This made me so MAD!!!

A friend of ours has a pit bull thats about 14 months old (female) His neighbors have two full grown boxers (both males) with a fence seperating them. The other day he heard his dog cry in the back yard, he went out to check on her and notice his neighbor going in the back door as he was coming out. When he walked up to his dog, he noticed he was bleeding in two spaces and it looked like she was shot with a pellot gun. He asked his neighbor why he shot his dog and his neighbor said that his dog was attacking his dogs THROUGH THE FENCE!!!! His neighbor then shut the door and wouldn't come back out. He called the police and they said they couldn't do anything about it!!! He called back the next day and talked to another officer and that officer told him the same thing. He asked for his badge number and the supervisors name. The officer then decided to take the report. This made me so mad. I hate that this happened. I just wanted to get you opinion on this situation.

Megan

 

Fence fighting is common and can cause some damage... Between boxers and APBT's I'm sure it happened... Whether or not the neighbor should have shot the dog is a whole different story... He shouldn't have...there could have been several ways to have delt with the situation...

What your friend should do is invest in a dog run, privacy fence or chain his dog (tether whatever) away from the fence. I had a female that fence fought with our neighbor's dog and she got chained up...she was the aggressor etc...she was the APBT...so I did what was necessary... My two males fence fight too...we tie the APBT away from the fence...

Again...it may have been different had the dog NOT been an APBT...but since he is an APBT...it's your friends responsibility to keep it from fence fighting (regardless of who is the true aggressor). When you own these guys you have to take certain things and do what you can to keep your dog out of trouble (or perceived trouble by the neighborhood)...

Make sense??? The police should have taken the report the first time...it was wrong that your dog got shot...but I'm sure since you were not there to whitness the "fight" there's truly not much that can be done...just do the report so there's a record of a problem in case it gets worse between you and your neighbor...

 

That's horrible, but what Sara said is true. Whether or not your friends dog is the aggressor, it is up to him to keep his dog safe so instances like that don't occur again. He should invest in a tall (5 to 6 ft) wood fence with no space in between the pickets. We have that and it works wonders. We love to bounce the ball of the fence for Harley to chase after (more running for her) and every spring we need to replace a few pickets, but low cost and its a sure way to keep her safe. HIs dog WILL be discriminated against due to the breed. It is up to him to be an advocate for the breed and the breeds owner.

I don't let Harley outside unless I am there to supervise. I know she loves to be out in the summer and 99.9% of the time nothing will happen, I just worry about that fraction of a percent. One day last summe our fence was open, I have no idea how and I unknowingly let her out on her own. Well, about 15 mins later Curt realized the gate was open and we both bolted outside, him in the back, me in the front. Right as I was walking out the door I saw Harley walking behind a women and her 2 Lassie dogs barking at them. Not attacking, but it must have been pretty scary for her. I know I would have been scared. I had mixed feelings that day. Guilt for not staying out with her, anger for her leaving, but I also was very proud of her. Harley is EXTREMELY dog aggressive and she didn't even lunge at te dogs.

 

Sara -

I understand what you are saying, but I think we should have better protection from the authorities for our animals. It is amazing to me that someone can come into your yard and steal your lawn mower and go to jail but they can come into your yard and shoot your dog. I don't understand that. Their is a post from Duke's Dad on the other board about his dog that got stabbed at the park and the authorities really didn't do anything.

Thanks for the advice about keeping him away from the fence and I will pass it on.

Thanks

Megan

 

Megan,

You may try calling animal control. I work for a Sherriff's Office and animal control officers are sworn deputies and investigate all crimes against animals. The deputies dont invistigate anything dealing with animals but we dispatch for the animal control. If this is the case where you live the officer should have told you this and you are right it is not something that can be brushed off. I think unless I am mistaken the authorities in the case of the dog stabbed on the other board did take action and responded quickly.

 

who says they were actually fighting anyway sara? no one knows for sure. but keeping the dog away from the fence can prevent something like this again. yes there needs to be better protection for animals. recently in perth there has been new laws passed where people can go to jail if they abuse animals. one guy shot his dog in the head with 2 arrows and he got fined and i think he got sent to jail for a bit. the peoples names arent kept anonymous either. which is better than nothing.

 

I agree that with a breed that gets negative reactions from the police etc that the OWNER is responsible for making sure a situation like this doesnt happen. I have seen dogs go at it though a fence and it wasnt pretty, and they werent even Pits, Chow Chows.

They litterally were ripping each others face off through the fence. It sucks that even in your OWN yard you have to take extra precautions but it comes along with owning a breed that alot of people dont like. I agree you need to call the ASPCA or Humane Soceity because shooting a dog is animal neglect and is cause for investigation. He could have handled the incident better if it INDEED did happen. He should have went to the Pit Bull owner and talked it out.

It might not have happened at all and he might just be a pit bull hating jerk that wanted to shoot the Pit regardless. Your friend needs to make sure his dog isnt capable of reaching the boxers though the fence via a dog kennel, tie out etc. If not it is HIM that could be charged with owning a so called vicious animal. He doesnt want that to happen. Who do you think side they would take, the Boxers or the Pit Bull?? I have my pit bull in a fenced yard, IN a 20 by 20 dog kennel AND on a 30 ft airline cable. I do not take a chance with my neighbors boxer that runs lose in the next yard although both of our yards are fenced. With a breed that gets so much crap a responsible owner is a preventative owner.

Kim

 

what are the fences like in the us? i hear about people having chain link fences etc. its compulsory here to have asbestos fences and people have them at least 5 ft high.

 

Let me clarify that my friends pitbull is an indoor dog and was only let outside for a little while at the time of the incident, However, I do agree even in that small time frame the owner SHOULD make sure the dog isn't causing problems through the fence. Kyles 101 mentioned that we don't know if the Pit started the fight or if it was the Boxers (who knows). The point is that it happened and no one seemed to care (authority wise).

 

Kylie-

thanks for your post. fences here can are chain linked or wood of all different sizes. It really veries. My friends fence was chain linked.

 

Didn't mean to sound like I thought it did happen... there's no proof of it happening or not... Problem is the neighbor jerk who shot the APBT will be the one the authorities beleive and fence fighting is a common reality.

I also think that law inforcement should have been more attentive and willing to take the statement (I think I said that above...if not...sorry). They should care more about dogs getting shot, stabbed etc... but it seems that they just don't... doesn't make sense to me... *sigh*

Now I'm curious about the fences in your part of the world Kyles...do you have pics?

 

Your right Sara they will beleive the neighbor and not the "vicious pit owner" and that makes me so mad.

The other day I was getting my hair done and the stylist asked me how my dog is doing and then IMMEDIATELY after that she says did you hear about the "pit bull" that killed a baby last weekend. I was like well they don't know for sure that is was a pit, the media always blames it on a pit. And I told her that child should not have been left alone with a dog ANY dog PERIOD.

Anyway, It makes me so mad how people act sometimes. Ive emailed my hair stylist and all my friends and family the FIND THE PITBULL GAME and I hope it helps.

 

well basically in the suburban areas we have to have either asbestos fences, colourbond steel fences or brick walls. everyone has them at least 5 ft. this is part of my fence. its a bit cruddy because the house was built in the 70's and the ivy that was previously there has cracked the fence a bit. the owner of our house wants to put a new colourbond fence in but the neighbours at the back are a bit odd and wont allow it.

 

Thanks Kylie...

Yes I ALWAYS get the "how's your dog" just before the "did you hear about the one that attacked blah blah blah?" I should know better...any time they ask that it's almost inevitable that they'll finish off with...the... "did you hear..." It's stupid...grrrr

 

jesus in england if someone came in my garden and shot at my dog they would be looking at a prison sentance. im so sorry to hear about your friends dog some people are sick