[nagdu] Pitbulls and Reputations
Larry D Keeler
lkeeler at comcast.net
Mon Sep 15 15:23:30 UTC 2014
Viviana, I trust those kind of people less than I trust the dogs!
----- Original Message -----
From: "Vivianna via nagdu" <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
To: "NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users"
<nagdu at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Monday, September 15, 2014 10:41 AM
Subject: Re: [nagdu] Pitbulls and Reputations
hi all,
do i trust pit bulls? no way!
i would venture to guess that most owners of pits have them because they
want a tough mean dog and therefore, they encourage that sort of behavior.
pits are well-known to be owned by unsavory types.
are there nice gentle pits? of course. but, do i trust the breed? no way.
i, however, tend to not trust anybody’s dog. a little ankle biter can be
just as agressive. the pit will just do way more damage to me or my guide.
i actually know someone who pawned her pit off as a service dog just so that
she could take it on the train. this is not cool as, there was a ligit
service dog on the train and, the two dogs nearly got into a fight.
unfortunately, i fear that this misrepresentation of service dogs is only
going to get worse. soon we will be faced with fake service dogs wherever
we go.
i was told that, in some countries in europe, for example, the general
public brings their dogs everywhere, shops, restaurants, your home, etc. i
have wondered how it would be to try and work my dog around a bunch of dogs
all the time.
she is excellent at dog distractions but, i think it would just be a matter
of time before she was attacked.
Vivianna
On Sep 15, 2014, at 9:28 AM, Daryl Marie via nagdu <nagdu at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> Yesterday we had a local woman attacked by dogs. here's the news story.
> It doesn't indicate the breed(s) of the dogs, but ultimately it doesn't
> matter.
>
> http://www.edmontonjournal.com/news/edmonton/intervened+attack+saved+victim+life+police/10202789/story.html
>
> Daryl
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Tracy Carcione via nagdu <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
> To: Julie J. <julielj at neb.rr.com>, NAGDU Mailing List, the National
> Association of Guide Dog Users <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Mon, 15 Sep 2014 08:08:19 -0600 (MDT)
> Subject: Re: [nagdu] Pitbulls and Reputations was RE: A leisurely walk
> oranightmare? Dog aggressionincreasingin Davis, Calif.
>
> A friend's pet golden was recently attacked by a pit bull, in an area
> where
> I often walk. The pit bull was a rescue. Its owner was walking it when
> it
> pulled away and attacked my friend's dog. It took some time to get the
> pit
> off her, and she needed a lot of stiches on her shoulders, sides and legs.
> She really got mauled. It was the second time this pit had attacked a
> dog,
> so the owner had it put down. I'm sorry for the owner, who my friend says
> seems very nice, but I'm relieved that I can walk in that area without
> being
> on high alert.
> Tracy
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Julie J. via nagdu" <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
> To: "Nicole Torcolini" <ntorcolini at wavecable.com>; "NAGDU Mailing List,the
> National Association of Guide Dog Users" <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Monday, September 15, 2014 6:24 AM
> Subject: Re: [nagdu] Pitbulls and Reputations was RE: A leisurely walk
> oranightmare? Dog aggressionincreasingin Davis, Calif.
>
>
>> There seem to be two types of pit bull owners...those who want them to be
>> aggressive and protective and those who want to prove to the world that
>> they are sweet and harmless. Unfortunately, the first group seems to
>> have
>> undertaken the bulk of the breeding endeavors. The pit bull varies
>> widely
>> in it's breeding and you end up with an incredible amount of
>> unpredictability from one pit bull to the next. Also they are not a true
>> breed, in the same way that cocker spaniels or Greyhounds are. they are
>> not recognized by any organization like the AKC. You can breed any sort
>> of dog with another dog and if the result has the look people have come
>> to
>> associate with a pit bull, then you have a pit bull.
>>
>> I grew up next door, like 50 feet away, from a man who bred and trained
>> pit bulls for fighting. I'm not scared of pit bulls as a whole, but
>> there are some scary dogs out there. I mean the truly aggressive,
>> killing sort. The sort of dogs who will come at you silently, head down,
>> no barking, no growling, just focused on the kill. The man next door
>> kept his dogs locked up, usually. Still we never climbed the fence into
>> that yard. If the basketball went over the fence, you went and asked the
>> neighbor man to get it for you. If he wasn't home, you found something
>> else to do until he came back. My brother climbed the fence once and one
>> of the dogs was out, lying under a car so you couldn't see him. He came
>> flying out straight for my brother. Chris took a running jump back over
>> the fence and almost made it. He ended up with a small bite to his
>> backside. It's kind of funny now, but very scary back then. I grew up
>> in the ghetto. You don't call the police for things like this. It just
>> isn't done. You would end up making your neighbors very angry and that
>> will make your life much, much worse.
>>
>> Julie
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: Nicole Torcolini via nagdu
>> Sent: Sunday, September 14, 2014 10:44 PM
>> To: 'NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users'
>> Subject: [nagdu] Pitbulls and Reputations was RE: A leisurely walk or
>> anightmare? Dog aggressionincreasingin Davis, Calif.
>>
>> Trying this again since the system messed something up the last time.
>> First, before I say anything else, I want to make sure that it is
>> understood
>> that I think that any dog of any breed can attack another dog. As it was
>> once said in a movie, "You can make any dog mean."
>> That being said, I have certain opinions about pitbulls that I would like
>> to
>> share.
>> First, JMHO, the problem is kind of a vicious circle. Pitbulls are known
>> for
>> being aggressive, so people get them and train them to be aggressive or
>> don't take steps to train them to not be aggressive, thus making the
>> problem
>> worse.
>> Second, people who have pitbulls don't always train them properly. Yes,
>> all
>> dogs should be trained certain ways and certain amounts based on breed,
>> but
>> there are different, and sometimes worse, implications for not properly
>> training certain breeds.
>> Finally, some people who have pitbulls say that their dogs are harmless
>> and
>> friendly when they are not. I am not sure if this happens more with
>> pitbulls, but the consequences are worse.
>> If a person has had dogs attacked by other dogs, and one or more of the
>> attacking dogs was a putbull, when asked about dog attacks, that person
>> is
>> probably going to talk about pitbulls because it was the most frightening
>> and probably the most severe.
>> I have pasted most of the website below my signature. If you don't read
>> all
>> of it, at least read this part:
>> Q: Do pit bulls bite more than other dogs?
>> Depending upon the community in which you live and the ratio of pit bulls
>> within it, yes and no. But whether a pit bull bites more or less than
>> another dog breed is not the point. The issue is the acute damage a pit
>> bull
>> inflicts when it does choose to bite. The pit bull's "hold and shake"
>> bite
>> style causes severe bone and muscle damage, often inflicting permanent
>> and
>> disfiguring injury. Moreover, once a pit bull starts an attack, firearm
>> intervention may be the only way to stop it.
>>
>> Nicole
>>
>> http://www.dogsbite.org/dangerous-dogs-pit-bull-faq.php
>> Dogs bite. Some dogs don't let go. | DogsBite.orgDogsBite.org is a
>> public
>> education website
>> In the 9-year period from 2005 to 2013, pit bulls killed 176 Americans
>> and
>> accounted for 62% of the total recorded deaths (283). Combined, pit bulls
>> and rottweilers accounted for 74% of these deaths.
>> Pit bull FAQ :: Download PDF file
>> Learn the names of the different dog breeds that comprise a "pit bull,"
>> the
>> selective breeding history of the pit bull (dogfighting) and answers to
>> other frequently asked questions.
>> Q: What is a pit bull?
>> The legal definition of a pit bull is a class of dogs that includes the
>> following breeds: American pit bull terrier, American Staffordshire
>> terrier,
>> Staffordshire bull terrier, American bulldog1 and any other pure bred or
>> mixed breed dog that is a combination of these dogs. Weight and shape can
>> vary significantly amongst pit bulls, from 35 to 100 plus pounds. (Please
>> see Disguise Breed Name to learn more about the deliberate renaming and
>> mislabeling of pit bulls through history.)
>> Q: What is the history of the pit bull?
>> The blood sport of "bull baiting" began over 1,000 years ago in England
>> (various sources dispute this date). What is undisputed is that by 1500,
>> bull baiting had progressed to Britain's national pastime. Bulldogs were
>> reportedly first mentioned by name in 1631, referring to their function
>> rather than a distinct dog breed. By 1800, and through further selective
>> breeding, the bulldog developed into a compact muscular dog characterized
>> by
>> tremendous jaw strength.2
>> Due to public outrage, bull baiting was banned in England in 1835.
>> Bulldog
>> breeders and owners then moved to the sport of "ratting," where a number
>> of
>> rats were placed into a pit and wagers were made on how many rats the dog
>> could kill in a certain time period. To increase agility, quickness and
>> prey-drive in the bulldog, ratters crossed the breed with terriers.
>> Essentially, it was the sport of ratting that combined the bulldog and
>> terrier into the modern day pit bull terrier.
>> On the heels of ratting, dogfighting developed. Pit bulls and dogfighting
>> were exported to America as settlers made their way to the New World. In
>> 1884, the American Kennel Club was formed but rejected pit bulls due to
>> their use in dogfighting. In response, Chauncey Z. Bennett formed the
>> United
>> Kennel Club in 1898 to bring formal recognition to the pit bull breed. At
>> that time, Bennett also drew up rules and regulations for dogfighting to
>> bring "organization" to the blood sport.3
>> Q: What is dogfighting and what does it have to do with pit bulls?
>> Pit bulls are the dog of choice amongst dogmen, individuals who fight
>> their
>> pit bulls against other pit bulls. Dogmen consider pit bull terriers, who
>> they commonly call "100% bulldogs," to be the ultimate canine gladiator.
>> Pit
>> bulls were selectively bred for "gameness," the ability to finish a
>> fight.
>> A
>> truly gamedog will continue fighting "on stumps," two or more broken
>> legs,
>> and far worse.4 (Please see excerpts from The Complete Gamedog, by Ed and
>> Chris Faron to learn more).
>> The blood sport of dogfighting involves a contest between two dogs,
>> primarily pit bulls, fighting each other in front of spectators for
>> entertainment and gambling purposes. Other felonious activities, such as
>> illegal drugs, often accompany dogfight matches. A single dogfight
>> averages
>> about an hour in length but can last two or more.5 A dogfight begins when
>> a
>> referee says, "Face your dogs," then says, "Let go." The fight ends when
>> one
>> of the dogs will not or cannot continue.
>> The arrest and conviction of Michael Vick shows that dogfighting still
>> proliferates in the U.S. Law enforcement education, however, is on the
>> rise.
>> In July 2009, authorities unleashed an 8-state simultaneous dogfighting
>> sting and seized over 450 dogs.6 In December 2008, Edward Faron of
>> Wildside
>> Kennels, known as the "godfather" of dogfighting, was arrested and
>> charged.
>> Authorities seized 127 pit bulls from his property. Faron pleaded guilty
>> to
>> 14 counts of felony dogfighting.7
>> Q: Why do I always read about pit bulls in the news?
>> When a pit bull attacks, the injury inflicted may be catastrophic. First
>> responders, such as police officers and firefighters, understand this as
>> do
>> members of the media, who are quick to report these attacks. Ongoing
>> social
>> tension also keeps pit bulls in the news. The pit bull problem is nearly
>> 30-years old.8 In this time, most lawmakers have been "too afraid" to
>> take
>> breed-specific action to correct the problem. Due to this failure,
>> horrific
>> maulings continue to make headlines.
>> About half of all media reports regarding pit bulls involve police
>> officers
>> shooting dangerous pit bulls in the line of duty.9 Since the late 1970's
>> pit
>> bulls have been used extensively in criminal operations for drug dealers,
>> gang members and other violent offenders. The pit bull terrier is the
>> breed
>> of choice for criminals. This choice is directly linked to the pit bull's
>> selectively bred traits of robust jaw strength, a deadly bite style,
>> tenacity (gameness) and a high tolerance to pain.10
>> Q: Why do people say that pit bulls "don't let go?"
>> Through selective breeding, pit bulls have developed enormous jaw
>> strength,
>> as well as a ruinous "hold and shake" bite style, designed to inflict the
>> maximum damage possible on their victims. This bite trait delivered
>> winning
>> results in the fighting pit. When the Colorado Supreme Court upheld the
>> Denver pit bull ban in 2005, the high court set aside characteristics
>> that
>> pit bulls displayed when they attack that differ from all other dog
>> breeds.
>> One of these characteristics was their lethal bite:
>> "[pit bulls] inflict more serious wounds than other breeds. They tend to
>> attack the deep muscles, to hold on, to shake, and to cause ripping of
>> tissues. Pit bull attacks were compared to shark attacks."11
>> Leading pit bull education websites, such as Pit Bull Rescue Central,
>> encourage pit bull owners to be responsible and to always carry a "break
>> stick" -- a tool used to pry open a pit bull's jaws -- in case their dog
>> "accidentally" gets into a fight. These same websites also warn that
>> using
>> a
>> break stick on any other dog breed may cause serious injury to the
>> person.12
>> This is true because no other dog breed possesses the pit bull's tenacity
>> combined with a "hold and shake" bite style.
>> One of the most powerful examples of a pit bull "not letting go" occurred
>> in
>> an Ohio courtroom. During the Toledo v. Tellings trial (Tellings was
>> convicted of violating the City of Toledo's pit bull ordinance), Lucas
>> County Dog Warden Tom Skeldon showed a videotape of a tranquilized pit
>> bull
>> hanging from a steel cable. The dog is essentially unconscious and still
>> does not release its grip. At the time of the taping, the pit bull was
>> being
>> housed at the Lucas County Animal Shelter.13
>> Q: Do pit bulls bite more than other dogs?
>> Depending upon the community in which you live and the ratio of pit bulls
>> within it, yes and no. But whether a pit bull bites more or less than
>> another dog breed is not the point. The issue is the acute damage a pit
>> bull
>> inflicts when it does choose to bite. The pit bull's "hold and shake"
>> bite
>> style causes severe bone and muscle damage, often inflicting permanent
>> and
>> disfiguring injury. Moreover, once a pit bull starts an attack, firearm
>> intervention may be the only way to stop it.
>> When analyzing dog bite statistics, it is important to understand what
>> constitutes a bite. A single bite -- recorded and used in dog bite
>> statistics -- is a bite that "breaks the skin." One bite by a poodle that
>> leaves two puncture wounds is recorded the same way as a pit bull
>> mauling,
>> which can constitute hundreds of puncture wounds and extensive soft
>> tissue
>> loss. Despite the "quagmire" of dog bite statistics, pit bulls are
>> leading
>> bite counts across U.S. cities and counties.14
>> Q: How come pit bull owners say, "My dog might lick you to death."
>> To understand the experience of owning a negatively perceived dog, Tufts
>> Center for Animals and Public Policy did a study on pit bull owners.
>> Researchers found that owners of out-law dog breeds directly feel the
>> stigma
>> targeted at their breed and resort to various tactics to lessen it. One
>> of
>> the tactics included attempts to counterbalance the pit bull's menacing
>> appearance and physical power with overwhelming "affectionate" behavior,
>> such as: "My dog might lick you to death."15
>> Q: Why does my friend say, "Pit bulls are dog-aggressive not
>> human-aggressive?"
>> Due to selective breeding for the purposes of dogfighting, pit bulls are
>> highly dog-aggressive. This aggression is not limited to dogs; pit bulls
>> frequently kill other companion pets and domesticated animals. Leading
>> pit
>> bull education websites warn pit bull owners to, "Never trust your pit
>> bull
>> not to fight." These same websites also state that pit bulls should never
>> be
>> left alone with another dog or animal.16 The practical question is: Why
>> is
>> "pit bull dog aggression" tolerated at all?
>> Pit bull dog aggression is unacceptable for two reasons. In many
>> instances
>> it leads to human aggression. A common scenario is the following: A loose
>> pit bull attacks a leashed dog being walked by its owner. The owner gets
>> seriously injured trying to stop the attack. In 2009, two human beings
>> suffered death due to pit bull dog aggression: Rosie Humphreys, who had
>> been
>> walking her two poodles, and Carter Delaney, who had tried to protect a
>> smaller dog in his home.
>> Secondly, far too many beloved companion pets and domesticated animals
>> suffer a violent death by the powerful jaws of pit bull terriers each
>> year.
>> In some instances, these attacks involve pit bulls charging through
>> screen
>> doors of private homes -- in a home invasion attack -- to kill the pet
>> living inside.17 Owners of the pet are then forced to watch as their pet
>> is
>> disemboweled by the pit bull and pray that the dog does not turn its
>> attention on an innocent family member next.
>> Q: What is the best thing we can do for communities and pit bulls?
>> The best thing we can do for communities and pit bulls is to regulate pit
>> bull ownership and pit bull breeding. Lowering the pit bull population
>> will
>> reduce the number of serious maulings, as well as pit bull
>> euthanizations.
>> In the July/August 2009 issue of Animal People, the group estimated that
>> of
>> the 1,663,167 shelter dogs projected to be euthanized in 2009, pit bulls
>> accounted for 58%. This is true despite the fact that pit bulls only make
>> up
>> 5% of the total U.S. dog population.18
>> Over 700 U.S. cities and nearly all privatized military housing -- the
>> U.S.
>> Army and U.S. Marine Corps now have uniform pet policies -- have adopted
>> breed-specific laws to correct the pit bull problem. Such measures
>> include:
>> mandatory sterilization, liability insurance and strict containment
>> rules.
>> The most progressive legislation bans the future breeding of pit bulls (a
>> pit bull ban). In just a few years, these communities see a significant
>> drop
>> in pit bull bites and euthanizations.
>> Learn how communities are legislating dogs »
>> 1. Progressive pit bull legislation includes the American bulldog in
>> its definition of a pit bull.
>> 2. The History of Bull Baiting, by Amy Fernandez, DogChannel.com.
>> 3. American Pit Bull Terrier Handbook, by Joe Stahlkuppe, Barron's
>> Educational Series, Inc., 2000.
>> 4. The Complete Gamedog: A Guide to Breeding & Raising the American pit
>> bull terrier, by Ed and Chris Faron, Walsworth Pub. Co., 1995.
>> 5. Dogfighting Fact Sheet, The Humane Society of the United States.
>> 6. Eight-State Dogfighting Raid Largest in U.S. History, by Wayne
>> Pacelle, The Humane Society of the United States, July 9, 2009.
>> 7. Dog-fighting 'godfather' given prison, by Monte Mitchell,
>> Winston-Salem Journal, February 13, 2009.
>> 8. Pit Bulls -- Family Pets and Fierce Fighters, by Tom Greely, Los
>> Angeles Times, July 25, 1982.
>> 9. Combined data from: Mid Year Results: U.S. Pit Bull Attacks 2009 and
>> Mid Year Results: U.S. Police and Citizen Shootings of Pit Bulls 2009, by
>> DogsBite.org, August 2009.
>> 10. One City's Experience, by Kory A. Nelson, Senior City Attorney for
>> the City of Denver, Municipal Lawyer, July/August 2005.
>> 11. Pit Bull Case Report and Literature Review, by Steven F. Vegas, MD,
>> Jason H. Calhoun, MD, M. Eng., John Mader, MD, Texas Medicine Vol. 84,
>> November 1988.
>> 12. Breaking Up a Fight, Pit Bull Rescue Central.
>> 13. Information provided by the Lucas County, Ohio Dog Warden.
>> 14. Pit Bulls Lead "Bite" Counts Across U.S. Cities and Counties, by
>> DogsBite.org (continuously updated).
>> 15. Managing the Stigma of Outlaw Breeds: A Case Study of Pit Bull
>> Owners, by Hillary Twining, Arnold Arluke, Gary Patronek, Tufts Center
>> for
>> Animals and Public Policy, Society & Animals Journal of Human-Animal
>> Studies, Vol. 8 Number 1, 2000.
>> 16. 10 Easy to Remember Tips for Responsible Pit Bull Owners,
>> PitBullLovers.com.
>> 17. Pit bull put down after attack, by Kieran Nicholson, The Denver
>> Post, March 3, 2009.
>> 18. Decade of Adoption Focus Fails to Reduce Shelter Killing, by Merritt
>> Clifton, Animal People, July/August 2009.
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: nagdu [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Valerie Gibson
>> via nagdu
>> Sent: Sunday, September 14, 2014 6:53 PM
>> To: NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users
>> Subject: Re: [nagdu] A leisurely walk or a nightmare? Dog
>> aggressionincreasingin Davis, Calif.
>>
>> Hi,
>>
>> apart from the obvious, my only gripe about this article in particular is
>> that it seems to point out pit bulls as the breed to attack other dogs.
>> While I'm sure that the dogs mentioned were pit bulls, I'm sure they were
>> not the only breed that's been after this couple and their dogs.
>>
>> Just another article to give the pit bulls even more of a bad rep than
>> they
>> already have.
>>
>>
>> On Sep 14, 2014, at 3:04 PM, Nicole Torcolini via nagdu
>> <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
>> wrote:
>>
>>> This kind of thing where the laws are not enforced until there is a
>>> problem has got to stop. It's not just with service dog laws; it's
>> everywhere.
>>>
>>> Nicole
>>>
>>> -----Original Message-----
>>> From: nagdu [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Ginger
>>> Kutsch via nagdu
>>> Sent: Sunday, September 14, 2014 4:44 AM
>>> To: NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users
>>> Subject: [nagdu] A leisurely walk or a nightmare? Dog aggression
>>> increasingin Davis, Calif.
>>>
>>> A leisurely walk or a nightmare? Dog aggression increasing in
>>> Davis, California
>>>
>>> YOLO COUNTY NEWS
>>>
>>> September 07, 2014
>>>
>>> By Mike May
>>>
>>> Source:
>>> http://www.davisenterprise.com/forum/opinion-columns/a-leisurely-walk-
>>> or-a-n ightmare-dog-aggression-increasing-in-davis/
>>>
>>> Mike May and his wife Gena and their Seeing Eye dogs, Tank and Yulie,
>>> walk on F Street in downtown Davis. The Mays say that aggressive dogs,
>>> particularly downtown and in Community Park, are becoming a big
>>> problem for them and their guide dogs. Fred Gladdis/Enterprise photo
>>>
>>> With your eyes closed, picture the sound of growling and barking
>>> getting closer and closer and yet you cannot open your eyes.
>>>
>>> Sound like a nightmare?
>>>
>>> Now with your eyes open, walk down the street with your wonderful but
>>> nosy dog on a leash and pass a blind couple with their Seeing Eye
>>> dogs. Your dog barks or even growls. You shout, “She just wants to
>>> play.”
>>>
>>> The blind couple can’t hear you over the barking. They can’t see if
>>> your dog is on leash or baring its teeth. This is a leisurely walk for
>>> you and a nightmare for them.
>>>
>>> Things are totally different from the perspective of a blind person
>>> with a guide dog. I am blind, as is my wife Gena. Both of us have a
>>> little vision but not enough to know if there is a fence between us
>>> and a growling dog or if the dog is on a leash. For us, walking in and
>>> out of downtown Davis two or three times a day can be a nightmare.
>>>
>>> Our Seeing Eye dogs, Tank and Yulie, are trained to ignore other dogs
>>> and to focus on their highly challenging job of guiding us. Pet dogs
>>> mostly pass by our working dogs without incident but at least once a
>>> walk, we encounter aggressive dogs, which seem to appear from nowhere.
>>>
>>> The nature of aggressive dogs ranges from barking to growling to
>>> lunging at Tank and Yulie. We have no idea if that dog in the front
>>> yard of the house on Fourth Street near E Street will reach the end of
>>> a chain, is behind a fence or if it has burst from its house with
>>> intent to protect its territory.
>>>
>>> Believe me, my adrenaline spikes and Gena usually screams. This turns
>>> a pleasant walk into a frightening experience for us and our dogs.
>>>
>>> The two worst areas for dog aggression are the Community Park and E
>>> Street, although the Third and E corner seems to be quieter the past few
>> weeks.
>>> There are several pit bulls in the park. Occasionally, one is tied to
>>> a bench without an owner apparently around. Other times, these dogs
>>> bark and growl and even lunge at Tank and Yulie such that we have to
>>> leave the sidewalk to avoid them.
>>>
>>> Recently, two guys with their three dogs were blocking the sidewalk in
>>> the park. When I asked, “Are your dogs on leash?” They said, “Two are.
>>> Only the black one is vicious.” I learned only after giving them a
>>> wide berth that the black one was the one not on leash and the other two
>> were pit bulls.
>>> Gena didn’t risk it and took the long way around.
>>>
>>> We have given up taking the shortcut through the park into town and
>>> instead stay on the much busier Fifth Street where there usually
>>> aren’t dogs other than sometimes at Davis Community Church at C Street.
>>>
>>> Not all obnoxious dogs are big and mean-looking. There have been two
>>> little dogs frequently with their owner on the corner of Third and E
>>> streets that are allowed to bark and surprise us because their owner
>>> says, “Dogs are allowed by God to use their voices.”
>>>
>>> That stretch of E Street, near Peet’s Coffee & Tea, often has a
>>> gauntlet of dogs, some well-behaved, some not. One day, when walking
>>> along the west side of E Street between First and Second streets, we
>>> passed three growling dogs and one nice one, all within one block.
>>> When crossing Second Street, a dog snapped at Yulie in the middle of
>>> the intersection and the owner did nothing but continue on his way.
>>>
>>> Most dog owners try to be responsible even if a bit misguided about
>>> dog handling or socializing. Many owners don’t quite get that town is
>>> not the dog park and letting their dogs socialize with working dogs is
>>> a dangerous distraction. Some say nothing when their dog barks and
>>> growls.
>>>
>>> We can report the situation to Animal Control or the police, but the
>>> officers have little recourse if no dog or person has been injured.
>>> Like a dangerous intersection that needs a signal light, it will take
>>> a serious injury before anything will be done about this dog
>>> aggression. Even then, that will only impact the one bad dog and not
>>> the more general increase in lackadaisical dog management.
>>>
>>> A Seeing Eye dog costs about $65,000. Injuring the dog physically or
>>> emotionally is expensive and traumatic, potentially leading to the dog
>>> being taken out of service. My fourth Seeing Eye dog was attacked in a
>>> park and seriously injured while I tried to stay out of the way with
>>> my 3-year-old son in my arms.
>>>
>>> My dog subsequently became very protective so when pets challenged
>>> him, instead of backing off and defusing the situation, he fought
>>> back. That’s not something that I want my guide to do. Fortunately,
>>> Tank veers away from other dogs.
>>>
>>> Sometimes near-proximity with pet dogs is unavoidable, like the dogs
>>> tied to the fence at Café Bernardo, or the dogs under the outside
>>> tables at Burgers & Brew or de Vere’s Irish Pub. Now that a recent
>>> bill was passed allowing restaurants to permit dogs on their patios,
>>> we know that unpleasant surprises are in store for us at many
>>> restaurants.
>>>
>>> We hope that Davisites will be sensitized to this problem by reading
>>> this article. Perhaps the city leash laws could be expanded to
>>> disallow growling or lunging dogs to be in town. At the very least,
>>> officials could patrol the park to deal with unattended dogs and to
>> enforce leash laws.
>>>
>>> We would someday like to navigate Davis as we did even a few years ago
>>> wherever, whenever, without being threatened by dogs with well-meaning
>>> but misguided dog owners.
>>>
>>> We love Davis and are always happy to meet people in town and even
>>> other dogs under controlled situations. We almost always say yes when
>>> children nicely ask if they can pet our dogs. Please say hi to us as
>>> we can’t see you.
>>>
>>> For more information about state laws regarding dog attacks, see
>>> www.seeingeye.org/protect.
>>>
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> 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/ntorcolini%40waveca
>>> ble.co
>>> m
>>>
>>>
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> 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/valandkayla%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/ntorcolini%40wavecable.co
>> m
>>
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> 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/julielj%40neb.rr.com
>>
>>
>> -----
>> No virus found in this message.
>> Checked by AVG - www.avg.com
>> Version: 2012.0.2247 / Virus Database: 4015/7709 - Release Date: 09/14/14
>>
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> 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/carcione%40access.net
>>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> 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/crazymusician%40shaw.ca
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> 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/irishana%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/lkeeler%40comcast.net
More information about the NAGDU
mailing list