The part I’m failing to understand is why an animal that has attacked a human is still alive. Had I been the OP I’d have killed it on the spot. Using a rusty spoon or my teeth if that was the only tools to hand.
If it was me, I am very skilled at Dog Fu. I am confident in my ability to destroy a dog, barehanded, in any situation (there’s a couple of dogs I have encountered who have a bite speed faster than my hands, but it is rare.) I don’t know when or where I got this skill, only that when attacked by a dog, my mind immediately makes strategies I know that will defeat the dog, and if the dog doesn’t give up, hurt or maim it.
I would beat that dog within an inch of it’s life. If the owners complain, I would say they need to keep the dog on a leash to protect it from me.
My initial reaction was quite the same, and I don’t blame you. The bite went on record, but apparently we have a three strikes thing here with bitey digs before any authority would step in, unless it’s a “devastating bite” which mine, on an adult arm, was not.
If I had allowed my daughter to grab our dog, however, the bite would have landed on her face. There is the thought that kept me up a few nights after.
IOW, the city would not have destroyed the dog, no matter what I did, but if I had pressed the issue, a twenty-something guy with a not-well-trained dog that lives around the corner would now have a grudge.
Your city well and truly sucks in this area. That bite sounds serious enough to me.
…on dogs, not a history of attacks on people. No one wants to see a dog attacking little dogs, but this post does not indicate the dog attacks people habitually:
The dog may have redirected onto Poysyn when thwarted in his attempt to engage the little dog. That’s bad, and certainly indicates the dog should be better trained and better restrained, but dogs sometimes redirect when excited and it’s very different from premeditated assault on a human.
And you’d shoot an attacking dog? In the heat of the moment? Which way would your gun be pointed – where are the rounds landing downrange?
At a former residence one of our neighbors shot a cat to death in OUR yard (alleging that he feared it was a threat to impregnate our cat – our spayed, indoor-only cat – as if that’s justification for shooting it) and failed to take into account the school property backing up to our fence. He hit the school with a few rounds. Fortunately it was night. Unfortunately he didn’t manage to wing himself.
Not to be snarky, but I don’t care in the slightest if a bite is a re-direct or a direct attack; if I’m bleeding, a dog’s getting reported.
Update:
I know you’re all waiting on P & N for an update, and many of you lost sleep last night 'cause you just needed to know. 
I finally spoke with my neighbor this morning. He was extremely upset and apologetic. He said he has some privacy fence sections in his garage and he would put up the fence right away. He apologized over and over, and he came over later with a copy of the Devil Dog’s rabies vaccination record.
He is out there right now, working on the fence.
The arm has settled into a nice bruise and some soreness remains.
I did not report it. If the owner had reacted in any way other than how he did, I would have. Assuming the fence goes up, I’m fine with how things turned out.
mmm
That’s good, mmm. I actually was waiting for you to let us know how it went.
I hope this solves the dog problem for you.
You really should make the neighbor produce evidence that the dog is up-to-date on its rabies shots. Around here, if not, then the victim usually has to get antirabies shots.
As for the suggestion of putting an electric wire along the top of the existing fence, it kind of depends on who owns the fence. It is probably on the property of whomever installed it. It would also be a potential hazard to humans and other wildlife.
I think he covered that in post 47.
Sounds like the neighbor is doing the right thing. Maybe this will improve neighborly relations.
Thanks, everyone.
Neighborly relations were never negative in any way. This had the potential for changing that, but it looks like everyone is being an adult about the incident.
We always were - and I believe we will continue to be - on very good terms.
mmm
mmm, you never said how the dog was when your wife is taking care of it. I’m wondering if it’s just territorial about its yard. I know mine is (hence my privacy fence).
I’m glad you didn’t report it right away. Always a good idea to get a feel for your neighbors reaction first. In your case he seemed genuiely concerned and upset and is working on a soloution. Reporting it opens up a whole can worth of pain in the ass for your neighbor by officials.
My mother was once bitten by her cat and after awhile couldn’t move her arm some sort of infection from the cat’s saliva. She told the doctor what happened. The next day she got a call from the government asking questions about her cat.
She told them “you ain’t touching my baby” lol
Sounds like you worked it out. Good news!
I wouldn’t report it unless the neighbor was a jerk about it. And he wasn’t.
So, any rabies symptoms yet?
When I had to have rabies shots (bitten by an outdoor cat, whose vaccination had expired, and who had a nicked ear in an area known for rabid foxes) I was told that one of the first symptoms in humans is irritability. Every time someone asked me too sincerely “how are you feeling now?” I felt like I might be symptomatic. 
I tried growling at them, twitching, and rolling my eyes.
Mrs. Mustard didn’t recollect any times she felt threatened or afraid; they have had this dog less than a year, though. Needless to say, we won’t be taking care of their animals anymore.
Irritability is my natural state, so this diagnosis may be a challenge to confirm.
Anyway, the bruise is real ugly now. Folks are shocked and appalled when I display it. I’m considering concocting a tale of how I fought off a grizzly.
mmm