Feral dog attack kills two... rural Georgia

[AlexN]

I live in Ga.too. The thing that struck me most about this story is that the Lady was in her upper 60's and not very capable. The husband was 77. Come on guys,just what could you expect either of them to do!?

 

[revolution13]

"I'd be hard-pressed to believe you could fight off 3-5 reasonable sized dogs with a knife. 15-17 dogs? No way. "

-anything is possible (atleast in my reality...seems to be working wonders for me)

 

[AeroNautiCal]

Many years ago, whilst walking with my West Highland White Terrier, we were attacked by a pack of eight dogs, my Westie (whom was not on a lead) ran straight into the pack and ferociously engaged the lead (biggest) dog.

I joined in with full power kicks to the heads, necks and ribs of the other dogs, I was also whipping them with the metal chain dog lead.

These actions, carried out whilst I was screaming at the pack, drove them off.

This ocurred in a peaceful urban residential neighbourhood.

Neither my Westie nor I were injured, in fact he seemed to have really enjoyed the experience, I enjoyed the fact that I reacted instinctively too, and that we were both okay.

I keep a Fox 40 whistle in the sheath next to my Swiss Champ, I've found that loud blasts of the Fox 40 has positive effects of humans and animals, strobing with a Fenix P3D works too! Aural and visual disruption techniques help.

 

[RedbeAR15]

A very sad day indeed. Whistles, lights, sticks, ,,, maybe? but a .45 speaks

Yeah, people dog deer, but mostly with trained dogs now. They have the electronics to recover lost dogs most of the time. In the past some would go to the pound and take the culls and turn them loose in non-dog hunting areas to keep the deer moving, leaving them there after the hunt

Regardless, you and scruffie's odds against a pack of wild dogs are slim to none unless you have firepower

Yotes are developing along with civilization. Not many recorded incidents of previous attacks on humans, but maybe we are seeing a new trend

 

[BlazenGem]

I agree with people that say a gun against a sudden attack by a pack of dogs is not really useful.

I think the truth is that most of us are not trained professionals and with the immense pain of constant dog bites and heat of the moment, we, or at least I will find a gun barely of any use.

The only thing might be the sound of gunfire scares them away, which might or might not happen.

It is much easier sitting on our computers imagining being heroic than reality, IMO.

 

[kdstrick]

A very sad day indeed. Whistles, lights, sticks, ,,, maybe? but a .45 speaks

I'm with you. It pays to be prepared for multiple scenario's and a firearm should be part of anyone's kit when going outdoors.

Lots of guys on here have said in the past that they do not feel the need to carry a firearm, since nothing has ever happened to them. Many others carry daily, and nothing has ever happened to them.

The difference between the two, is that those who carry will be prepared to defend their lives, those that don't may be a meal. It is better to be prepared. :thumbup:

 

[Esav Benyamin]

I came across another report of this incident, mostly the same, but it pointed out they were animal lovers themselves, and had 20 cats and seven dogs of their own. She may not have realized till it was too late that she was being threatened.

http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rs.../ap/20090819/ap_on_re_us/us_deadly_dog_attack

 

[blackfeetmageet]

"You are more likely to killed by a bolt of lightening than by a dog," said Adam Goldfarb, a spokesman for the Humane Society of the United States. "It's one in millions."

I cant stand people who try and translate this type of thing into statistical odds -they can take their odds and Fu@# off.

What are the odds of being killed by a pack of wild dogs if you live in a neighboorhood fulll of wild dogs?

What are you odds of being eaten by a shark if you live in wyoming?

Odds are retarded and are always used in an overgeneralized way -especialy when talking about "odds you would die by _____."

Like Han Solo said, "never give me the odds!"

 

[Esav Benyamin]

Another thing the "experts" left out -- you may not be likely to be killed, but how many people are bitten? How many are seriously injured or actually maimed, crippled for life? That's mostly by good old neighborhood dogs, too.

 

[fishshooter]

I agree with people that say a gun against a sudden attack by a pack of dogs is not really useful.

I think the truth is that most of us are not trained professionals and with the immense pain of constant dog bites and heat of the moment, we, or at least I will find a gun barely of any use.

The only thing might be the sound of gunfire scares them away, which might or might not happen.

It is much easier sitting on our computers imagining being heroic than reality, IMO.

I will have to disagree with you on the usefulness of a firearm in such situations, based on experiences with two different incidents. The first I witnessed, the second I was involved in. Had it not been for the presence of a firearm, the outcomes would have been much different. My encounter happened nearly fifteen years ago, and it is still a deciding factor in my belief in the right to legally carry concealed weapons, be it in a remote, rural or urban environment. I would suggest seeking professional instruction if you are uncomfortable with your level of firearm proficiency.

 

[lambertiana]

Just one more reason why I usually have my .45 on me.

A lot of it is situational awareness. Just as an approach by shady characters in town would move me to condition red, the approach of a pack of dogs would have me in condition red. Pistol would be out before they get close. If they turn out to be friendly, fine. But if they are like this pack, you can't wait until the final charge when they are really close before you decide that the situation just might require you to draw your pistol. By then it's too late.

Obviously, in urban settings you have to be more careful about when you draw, but in a rural setting I would err on the side of caution.

 

[Bushman5]

I'm with you. It pays to be prepared for multiple scenario's and a firearm should be part of anyone's kit when going outdoors.

Lots of guys on here have said in the past that they do not feel the need to carry a firearm, since nothing has ever happened to them. Many others carry daily, and nothing has ever happened to them.

The difference between the two, is that those who carry will be prepared to defend their lives, those that don't may be a meal. It is better to be prepared. :thumbup:

please keep in mind that not everyone lives in the USA where people carry firearms all day. Some of us are not allowed by our Gumberment to carry firearms, so we adapt other methods and tools. You don't want to be on the receiving end when i start wielding my sjambok. Preperation takes many forms, NOT just firearms. Firearms are not the be all end all magic pixie stick.....

in any case if these feral dogs are hungry, opening up one dog with a knife will spill blood, and as has been seen in several dog attacks in Soweto, the attacking dogs tend to start ripping chunks out of the injured dogs.

 

[kdstrick]

please keep in mind that not everyone lives in the USA where people carry firearms all day. Some of us are not allowed by our Gumberment to carry firearms, so we adapt other methods and tools. You don't want to be on the receiving end when i start wielding my sjambok. Preperation takes many forms, NOT just firearms. Firearms are not the be all end all magic pixie stick.....

in any case if these feral dogs are hungry, opening up one dog with a knife will spill blood, and as has been seen in several dog attacks in Soweto, the attacking dogs tend to start ripping chunks out of the injured dogs.

Bummer on your "Gumberment". :thumbdn: I don't think a knife would be very effective, however, since packs tend to attack in a fairly simultaneous fashion. Maybe some sort of pepper spray would be more effective for those of you whom have been governmentaly neutered via laws prohibiting the legal carry a sidearm. This particular tragic incident happened in Georgia, so legal carry was an option for the victims.

It is true that firearms are not "magic pixie sticks", they are way cooler than that. With it I can defend myself and my family, I can kill fuzzy tasty animals, signal others, etc....

 

[GhostWolf]

Very sad story. Like others have said, situational awareness is key. No matter what you are packing. I had a similar situation some years back with a pit bull and a st. bernard attacking at the same time. Awareness saved my life and ended theirs.

 

[hung-solo]

Never go in the woods without my knife, even if it will only be a five minute walk to check traps.

i have my knife on me at all times period. its next to me when i sleep along with my glock and shottie loaded with buckshot under the bed. i am not paranoid, i am prepared

 

[RedbeAR15]

DANIELSVILLE, GA -- Sixteen feral, wild dogs were euthanized at a Madison County animal shelter Tuesday. The dogs were rounded up from a rural dirt road near Lexington in Oglethorpe County. That's where a pack of dogs attacked a couple and killed them looking for food.

Susan Fornash, the Director of the Madison Oglethorpe Animal Shelter said she received a court order Tuesday afternoon to euthanize 11-adult dogs and 5-puppies.

Fornash told 11-Alive News all of the dogs were malnourished and had a range of other problems. "They had fly bites on their ears, bite marks in various places, some healed, some not," she said. "The puppies were in very, very bad condition."

Fornash said all of the dogs were malnourished and very aggressive toward humans. "I don't believe that these dogs had ever been touched," she said.

While some people described the dogs as docile, Fornash says they were feral or wild and hungry. "Dogs are not meant to just survive on their own," she said. "They're going to kill something when they get hungry."

Madison County's Animal Control helped Oglethorpe County Sheriff deputies round up the dogs Monday and Tuesday. They used food as bait and trapped some of the dogs in cages. They had to tranquilize others.

Lothar and Sherry Schweder were found alongside the dirt road on either side of their car Saturday morning. The State Medical Examiner ruled the couple bled to death from animal bites. Dr. Kris Sperry said the dogs probably attacked the couple because they were hungry.

Dr. Sperry said it appears Sherry Schweder was attacked while out for a walk Friday night. He theorizes that her husband went looking for her and found the dogs attacking her. When he tried to get the dogs away Dr. Sperry believes the dogs attacked him.

Oglethorpe County Investigators and the GBI say the dogs were often seen hanging around an abandoned home at the end of the dirt road off of Highway 77.

The owner of the abandoned house told investigators he owns some of the dogs and fed them every now and then. Susan Fornash said the dogs hadn't been fed in quite a while. "I mean when you can count their ribs and their sides are caved in, those are hungry dogs," she said.

Jim Fullington, the Special Agent in Charge of the GBI's Athens office said they are leaving open the possibility of criminal charges in the case. It's uncertain what those charges could be because there are not animal control laws in Oglethorpe County.

 

[TheCarbideRat]

Another thing the "experts" left out -- you may not be likely to be killed, but how many people are bitten? How many are seriously injured or actually maimed, crippled for life? That's mostly by good old neighborhood dogs, too.

Surrender your arms....everything is under control....

 

[barrabas74]

Thats really sad to read.

My uncle in KY has lost several dogs that he housed outside to ferrell dogs and has killed many of them but that doesnt replace a lost good dog. He has had several incidences where he was walking behind his house (in the mountains of eastern KY) and run into packs of them. I always carry when I am down there for that and other reasons.

 

[moonwilson]

There are feral dogs all over the place. We have them come through our property in West Virginia pretty regularly. A lot of them are big, and not particularly afraid of humans. We shoot them on sight. We've killed dobermans, rottweilers, german shepherds, bulldogs, mastiffs and labs running wild- and they run in packs. The largest group we've had was five at once, but that's a lot of teeth and muscle to contend with. My dad took care of them all with a .22lr J-frame snubbie. I prefer a .45. He's a much better shot than I am. If you come up against a group of dogs like that, and you're not armed, and not a good shot, you're in trouble.

Don't go into the woods without a gun.

 

[Bushman5]

There are feral dogs all over the place. We have them come through our property in West Virginia pretty regularly. A lot of them are big, and not particularly afraid of humans. We shoot them on sight. We've killed dobermans, rottweilers, german shepherds, bulldogs, mastiffs and labs running wild- and they run in packs. The largest group we've had was five at once, but that's a lot of teeth and muscle to contend with. My dad took care of them all with a .22lr J-frame snubbie. I prefer a .45. He's a much better shot than I am. If you come up against a group of dogs like that, and you're not armed, and not a good shot, you're in trouble.

Don't go into the woods without a gun.

I guess i will just not go into the woods anymore. I guess only the people with firearms should go into the woods. The rest of us are inferior and incapable of defending ourselves.

just making a point. :foot: