Taranaki's killer dog
Oz
05-02-2007, 02:41 AM
http://www.smh.com.au/news/world/george-dies-saving-kids/2007/05/02/1177788206002.html
George the Jack Russell dies saving kids
A feisty Jack Russell terrier has given his life to save five children from a mauling by two savage pit bulls.
The tiny dog leapt to the defence of the children - aged between 4 and 11 - when the two rogue pit bulls threatened them on the way to a dairy in Manaia, New Zealand, on Sunday.
The attack was the final straw for the South Taranaki District Council, which says it intends hunting down all dangerous and unregistered dogs and neuter them.
Richard Rosewarne,11, the oldest of the children, said the pit bulls came up behind them and were going for his brother Darryl Wilson, 4.
"George tried to protect us by barking and rushing at them, but they started to bite him - one on the head and the other on the back.
"We ran off crying and some people saw what was happening and rescued George."
But nine-year-old George was so badly ripped apart he had to be put down.
Vet Steven Hopkinson, of the South Taranaki Animal Health Services Ltd, said the injuries were the worst he had seen.
George's owner Alan Gay, 69, says his dog died a hero.
"These two pit bulls rushed up and were going for the little boy. George went for them, it's what he would do. He didn't stand a chance, but I reckon he saved that boy from being chewed up.
"These pit bulls should be banned. They're killers and it comes from them being bred for fighting."
Mr Gay lives alone and George had been his faithful companion for about seven years. He inherited George as a young dog after his former neighbours moved away.
The dogs disappeared after the attack, but yesterday dog rangers removed two pit bulls from a Manaia property.
South Taranaki environment services manager Graham Young says they are fairly certain the dogs were involved in Sunday's attack.
The dogs are in the pound and the council will be seeking the animals' destruction.
"Council will also be looking at a prosecution of the owners," Mr Young said.
In the past two months, four separate incidents have been reported in Manaia of pit bulls attacking other dogs and menacing children.
However, Mr Young said it was unknown whether the two impounded pit bulls were responsible for any of the other attacks.
But the attacks have prompted the council to introduce desexing of aggressive dogs. The council says it is empowered to take this action by the Dog Control Act.
"When any of these dogs come to our notice through registration or for reported menacing or any other reason, we will require desexing unless the owner can convince us to not to. Each case will be treated on its merits," Mr Young says.
The council will have a "zero tolerance" policy towards all unregistered, roaming and menacing dogs.
Mr Young said council officers were doing a property to property search throughout Manaia in order to locate such dogs and their owners, with the intention to destroy the dogs.
No warnings would be given to owners of unregistered dogs, he said.
The council will make a leaflet drop to Manaia's 400 houses this weekend, warning people to be on the lookout for menacing dogs and report sightings to a special hotline number.
"They have checked out and eliminated any pit bulls registered in Manaia and will be showing zero tolerance towards any unregistered, roaming and menacing dogs," Mr Young said.
"The dogs will be taken to the pound and owners will be able to retrieve them only after paying $300 infringement fees. Owners of roaming dogs will have to pay $200 infringement fees."
Taranaki Daily News
George the Jack Russell dies saving kids
A feisty Jack Russell terrier has given his life to save five children from a mauling by two savage pit bulls.
The tiny dog leapt to the defence of the children - aged between 4 and 11 - when the two rogue pit bulls threatened them on the way to a dairy in Manaia, New Zealand, on Sunday.
The attack was the final straw for the South Taranaki District Council, which says it intends hunting down all dangerous and unregistered dogs and neuter them.
Richard Rosewarne,11, the oldest of the children, said the pit bulls came up behind them and were going for his brother Darryl Wilson, 4.
"George tried to protect us by barking and rushing at them, but they started to bite him - one on the head and the other on the back.
"We ran off crying and some people saw what was happening and rescued George."
But nine-year-old George was so badly ripped apart he had to be put down.
Vet Steven Hopkinson, of the South Taranaki Animal Health Services Ltd, said the injuries were the worst he had seen.
George's owner Alan Gay, 69, says his dog died a hero.
"These two pit bulls rushed up and were going for the little boy. George went for them, it's what he would do. He didn't stand a chance, but I reckon he saved that boy from being chewed up.
"These pit bulls should be banned. They're killers and it comes from them being bred for fighting."
Mr Gay lives alone and George had been his faithful companion for about seven years. He inherited George as a young dog after his former neighbours moved away.
The dogs disappeared after the attack, but yesterday dog rangers removed two pit bulls from a Manaia property.
South Taranaki environment services manager Graham Young says they are fairly certain the dogs were involved in Sunday's attack.
The dogs are in the pound and the council will be seeking the animals' destruction.
"Council will also be looking at a prosecution of the owners," Mr Young said.
In the past two months, four separate incidents have been reported in Manaia of pit bulls attacking other dogs and menacing children.
However, Mr Young said it was unknown whether the two impounded pit bulls were responsible for any of the other attacks.
But the attacks have prompted the council to introduce desexing of aggressive dogs. The council says it is empowered to take this action by the Dog Control Act.
"When any of these dogs come to our notice through registration or for reported menacing or any other reason, we will require desexing unless the owner can convince us to not to. Each case will be treated on its merits," Mr Young says.
The council will have a "zero tolerance" policy towards all unregistered, roaming and menacing dogs.
Mr Young said council officers were doing a property to property search throughout Manaia in order to locate such dogs and their owners, with the intention to destroy the dogs.
No warnings would be given to owners of unregistered dogs, he said.
The council will make a leaflet drop to Manaia's 400 houses this weekend, warning people to be on the lookout for menacing dogs and report sightings to a special hotline number.
"They have checked out and eliminated any pit bulls registered in Manaia and will be showing zero tolerance towards any unregistered, roaming and menacing dogs," Mr Young said.
"The dogs will be taken to the pound and owners will be able to retrieve them only after paying $300 infringement fees. Owners of roaming dogs will have to pay $200 infringement fees."
Taranaki Daily News
Toksin
05-02-2007, 02:53 AM
Taranaki's a place :p
00accord44
05-02-2007, 10:31 AM
I thought he made up that name... or it was his last name
Cl0ak
05-02-2007, 03:58 PM
Jack Russell's are nuts. At least he saved the kids, poor dog.
Toksin
05-02-2007, 07:17 PM
It's a region on the western side of the North Island of NZ.
Like so:
http://www.map-of-newzealand.co.uk/maps/taranaki.gif
Nice place, bit agricultural for me though :p
Like so:
http://www.map-of-newzealand.co.uk/maps/taranaki.gif
Nice place, bit agricultural for me though :p
ericn1300
05-02-2007, 08:50 PM
Desexing? I never heard that term before, however it seems overtly politicaly correct. I did a Google on it and it seems to be unique to Australia and New Zeland. Nutering or spaying a dog after it enters puberty is of limited value in changing behavior, I vote for killing the the dogs ,or to be politicaly correct put them down.
TexasF355F1
05-02-2007, 09:58 PM
That's a great story.
replicant_008
05-03-2007, 08:07 AM
Unfortunately, the owner who is an amputee lost his companion and was pretty cut up about losing him.
A mother was killed a couple of weeks ago in a dog attack as she walked home and there have been several incidents involving dog attacks mauling children.
Dog owners are up in arms at the moment saying that it isn't the dogs to blame but thoughtless owners. These are the same people who fought a campaign in NZ to have dogs microchipped for identification and against restrictions on having them banned from certain public places.
Certain breeds are predisposed to being able to cause serious injury and be aggressive. There are limited and, it would appear, ineffective controls from irresponsible or plain malicious owners from securing such an animal. Banning them would be a good start. They are a pest and need to be eradicated for the public good.
Decent enforcement of existing rules regarding unlicenced dogs would be another good start. Allowing owners to keep dogs unlicenced and roaming was a mistake in the first place that has already caused an unnecessary death and serious injury to several others.
A mother was killed a couple of weeks ago in a dog attack as she walked home and there have been several incidents involving dog attacks mauling children.
Dog owners are up in arms at the moment saying that it isn't the dogs to blame but thoughtless owners. These are the same people who fought a campaign in NZ to have dogs microchipped for identification and against restrictions on having them banned from certain public places.
Certain breeds are predisposed to being able to cause serious injury and be aggressive. There are limited and, it would appear, ineffective controls from irresponsible or plain malicious owners from securing such an animal. Banning them would be a good start. They are a pest and need to be eradicated for the public good.
Decent enforcement of existing rules regarding unlicenced dogs would be another good start. Allowing owners to keep dogs unlicenced and roaming was a mistake in the first place that has already caused an unnecessary death and serious injury to several others.
taranaki
05-04-2007, 06:55 AM
Certain breeds are predisposed to being able to cause serious injury and be aggressive.
Certain breeds of owner are predisposed to owning these animals. Maybe it would be fairer to monitor them more closely. Banning them would be a good start. They are a pest and need to be eradicated for the public good.
.
Same with the trailer trash who keep vicious unlicenced dogs in inadequate conditions as a substitute for their own credibility.
Certain breeds of owner are predisposed to owning these animals. Maybe it would be fairer to monitor them more closely. Banning them would be a good start. They are a pest and need to be eradicated for the public good.
.
Same with the trailer trash who keep vicious unlicenced dogs in inadequate conditions as a substitute for their own credibility.
Andydg
05-04-2007, 09:19 AM
Certain breeds of owner are predisposed to owning these animals. Maybe it would be fairer to monitor them more closely.
Same with the trailer trash who keep vicious unlicenced dogs in inadequate conditions as a substitute for their own credibility.
This is wierd, I agree with 'naki...It's not the animal's fault it's the people.
Same with the trailer trash who keep vicious unlicenced dogs in inadequate conditions as a substitute for their own credibility.
This is wierd, I agree with 'naki...It's not the animal's fault it's the people.
replicant_008
05-04-2007, 05:32 PM
Granted... however existing efforts to control owners have been woefully ineffective. There have been 5 unnecessary serious dog attacks in the last 7 days and unregistered dogs remain at large.
The dog owners as a lobby group resisted efforts to register animals, microchip them for ID and require licencing. Now they show as a group that this faith was unwarranted and the solution will be onerous in terms of compliance. There may be responsible owners who end up paying more but the public need to be protected and its the owners of dogs that ought to pay.
The dog owners as a lobby group resisted efforts to register animals, microchip them for ID and require licencing. Now they show as a group that this faith was unwarranted and the solution will be onerous in terms of compliance. There may be responsible owners who end up paying more but the public need to be protected and its the owners of dogs that ought to pay.
taranaki
05-04-2007, 05:43 PM
Hero-dog George has touched plenty of hearts - now he's being honoured with a Purple Heart.
American war veteran Jerrell Hudman was so moved by the Jack Russell's story of sacrifice that he is sending George his Purple Heart medal.
Last weekend George gave his life in saving a group of Manaia children facing attack from vicious pitbulls. The plucky pooch put himself between the dogs and the children and, in the end, it was George the pitbulls savaged.
His injuries were so bad George was later put down by a vet.
Mr Hudman contacted the Taranaki Daily News yesterday requesting owner Alan Gay's address.
On the phone from Austin, Texas,yesterday Mr Hudman (58), a US Marine for 30 years, described George as a little warrior.
"Yes ma'am, he was a brave little doggy," Mr Hudman said.
He says his wife Alice came across George's story when she was reading news on the Internet.
George's picture now graces the wall in the Hudmans' computer room, next to a photo of one of their sons - they have two and both have been Marines - taken during his tour of duty in Iraq.
Mr Hudman says the dog-loving couple immediately decided George's memory deserved the medal, awarded to him in Vietnam in 1967 for being wounded in combat.
"I was with the Ninth Marines and we were up by Kontum and a mortar round came in and and landed in a hole where myself and some other Marines were. I was one of the lucky ones who survived."
The Purple Heart is one of three he received in Vietnam and it will arrive in Manaia by post within the next few weeks.
Mrs Hudman (59) describes George as a "hero of all heroes".
"When I read that story I just started crying and when I found out that poor George didn't make it that made me feel just so bad. But, of course, that's what he wanted to do for that child and those children. I just wish he could have made it," Mrs Hudman said.
Mr Gay described the Hudmans'gesture as amazing and was still being overwhelmed by messages.
He was woken at 3.30am yesterday morning by a reporter from a Washington DC paper seeking some comment.
"He said they'd run the story and had been inundated with feedback," Mr Gay said.
While he's feeling better each day about the loss of his beloved pet, nothing would bring George back.
"He's not there when I get up in the night and make my cup of tea, and not in his little bed."
Mr Gay has had many offers of replacement pets but, as yet, he's turned them down.
"Maybe one day when things quiet down I'll get another dog, but not yet."
The Taranaki Daily News has received e-mails from around the world from people wanting to pass on their condolences to Mr Gay.
American media heavyweight USA Today has started a blog about George, which is getting hundreds of comments.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/dailynews/4048455a6002.html
American war veteran Jerrell Hudman was so moved by the Jack Russell's story of sacrifice that he is sending George his Purple Heart medal.
Last weekend George gave his life in saving a group of Manaia children facing attack from vicious pitbulls. The plucky pooch put himself between the dogs and the children and, in the end, it was George the pitbulls savaged.
His injuries were so bad George was later put down by a vet.
Mr Hudman contacted the Taranaki Daily News yesterday requesting owner Alan Gay's address.
On the phone from Austin, Texas,yesterday Mr Hudman (58), a US Marine for 30 years, described George as a little warrior.
"Yes ma'am, he was a brave little doggy," Mr Hudman said.
He says his wife Alice came across George's story when she was reading news on the Internet.
George's picture now graces the wall in the Hudmans' computer room, next to a photo of one of their sons - they have two and both have been Marines - taken during his tour of duty in Iraq.
Mr Hudman says the dog-loving couple immediately decided George's memory deserved the medal, awarded to him in Vietnam in 1967 for being wounded in combat.
"I was with the Ninth Marines and we were up by Kontum and a mortar round came in and and landed in a hole where myself and some other Marines were. I was one of the lucky ones who survived."
The Purple Heart is one of three he received in Vietnam and it will arrive in Manaia by post within the next few weeks.
Mrs Hudman (59) describes George as a "hero of all heroes".
"When I read that story I just started crying and when I found out that poor George didn't make it that made me feel just so bad. But, of course, that's what he wanted to do for that child and those children. I just wish he could have made it," Mrs Hudman said.
Mr Gay described the Hudmans'gesture as amazing and was still being overwhelmed by messages.
He was woken at 3.30am yesterday morning by a reporter from a Washington DC paper seeking some comment.
"He said they'd run the story and had been inundated with feedback," Mr Gay said.
While he's feeling better each day about the loss of his beloved pet, nothing would bring George back.
"He's not there when I get up in the night and make my cup of tea, and not in his little bed."
Mr Gay has had many offers of replacement pets but, as yet, he's turned them down.
"Maybe one day when things quiet down I'll get another dog, but not yet."
The Taranaki Daily News has received e-mails from around the world from people wanting to pass on their condolences to Mr Gay.
American media heavyweight USA Today has started a blog about George, which is getting hundreds of comments.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/dailynews/4048455a6002.html
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