[TruckersMom]

I have some strong feelings about this story. I feel horribly for the family and even worse for that little 5 year old boy who was bitten but I also feel bad for the dog (a boxer/bulldog mix) that was euthanized.

All animals that come into AACo Animal Control are temperament tested, no animal is adopted out to a family with children under the age of 5 (I believe, this was how it was when I was a child). Family's with newly adopted pets are provided with guidelines and information packets on how to introduce your new pet to your home.

It was a large error in judgement that lead to this event, this new dog was out of his element. Just hours after being brought to his now home he was left unattended with a 5 year old child. I don't believe you EVER leave a child unattended with a dog but especially with a newly adopted dog in a recipe for disaster.

Anne Arundel Animal Control is not a no-kill shelter/rescue and they have put a hold on the placement of all animals except cats into any home, shelter, or rescue. This means that because of this incedent that not only a single dog could be euthanized but many more lives could be lost if the shelter reaches capacity (they refuse to release how close they are to capacity).

From on of the articles I really hated the statement "will try to use a sliding scale based on the dog's size and potential for serious injuries, to make decisions." A small dog that is trying to be aggressive has the potential to do as much damage as a large dog just delivering a warning bite to back off or ticking they are playing.

In the end I just don't think that one parents mistake should result in a stop to all adoptions. Raise the minimum age of a child in the household, require a couple hour class to teach children proper dog interaction class, require and introducing a dog to your new home class. In the end no matter the policy mistake by adopters will still be made and this is what this sounds like a scared dog, a kid who didn't know how to interact with the dog properly, and a giant mistake my the parents.

Adoptions at Animal Control suspended after dog attack on boy causes serious injuries - Capital Gazette
Dog attacks 5-year-old in Anne Arundel County - ABC2News.com
5-year-old boy seriously injured after attack by recently adopted dog
Police: Boy, 5, attacked by dog family just adopted | Maryland News - WBAL Home

 

[TruckersMom]

@Artdog this was exactly how I felt. It made me so irritated. Trucker when I adopted him was classified a "nervous" but "Good with People", "Cat Tested and Good With Cats", "Good with Kids", etc. dog. Let's just say that my highly reactive dog likes to chase, bark, and "tree" my cat (he would never actually hurt him but he defiantly thinks it is fun to play chase with him) and with run, hide, and go catatonic around strangers.

I would totally classify my cat as a "Good with Kids" animal as he has grown up around them but I would never leave my cat alone with a 5 year old. My goddaughter, who is 5, while she has grown up with my cat and loves him and has been taught to appropriately play and touch him still sometimes gets over excited and YELLS at him or corners him or hits him with the cat toy on a stick in her joy or pets a little to hard. It is why we as adults are need to stop things, as my mom says, "at the peak of fun" for everyone's safety.