It is obviously tragic anytime a kid dies.
But I don't think we are getting the whole story here.
I didn't know there couldn't be.
Here is my view point...dogs are animals. They have instincts. They also are creatures of their environment so those instincts can be held in, but they still have them. That said, they are and can be dangerous. Knowing this people should know to be with their kids while around a animal...especially the size of a mastiff. The dog still is the problem in that particular situation.
We have two dogs of the same breed. One is aggressive and the other isn't. The aggressive one has even been to obedience training but is still aggressive. We shield him from kids simply because we know kids and him won't be a good mix. While he is aggressive he is timid. He'll growl and bark, but hide. But if you move at him or run around he'll run and bite at you. He is little so it won't hurt, but we don't want it happening so we put him up when people are over. We also let our guests know these things. With that said, we take these precautions and my wife won't feel this way (and maybe I am wrong for feeling this way) but if someone goes in to the room he is locked in and is bit...not our, or his, fault. IMO.
I own 2 of the "dangerous dogs" on many lists.....Dobermans. One is sweet and wouldn't hurt a fly and the other is extremely protective and aggressive. I've been around alot of dogs in my time, and the meanest dog I have ever been around was a chihuahua. Really sad about the little boy....some animals are crazy and unpredictable.
To answer the question, when there are more rational people.
So, basically not any time soon.
It's kind of like the car insurance commercial that follows the person safe driving. You hear about the tragic car accidents, but never the millions of people driving every day that never get in a wreck. There are thousands of dogs that have never and will never attack, but is that the breed of dog, responsibility of the owner, conditions, or any other number of factors that most people will usually not discuss in a "rational discussion about dogs" (leaving the dangerous "title" out since, once again, many of those reports are skewed heavily).
Very sad and disturbing. A child should never ever be left alone with a dog, any dog. Parents should be held responsible for this tragedy. That said, I feel like the dog(s) in question should be euthanized. Is this rational enough for you?
(06-11-2013 01:55 PM)Tanyaskees Wrote: [ -> ]Very sad and disturbing. A child should never ever be left alone with a dog, any dog. Parents should be held responsible for this tragedy. That said, I feel like the dog(s) in question should be euthanized. Is this rational enough for you?
The bolded part isn't really reasonable. If you have a family dog you can't comply with this
(06-11-2013 02:57 PM)JTiger Wrote: [ -> ] (06-11-2013 01:55 PM)Tanyaskees Wrote: [ -> ]Very sad and disturbing. A child should never ever be left alone with a dog, any dog. Parents should be held responsible for this tragedy. That said, I feel like the dog(s) in question should be euthanized. Is this rational enough for you?
The bolded part isn't really reasonable. If you have a family dog you can't comply with this
If you have a small child, how can you afford not to?
I don't see Poodles dragging two-year olds accross yards.
(06-11-2013 03:11 PM)salukiblue Wrote: [ -> ]I don't see Poodles dragging two-year olds accross yards.
Whatever, you're looking for an argument, you're not going to get one from me.
I guess the answer, like guns, is to hold the owner criminally responsible for the actions of their dogs. Especially those dogs that are known to be more dangerous.
Like in Con-Air, when Nick Cage beat some ass and had to go to jail for a LONG time because the judge said his military background made him a lethal weapon.
(06-11-2013 03:54 PM)salukiblue Wrote: [ -> ]I guess the answer, like guns, is to hold the owner criminally responsible for the actions of their dogs. Especially those dogs that are known to be more dangerous.
Like in Con-Air, when Nick Cage beat some ass and had to go to jail for a LONG time because the judge said his military background made him a lethal weapon.
To me that can be extreme too. For instance, if someone has a dog in their back yard and a locked gate with a sign that says "beware of dog"...but some kid climbs the gate then the owner should be responsible?
Unlike movies, real life presents more of a problem. Do you go to mandatory sentencing laws (if you want to watch a movie, see Snitch, it deals with that subject) or take it on a case by case basis. Either way you are going to run into serious problems, much like we have now.
The whole problem I have with this thread is that the premise of this discussion would be the search for a rational debate, but you apparently don't want that, since your first response totally invalidates any attempt at a "rational" discussion by using inflamatory language.
I never saw Petey drag any of the Little Rascals across the yard either.
(06-11-2013 04:25 PM)tigernole79 Wrote: [ -> ]Unlike movies, real life presents more of a problem. Do you go to mandatory sentencing laws (if you want to watch a movie, see Snitch, it deals with that subject) or take it on a case by case basis. Either way you are going to run into serious problems, much like we have now.
The whole problem I have with this thread is that the premise of this discussion would be the search for a rational debate, but you apparently don't want that, since your first response totally invalidates any attempt at a "rational" discussion by using inflamatory language.
I never saw Petey drag any of the Little Rascals across the yard either.
True
He calls for rational debate but gets all snarky with his
(06-11-2013 03:11 PM)salukiblue Wrote: [ -> ]I don't see Poodles dragging two-year olds accross yards.
I draw a fine line on the "owners responsibility point". That is my area that could go either way. It is all situational. With that said, I also draw a fine line on the "the dog should be put down" part of that as well. Again, situational. If a 5 year old were jerking on a rottweilers neck and after a few pulls the dog bit the kid...and maybe even killed it...why should the dog die?
The last two tragedies I have read about involved an infant and, in this case, a young child living in another person's home along with their large dogs. I think this can be a bad mix, as the dog is usually going to side with its owners and its own territory. I guess a lack of supervision and possibly a lack of training of these dogs contributed, also.
I just hate it when certain breeds are singled out as "dangerous", although I do see the elevated potential of harm when a larger dog attacks. The only two dogs who have ever bitten me were my crazy cocker who had been abused, and a dachsund whose kitchen I stepped into.
(06-11-2013 03:04 PM)Tanyaskees Wrote: [ -> ] (06-11-2013 02:57 PM)JTiger Wrote: [ -> ] (06-11-2013 01:55 PM)Tanyaskees Wrote: [ -> ]Very sad and disturbing. A child should never ever be left alone with a dog, any dog. Parents should be held responsible for this tragedy. That said, I feel like the dog(s) in question should be euthanized. Is this rational enough for you?
The bolded part isn't really reasonable. If you have a family dog you can't comply with this
If you have a small child, how can you afford not to?
Define small child
(06-11-2013 03:35 PM)Tanyaskees Wrote: [ -> ] (06-11-2013 03:11 PM)salukiblue Wrote: [ -> ]I don't see Poodles dragging two-year olds accross yards.
Whatever, you're looking for an argument, you're not going to get one from me.
That's a first
(06-11-2013 04:22 PM)uofmcamaro Wrote: [ -> ] (06-11-2013 03:54 PM)salukiblue Wrote: [ -> ]I guess the answer, like guns, is to hold the owner criminally responsible for the actions of their dogs. Especially those dogs that are known to be more dangerous.
Like in Con-Air, when Nick Cage beat some ass and had to go to jail for a LONG time because the judge said his military background made him a lethal weapon.
To me that can be extreme too. For instance, if someone has a dog in their back yard and a locked gate with a sign that says "beware of dog"...but some kid climbs the gate then the owner should be responsible?
No because the owner made every reasonable attempt to keep the dog on his/her property. If you climb a fence with a sign that says "beware of dog" there is a reasonable expectation you will get your face mauled off. Kind of like kids climbing fences to swim in a neighbors pool who is out of town.