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HelenM

Beach Lover
Aug 21, 2008
60
5
Well, my sister who lives in VaBch, called me crying this morning. She and her 13YO daughter had just witnessed their 10YO JRT "Christmas" killed by their neighbor's pitbull. As they were leaving for school this morning, they heard Christmas yelping, screaming as she put it, in apparent pain. They ran to the back door to and could see Christmas from the front shoulders back trying to pull backward from the fence. They could not see her head. My sis ran out of the house and around to the neighbor's fence. Her plan was to distract the PB long enough for my niece to run and rescue the dog.

The pitbull charged my sis and she ran back inside to get to her dog. The PB beat her back to her stunned dog and grabbed Christmas by the throat, ripping out her airway. The PB then drug her body thru the fence and shredded her until the animal control officer arrived.

The owner of the PB came home as well and surrendered the dog. It was put down before noon today. The sad thing was that the PB was a shelter dog. The ASPCA said that the dog wasn't bad, it had only been a victim of its environment. The owner had the dog approximately 18 months without incident.

You never know what is going to set a dog off and all breeds have their "bad apples". It just makes me uneasy when I can't take my dog out for a walk without all of the "nice" little Cujos running up and being ugly.

Also, I would appreciate someone enforcing the leash laws. Walt has all of his shots, stamps, tags, fees etc.. and I have been checked several times this spring. I see dogs daily that have nothing on them, are out on the beach during the off limits time and whose owners don't clean up after them. WTH?

I am so sorry for your sister and her family! I'm sure that was terrible to witness.

What happened to "Christmas" is exactly why I don't think dogs should be left outside unattended -- it sounds like both these dogs were in their own yards, but no one was going to be home for a while (you said your sister was about to leave for school). Any number of things could have happened to either dog with no one home. And dogs don't always stay put either -- a lot of them dig, which is what it seems like "Christmas" was doing.
 

30ABandMan

Beach Fanatic
Apr 1, 2007
731
77
SGB
You're right Helen, dogs left unattended is not the best. In this particular case, the pit had pried/chewed the bottom of the privacy fence. I'm sure Christmas was at fault along the way too.
 

tsutcli

Beach Fanatic
Jan 14, 2008
921
109
Seacrest
Unleashed dogs are especially a problem on the beach at all times. Had several conversations just this week with Beach Patrol. Saying something to the pet owner is sometimes worse than a Pit Bull attack and I am being serious. We have had two Pit Bulls in our neighborhood and both dogs attacked other pets that were leashed. One serious attack was just recently. And just think, both of these Pit Bulls were allowed to roam the beach unleashed on a regular basis!!! I have also been jumped on several times and snarled at while walking our beautiful beach and no one needs that. I love animals and have a dog of my own but don't feel they need to be on the beach. I hope someone from the County reads this because I have been complaining for nine plus years about this same subject and nothing ever changes. The lack of clean up bothers me too because I walk in bare feet. Some of my friends no longer walk the beach because it is no longer a peaceful place to be. Sometimes it is no better than a battle zone!
 

Red Dawg

Beach Lover
Feb 14, 2008
159
7
SoWal
As you all can tell from my photo, I love a pittie. Sorry to hear about Christmas. All dog running loose are a menace to my dog, my kids, and yours. All dogs should be leashed, if they weigh 1lb or 100lbs. Owners should be fined heavily for a pet running loose. Not crazy about cats running loose either. A few years back a cat keep doing his business in my back yard, my babies got ringworms, cost me big money in vet bills and meds. Keep your cats at home too!
 

Uncle Timmy

Beach Fanatic
Nov 15, 2004
1,019
22
Blue Mountain Beach
Uncle Timmy - your pup's Aunt Tootsie misses her and needs her to visit soon! Glad you are so serious about keeping her safe.

She has a boyfriend now, a little chocolate lab puppy. Aunt Tootsie is going to DIE when she meets him! Cute.

I am protective of my dog and I would like to have the freedom to take her on nice Saturday morning walks without having to deal with aggressive dogs.
 

ASH

Beach Fanatic
Feb 4, 2008
2,156
443
Roosevelt, MN
It's not fair to the dogs either when an owner is lazy, entitled or whatever.

My Wife was attacked by a dog when she was young and now lives with nasty scars on her arm and an unusual fear of loose dogs that someone casually walking the beach or neighborhood wouldn't know about.

I pity the dog who I will hurt beyond repair should it attempt to attack my Wife. I've had to step between a dog and my Wife on more than one ocassion and it's just not fair because I love dogs, but I'll do what I have to do. Thank God I've never had to.
 

tsutcli

Beach Fanatic
Jan 14, 2008
921
109
Seacrest
Care to hear about my peaceful beach walk today? I was chased and growled at by a very aggressive Pit Bull mix off the leash on the beach. As soon as he saw me coming he ran down the beach walkover in front of a beachfront home. I knew he was ready to jump on me so all I could do was yell at the top of my lungs because I wasn't turning my back on this dog. He was close enough that I saw no license and no beach permit. Why am I surprised at this? Some guy walked up to me and the dog definitely knew him so the dog backed off and ran toward this guy. He told me that it wasn't his dog but the owner was snorkeling somewhere out in the Gulf. Then he proceeded to tell me that his deed says that he owns the beach down to the Gulf (probably the neighbor of this dog's owner) and I only have easement rights. I was not going to engage in an argument with this fool so I just kept saying there is a leash law in Walton County and this dog needs to be leashed. I was scared beyond belief and had nothing with me except a bottle of water. I will NEVER leave the house to walk the beach unprotected again and I will have the Sheriff's number on speed dial! If I had a cell phone on me today I would not have bothered with the Beach Patrol I would have called 911.
 

Teresa

SoWal Guide
Staff member
Nov 15, 2004
30,244
9,279
South Walton, FL
sowal.com
She has a boyfriend now, a little chocolate lab puppy. Aunt Tootsie is going to DIE when she meets him! Cute.

I am protective of my dog and I would like to have the freedom to take her on nice Saturday morning walks without having to deal with aggressive dogs.

oh, I want to meet the new boy doggie!

I don't blame you for being protective! Do they have Karate classes for dogs yet?:D
 
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