Dog Bit My Child!

Lounge By michellenj Updated 8 Oct 2008 , 12:53am by michellenj

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michellenj Posted 2 Oct 2008 , 5:27pm
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I have had a bad morning. DH was mowing the grass and I was planting some flowers this morning, and dd and ds were riding their bikes. Ds went to turn around in the neighbor's driveway, and their Jack Russell terrier bit him hard on the butt, and broke the skin! This is a dog that know us, and Ds was riding away from the dog.

As it turns out, these neighbors have a border collie that has bitten 3 people, was not up on his shots icon_evil.gif , and now is in quarantine b/c he bit another neighbor on Monday. So now I have spent my morning (when I really should be cleaning in anticipation of the IL's visit) with the police and doctor's visits. icon_cry.gif

Now we have to wait 10 days to see if the dog dies, if it lives past the 10 days it doesn't have rabies.

18 replies
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TheDomesticDiva Posted 2 Oct 2008 , 5:29pm
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Do they THINK the dog that bit him has rabies?? Or is there just a concern because the other one wasnt up to date on its shots? ...Either way, scary! And sorry about your son. Sometimes dogs (especially little ones) get carried away, whether they're playing or otherwise.

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Kiddiekakes Posted 2 Oct 2008 , 5:49pm
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Well I would be somewhat upset which I'm sure you are also..I'm sure there is a way to test the dog in quarantine for rabies instead of waiting and seeing.I hope for your son's sake the dog doesn't have it!!

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michood Posted 2 Oct 2008 , 6:21pm
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I hope the next 10 days go by incredibly fast for you.

Did the owners of the dog get a ticket for not having the dog on a leash?

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Pookie59 Posted 2 Oct 2008 , 6:31pm
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People who can't/won't get their pets vetted and vaccinated shouldn't be allowed to have them. Hope those people get the book thrown at them!
I can't stand irresponsible pet owners.

I'm sure your child will be fine, but what a nasty scare for you both.

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michellenj Posted 2 Oct 2008 , 7:09pm
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You would think that since this is the 4th dog bite that they have had recently, that they would have made sure that their dogs were up to date. I don't get how their other dog has bitten 3 times already and he still hasn't gotten his shots.

I spoke w/ the neighbor who was most recently bitten, and she told me that they have been historically irresponsible w/ their pets. Last winter their chocolate lab froze to death outside. icon_eek.gif They backed over their chihuahua in August, and the kids dropped a kitten from the balcony over the family room and it killed the kitten. Also, they have birds that died b/c they weren't being taken care of, nobody wanted to do it and I guess they starved.

So now I just have to wait for the police/dept of health/dog catcher to do thier thing. I just don't get why they don't take the animals that bite, until it has been determined that they don't have the rabies.

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sweettoothmom Posted 2 Oct 2008 , 8:40pm
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This is unimaginable! Someone should have called the Polie each and every time the animals were abused. You have to have documentation and proof to substansiate animal cruelty. They fit the bill in my book at least a coupld of times over. Children who kill animals whether it be intentional or not need seek professional help.

Your poor little man. His tushy must hurt.
Please be sure he gets the proper attention so that he wont be forever scared to death of animals. YOu will be tempted to jump everytime the phone rings in fear it will be the news of the dogs death. Please please rest assured your son will be fine. If the dog is rabid they will know sooner than 10 days in most cases and if the dog bit due to rabies although they are not fun there are treatments he can take. Your sweet little man will be ok.
Now for that JR Terrier. Let me just say these dogs are instinctual hunters. It is what they are hardwired to do. They can be very nippy animals but once a dog of any kind has broken skin, if they get a taste of blood they will never be the same. I would insist they put the animal down whether it is rabid or not. Rehab just doesnt work for an animal in this scenario. They are forever changed. You have no reason to feel guilt here either in insisting this. You are saving another child and parent from the torture you are enduring now. The guilty party is the irresponsible owners.
Why hadnt the police taken the other animals in the home or at least insisted on seeing proof of vaccination for the other animals in the home to be certain ithat if the first dog who bit is rabid it would not spread. Seems a little fishy there to me. Call them on that. They might have not been aware there were other pets in that home.

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cakesbycathy Posted 2 Oct 2008 , 8:53pm
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Honestly, I would report them to child protective services. They are putting their own children at risk (not to mention yours and others).

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sweettoothmom Posted 2 Oct 2008 , 9:02pm
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"Child protective services" that is a good point. The children in that family obviously need some help.

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funcakes Posted 3 Oct 2008 , 12:03am
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First it would be extremely rare that a pet dog would have rabies, but please check with the local medical professionals, because I have heard that if you are bitten by an animal with rabies one needs to start the treatment immediately not in 10 days when the animal dies.

Second, did anyone call the ASPCA? Here where I live they come out with a vengence! In households that are abusive, we can not get the children removed, even after going to court, but the ASPCA gets those animals out and placed at once. They can also fine the owners for not having the animals vaccinated. They often check back after a complaint to see if the animals continue to be treated right. This would be best for you, your neighbors and the animals.

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michellenj Posted 3 Oct 2008 , 1:08pm
post #11 of 19
Quote:
Originally Posted by funcakes

First it would be extremely rare that a pet dog would have rabies, but please check with the local medical professionals, because I have heard that if you are bitten by an animal with rabies one needs to start the treatment immediately not in 10 days when the animal dies.

Second, did anyone call the ASPCA? Here where I live they come out with a vengence! In households that are abusive, we can not get the children removed, even after going to court, but the ASPCA gets those animals out and placed at once. They can also fine the owners for not having the animals vaccinated. They often check back after a complaint to see if the animals continue to be treated right. This would be best for you, your neighbors and the animals.




Both of your points are valid. I am sure that a pet does not have rabies, but you never know.

The man from our county's "Dog Law" office is in charge of that, and I left him a message yesterday. But this:

http://www.mcall.com/news/local/all-a1_5raid.6612800oct02,0,2235017.story

happened a couple of days ago, and the police say he has his hands full with the hundreds of animals siezed in the raid of a puppy mill/animal cruelty bust, and they said not to expect a call any time soon. icon_eek.gif

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michellenj Posted 3 Oct 2008 , 1:16pm
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I forgot to tell y'all this. So the border collie that bit the 3 people has been quarantined by the dept. of health, right? Well yesterday, while I was at the bus stop, this dog and the one that bit ds were out in their yard. He is only supposed to go outside on a leash to go to the bathroom. He was hanging out in their yard for a long time, so I called my neighbor that got bit. She sent her kids to take pics of the quarantined dog outside, and the man saw them, and placed a dummy in a chair to make it look like the dog was attended! This is the type of people we are dealing with.

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michellenj Posted 3 Oct 2008 , 3:34pm
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Oh my lord! I was outside a minute ago, and they totally attacked me! They came down the driveway screaming and yelling because they have to quarantine their other dog now! I am so upset!

Yes, my son did go on their driveway on his bike, but they have the bitey dog that's not vaccinated. But I am the bad guy.

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sweettoothmom Posted 3 Oct 2008 , 4:47pm
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If the animal is to be quarantined the authorities should have them not the owners. Call the ASPCA. Call everyone and anyone who will listen to you and keep calling until they do. HECK call the local news station until someone there listens and takes you seriously.

Be that squeaky wheel!

If the neighbors attack you again I would march right in the house grab the video camera in one hand and the phone in the other. Video the neighbors and call the cops. They are trespassing and they are making threats or whatever. And yes I would press charges. Call the cops everytime the animal is off the leash. Document it with your video camera. Take pics of the dummy in the chair. Cover your back and let them do the rest. If they are as stupid as you think they are (and by the way I tend to agree with you on that) they will not even notice and will make your case for you pretty easily.
Stay strong mommy. Take back your right to live in your home and yard in peace.

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michellenj Posted 3 Oct 2008 , 5:24pm
post #15 of 19

I'm going to. I've called the Dog Law Office numerous times today already. It really sucks that their son is the only little boy in our neighborhood that is ds's age, now they will never be friends. And we'll have to stand at the bus stop together for years and years. thumbsdown.gif

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taxnerd Posted 7 Oct 2008 , 1:12am
post #16 of 19

Doesn't Lehigh County require dog licenses? I didn't think you could get one unless you showed a current rabies vaccination? Or is that a township/borough thing? I live a few miles from you near Trexlertown. Can't they get these people for not having a license for their dogs?

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michellenj Posted 7 Oct 2008 , 7:43pm
post #17 of 19

All you have to do is go to the Discount Pet Supply in Trexlertown (where Ames used to be) and fill out a paper, pay the $6 and you are set.

Yesterday, the lady who was bitten on Monday was walking on the public walking path behind the dog owners' housee, and they had the dogs loose again! All the neighbors are on them now, so if they do anything we will trn them into the Dog Law Officer.

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TheDomesticDiva Posted 7 Oct 2008 , 11:38pm
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Can all you neighbors maybe "suggest" they get a fenced in yard, so that they can close their gate and not have to lose their animals?? If theyre going to have their dogs out anyway and apparently like to let them run in their yard, at least then it might keep them away from everyone else's property?

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michellenj Posted 8 Oct 2008 , 12:53am
post #19 of 19

If they get a fence, they might have to sue the school system again. icon_eek.gif That's how they get all their other stuff.

Actually, they do have an "Invisible Fence", but their dogs bust through them constantly.

There were a couple of developments today. The Dog Law Officer called me and asked if I'd testify in court, b/c he broke the quarantine by walking his dog on the path last Friday night, among other things, and will get more citations tomorrow.

Then, later today, his wife apologized to me for their behavior, and asked David how his butt was doing. I really don't want to fight with a neighbor, so I was nice to her, but I know they will be pissed tommorrow when they get their citations. icon_lol.gificon_lol.gificon_lol.gificon_twisted.gif

We'll see. I'm going to camp out on my living room sofa where I can watch for the officer. icon_wink.gif

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