Where's my muzzle?
Clarissa Baldwin was very good this morning on BBC1 Breakfast. So full of tact and reason. So difficult when the woman sitting next to you has lost her son in a dog incident.
Society is very respectful towards folk who have lost their children.
Apologies if what I am going to say offends anyone. But I need to get this off my chest.
The McCann's are always on our TV screens.
I am sure I can't be the only one at home thinking the same terrible thing.
How can they live with themselves?
Intelligent people, leaving their children alone while they go out to eat in a restaurant.
Who on earth does that?
I'd rather go hungry than leave my kids.
But how few interviewers ever make that point?
No one wants to rub it in. Their pain is so obviously so great in any case.
Everyone makes mistakes, but the consequences of this one were just so huge.
If you make a mistake you admit it and then sympathy follows.
I don't think you'd ever forgive yourself.
I'd feel such terrible shame.
The same is true with this woman on our screens this morning.
A young life ended is a tragedy that few mothers can ever recover from.
Is it a displacement activity to move the blame away from the only family you have left?
Is it logical or just part of grief to blame all dogs, rather than the humans in whom you put your trust?
When I entrusted the care of my son to my Mum she would never have put my son at risk.
She knew that babies and dogs do not mix.
And our dogs were Beardies, not Pit Bulls.
If she wasn't capable of making rational decisions like that one what other risks might my son be confronted by?
Might she not realise that boiling kettles should not have a trailing flex or that the bleach needs to be out of reach. But kids who die from other Granny-related bad judgement calls don't make the news and certainly don't result in campaigns to ban kettles.
How many of these incidents does there have to be before people work it out not to take unnecessary risks with their kids. That you don't leave your kids with Granny and your brother's Pit Bull unless you have an agreement that two are not to meet. And that it's not needed to be stated that you don't leave the child to sleep on the sofa with someone else's dog and then introduce food into the equation.
And as if it need saying - you also don't keep unsocialised Rotties locked outside in the yard all the time if you have little kids the other side who can open the door.
And you don't let your half insane tormented guard dogs kept chained on the roof of a pub anywhere near your newborn baby.
And if you do, you accept that you and/or your family have let your son down and you grieve.
True this dog had not killed a child before, but you know other children have already died in very similar scenarios.
Do you blame all the dogs in the world and or is it time for some quiet introspection?
It makes gripping TV, because no one dares to say what they really think.
Tonight's BBC1 documentary at 10.35pm looks to be 60 minutes of edge of your seat tension wondering how much worse they are going to make life for the Staffies especially.
Especially as dog law maestro Trevor Cooper's balancing footage has already been consigned to the editing room floor.
The press blurb comes with a dramatic photo of a dog who is probably barking but still looks scary. It seems people do like doing these easy to make documentaries that press people's buttons.
Remember 10 million dogs and 99.99% of these behaving themselves. But let's just freak everyone out and get some more knee jerk legislation that does NOTHING to make children any safer.
Slippers and balloons* kill more people than dogs and horses put more people in A&E - but let's not let the facts get in the way of a documentary.
Has anyone asked how many kids die while being looked after by grannies?
I think you'll find that dogs are not the biggest risk when grandparents get left to cope.
But are we ever likely to see a Death Row Grannies documentary? or A Dangerous Grannie Act?
I am a mother.
I am a dog lover.
My son is now 11 but I would never, ever have put my son in that situation when he was less than eight - and I certainly wouldn't entrust him to someone who didn't agree with me. And it wouldn't matter how nice the dog or how well brought up. Stairgates are great at keeping dogs and kids apart.
I do feel very sorry for their loss, but surely it is time to grieve and contemplate how this could have been avoided rather than mount an ill-thought out knee jerk reaction campaign.
Would they put a parent on the sofa at BBC Breakfast whose son had wandered out of the front door and been run over? Would they let that mother say that all cars must be made of sponge so this never happens again? Or would they think perhaps granny should have kept her son from danger when she asked her to babysit and that mum really needed to accept that painful fact and allow herself to grieve.
And would the muzzle-every-dog-all-the-time campaign have resulted in a sofa position today if it wasn't to plug a BBC documentary showing later today?
Using a mother's loss to boost ratings.
It's a cynical old world.
And to have a woman calling for more dog legislation who claimed to have not even known about the already existing Dangerous Dogs Act. If the DDA didn't work why did she imagine her brother would have complied with a muzzling order?
Here's the press blurb...
Society is very respectful towards folk who have lost their children.
Apologies if what I am going to say offends anyone. But I need to get this off my chest.
The McCann's are always on our TV screens.
I am sure I can't be the only one at home thinking the same terrible thing.
How can they live with themselves?
Intelligent people, leaving their children alone while they go out to eat in a restaurant.
Who on earth does that?
I'd rather go hungry than leave my kids.
But how few interviewers ever make that point?
No one wants to rub it in. Their pain is so obviously so great in any case.
Everyone makes mistakes, but the consequences of this one were just so huge.
If you make a mistake you admit it and then sympathy follows.
I don't think you'd ever forgive yourself.
I'd feel such terrible shame.
The same is true with this woman on our screens this morning.
A young life ended is a tragedy that few mothers can ever recover from.
Is it a displacement activity to move the blame away from the only family you have left?
Is it logical or just part of grief to blame all dogs, rather than the humans in whom you put your trust?
When I entrusted the care of my son to my Mum she would never have put my son at risk.
She knew that babies and dogs do not mix.
And our dogs were Beardies, not Pit Bulls.
If she wasn't capable of making rational decisions like that one what other risks might my son be confronted by?
Might she not realise that boiling kettles should not have a trailing flex or that the bleach needs to be out of reach. But kids who die from other Granny-related bad judgement calls don't make the news and certainly don't result in campaigns to ban kettles.
How many of these incidents does there have to be before people work it out not to take unnecessary risks with their kids. That you don't leave your kids with Granny and your brother's Pit Bull unless you have an agreement that two are not to meet. And that it's not needed to be stated that you don't leave the child to sleep on the sofa with someone else's dog and then introduce food into the equation.
And as if it need saying - you also don't keep unsocialised Rotties locked outside in the yard all the time if you have little kids the other side who can open the door.
And you don't let your half insane tormented guard dogs kept chained on the roof of a pub anywhere near your newborn baby.
And if you do, you accept that you and/or your family have let your son down and you grieve.
True this dog had not killed a child before, but you know other children have already died in very similar scenarios.
Do you blame all the dogs in the world and or is it time for some quiet introspection?
It makes gripping TV, because no one dares to say what they really think.
Tonight's BBC1 documentary at 10.35pm looks to be 60 minutes of edge of your seat tension wondering how much worse they are going to make life for the Staffies especially.
Especially as dog law maestro Trevor Cooper's balancing footage has already been consigned to the editing room floor.
The press blurb comes with a dramatic photo of a dog who is probably barking but still looks scary. It seems people do like doing these easy to make documentaries that press people's buttons.
Remember 10 million dogs and 99.99% of these behaving themselves. But let's just freak everyone out and get some more knee jerk legislation that does NOTHING to make children any safer.
Slippers and balloons* kill more people than dogs and horses put more people in A&E - but let's not let the facts get in the way of a documentary.
Has anyone asked how many kids die while being looked after by grannies?
I think you'll find that dogs are not the biggest risk when grandparents get left to cope.
But are we ever likely to see a Death Row Grannies documentary? or A Dangerous Grannie Act?
I am a mother.
I am a dog lover.
My son is now 11 but I would never, ever have put my son in that situation when he was less than eight - and I certainly wouldn't entrust him to someone who didn't agree with me. And it wouldn't matter how nice the dog or how well brought up. Stairgates are great at keeping dogs and kids apart.
I do feel very sorry for their loss, but surely it is time to grieve and contemplate how this could have been avoided rather than mount an ill-thought out knee jerk reaction campaign.
Would they put a parent on the sofa at BBC Breakfast whose son had wandered out of the front door and been run over? Would they let that mother say that all cars must be made of sponge so this never happens again? Or would they think perhaps granny should have kept her son from danger when she asked her to babysit and that mum really needed to accept that painful fact and allow herself to grieve.
And would the muzzle-every-dog-all-the-time campaign have resulted in a sofa position today if it wasn't to plug a BBC documentary showing later today?
Using a mother's loss to boost ratings.
It's a cynical old world.
And to have a woman calling for more dog legislation who claimed to have not even known about the already existing Dangerous Dogs Act. If the DDA didn't work why did she imagine her brother would have complied with a muzzling order?
Here's the press blurb...
Death Row Dogs looks at the growing problem of illegal fighting dogs and “status dogs” on the streets of Britain. Despite being banned in the early 90s, pit bulls have become the dog of choice for criminals and irresponsible owners; sentences are lower than for carrying a knife or a gun but the results can be just as severe. However the problem isn’t just confined to pit bulls, injuries caused by dogs are at record levels and rising. Sadly fatalities are not uncommon.
Pitbulls were one of the named breeds banned by the 1991 Dangerous Dogs act – but the numbers being bred and crossed with other, legal breeds like Staffies and English Bull terriers is on the rise – making the job of tracking them down, even harder…
This film gains access to the work of the West Midlands Police Dangerous Dog Unit led by PC Keith Evans, as they try to tackle the growing problem. These officers have the unenviable task of rounding up the area’s dangerous dogs and taking them quite literally to dog death row, closely guarded kennels where the animals await destruction. We see raids on high profile gang members, crack dealers, a suspected fighting dog ring and a mother who keeps a pit bull for protection. Under current law the police sometimes have to destroy a friendly sociable dog, as they are prevented from rehoming and let the potentially violent ones go free.
We also follow the tragic story of one family whose toddler son was killed by an out of control dog. How did it happen? Could it have been prevented? And how have the family dealt with the shocking trauma of such a brutal death?
The film explores why dangerous dogs like the fearsome pit bulls are such an issue and what is being done to stop the problem getting worse...and the film illustrates that the current legislation is left wanting…
Executive Producer: Paul Hamann
Filmed, Produced and Directed by: Jon Alwen
* Someone here thought I was joking about slippers and balloons killing more people than dogs. Here's the book if you'd like to read it.
Dogs are dangerous. And they are more dangerous to children than to adults. Not as dangerous of course, as kitchen utensils, drapery cords, five-gallon water buckets, horses, or cows. Not nearly as dangerous as playground equipment, swimming pools, skateboards, or bikes. And not remotely as dangerous as family, friends, guns, or cars.
Here’s the reality. Dogs almost never kill people. A child is more likely to die choking on a marble or a balloon, and an adult is more likely to die in a bedroom slipper related accident. Your chances of being killed by a dog are roughly one in 18 million. You are five times more likely to be killed by a bolt of lightning.
The supposed epidemic numbers of dog bites splashed across the media are absurdly inflated by dubious research and by counting bites that don’t actually hurt anyone. Even when dogs do injure people, the vast majority of injuries are at the Band-Aid level.
Dogs enhance the lives of millions more people than even the most inflated estimates of dog-bite victims. Infants who live with dogs have fewer allergies. People with dogs have less cardiovascular disease, better heart attack survival, and fewer backaches, headaches, and flu symptoms. Petting your dog lowers stress and people who live with dogs just plain feel better than people who don’t.
Yet lawmakers, litigators and insurers press for less dog ownership. This must stop. We must maintain perspective. Yes, dogs bite. But even party balloons and bedroom slippers are more dangerous.
* Someone here thought I was joking about slippers and balloons killing more people than dogs. Here's the book if you'd like to read it.
Here’s the reality. Dogs almost never kill people. A child is more likely to die choking on a marble or a balloon, and an adult is more likely to die in a bedroom slipper related accident. Your chances of being killed by a dog are roughly one in 18 million. You are five times more likely to be killed by a bolt of lightning.
The supposed epidemic numbers of dog bites splashed across the media are absurdly inflated by dubious research and by counting bites that don’t actually hurt anyone. Even when dogs do injure people, the vast majority of injuries are at the Band-Aid level.
Dogs enhance the lives of millions more people than even the most inflated estimates of dog-bite victims. Infants who live with dogs have fewer allergies. People with dogs have less cardiovascular disease, better heart attack survival, and fewer backaches, headaches, and flu symptoms. Petting your dog lowers stress and people who live with dogs just plain feel better than people who don’t.
Yet lawmakers, litigators and insurers press for less dog ownership. This must stop. We must maintain perspective. Yes, dogs bite. But even party balloons and bedroom slippers are more dangerous.
Comments
What's next? Will they have a long sofa installed on breakfast TV & put all the scum of society on it - then campaign to ban the rest of the world from doing anything on the same basis. The mother who killed her baby? Ok, all women must be sterilised - we need to ban mothers! The Priest who abused young boys? Religion is to be outlawed immediately. The youth who was jailed for knife crime? We must all try to eat with spoons from now on as they are banning sharp cutlery.
We live in a society where there are too many people unwilling to step up and take responsibility for themselves, their own actions & choices, and those who are dependant on them. There are also very few interviewers who are prepared to push for the gritty truth for fear of offending someone. It's just easier to blame the dogs. Makes me furious.
CLaire
My two are the softest dogs but I would never leave them alone with a child - my neighbour's daughter is 8 but she isn't allowed in the house if myself or my son isn't around. I would never forgive myself if anything happened.
Would/should the breed make a difference.? So called "Dangerous Dogs" wear all sorts of coats & come in all sizes.
Some Dogs just by the nature of their breed will chase & shake fast moving squealing objects. It's up to us, the owners to know our chosen breed inside out, as well as the nature & temperament of the individual animal.
I see Dog owners more outraged by a Dog on Dog attack than they are by an attack on a child...can that be right ?
And what did he get when he was sentenced? Just four months in prison!
Its the owner's' that make ANY BREAD of dog they way they are! We have 2 staff's (use to have 3, but the mum died a couple of years back from old age), anyway, all of them are great friendly dogs which have grown up with small children in the family and would never harm them or any other child (or human for that fact).
So that just goes to show that people REALLY NEED TO STOP PUTTING BLAME ON THE DOGS BREAD!!!
Those that do are miss informed and ignorant! Its just the same as singling out a race of religion and saying "he is black so he gunu stab me", which aint right!
Would just like to say thats not a racist comment but a simple example to hit home so everyone will understand that breads make no different, just like the colour of skin dont!
I wouldnt disagree that the way dogs are raised and socialised can affect their temperaments and behaviour , that there are psychotic dogs as well as psychotic humans, that any breed can throw up the occasional aggressive dog (I've been attacked by a Yorkie),and that some dogs who will attack another dog are not necessarily dangerous to humans, but I still think some breeds/types are more likely to produce dangerously aggressive dogs, and that is why those breeds are used to produce fighting dogs.
ous
While I wouldnt necessarily want to ban those breeds altogether, there could reasonably be a case for more regulation of how those breeds are kept and bred from, a requirement for additional security measures, owners/breeders being licensed to own/breed those breeds etc
I would never have allowed my children to be left with an unknown dog even if it belonged to a family member.
No one wants to take any responsibility for their own actions these days. I work in insurance and it's quite astonishing when people have reversed into a post/garage/parked car, that they blame the object rather than accepting they were not paying attention!
I would like to know why you deleted my question instead of answering it.
I would also request that you read the following:
http://thetruthaboutpitbulls.blogspot.com/2012/03/reflections-on-hb14.html#comment-form
and
http://www.animalpeoplenews.org/anp/2011/11/19/editorial-the-shelter-killing-of-pit-bulls/#more-1723
You know as well as I do that pit-type dogs (including 'Staffies') aren't like other dogs. I'd like to see some explanation from you why you are publicly pretending otherwise.
a bedroom slipper SOMEHOW chewed through the bedroom closet door and then escaped through the front door and killed my old neighbor mr jones as he was taking out the trash. if only mr jones had been schooled in bedroom slipper behavior and knew how to respond, he would still be alive. education is the key!
this happens more than people realize but the media unfairly focuses on the poor misunderstood wiggle butt.
the horror!
Jan Smith PLEASE will some of us go there and comment? Pretty please? This woman has a lot of influence in the UK and is now shamelessly whoring to the PB 'Staffie' crowd.
Yesterday at 9:10am.
Jan Smith I added a comment as Anonymous, but I don't know if this blogger will allow it to go through.
Yesterday at 9:13am.
Harve Morgan I wrote a comment but doubt she will publish it.
Yesterday at 11:58am.
Harve Morgan Thanks, Alexandra. This is what we need, to inform each other, to support each other, to give a show of unity via comments.
Yesterday at 11:59am.
Maree Fagan I left a comment as well , but it seems like she is only publishing the comments that she agrees with .....
17 hours ago.
Tamie Beitz Williams My comment doesn't seem to have been posted either, but at least it had to be read
15 hours ago via mobile.
Alexandra Semyonova Tamie -- you got it in a nutshell! This Cuddy nutcase is used to getting a rain of 'You're GOD!' comments when she goes pit-nutter. It's really important to give her a COLD shower (whether she publishes it or not) instead, make her go to bed feeling still filthy because of her pit-whoring.
12 hours ago.
Harve Morgan Yep, Alexandra, I write comments knowing they will never be published but I do know that someone has to read them before making that decision. That's enough to make it worthwhile.
6 hours ago
Those of us trying to stop the attacks, trying to stop the abuse of pits, are attacked daily by pit apologists with threats of violence. So we are organizing to offset the damage these pit apologists do. And you seem to condemn us for trying to save lives and even the lives of the breed.
You can't change the facts. The fact is that certain breeds are only here because of aggressiveness and viciousness. They were bred to endure pain, to never give up, to fight to the end. And those breeds have no place in polite society.
if anyone wants to have a look and leave some feedback please feel free as i want to make a change and save these dogs once i can get the funds in order
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eXC7QVGLMPA
Great article btw:)
Bev, don't mind no attention to these people, they are just mad someone can write better than them!
Don't mind the pit bull haters, they have no life. Most of them are probably criminals, steal people money from fake 501c, or are unstable in their own skin. Have a heart, love all types of dogs!
The rest of the people that don't agree, stop blaming the dog! Parents own up to the responsibility!
Ms. Beverly, I do believe you have struck a nerve. GOOD FOR YOU!
What you must understand is that it's the potential of these dogs that have been bred to fight that makes them dangerous. People are right to be worried. Of course there are "nice" Staffies but if they go on the rampage other dogs get killed and people really badly hurt (or killed as well).
Maybe the mistake the police team made was not having Roger Mugford go with them to offer the dogs some treats.
Any one who thinks these dogs are the same as other dogs is in utter denial of reality.
Why would they be used for fighting, and not a dog like a Lab or a Spaniel? That's what you need to ask yourselves.
Ownership of them must be restricted in some way, otherwise people and other dogs are going to continue to get killed.
J Lewis
Or that it's all the fault of the "media circus", because that's what I hear again and again.
If so, you are in serious denial of what these dogs have been selectively bred for - fighting.
They have the desire to fight/attack and the physique and jaws to match.
Of course there are nice ones, but it's as clear as daylight that they have a far greater potential to do serious damage or kill than "ordinary" dogs.
That's why some sort of restrictions on fighting breeds are urgently needed.
Here's the link: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2118774/Five-police-officers-mauled-pit-bull-type-dog-raid-suspects-home.html
J Lewis
J Lewis