ranirottie Posted February 8, 2009 Report Share Posted February 8, 2009 could be two different neighbours. It also says that the gran bought the staffie to defend her so maybe it was known to be aggressive. We all know that most staffies are happy clowns who love people and dont readily "defend" or protect. x Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KathyM Posted February 8, 2009 Author Report Share Posted February 8, 2009 Let's not go making assumptions or even suggestions here about the staffie being previously aggressive - lots of people buy dogs to make them feel more secure, doesn't mean they're aggressive! From what I've read there isn't even any proof that the dogs had any part in it so far - noone saw any blood on them, but there was plenty on the grandmother. I'm not saying they didn't do it, but this is why we don't jump to conclusions before the facts are known. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melp Posted February 8, 2009 Report Share Posted February 8, 2009 from the Sunday Times "One dog involved in yesterdays death was described as being a Staffordshire Bull Terrier. The RSPCA fears that breeders are re-namng pit bulls to avoid prosecution. Andrew Dismore, the Labour MP for Hendon said, " Dogs like pit bulls are being kept as fashion accessories by people who don't know how to look after them" WTF have pit bulls got to do with this story? The times are saying that both dogs have been destroyed, yet the Mail and the Independant are saying they're being kept at the vets while the family decide their fate Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blackmagic Posted February 8, 2009 Report Share Posted February 8, 2009 Lunchtime news said that an autopsy had found that the dogs were responsible for the baby's injuries and both have been destroyed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ReikiAnge Posted February 8, 2009 Report Share Posted February 8, 2009 Lunchtime news said that an autopsy had found that the dogs were responsible for the baby's injuries and both have been destroyed. That's what the BBC site says: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/7877427.stm So awful. I don't know what else to say. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ranirottie Posted February 8, 2009 Report Share Posted February 8, 2009 the poor gran must be devastated and blaming herself and my heart goes out to the parents.x Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EAD Posted February 8, 2009 Report Share Posted February 8, 2009 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melp Posted February 8, 2009 Report Share Posted February 8, 2009 Everyone is making the assumption that the dogs were left alone with the baby. This may be true, or it may not. Can everyone honestly say that they'd know what to do if one of their dogs attacked a child, or another animal for that matter? You think you know but peoples reactions can become confused in scary situations. My son was almost attacked by a dog when he was a year old. The dog was mine and it was in the family home. Sam wasn't alone with the dog, in fact he was in my arms, as supervised as its possible to be, yet still the dog went for him and it was only by me holding Sam above my head that stopped him being injured. Did I know what to do? no. I reacted by hoisting my son out of reach but that did nothing to stop the dog trying. Can us parents and grandparents honestly say they've never ever left their dogs alone with the children, ever? do we all take the dogs or kids with us when we go to the loo, or make a cuppa, answer the door etc? Even if we do, does that make our children 100% safe? it didn't make my son safe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ReikiAnge Posted February 8, 2009 Report Share Posted February 8, 2009 Everyone is making the assumption that the dogs were left alone with the baby. This may be true, or it may not. Everyone? Do you mean in the media? I've only seen one person on this thread saying they wonder if the dogs and baby were left alone, most of us have just been expressing sadness that it's happened. I've not read anything in the media other than the BBC article. I don't have children, but I would agree that many of us, me included, probably don't know how we will react to something. Thinking about dogs fighting amongst themselves, I'm sure many of us would just do what we felt right/what was instinct at the time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melp Posted February 8, 2009 Report Share Posted February 8, 2009 The media mainly yes but also people on several forums where this is being discussed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillyMalc Posted February 8, 2009 Report Share Posted February 8, 2009 from the Sunday Times "One dog involved in yesterdays death was described as being a Staffordshire Bull Terrier. The RSPCA fears that breeders are re-namng pit bulls to avoid prosecution. Andrew Dismore, the Labour MP for Hendon said, " Dogs like pit bulls are being kept as fashion accessories by people who don't know how to look after them" WTF have pit bulls got to do with this story? Yup, and MP's should educate themselves about the facts before opening their big gobs Poor family and dogs involved :( Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ranirottie Posted February 8, 2009 Report Share Posted February 8, 2009 poor baby. I wonder if again a baby was left alone in a room with the dogs. I feel for the gran and parents too. x it was me and I said "I wonder if" as it has been said in most dog attacks that the child was alone with the dogs. If dogs are not fully socialised with young children they are often confused and excited by the high pitched noises babies/young children make. Flailing arms and legs could also excite dogs into "playing" with what they might think is a toy. It might not have been a deliberate or vicious attack but two dogs ragging what they thought was a toy. Nobody will ever know what was going through the dogs minds.When my children were small my dogs were trained to leave the room when I did but I agree that no dog/child combination can ever be 100% safe.. x Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
celeste Posted February 8, 2009 Report Share Posted February 8, 2009 The news report I saw on the telly yesterday claimed the gran was in the room when the attack took place, and that one of the neighbours had said that neither of the dogs were known to be aggressive . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rumpole Posted February 8, 2009 Report Share Posted February 8, 2009 the thing is the dogs dont need to be aggressive for something like this to happen with a child so small. babies make the weirdest sounds to a dog and if the dog is not introduced under close supervision to what is making the sound or acclimatised to a babys cry before the baby is born, then the sound can trigger something in the dogs instincts causing it in a split second to react, any dog can react like this and both these dogs are terriers a group where this instinct is still strong i have before been walking one of mine with very strong prey instinct and heard a squeak from a river rat only for plug to have grabbed shook and spat it out before i even saw it and he was on lead at the time, he did the deed then carried on as if nothing had happened, yet a sweeter dog with kids and babies you would struggle to find, but thats because he knew the difference. this is one reason i dont give my dogs squeaky toys. it triggers high arousal and i dont want them getting confused. This is a tragic accident and although probably one that could have been avoided by ensuring the baby was out of reach or just seeing situations from the dogs point of view this poor family will have to live with the consequences for the rest of their days. not everyone is a behaviourist and most people buy a dog for the way it looks rather than researching the breeds purpose and using that information to understand how their dog ticks giving valuable insight into how they should be socialised and handled. im not being breed specific i was brought up around terriers and they are fab with kids when they know what they are (and when you dont blow in their face which i did with our jrt at aged six and got a clout for tormenting the dog from my mum ) Any dog can react in a split second to a noise or movement from something new in the corner of the room and sometimes with tragic results Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jacobean Posted February 8, 2009 Report Share Posted February 8, 2009 (edited) It's just awful. This reminds me of my old JRT Jake back in 2003 when one of our nieces was a few months old. He didn't get that she was a little living breathing being. I'm sure he thought she was a doll. A couple of months later we all went on holiday together and he did realise she was a tiddly person and was really good with her. I'll never forget that though. You've also got the problem where if one dog does something the other will join in. Edited February 8, 2009 by Jacobean Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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