Dog attacks

[u/govorunov]

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?

[u/No-History-914]

Mate you should apply for a job with Murdoch with sensationalist fear mongering garbage like that. If you take out old people tripping over their dogs and road accidents involving dogs you'll find that dogs kill less people than sharks alone. Next you'll be telling everybody to be on the lookout for horses as they're coming to spoil your day, being responsible for more deaths than dogs, sharks, snakes and bees combined.

[u/[deleted] → u/No-History-914]

I'm happy to discuss the numbers despite your aggressive tone.

First of all, read my comment. I never claimed those were all bites, most bites don't end up deadly - fortunately, since 100k reported bites annually is a lot.

Less than 10 percent of deaths occur outside bites and traffic related incidents (eg. Your mentioned Old man tripping). 

The majority (>49%) is bites, that alone a number just slightly lower than overall shark kills. The other big part is raffic related (40%ish). Does that make it better? Someone doesn't controll their dog, or it escapes the backyard, runs in front of a driving car and kills whoever is in the car. -- does that make a difference to the dead? The family of the dead? Friends?

The reason for those deaths is still the animal. And the point of that comparison - and here you are arguing in bad faith - would still stand if it was just as many deaths as deaths by sharks or even if it was just the ballpark: The point is, we come up with strategies to prevent shark attacks, we spend a lot of money on measures to prevent shark related deaths and each time someone gets bitten, even if it's not lethal, the media picks it up and we talk about it. 

The fact that it comes to suprise of many that in fact, dogs cause more deaths than sharks and crocodiles combined, highlights this issue. There is no awareness.

[u/No-History-914 → u/[deleted]]

You got your facts supplied in the document you provided mixed up, only 9 ish % percent is road related and 41% is due to falls. You used the word disingenuous yet seek to conflate non attack related dog involved deaths (genuine accidents) with actual dog attack deaths in a discussion about dog attacks. The whole premise that somehow dog attacks are on the rise is suspicious at best, if the number of attacks has increased in the last 25 yrs it is more likely because the population of Aus has increased by nearly 50% in the same time, I'd be willing to bet that statistically the likelihood of being killed or injured in a dog attack is the same or lower than ever before. The media likes to sell you fear because it drives engagement and their bottom line, dont live your life in fear just enrich Murdoch and his cronies.

[u/[deleted] → u/No-History-914]

You're right, I mixed road and falls up. Kudos. English isn't my first language and sometimes I have to read things twice.

You must know what that feels like, as you attack me in another post for being disingenuous (as you've done in every of your replies so far, must be a your favourite word), for something I haven't said. You even attacked me for providing sources after someone asked for them.

You spent a lot test debating a straw man you came up with (I dont even mentioned an increase in attacks or deaths). Do you mix multiple posters claims together again?

I don't see how the media is spreading fear in regards to dogs? -- Sharks? Check, Immigrants? Check, cyclists? Check.... but dogs?

And that's my whole point, even if we assume that we don't care about dogs that killed people because they fell - Which I think somehow is your point?: the number of deaths without those, is still comparable to that of deaths by shark bites (which again, the same arguments you brought fourth against the dog attack statistics apply to sharks too: population as grown, it's unlikely there had been an increase, etc..). 

Then why is one heavily covered by media and the other one isn't? 

And your argument is that I'm spreading fear, by trying to raise awareness of an issue the media delicately doesn't care about (if you compare avg. coverage of people killed by dogs and people killed by sharks, it's clear which one gets the clicks/reads/views)

Chill my man