Had to call 911 today

[mater]

I was working in the back yard and I came in the house to get my wallet and keys to take my stepdaughter to the Mercedes dealer to pick up her car. I was in the house garage and I heard my wife hollow for me. I looked out and saw 2 pit bulls charging toward them. The neighbor had opened their door and they ran out. The mother was taking the trash out and left the door partially opened. I grab the nearest thing which was a shovel and ran down the driveway. My wife and stepdaughter was pushing one of our granddaughters in a little car we bought for her birthday. I heard the little one cry out as one of the dogs was heading toward them. My SD got her unbuckled and ran back up the driveway. One of the dogs had my dog around the throat and it took me 3 or 4 times hitting it on the head with the shovel before she finally turned loose. She then looked at me and growled and I hit at her with the shovel again and she took off and then the other one which is bigger and stronger jumped on my dog. As I was beating him my dog was trying to get away and ran in my garage and I tried to get him in the house and then he ran under my other SD SUV parked in front of the garage. My dog came out from under the SUV and ran to the backyard toward my workshop and this dog was right on him. I told my wife to open the gate and let our dog in while I held off the other dog. The other dog then started toward my wife and I took the shovel and ran him back and told her to get inside the gate. He then snarled his teeth at me and it was to bad my axe was out of reach so I hit him with the shovel and then since I was swinging the shovel at him he went around my truck and then started back down my driveway. The mother was at the foot of the driveway calling the dog but the dogs will not mind. She said I am sorry this happened but I told her it was to late I had called the law on my cell phone. ( Also while I was hitting their dog with the shovel the mother was hollowing don't hit them with that shovel )

Animal control came out and fined them and they said they would pay for any vet bills for my dog. We have to go to court next Weds about it and in the meantime my dog is at the emergency vet heavily sedated so they can patch him up. The bill is already over $500.00 and climbing. My dog has paid a price because of me not stopping this long ago. Thanks for listening. Maybe tomorrow will be a better day.

[crokett]

Mater, I was reading the story and dreading the end. I am glad to hear that your family is safe. I hope your dog makes a full recovery.

I'm prolly gonna catch some heat for this but I will say it anyway Don't let there be a next time. Assuming the law doesn't take the dogs away let your neighbors know that if the dogs come after you or yours off their property you won't hit them with a shovel to get them to stop, you will hit them with an axe and do your best to kill the dogs.

[dkhoward]

Call your lawyer and have him file a civil suit (recless endangerment) against them. Call the DA (an elected official) give him the story and tell him you want them prosecuted for failing to keep a dangerous animal under control . . .

Its gonna get ugly and there will be bad blood between you and the neighboors, but it beats a child getting hurt or worse. If you don't take a stand these people will continue until a truley ghastly thing happens.

[atgcpaul]

Wow! I have goosebumps! You did a brave thing. I'm glad things didn't come
out worse for your family. Best of luck in court.

Paul

[nadz]

bad owners

man thats a tough situation, i admire your restrain...kudos mater, im just a redneck that would be in jail for shooting two dogs...

[Pappy]

I don't know your housing situation, but it sounds like an urban neighborhood. Even at that, I would think you would have the right to protsct your family by any means necessary since the demeaner and lack of control of the animals has been established. Battling a vicious dog with a hand tool of any kind is not a good idea. I think I would have a loaded shotgun withing easy reach to you but not the kids. The next time the dogs get loose and come toward you or yours, stop him.

[TB Roye]

Years ago my BIL and I were neighbors and his daughter was mauled by a pitbull that belong to our neighbors behind us on her way home from school. The dog was shot on the spot by my BIL and that ended that. The neighbor never said a word and got rid of the other pitbull he had shortly thereafter. There are certain dogs that are a problem and if the owners can't or will not control then law enforcement should do it. Glad to hear every thing is going to be ok. That being said the neighbors should be proescuted to the full extent of the law. Aren't Vets expensive especially in a Emergency. Had my Choc lab in twice the last couple of month because seizures first time $890 second $350 then there was the follow up visits and blood work to check the level of his meds. The meds are cheap. Don't let these guys off this time protect your family.

Tom

[ChrisD]

Sorry to hear that your family had to go through this, Ken. You did the right thing by calling 911. I hope things get better.

[maxparot]

I too am glad to hear you and your's are ok. As a dog lover I find this a sad story. I'm afraid that your neighbors created this menace and even if they had another breed it would probably be a menace. I don't know of the laws in your state but I will say that if that happened to me the dogs would have been shot while on my property and I'd let an attorney deal with the aftermath if any.

[dlminehart]

Sounds to me like you've been incredibly accommodating to people who clearly have paid virtually no attention to your health and well-being. They have vicious and deadly animals they can't control, and as such are like people walking around a neighborhood blindfolded firing a weapon. It's incredibly lucky that you all got off as lightly as you did (I have a couple small dogs, and I don't mean to minimize the injuries to your dog!) I don't think you have to worry about spoiling a relationship with them!

[SHADOWFOX]

I had goosebumps reading this. I am glad your family is okay. If I was in your shoes at that moment I don't know what I could have done with that pitbull if a dog like that bit my dog. At times like that it is sometimes hard to think and sometimes you just go with your instinct which is to protect your love ones. I highly commend you for calling the authorities. I hope your dog quickly recovers from this and hope that this does not emotionally scar him.

I have a cordless finish nailer, baseball bat, pepper spray, harbor freight electric fly swatter handy in the event something like this happens.

I have a Lhasa Apso Maltese mix and I can't even imagine what would happen if this happened to him.

[LinuxRandal]

I have a weird background on this. Years ago, Harry Truman's relative sold her house that shared a driveway with my grandparents. A couple that had just finished law school moved in, with an adopted dog, a german shepard. I was 6 at the time, and the fourth of July came around, and I was given a cork rifle (not being old enough for fireworks). The neighbors pulled their VW in and I ran over to show them my rifle (same driveway), when they opened the door, the dog jumped out of the vehicle, and bit my nose 97% off. Due to them being lawyers, shared drive, dog had security training they didn't know about, and the sounds of the fireworks, they got off by moving, and I was sorry to see them and the dog go. FAST FORWARD
The house has been trashed by neighbors for years, the Truman family/society, etc, has almost blocked all evidence of connection, due to the shape of it, and the "NEW" neighbor moves in. He had lived* there before (*lived, place of residence while he commited crimes, vandelism, attempted B&E, etc on myself and others). He brings two pit bulls with him, and "jokes" for them to get me. They bark ANY/EVERY time someone is out in their own yards. They chase after, kids, adults, inspectors, etc, till they finally bite a gas man (and it ends up coming out of the slum lords pocket). I have SEEN what they can do, between that, a friend years ago that had one (half pit/half doberman, and WELL trained, and all his friends were well trained to be leary), and relatives on the force and in the medical field. You got lucky it was your dog, not yourself or your grandkids. Hopefully your town has ordanences, because locally, there wasn't anything they could really due, without things like police/shelter reports everytime, to demonstrate a neglectfull owner, and unsafe conditions.

Good luck with your dog, he may have saved your kids/grandkids life!

[mater]

Thanks for the words of advice guys. If there is a next time I will be prepared. I live in the city and and a dog is considered out of control if it goes off your property and you can't call it back. The Animal Control officer came back to my house after talking with them. She wrote a report saying the dogs could not come out of the house without a leash on and if I saw one out without a leash to call 911 and she could deemed the dog vicous. Another neighbor said if she saw them out she would call 911 also. The AC officer said the ones in the family she talked to didn't see the problem as being that severe. She said that was the reason we were going to court as she had already fined them. My dog is out like a light. He had 5 puncture wounds on his neck and a couple were deep. They had to put stitches in him and as I look at him lying there I am just getting more pissed. The times before I was able to beat the dog back before any damage was done to my dog. These have been good neighbors over the years until the dog problem started and the last time I talked to the daddy about it he seemed to think his dog just wanted to play. Hopefully the Judge will get thru to them and this will be the last time I have a problem with them. It better be.

[Popeye]

I know I'll catch **** for this but..... there are certain breeds of dogs that it should be illegal to keep as pets. Pit bulls are number one. I personally see no good reason not to exterminate the whole breed. There is far to much blood being spilled in the world today and having pets who's natual instinct is to maim and kill should be against the law. The owers should be charged the same as if they personally had commited the assult.
Sorry for the rant but this kind of BS really gets my hackles up. Matter I hope you get this cleared up soon. And don't let it slide. Pat

[Pappy]

I know I'll catch **** for this but..... there are certain breeds of dogs that it should be illegal to keep as pets. Pit bulls are number one. I personally see no good reason not to exterminate the whole breed. There is far to much blood being spilled in the world today and having pets who's natual instinct is to maim and kill should be against the law. The owers should be charged the same as if they personally had commited the assult.
Sorry for the rant but this kind of BS really gets my hackles up. Matter I hope you get this cleared up soon. And don't let it slide. Pat

I will disagree with you, Pat. I don't believe any breed should be outlawed based on the actions of some. Any dog can be made to be vicious or gentle with the proper training. Both Dobermans and Sheppards have a rep as 'vicious'. It would be a shame to have seen these breeds destroyed.

As a mailman, I deal with dogs as an occupational habit and am leary of any dog I don't know. I have one Pit Bull that tries to get in my truck anytime she is outside. One of the sweetest animals I have ever ran accross. All she wants is to be petted.