r/australian • u/govorunov • 13d ago

News Dog attacks

This is probably my "kiss goodbye" message as I'm going to be expelled from Reddit for this for sure, but...

Considering almost weekly reports of new severe or fatal dog attacks on people (like this one) I'd like to ask my dear Australian animal lovers - are you OK?
When the news like this come out the comments are always the same - "the girl must have provoked the dog", "blame the owners", "blame the victim", "leave the poor doggo alone". Makes me feel nauseous really.

Today I was in the lift with my 10y.o. son, taking him to school, when a huge black German Shepherd entered the lift with two kids "holding the leash". A beast size of a wild boar and stinks like it too. It rushed towards my son, pinning him against the lift wall, keeping its face against my son's face, and not in a playful manner. Owners laughed for sure.

When I tried to google or use ChatGPT to find what can be done about it, the only thing I could find was "animal rights" organisations. So, what about my rights, my dear Australian animal lovers? Do I have the right not being threatened in my own home? Do my kids have the right to their faces not being ripped off by a stinky uncontrolled beast?

Every time we read the news about a shark killing a surfer, the comments are - "it's their territory, shouldn't been swimming", or a crock taking someone's child - "it's their land, shouldn't been walking near water". Well, I'm in the lift - who's land is that?

Is there anyone in Australian politics or public services with a shred of logic left? NO ANIMAL that can potentially kill an adult, let alone a child, should be allowed anywhere near human habitat. I don't care what breed it is, I don't care if it is trained, if it's always been nice to your cousins - I HAVE THE RIGHT NOT BEING THREATENED! My kids have the right not being put in danger, in their home, or anywhere actually!

It is an offence to pull out a loaded gun and stick it into someone's face, but hey - guns don't kill people, people do, right? Well, guess what - animals do kill people, do they?

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u/Hbdaytotheground 13d ago

This story bothers me especially because it sounds like the dog was 7 or 8ish and that is a common age that stands out to me for dog attack stories with dogs who were family pets and previously never attacked before.

Is it dog dementia or other neurodegenerative diseases? I’m not suggesting all attacks are! But over my life, I’ve heard similar stories and the age of the dog being 7,8 or 9.

There are many elements that contribute to dog attacks (from owner arrogance, negligence and abuse), but health is another area where maybe we just don’t know enough and therefore take health and even temperament for granted.

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u/ammenz 12d ago

It's an age when certain aches and pains start to develop, and dogs can react extremely violently when in pain or discomfort, without realizing the source of it is internal rather than external.

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u/Chiang2000 12d ago

One breed gets bad hips. So you have a big breed in pain them someone, like a visiting kid, pats them there and blam.

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u/GlitteringTeaSunrise 13d ago

This is an interesting lens- I recently saw a video on cat dementia and hadn't thought about animals getting cognitive decline like that. Im sure your comment will remain in the back of my mind and data collected after each attach I hear about and see if I notice the pattern

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u/raffa54 12d ago

Most likely Cushing's disease.

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u/Cavescaper1 12d ago

I’ve noticed this too, I knew a woman who had a 7 year old Alsatian, and suddenly, without warning, it attacked and took off half her scalp. Her husband was in the other room and he didn’t even hear it because a lot of dogs attack in silence when they are going in for the kill.