[nagdu] NZ: Roaming dog attacks rise

[Jewel]

The danger to guide dogs is a scary thing to think about, especially since I will be moving next year to a rural town in Louisiana. While the danger to guide dogs is bad, there is also the threat to human lives in rural towns. I remember growing up in south Texas and being afraid to walk down the road by myself because of roaming packs of dogs, most of which were originally pets, but had been abandoned to survive on their own. Once, my sister was on a school trip and my brother was ill, so I had to walk to the bus stop alone. Vetting there was fine, but once there I was soon approached and surrounded by a large pack of dogs, which would surely have mauled me with no other people around, but the bus showed up and the driver honked the horn to scare them away. Consider now it I had had a guide dog with me at that time. I believe the dog's trained behavior would have angered these dogs and I and the dog would have been severely injured. Packs of dogs may not be a concern in the city, but with people abandoning their pets in the country, those dogs become vicious as they grow hungry and more wild. It is something I will certainly be worried about in rural Louisiana. 
Just my thoughts, 
Jewel 

Sent from my iPhone

On Jul 7, 2013, at 9:53 AM, Aleeha Dudley <blindcowgirl1993 at gmail.com> wrote:

> This is a frightening and disturbing trend. Fortunately, in my town,
> there don't appear to be many dogs, let alone aggressive ones. I hope
> that tougher legislation can be put into place to help this. I know if
> my dog were attacked, I wouldn't know what to do. I know what The
> Seeing Eye taught us, but I don't know if I could think straight if
> Dalllas was being attacked. I know that it could be possible to get a
> picture, if blurry, of the dog, or to shout loudly so that the public
> might hear or the aggressive dog could be startled. Has anyone had
> this unfortunate experience or have any ideas as to what to do should
> something like this happen?
> Aleeha and Dallas
> 
> On 7/7/13, Ginger Kutsch <GingerKutsch at yahoo.com> wrote:
>> NZ: Roaming dog attacks rise
>> 
>> By Russell Blackstock
>> 
>> 5:30 AM Sunday Jul 7, 2013✩Save
>> 
>> http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1
>> <http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10895186>
>> &objectid=10895186
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> Vicious animals attack guide dogs and pets
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> Joan Lake and Niesha. Photo / Stephen Barker
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> Attacks on guide dogs by out-of-control canines have increased this year,
>> leaving owners and animals injured and distressed.
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> The charity Guide Dog Services says four dogs have been "significantly"
>> mauled in the past eight months when they were with their handlers.
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> "We would normally expect a couple of such attacks every year, but this has
>> already doubled in the past few months," said Pauline Dorking, client
>> services manager at the Foundation for the Blind.
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> "It is distressing for the owners, who don't know what is happening,"
>> Dorking said.
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> "We have also had puppies withdrawn from training schemes because their
>> behaviour changed after being attacked."
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> New Zealand has 224 guide dogs. Recent violent incidents include:
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> • On April 5, a pup being taken home from school in Manurewa by walkers was
>> savaged by two dogs. It took bystanders several minutes to break the dogs'
>> grip. The puppy was treated for puncture wounds and withdrawn from the
>> training programme.
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> • On March 15, a pup was attacked by a bull terrier that leaped from a
>> vehicle and savaged the guide dog in a shop doorway in Te Atatu.
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> The pup suffered bites to its front legs and is being monitored to see if it
>> is fit to resume training.
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> • On September 11, a pup was attacked in a park in Papatoetoe. It took two
>> people to prise the animals apart. The guide dog had puncture wounds to her
>> ear and chin and is not responding well to further ongoing training. The dog
>> responsible was impounded then destroyed.
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> "Sadly, a lot of these cases are not able to be resolved because the handler
>> is not able to describe the dog or the location," Dorking said.
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> Bob Kerridge, executive director at the SPCA in Auckland, said the
>> increasing numbers of attacks on guide dogs was of concern.
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> "These attacks are very traumatic for the handlers and guide dogs," he said.
>> "The owners are pretty powerless when their guide dog is attacked and it can
>> be a very frightening experience."
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> In May, deaf-blind Joan Lake's beloved guide dog Niesha (picture) was mauled
>> in the street by a snarling American bulldog.
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> The 57-year-old from Templeview, Hamilton, was helped by passing motorists
>> who stopped to help.
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> "Someone apparently kicked the bulldog in its private parts because it was
>> the only way to get it to let go of Niesha," Lake said.
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> Lake had to pay more than $1,000 in vet bills for puncture wounds on her
>> labrador and to treat resulting infections. The bulldog was later put down.
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> "I worry it might happen again and there is nothing I could do about it."
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> - Herald on Sunday
>> 
>> By Russell Blackstock Email Russell
>> 
>> _______________________________________________
>> nagdu mailing list
>> nagdu at nfbnet.org
>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nagdu_nfbnet.org
>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for nagdu:
>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nagdu_nfbnet.org/blindcowgirl1993%40gmail.com
>> 
> 
> _______________________________________________
> nagdu mailing list
> nagdu at nfbnet.org
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nagdu_nfbnet.org
> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for nagdu:
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nagdu_nfbnet.org/herekittykat2%40gmail.com