More Problems with Pit Bulls — And Their Owners
Remembering the encounter we had last December in Fort Greene Park with a pit bull, a reader sent in this harrowing tale: “A guy was walking down my block the other night with his pit bull–and the dog (while on the leash) attacked a cat that lives across the street and tore it to pieces…
Remembering the encounter we had last December in Fort Greene Park with a pit bull, a reader sent in this harrowing tale: “A guy was walking down my block the other night with his pit bull–and the dog (while on the leash) attacked a cat that lives across the street and tore it to pieces in front of several witnesses,” she writes. “The police were called–arrived and did…nothing. They said unless it was a person nothing could be done.” That’s what we were told at the time as well. Seems crazy. What would someone be charged with for shooting a cat with a gun? Same thing, ain’t it?
bob- maybe you’ll keep him? Poor thing must have been frightened and bewildered at being abandoned. I’d love to get a dog but the cats would absolutely kill me ( and so would the Great EVLL).
“Or is it a Covert Race/Class warfare Bullshit again!!!!!!”
I think it’s covert species/pet warfare, myself.
Sad story and the dog’s owner must be a fool. However, here’s a very different pit bull story, from earlier this morning.
While running, in Prospect Park, this morning, I got an urgent call from my wife, saying “there’s a pit bull in our yard (and our cat is moaning, and generally going apes**t at the window). That was very strange, as our yard is fenced and several houses from the corner–we’ve never had a dog in there before. Before I got home, she made some calls to neighbors and found out what had happened. Last night a teenager tied the dog to our next door neighbor’s front fence. The neighbor took him into her back yard and phoned another neighbor who’s known as an animal person. This other neighbor tentatively arranged for an “adoption”, also on my block of Midwood Street.
Overnight the dog, who hadn’t been tied very well got loose and got into our yard. By the time I got home, my wife had made friends with him, which was easy because this dog obviously had not been abused, was well-behaved and extremely good natured and friendly. I arrived home almost simultaneously with the “dog person”neighbor who arrived with a leash and harness to take the dog to her house and wait for the potential adopter. The only problem was that the dog was unused to a harness and refused to get up off the ground. However, he readily let me pick him up and carry him outside. I learned that a docile pit bull is MUCH easier to carry than another large breed of similar weight, because so much weight is concentrated up front. The dog’s large jaws were inches from my face while I carried him. This was not at all scary because, even though I’ve had cats all my adult life, I grew up with dogs and am confident that I can read them quite well–this dog was very happy to be picked up, and to get so much human attention.
The story isn’t finished yet, but seems well on it’s way toward a happy ending.
A cat is a companion animal. As much as a dog is.
I disagree- again, I agree with you. Civil lawsuits don’t really address the issue the way it should be. I personally advocate beating politicians unmercifully about the head and shoulders until a sliver of common sense pierces their self-serving brains 🙂
I Disagree,
In order to be found criminally liable, dog owner must negligently permit his dog to bite a PERSON, and the dog previously was declared to be dangerous, and the injury is a “serious injury. Section 121, subdivision 8. Misdemeanor ($1000 file and 90 days in jail)max. This applies to people not animals.
The owner or lawful custodian of a “dangerous dog” is “strictly liable” for medical costs resulting from “injury” caused by such dog to a person, “companion animal,” farm animal or “domestic animal.” In addition to liability for medical costs, the owner of a dangerous dog may be required to pay a fine if his negligence results in a dog bite to a person, service dog, guide dog or hearing dog.
Since the cat is dead and has no medical costs, there is zero $$ liable. As noted above, fines don’t apply to cats. Unless you wanna argue that it was a service cat killed in the line of duty.
Much of this comes down to a very basic idea: that people, regardless of race or economic circumstance should be responsible for not only their own behaviour, but that of their pets and children (not likening the two here). Dogs hate cats, regardless of breed, that’s usually a given, but the owner allowing it to kill the cat and not intervening is inexcusable. And if the excuse is that he couldn’t stop the attack then that’s a much more serious problem that should pose questions about this person’s right, again regardless of breed, to own a dog.
Unless the boxer has attacked something, I don’t see how the comment reflects anything other than the owner’s honest assessment of his dog’s temperament.
houseowax basically said what I was about to say. I want to add that, as pointed out in Gladwell’s article, aggression against humans and prey drive/animal aggression are two very different things. The fact that many pitbulls are sweethearts where people are concerned has nothing to do with how high their prey drive may be.
I once saw a pitbull attack a horse in Prospect Park while the two kids who’d let it offleash stood by without a clue what to do. Once the dog went for the horse’s nose and the horse bolted through the park, the dog was easily approached, blood-flecked muzzle and all, by another passerby. I heard the poor dog was caught and eventually put down – totally unnecessary and caused 100% by the owner’s idiotic lack of respect for the breed and what it’s bred for and capable of doing.
bxgrl: i get what you’re saying. but the idea that civil damages and criminal penalties are equivalent ways of addressing the issue is also something the cops are wrong about. yes, they have priorities and discretion in terms of when to issue a summons or make an arrest, but the law itself, as it stands, applies. the reason i suggest calling the DA and the precinct is because that’s how ordinary citizens can come to affect what the priorities are. there are some threats to the public that are obvious and undeniable, like sex offenders and drunk drivers. some have to be made more obvious to our elected officials and public servants by citizens who are affected. this is how prosecuting mortgage fraud as a crime became a priority.