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Pets MEGA Cats VS Dogs - POLL!

The Big Question - Cat v's Dog

  • Total voters
    171
I would absolutely get rid of the dog. I could never stand it being around my little one after that happened. What if it had bit her a little harder and sliced through her brain? She could be dead right now because of your dog. :\
 
I'm surprised that everyone is saying to get rid of the dog.

My dog is my child

Its not Harry's fault. As alicat said in the OP this is completely uncharacteristic of him to do. I dont see any reason why keeping them separate is harmful to the child
 
I agree that the dog should be humanely euthanised. You did a good thing to take the dog on, but with that comes responsability for his future. If you give him to another household or a rescue shelter his future is no longer secure. If he bites again he could do more serious damage, but as far as the dogs welfare is concerned, as a biter he is vulnerable and could end up a victim of animal cruelty or unintentional cruelty through fear, you just never know. Best all round to give him a loving goodbye and let your concience be clear that you did the right thing for all parties.
It will be awful to take him to the vet, maybe a friend family memebr can do it for you. But I've worked at a vets and I assure you he wont suffer, he will literally 'go to sleep'. Try to be strong and not too sentimental.
 
LoveAlways said:
I'm surprised that everyone is saying to get rid of the dog.

My dog is my child

Its not Harry's fault. As alicat said in the OP this is completely uncharacteristic of him to do. I dont see any reason why keeping them separate is harmful to the child
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wow, you are surprised? are you serious? i think it is criminally negligent to keep the dog.
and as a lover of animals, and a mommy to a toy poodle that i home cooked for for a year before resorting to a healthy organic mix due to being unsure that i was fulfilling the nutrients needed for a healthy diet.....she is my baby too. but i find it laughable that you would compare the two.

i could put the dog down myself if she ever harmed my children.
 
I think it's going overboard to say its criminal to keep the dog. If you say that, then it's criminally negligent to keep any dog in the same house as a child. All dogs are capable of doing what this one did, unless they are unable to because of size or other physical limitation. What's negligent is putting a child in a situation where the dog could attack it and do the type of harm that we're seeing here. It doesn't mean the dog is some sort of baby-killer, any more than all dogs have the potential to harm children, in that they are all carnivorous animals.

Would it be ok to put your child in the same situation with a different dog? One that you thought of as "safe"? Remember, you thought that this dog was "safe" until it attacked. I'm willing to bet you'll never put your kid in that situation with any dog ever again. From this point on you'll keep them separate. You can still do that without getting rid of the dog, much less killing it.
 
DarthMom said:
i could put the dog down myself if she ever harmed my children.
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totally agree. I could shoot even my most loved dog if it hurt my (hypothetical) child. I only imagine that this would be stronger once I actually have a child.

There's no comparison between a dog and a child. None.

That said. I don't think its necessary to put this dog down. Try to find a good home for it (childless obviously).
 
alicat72 said:
she was next to him, but did not touch him......she will often crawl up next to him and stop to smile at him....
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this is that part that really worries me when it comes to considering keeping the dog. well, this plus the neurosurgery/ cracked skull issue.

there are plenty of people who own potentially dangerous animals and have infants/toddlers/children. one of my best friends had to be hospitalized when she was in middle school for being kicked by her horse; i think it caused kidney damage. but her parents didn't shoot the horse or even get rid of it; i'm pretty sure that would have caused her more trauma than the actual injury.

if the dog has never even growled at the baby prior to this, there was no way to predict that something on this level was going to happen. now that it has, though, any future incidents should not come as a surprise. so if you choose to keep the dog, be prepared to never let the above quoted scenario become a possibility. and ask yourself if that's really how you want to co-exist with your dog and baby. also, if you have friends with children, consider the liability and amount of effort it's going to take to micromanage things any time they come to visit from here on out.
 
pennywise said:
I think it's going overboard to say its criminal to keep the dog. If you say that, then it's criminally negligent to keep any dog in the same house as a child. All dogs are capable of doing what this one did, unless they are unable to because of size or other physical limitation. What's negligent is putting a child in a situation where the dog could attack it and do the type of harm that we're seeing here. It doesn't mean the dog is some sort of baby-killer, any more than all dogs have the potential to harm children, in that they are all carnivorous animals.

Would it be ok to put your child in the same situation with a different dog? One that you thought of as "safe"? Remember, you thought that this dog was "safe" until it attacked. I'm willing to bet you'll never put your kid in that situation with any dog ever again. From this point on you'll keep them separate. You can still do that without getting rid of the dog, much less killing it.
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100% agree. I also had a black labrador. She was the sweetest thing until she saw a squirrel or a bunny rabbit. Your dog was probably confused

I am having a baby next year--there is NO WAY that I am putting down our pit before or after I have the baby. We will just be very very careful. No need for corpral punishment 8)
 
i am not going to keep anywhere close to her. he will be an outside dog from now on. if weather does not permit this, he will be inside in his kennel. i just cannot bring myself to put him down.

he will still get walks and car rides. i am already in the process of aquainting him with his new living areas.....
 
eDDe9 said:
Aren't pitbull's illegal?
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where did you get this idea?

most pits are very safe to have as pets....

my dog is a lab. he bit my baby. there is no way to know by breed which dog will bite and which will not....i just learned this with my dog....
 
alicat72 said:
i am not going to keep anywhere close to her. he will be an outside dog from now on. if weather does not permit this, he will be inside in his kennel. i just cannot bring myself to put him down.

he will still get walks and car rides. i am already in the process of aquainting him with his new living areas.....
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i'm inclined to agree with vibby with what she's said, and i'll also add, is it fair to your dog to be treated differently now that he has bitten your child? wouldn't you feel better knowing that your dog could go to a friend, family member, or someone who really wants a dog who has no children who could give him the proper home that he deserves rather than keeping him outside, away from the child, feeling neglected.

your dog has no idea what has happened, but i suspect that since you intend on treating him differently that before, which is to be expected of course, that he may eventually lash out in different ways. this happened to one of my basset rescues. her owners left her outside all of the time after they had a child. she never bit or did anything to the child, but my dog barks. she barks a lot. she scared the child on several occasions, and the family no longer treated her the same. i'm not saying that you will do this, but it is definitely worth a thought to maybe give the dog to a rescue or to someone that you know that can give the dog the time and love that he deserves without feeling neglected.
 
Pits are illegal where I grew up, but people had them anyways. It's a municipal ordinance, not a state law. It is most definitely enforced, though. I believe they are illegal in the UK as well.

alicat, I wouldn't go so far as to call you a negligent parent. This is a tough decision. I see from your profile that you live in Ohio; whereabouts? A google search for a Labrador rescue organization in your area might be a good idea; even if such a group can't take your dog, they may know who can.
 
do you have a large yard? dogs are pack animals, and they get really lonely when isolated. i'm against euthanizing, but unless you are going to get a second outside dog to keep him company, i really don't think your pooch is going to be happy. he considers you his pack, and adjusting the living arrangements to meet your needs aren't necessarily going to equal meeting the needs of a pet dog. he isn't going to understand why he can't be with you two while you're watching tv, reading, eating, and doing all the group activities he's used to being a part of. my dog would be miserable if being indoors meant being locked up in a cage while fun was going on without her :(

you aren't going to even consider finding a friend to take him in?
 
^I had the same thoughts in mind. Is there a friend or family member that would be able to take him for a while? Then you could see him when you want to and possibly when your daughter is old enough take him back.
 
Yeah, I wouldn't suggest putting the dog down at all! I hope I didn't come across that way. Look for a new home for him, someone you know so he can still be in contact with you.
Keeping him penned up in an outside cage is really unfair to him. He would be much happier in a home that wanted him to be a safe part of their family.
 
I gave my Lab to my mom-she lives on 10 acres in WI. I kept telling ppl she was going to "doggy heaven" and they thought I meant....u know :(


ps i heard pitbulls are illegal in some states (like FL)
 
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Mariposa said:
Pits are illegal where I grew up, but people had them anyways. It's a municipal ordinance, not a state law. It is most definitely enforced, though. I believe they are illegal in the UK as well.

alicat, I wouldn't go so far as to call you a negligent parent. This is a tough decision. I see from your profile that you live in Ohio; whereabouts? A google search for a Labrador rescue organization in your area might be a good idea; even if such a group can't take your dog, they may know who can.
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mariposa....

i also did a google search on lab rescue....the closest one is two hours away....

rogue robot....

i realize that harry's life will change. that he may be confused for a while. but i know he was a farm dog before i rescued him....he will adjust....
 
vibr8tor said:
do you have a large yard? dogs are pack animals, and they get really lonely when isolated. i'm against euthanizing, but unless you are going to get a second outside dog to keep him company, i really don't think your pooch is going to be happy. he considers you his pack, and adjusting the living arrangements to meet your needs aren't necessarily going to equal meeting the needs of a pet dog. he isn't going to understand why he can't be with you two while you're watching tv, reading, eating, and doing all the group activities he's used to being a part of. my dog would be miserable if being indoors meant being locked up in a cage while fun was going on without her :(

you aren't going to even consider finding a friend to take him in?
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i do have a large yard. 1/2 acre (i think that's pretty big)

i have considered having a friend or family member take him, but most of them have children or other dogs......

like i stated before, i have considered the lab rescue, but there is a waiting list and it is 2 hours away.

i will try my current resolution for now. if i see his behaviour changing....if he becomes sad or starts acting out, i will certainly seek another resolution....
 
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