(AK) don't want your dogs shot? then keep them locked up!

[spacemanspiff]

heres the link but they recently started requiring registration:
http://www.adn.com/news/alaska/ancho...-6354549c.html

Neighborhood dogs shot after savage attack on moose
MAULING: Bloodied cow defends calf until biologist kills pit bull, Rottweiler.
By DOUG O'HARRA
Anchorage Daily News
Published: May 10th, 2005
Last Modified: May 10th, 2005 at 06:00 AM

The Rottweiler and the pit bull attacked the pregnant moose along 72nd Avenue early Saturday morning. Last year's calf, now nearly grown, cowered behind her.

Over and over, the dogs lunged at the mother. They bit her nose and tore it open. They ripped her ear. One slashed her haunches.

The moose stood firm between the dogs and her calf. At last, the dogs retreated, romping off through the sleepy neighborhood east of Lake Otis Parkway.

But it wasn't over. The dogs kept coming back. One noisy skirmish in a back yard prompted a call to police.

Two of the four animals would soon be dead.

When state biologist Rick Sinnott arrived about 6:15 a.m. a man with an aluminum baseball bat and a pellet pistol stood between the moose and the dogs. Barking outside his house woke him up, the man said, and he'd been trying to chase the dogs off since.

Over the next half-hour, Sinnott stayed near the moose. The dogs would run off, disappear among houses, then return after 10 or 15 minutes.

"Three times I drove my truck between the two moose and the two dogs," he said. "Once I attempted to call the dogs to me. When I was out of the truck, neither would get closer to me than about 10 yards. The pit bull barked and ran."

Sinnott looked over the moose's injuries from a safe distance. The leg bites hadn't crippled her. Not yet.

"She might be able to defend herself and the yearling from one dog, but two working together were much more dangerous," he said.

State law allows anyone to kill loose dogs that can't be caught when they harass or attack game animals. Sinnott shot a dog in 2000 on the Hillside after it and a wolfish-looking animal injured a moose that later had to be killed. It resulted in an uproar by dog lovers.

"I don't like to shoot dogs, but I will not let them maul moose," Sinnott said.

He was also worried that the cow was getting so edgy she might lash out at children, joggers or dog walkers out for a stroll in the clear, cool morning.

"I wasn't going to leave until the moose were safe from the dogs," he said. "I decided to shoot both dogs if they made another attempt."

The two moose walked down 72nd Avenue, eating grass along a wooden fence. Sinnott parked at a side street with a clear shot of their position. Shortly after 7 a.m., the dogs returned and trotted right at the moose.

At 10 yards, Sinnott raised his shotgun and killed the pit bull with a 12-gauge slug. When the Rottweiler turned, he shot it too.

Neighbors came out at the noise, some initially upset. Sinnott explained the situation and took the remains to the animal control compound off Bragaw Street.

It turned out the dogs both had records for aggressive behavior toward animals, said Beth Wallan, spokeswoman for animal control. Both carried identifying microchips under the skin between their shoulder blades.

The owner, who was very upset at the death of his dogs, picked up the bodies Monday, Wallan said. The agency would not release his phone number. Attempts to reach him were unsuccessful.

Sinnott said he heard from the owner Monday. The dogs had been under someone else's care while he was out of town and had gotten loose. He wanted to know why Sinnott didn't try harder to catch them first. Maybe use a dart gun to tranquilize them? Wait for animal control?

Sinnott said he gave the dogs every chance he reasonably could.

"I'm not a dog catcher," he said later. "It's not my job to drive around town capturing dogs. I'm going to protect moose, and I'm going to do it the quickest way I can."

Daily News reporter Doug O'Harra can be reached at do'harra@adn.com.
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a local radio morning show was criticizing the decision to shoot the dogs. i'm sure there will be a lot of letters to the editor about how shooting those poor dogs on the loose and harrassing the mean ol moose was such a bad idea.

[Fred Hansen]

Send the owner a bill for the trouble his mutts caused.

[Crosshair]

If they arn't on a leash or fenced in, they are fair game to me.

/12 gauge slug, ouch.

[70-101]

My son was living at his mothers house at the time he was mauled by a neighbors Rottweiler about seven years ago. My son had just returned from a basketball game with friends at a near-by playground. My son was walking down the middle of there street at about 7:15 pm bouncing the basketball as he walked. The dog was sitting in his front yard that was not fenced in and apparently did not like the sound the ball was making as it hit the black top accourding to its owner. So the dog ran about 30 yards after my son who stood motionless in the street and bit him several times on his back and leg. The dogs owner claimed "the dog does not like strange noises". Needless to say the dog only lived a few more days.

[Trip20]

Interesting post spacemanspiff, thanks.

That dude had some b@lls standing between a moose & those dogs with nothing but a baseball bat and a pellet gun.

I agree - you let dogs such at those go running wild, terrorizing a neighborhood - they deserve to go down, and the owner should cover any expense incurred.

I own a Rott btw. I do not let him run free - he is a great dog, and will not harm anyone undeserving. But I still won't take the chance because he is an animal, and animals are unpredictable.

Also, the simple fact that he's intimidating -- and I don't feel my neighbors should feel intimidated walking down their street while my dog is trouncing around - even if he is only looking for someone to pet him.

[kjm]

One of the problems with living in the country is that people drive out there and drop off their dogs and cats thinking that they'll have some wonderful life. Fact is that most of them get shot within 72 hours. I shoot EVERY cat I see running wild.

I have never shot a dog due to my affection for them, but if I see one harrassing wildlife or livestock I don't reckon I'd have much anxiety about it if I did. I don't shoot at collared dogs with tags. I also try to see if the neighbors maybe had a dog get loose.

The breed of dog is irrelevant IMO. I've known Rotts that were wonderful animals and truly a pleasure to watch. I've also known Rotts that should have been given the shringe of purple magic at 7 wks old. The breed of dog isn't as important as the temperament of the owners.

[Marko Kloos]

If the same dogs had mauled a child or morning jogger, the same neighbors would be upset that "someone didn't so something".

For every responsible Rottie or pitbull owner there are four or five who just have those dogs as status symbols. It's too bad that the dogs had to suffer the consequences of their owner's negligence.

Letting someone else keep a Rottie or pitbull for you is like letting them hold on to a loaded shotgun for you. If you can't be sure they're kept locked up and safe in your absence, you shouldn't let them out of your control.

[Twycross]

I think this guy Sinnott waited around too long. I would have shot them earlier. Any dog running loose that becomes a threat to humans or other animals must be eliminated. I'm actually surprised that the moose didn't dispose of them.

So the dog ran about 30 yards after my son who stood motionles in the street and bit him several times on his back and leg. The dogs owner claimed "the dog does not like strange noises". Needless to say the dog only lived a few more days.

How old was your son? Any dog that chases after me and then bites, even once, has seen its last sunrise.

[70-101]

How old was your son?

My son was 17 at the time.

[Handy]

Dogs are the most intelligent of domesticated animals. When they stop acting domesticated, they are a general threat.

There are many breeds of working size dogs that this behavior would be HIGHLY unusual. I'm not surprised which breeds this story featured.

[Russ5924]

I think the man was right for killing the dogs.BUT if someone killed one of my dogs for no reason they best move out of the country They would be safer in Iraq

[jefnvk]

BUT if someone killed one of my dogs for no reason they best move out of the country

I would hope that no one would kill your dogs for no reason.

That dude had some b@lls standing between a moose & those dogs with nothing but a baseball bat and a pellet gun.

A big +1. I wouldn't have shown the level of restraint that he did.

70, sorry to hear about your son. Hope the dog's owners lost big time, and were locked up.

[70-101]

Apparently another neighbor must of had some issues with the same dog. Because someone poisoned the dog several days after my son was attacked.

[Rojoe67]

I think the man did all he could and sounds like he took a lot more time than I would have... I agree the dog lovers should think of how serious it is the dogs were running free and attacking wildlife. This could have just as easy been children the dogs were attacking........ from what I read, I say well done and good shooting.... The owners should be responsible for all cost that resulted from their pets. To add a measure of realism they could also pay for the citizen's shotgun ammunition cost. That would send the real message...

[impact]

I'm a dog owner and much rather have dogs than cats. I would have shot the the dogs as well. I have a funny feeling about this Sinnott guy. If he saw two Wolves doing the same thing would he want to kill the wolves as well and or protect the moose from the wolves.

Do you think he would have watched the wolves in all there splendent glory provided by nature taking down there own food? Oh yes! Mother nature the giver of life. But on the flip side the life has to eat. Sorry starting to rant!

I listen to too much talk raido. Because this story is in the press I get the idea that Sinnott is a righteous liberal and the dog owner is a evil republican

[Wraith]

I would have gladly taken on those dogs with a bat.

I would have gladly shot them as well.

[JohnKSa]

I would have sent the owner a bill for the cartridges.

[Sir William]

My experience was with the adjoining farm owners dogs. I had a cow in labour. There were three dogs of the neighbours waiting and watching the birth. A friend drove up to my house to tell me about the situation. When I left the house, I took my LA 30-30 slung as I was on the ATC. I got to the cow and found her dead and the newborn calf missing. I followed a trail and came across the three dogs eating the calf. Three shots and three dead dogs. I told the dogs owner where their bodies were. He was upset. I offered to bill him for value of the cow and calf. He never spoke to me about it again. These incidents always seem to happen in the early morning.

[stevelyn]

If they aren't on a leash or fenced in, they are fair game to me.

Yup. I've kept the ravens and sand fleas well fed.

[Trip20]

Anyone who think they're safe taking on a pit and a rott with a bat does not respect the speed, power, and determination of dogs who are hell bent on hostility.

One dog can mess you up, two dogs will kill you with out a doubt. Swing a bat at a dog and you'll more than likely only **** it off. While your ******* off one, the other is on you and your done.

[Mike Irwin]

We recently had a situation in my community with a rottie. Friendly to people, but extremely dog agressive. The owner knew about it, yet refused to take any remedial actions (he's in complete denial about everything, not just his dog).

A few weeks ago I was walking in front of his house, not on his property, when his dog pulled the front door open and went after Nikky and Ruger, my two dogs. Neither were injured, and the owner was able to get hold of his dog fairly quickly (before I had a chance to kill it).

I immediately reported the incident to animal control, and he had the audacity to try to blame me for walking my dogs near his home (townhouse community).

BIG mistake 1.

Two weeks ago he was walking the dog on a flexilead without a safety strap (a habit of his, even though I told him it was a seriously bad idea after I had to catch the damned rottie last year when it pulled loose and went after my neighbor's akita. As I said, complete, clueless denial).

It really hit the fan about 2 weeks ago when the rottie pulled the flexilead out of the owners hand AGAIN, charged about 20 yards, and grabbed hold of a bichon and mauled it pretty thoroughly.

The bichon's vet bills are, at this point, over $2,500. The owner is preparing to sue the rottie owner. When animal control came to talk to him that evening, he claimed that the bichon had growled at his dog and startled it.

BIG mistake 2. The attack was witnessed by several other people in the community, who all had the same account -- the rottie attacked completely unprovoked.

Over the next several days we were able to talk to other dog owners in the community, and put together a rather large list of people whose dogs had either been attacked or menaced by this rottie, but who had never reported it to animal control because there was no damage.

The dog has been declared a dangerous dog, has been seized, and is now boarding at the county animal shelter (at the owner's cost) until a magistrate's hearing on June 3 to determine whether a permant dangerous dog status is warranted.

If it is, and I see no way that it won't be, the owner is going to have to jump through some very expensive hoops to keep his dog, and it will have to be muzzled at all times when out on a leash (not a flexilead).

To shorten an already long story, it's the owner's responsibility to ensure that his/her dog isn't a menace. If it is, unfortunately the dog will probably pay with its life, when in truth 99 times out of 100 it's actually the human's fault for allowing the dog to become a menace.

[spacemanspiff]

If he saw two Wolves doing the same thing would he want to kill the wolves as well and or protect the moose from the wolves

well, no. actually sinnott has been on the good side of the force, as i recall. our fish & game department has no problem realizing when nature is at work. a pair of dogs that are not trying to hunt the moose for food is not part of nature. sinnott has taken the side of humans defending themselves against moose and bears just like he takes the side of wildlife that need to be defended against dangerous un-wild animals.

the only liberal in this story is the owner of the dogs who is whining that other steps should have been taken.

moose that reside in the anchorage area have no natural predators to worry about. there only threat is death from automobile.


what interests me the most about this is that the moose didnt try to charge on any of the two-legged-beasts that were stepping in between them and the dogs. a pregnant moose that still has one calf from last year with her.

[simonov jr]

I've seen owners like this who ignorantly leave their dogs out to annoy, harrass or threaten the neighborhood. While they are undoubtedly ignorant ****heads, you should be under no illusions about the seriousness of dispatching their dogs. In my opinion if you are forced to put one of their dogs down to save a life, then by all means, but you should be tactically prepared on the spot for a potentially violent confrontation with the owner(s). I would guess that dog-disputes between neighbors have filled more than a few body bags...

[Billy Sparks]

When I was 12 or 13 I was over at the neighbors house talking to their daughter (about a year younger than me). They had two St. Bernards I had known both dogs since they had gotten them. Somehow they got out of the fence and came after me. Only one caught up to me, to this day a image seared in my mind was looking back and seeing the dog ripping up my back (actually flank) with his teeth. It was bad enough that you could follow the blood drops to my folks house. No stiches but a lot of pain. I did nothing to the dogs to provoke the attack they just came after me. Some people do not realize that dogs are not that far removed from wild animals.

[Oldphart]

Somewhere around the house I have a photo of a small, hand-written notice found on a bulletin board in the small village of Kalskag, Alaska. It stated that all dogs found running loose after a certain date and time would be shot on sight. The notice was signed by the Village Public Safety Officer.
Here in the "Lower 48" dogs are rarely neccesary to our welfare so we tend to look on them as 'friends' or 'members of the family'. My Mother-in-law is a prime example. She takes better care of her dog than she ever did of her kids. In Alaska, especially in the villages, dogs are property. While Ski-Doos have replaced dog teams to some extent, dogs will always be around. One old man pointed out the best reason for maintaining his dog team; "If a snowmobile breaks down forty mikles from town, you can't eat it."