Breed specific dog bans.

[caesar]

VANCOUVER - A three-year-old boy from Maple Ridge, B.C., has died after several dogs attacked him in his home Monday.

These dogs were 3 rottweillers and one collie. The boy was probably in bed sleeping while attacked by 2 family dogs and 2 the family were keeping.

[theloniusfleabag]

Dear caesar,

These dogs were 3 rottweillers and one collie. The boy was probably in bed sleeping while attacked by 2 family dogs and 2 the family were keeping.

I believe the boy was probably not sleeping, and from the story I read a few days later, it was the 'drug-dealing' mom and her new boyfriend that were probably 'sleeping it off'. Dogs (and indeed wild animals) do not attack sleeping children. Even amongst the wildest of animals, this doesn't make sense. There could have been (if the child were indeed sleeping) no territorial intrusion, or even implied threat. The only reason they would have killed a sleeping child is if it were for food. Highly dubious.

The most likely case is that these dogs were raised to be vicious, to protect one drug-dealer from other drug-dealers and/or from the addicts. I further doubt that much attention was paid to these dogs, as most of the family's attention was focused on drugs.

[caesar]

You are right fleabag. ?The first news report said the boy was probably sleeping (thought that was strange) but as usual; they rush to get a story out and get the facts wrong.

She has had her other kids taken from her and has admitted that this child was taken by authorities for neglect before and returned. It's a shame that they returned the poor child.

[caesar]

They will never be controlled fully, they will always bite people. They are dangerous to the public. That's why the Liberals are worried about them.

Why do you say "Liberals"????????? I think most people with young children or small pets would feel very uneasy around most pit bulls no matter what politics they prefer????? strange remark.

[Big Blue Machine]

They should be banned. Pitbulls are dangerous to the public. Children should not be attacked by dogs, period.

[Guest LLL]

They should be banned. Pitbulls are dangerous to the public. Children should not be attacked by dogs, period.

In Italy 92 dog breeds are banned today, right down to little corgis.

Is that what you want?

[Big Blue Machine]

We should ban only the extremely dangerous dogs. Not all dog breeds.

[theloniusfleabag]

Dear Big Blue Machine,

We should ban only the extremely dangerous dogs. Not all dog breeds.

The problem is that 'dangerous dogs' are only apparent after the fact. Further, knee-jerk reactions like calling for wholesale banning of breeds, or people who spread false information such as

In Italy 92 dog breeds are banned today,

only serve to cloud the real issues.

[PocketRocket]

For every Pit Bull that attacks someone, there are thousands that have never bitten anyone. Same for Rotties, Sheperds, Dobermans, etc.

Rather than ban the dog for the horrendous act of being a dog, make the owners FULLY liable for any damage caused by their dogs.

In the case of this child, the dog owner should be tried for murder.

If they manage to plea-bargain down to a lesser charge like involuntary manslaughter, it's still something that'll make other dog-owners think twice.

Elsewhere I posted about a friend whose huge Rottie acts as watchdog for all the neighbourhood kids when they are playing in his yard.

That poor dog has little kids rolling all over him, pulling his ears, sitting on his back, and he simply loves it, and them.

The only time you'll ever hear him growl is if an adult tries to enter the fenced-in backyard where "his" kids are playing.

Only his master or mistress is allowed to remove one of the kids from the backyard so they can go home with their parents.

Needless to say, there are no worries about pedophiles nabbing any of the kids from that yard.

Every dog, regardless of breed, is an individual entity, with his/her own behavioral quirks.

The dog owner should be aware of his/her dog's tendencies, and should take preventative actions, BEFORE anything untoward should occur.

Muzzles are not expensive.

I guess the gist here is simply this; blame the owner, not the dog.

[caesar]

These breeds that are deemed dangerous with their capability of killing should be restricted at the least. Owners should be checked out for reasons for needing such an animal; proper containment of the animal and well insure for anything that could happen. These dogs are lethal weapons and need to be closely regulated in the same manner as an wild exotic pet that can attack humans. Even well trained and friendly dogs can become agggressive and dangerous when ill or injured or startled.

I would not want to see family pets destroyed but the laws should be grandfathered in to allow responsible owners to keep their pets.

I am more concerned with pets in the city than the countryside or on farms where they are perhaps needed to protect herds. I believe that these larger dogs need the space to move about more freely and that it is cruel to keep these larger dogs in a small contained area.

[Soulliere]

I own a duplex in the city and as landlords in Ontario we cannot prohibit a tenant from having a pet. It has been mine and other landlord's in the area, observation that young fellows will have big breed dogs.My last two tenants had a german sheperd and then a doberman. Both sets of tenants were couples and obtained the dogs after they had moved in for a while. Neither couple took care of these dogs properly. They were caged the majority of the time in the basement. When they let them loose the dogs go nuts and rip up the house, they are very excited and the dogs behaviour becomes unpredictable. The owners also become aggressive towards their dogs becuse the dog is acting up. A happy and content dog rarely bites and barks out only warning to alert his owners.

What really shook me up last week was I had to see a tenant that lives across the street from my duplex and was met at the door by two banned breed pitbulls.I never knew this young guy had them, plus a buddy of his was also there and said he also had a pair of pitbulls out of sight at his rented home as well. Can you imagine how exited these dogs will get if they get loose?

I am suggesting that the dog fit its surroundings. Small house, big city - should be small dogs or none at all.

[theloniusfleabag]

Dear caesar,

I think I now now a little better what kind of person keeps the 'aggressive dog breeds' alive...

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=stor...pit_bull_videos

People like this should be banned.