Use Extra Care to Protect Your Pet From Possible Harm

RIP "Pugsly"
10/2009 - 10/26/2010

The next morning, I searched every inch of my yard, and have finally found the place that allowed Puglsy to get into the portion of the yard where my Grandson keeps his two large dogs, Lola, the Bloodhound, and Ozzie, his one hundred Lab/German Shepherd mix.  It was where the cross fence and gate and the side perimeter section meet, or rather used to meet. Somehow, apparently over the past ten years, that section of fencing no longer meets as it did before.  It wasn't obvious that there was even a gap there, until I got very close, and even then, it was only visible from a certain angle.  There was about a four inch gap, and I missed it.  It's repaired now, but unfortunately that won't bring back my little "Pugsly."

"Pugsly" and "Buddy Cat" ©2010 PK Hawk
Happily playing on unfolded laundry.
This photo was taken
about a week before the horrible
incident that killed my sweet,
loving and adorable Pugsly.

I suppose one day, I will stop beating myself up over this horrible incident, but I just keep hearing his yelping, and seeing his limp body lying there, in Ozzie and Lola's yard.

I hope I am not offending anyone, but I just have to tell you all that when you have any pet, you must make sure they have a very secure yard to play and run in.  Pugsly ran in my yard since I first rescued him in March from a home, where the small child did permanent damage to his right foreleg and shoulder.  I feel absolutely horrible about any animal I have ever had that has died, but Pugsly is the first dog I have ever lost this way.  Any others were older, and died after many years of living life in safety, and being loved.

This happened on my own fenced in property.  Can you even imagine what could happen to your pets if they are just allowed to roam the neighborhood?

_________________________________________________

Another Event, Same Day, Different Area of Town

"Mini Pin"
Miniature Pinscer

My sister called the morning following my loss, and not knowing what had already happened here, she told me about another horrible incident.  She has a next door neighbor who has a Miniature Pinscer, better known as a "Mini Pin," that they have allowed to run much of the time.  The very day that I lost Pugsly, it seems that this little Mini Pin was tied in it's yard, which is not securely fenced.  A larger dog, about half the size of a Lab or Doberman entered the yard, and attacked the little Mini Pin.  The man who owns the Mini Pin, had to crawl under the house to breakup the the attack, and get the Mini Pin out.  It's harness was torn off, and it was bleeding, and in very bad shape. The owners of the Mini Pin, wrapped him in several towels, and immediately took him to the closest veterinary hospital, where he was kept and stabilized. My sister says the dog which provoked the attack is also allowed to run loose much of the time, even though it's owner knows it has an aggressive personality.

Mini Pin resembles this
Doberman, but weighs only
about ten to fifteen pounds at
maturity.

 Surgery was done on the injured dog the day after the attack, and it's owners spent the entire day as well as the next day at the the hospital to be close to and to comfort their little dog.  If this little dog survives all it's injuries and the surgeries it must also undergo, it will likely always have mobility problems, as well as being terrified of practically every other dog it meets.  It may even lose it's leg as a result of it's injuries at a later date. That remains to be seen.

As is not unusual in such cases, the owner of the dog that attacked the Mini Pin, tells a completely different story, claiming that her dog was inside her home when the Mini Pin came into her yard and barked at her dog, who then crashed through the screen door, attacking the smaller dog.

If this were true, then how is it that the injured dogs owner had to crawl under his house to break up the attack, and the harness and rope were also pulled under the house? The other end of the rope was still attached to it's post.

Another neighbor states that he saw the attack and that the Mini Pin was in it's own yard, and that the larger dog attacked him, while he was tied, wearing a harness, and unable to run away.  My sister heard the attack, and said it was very loud, which also seems to show the proximity her house.  In any case, it is not unusual for both of these dogs to be allowed to run the neighborhood.

Loose Dogs
can cause problems
and can get into trouble.
They could kill, or be killed.

The dog that did all this damage, is said to be at the local animal shelter in quarantine, which means the dog was apparently not current with it's Rabies vaccination. This dogs owner doesn't seem to be completely truthful about several issues.  She stated to several neighbors that her dog had it's rabies vaccination, and that the quarantine is to be sure it doesn't have distemper.

If her dog were current with it's vaccinations, doesn't it stand to reason it would also be current on it's distemper vaccination as well?  If she told the shelter people of the attack, and the dog was current with it's Rabies vaccine, there would be no need to quarantine it, unless it was going to be adopted out as a senior pet.  The shelter people may not have even been told of the attack.  This dog will very likely be destroyed after the quarantine period, as this was not the first time it has attacked another animal.  If the shelter people knew of the attack, there would have been no need to wait before destroying the dog.