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Original poster

Dog attacks boy

162 replies

GhoulsAreLoud · 30/11/2009 13:35

news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/merseyside/8386023.stm

Sorry, this is a disturbing story. As a parent and dog owner is absolutely chills me.

I wonder what more can be done to prevent these kind of incidents?

OP posts:
Original poster
GhoulsAreLoud · 30/11/2009 13:36

here, sorry

OP posts:
AvrilH · 30/11/2009 13:45

Such incidents make the headlines because they are so extremely rare. We don't usually even hear about the children maimed or killed by cars.

Not commenting on this particular story, but over the past few years I have noticed that it is almost always the grandparent's dog which is involved when a child is attacked by a dog. I suspect that these dogs are not used to rambunctious children or babies, and don't understand that they are part of their "pack".

I think that, as parents, we have to be wary of our own parents' dogs.

ShinyAndNew · 30/11/2009 13:49

Good point Avril. My dd's are NEVER EVER left in the same room as my father's Akita, as he is not used to children. And while he has never shown any agression towards us, I know I couldn't trust him with my children.

It's a terrible thing to happen to the family. But there aren't really a lot of details to comment on how/why it happened and whether it was preventable.

Original poster
GhoulsAreLoud · 30/11/2009 13:50

Yes, thankfully they are very rare.

OP posts:
LouMacca · 30/11/2009 13:51

AvrilH - my thoughts exactly when I heard this. I think that this is the 3rd child on the run that I have heard of being killed whilst at their grandparents house or with a grandparent.

So so sad

RIP Little Man x

AvrilH · 30/11/2009 15:05

I did not even realise that this was another grandparent incident.

horrible

MarioChristmas · 30/11/2009 15:31

RIP

wannaBe · 30/11/2009 15:40

horrible.

I think it's telling though that the breed of dog has not yet been able to be identified. So wouldn't be surprised if it was a pitbul or some such rather than the average docile family pet.

Also we don't know that it was the grandparents' dog or even that the woman was the grandmother. And if she was, she obviously put herself at risk to try to save the child.

ShinyAndNew · 30/11/2009 15:53

Why is it telling Wannabe? My dog is not a pitbull type dog, or a Bull terrier, but even my Vet is unsure as to what he is crossed with and can only make an educated guess. I highly doubt that the Police would immediately be able to tell me what breed he is.

AnyFucker · 30/11/2009 16:05

I heard it somewhere (sorry, can't remember now), that it was a "pitbull-type"

GreatOrmondSt · 30/11/2009 16:05

I just heard about this story on the news. What a tragedy. My thoughts go out to the family at this difficult time and I hope they are getting the support they need. No matter the circumstances, losing a child is very traumatic and my sympathies are with all the people that knew and loved this child.

onagar · 30/11/2009 16:51

It was certainly preventable. By simply not having a dog that isn't under someones complete control in the first place.

spookycharlotte121 · 30/11/2009 16:52

GOd how awful.... i feel so sad for the family. what an awful way to lose a child and it must have been awful for the grandmother to whitness.

so so sad! Hope his family are doing ok... but my guess is that theyre in pieces.

thedollshouse · 30/11/2009 16:58

I think people are naive when it comes to children and dogs. My relative has a staffordshire type thing (not sure what it is exactly), apparantly it is docile and has a lovely nature with the children. They allow the dog to take things out of the childrens mouths. People must respect that no matter how lovely a dog may seem it is an animal and could turn at any moment, allowing a dog so close to a babys face is irresponsible parenting in my opinion.

MandaHugNKiss · 30/11/2009 17:22

thedollshouse actually, letting a dog take anything from a child that is not in a 'giving' sense (ie having the dog sit or perform somehow (so give paw, whatever) before it's 'rewarded') is actually giving the dog the message that it is dominant over the child. Quite apart from your point, this is really unwise/dangerous as a dog ought to be clear of it's place in a 'pack' and it certainly ought to rank below all humans. It is, simply put, asking for trouble to behave that way with a dog (staffy or not, docile or not).

Sassybeast · 30/11/2009 18:12

I wouldn't waste any energy on sympathy for the family. That poor poor poor little boy and his brother. This story makes me so angry.

news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/merseyside/8387101.stm

luckyblackcat · 30/11/2009 18:19

news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/merseyside/8387101.stm

MrsMorgan · 30/11/2009 18:22

I don't think that is very fair Sassy, as presumably the whole family were not in on the breeding of the dogs ?

I have to say though, I did wonder why the children were up at that hour anyway, but then it could have happened at any time of day.

redsofas · 30/11/2009 18:26

Poor little boy, i have seen this on the news today
I felt really guilty on a friend and her family last week as they have a large pitbull type dog and a 2yr old dd and say hes harmless but when he came rather near to my ds2 (3 months) whilst breastfeeding i almost yelled "get that dog away please i dont want him biting ds" but now i feel like i did the right thing whether it upset them or not.
Theese stories always have me in tears,
R.I.P. Jon Paul Massey x x x

Plonker · 30/11/2009 18:33

Poor little soul

Will people never learn?

2shoes · 30/11/2009 18:36

poor little lad and poor family, what a horrid thing to happen

Nancy66 · 30/11/2009 18:47

yep, another Pit bull type dog.

Poor, poor little boy, what a horrible way to die.

To answer the OP's question of how we prevent these type of incidents. Well, trying to drum into fuckwits that pit bulls are not suitable family pets might be a start.

bronze · 30/11/2009 18:53

poor family, poor boy and poor dog

wannaBe · 30/11/2009 18:53

Thedollshouse the comment that a dog can turn at any time is just hysterical. Yes, any dog is capable of biting any person, but the reality is that as a rule, dogs don't just turn for no apparent reason unless they are already agressive. And if you look at recent cases of dogs seriously hurting or killing children, they have all been:

  1. someone else's dog, i.e. not the family pet of the child involved.
  1. Either guard dogs or illegal breeds known for their agressive tendencies.

we really need to get past this idea that children are routinely being killed by the family pet dog because that is whipping people up into an unnecessary frenzy and taking away the emphasis from the real issue here which is people's need to keep either agressive or illegal dogs, and the way that can be dealt with.

Redsofas I highly doubt that your friend has a "pitbul type" dog as pitbuls are illegal. Most likely she has a staffy, but the media hysteria has led you to believe it's a pitbul and to unnecessarily fear for the life of your child.

I'm all for being cautious, but this notion that all dogs are vicious monsters just waiting to kill our children is totally unfounded and ridiculous.

Sassybeast · 30/11/2009 18:56

I think it's perfectly fair to be honest MrsM. What'isn't' fair is that people like this little boys family live like ferals, have total disregard for the law, refuse to adhere to the laws of a civilised society and put their child in a situation where he was torn apart by an animal. And you believe that I should feel sympathy for them ? No, I feel sympathy for that little boy and for the next child and the next who will be mauled to death. Because after a few days of politicians and Matthew Wright pontificating, the story will slide off the radar, perhaps some members of this 'family' will receive a slap on the wrists in terms of a prison sentance, and the next family of thugs will line up to take their place as the keeper of the next child killing dog. And when the next death hits the headlines, the whole process will begin again.