Hey all you dog people...

[CR Swade]

The stats.

How exactly are these animals identified when putting the stats together? From the victim's statement in the ER? Is there any mechanism in place to certify that the offending dog was actually of the breed stated? How many people know the difference between a pure breed GSD and a shepherd mix? There are SO many GSD looking dogs out there and a lot of people that don't know the difference. If it looks like GSD, it is one?

Until I see how the stats are put together, I'll take 'em with a grain of salt.

Usually the dog is identified by veterenarian experts that put the dog down or isolate the dog after an attack. You can digest the info w/ salt if you want...I won't.

 

[Okiewan]

Every time someone is bitten, the dog is put down or held and identified by a vet? I don't buy it.

Show me some proof, something... to back-up that statement.

I'd like to know how the numbers are gathered; police reports? Hospitals reporting? Vets reporting? How is it controlled?

 

[Jaybird]

We probably all know if we have a dog capable of taking down a kid- no matter the breed.
Granted that in most cases, if the truth be known, the kid was a fault for some reason...poking with a stick, or something they did that the dog snapped from.
But I have to err to the side of caution, and no matter if it were the kids fault or not, I have to side with the kid.
Dogs are wonderful pets and I love them. Dogs are so smart and give their owners a sense that they wouldn't hurt a soul, even when they have the physical capability, but we have to realize that NO dog has the ability to reason. We are blessed with that responsibility.

 

[CR Swade]

Every time someone is bitten, the dog is put down or held and identified by a vet? I don't buy it.

Show me some proof, something... to back-up that statement.

I'd like to know how the numbers are gathered; police reports? Hospitals reporting? Vets reporting? How is it controlled?

Bob, its real simple. Most police departments have a animal control division that works closely w/ the humane society in their city. When an attack takes place of course a report is filed. If the dog has to put down a report is STILL filed. The police department usually doesn't have holding or disposal facililites unless they have a vet on staff, so the live animal or carcass is sent the either the humane society or the vet that handles holding the animal. Any attack animal has to be observed for rabies, then either released back to owner or destroyed if the attack warrants.

 

[Okiewan]

Where did you get that info? I'm not bagging, I'd just like to see it. I find it hard to believe that all these animals are properly identified. Being a member of the humane society or a vet does not necessarily mean they can ID the animal.

Case in point, my vet AND the HS that we got him from, mis-identified my pup. One listed him as a Rotty on the paperwork, the other a German Shepherd. The vets record as well as the HS paperwork say NOTHING about him being a mixed breed. Both breeds take a hit should he ever bite someone?

 

[joereitman]

Okie- my local PD and SD both work closely with animal control on bite and rabies cases. Local animal control is experienced and capable. That may not be the case everywhere, but it is in my neck of the woods.

 

[Okiewan]

Don't get me wrong, I'm sure there are plenty of capable agencies out there. But if just one of them reports bad info...

I always like to see the actual reports, how the data was gathered and if the author has an agenda. Statistics are often tweaked to serve the author's goal, one way or another. That may not be the case here, but....

 

[CR Swade]

Don't get me wrong, I'm sure there are plenty of capable agencies out there. But if just one of them reports bad info...

I always like to see the actual reports, how the data was gathered and if the author has an agenda. Statistics are often tweaked to serve the author's goal, one way or another. That may not be the case here, but....

These are stats straight from CDC and other gov't agencies. I didn't author these stats, the local, state and fed agencies did (CDC). As far as breed census, that is straight from AKC.

 

[Okiewan]

Breed registrations are easy enough to verify with the AKC, that's not where I was going. I REALLY want to know how the dogs are actually identified by the various agencies involved. Are the dogs papers required before they put another notch in the breed that bit column? Anyway, dead horse.