True Hero
Tiny terrier saves five kids from two pit bulls
But injuries force canine New Zealand hero named George to be destroyed...
Nic Gibson / AP/
WELLINGTON, New Zealand - A plucky foot-high Jack Russell terrier named George saved five New Zealand children from two marauding pit bulls, but was so severely mauled in the fight he had to be destroyed, his owner said Wednesday.
George was playing with the group of children as they returned home from buying sweets at a neighborhood shop in the small North Island town of Manaia last Sunday when the two pit bulls appeared and lunged toward them, his owner, Allan Gay, said.
"George was brave - he took them on, and he's not even a foot high," Gay told The Associated Press. "He jumped in on them, he tried to keep them off.
"If it wasn't for George, those kids would have copped it."
One of the children, Richard Rosewarne, 11, was quoted in the Taranaki Daily News on Wednesday as saying George fought with the pit bulls to keep them off his 4-year-old brother, Darryl.
"George tried to protect us by barking and rushing at them, but they started to bite him - one on the head and the other on the back," Rosewarne said. "We ran off crying, and some people saw what was happening and rescued George."
But George, aged 9, was so badly mauled that a veterinarian had to put him down, Gay said.
"The two pit bulls ripped the skin from his throat and chest and down his back," he said, adding the tough little terrier also "had a bad heart condition."
Gay said the pit bulls' owner had surrendered the pair to dog control officers and demanded they be destroyed, claiming they had launched unprovoked attacks previously.
South Taranaki District Council official Graham Young said the two dogs had been impounded and likely would be destroyed because of the attack.
In New Zealand, owners of dogs judged to be too aggressive can be required to have them neutered, and dogs involved in attacks are destroyed.
But injuries force canine New Zealand hero named George to be destroyed...
Nic Gibson / AP/
WELLINGTON, New Zealand - A plucky foot-high Jack Russell terrier named George saved five New Zealand children from two marauding pit bulls, but was so severely mauled in the fight he had to be destroyed, his owner said Wednesday.
George was playing with the group of children as they returned home from buying sweets at a neighborhood shop in the small North Island town of Manaia last Sunday when the two pit bulls appeared and lunged toward them, his owner, Allan Gay, said.
"George was brave - he took them on, and he's not even a foot high," Gay told The Associated Press. "He jumped in on them, he tried to keep them off.
"If it wasn't for George, those kids would have copped it."
One of the children, Richard Rosewarne, 11, was quoted in the Taranaki Daily News on Wednesday as saying George fought with the pit bulls to keep them off his 4-year-old brother, Darryl.
"George tried to protect us by barking and rushing at them, but they started to bite him - one on the head and the other on the back," Rosewarne said. "We ran off crying, and some people saw what was happening and rescued George."
But George, aged 9, was so badly mauled that a veterinarian had to put him down, Gay said.
"The two pit bulls ripped the skin from his throat and chest and down his back," he said, adding the tough little terrier also "had a bad heart condition."
Gay said the pit bulls' owner had surrendered the pair to dog control officers and demanded they be destroyed, claiming they had launched unprovoked attacks previously.
South Taranaki District Council official Graham Young said the two dogs had been impounded and likely would be destroyed because of the attack.
In New Zealand, owners of dogs judged to be too aggressive can be required to have them neutered, and dogs involved in attacks are destroyed.
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Terriers can be very protective, and I used to have one that would've
gave those pitbulls a whoopin.0 -
Use to have a Jack Russell,......they have heart! I hate pit bulls, sure that will get many angry responses,.........oh well!
If one comes on my property, they are dead, that simple. To me they are the dogs of choice for drug dealers, and people that feel the need to "enhance" their manly image,.......wonder why?0 -
quote:Originally posted by Marc1301
Use to have a Jack Russell,......they have heart! I hate pit bulls, sure that will get many angry responses,.........oh well!
If one comes on my property, they are dead, that simple. To me they are the dogs of choice for drug dealers, and people that feel the need to "enhance" their manly image,.......wonder why?
+1 click boom, currently have two sisters, half jack russell half beagle the little blk one is the meanest[}:)]
[img][/img]
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Agree 100% with Marc1301. We have a small dog that was attacked by a Pit mix last year. My wife sat down on our dog so the Pit couldn't get it to bad. Escaped with just small puncture wounds. The owners weren't too upset about it and that pi$$ed me off more than the attack. If we weren't in a State Park campground that Pit wouldn't have survived. Police fined them for not having it on a leash. I don't care what people say about Pits. They were bred to fight and that's instinctive. You never know what will set them off. Luckily it is now legal to carry a handgun in our state parks and I never go without. 0 -
I have a 5 lb. Yorkie that thinks it's a pit.
Terriers are very brave and protective of their family.0 -
Best person dog I ever had was a stray pit we named "Target". Had to get rid of him because he wanted to eat the horses.
Gave him to a retired lady that had previously raised them.
Doug0 -
quote:Originally posted by Doug Wilson
...stray pit we named "Target"...
Perfect name for one around these parts.
Too bad the little guy wasn't at Virginia Tech.0 -
Sounds like George was a good guy.
I'll raise one for George tonight![:D]0 -
When i was a kid i had a friend that owned a pitbull and he was one of the nicest dog i have seen. We would jump on his back and ride him around the country side all day long. He loved to go swimming with us at the creek.
It probaly has a lot to do with how the dog was raised from a pup. Dogs that are beaten and neglected when they are pups usualy turn out to be a little mean.
That was one brave little dog though.[^]0 -
Paul Harvey related that story today on the radio. I haven't heard Paul in quite a while. He is sounding a little long in the tooth. 0 -
I just finished reading "Chesty." Great read! It is the latest the biography of Chesty Puller ... now there is a TRUE HERO![:D][:D][:D] (and I was not even a Marine ... I was in the Navy!) 0 -
My partner's mother got a dog from the pound several months back, and
they told her it wqas a boxer/something cross. Truth be known it's
pure-de-ol pitbull, about 6yr old female, and about as laid back and
well mannered as any dog you can find.
I have a friend with a Staffordshire Terrier, which appears very
closely related to pitbull, and he's a great dog also.
I've raised several different breeds of dogs, and my experience is:
Breed means absolutely nothing...it all in how they're raised.0 -
quote:Originally posted by spryor
Breed means absolutely nothing...it all in how they're raised.
+1
same experience. it's sad though that such great breed is getting such bad name because of some pretty bad people, i am surprised to hear that people here will have the same opinion of a dog breed as some people have of so-called "assault weapons".0 -
People will say all sorts of bad things about Pit Bulls and Rott's, but the truth is that the bad thing about those dogs is their size. A Pomeranian is far more vicious than a Pit. Part of the work I do is bidding landscaping so I am in 5 or 6 different back yards every day and 90% of my customers are dog owners. The only dogs that I ever have a problem with are the small species and the only time I have ever been attacked by a dog it was a Shih Tzu. I will say that those two pit's didn't know what they were getting into when they messed with a Jack Russell, those things are ferocious little hunters with a bad attitude. It doesn't surprise me one bit that a Russell would jump in to help those kids, that's just the dogs nature kicking in.
I think I'll stick with my Black Chowadore.0 -
Pit bulls are ballistic test material to me. There is NEVER a second chance if I see on on my land. 0 -
I think that how they are raised has a lot to do with it but I also believe that the breed also plays a big part. Pit Bulls were bred to fight just like pointers, spaniels, and labs were bred to hunt. I know someone who has an English Spaniel that has never left the house/back yard and it points fly's in the house and birds in the back yard. Try keeping a Lab out of the water. I'm not saying all Pit Bulls are killers but I've seen to many instances where the family Pit that was raised around kids turn on a child and cause serious damage or death. Last year two stray Pits attacked and killed an Army Vet that was walking home from the VFW. I know that little dogs can be viscious but how many people are killed by poopzu's? If I see a Pit on my property he's a goner. To compare an animal to a firearm is just plain stupid. I don't have to worry about a stray AR coming into my yard and harming my 8 year old but I do have to worry about my idiot neighbor's Pit. 0 -
Of course the breed matters!
To say otherwise is ridiculous.
Dogs have been bred for centuries to do sprcific jobs. Pit bulls today are bred to kick ass. Period.0 -
Poor dog.[V]
Glad the kids were safe and that the owner of the Pit bulls turned them in.0 -
I hear the same thing come out of the anti gunners mouths, just replace the word pitbull with firearm. I've had Rottys, a supposedly mean dog, all my life and now have one that my two daughters love to torment. I've never had one attack. Unless the dog has alot of interbreeding in its line it mostly comes down to how you train the dog. I've seen plenty of Labs that were mean as hell amoung other of the "nicer" breeds.
I don't especially like pitbulls myself, but I don't have a rediculous fear of them unless they prove aggressive.0 -
One of the meaner dogs I've had was a blue tick, although the meanest was a
Great Dane, and the nicest..also a Great Dane. The mean one I bought
as an adult, the nice one I raised from a pup. It's All in the raising!!!0 -
I don't care what the breed is,
I will trust a dog till it gives me reason not to
I don't care what race/color he is,
I will not trust a man till he gives me reason to0 -
quote:I don't care what the breed is,
I will trust a dog till it gives me reason not to
I don't care what race/color he is,
I will not trust a man till he gives me reason to
I like that.
Jon0 -
quote:Originally posted by mateomasfeo
Of course the breed matters!
To say otherwise is ridiculous.
Dogs have been bred for centuries to do sprcific jobs. Pit bulls today are bred to kick ass. Period.So why do chihuahuas top the list every year for frequency of being involved in bite incidents?[;)]0 -
My Purdy isn't a "play" dog...and I tell everyone that...not that she has ever hurt anyone, but she shure SOUNDS like she will.
Working in an area where (what my uncle calls) "non swimmers" are I see and hear a lot of talk about pit bulls...I hate to even hear people talk about these dogs. Several have gotten out and mauled people/kids because people don't know what they are doing.0 -
I wouldn't own any other breed than a pitbull. Responsible ownership is the key. Every breed has "man biters", a good breeding program will eliminate these dogs as any dog that shows human aggression shoud be culled.
BTW, pitbulls are also terriers, and make great hunting dogs.0 -
Every pit bull I have seen only needs one thing
a bullet0 -
A TV program recently described the evolution of todays' dogs from wolves. It went through selective breeding for desirable features of working dogs and to todays' recognized breeds.
They went on to say that terriers were bred to kill not to fight.
As far as I'm concerned, an occasional tame pit bull doesn't justify the breed. They are loose cannons that need a bullet each between the eyes.0 -
I'll cut right to the heart of the matter and pose the question so many people ask on a daily basis...
...Are Pit Bulls dangerous dogs?
Depending on who you ask you will either get a yes or a no answer. If you asked me this question I would say, depends.
Before we get into the rest of this article I would like to make it clear that the American Pit Bull Terrier is a dog or Canine Lupus Familiaris.
Why did I mention this obvious fact? People try to make the Pit Bull out to be some sort of "super animal" or something that is not the same as any other dog you find in our society. While they are super athletic, they are still dogs.
Are Pit Bulls Dangerous Dogs?
Fact: Out of the estimated 53 million dogs in the United States 92 fatal attacks are contributed to Pit Bulls or Pit Bull Mixes (2 were from American Staffordshire Terriers) from 1965-2001.
Source: Fatal Dog Attacks by Karen Delise
Imagine that. 53 million dogs. 92 fatal attacks out of 431 that span a 37 year period (1965-2001). Now I ask you, after looking at the numbers do we have a dangerous dog problem?
During that time period for my state of Kentucky there were 9 fatal dog attacks. Only one was a Pit Bull "type" dog.
Another attack during that time frame for my state was a Dachshund that killed a 14 day old baby after jumping in his crib.
Do we have a dangerous dog problem or is it being sensationalized to sell newspapers and create panic?
Fatal dog attacks by dangerous dogs are almost non-existent. 20 a year out of millions of dogs. The percentages are estimated to be somewhere around .0000004% of dog attacks are fatal.
If Pit Bulls Are Not Dangerous Dogs Why Do We have a Pit Bull Problem?
Personally I think the Pit Bull problem has more to do with people having a problem with Pit Bulls not the other way around.
Pit Bulls are outstanding dogs, like any dog that is well loved, trained, exercised, and cared for properly can be.
However, Pit Bulls are different. They are infectious with their energy and their wiliness to suffer the abuses of society and come back with a big goofy grin and a tongue lying in wait to lick the first face that gets close enough.
I have rescued dogs and I have seen dogs that were abused and neglected hop in my lap, look deep into my eyes and plant a smack of a lick right on my forehead.
Pit Bulls are different for sure. They expose humans for the cruel and inhumane beasts we are and we don't like it.
Pit Bulls are not dangerous dogs. They are however, abused, sold to irresponsible owners, the favorite dogs of drug dealers, and street gangs and this is by far the most damaging part of the problem.
Even with these record numbers of dogs these days the fatal attacks caused by Pit Bulls is nothing compared to the inhumanity we face on a daily basis. We are talking about 20 fatal attacks by dogs a year, most of which are not Pit Bulls, this is not a Pit Bull problem folks.
CDC Stats are out dated
The Center for Disease Control statistics are outdated and often misused in situations like creating a breed specific law.
The problem is not breed specific but people specific. As I mentioned, irresponsible owners, gang members, dog fighters, and others who use the breed to boost their own macho attitudes and cruel intentions are the problem.
However, regulating them would be near impossible or too costly, at least that is the governments excuse for not doing anything other than banning or restricting the breed.
God forbid if we expected people to have to take responsibility for their actions.
CDC stats are outdated and this contributes to the problem as well. Pro-BSL people like PETA and other groups of fanatics use them to skew the picture into the picture they want the public to see.
Uneducated government officials believe these groups and the general public eats their BS with a giant spoon.
As Pit Bull owners around the world suffer from unrealistic expectations and BSL these groups sit on their all knowing thrones and laugh and feel powerful.
New statistics are in order for sure, but figuring out the exact population of dogs is as impossible a task if there ever was one.
What do We Then?
We fight and kick and claw and Scratch and yell from the roof tops, "Listen! We have a voice and we are going to use it!"
We unite and fight back at these groups and the government butt kissing politicians that make these laws by speaking out and being heard before BSL is an issue.
Education of our children is the first step. For they are the future and if that future will include the American Pit Bull Terrier then our children must know and understand what a real Pit Bull is and how to Handle them.
Then we walk to the court house steps and stomp our feet a while and make it known, "We will not lay down and take this anymore!"
Change is only made when many become one and unite under a righteous cause. Saving our Pit Bulls from extinction is a righteous cause don't you think?0
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