Cautionary tale regarding rescue dogs.
Discussion
Just got back from A and E where my sister is currently having a blood transfusion after 2 year old Belgian Shepherd attacked her in her own home, unprovoked. She's got two fist sized skin flaps at the back of her skull.
She's 5' 10", a police officer and used to handling horses and large dogs. She's had the dog 5 weeks with no sign of aggression to either people or dogs, outside the ordinary, we've had shepherds most of our lives.
Be careful.
She's 5' 10", a police officer and used to handling horses and large dogs. She's had the dog 5 weeks with no sign of aggression to either people or dogs, outside the ordinary, we've had shepherds most of our lives.
Be careful.
CAPP0 said:
Hope your sis is OK and recovering. Sounds nasty.
Would be interested in some more background on this. I guess ultimately any rescue dog can carry baggage, and for many we'll never know what happened to them in the past, but IME, with a fair few dogs from guard breeds, I've never known anything like this occur, only an occasional dog-dog situation.
Where were they at the time? Who was there? What was going on? What were the other dogs doing? etc etc.
It sounds like you're all well-experienced although I would expect there still to have been some sort of trigger, even if your sister wasn't aware of it - not that that excuses the dog.
She was at home on her own with her dog. The other two are mine and our parents. She bent down to take a selfie, turned her head to the camera and he jumped on her back without warning. Would be interested in some more background on this. I guess ultimately any rescue dog can carry baggage, and for many we'll never know what happened to them in the past, but IME, with a fair few dogs from guard breeds, I've never known anything like this occur, only an occasional dog-dog situation.
Where were they at the time? Who was there? What was going on? What were the other dogs doing? etc etc.
It sounds like you're all well-experienced although I would expect there still to have been some sort of trigger, even if your sister wasn't aware of it - not that that excuses the dog.
Over 100 stitches, which took 3 hours as they had to be redone to stem the bleeding.
She said the 911 operator was telling her to apply pressure to her head and she was telling them her hands weren't big enough to cover the whole area.
GSR wanted to take the dog back but that couldn't happen, it could easily have killed a child if left even for a few seconds. The attack lasted only a couple of seconds.
She's so lucky that the scars will be entirely covered by her hair.
GSR wanted to take the dog back but that couldn't happen, it could easily have killed a child if left even for a few seconds. The attack lasted only a couple of seconds.
She's so lucky that the scars will be entirely covered by her hair.
Edited by ChocolateFrog on Monday 4th June 19:04
speedyguy said:
ChocolateFrog said:
The dog was put down pretty quickly. There was no other option.
The dog came through GermanShepherdRescue. We've had dogs from them before.
Best course of action. The dog came through GermanShepherdRescue. We've had dogs from them before.
I hope your sister recovers quickly and well.
Dissapointing that GSR think it 'may be a keeper.
Lazermilk said:
As others have said, hope your sister makes a full recovery and isn't put off dogs completely due to this experience.
Such a shame it ended up like this, must have been something that happened to him in his earlier life to cause that surely, could he have been trained to attack maybe?
Its quite likely that something from it's past reared its head. The shocking or unfortunate thing is that there were no warning signs. Such a shame it ended up like this, must have been something that happened to him in his earlier life to cause that surely, could he have been trained to attack maybe?
hyphen said:
ChocolateFrog said:
Lazermilk said:
As others have said, hope your sister makes a full recovery and isn't put off dogs completely due to this experience.
Such a shame it ended up like this, must have been something that happened to him in his earlier life to cause that surely, could he have been trained to attack maybe?
Its quite likely that something from it's past reared its head. The shocking or unfortunate thing is that there were no warning signs. Such a shame it ended up like this, must have been something that happened to him in his earlier life to cause that surely, could he have been trained to attack maybe?
Actually very disappointed in GSR, they describe the fact we put him down as an 'unfortunate decision'. How they've come to that conclusion I don't know, we didn't take any pleasure in it. My sister had only had him castrated 2 weeks previously, she had a fair bit of money invested.
In addition to being fully emotionally invested.
Edited by ChocolateFrog on Tuesday 5th June 19:57
hkz286 said:
genuine question but why are dogs put to sleep after biting someone?
Is it purely to prevent someone getting bitten again? is that the only reason?
I have no opinion one way or another, but I don't know the answer so thought I would ask.
If he did it again to yours or someone else's child could you live with it? Let alone the possibility that you'd be possibly be culpable of manslaughter should they die and you'd seen him do it before. Is it purely to prevent someone getting bitten again? is that the only reason?
I have no opinion one way or another, but I don't know the answer so thought I would ask.
The police attended, apparantly that's a matter of course, obviously it was sister colleagues which added a bit.
Edited by ChocolateFrog on Tuesday 5th June 19:58
xjay1337 said:
For me I would much rather "take the chance" as you say and have the warm fuzzy feeling of giving a beautiful animal a loving forever home than get a pedigree this or pure breed that.
That's good for you. We won't be taking that chance again having seen a loved one in that state.
hyphen said:
ChocolateFrog said:
We've found out since that he'd bitten his previous owners.
WTF, that is unbelievable and negligent.I think your sister should take it legal/complain to any government bodies and so on.
Not for compo (unless she needs it) but to ensure that no previous biter is released again, and certainly not without a full disclaimer. The person who made the decision also went heart over head and needs re-training/disciplining.
Muzzer79 said:
Whilst this is a shocking incident and I hope the OP’s sister recovers, I don’t agree with the notion of avoiding rescue dogs as a result
Not knowing the history can be a risk but any dog carries a certain element of risk with it, that increases depending on breed.
There are so many dogs out there that need a home for reasons completely unrelated to their temperament. To suggest avoiding them is, IMO, wrong.
There's a difference to personally not wanting to be twice bitten metaphorically and other people rehoming rescues. Not knowing the history can be a risk but any dog carries a certain element of risk with it, that increases depending on breed.
There are so many dogs out there that need a home for reasons completely unrelated to their temperament. To suggest avoiding them is, IMO, wrong.
I think it's great that so many animals get a second chance and go on to be perfect pets. This was collectively our fourth rescue. I'm 2 feet away from one now, who we wouldn't be without.
johnxjsc1985 said:
ChocolateFrog said:
A few complications. Despite strong antibiotics a bit of infection setting in.
Ouch!!! that looks painful how is she feeling herself she must still be in shock .
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