Another in this series.
One thing that I, and indeed many people, find infuriating about this regime is that nothing gets attention until someone is killed. The Roy McSweeney, Klonda Richey, Jordyn Arndt, etc.. etc... ad nauseum scenarios were all preceded by months, sometimes years, of atrocious, barbaric behavior on the part of dogs and their owners for which there was no intervention.
Remember, Fido has been granted absolute moral authority. Whatever Dog does is well and good because... Dog is doing it! If a jogger gets attacked, or the UPS guy winds up in the hospital.... no shits given. The victim is held accountable and everything is just peachy in Dogville!
Over 4 MILLION Americans are bitten by dogs each year, with about 400,000 of those requiring hospital emergency room visits. Where is the outrage at that? NONE ... because we are conditioned to love Fido no matter what. Again, Fido has Moral Authority! Extending that to a few dozen killed, well.... that is just statistical noise. Don't you think that Fido, in His infinite wisdom, may see fit to take the lives of a few useless 2-leggers each year? Who are we mere mortals to challenge the wisdom of Dog?
Of course, some folks are going to argue that "there is a big difference between a bite and a mauling". Where do you draw the precise line between a bite and a mauling? Why is it that bites are perfectly OK, but maulings are not? Why are "maulings" of huge societal import but "bites" are irrelevant? Is not the level of accountability the same in either case?
Lets consider this analogy: You get drunk, drive, run a red light and hit my car. That crash (I won't call it an accident) was your fault. You are responsible. Now, the results of the crash could be anything from a minor fender-bender to me winding up in the morgue, but the precise outcome is not really relevant to who owns that outcome. Again, you are at fault. You made it happen. Its not like you just get to say "Hey, the damages were only a few grand.... I'll take my keys and go home now". NO. That is not the way it works!
Pursuant to that, dog owners own those 400,000 emergency room visits. When a GSD runs into the street and attacks a jogger, the dog owner owns that scenario. Again, accountability does not vary according to outcome: If its your dog, its your problem.
Earlier this week I heard the school bus coming down the paved road. Yes we have so little traffic you do notice the sound of different cars and trucks. It came to an abrupt halt midway between two roads. The neighbors two dogs were meandering down the middle of the road. The dogs have had traffic stopped both ways. I had a car try and pass me last week because they didn't see the dog in front of my car. I hear cars honk at least a half dozen times daily. Dogs in road.
ReplyDeleteWe no longer call AC because it's pointless. And here's the other thing. All those tolerant people who wait for her dogs to vacate the road so you can go forward. How far will that tolerance spread when they have a car or truck slam into their rear or have damage when they fail to notice the thing on the road some night. There are some steep embankments here. you swerve on a narrow road could easily land you in a ditch upside down.
I wonder how understanding a parent might be if their child got knocked around because the school bus driver had to hit the brakes.
Loose dogs are a menace on more than a biting level. I didn't get bit but years ago knocked down by someone's loose brute in a park. I also got a scratch on my side that took forever to heal up.
They do keep them quiet most nights. But only because we started a ruckus AC and the sheriff dept couldn't ignore. Despite what our dispatch thinks we have a right to request an officer come out.
You are 100% correct. I remember reading an article a few years ago about a driver that swerved to avoid an at-large dog. Here was the punchline.... he swerved off the road and KILLED a man mowing his lawn! I was trying to find a source on that and could not do so.
DeleteUnfortunately, it makes sense to do whatever possible to avoid the dog, even when that means injuring yourself or someone else: You may be marked for death by dog fanatics for running over that dog.
Here is a tactic you might consider: When you see dogs blocking the road, take a photo and sent it to your road department and state DOT. They might take action (probably not, but might be worth a go).
DeleteSimilarly, if they interfere with the school bus, send a photo of that to your school board and PTA.
Here it isL http://newsok.com/article/3805600
DeleteI suspect the reason these dogs stand in the road is someone is feeding them from their car or tossing food out along the road for them.
DeleteThe school bus driver was negligent if she didn't report it
The drivers that honk and carry on and a few that have yelled at me aren't reporting it. I'm tired of calling. Unless they are doing their dusk to dawn howling and yapping we don't care. I carry pepper gel outside. If they approach I'm going to hammer them with it. For reasons that make no sense to me they have been excused from following the rules that apply to other dog owners. That in itself is probably the only thing worth looking into. Really all we can do is keep documenting and decide if and when to haul them into a real court and sue. I'm willing to be the person who comes over that blind hill and smashes their car up will have dodged them on the road numerous times. This is one of those things that is just going to have to play itself out.
This is one of those things that is just going to have to play itself out.
DeleteUnfortunately, you are probably right. It should not be that way, but it is.
In a case like yours, I'm not confident that a serious injury or even a death would change much. Again, the Pro BSL / Anti dangerous dog crowd does not care about scenarios like this. Lives only matter when they are taken by pit bulls.
BSL and Animal Control are really two separate issues. Years ago when AC was first implemented here there were actual animal wardens who in their spare time patrolled the roads instead of hibernating somewhere. Now it's connected to the sheriffs office. Which on it's own is small , underfunded and understaffed.
DeleteIt appears it may have played it out for one of the dogs. I haven't heard or seen it for almost a week. I haven't seen any crows picking road kill. So either it got cleaned up or for reasons unknown the neighbors are keeping them confined. We may have a new AC officer. Who knows. I seen the border collie but it got called back home.
DeleteIn fact I haven't seen the usual plethora of mutts that roam even on occasion. Personally I don't care what happened to their dogs or if they got told to keep them where they belong. It is so nice to have some peace and quiet. Of course I'm sure if one got killed they'll simply replace it. And so it goes.
It appears it may have played it out for one of the dogs
DeleteThat is great news. I estimate that "something" got it... a coyote, a car, a mountain lion, a Pit Bull(!), a pissed off neighbor with a .22 and a shovel. The list goes on.
In any case, these things do have a way of working themselves out. Glad to hear things are quiet on your block. Vunderbar!
I want to add this. If I had given in to my baser instincts and offed their mutt I would likely have faced criminal charges. The dog owners allowed their dogs to run loose and it met it's fate somewhere, somehow by their neglect. You would think they would be charged with animal cruelty. Instead they'll get sympathy more than likely for their loss and just as likely replace it with another yapper. Where they will repeat the cycle of neglect over and over.
DeleteMy friend's 92 year old mother...who got around perfectly for her age, was of sound mind...was out for a walk, when a Great Dane, being walked by it's owner, jumped up on her and knocked her flat on the ground. She broke her pelvis, required quit a bit of rehabilitation, and suffered severe pain. She never was the same after that...afraid to go outside. She died within months. I think she just got tired of being in pain all the time, and I often wonder now how long this sweet lady would have lived without the blasted Great Dane confronting her.
DeleteSPYERcat: Send me a message either on here or on my youtube channel. Thanks.
DeleteIf I see a dog in the road I'm gonna run that POS down. It's the only way the dumbass dog owners ever learn.
ReplyDeleteWhile I don't want to damage my car. I'm not going to hurt myself or some other innocent person by trying to brake or swerve because some morons dog is running loose on the road. If every person that had to stop or weave around my neighbors dogs called in there would a hundred complaints called into our never answer a call AC officer.
DeleteI guess when one gets mashed someone is going to want their car repaired or worse blame them for an accident.
Run the fucker over. File a claim if it hurts your car.
ReplyDeleteHey, AC, I know you love guns like I love guns. Have you ever seen raging pit bull targets? If not, I wanna make some. How satisfying would it be to have those for practice? Especially the moving target practice we do here.
I've never seen a per se pitbull target. Which now makes me wonder... why not? Probably because such a thing would generate so much outrage from the pit foamers and other dog fanatics that it would be taken off the market immediately.
DeleteObviously, you can print off any photograph and use it as a target. However, I prefer "splatter targets" so you don't have to retrieve your target to see where you hit.
Go to Amazon.com and search on "Darkotic Splatter Targets". My favorite is this one: http://www.amazon.com/Birchwood-Casey-Darkotic-Splatter-Target/dp/B004Y0UQ56/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1455972324&sr=8-2&keywords=splatter+targets+go+fetch
Again, you can print off any photograph and shoot at it if you want. That said, I would be discreet about that at public ranges. If you were to, say, shoot at pictures of the Pope or some other well known public figure you might get into trouble.
In fact, I think that shooting at a likeness of any known person may be trouble, unless its a master criminal (i.e. Bin Laden).
DeleteThey don't have the money to fix my car. As tempting as it is. It lowers me to their level. Which is something I have no desire to become. I do text the silent husband. I suggested the other night they get off their Christian backsides , obey the law and shut their stupid dog up. I have considered posting on their website or the FB for their home business that boasts what good god fearing people they are. ( seriously ? Who does that ? )
DeleteShooting ranges will excuse you in most cases even it it's a Bin Laden type of picture. We must after all be totally sensitive to anything , which is everything now it seems, that might upset someone , somewhere. Be thankful you still have a gun, ammo and a place to shoot.
There was a scandal in South Florida a few years ago when it was discovered that Miami Police were using copies of actual mug shot photos at target practice.
DeleteThe deed was uncovered when a local National Guard unit was at the range for their periodic rifle re-qualifications. One guardsman (er, "guardsperson") noted that one of the targets was her brother's mug shot photo!
To make matters worse, some folks tried to make a racial incident out of it, regardless of the fact that the mug shots were inclusive of all races.
That said, you are probably better off not using an actual likeness for a target.
Just pics of raging pit bulls, no people. We do a "moving target" practice and I think pit targets would be great. I am sure I can print some off. Was just hoping it was already done somewhere.
DeleteI have those same targets you posted about, but paper would be fine for this.
And if anyone complains, I will show them my pit scarred arms- that usually shuts them riiiiight up.
By excuse you I meant ask you to leave the range. There was some incident at one near here where someone used a target and someone else had a hissy.
DeleteIn the name of free speech you probably have the right to put any image on a target but a private or public range may have rules the forbid certain images. They don't need the grief. The world is full of people just waiting to be outraged and offended.
MIE: The other thing you could do is get some "game" targets. Deer, hogs, coyotes, groundhogs, etc... those would be fair game just about anywhere (heh a pun!). You can get those at Amazon, Cabelas.com or just about anyplace that sells shooting supplies. A coyote IS a dog, albeit a wild one, so I figure it would make a pretty good proxy target.
DeleteHere is the thing, and this is why I raised the issue initially - someone shooting at a target of a domestic dog may be asking for trouble. As Eileen noted, the range may forbid certain images, and even if they don't, remember.... a LOT of people out there have a really unhealthy attachment to dogs. A scenario where one of them becomes abusive or even dangerous is definitely plausible.
You are indeed only bringing trouble to your doorstep. Hating pit bulls has been elevated to a form of racism by the nutters. These are the same people who will in one breath spout the nanny dog myth and in the next laugh about how their dog could rip your throat out.
DeleteOne quick one. We were in a well known pet chain store. There must have been 10 dogs wearing service vests. Not one of them even knew how to walk on a leash let alone their names. Loading up in the parking lot I had the back hatch up and made a comment to my husband that it must have been a fake service dog convention. Turning around one of the idiots with an even bigger idiot dog was glaring at me with a level of hate that was disturbing. I had obviously touched a nerve that someone with a legit SD wouldn't have even been concerned with. As to coyotes there are nut groups trying to take away to hunt them. Using a coyote target even at a gun range where you think you might be among sane people. Don't count on it.
Your experience at DogCo or PetStupid is not surprising. Again, these people are completely crazy.
DeleteRemember the 10 commandments!
#5: Thou shalt offer no unkind words against Dog, nor shalt thou lift a finger against Dog or his Keeper for any reason.
#6: The Almighty Dog requires Blood Sacrifice, and that is yours to give. (This means they get to injure or even kill you if that meets their needs
And, as always!
#10: Thou shalt go forth and wage war for the sake of Dog. (this means they have an OBLIGATION to go after you when you violate #5!!
Narcissistic Dog Owners Syndrome is likely to end up being the next mental disorder that will of course require an ESD for those suffering from it.
DeleteDog worshippers sure are crazy. We can shoot at pics of humans, no problem, but a raging attacking pit is off limits? Only in this insane culture we live in.
DeleteMIE, Dog nutters are quite simply nuts. Any use of the sacred icon is like pissing on a middle eastern holy book. Sane people know you aren't shooting a real dog and sane people know that defacing a symbol of a religion isn't going to damage any true believers faith.
DeleteThis is a link to one of my all time favorite links on dog hating.
Yes this guy walks among us.
http://samthedogtrainer.com/articles/dog-haters-in-your-neighborhood/
I just finished an article about how the pit bull ban in Ontario is "failing miserable" because the number of reported dog bites is rising. The article appeared to go with the pit bull advocate's tendency to lump all bites together, ignoring the fact that a nip, disfigurement, and dismemberment are drastically different and should be treated as such.
ReplyDeleteThe pit bull crowd happily nodded and chanted "blame the deed, not the breed" along with the new and increasingly popular "educate yourself." The later usually followed by some reference to nanny dogs or that temperament test nonsense.
One stat I found particularly funny is the dog bite ranks before and after the ban. Before the ban German Shepherds were number one for most bites, with pit bulls coming in second. After the ban, German Shepherds were still first, but Labradors filled the second spot. That seems a little suspicious considering Lab, Lab mix is the breed most pit bull owners claim to own when it's not convenient to own a pit bull.
I still haven't heard a reasonable explanation as to why anyone needs this particular breed. Hell, why do any of the damn things need to exist in the first place?
I still haven't heard a reasonable explanation as to why anyone needs this particular breed. Hell, why do any of the damn things need to exist in the first place?
DeleteThat is a really good question, and fodder for a blog post. Thanks for writing.
"One stat I found particularly funny is the dog bite ranks before and after the ban. Before the ban German Shepherds were number one for most bites, with pit bulls coming in second. After the ban, German Shepherds were still first, but Labradors filled the second spot. That seems a little suspicious considering Lab, Lab mix is the breed most pit bull owners claim to own when it's not convenient to own a pit bull.
Delete"Lab Mix" is a big red flag, as is "Terrier Mix". I'm confident that most of those "Mixes" are Pit-Mixes and significant number of them are full-blown pits.
Pit nuts love to play the breed ID game, and authorities often go all-in on said game. Consider my 4.0 post on the subject.
This is why... and I can't stress this enough... it is SO important to have a regime that will crack down on individual troublemakers, regardless of parentage.
While some "bites" are more serious than others, all are serious.
The pit nutters have a fit when you blame the deed. We know the usual breed.
ReplyDeleteA sob story about "Stella" the pitbull, I thought might interest you:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-devon-35635935
That the Dangerous Dogs Act is among the all time ineffective, kneejerk and generally bad legislation is often repeated as an article of faith by animal groups and others. (It is often ineffective, largely because it defines "pit bull" too narrowly and is often unenforced but that's not really what they're suggesting).
My only comment is why hasn't it been put down. Pit bull type dog. gag.
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