Jesus H Christ - an absolutely gorgeous, doe-eyed baby girl fatally savaged by a “pit bull type” terrier whilst sleeping in bed in Blackburn. I can hardly bear to look at the little angels image without choking up. Her mother and boyfriend (not the father) downstairs and oblivious while the mutt roamed freely around the house. Is this indescribable tragedy going to stir parliament into legislating these dogs out of existence? Somethings got to be done, people. I feel as though she was my own. Gutted beyond belief.
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Jesus H Christ - an absolutely gorgeous, doe-eyed baby girl fatally savaged by a “pit bull type” terrier whilst sleeping in bed in Blackburn. I can hardly bear to look at the little angels image without choking up. Her mother and boyfriend (not the father) downstairs and oblivious while the mutt roamed freely around the house. Is this indescribable tragedy going to stir parliament into legislating these dogs out of existence? Somethings got to be done, people. I feel as though she was my own. Gutted beyond belief.
Pit Bulls , yes ." Pit bull type" sounds like the crap you’ll find in the Daily Fail in which case I would consider it the owners fault rather than the dog itself .
The dog was on the list of banned dogs. I have a German shepherd and a 3 year old. I trust the dog with him 100% but that doesn’t mean I’d leave the two together unsupervised.
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Jesus H Christ - an absolutely gorgeous, doe-eyed baby girl fatally savaged by a “pit bull type” terrier whilst sleeping in bed in Blackburn. I can hardly bear to look at the little angels image without choking up. Her mother and boyfriend (not the father) downstairs and oblivious while the mutt roamed freely around the house. Is this indescribable tragedy going to stir parliament into legislating these **chavs** out of existence? Somethings got to be done, people. I feel as though she was my own. Gutted beyond belief.
FTFY.
Very pertinent amendment DMD, and (as is usually the case) I totally agree with you. Wish id thought of that. Although the dog apparently WAS a banned breed, it admittedly didnt choose it`s own home, and the “adults” guilty of such gross irresponsibility should, and hopefully will, receive a hugely severe, stinging punishment from the courts. Who the hell in their right minds would even think about having a dog bred for aggression anywhere near themselves and more importantly, their children? An 11mth old baby girl lost her life in the most unthinkable way as a direct consequence of their abject stupidity.
I also think that the dog`s origins should be traced back to the cretins who are breeding them, and they should be held equally culpable for the tragedy which ensued. All illegal breeders of banned, dangerous dogs should face substantial prison terms when brought to face justice.
I heard this story on the radio and it made my blood boil and I couldn’t stop thinking about the pain and terror that poor little mite suffered, in fact I’m probably your archetypal rufty tufty trucker but the mere thought of a child suffering like this can bring tears to my eyes and I’m not ashamed to admit it.
I’ve not seen any pictures of the “parents” but like many of you I can automatically imagine exactly what they look like.
It’s strange that we need a licence for a television yet anyone is allowed to breed 
The owners of these dogs generally seem to fit a certain demographic too. Male, working class, owns the dog as a status symbol.
I ve kept dogs for most of my life, both as pets & working dogs, and as much as I trusted my dogs 100% , I would never ever take that chance with my dogs & another person whether baby, child or adult. It’s the dog keepers that are at fault in most cases.
It is very tragic that yet another infant has lost It’s life yet again, I certainly felt tears pricking my eyes when I heard it on the radio.
This story made me very sad indeed.
The dog was a banned breed. The owners should be a banned breed.
It’s easy to blame the dog in this situation and yes the dog should of been destroyed, but perhaps the owners should be too.
A licence to breed can never happen sadly but surely something has to be done about the over population of chavs and ■■■■■■■■
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Who the hell in their right minds would even think about having a dog bred for aggression anywhere near themselves and more importantly, their children?
I also think that the dog`s origins should be traced back to the cretins who are breeding them, and they should be held equally culpable for the tragedy which ensued. All illegal breeders of banned, dangerous dogs should face substantial prison terms when brought to face justice.
You have to understand what is meant by “Pit Bull Type”
When the Dangerous dogs act was introduced it specifically banned four breeds…Japanese Tosa, Dogo Argentino and Fila Braziliero + the Pit Bull terrier (recognised as a breed in the USA)
The act was amended in 1997 (I think) to “Pit Bull type” meaning, & this is the reason why the act is a total abortion, any dog that meets certain criteria can be classed as Pit Bull Type! The criteria are basically visual opinion with a few measurements thrown in & if an “expert” decides the dog is of type, it’s up to the owner to prove it isn’t.
So if a Staffordshire Bull terrier were to be crossed with, say, a Boxer there is a chance that one of the litter will meet the standards required to be classed as a PBT… even though it’s never seen a Pit Bull.
99% of these dogs are not bred for aggression but simply, accidentally, fall into the class of Pit Bull Type. Any dog can be dangerous in the wrong hands not just PBTs… in fact they are used as therapy dogs in the US.
The DDA has concentrated on the wrong thing, the Dog! What it should do is target the owner, make owning a dog much more difficult & make the owner more responsible for the actions of the dog…your dog kills a child then it’s prison time!
Hi Melchett - many thanks for coming in with your very informative post. I would like to say that the “type” reference was very much a media quote and not my own words, as I cannot pretend to be at all knowledgeable on this controversial subject. As the dog was a banned breed, I can only presume that it was a qualifying pit bull with the full complement of fighting genes installed? The overwhelming consensus on our beloved forum is clearly that the woefully inadequate humans in the mix are the principal catalyst for these awful, avoidable events, and I feel very strongly that anyone proven to be guilty of rearing, distributing (selling) or owning dogs in these EXTREME categories should feel the full weight of the law. As you point out, the law has become more than a little blurred, and this hasn`t helped the situation at all. Whilst I fully acknowledge your comment that any dog can be potentially dangerous in the wrong hands, perhaps would-be owners of the more intimidating breeds, say, mastiffs, dobermans and the like, should be subject to more stringent scrutiny to ensure they are capable and responsible people? Easy to bang on about, not so easy - more likely impossible - to regulate and enforce!
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I would like to say that the “type” reference was very much a media quote and not my own words, as I cannot pretend to be at all knowledgeable on this controversial subject.
You used the word correctly, the act states “Pit Bull Type”
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As the dog was a banned breed, I can only presume that it was a qualifying pit bull with the full complement of fighting genes installed?
This is where people get confused. The (American) Pit Bull Terrier descended from Staffordshire Bull terriers crossed with other breeds, over time the PBT has become a pure breed recognised as such in the USA. It is not recognised as a breed by the UK kennel club.
Now we come to the word “type”. As a Staffordshire Bull was the starting point for the PBT you can see how crossing a Staffy with another breed (particularly Mastiff) can throw a random pup that fits the criteria to be labelled as type &, even though it isn’t in any way a PBT, it would be liable to confiscation by the authorities with euthanasia the most likely outcome.
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and I feel very strongly that anyone proven to be guilty of rearing, distributing (selling) or owning dogs in these EXTREME categories should feel the full weight of the law.
Dog fighting is still alive & well in this country & it’s those involved who will be breeding for aggression. There are also the muppets who own big dogs as status symbols, these are the type who train their dog to be aggressive, call them stupid names & invariably put a huge studded collar round the dogs neck.
The average guy in the street who’s had a cute puppy off his friend doesn’t, in my view, know much about the law, the DDA or the word “type”. He probably will know that PBTs are banned but he hasn’t got a PBT (& he’s right), he’s got a Staffy cross 
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Whilst I fully acknowledge your comment that any dog can be potentially dangerous in the wrong hands, perhaps would-be owners of the more intimidating breeds, say, mastiffs, dobermans and the like, should be subject to more stringent scrutiny to ensure they are capable and responsible people? Easy to bang on about, not so easy - more likely impossible - to regulate and enforce!
Intimidating doesn’t mean dangerous though, the English Mastiff is one of the biggest dogs in the world, adult males can make 15-16 stone… very intimidating but you won’t find many records of attacks on people because they’re not the dog of choice for the idiots (yet!)
I totally agree that more should be done to make sure only responsible people own dogs &, even though I own two Mastiffs myself, I would like to see the reintroduction of the dog licence at around £500 (maybe more) per dog with severe penalties for those without one. This to be backed up by real enforcement!
As you say this won’t happen, governments are pretty good at tickling round the edges but when it comes to actually doing something useful??
Mark my words, it won’t be long before there is another case in the news & the “circus” will start again with all responsible owners increasingly treated like lepers.
Thanks again for the input Melchett - I guess the subject is sadly destined to go around in an eternal circle where government intervention is concerned. 
I myself was handed the responsibility for a male English Mastiff when I spent the whole of 2012 in Bulgaria. He weighed in at around 60-65kg and was quite a handfull, and very strong willed. When he haunched down and went for it he pulled like a friggin tractor, and I really had to be on top of my game when I took him out in public places. I think the main issue with him was that his previous owner had been s*** scared of him for the last 4-5yrs, and the dog, obviously being aware of this, had swiftly appointed himself as the Alpha. Despite having previous for snapping at and biting a few folk (and other dogs), I managed to bring him down to earth a fair bit, but I suspect he was only ever looking for an opportunity to become the boss again, as the die had been cast. As a bloke of modest bulk, I was aware that given his past behavioural record, he could have turned and ripped me to pieces had he ever decided to, so he felt a bit like a loaded firearm with a hair trigger to my way of thinking. Maggies ploy (I always like to have a dig at her whenever possible!) of doing away with the already piffling dog licence in order to catch the blue-rinse vote was a significant backwards step as regards any controlling measures, but no-one in high office has the balls to reverse the trend. The weight of owner responsibility really does need to be ramped up, though.
Mark my words, it won’t be long before there is another case in the news & the “circus” will start again
Sorry to say I was right 
bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-sout … s-26242506
Melchett:
Mark my words, it won’t be long before there is another case in the news & the “circus” will start again
Sorry to say I was right
Was just about to get in touch with you. Sick to my stomach. Such a distressing attack - AGAIN. Malamutes are said to have a wonderful temperament arent they? Is this canine jealousy? You know - all attention being diverted to their newborn baby? Dont know what to say that hasn`t already been said.
I recently had my Border Collie put down because someone complained to the police that he had been bitten by her.I know he was suffering from small man syndrome but felt that the dog was a liability.I think that there should be a dog licence a bit like a driving licence only awarded after training and a test.
We, as a society, are losing our understanding of animal behaviour. This is becoming evident by the increasing number of incidents suffered mainly by those with low intellect & those who have become complacent.
A dog is a pack animal & despite 1000’s of years of domestication it retains its pack instincts. When you return home does your dog jump up you &/or attempt to lick your face? They do this because when the pack returns from the hunt food is regurgitated to feed those left behind. Your dog is not showing its joy at you returning, its primal instincts are telling it that you’re going to regurgitate food. Ok, it’s also happy to see you, but anyone who knows animals will know what ‘food love’ means.
These horrible incidents are happening for several reasons, but IMO the main one is the dog doesn’t know its place within the pack, and that is not the fault of the dog.
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Was just about to get in touch with you. Sick to my stomach. Such a distressing attack - AGAIN. Malamutes are said to have a wonderful temperament arent they? Is this canine jealousy? You know - all attention being diverted to their newborn baby? Dont know what to say that hasn`t already been said.
I have heard (don’t know if it’s true) that they had only had it for a few months & the guy bought it off someone in a pub! If true then it’s stupidity of the highest order… to bring a dog with an unknown temperament into a house where your partner is heavily pregnant, it defies belief.
Huskys/Malamutes are wonderful dogs if owned by people that know the breed, they are highly intelligent working dogs… not some couch potato that can spend it’s life coping with a ten minute walk each day.
Sadly they are becoming the dog of choice for muppets wanting the latest fashion statement but have no idea what they are taking on, dog rescues are full of them as owners realise that the cute furry pup grows up!
Canine jealosy? I believe yes! I see it in my two all the time but you also have to realise that most dogs will have no experience of a new born baby, the dog won’t recognise it as human… it’s just a small wriggly thing so it may not be just jealosy. As horrible as it sounds the dog might have seen it prey.
Let’s remember though that the dog isn’t confirmed as the cause of death…
I read - and I can hardly bring myself to repeat this - that the traumatised mum was running around in the street screaming “its eaten my babys head”. Too horrible to contemplate.
You`re correct in that her fella fetched the dog home from a night out - a thoughtless move that will haunt them forever.
I think it’s time we started putting some owners down as well as their dogs.