hours, then comes home. We’re always afraid he’s going to get hit by a car, but sometimes chasing him only makes it worse - he thinks it’s a game. Since no one would be there for a few hours and since our neighbor is an older man (and I didn’t want to worry him, either), I said not to bother looking for him.
That evening, my family called. Here’s what happened: While our dog was tied up outside on his run, the pit bull was being walked by his owner. Our dog, of course, barked at the other dog (he hardly ever barked, usually just at male dogs - a territorial thing). The pit bull got away from his owner and tore after our dog. The woman ran back to her house to get her husband, and when they returned our dog had been very severely beaten. There was serious tissue damage, broken ribs, the works. The owners picked him up and looked for a hospital - this was early in the morning on a holiday, no less. They found one and admitted our dog. This is why our neighbor did not see him when he looked out the window - our dog was in the hospital.
Well, it was a tough fight, and he came through the surgery okay, but his heart finally gave out. I really don’t show my emotions very often, but when I got the news yesterday evening I broke down in hysterics. I’m sure those of you out there with pets know this feeling - pets are family, and having them die in any way is bad enough. Having one die as the result of a murderous rampage by a dangerous animal is another.
We are going to strongly recommend that the pit bull be put down. I’m sure some of you are saying, “Hey, don’t blame the dog. There are no bad dogs, just bad owners.” I agree that when dogs are born, they’re not inherently bad - it’s training that makes them into killers. Pit bulls are generally bred to kill. They’re not bred to be guard dogs, like German shepards; they’re bred to attack. I simply cannot let this particular animal to be in our (my former) neighborhood. This is also not the first time the dogs of these owners have attacked our dog. It is, however, the last.
Again, I respectfully ask that if this is the wrong place to post it, then please move it to another forum. If it shouldn’t be posted anywhere, I’ll understand; please just lock the thread. I really needed to get this off my chest.
