Patron Poses A Problem
Recently I posted an article on Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger’s foundation he started for police dogs, Ben Roethlisberger Foundation.
Today there’s another Steeler in the news who has a love of dogs, but his story is about saving the life of his dog. Patron, a pit bull, attacked his two-year-old son injuring him. Normally after a dog has bitten he’ll be put down, but owner James Harrison wants to save Patron and re-home him.
The animal may be getting some good news, too. James Harrison is trying to find a way to keep the dog from being put down.
The original plan was to hand the dog over to Animal Control, and they’d send him into the doggie afterlife after a 10-day quarantine. Now, though, they’re trying to find a place to take and rehabilitate the animal.
Some may find that a controversial decision. The general rule — and it’s not an unreasonable one — seems to be that if a dog attacks a person, that dog’s got to go. Especially if it’s attacked a baby. We can’t have dogs running around eating babies.
But James Harrison loves his dog. So much so that he named him after a tequila that is very popular among rappers. And I can understand that; I love my dogs, too. My collie Tanqueray, my basset hound Grey Goose, my shetland sheepdog Crown Royal Reserve … they’ll all wonderful animals.
And it’s not like Harrison’s talking about keeping the dog in his house. It’s not like he’s going to cover his baby in steak sauce and let the dog sleep next to his crib. He just wants to explore the option of the dog living with a rescue organization, far far away from anyone he could hurt. I don’t see the harm in that.
Luckily, and most importantly, is the fact that the baby is alright. In another article it stated the dog attacked the baby when he started crying. Patron had never shown any aggression prior to this incident. I don’t know what the outcome will be, but I can certainly understand why Harrison doesn’t want his dog put down.
Give me a bark, do you think Patron should be given a second chance in a secure environment?
*Pic of Patron courtesy Bob Donaldson/Post-Gazette
Absolutely! Esp. latley, there have been many stories of rehabed pittys. i.e. The Vick dogs. As long as they are honest about the fact that the dog has bitten before, and someone is willing to give him a second chance, I say GO FOR IT!!!
a dog don’t just attack for no reason, maybe the baby pulled it’s ear or something to provoke the attack. And I think it is a disgrace, for Pit bulls or others in the bully breeds to be ruled out just becasue they bit/attack. Most bites and attackes or the results of something being done to the dog, be it a slap, etc. Would a chi, or tiny dog be ordered put down if it bit or attack. In most caes the answer would be no, since it was a small dog, so why should medium to large to extra large dogs be ordered to be put down. Bully breeds are not attack dogs by nature and there is a lot work going on around to try and show the that bully breeds are no different than other breeds. Look at the vick dogs, most have been rehab and making great family pets. I’m afrid I’d have to move into the wild if I had to put my bully breed girl down just because she bit some who invaded her area.
As a pround American Pit Bull Terrier owner I applaud his decision. Dogs unfortunately cannot make mistakes, ‘mistakes’ cost them their lives. If that dog happens to be a ‘pit’, forget it, no one will listen to you normally. This man is standing up and saying his baby is very important and that his dog is important to him also. Bravo!
Any dog can bite a child . Most times it’s because the dog perceives the child to be a threat . People with dogs and children should never let children of that age get too close . You need to teach your children from a very young age how to act around dogs , if you’re going to have them together .
Absolutly this pup deserves another chance. I think he could be rehomed where there are no small children and the problem is solved. My dogs were raised in an adult home and ANY time small children visit, I take extra precautions to ensure there are no problems. Small kids make my dogs nervous and knowing this means keep them away from one another.
I applaud the decision for exploring some alternative options to putting down the dog, this should happen more often. My only concern is whether the dog will get a fair shake with the odds against him. 1. James Harrison has proven to be…for lack of a better term an “idiot” this is the same guy who rejected President Obama’s invite to the White House a few weeks ago sighting the fact that the President would have invited the Arizona Cardinals had they won the Super Bowl http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/30774814/. 2. Naming your dog after a type of alcohol….enough said.
This dog absolutely deserves a second chance. No one really knows why the dog bit the child – to condemn him to death without exploring the option of rehoming him would be senseless (and literal) overkill.
I’m afraid I disagree with the majority opinion on this site. This was a family dog, living in the household & familiar with this child. In my experience, “nice” pitbulls and bull terrier types feel & act protective toward small, innocent children, rather than attacking them. How could a toddler pose a threat to an adult pitbull? More likely the child made a high-pitched shriek that either disturbed the dog’s sensitive hearing or sounded like prey to the dog. In either case, the dog’s action was immediate & instinctive, not restrained or self-controlled. I do not believe a dangerous animal should be maintained, even if in another location. The possibility that the animal could escape & cause harm, or that someone at its new location could somehow appear to “pose a threat” in the dog’s mind is not worth risking. The resources of all animal rescue organizations is strained to the breaking point, in these times, and I think those resources could be better utilized than being devoted to such an attempted rescue.
I’m afraid I have to agree with Roxanne …………. for a dog to attack a child no matter the breed is just unacceptable. However, one of the things I don’t see addressed is if the dog had a vet visit after the bite, some dogs show aggression or are unpredictable when they are ill. I find it hard to believe that if the dog attacked for no reason that there have not been signs of his unease in the past. Maybe this has been building up but the owner just didn’t see the signs. The difference with the surviving Michael Vick dogs is they were a problem with other dogs but not to people. Whatever is decided I hope its right for everyone involved.
I have to agree Patron should be given a second chance in a secure environment. Be the dog large and of an (aggressive?) breed or a small and mixed breed like my two.
What was the situation around the two year old and Patron? My boys only see small children outside on our walks. A friend has a two year old and a large dog. Her dog is use to the child taking back a piece of food that has been given to her. When one of my dogs was given a cracker and then the child tried to take it back my boy growled. Could something like this have happened? Or could Patron have felt that the two year old was in a threatening situation and was trying to move the child? We don’t know!
People, we are talking about a father who loves his child and his pet. We are not talking about his public live. We need to think about the love he has for both and his desire to have both his loves in a safe environment.
Yes I do think Patron deserves a second chance.People are allowed second chances why not animals.It wasent made clear why Patron did this.I wouldnt want to see this happen to another child.If the right home was found for him I say go for it.It is so nice to hear that someone cares so much for their dog that they would do this.With all the bad publicity about Pitbulls these days this is heart warming.
I think any dog that has bitten someone should be given a second chance regardless of the breed. Why is it when a pit or other so called “agressive” breeds bite someone they should automatically be put down because people blame the breed? Yet, if a smaller breed or one considered to be a good “family” dog bites someone it’s the fault of the person bit or the owner? I think it’s really wrong to stereotype breeds. I’ve known plenty of sweet and loveable pits who the worst thing they would do is maybe lick you to death. I’ve also known people who had so called “good” breeds that were mean as H E double L! I think in any case of a dog biting a person especially a small child the situation should be closely investigated before an automatic euthanization (spelled right?). What was the dog doing? What was the child doing? Where were the adults? There is generally a reason for an attack regardless of the breed, whether it be lack of proper training for pet and owner, lack of proper supervision, or maybe the dog is ill or in pain. When a person hurts another person the law looks at the circumstance not just the action. Don’t we owe the pets that we love and who love us the same consideration?
My dog spent his first two years with a family with children. They hit him on his head and instead of gently petting, evidently slapped him. Now, at age 7, he’s terrified of children and bares his teeth and then cowers behind me when kids approach. He’s always on a leash, but kids just come up and don’t even ask if it’s okay to pet him. I have to tell them that he bites. Not his fault, not the children’s fault. He’s fine with adults around. Poor Padron. I think if he was in a quiet, calm home with adults and maybe just as an only pet, he could do just fine. Give him a chance, like my little guy had a chance. One bite shouldn’t condemn him to death.
Yes I say give him a second chance,even the dog whisperer saves pit bull’s and other large dogs and rehabilitates dogs even when they have been aggresive. I also hate the bias of dog breed’s I have had Chihuahua’s that would have snapped at someone faster than my aussie-pit mix that I have today-who infact loves people,even though the scar above her eye say’s she didn’t have a perfect puppy hood.