The Anatomy of a Dog Attack

The Anatomy of a Dog Attack
Submitted by Ryan O'Meara on August 10, 2009


“Out of the blue, it attacked for no reason”

When a dog attack is reported we will often hear the same old phrases bandied about.

“It came out of the blue”

“It was totally unprovoked”

“We didn’t see it coming”

“It was totally out of character”

Ring any bells? Well let’s try and understand how and why a dog might attack someone.

Dogs rarely, if ever, attack for no reason. Us humans often misinterpret a dog attacking “out of the blue” and “without warning”‘ because we simply missed the signs.

Let’s be clear about one thing. A dog who is prepared to bite someone has his reasons. Can we, as humans, justify those reasons using the social values of people? Probably not. But of course, dogs do not live their lives according to human social values.

Here is the story of John, Henry and Max.

max-black-labradorJohn has no wife or children. For the last five years he’s lived with his best friend in the world a playful Labrador called Max.

John is exited today. Henry, an old friend from school who he hasn’t seen for many years is visiting.

John decides today would be a good day to get his garden tidied, make a good impression on his old school chum.

As John gets busy in amongst the weeds in the front garden, he spies his old mate making his way up the street.

Henry’s been looking forward to catching up with John for weeks and, as he’s never been to his home before, finds himself feeling somewhat jubilant to realise he’s managed to find the street on which John lives without too much trouble and can now relish the prospect of seeing his friend again as well as finally getting to meet the only true love of John’s life, the much talked about Max.

It’s a hot and sunny day and Henry is wearing his sunglasses. Further up the street he spots John working in his front garden.

John’s already noticed Henry making his way towards him and yells out, “Hi Henry. Fancy a beer?”

Henry shouts back, “Sounds just the job. Can you believe this heat?”.

As per usual, Max has been ‘helping’ John with his gardening exploits by digging holes of his own all over the lawn. John doesn’t mind. He only wanted the garden so he could have somewhere safe to play fetch with Max on sunny days like today. He’s never been one for trying to keep it immaculate when Max’s favourite hobby is trying to tunnel his way to China.

Max has stopped his gardening though. He’s become preoccupied by the exchange between John and Henry and he’s taken a trip the front gate to see what’s going on.

“I wonder who this bloke is?” ponders Max.

“Why would he and John be shouting at other?” he thinks to himself.

“I’d better be on full alert.” he concludes. “John’s just shouted at this chap so he obviously wants me to keep an eye out.”

Max fixes himself in position at the front gate and hoists his tail high into the air, he’s keen to let the oncoming stranger know he’s about.

John doesn’t notice.

Henry’s still coming. So Max decides he needs to be more clear. He starts to emit a deep, low growl in Henry’s direction just to make certain the stranger who’s purposely striding towards him, his owner and HIS garden is left in no uncertain terms that he’s not moving

Henry’s still coming. And now he’s close enough for Max to notice his sunglasses. “This is getting more serious by the second”, thinks Max. “He’s not only not listening to me, he’s staring right at me. I know, I’ll stare right back at him. See if he’s as brave then.”

Problems. Henry is still as brave. To Max, Henry’s sunglasses look like wide, staring eyes, boring straight ahead and as he marches staunchly toward the increasingly anxious Labrador, Max wonders what his next move might be. As body language goes, Henry is showing all the signs of refusing to listen to Max’s advice.

Now tense and feeling genuinely threatened, Max is offered an escape. John jogs inside to fetch a couple of bottles of beer and Max is only too pleased to hurriedly follow his master. Max is somewhat relieved to suspect that John, his idol, is just as scared as he is about the relentless stranger pursuing them both from outside the garden gate.

“Shut the door John, shut the door” Max worries. “He’s still coming and you haven’t closed the door”.

Too late. Max’s heart leaps as he hears the gate swing open. Too late.

His worst fears are confirmed. The unrelenting Henry is now purposefully making his way up the garden path and toward the the house where Max and John are isolated, cornered and in Max’s case, petrified.

Gathering up every ounce of his canine courage and without a second’s thought for his own safety Max charges out of the house, tail hoisted aloft and barking his war cry as loud as his voice will muster. He heads straight for Henry wondering why this stalking maniac refused to listen to all of his earlier warnings.

“You might kill me but you’ll never take John”, Max decides.

Henry, his face very quickly drained of all its colour, is shocked and taken aback to be confronted by a clearly furious Max, the dog he’d heard so many nice stories about from doting John. This isn’t at all the dog he thought he’d be meeting.

Henry, alarmed and frightened makes his way toward Max, attempting to offer a hand of reassurance and friendship.

Max is having none of it.

“John warned you. Then I warned you. Why wouldn’t you just listen?”, reasoned Max.

Undeterred by Henry’s advance and determined not to let his owner come to any harm, Max lunges in Henry’s direction.

The realisation that Max is a long way past the stage of being able to be pacified dawns on Henry fast and he hastily tries to beat a retreat back out of the gate from which he entered.

John, hearing the commotion and now panic stricken by Max’s attack bellows “No! Max, no.”

Acutely tuned to his owner’s emotions and sensing the fear and alarm in John’s voice, Max forges ahead and launches into a full scale attack on Henry.

And then, as quick as it began, it was over.

An ambulance arrives to take Henry away and, hearing the commotion, John’s neighbours have summoned the Police.

John can be heard explaining, “He’s never done anything like this before“, the attack came “totally out of the blue“, Max was always “such a trustworthy dog“, he’s “never shown any signs of aggression in his life“, the attack was “totally unprovoked“.

But we know differently don’t we?

Let’s look again at how Max saw things unfold:

1. Max spots a man walking toward his and his owner’s garden – ‘his territory’
2. Not unduly worried, Max paid little attention to the stranger until John shouted in Henry’s direction. To Max, this was a clear signal to ‘watch for danger’
3. Obediently, Max sat at the front gate and watched for that danger.
4. He attempted to signal to Henry by putting his tail in the air and growling, that he was prepared to defend his owner and territory.
5. As Henry gets closer, Max again postures but now spots Henry’s aggressive body language, his wide eyes refusing to overt their gaze a clear signal of intent. Henry’s point blank refusal to alter his path, a sure fire gesture of defiance.
6. As John runs inside, Max’s thoughts turn to escape. He now believes John is as scared as he is and they should both seek shelter from the safety of the house.
7. Too late. As Henry enters the garden (Max and John’s territory) Max does what he thinks his owner needs him to do. He defends against the threat.
8. As Henry runs away and John panics, Max takes this as a sign that he should increase his attack, his canine instincts now in complete overdrive.

So let us again question whether John was correct when he explained to Police that Max’s attack was unprovoked.

Was it unprovoked? Not at all.

Was it unjustified in human, social terms? Absolutely.

Was it avoidable? Totally.

The Aftermath

Henry, his pain eased only slightly by drugs lies motionless in a hospital bed and starts to face the reality that a visit to see a dear, old friend has left him disfigured for the rest of his life. He ponders how best to explain to his young children that he’s still their Dad even though he knows his mutilated features will upset them deeply. He wonders how life will be from now on, how people will react to him.

Max, confused and still frightened by the terrifying ordeal earlier in the day is now wondering why he’s found himself confined to a small, secure cage at the vet surgery.

He stares through the bars and looks longingly towards the door, hoping against hope that he will soon be reunited with his trusted friend and master, John.

Unbeknown to Max, he’ll never see John again.

As the door swings open, Max’s tail momentarily begins to wag but he’s deflated. It’s not John. It’s a vet nurse.

He’s still pleased to see her. He’s lonely and upset and he just wants to go home and be with his friend.

He’s too pre-occupied to wonder why the vet nurse seems so wary of him. Wanting to put her at ease, he submissively offers up his paw. As the vet nurse holds it, she carefully shaves a small patch of fur away from his leg.

Max didn’t even notice the injection.

On this day it wasn’t only Max’s body that was destroyed as John’s memories of a kind, gentle, fun loving dog died too.

He asks himself once more, “Why did my dog attack someone for no reason?”

John may never know it, but Max had his reasons.

Dogs do not bite people without reason. They do not attack out of the blue. They do not launch into savage, frenzied assaults without provocation despite what you will undoubtedly read in news reports when the next dog attack hits the press.

There are NO devil dogs. There are NO unprovoked dog attacks. There IS a huge gap in understanding amongst some dog owners about why dogs attack and until we can bridge that gap in education people will continue to be attacked and more and more dogs will join Max, their memories destroyed along with their bodies.

Killing individual dog breeds is not the solution to a problem whicn runs throughs an entire species. Oh, and if you were left in any doubt, that species isn’t canine.

————

Originally published on Stop Dog Attacks | Copyright © Ryan O’Meara | Distributed Under Creative Commons Licence (Feel free to re-publish, anywhere, simply place a link back to this page. Thank you.)

http://www.dogmagazine.net/archives/3591/the-anatomy-of-a-dog-attack/

What's "Kitten Season?"

There are "The Dog Days of Summer," but did you also know that there's a "Kitten Season?"

Kitten season is the time of year when cats give birth, flooding animal shelters across the nation with homeless litters. Kitten season is really three seasons in one, starting in spring, peaking in late spring or early summer, and ending in fall.

Why Does Kitten Season Occur?

When warm weather coincides with female cats heat cycles, female cats go into heat and male cats come running from near and far.

The easiest way to help reduce the overwhelming numbers of unwanted cats is to spay and neuter your own cat and encourage others to do the same. Unaltered cats are driven by their hormones and tend to sneak outdoors primarily in search of a mate. Mating just once can start a domino effect that can result in dozens, even hundreds or thousands of unwanted animals.

These unwanted cats and kittens, when not left on the street to fend for themselves, often turn up in high volume at the local animal shelter.

Straining Shelters

Kitten season presents many challenges for shelter staff and the cats in their care. Resources already hard to come by—like food, money and space—are often stretched to their limit as shelters, that often take in thousands of animals every year, are inundated with homeless cats.

Typically, the adult cats feel the most immediate effects, as they are often overlooked by potential adopters when kittens are in abundance. As shelters struggle to accommodate as many cats as possible, the risk of illness also increases.

The animals aren't the only ones who feel the effects of stress. The burden often carries over to staff and vet services as they attempt to cope with the overwhelming number of cats.

Five Ways You Can Help

The vast numbers of cats that shelters accommodate across the nation during kitten season will not drop overnight, but there are many ways to help reduce cat overpopulation. Here's how you can get involved:

1.Spay or neuter your cats

Kittens as young as two months and weighing two pounds can be safely altered. Many people ask their veterinarian to spay or neuter their pet. If you have trouble affording the fee, consider these steps.


2.Help your local shelter

Donate supplies, money or your time. Contact your local shelter to find out what's needed most.


3.Care for homeless or wild cats in your area

Work with your local animal control or feral cat group to help control your neighborhood's feral and stray cat populations. Keep your cat safe indoors and learn how to provide safe outdoor time.


4.Become a foster parent

Contact your local shelter or rescue group to learn more about becoming a foster parent for cats or kittens in need.


5.Adopt

Open your home to new cat or adopt a playmate for
your existing pets

Shelters usually start getting phone calls and drop offs in the beginning / middle of April, depending on how warm the weather has been. We meaning all shelters and rescue groups really need your help. Help in your local area, foster, feed, donate even if you can only donate ripped used towels, people don't understand what a wonderful help that really is. If you can help us in any way at all please email us at rescuemeplzzz@gmail.com. We our over run right now with newborn kittens, nursing mom's and pregnant mom's. We are in desperate need for help in fostering. We can give you supplies and teach you everything you need to know to get started. We are a small group of friendly, nice, caring and animal loving people! Please help us save these poor homeless babies! We can't just turn our backs on them when they need us, they will only suffer a horrible death if we don't do something for them.

Why Spay or Neuter Your Pet?

Why Spay or Neuter Your Pet?

Spaying is a general term used to describe the ovariohysterectomy of a female animal. Neutering is a general term used to describe the castration of a male animal. However, neutering is used in reference to both genders. The surgical procedure, performed by a veterinarian, renders the animal incapable of reproducing. Here are answers to some questions you may have about this beneficial procedure.

When can I have this procedure done?
Both procedures can be performed as early as six weeks of age. Rescues are a strong proponet of "early" neutering since this guarantees that the animals will not be able to breed and populate within a community.

Why should I have my pet neutered?
Animal shelters, both public and private, unfortunately are faced with an incredible burden: What to do with the overpopulation of dogs and cats that they cannot find homes for. Estimates across the country indicate that over 10 million animals will be humanely euthanized at shelters each year, due to the sheer fact that there are not enough homes. Having your pet neutered ensures that you will not be adding to this tremendous burden.

What are some of the health benefits?
Through neutering, you can help your dog and cat live a happier, healthier, and longer life. Spaying eliminates the constant crying and nervous pacing that is a sign that a cat is in heat. Castration stops the mating drive in males, reducing the urge to roam, which in turn, reduces the risk of fights, injury, poisoning, accidents, and contracting diseases. If you have more than one pet in your household, all the pets will get along better if they are neutered.

A long-term benefit of neutering is improved health. Early neutering nearly eliminates breast cancer, and totally prevents uterine infections and uterine and testicular cancer.

Isn't it true that you only need to "fix" female dogs or cats?
Absolutely not! A male animal can father thousands of offspring in his lifetime. Roaming tomcats fighting other cats are a neighborhood nuisance and are prone to develop infections and abscesses from their fighting. An intact male may also develop the bad habit of marking its territory by urine marking.

Neutering just costs too much!
The cost of caring for a pet, including providing veterinary care, should be considered before acquiring an animal. If you would like to provide a good home for a pet, but cannot pay for the neuter, call your local animal shelter. They will be happy to provide information on low-cost neutering. The costs of having a litter are often more than the cost of neutering. There could be complications requiring hospitalization or surgery. You will be faced with finding homes or keeping the offspring yourself or placing more animals into your local shelter. The cost of the well-being of not just your companion animal but of future generations should be considered.

Can't I allow my purebred dog to have just one litter?
Mixed breed or purebred -- there just aren't enough homes. Animal shelters receive purebred animals everyday. Responsible purebred breeders have homes for their dogs before they are born.

I don't even own a pet! Why is this my problem?
All of us are affected by animal overpopulation. Millions of tax dollars are spent annually to round up lost, abandoned, and unwanted pets. Much of that money is spent to destroy these animals when homes cannot be found. Health is threatened by the danger of transmittable diseases, including rabies, animal bites, and attacks. Property may be damaged and livestock killed when pets roam in search of food. Animal waste, proving a serious environment hazard, foul yards and parks. It is only when all of us assume the responsibility for pet overpopulation that we will see any decrease in the problem.

Isn't it wrong to deprive an animal of the natural right to reproduce?
No, it's wrong to allow these animals to reproduce millions of unwanted offspring that are eventually killed because there aren't enough responsible homes.

If I find homes for my pets' litters then I won't contribute to the problem, right?
Wrong. Only a certain number of people want pets. So every home you find for your pet's offspring takes away a home from a loving animal already at a shelter.

Shouldn't every female pet have at least one litter before being spayed?
No. In fact, your pet will be healthier if she never sexually matures. Her personality will not improve either. She is just as likely to become less social and more aggressive after having a litter, as she is to become calmer and gentler.

Shouldn't children experience the miracle of birth?
No. A more important lesson to teach your child would be responsible pet ownership and concern for life by explaining why their pet should not have babies.

Doesn't neutering alter an animal's personality?
No. Personality changes that may result from neutering are for the better. Not being distracted by the instinctual need to find a mate helps your pet stop roaming and become calmer; though not less protective of their territory.

Won't animal shelters take care of the surplus animals?
No. Shelters do their best to place animals in loving homes, but the number of homeless animals far exceeds the number of available homes. This leaves many loving and healthy animals in our community that must be euthanized as the only humane solution to this tragic dilemma. Only spaying and neutering can end the overpopulation problem.

What can you do to stop the suffering?

Did you know?
Each day 10,000 humans are born in the U.S. - and each day 70,000 puppies and kittens are born. As long as these birth rates exist, there will never be enough homes for all the animals. As a result, every year 4 to 6 million animals are euthanized because there are no homes for them.

What can you do to stop the suffering?
Spay and neuter your pet! In addition to saving lives, spaying and neutering can also drastically improve your pet's health and life expectancy. The idea that pets become fat or lazy when they are spayed or neutered is a myth. Sterilized pets lead healthier, longer lives. Spaying a female eliminates the possibility of uterine and ovarian cancer and greatly reduces the risk of breast cancer. Neutering a male reduces the risk of both prostate enlargement and prostate cancer. Neutering also will make your pet more affectionate and less likely to roam, get in fights, or become lost.

Good for You, Your Pet, and the Community

Prevent A Litter - It's Good for You

Spayed and neutered pets are better, more affectionate, companions.
Neutered cats are less likely to spray and mark territory.
Spaying a female dog or cat eliminates its heat cycle, which can last twenty-one days, twice a year, in dogs, and anywhere from three to fifteen days, three or more times a year, in cats. Females in heat often cry incessantly, show nervous behavior, and attract unwanted male animals.
Spayed and neutered pets are less likely to bite. Unaltered animals often exhibit more behavior and temperament problems than those that have been spayed or neutered.

Prevent a Litter - It's Good for Your Pet

Spayed and neutered dogs and cats live longer, healthier lives.
Spaying female dogs and cats eliminates the possibility of uterine or ovarian cancer and greatly reduces the incidence of breast cancer.
Neutering male dogs and cats reduces the incidence of prostate cancer.
Neutered animals are less likely to roam and fight.

Prevent A Litter - It's Good for the Community

Communities spend millions of dollars to control and eliminate unwanted animals. Irresponsible breeding contributes to the problem of dog bites and attacks. Animal shelters are overburdened with surplus animals.

Long Island low cost / free Spay neuter

Municipal Shelters:

The Town of North Hempstead
The Town of North Hempstead has funding available for feral cat TNR. *If you are a resident of The Town of North Hempstead please dial #311 from your home phone and state that you have a feral cat problem that you need help with*

The Town of Oyster Bay (Beginning April 1, 2008) 677-5784

The Town of Babylon (Beginning April 5, 2008) 643-9270

Nassau County

1. PAWS - PIONEERS OF ANIMAL WELFARE learn more >>
PO Box 861
Hicksville , NY 11802
516 364 - 7297
http://www.paws-li.com/
Low cost and free certificates for feral and owned cats.
Traps for loan - call Judy @ 516 872-8053


2. LAST HOPE, INC. learn more >>
PO Box 61
Syosset, NY 11791
631 425-1884
Low cost and free certificates for feral
http://www.lasthopeanimalrescue.org/


3. ST. FRANCIS REFUGE
Low cost spay/neuter resources.
Dottie Abatelli 516 935-7893
PO Box 508
Plainview, NY 11803

4. Helping Promote Animal Welfare (Helping PAW)
Please call to schedule an appointment or to find out when we will be at a location near you.

5. NORTH SHORE ANIMAL LEAGUE FERAL CAT
SPAY / NEUTER PROGRAM
medicalcenter@nsalamerica.orgThis e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
Call 516-883-7900 ext 268
Spay / Neuter with Rabies vaccination and*Ear tipping
$40 which includes an FVRCP, Rabies, and Penicillin injection

*It is recommended that all feral cats being returned to a colony be ear tipped to identify them as having been spayed / neutered / vaccinated and cared for, which is recognized by municipal animal control wardens.

Drop off Friday evening between 6 - 8 pm.
If you are unable to drop off Friday night, you may drop off Saturday, at 8 am.
Pick up Saturday evening between 6 - 8 pm
Payment is at the time of drop off or pick up.

We can accommodate up to 4 cats a day Monday through Friday for spay/neuter. Once a month on saturdays we hold a day for ferals only where we can accommodate up to 40 cats.
Suffolk County

1. LAP LEAGUE OF ANIMAL PROTECTION, GRATEFUL learn more >>
GratefulPawGrants@yahoo.comThis e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
Free certificates for Huntington residents trapping and releasing ferals.

2. LITTLE SHELTER
631 368-8770 or 754 - 8200
33 Warner Road
Huntington, NY 11743
Irene DaVide - TNR Program
Traps to loan, will trap for elderly, loans cage for recuperation.
Educate persons and assist regarding TNR, low cost sp/n certificates
http://www.littleshelter.com/ Email: info@littleshelter.comThis e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

3. KENT ANIMAL CLINIC learn more >>
631 727-7797
2259 River Rd
Calverton, NY 11933
Low cost and free spay/neuter program

4. SAVE A PET learn more >>
631 473-6333
608 Route 112
Port Jefferson Station, NY 11776
Traps available. Can hold feral's as needed for preop. and
recuperation.
Low cost and free sp/n programs

5. ARF - Animal Rescue Fund of the Hamptons learn more >>

Daniel's Hole Road
PO Box 901
Wainscott, NY 11875
Sara Davison - Director Ext 209
631 537-0400
fax 631 537-1759
http://www.arfhamptons.org/
email: info@arfhamptons.orgThis e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it "Operation Cat - A free TNR program for feral and stray cats.

6. Elsies Ark - Pat Lillis "Save the Un-savable"
PO Box 2900
East Hampton, NY 11937
631 329-2900
Free spay neuter certificates Inquire about adoptions for special needs animals.

7. SAVES, INC. GREENPORT, NY
631 722-0015 / 722-2650
Free Spay/Neuter Program
$25 donation and will give certificate for free spay/neuter program at Kent Animal Shelter.

8. Helping Promote Animal Welfare (Helping PAW)
Please call to schedule an appointment or to find out when we will be at a location near you.


NYC

1. ASCPA N.Y. SPAY / NEUTER MOBILE VAN
212 876-7700 Ext. 4303 for free spay / neuter program.
Choose #6 for rescue persons to sign up for free spay/neuter of feral and stray cats.


National

1. SPAYUSA 1 800 248-7729 203 377-1116 / 203 375-6627 http://www.spayusa.org/
Direct to low cost Veterinarians and Programs.