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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To think there may be something more to this recent dog mauling?

81 replies

curiousgeorgie · 19/02/2014 15:11

Horrifically sad story about the 6 day old baby killed by an Alaskan Malamute in Wales.

But it seems a little bit odd... The death hasn't been listed as a dog attack, the police will not comment and say they're still investigating, also, the dog hasn't been destroyed?

In other cases like this I don't think there was such a delay?

Or maybe I'm reading too much into a DM article...

Awful anyway. Poor little baby Sad

OP posts:
sebsmummy1 · 19/02/2014 15:50

Omg!! Are you suggesting she may have blamed the dig when the baby actually died in different circumstances? And the family have sold their story to a National Newspaper??!??!!

sebsmummy1 · 19/02/2014 15:50

dog

Cravey · 19/02/2014 15:50

Solo just to clarify, the pic of the dog being led out was in fact another family pet. Not the animal concerned.

Cravey · 19/02/2014 15:52

They are also not selling stories to anyone. The police liaison officer asked them to make a statement for the police to circulate to press.

Solo · 19/02/2014 15:53

Thanks Cravey, there didn't seem to be anything on that report about other dogs in the house.

CheeseandPickledOnion · 19/02/2014 15:56

Some fishy about this most definitely.

"We are not going to speculate on reports from people in the community and we respectfully ask that you wait for the investigation to run its proper course," a police spokesman said.

All of the reports and statements from the police seem to indicate this isn't a clear dog attack.

Cravey · 19/02/2014 15:59

Solo there wouldn't be would there ? Bloody newspapers like to make it up as they go along. I don't know how she died. As no one does until the post mortem is concluded. Maybe instead of speculating people should show some respect for a family that has lost a tiny baby.

MsIngaFewmarbles · 19/02/2014 16:00

That was a thought that went through my head sebsmummy, the reporting is very odd.

TwelveLeggedWalk · 19/02/2014 16:00

I think this story has been reported very inconsistently which is what makes for the confusion.
The quote on the front of the Sun is I think what a neighbour apparently heard the mother shouting, so it's all second hand.
There was a report (the Mail I think) which quoted another neighbour who claimed to have caught the dog, who was trotting around the street quite happily, not behaving viciously. Clearly there were other dogs in the house judging from the Mirror pic.
I also heard the police statement on tv say they called air ambulance and the girl died later, not on their arrival.
If I had to guess why it has been reported the way it has I would say it sounds like people have assumed/placed the blame on the Malmute because it is a large dog that was new to the family, but it wasn't necessarily that animal which attacked. It is a deeply tragic story either way and I very much hope there is nothing more sinister in it than confusion.

Solo · 19/02/2014 16:04

Well, I would've thought they'd have mentioned that there was another/other dogs in the house in a suspected/alleged dog attack. And I'm not speculating about anything to do with this report Cravey! I think I was quite respectful in my post.

falulahthecat · 19/02/2014 16:06

It's a shame that newspaper print things like this before the full story is known. If they waited, it would stop this sort of speculation and confusion.

Either way, leaving a dog, any dog, alone with a 6 day old baby is a big no-no. They are animals, and dogs do not like being pushed further down the 'pack' by a small human baby.

My mum's best friend had a dog for 11 years, then she got pregnant and it attacked her 3 times and she had to give Rolo away, I don't know what it was thinking , but pregnancy and new babies are a sensitive time when it comes to pets who feel pushed out. Sad

Cravey · 19/02/2014 16:07

Solo that wasn't aimed at you. Sorry of you thought it was. Merely me pointing out there were other pets there was for you. The point about respect was made for others who were speculating.

Joules68 · 19/02/2014 16:10

We'll it's said that Patrick brought it back from the pub as it was being gotten rid of. So no idea of its history I'm guessing if that was the case

Solo · 19/02/2014 16:11

Oh! Blush ok Cravey!

scottishmummy · 19/02/2014 16:14

Dreadful accident.i hope the parents are supported and debriefed
Haven't read media coverage

Coconutty · 19/02/2014 16:16

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Stinklebell · 19/02/2014 16:19

There was a report (the Mail I think) which quoted another neighbour who claimed to have caught the dog, who was trotting around the street quite happily, not behaving viciously

Yes, that's the story I originally read too. That a neighbour had caught the Malamute who was just trotting around outside and handed it to a police officer

I think lots of inconsistent stories have led to some confusion which makes it appear there's more to the story than there is

BulletForMySandwich · 19/02/2014 16:19

cravey you're right, speculating on this is horrible, it's just so difficult when the papers describe things in that way you know? Sad I know a lot of dog owners are cautious of their dogs, my post was quite randy when I re-read it. Sorry about that! I just meant people like my MIL who think that their dog is fine, just because!

BulletForMySandwich · 19/02/2014 16:20

*ranty not randy Blush sorry!

Sparklingbrook · 19/02/2014 16:21

What Coconutty said. I think speculation should be avoided, and you shouldn't believe what you read in the papers.

Pigsmummy · 19/02/2014 16:21

This story and the one about the 2 year old in Bradford made me cry on my way to a meeting this morning. Rip babies.

I don't want any further details tbh, what I read was bad enough

Cravey · 19/02/2014 16:23

Please let me reassure you all, the dog was out before the attack. The neighbour has clarified that today with the daily hate. The dog concerned in fact all of them were kept in the house until after the baby had been removed. Bullet I get it. Totally. Some people are like that which I find a bit odd. Any animal can turn for any reason. Whatever the truth in this sad tale is it will come out in the end. The family have got support for whoever asked.

Cravey · 19/02/2014 16:25

Bullet I did wonder with the randy thing. Lol. Let's just put it this way. That baby was much wanted and much loved. She was poorly at birth which for the family was so scary. Then this. The speculation isn't going to help in any way. And newspapers do make it up as they go along. Whatever will sell as far as most of them are concerned.

Solo · 19/02/2014 16:33

You sound like you know all this as fact Cravey.

BlueDesmarais · 19/02/2014 16:34

"Police said that a post-mortem examination would need to be held to investigate the cause of death before they could confirm it was a dog attack"

Well, not to be Sherlock, but if that's the case I agree it smells fishy. Either the dog savagely mauled the child, or it didn't, but surely such an act is fairly obvious.

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