When dogs attack

[caddycruiser]

Growing up, my parents always had dogs. And in my lifetime, we always had at least 2. Starting around 2003 and through today, their latest clan includes (3) shelties. Commonly confused as "mini collies...small Lassie". Awesome dogs. 1 is pure bred AKC, female, the other 2 are purebred males from rescues. Varied in size.

Parents live on the bay in southern DE, in a nice development with a mile long circle loop street around it, and streets in the middle. Mostly all retired, very nice, very quiet people and a mixture of well behaved dogs. Parents have a completely fenced in back yard that connects to a large rear deck, so the dogs can just be outside and safe all over the back yard with someone.

Nightly ritual, take all 3 on a walk, usually 2 people. Last night, as usual, my mother had both males on leash and my younger brother was walking the female with her. Halfway around the circle, my brother apparently looked up and a neighbor's dog was loose (not the first time), he yelled "watch out!" and in the second he & mom had to scramble to try to protect the dogs and themselves, covering them with their bodies in the street, the loose dog tore into mom's smallest & oldest (and most friendly) sheltie Taz, grabbed him by his neck and spun him around several times while mom screamed in horror. The dog's owner just came out to see.

Still screaming, blood everywhere as they stood in the street, leashes still on and frozen, they finally got the dog off. Lady acted like nothing happened, beyond usual. My father rescued them by car. On their quiet country street. Called the ASPCA after, because my father talked her out of calling the police. Bad choice. ASPCA basically told her no leash law, and to quote, "people here pay a lot of money to train their dogs to behave so they don't need leashes" and left. Baffled.

Taz had 2 big neck puncture wounds. Had to go to the vet, because of internal damage. Operated this morning with the ripped damage and with his age, for the first time outside of other ops he's had, he aspirated and had to be revived. Back alive, he is in serious condition and has to have open neck drains. Mom is a wreck, he's drinking profusely, puking, and shaking if anyone comes near him, and the other 2 dogs unharmed are petrified.

Went to the lady's/neighbors house tonight, after several attempts, to confront and give her vet bill. Neighbors response was it was her dog ran out because...my mother and brother were walking by in the street. And that mom's dog had "minor marks" but her dog 3 times the size...loose & out of control...had bites from the small sheltie. Not her problem.

Completely baffled, pissed, and can't fathom this. I think cops should have been called first, but alas. Other neighbors know, and in the past, I've had the same mix dog come after me twice when walking/jogging, again loose. Now we have an older dog with neck drains, who died on the OR table, and who can barely function now...after just going for a walk. And a terrible neighbor of course claiming no responsibility, except the reverse.

Anyone have ideas? My mother is livid and been in touch with a lot of people aside from balling all day, and ready to do whatever possible. You shouldn't be unable to go on a quiet walk with 3 quiet leashed dogs and end up with one near dead, you at risk, and the attacker's owner psychotically trying to blame in reverse.

Poor guy. Mom sent these to me after carting him home, still shaking & in shock. He's a rescue, the best dog we've ever had, with the best attitude of any dog. Such a lover. Had 2 homes before, and still been threw so much, and old as he is. Go for a walk...die on the OR table, be revived...and now.

I just don't get people. And now what a mess. Livid, and ready to rush down to DE myself as soon as possible. If you don't care and are not going to control your property, it's your fault and then some when it damages others. Sadly, like a Judge Judy case now, it seems.

Edited September 3, 2011 by caddycruiser

[Drew Dowdell]

I think the best you can do is file a police report, call animal control to file a complaint, and go to small claims court for the vet bill.

[ocnblu]

You know what, I would have beat the living SHIT out of that stray dog right then and there. No way would I let this lie.

[Camino LS6]

You know what, I would have beat the living SHIT out of that stray dog right then and there. No way would I let this lie.

This.

Arkus is an escape-prone dog, and I'm right there after him when he does escape. He is a big, friendly, oaf and not nasty to other dogs or people (except Zora). But I am in a panic until I get him back without any damage done to himself or anything else. I just don't understand why anyone would stand idly by while their dog behaves like that.

[Lamar]

You know what, I would have beat the living SHIT out of that stray dog right then and there. No way would I let this lie.

+ 2.

As I've said, my dad has a year-old Amstaff, and when he takes her out on walks he carries a stick for that very reason. And there are several pits in my neighborhood that seem to get loose quite often.

[SAmadei]

You know what, I would have beat the living SHIT out of that stray dog right then and there. No way would I let this lie.

+ 3.

I grew up with some nasty quasi-stray dogs in the 'hood. I learned how to stop them before they stopped me.

I actually had some quasi-neighbor recently threaten my elderly golden retriever. Told me (while standing on my property) "Its a good thing that dog is not coming out of the fence, my pit bull (unleashed) would tear him apart." Dude actually stopped me while I was cutting the grass to tell me this BS.

I told him that, unlike him, I am a responsible dog owner and keep him in a leash or in a fence, and unless my dog starts to fly, he has nothing to worry about... from the dog. Then I told him IF his dog somehow attacked me or my dog while he was on a leash, I would personally break his dog and then would do to him whatever his dog did to mine. I then walked out the gate to see if his big bad pit bull was feeling frisky. I guess he wasn't. Dude doesn't walk his dog near my yard anymore.

Its a shame some of these pets have such crappy owners.

I agree that a police report and a trip to small claims court is going to be the only recourse.

[Z-06]

Once when waiting in court for fighting a ticket, the judge heard a case of a similar incident. The lady whose dog caused damage to another dog on leash was asked to fork a bill of $1,500 for vet expenses.

Couple of things against you though - not calling police or animal control. Filing a legal report would go long way for grievance case like this. Good luck on the outcome - most of the time it is not the animal but the owner who is at fault directly or indirectly.

[the_yellow_dart]

I know that here in Ontario, if your dog attacks a person or another animal and there is a police complaint against it, the dog is put down. I am shocked that you do not have the same laws.

[caddycruiser]

It has been bizarre. Neighbor is essentially pretending to not be home, and when approached the first time after, accused my mother & little dog of biting hers. You know, the only reason he got attacked on walk...was because they were walking on a leash.

It's a strange rule of laws & things. I thought calling the police first was best, as calling the ASPCA netted nothing other than again no blame. She did call the police a couple of days after and was told she did the right thing by calling ASPCA for a report. Huge vet bill, the poor dog has drains in his neck now and no hair, and for several days was petrified to move while also puking, etc. He's old so it just made things tougher.

My mother has a friend at the county court and got in touch with someone, starting a civil suit filing on Tuesday. I'm not sure of the outcome, but when there is no acknowledgement of even any wrongdoing, it seems to be the only method to proceed.

Edited September 8, 2011 by caddycruiser