Baby Killed By Rottweiler

[KathyM]

Well I believe the owners or someone should be held accountable. There are owners of Rotties and other breeds on here that know there dogs yet still take every reasonable sensible precaution even though there dogs have shown no aggression but are responsible dog owners. I can only see it from my point of view and a child is dead someone is responsible. And if someone is not responsible then its going to tar the whole breed.

They need to make an example of some dog owners so people are MADE to be responsible for there animals and then less desirable dog owners wont want to own such powerful breeds they have no knowledge of.

 

 

I'm sorry to see yet another thread where you seem to be not listening to others' gentle advice about tact and forthought before you speak. Please don't start a debate on who is right or wrong, or "murder" or whatever - by doing so without the facts you are being incredibly disrespectful of what *has* happened.

[Wendbert]

Whilst I appreciate this thread is emotive, please keep to the topic and refrain from making personal comments aimed at other posters.

[jacqui d]

They need to make an example of some dog owners so people are MADE to be responsible for there animals and then less desirable dog owners wont want to own such powerful breeds they have no knowledge of.

 

This being what DNB are trying to make the government realise, sadly though, "less desirable dog owners" will probably always own dogs they have no knowledge or understanding of.

 

Regardless of a dogs breed, size or strength, all have the ability to do damage and all dog owners need to take responsibility for their pets.

 

 

In this paticular case, all the facts are not yet known so it would be (imo) wrong to pass judgement on anyone, be it dog or human.

 

A child has lost his life, the dog is dead and neither one can ever offer an explination of the tragic events, anger from anyone wont bring either back.

 

Gentle journey to your resting places Archie-Lee and Dog .

[meandmy4?]

Its so sad this is going to do no good for rescue dogs at all. I get it all the time "you have 4 dogs thats a pack do you worry about your kids" and thats without the fosters that are here. Imagine what its going to be like for rottie owners. I cant see where its all going to lead but whatever it cant afford to happen again.......

[tracyb]

As a member of a few forums like others on here. I don't own a rottweiler at present but will do eventually. i already have two rescue dogs. However I would not allow a teenager to look after 3 young children at a relatives house knowing that they had a large dog mainly kept outside. If they only had this dog 6mths- do they know the history of it's previous owners.

I feel sorry for the tragedy that has happened but pointing the blame at the dog is not fair.

Any responsible owner of any large dog would ensure that the children knew not to bother the dog unless an adult was present. I've understood from the reports that the parents were at a nearby house.

I had a collie that would have possibly attacked a young child had it been running round the yard-he was frightened of them. We don't know what the reason was that the child was attacked. The whole thing was avoidable, I hope that people do not take it out on the many sensible owners or the dogs. ANY dog is capable of attacking, my mum's a post women-ask her what dogs are the worst for attacking. Believe me it's not rottweilers or alsations.

[GSDFan]

I don't really see how anyone can pass judgement on the dog or the parents or grandparents as yet. We don't know the facts and probably never will know exactly what happened. I certainly wouldn't want to believe what I read in the press, whether that is what the press say occured or whether it is alleged quotes from neighbours.

 

I don't really understand the need these days to blame someone. Accidents, fatal or otherwise do happen and they are just that - accidents.

 

Personally I wouldn't leave my dogs unattended with any children. Some parents, rightly or wrongly, do leave their children with dogs. That has always happened and probably always will.

 

It's very sad, for the family, the baby, the dog and possibly for the breed.

[BilRed]

Well I believe the owners or someone should be held accountable. There are owners of Rotties and other breeds on here that know there dogs yet still take every reasonable sensible precaution even though there dogs have shown no aggression but are responsible dog owners. I can only see it from my point of view and a child is dead someone is responsible. And if someone is not responsible then its going to tar the whole breed.

They need to make an example of some dog owners so people are MADE to be responsible for there animals and then less desirable dog owners wont want to own such powerful breeds they have no knowledge of.

 

Ah I see ... you mean that you think it was murder on the part of whoever was responsible for the dog/child/situation?

[meandmy4?]

I personally believe that if anyone loses a life especially in the instance of a child then someone MUST be held responsible. It is just to serious in MY eyes to be put down to an accident. I have 2 kids myself and it is unbearable to think about. The ramifications for the parents and witnesses will continue a lifetime, the buck should stop somewhere or else the same thing will happen again in 12 months and it will be another childs life lost, there has been to many kids lost there lives.

I cant help my opinion and feel my point is as relevant as others is but if I am honest am seeing this from the viewpoint of a Mum and not a dog owner/ fosterer

[Sherlock Bones]

But supposing the dog was sick? How can that be predicted? We simply can't say at the moment if anyone was responsible or if it was an accident.

[meandmy4?]

Maybe so but should a 7 year old be carrying a 1 yr old with no adults present to a dog?

 

There are lots of ifs, buts and ands which the police will need to look into.

[suzeanna]

They just said on the nine o clock news that the police are praising the sixteen year old for her attempts to rescue the baby from the dog. If she hadn't left the seven year old alone with the baby while she was upstairs, it wouldn't have NEEDED to be rescued. A seven year old can't see the possible danger of showing a baby to a dog. Any dog...not just a big dog. The baby should have been upstairs with the older girl, surely? The report I heard (and heaven knows if it was the correct one) was that the older girl was upstairs, younger one decided to introduce the toddler to the dog. Where the heck grandma was in all of this, doesn't seem to have been mentioned.

[jacqui d]

i own two large breed dogs, one of which weighs in at 10 stone, i stand responsible for them at every moment of the day, even when i am not in their company, i do that as a responsible owner, i am also a mum of 3, my first and most very important "job" in this life is to be a mum to my children and to take on the responsibility of any child in my care.

 

i say this so that you can appreciate that i too have the view point as a mum Julia before i respond to your reply.

 

the questions you ask are not ones that can be answered on this thread as no one is aware yet of the full facts, the dog cannot be blamed, nor can the parents, child minder or dog owner, and as you say, im sure the police will probe as deeply as they can to find the answers, but as the only witness appears to be the youngster who was holding the baby, im sure the trauma of the events may mean the entire facts may never be known.

[meandmy4?]

I know that but this thread was about a discussion of aspects surrounding of what has happened and what MAY be the consequences for animals and humans as a consequence of this.

[Pingu]

Must say though if another living being takes another living being life without consent then what is it called?

 

What does everyone generally think should be done?

 

 

with the greatest of respect ...

 

think before you post.

 

why MUST someone be held responsible? is it impossible for an accident to happen? part of the problem with the UK these days is that when anything happens its thought someone MUST be to blam. Why? what happened was tragic but that doesnt mean anyone was to blame.

 

Part of the problems with dogs is casued by humans placing human morals and characteristics onto a dog. They are not human. they do not rationalise things and to place human values and thought procsses onto a dog is not just stupid its also unfair on the dog. We will probably never know why this happened.

 

As someone with 5 rotties this incident has really had an impact on us. The press are speculating and revelling in the death of a child so they can sell airtime and papers. they dont give a toss as to the why and how, all they want to do is big up the story. They dont give a toss about the parents either, to them this is just a way of filling column inches or a 5 minute slot on TV. So take what you see on the TV and read in the appers with a bucket full of salt. Am I being cynical with regards to the press? yes I am but I know how they choose to omit certain details and twist things in order to make the story sound better.

 

No one has to be to blame. Not the dog, not the 7 year old girl and not the auntie - no one has to be to balme or held responsible. Sometimes things just happen.

 

We and many like us spend a lot of time promoting responsible ownership and raising awareness of our breeds. All we can do is carry on doing this and hopefully one day the message will get through that a dog is not a toy and responsible ownership is about more than shoving food in one end and picking up the stuff that comes out the other.

 

as to what will be done.. probably nothing....

 

 

unless some politician has something to gain from it, in which case they will push for whatever they feel will win them more votes. It wont matter if this is the right thing or the wrong thing.. they dont give a toss either.

 

at about this time last year we saw the consequences of a knee jerk reaction to a similar event. There are many here who have met the people that this impacted on. seen their tears when their friends and pets were taken away by the police. if you want to know what happens asks those involved in DNB to share some of their expeiences with you.

 

I was in court when the first round of cases went up before the law. I saw some "hard" people in tears waiting to be told if they were going to get their pets back. This isnt a game, it has a real impact on real people.

 

If Rotts do get added to the list of banned breeds I ,and probably many others, will leave this country. I will not live somewhere where my best friends are not welcome.

[jacqui d]

but we dont know factually what did happen, we do know a young child lost his life, for that reason so did a dog, the consequence of which is that a mother has lost her son who can never be given back to her and a dog who never had a voice will never be able to explain its actions.

 

Future consequences cant be guessed, but as responsible dog owners and parents, we can at the very least educate ourselves and those around us as suggested earlier by being aware of what the DNB Group are trying to achieve.