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Dog attacks on horses and livestock


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[size=6][b]R.E. Graswich: Her horse is a Rock in surprise attack by unleashed pit bull
By R.E. Graswich -- Bee Staff Writer

Published 2:15 a.m. PDT Wednesday, August 14, 2002[/b][/size]


Dog and pony show: Riding her horse Rock near the Elkhorn Bridge, Barb Eggleston saw a man, woman and two dogs in the distance. The dogs came running -- an 80-pound pit bull and a mutt. "Most dogs will never attack a horse from the front. This pit went straight in," Barb said. "He attacked Rock's shoulder. It was everything I could do to hang on." Rock, a muscular quarter horse, leaped and kicked. The pit moved to Rock's hindquarters, biting at his haunch. "Rock was running and kicking," Barb said. "I felt myself falling, but managed to hang on. If I had fallen, there's no way I would have survived that dog." The attack ended when Rock outran the pit. Barb circled back when she saw the people putting leashes on the dogs. "I rode up and said I wanted to talk to them," Barb said. "The man said, 'He's never done this before,' then got mad at me for agitating his dog. They got in a car and left." Barb memorized the license plate and reported it. She's waiting to hear from authorities.

Meantime, riding will never be the same. "Rock is OK," she said. "But this ruins your peace." ...

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[b][size=6]Dogs attack in barnyard
Whitehouse woman returns home to find 6 pets killed



By Dana Treen
Times-Union staff writer [/size][/b]

The carnage that greeted Carolyn Bowling behind her house just after midnight was horrific.

At the edge of the tiny barnyard, her five goats, a potbellied pig and one turkey lay maimed, dead or dying early Wednesday morning. She could hear one of her horses screaming from the woods beyond.

A pair of neighborhood dogs that Bowling and neighbors spotted running from the yard have been blamed in the attack in western Duval County's rural Whitehouse area that ended with four of the goats, the pig and the horse dead. One of the attacking dogs, a large brown bulldog, was shot as it ran away and died from the wound.

Yesterday, the owner of the other dog, a white American bulldog named Ginger, said he was planning to have her destroyed and offer to pay for damages to Bowling's animals.

"It really upset her and it upset me, too," said Bobby Copher, Ginger's owner. "I keep thinking, what if it had been some kid?"

Copher, who lives behind Bowling on several acres of land, has been ordered to appear in court for not keeping Ginger restrained.



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Police did not have the identity of the other dog's owner.

"With what she's put up with, I told her I wasn't going to have any more dogs on my land," Copher said. "This happened and this should be an eye awakening for anybody that has this kind of dog."

Bowling, who came home Tuesday night from her job as a registered nurse about midnight said it sounded like a "frenzy, a feeding frenzy" in the small barn. "I heard the growling, I heard barking."

The animals that she characterized more like pets than livestock were being slaughtered, she said. The horse, Nicky, ran from the barn into the swampy woods and screamed before suddenly falling silent. One side of his face was torn away, said Bowling, who didn't find the carcass until yesterday.

The horse was a favorite of her grandsons, 11 and 3 years old, who live with their parents next door. Yesterday, she had not told them the horse was dead.

All that remain now are a goat named Elsa, two turkeys and another horse, Bowling said.

"Her feet were torn up and her neck was chewed," she said of the last goat.

The potbellied pig was badly maimed and had to be destroyed, she said.

"We tried to shoot her with a .22 but we couldn't kill her," Bowling said.

She had to call a neighbor with a more powerful gun to do the job.

A man with a backhoe dug a pit and buried the carcasses, she said.

Bowling, who lives with her husband on about 30 acres, began buying the property about 15 years ago.

She said roaming dogs have been a problem in the past.

"This is not the first time this has happened over here," she said.

Over time, Bowling said she has lost more than 70 geese, ducks, goats and other animals to neighborhood dogs. Often, the carcasses of the birds will be taken into the nearby woods to be found later.

"We cannot go out in our yard because these dogs come out and go after us," she said.

Copher said he knows his own dogs have caused problems for Bowling in the past, at a time when Bowling lost other goats.

"Dogs act crazy when they get in a pack," he said.

Attacks by dogs on other animals or even people are not unheard of when dogs are in groups.

"They kind of get a pack mentality and they can be destructive," said Sonya White, executive director of the Jacksonville Humane Society. "Not all dogs do that and not all packs attack. I think it depends on the individual animal."

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[size=6][i]This is from the equine forum where the above were topics of discussion;[/i][/size]

[size=6][b]Heather's post[/b][/size]

[i][b]quote:
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Another person with NO pateince for irresponsible dog owners.[/b][/i]Ten years ago I was co-manager/instructor of a children's riding school with a strong of about 17 school ponies. Some of these ponies had been with me for many years, some were privately owned, and many of them had been made up from youth or turned around by myself and my kids/students.

At approximately 2:00AM I got a call from my co-manager saying she had just gottena hysterical phone call from the barn owner, the ponies had gotten out and there was some sort of horrible accident. She lived an hour away, could I go out and see what was going on, and she would get their when she could.

I saw the sirens from a good two miles away, and the pit in my stomach grew and grew. When I crested the hill I saw something tha haunts me to this day--bodies. The bodies of my ponies, laid out across the road, some mauled by the cars that had hit them to point they hardly looked like ponies anymore. There were five ponies in the road, three were dead already, the other two injured. my other 12 were no where to be found. since our vet was looking to the injured ponies, and I couldn't help the dead ones, I put all my attention to finding the rest of them, and keep them from meeting the same fate as the others.

It took me an hour, and while I searched, the same question pounded in my head, how and why would they have broken out of their field, which was fenced with 6'0 high non-climb fencing.

When I finally found them, I had my answer, my poor, panicked herd was covered with bites. Dog bites. One had a ruptured hind tendon froma dog's attempt to hamstring him. Others had bites of various severity. When I reported thsi to the police, I was told they had been getting reports for some weeks about a pack of dogs roaming the area, and that a neighbor a few doors down had lost several sheep the week before. In their terror to flee their attackers, my ponies had torn their heavy metal gate from it's hinges.

Needless to say the focus of the accident invesitgation. when they foudn them, what did they find? A pack of feral pit bulls and German Shepherds? Not even close--a pack of p0erfectly tame, "wouldn't hurt a fly" housepets, all with collars, and homes, and people who loved them. There were two labs, a golden retriever, a medium shaggy mutt, and a cocker spaniel. Many of the owners tried to defend what had happened by claiming that (a) the dog had never left the yard before; (b) not letting them wander was cruel; (c) we should have fencing that their dogs can't get through to chase our horses; and (d)it's not their fault.

Thankfully, they got the book thrown at them, but it didn't bring back my ponies.

People that don't have trained and well-behaved dogs make me crazy. Or, at least don't control them. I have a lab that has issues due to the terrible situation I rescued him from. He isn't perfectly behaved, BUT I make sure he is always controlled, in his fenced yard, or on a leash at ALL TIMES. I have so many neighbors here that let their dogs do whatever--Rusty the golden retriever, Hershey the Chocolate Lab, Ranger the Aussie Shepherd, and a pair of Bassets whose names I don't know are regular visitors here, which of course gets my three dogs riled up, and they bark, and then I get sked why my dogs bark--because YOUR dog is strolling throught THEIR yard--morons. If I've taken the term to teach them a quiet command, the least you can do it keep your dog on your own d@mn property!

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Hi, I can't tell you how sad this makes me feel and how bad I feel for the owners of these animals. I thought you might be interested to see what is being discussed regarding dogs on other types of forum. I really want my puppy to be comfortable, safe and obedient around horses and the yard sheep, and any tips on integrating the two species would be appreciated.

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Guest Anonymous

:o
This is horrifying! You hear all about people, but never about horses! We had a chicken killer loose in our neighborhood, but when we got Koko, the killing stopped. I can't believe that they would consider fencing a dog a bad thing! What if the dog was trampled by the horse... on the horses property, would it then be the fault of the horse owner to put down the "dangerous" horse, what if it was a car that hit the dog, do you think they would still consider it cruel to alow the dog that kind of freedom. And of course the mention of a free roaming aussie really gets me. Any responsible aussie owner knows they are a HERDING DOG... They will chase animals, they will bite ankles! And especially if the dog is untrained they will cause serious damage. And if it isn't the owners fault for such a slaughter of obviously valuable animals... then is it the dogs, for going on instinct? Is it the dog's fault the owner didn't restrain them train them to be proper dogs?
I just can't express the anger I have at this... just one more check on the
"dangerous dog act".......... :(

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This is so awful! All those poor terrified animals killed or injured in such a horrific way. I am very sad to hear stories like this. These are very irresposnsible dog owners and I hope they are never allowed to own another animal in their lives!
Wendy

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Guest Anonymous

Well around here dogs that harrass livestock or wild life can be legally shot and are.
Lots of people are moving into formally rural areas with the misguieded idea that animals can run free in the 'country' setting and happily go off to their day job leaving their pets outside to come up with their own amusements. The dogs quite naturally form packs and hunt then head home to be there when 'mom and dad' get home.
IMO the old farmers saw that good fences build good neighbors applies as well to dogs as to livestock.

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Guest Anonymous

Oh boy. this one is one that really frys my a**. We are extremely rural, but my dogs would never be allowed to run free. They have a half acre fenced play yard plus we train for races starting in September and gradually work up to aproximately 100 miles of running every week-either pulling a wheeled rig or the sled after it snows. You would not believe how many times I've been chased, my dogs (or me!) bitten while legally running on public roads and trails. I normally train with 6 to 12 dogs and they are trained to ignore distractions on the trail and are very accepting of other dogs. (in races there are up to 30 other teams on the trail, so in a six dog race that is 180 other dogs that they have the potential to see, so it's no big deal for them. The story changes however when someones "harmless pet" comes out and starts chewing on my dogs while the owner yells fruitlessly at their dog. Our township has a leash law, but it is'nt unusual for me to see 5 to 10 dogs during a 20 mile run, all loose, and most completely untrained with murder in their eyes.

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Guest Anonymous

At least these stories do point out that ANY dog, irresponsibly owned, can act in an antisocial and dangerous manner.. how awful though.. I really feel for the owners of the animals involved :cry:

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how awful :cry: ....perhaps those irresponsible owners should be forced to work in a vet's office to assist with some of the injuries like their dogs caused.

I feel bad for all the animals involved. Even the "pack" dogs don't really know they're doing anything wrong, they're following instinct.

I had a neighbor's dog chasing a horse a few years ago. I knocked on her door and explained that the horse could kill the dog if he kicked it. She said she was there first! The she called the people who owned the barn i leased and told them I threatened to shoot her dog! (not at all, I was extremely pleasant through the whole - irritating - conversation :roll: ) Animal control said I had to get pictures proving the dog chased the horse before they could get involved. The worst thing was that I could be working in the barn and suddenly the dog would run in and charge the horse, and I had to dodge flying hooves. I never got hurt, but I did lose the lease because she kept on with the story that I might shoot her dog. So I guess she won.

Glad the site is back up!

Corgilady

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okay here's how it is here, (at least for me) :wink:

If [b]ANY[/b] animal dog, horse, whatever is harrassing my dog, snakes, family, whatever it gets shot, unless I can break it up with my hands, fists or a stick. If the conflict is beyond my ability as a 225 pound man who is in very good physical condition to resolve with a large 2-5 pound stick, something or someone is gonna die anyway and I'm gonna choose (with my shotgun) the instagater.

you know what made me the sickest

[quote]The potbellied pig was badly maimed and had to be destroyed, she said.

"We tried to shoot her with a .22 but we couldn't kill her," Bowling said.

She had to call a neighbor with a more powerful gun to do the job. [/quote]

I dont know how everyone's gun knowledge is but in case you dont know a .22 is a large BB gun not fit to kill a squirl at 30 yards. To give you an idea on pig hide, an exparament was done by some private invetigators on the assassanation of lincolin, where a pig was shot in the back of the skull by an exact replica of the gun used to kill Abe, the pig gave a wheeee! and ran off. Later to discover the shot did not break the skin!

my point is this pig sat in agony for god knows how long, until his owner and family came up to him lying in his own blood and shot him in the head, the shot didn't work so he waited till the neighbor could finish the job...How [b] :evil: FU*KING SICK IS THAT!! :evil: [/b]that sets me on fire, that an owner of livestock doesnt own a shotgun or something to protect his animals with and for that matter his/her .22 would not have stopped the dog attack either!!

this story is pathetic in many ways :evil:

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You know that bugged me a bit too.. it seemed insensible to 'try' to put an animal out of its misery like that.. I personally would only have a vet euthanise any of my animals- it cost me 12 quid for a little mouse not long ago, but I would pay it all over again!

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I've heard of a place here where you go in and get the injection and then you walk your dog through a little 5 acre garden with ponds and dirt paths there are benches everywhere and when he lays down to sleep the last thing he sees is you and him in the garden

sounds pretty good compared to what my childhood dog whent through, I could just feel that she knew exactly what me and my dad were doing, and she gave me this look, :cry: that I still cant shake, freakin chokes me up man :cry:

but I'll see her again :D

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[quote name='deepseasnake']I've heard of a place here where you go in and get the injection and then you walk your dog through a little 5 acre garden with ponds and dirt paths there are benches everywhere and when he lays down to sleep the last thing he sees is you and him in the garden :D[/quote] it would still be very hard. i am sorry you were with your mum it must have been very hard for you. :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry:

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snake you make me cry :cry: :cry:

I had to put down a pony, she was like 35 years old. my friend who was a vet suggested it because he said her heaves were so bad, it was like she had just finished a hard run ALL THE TIME....so he came over to give her the shot...but just then she found some ripe pears on the ground and she jogged over to eat them, so he gave the injection and the last thing she did was look me right in the eye LIKE SHE KNEW WHAT I HAD DONE....aaaaugh.

also snake thanks for clarifying about the pig....you made me see how much the poor thing suffered. :cry:

corgilady

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my intention was not to make you sad. But to me these stories are always put out like there is total complete innocence, ya know. and they way that one part about the pig is written, its like we were supposed to feel sickly sympathetic about what the lady was put through, and it was bad. but I feel absolutly outraged that she could be so morbidly stupid and just increase the pigs agony like that. I almost lost all my sympathy for her.....it now is all for the pig!

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Guest Anonymous

odd question, since we are on euthinasia...
My moms friend recently lost her chuahua mix... the dog was very, very old, and just as sick, but Becky was very attatched so it was a hard decision to make, and was very upset to have to do it... when she took the dog, Chubbs, to the vet (The one she has always used) they first gave the dog a trank. They then examined the dig (mind she had been examined just days before this and Becky said, when she came in that this had been done and that she wanted Chubbs put out of her misery) They then waited for the trank to kick in.... :o And after a while said that they would put the dog to sleep. They put the needle into the dogs tummy and poor Chubbs gave out the most horribly wail! Becky told them to stop, but it was too late and Chubbs was mercifully gone.
1. I know that small dogs have small veins and that they sometimes callapse... but the tummy?
2. For as many euthinasias as I have been presant for (And that was alot when I worked for the vet!) I have never heard a dog cry out. Usually it was a deep sigh and then they were gone.
3. Why would they trank her when all they had to do was euthinize her??? :o The dog was in pain and it was time to end it... and the trank was expensive! Why not just put her to sleep... living was obviously too hard...
Anyway, all this talk reminded me about this and I was wondering if anybody else had similar experiences, or problems, or knew why this happened in such a way.
thanks

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Guest Anonymous

so I wasn't wrong to think this was wierd? :o
Becky called me and asked but she wasn't sure that she really wanted to know... cause that would make thoughts of Chubbs death even more painful! My mom and I bought her a beautiful shell urn for the ashes as Chubbs was cremated, and that help her alot, something to remember the dog by...
I am glad I wasn't bad in telling her that the whole procedure was uncalled for...

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ooooh <shudder> BAD memories here too....I literally grew up with my first dog.(corgi/foxy mix).He was six months older than me...my parents bought him just before I was born.....He lived til I was 17...I came home from school one day and my parents had taken him in to have him euthanized (without warning me)...I never got to say goodbye...nobody went in the room with him when they gave him the injection...and then they just left his body there for the vet to cremate...I felt SO guilty....and was angry with how my parents handled the whole thing...I know they thought they were doing the right thing and it would be easier on me,but I will never make that mistake with MY son...when its time for his pets to cross over he WILL get a chance to say goodbye.....

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[quote]
3. Why would they trank her when all they had to do was euthinize her??? The dog was in pain and it was time to end it... and the trank was expensive! Why not just put her to sleep... living was obviously too hard... [/quote]
Some vets do tranqualize the dogs before the euthanize them... I've heard a couple reasons, but I guess it really depends on the situation, the vet, the animal, and the owner.

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