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The Dangers of Leaving
Your Dog Unsupervised
One of the most fundamental rules of
responsible dog ownership is, "Dogs should never be left unsupervised
outside the home or with children."
If/when one understands all the dangers and
problems associated with leaving dogs unsupervised (and the fact that most
communities consider it an offence for one's dog to be unsupervised in
public), it's an easy decision
to make. But here...we'll help you reinforce your decision never to
leave your dog unsupervised.
Your dog is much more likely to
bite someone when it is left unsupervised, than when
it is not.
Your dog is much more likely to be
bitten when it is left unsupervised, outside
the home.
Your dog is infinitely more likely to be the
target of human malevolence, when it is
unsupervised outside your locked home.
Your dog is much more likely to be the victim
of other people's poor judgement and false
accuastions, if left unsupervised, outside the home.
It is unethical to leave dogs
chained/tethered and unsupervised. This practice frequently
leads to the development of numerous undesirable behaviours, and also
leaves the dog quite vulnerable.
Caging/kennelling dogs
can be unethical, and is likely to lead to undesirable behaviours.
It also makes the dog quite vulnerable to anyone or anything with access
to the cage/kennel.
Leaving dogs unsupervised with
children is a recipe for disaster.
Click here to skip to
the real-world examples of problems caused, or exacerbated by, the owner's
failure to adequately supervise the dog outside the home (or with
children).
Biting:
No matter where an unprovoked bite takes
place, most of the dogs involved in biting incidents
were either un-, or inadequately, supervised by their adult
owner/guardians. Even though just about every dog involved in
attacks and most dogs involved in biting incidents have known histories of
aggressive behaviour, many dogs reported for biting have never before
bitten a person or animal, and their owners are genuinely surprised their
dogs have been accused of biting while they were unsupervised.
The lack of supervision is important.
Dogs are pack animals. They absolutely require a pack structure to
know when to do pretty much everything. They need a pack leader
to let them know when it is time to eat, to sleep, to play, and when to
feel threatened.
Normally, the human owner provides this
guidance. Luckily, dogs readily accept humans as their pack leaders.
This frees them from all the worry that comes with leading and defending
the pack. This is why simple obedience works so well at curbing
simple types of aggressive behaviour that have been allowed to develop.
When the dog trusts the owner is in charge, it can relax; knowing the
human will make the necessary decisions.
When dogs don't trust their human
owners/guardians with leadership duties, they will happily step into that
role. More importantly, when no leader is around, the dog must make
its own decisions. Humans are rarely happy with the choices dogs
make for themselves.
This tends to explain why dogs with no biting
history are involved in unprovoked bites only when they've found
themselves unsupervised. New situations, strange people, being
alone: they can all make a normally confident dog feel vulnerable.
Dogs accused of biting unprovoked tend to fall
into these general categories:
-
a dog left unsupervised in the owner's yard
(tethered, caged, or loose), and a person or other animal ventures into
the dog's range, and is bitten.
-
a dog left unsupervised in the yard (tethered,
caged, or loose), which then "escapes", and bites unprovoked while
at-large.
-
a dog left tied to a fixed object in public;
is approached by someone wishing to interact with it in some way, and is
then bitten by it.
-
a dog whose owner deliberately allows it to be
at-large, and the dog bites unprovoked.
Adequately supervised dogs are rarely involved
in unprovoked biting incidents.
Being bitten:
Unsupervised dogs are extremely vulnerable to
attacks from other animals. We've stopped collecting stories about
chained dogs that couldn't escape attack from other animals. There
are just too many of those kinds of incidents.
It is GoodPooch.com's firm position that dogs
should never be tethered to any fixed object (except for mere minutes, in
the case of some kind of emergency). It is a practice fraught will
all sorts of negative consequences that we'll discuss later. More
than anything, it is simply unethical. A creature as socially
dependent as are dogs should never be kept from physical contact with
their pack members.
Whether a dog is loose in the owner's yard,
tied in the owner's yard, in a cage in the owner's yard, tied to a fixed
object in a public place, or roaming at-large, if it is unsupervised, it
could easily become the victim of an attack by another animal. In
some cases, dogs in these situations have been attacked by wild animals,
such as coyotes, raccoons, foxes, even birds of prey(!), as well as domestic
animals; usually other dogs.
We haven't come across any incidents of a dog
being attacked by a wild animal inside the owner's home. It is not
common for a dog to be attacked by another animal while being properly
supervised in the owner's yard. (Possibly, the human's presence
deters would-be attackers.)
Human malevolence:
The worst possible outcomes for a dog left
unsupervised are acts of human malevolence. There have been several
cases of dogs being kicked, punched, harassed and worse, while tied in
front of businesses while their owners shop or sip coffee inside.
Many, many, many dogs have been stolen in such circumstances. Others
simply disappear, either having been stolen or lost; their owners never
knowing what happened to them.
Dogs are often stolen from the owner's yard,
whether loose, tethered, or caged. It is exceedingly rare for a dog
to be stolen from inside the owner's locked home.
Unsupervised dogs are frequently poisoned by
frustrated neighbours or the mentally ill. Since unsupervised dogs
are free to engage in all sorts of undesirable behaviours, the neighbours
often suffer the consequences. Dogs allowed to escape, and those
that are simply permitted to roam, often topple garbage cans or dig in
gardens. They frequently menace law-abiding people and/or their
pets. But, one of the most common complaints about dogs left
unsupervised is nuisance barking.
Because the dog isn't being supervised, it's
free to bark as often as it likes; disturbing neighbours and making it
impossible for them to enjoy their own homes. This lack of
consideration for others sometimes leads extremely frustrated neighbours
to acts of desperation.
Since nuisance barking is often not taken
seriously by police and the courts, communities are left to the whims of
uncaring dog owners, in this regard. There are simply too many cases
of dogs being poisoned after numerous neighbourhood complaints about
barking to deny this reality. It is so common, in fact, we often
presume the driving factor was nuisance barking when we find cases where a
dog appears to have been intentionally poisoned. More often than
not, the poisoned dog's owner(s) admit there have been complaints about
the dog's barking.
We occasionally hear from serious dog haters.
They make it clear they're actually looking for reasons to kill at-large
dogs.
We haven't come across a case where a person
has entered a dog owner's locked home with the sole intent of harming the
dog.
Poor judgement and hysterical people:
In these hysterical times, any unsupervised
dog is practically presumed to be a man-eater. This sometimes causes
people to overreact to any unsupervised dogs they may encounter, even
where the dog has shown no signs of aggression, and it was loose because
it accidentally escaped the (normally diligent) owner's care briefly, and
for the first time.
We make no excuses for people who allow their
dogs to be at-large. Responsible dog owners do everything they can
to protect their dogs from the kind of harm that is likely to result from
such circumstances.
However, there is an enormous difference
between a dog accidentally escaping the owner's care, and its owner
immediately corralling it as soon as possible; and those cases of dog
owners who negligently leave their dogs unsupervised and prone to escape
or permitted to roam at-large. Where there is no damage resulting
from the dog's (hopefully brief) time at-large, the precipitating factors
should drive any penalties against the owner. Even the most
conscientious dog owners can accidentally find their dogs briefly outside
their direct supervision. The penalty for an innocuous, first-time incident
shouldn't be the same as it would be for those who purposefully allow their dogs dog
be unsupervised, especially at-large.
There are countless instances of loose dogs
being shot and killed by concerned neighbours, even though witnesses agree
the dog was simply loose, not menacing. It is important to remember
that unsupervised dogs can behave inappropriately aggressive because of
the lack of supervision. Where a dog has never shown any real
attempt to bite in the past, it is quite common for owners to vehemently
disbelieve their dogs could ever be accused of biting during their time
at-large.
Even a dog simply escaping the owner's yard
briefly, and running up to a pedestrian, can result in severe restrictions
for the dog, once a complaint to animal control is made. Sadly, the
problem lies with owners who are negligent (or simply not diligent
enough). It is not the dog's responsibility to ensure it adheres to
local by-laws. Humans bear this responsibility, so it is humans who
should be fined or restricted. The kinds of restrictions placed on
dogs, after their owners permit them to run afoul of the local by-laws,
are typically quite unethical and counterproductive to maintaining a
well-mannered, good canine citizen. Dogs shouldn't have to pay the
price for their owners' negligence. Municipalities should encourage
proper socialization, ethical training, and adequate exercise for dogs,
while ensuring even negligently-owned dogs aren't barred from these
beneficial opportunities.
Sometimes, dogs are shot and/or killed by
hysterical neighbours who are afraid of any dog, especially those
at-large. In an environment where few people are experienced in dog behaviour, it's no wonder that a dog perceived to be some kind of danger
might be harmed in the process of trying to bring it under control.
Police officers are not, by virtue of their
job descriptions, experts in dog behaviour, breed identification, bite
prevention, etc. There have been countless incidents of reportedly
friendly dogs being shot and killed by police officers who are afraid of
dogs, or felt threatened enough in that situation to use lethal force.
It's very rare for neighbours to overreact to
the behaviour of dogs inside their owners' locked homes, to the point they
enter the home and harm the dog. Sadly, it isn't uncommon for police
to harm pet dogs while executing warrants on private property. We
know of several cases where the police were at the wrong address when they
killed the family pet. In other cases, witnesses say the dog wasn't
threatening the officer before being shot.
GoodPooch.com has been asked to provide dog
bite prevention tips and general dog-related information for police
departments around North America. Hopefully, that information will
help police officers avoid being bitten, while helping them differentiate
between truly dangerous dogs, and those who are not.
Chaining/tethering:
For the most part, dogs are chained/tethered
in order to facilitate being unsupervised by the owner/guardian.
For the most part, this is for the owner's/guardian's convenience (i.e. so
s/he doesn't have to train and/or supervise the dog outside).
There is a misguided notion that dogs would benefit from being left alone,
outdoors. Since many people won't take the time to provide this
necessary exercise, socialization, and on & off-lead training, they feel
that just leaving the dog outside is good enough. In reality, the
dangers of leaving dogs unsupervised outdoors far surpass any theoretical
benefits.
First, dogs don't exercise themselves.
We usually like to put it this way, "Running around your backyard is
about as interesting to a dog as going for a one hour jog in your living
room would be to you." Backyards are pretty boring. Dogs
left outdoors alone, on a regular basis, typically develop boredom-related
behaviours like nuisance barking, digging, chewing, and even
frustration-based forms of aggression.
Dogs don't exercise inside the house, and they
won't adequately exercise themselves in their yards. They also won't
be getting any socialization experiences there, either.
Next, as a pack animal, it is completely unnatural
for a dog to be alone. Responsible dog owners do everything in their
power to ensure they minimize the amount of time their dogs are alone.
Dogs must have adequate access to physical contact with other pack
members, in order to be well-adjusted. Without this physical
contact, most dogs will develop aberrant behaviours including crying for
attention, submissive urination, and even some forms of aggression.
Any situation where a dog is forced to choose
"fight" because it is unable to flee, is a recipe for creating a dangerous
dog.
Many, many dogs are hanged, each year, after
jumping over a fence while chained/tethered, and are asphyxiated.
More often than not, the dog was left unsupervised, so no one is around to
help the strangling dog for the several minutes it takes to die in this
manner.
A conservative estimate is 20% of all
dog-related human fatalities and reported bites involve chained/tethered
dogs.
We've stopped keeping track of the number of
dogs injured or killed because they were chained/tethered, and couldn't
flee an attacker. These kinds of cases continue to occur, where the
danger comes from either other animals or humans wishing to harm the
trapped dog.
Many dogs are trapped, unable to flee natural
disasters, because their owners left them tied and unsupervised.
Many communities prohibit unsupervised
tethering of dogs, either for specified amounts of time, or entirely.
More and more pass these kinds of ethical laws each year. These
kinds of laws help prevent poorly-informed or inexperienced dog owners
from putting their dogs in the kind of danger that comes from
unsupervised tethering.
It is not common for a supervised dog to be
involved in a human fatality or unprovoked biting incident. It is
also unusual for a dog to be attacked or killed by a person or animal
while the owner is supervising it in his/her yard.
Caging (kennelling):
Almost as bad as tethering dogs is the idea of
keeping them in cages. While this may be necessary, in cases where
different dogs come together with unknown or unfortunate histories, it is
a terrible way for any animal to live most of its life. It's
essentially prison for dogs.
People like to use gentler terms, such as
crating or kennelling. We prefer to call it what it is: caging.
In nature, a dog would likely create a den that is snug and protects the
dog from the elements. Many pet dogs gladly spend time in their
crates, as this cozy spot feels safe and comfortable to them. But
once the door is closed, it is nothing more than a cage. There is no
locking mechanism on a wild dog's den.
Owners should ask themselves why they need a
door on a crate or kennel. If it's to prevent undesirable behaviour,
it is better to properly train the dog, rather than merely attempt to
manage the situation through avoidance.
(Most kennel structures provide an outdoor
"run", with free access to an indoor living space. The best ones are
also temperature controlled inside. All have doors that lock the dog
inside.)
No matter how they're justified, their purpose
is to keep dogs physically separated from each other, and humans.
This is the antithesis of proper dog rearing. So, while we certainly
excuse shelters and rescue groups from kennelling dogs, to keep them safe
from the inappropriate behaviour (and possible diseases) of other dogs
temporarily housed there, kennels are a highly inappropriate way to house
pet dogs on a regular basis. Companion dogs should live indoors, with their families;
not locked in cages, especially outside, away from their pack leaders.
Any situation where a dog is forced to choose
"fight" because it is unable to flee, is a recipe for creating a dangerous
dog.
Dogs kept isolated in this manner frequently
develop aberrant and/or undesirable behaviours as a result. One of
the most common responses to isolation is over-zealous attention-seeking. These
poor dogs
bark, jump, spin around...anything to get the precious attention they
require from their pack leaders. Many will cry at the sight of their
owners. What they're "saying" is akin to, "I don't know what I
did to be banished from the pack, but I'm sorry. I promise to be
better if you'll let me back into the pack." Anyone with
experience in dog behaviour should be broken-hearted to hear this kind of
apologetic crying, as a result of the unnecessary and unethical isolation
caging/kennelling creates.
A happy, emotionally-healthy dog is happy to
see its owner. It doesn't cry. A responsibly-raised dog is
properly trained, and doesn't need to be locked in a cage.
When dogs are routinely left caged and
unsupervised, they often develop boredom-related behaivours, and
frequently try to escape. Aside from the injuries that often result
from these repeated escape attempts, dogs are also frequently injured or
get into other kinds of trouble when they do finally figure out a way to
escape. The owners usually plead they couldn't have known the dog
was out behaving mischievously, because they believed it was locked in its
cage.
Supervising dogs outside the home and with
children prevents countless problems, not the least of which might include
false accusations. If the owner is there to direct the dog's
behaviour (and that of anyone interacting with the dog), there is
significantly less risk of any problems.
Children:
Far too many preventable dog biting incidents
happen because parents fail to properly supervise their children around
dogs, and dog owners fail to properly supervise their dogs around
children.
The erratic behaviour and high-pitched noises
often associated with children can be distressing to dogs not properly
socialized with them. Some children have not been taught to
respect dogs and to treat them humanely or ethically. Leaving
children and dogs together, unsupervised, is a recipe for disaster.
Infants, toddlers, and younger children should
never be left alone, unsupervised, with any size or type of dog.
Small children have been seriously injured and killed by even the smallest
of dogs. Girls over the age of 12, and boys over the age of 16, are
much less likely to be involved in an unprovoked biting incident, though.
Cautiously prepare older children for unsupervised interaction with the
family's dog(s).
No matter what age, everyone should avoid
unsupervised dogs, no matter where they may find them.
Properly supervised dogs are not commonly
involved in unprovoked biting incidents.
Examples:
The following are just a few examples, from
our archives, of
unfortunate incidents caused, or exacerbated by, the owner's lack of
supervision over the dog:
A 6-year-old girl was mauled
when she was allowed unsupervised access to the yard of a chained &
unsupervised
Labrador Retriever known to be aggressive.
July 2007, a Doberman Pinscher went missing
after being tied and left unsupervised "for just a few
minutes" outside a grocery store.
February 2007, a man was arrested for animal
cruelty after admitting to spraying a neighbour's barking dog with
ammonia when it was unsupervised in the owner's yard. The
puppy later died.
In an interview with a psychiatrist, a very
disturbed man admitted he liked to take unsupervised dogs tied in
front of stores, and tie them to moving vehicles. He described how
eventually they'd give up, and be dragged until the driver was made
aware of it.
July 2007, a toddler was killed by her
grandparents' chained German Shepherd/Rottweiler mix when allowed
to wander over to it unsupervised.
2006 saw a dramatic rise in U.K. dog thefts,
mostly dogs left unsupervised in the owners' yards.
A young girl was savagely mauled when she
apparently wandered off and entered the cage of a dog primarily kept
kennelled & unsupervised in the owner's yard.
June 2007, a 2-year-old remained in a
hospital's Intensive Care Unit after being mauled by one or more dogs in
her yard. The family leaves its own dogs chained & unsupervised
in their unfenced backyard. A female Husky in estrus apparently
attracted 3 at-large dogs, as well. One or more of the dogs in
the yard mauled the child when she was with them unsupervised.
March 2007, a 6lb Maltese was found shot to
death on a neighbour's lawn. The owners had simply let the dog out,
at-large,
the night before, and didn't notice it missing, until the next day, when
a neighbour found the dog's lifeless body.
A large reward was offered to locate a dog
that went "missing" after its owner tied it, and left it unsupervised,
in front of a store on a busy city street. The dog, however, was
never recovered.
January 2007, a Cheektowaga, NY, woman was
arrested for poisoning her neighbour's German Shepherd mix. The
woman had filed numerous complaints about the dog's barking but
authorities did nothing. She ultimately cooked up ground beef
laced with rat poison, and fed tainted meatballs to the dog when it was
left unsupervised in the owner's yard. The dog survived,
and a frying pan containing traces of meat and rat poison, left in the
garbage in front of the woman's house, led police to the arrest.
2008, two Philippino men stand accused of
killing and eating a dog, while the owner played a round of golf.
The dog's owner said he had permission to leave the dog unsupervised, next to an
equipment shed at a Hawaiian golf course, while he played. That
decision left the dog to the "mercy" of anyone who came in contact with
it. The two men apparently killed and ate the vulnerable dog.
The owners of a Jack Russell Terrier are
outraged a neighbour killed their dog by shooting it with an arrow,
after countless complaints they allowed the dog to roam, unsupervised,
onto the neighbour's property. They knew of the complaints, but
did absolutely nothing to prevent the dog from continuing. Now the
poor dog is dead, and they blame the neighbour, rather than
themselves...of course.
A woman admits her dog was left unsupervised
and "tied in her backyard while [she] was away" is angry a
neighbour shot the dog when it entered the man's yard and menaced him.
February 2007, an at-large dog died
after someone hacked off its tail at the spinal cord. The owner
had "let the dog out as usual" one morning, and was
"horrified" when it returned, forty minutes later(!), bleeding
profusely. They rushed the dog to a veterinary clinic, to no
avail. They have no idea who did this or why.
It is not uncommon to find people who
believe all dogs should "run free". Those with this mindset are
known to untie unsupervised dogs tied on the street, and simply
walk away, with no concern for what happens to the dog after that.
February 2007, a mixed breed dog
(Dachshund/Basset/Beagle) died after being poisoned by a neighbor while
it was left unsupervised in the family's yard. The neighbor
had apparently been complaining for years about the owners' negligence
in allowing their dogs to bark incessantly while unsupervised in
their yard. The dog owners admit they ended up giving away their
first dog, a Labrador Retriever, after it became "too rambunctious."
The neighbor had also complained about barking by their
second dog, a German Shepherd/Beagle cross. While the owners
didn't make the possible connection 'til now, that dog died under
similar circumstances in 2004. No word yet if these people will
get a fourth dog and allow it to bark incessantly, too.
Just before the new year, 2007, pop star,
Lily Allen's dog was stolen from the van in which it was left
unsupervised by friends, to whom she'd entrusted the dog's care,
while away on vacation. U.K. officials are warning dog owners not
to leave their dogs unsupervised outside their homes, for fear of a
dramatic rise in thefts.
A Weimaraner was shot six times in the head
and chest with a pellet gun, while it was left unsupervised in
the yard of its Toronto family's home. Thankfully, the dog
survived its injuries.
The owners of a Collie puppy were charged
with animal cruelty, after leaving the dog chained and unsupervised
using a choke chain collar. At some point during the evening,
according to the owners, the puppy's tie-out must have become tangled,
causing its choke chain to tighten and strangle the dog.
A woman came home from work to find both her
Poodles dead, after being attacked by another dog. The attacking
dog gained access to the woman's backyard, where her dogs were
kennelled, and also had unsupervised access in and out of the
house, through a doggy door. One dog was found dead in its kennel
run. The other was found dead in the woman's kitchen, as the
attacking dog was easily able to gain access inside the house through
the dog door. Had her dogs been kept inside her locked home while
she was not supervising them, they'd likely be alive today.
A police officer investigating an
in-progress burglary call jumped a fence only to be met with an
aggressive, unsupervised Rottweiler in the owner's yard.
Because the owner was not there to observe the situation and/or control
the dog, the officer felt he had no choice but to shoot the dog twice,
when it lunged at him. The first bullet shattered one of the dog's
vertebrae, and the other hit the dog in a rear leg.
A police dog, kept kennelled &
unsupervised at the
handler's home when not on duty, escaped, and attacked a boy tobogganing
nearby. The dog would not release its grip, despite being hit over
the head several times by panicked neighbours. The boy needed over
50 stitches to repair the damage, yet the dog was not deemed aggressive,
and was allowed to both, go back to its police duties, and remain in the
community. Officials say the dog was "only doing what it was
trained to do"...apparently that means attacking an innocent boy
with absolutely no provocation
whatsoever, and without a command from the handler... The dog's handler
vows to "double lock" the kennel, from now on.
A meter reader was met by an aggressive dog,
and did nothing to help the unsupervised, chained animal, after
it jumped the fence and hung itself. It reportedly took several
minutes for the dog to die. The owner wasn't at home, and had been
notified the meter reader would be coming.
Due to a regional landowner dispute, an
elderly couple were the target of a planned assault. But before
the attackers could reach the couple, they felt they must first
neutralize the threat of their 5 Boerboels, kept unsupervised in
the yard (sometimes kennelled, as well). The assailants
successfully poisoned 4 of the 5 dogs. When the owner came out to
see why the dogs weren't "making the usual racket" the dogs had
already been poisoned, and that is when the attackers began their
assault on the couple.
A 76-year-old woman was
viciously attacked by two at-large Boxers. The dogs
were known to be aggressive and frequently at-large.
A man was nearly beaten to death in a home
invasion. There was a 'Beware of Dog' sign on the man's door, but
investigators found the dog still chained in the yard.
After its second attack, a Golden Retriever
has finally been destroyed. In the first attack, the owner's son
was viciously mauled by the dog while left unsupervised. In
the second case, the dog was kept in a pen, but a child visiting the
home was left unsupervised with the dog, and was attacked.
An 11-year-old boy was
bitten by the family's Great Dane while "wrestling with
the dog and growling at it," unsupervised by any adults.
A pedestrian was seriously bitten by an
unsupervised German Shepherd that simply wandered out of the owner's
yard, despite the 'invisible fence' and accompanying shock collar worn
by the dog. (Note: It is
highly unethical to use electric shock in any way with an innocent
animal. Electronic or "invisible" fences fail to keep dogs inside,
as in this case, and they also fail to keep other animals and people out
of the yard. Furthermore, should the dog find itself outside the
perimeter fence, it is unlikely to make its way back home, as it will be
shocked if it tries to do so. In this case, the owners decided,
rather than properly supervising their dog and/or erecting a proper
fence, they'd simply increase the voltage.)
A 6-year-old was bitten
by the family's American Bulldog during the process of
chaining the dog in the yard.
A dog and owner are in hot water after the
dog attacked a child while left in the yard, unsupervised.
Unbeknownst to the dog's owner, the child had been throwing rocks at the
dog, thus provoking the attack.
A 6-day-old infant was nearly mauled to
death after being left unsupervised with the family's Labrador
Retriever mix.
A man is going to court
to fight a city order to keep his admittedly "dangerous"
"guard dogs"
inside his house, rather than caged & unsupervised in his yard. The order was
issued after the dogs, a Boxer mix and a Lab mix the owner
keeps specifically for guard duties, repeatedly escaped their cage and
menaced neighbours, including biting a man in 2004.
The owner of two dogs, a Great Pyrenees and
a mixed-breed, is outraged that a farmer shot and killed one the dogs
while they were at-large, on the farmer's property.
A young boy was mauled to death in the
street by two
mixed-breed dogs who escaped their yard while unsupervised.
There were no adults at home when the killing took place.
A dog owner admits he used to wonder where
all the rocks were coming from in his yard. Each day, more rocks
would appear. It finally occurred to him that children were
throwing rocks at his dog when it was left unsupervised in the
yard. After he stopped leaving his dog unsupervised in his yard,
the rocks stopped appearing.
A Golden Retriever hanged itself after
jumping over a fence while chained and unsupervised. The
dog had been left chained in the yard while the owners went away on
vacation. A neighborhood boy was looking after the dog, and
arrived to find it dead, hanging on the other side of the fence. Several companies have
policies prohibiting their employees from visiting properties where
there are unsupervised dogs that could be in contact with them. Several
municipalities will send letters advising residents their mail will not
be delivered if there is an unsupervised dog on the premises. One
woman was advised that the courier company could not deliver her package
because an at-large dog, not hers, was spotted.
A Labrador Retriever, that the owners
routinely left unsupervised in the yard, was seriously injured by the
time the owners realized it was being attacked by a neighbour's
at-large 'pit bull' dogs. The dog died shortly thereafter.
The owners of the 'pit bulls' claim it was an "accident" that their dogs
repeatedly "escape" the yard where they're routinely left unsupervised.
A chained Rottweiler killed a young
child when the two were left unsupervised together.
Several dogs were poisoned to death in their
own kennel runs after numerous noise complaints were made to city
officials. The owner admitted the dogs barked a lot, but couldn't
understand why anyone would want to harm his dogs.
What must be a very disturbed person stabbed
a Staffordshire Bull Terrier in the head several times, while it was
left
unsupervised in the owner's yard.
A Yorkshire Terrier suffered a terrible end
when it was stolen from its owner's yard, where it was regularly left
unsupervised, and later used as bait for 'pit bulls' being illegally
trained for dog fighting. Video of the dog's demise was found by
authorities. Had it not been found, the owners would never have
known what happened to their dog after it simply "disappeared" from
their yard. The owner
of two 'pit bulls' faces jail time after his dogs attacked two boys who
entered his yard to retrieve their basketball. The dogs were
locked inside a 'dog-proof' fence, and left unsupervised in the
yard all the time. They were never socialized or exercised off the
owner's property. This isolation and lack of socialization led to
the attack on the two boys when they climbed the fence and encountered
the dogs. The owner
of a German Shepherd frequently allowed to roam the neighbourhood
couldn't understand why someone killed his dog with a shotgun blast.
The dog was eventually found dying behind a business, and later expired.
A group of teenage boys took turns
threatening to kick a terrified dog tied to a pole outside a
video store. Witnesses say they were ready to step in, but the
boys moved on without physically harming the frightened dog. One
man stayed with the dog, to tell the owner what had happened in his
absence. A girl
suffered serious bite wounds from the family's Golden Retriever when she
poked her hand into the dog's crate.
The owners of a German Shepherd and German
Shepherd/Lab mix were ordered to remove their dogs from the county after
they were declared "vicious animals" stemming from repeated biting and
menacing incidents while the dogs were at-large. The owners
claim the dogs kept "escaping" their yard (while left unsupervised).
A Great Dane was shot three times by police
after escaping its yard, where the owners habitually left the dog
unsupervised while they were away at work.
A girl was seriously injured when she went
to play, unsupervised, with the Dogue de Bordeaux dogs her
grandmother kept kennelled in the yard.
An infant was attacked
by an unsupervised Husky/Chow mix in the home.
An at-large Bull Mastiff
attacked a woman's two Bulldogs as her dogs played outside her Toronto home.
The woman also suffered bites during the attack.
An unsupervised boy needed
18 stitches to close wounds caused in a single bite and release by a Great Dane the boy startled while sleeping.
A young child was
attacked when he ventured into an Akita's kennel, unsupervised.
A young boy was killed when he was allowed
to venture, unsupervised, into the
neighbour's yard, where the owners left their 'pit bull' chained
and unsupervised all day.
An boy
suffered puncture wounds to the hip and face in an attack by his
family's 2 Bull Mastiffs when they were left alone together,
unsupervised. A
boy was
attacked by a German Shepherd Dog that broke free of its
chain, jumped a fence, and knocked the boy off his bicycle as he was
attempting to flee. A
$10,000 reward is being offered for anyone who knows who doused a
4-month-old 'pit bull' puppy, left unsupervised in its yard, with
acid so strong, the dog had to be euthanized after attempted emergency
treatment. A boy was
left with bite wounds to the
face and a possible broken nose after an attack that took place while
he, his friend, and his friend's Corgi were left alone together,
unsupervised.
2 rare Soay sheep,
registered with the Rare Breeds Survival Trust, were killed
and 2 more seriously
injured after an attack by 2 at-large Lurchers. The sheep
owner was also attacked.
One of two at-large
Mastiffs attacked a 13-year-old boy, leaving wounds on the
buttocks, arm, and back. The owner had been previously cited for
having failed to license his dogs, and warned for allowing the
reportedly aggressive dogs to roam unsupervised.
An at-large Chow
attacked a woman's dog in her own yard. The Chow has previously
been reported for aggression. Two
at-large Dogue de
Bordeaux dogs killed 2 cats and attacked a calf before biting
the animals' owner. The owner claims the dogs "escaped" their yard
without his knowledge.
An unsupervised 2-year-old was attacked
by his babysitter's Chesapeake Bay Retriever. The
dog has a history of aggressive behaviour. The babysitter said
she'd turned her back for "just a second". However, that
"second" was long enough for the youngster to climb down from his high
chair, and go over to where the dog was sleeping.
A toddler was mauled by the family’s Labrador Retriever
when the two were left unsupervised together.
A 5-year-old girl was
attacked by an at-large German Shepherd while walking her own
dog. The owner(s) claim the dog merely escaped the yard without
their knowledge. A woman was
savagely attacked by a neighbour's at-large Bull Mastiff.
The owner(s) claimed the dog "escaped" the yard without their knowledge.
A police officer shot an at-large Ridgeback
mix dog after it attacked another dog and menaced the
officer. The owner was located, and claimed the dog "escaped" the
yard where it was left unsupervised.
A 6-year-old boy was
attacked by two at-large dogs, and found unconscious and hypothermic outside the
residence. The owner
of the German Shepherd mix surrendered the dog for euthanasia.
Two at-large Labrador Retriever mixes killed a
chained Pomeranian then attacked a ‘pit bull’ before being
captured. The owner will likely only face a fine for allowing the
dogs to be at-large. A
toddler was sent to
hospital after being attacked by her grandfather's Akita when the two
were left unsupervised together.
A chained Great Dane killed
its owner and severely injured her relative.
A toddler was attacked by her family’s St. Bernard
when the two were left alone together, unsupervised.
A dog warden was fired from his position,
and his assistant resigned after admitting to seizing and killing an
at-large 'pit bull' (against regulations and procedures), then
repeatedly lying to the dog's owner about the incident.
A Schnauzer
is being held after attacking another dog while at-large, and biting the owner.
A 12-year-old girl was attacked by an
unsupervised American Bulldog/Presa Canario mix
in her friend's house. Only the victim, a 10-year-old, and a
3-year-old were in the house at the time of the attack.
A boy was mauled by his family’s Golden Retriever,
leaving him in serious condition in hospital, after being left
unsupervised by any adults.
A pre-schooler was
attacked by a pack of four, at-large dogs that burst through the
facility's fence.
A postal worker was
awarded $24,648 for her medical expenses as well as other damages as a
result of an attack by a German Shepherd left unsupervised in the
owner's yard. A six-year-old was knocked to the ground and attacked by an
at-large Labrador Retriever.
A woman has to undergo
rabies treatment after being bitten by an at-large dog described as likely
either a Husky or a Keeshond.
A 4-year-old boy had to be placed in a drug induced
coma in hospital after being attacked mauled by at-large dogs.
After several biting incidents, a man’s
repeatedly at-large Border Collies have been
deemed “dangerous”. No charges have been filed against the owner.
An Alameda County Deputy District Attorney’s mixed breed dog (Lab/Shepherd
mix) may be ordered destroyed after numerous, at-large biting
incidents that occurred after the dog "escaped" the yard.
An unsupervised 18-month-old girl was seriously bitten by a
relative’s Australian Cattle Dog chained on the property.
A five-year-old boy required 190 stitches to
repair damage to his throat after being attacked by 2 unsupervised German Shepherd Dogs on
the owner’s property.
A woman and her dog
were attacked by a neighbour's at-large Jack Russell Terrier.
A town Marshall was
bitten by an at-large Siberian Husky.
A 9-year-old boy
needed 300 stitches to close wounds caused by an unsupervised Akita.
A woman was critically injured in an attack
involving two at-large dogs, a German
Shepherd and a Chow. Police shot and killed the dogs.
The owners were not charged.
An 11-year-old girl was savagely attacked in the
face, by an unsupervised Alaskan Malamute,
while visiting her friend’s home.
A 5-year-old girl was left with severe gashes and 4 missing teeth
after being attacked by her grandmother’s chained, mixed breed (non-‘pit bull’)
dog.
After no penalties were laid following a biting incident involving a
10-year-old girl and an at-large Chow/GSD mix
in December, 2005, the dog was again at-large, and bit a second child in January, 2006;
disfiguring the boy’s face by tearing away a portion of his lip.
An infant suffered severe head injuries after being attacked by the
family’s Golden Retriever when the two were left unsupervised
together.
Two at-large Boxers mauled a woman so severely, authorities believe she narrowly escaped
death. The dogs' alleged owner is fighting charges; claiming it
wasn't her dogs involved in the attack.
A family's 5-year-old daughter was mauled to death
by their two, unsupervised Siberian Huskies.
While visiting her grandparents, a
toddler was mauled by
their Golden Retriever when the two were left unsupervised
together.
A child was
bitten severely in the face by a non-descript "small dog" she was petting
while tethered to a pole outside a store.
A family's own Golden
Retriever left their child left with over 20 stitches to
the head and face, in an attack that occurred when the two were left
unsupervised together.
A 19-month-old toddler was sent to hospital with injuries to the
face and head, after being attacked by her grandmother's unsupervised Pointer.
A neighbour's at-large Labrador
Retriever and Dachshund attacked an elderly woman,
leaving her in a coma in hospital. The dogs' owner claimed they
"escaped" their yard. A 4-year-old girl was
attacked by an at-large Labrador Retriever.
October, 2005, a woman jogging in a
conservation area was attacked for the second time by the same former Crufts winner; an
at-large Rhodesian Ridgeback. The owners claim the dog is
harmless, despite previous biting incidents and "escapes" from their
yard. A Jack Russell Terrier
left unsupervised with an infant caused injuries so severe, the
child's food had to be amputated.
A police officer was treated for bite wounds after having been bitten by a Miniature Pinscher.
The owner was only charged with allowing the dog to be 'at large'.
A family's Siberian
Husky killed their week-old infant in an attack that occurred when the
two were left unsupervised together.
A Trenton police officer
suffered several bite wounds after being attacked by an unsupervised German Shorthair Pointer.
A family's Great Dane
attacked their 2-year-old child, leaving minor wounds to the head and
body during an incident that took place while the two were left
unsupervised together.
A young girl was
killed by her family's Alaskan
Malamute in an attack that took place when the two were left
unsupervised together.
Despite their valiant efforts, doctors were unable to repair the
severed nose of a 5-year-old after he was attacked by a neighbour's
unsupervised Dalmatian.
A 6-week-old infant was in critical condition after being mauled by
the family's Dachshund when left unsupervised together.
A neighbour shot a rampaging,
at-large
Lab/Chow mix dog, after it "escaped" its yard and
threatened the public.
Several children were bitten, and one has to undergo rabies shots,
after being bitten by an at-large Chihuahua mix
that wandered into a schoolyard.
In March 2005, postal workers couldn't deliver mail, and residents
were afraid to retrieve their mail in one Indiana neighbourhood,
where a vicious Chihuahua
was allowed to roam at-large, and terrorize residents. After numerous
incidents, and once the dog's conduct had halted mail delivery, the
owner was finally cited for allowing the dog to be 'at large'.
A 2-year-old boy wandered into his neighbour's yard and was bitten in the face and neck by the Collie/mix
chained there.
A woman received bites requiring stitches, after being attacked by an
unsupervised Catahoula Leopard Dog on the owner's property.
A chained Briard
killed an 8-year-old child
visiting the owner's property.
A young boy had to undergo plastic surgery to repair the damaged
caused when he was mauled by a neighbour’s at-large German Shepherd dog.
The owner claims the dog "escaped" the yard.
A 2-year-old boy was mauled so viciously by his grandfather's Labrador Retriever
when they were left unsupervised together, he required treatment at two
different hospitals.
A family's unsupervised Chesapeake Bay Retriever
savagely attacked their child, leaving over 140 stitches in
the child's head and face.
May 2007, an at-large,
unsupervised Golden Retriever was shot by a farmer who was fed up
with the dog digging holes on his property. The farmer claims he
had to use a back hoe to fill-in 32 holes dug by the dog the previous
season, saying his farm equipment bounced over the holes in the field.
He pleaded, "If I broke an axle, you know who's going to have to pay
for it? Me." He said attempts to discuss the matter with
the dog's owner went unanswered. A 3 1/2-year-old child was
mauled by an Akita chained on the property.
Video:
Man tormenting dog left alone in car
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eKYFgLw-yq4
Unsupervised dogs barking at passerby, and
ready to jump fence
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C6jJs9g8vGk
Why dogs shouldn't be left
unsupervised outdoors
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ttew3NWGing
Another dog left
unsupervised in the yard; bothering neighbours
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WLNfrLw0bCE
Would you like strangers treating your dog
like this?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YYwu1KiiwtQ
Another neighbour
"appreciating" the unsupervised, barking dogs
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cALB8UK3Fuw
Even a 6' wall might not
stop a dog left unsupervised long enough for an escape
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7VwqZNpCxQk
Boys tease chained dog
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KXTLoVAkjKs
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