This evening I was relaxing, scrolling through the news online and checking out dog pictures and videos on social media, when I came across a story that just made my blood run cold. It was posted by an acquaintance who lives one town away from me, and detailed how her husband had gone out that morning for a jog with their Australian Shepherd Zazu; they take a six-mile run together on-leash, four days a week. One this morning’s run, however, not a block from their home, Zazu was attacked by two Rottweilers, who were loose, with their owners nowhere to be seen.
The police were summoned, the dogs caught and impounded, Zazu rushed to the emergency veterinary hospital, but his wounds were too serious and he could not be saved. A neighbor, who heard the tumult and witnessed the scene, identified the dogs as belonging to a couple who lives nearby. They are older, she told the police – and one of their adult children who also lives there breeds the dogs and sells puppies for extra income. Usually, the dogs are never taken out of the yard – but they do get loose from time to time.
Loose dogs in the neighborhood
Personally, I don’t think there is a place in society for dogs who kill. And while no one is perfect, and everyone has had a dog who has gotten loose before, when you own large, powerful dogs (especially more than one), you have a greater-than-average responsibility to see to it that your dogs can not escape the security of your yard. I hope the owners of these dogs are held responsible for Zazu’s death, and I hope the dogs who murdered Zazu are not released back into the custody of their owners – or, perhaps anyone else.
I know that’s harsh. It’s not the dogs’ fault that they were inadequately contained. It’s not their fault that their owners failed to socialize them adequately, so that they saw a leashed dog as prey or an interloper in their neighborhood, as opposed to a potential playmate. It’s not their fault that they have been denied the stimulation of an active dog like Zazu, locked up with no exercise, reduced to a life of breeding and reproduction, over and over.
It’s not fair. But it’s not fair to Zazu and his owners, either, that two very powerful, aggressive dogs were in a position to kill. What if the dog they attacked had been being walked by an elderly or frail person? The person might be dead, too. What if the dog they attacked was being walked by a mother who also was pushing a stroller with a baby inside? I shudder to think of it.
People who keep dogs in a socially impoverished environment, for the sole pupose of breeding puppies to sell – that’s even worse. This type of person is literally the backyard breeder in the derogatory trope.
I am hoping that the dogs are designated as dangerous and steps are taken to make sure they can’t be a threat to anyone else in the community. And my heart goes out to the owners of poor Zazu; his dad will be forever traumatized by the memory of the TEN MINUTES he struggled to save his dog as Zazu was being fatally mauled.
What steps can Zazu’s owners take?
I asked someone I know who is an animal control officer in a different community: What should Zazu’s owners do? She said, if there is any kind of record of the dogs being loose before, or any previous complaint made about their aggression, the local animal control could take steps to get a dangerous dog designation for the Rottweilers. If there is any sort of record of the dogs doing this before, or even just being picked up for running loose before, she would press the local court for the dangerous dog designation.
But if this is the first record of any complaint about the dogs, then their owners are likely to be fined only for the dogs “running at large,” asked for proof of licensing and rabies vaccination (and possibly fined for lack of same), and charged for the short impound; all that Zazu’s owners can do is sue for Zazu’s final vet bill, including cremation.
Obviously, I love dogs, and don’t relish the idea of any dogs being euthanized. But large, aggressive dogs in the hands of owners who can’t or won’t contain them? I can’t imagine living and walking my own dogs in that neighborhood.
Do any of you have any advice for Zazu’s owners? Have you ever been in a situation like this?
I’ve been in a dangerous situation where two PIT BULLS run into my yard…I climbed on the top of my car and screamed till the owner appeared, The owner of these PIT BULLS lived in a rental property and seemed he had the dogs out on a rope to give him heads up if someone approached the house. I was lucky and shortly thereafter they moved after the owner of the home and the police became aware of their activities.
I own a PIT BULL (as typed out by Marion D Zottarelli above) and he’s been attacked twice by dogs at large while we were out walking and I can’t do anything about it because I called animal control the first and was told by animal control “You know, all the owner of the dog that attacked yours has to say is “look, that’s a pit bull so you know he started it” and if someone other than me comes out, you’ll be lucky if they don’t take & kill your dog even though he was the one that was attacked. That’s the nature of the breed you own. They get blamed for everything, even when they’re the victim.” I’ve since moved and live in a much smarter community, but there’s still idiots out there who don’t want to take responsibility and will use strong, powerful breeds as scapegoats to excuse their own lack of responsibility.
I am so sorry for what happened to Zazu. I live with the fear anytime I see a stray dog because my dog is not a fighter & not good at defending himself, but I also live with the fear that someone else’s dog will do something wrong and blame my dog as an easy target because of attitudes like Mr. Zottarelli, so we have a double whamy of fear to live with. It makes me want to be an irresponsible owner and not take my dog out in public or out to socialize.
Nancy asked if we had advice for Zazu’s owners or if we had ever experienced such behavior. . .
This is a painful article to read, my heart bleeds for Zazu’s owners and I offer my deep sympathy for this tragic event. I am so sorry this happened to Zazu and pray the couple finds peace from all the prayer and good energy being directed their way as a result of this article and media coverage.
There is much good information in the comments left by so many caring people. I think learning what the laws are in our city/county/township etc is critical. Reporting each and any incident to AC, documenting through 911 calls, vet bills, witness statements, canvassing the neighborhood and getting a good lawyer all make excellent sense.
Having Mace, bear spray, pepper spray etc are good ideas. A taser or cattle prod, pistol, air horn or baseball bat are good ideas. Treats to throw-good idea.
However, I believe we need more–and that is situational awareness. It is our job to be responsible for our pets AND be their advocate at all times. We cannot be using a cell phone, listening to music, using a pull out leash, and blithely meandering while walking the dog. We must be AWARE of our surroundings: are there other dogs walking and is that owner paying attention, is the dog barking maniacally behind the fence up ahead truly contained, is the dog barking in a house ahead-are the windows and doors closed or is there a screen it can leap through? Is the kid on the skateboard/scooter with his face buried in his cell phone wearing earbuds going to see me and my dog? Or will the group of bicyclists approaching from behind frighten my dog and can I maintain control? It’s a big responsibility and unfortunately there is danger in the world and pet parents need to be prepared.
Learn canine body language-WDJ has great articles to review. Assume every other pet parent isn’t skillful at knowing/handling their dog when out walking so you can be ready to respond. Rehearse how to use your spray or taser. If you walk the same route every time, look around for safe areas–if you see a loose dog coming after you aggressively could you jump into a doorway, behind a massive tree, put your back against a building or fence? Hop onto the hood of a car or SUV? Have a plan in your mind — these are our fur children and we must be ready and able to protect them as well as ourselves. It happens so fast, it is SHOCKING and noisy and frightening. Don’t let go of your leash, do all you can to save your dog, remember to grab the offending dogs collar and choke it, grabs its tail to pull it away, use your spray or taser–do your best. Do whatever it takes and make a lot of noise doing it so others will hear and come help you. Think it through and mentally plan before any emergency happens and you’ll be better at handling an event of this nature.
God bless everyone who’s been harmed, suffered or terrorized by aggressive dog attacks. I pray for you, I weep with you and I do my best to be prepared. I’ve been there, too.
Two wolves, unnsocialized and untrained, loose at night. They surround pedestrians and don’t let them move. Wolves do that to prey animals. Owner thought it was funny, and it made him feel powerful. Owner was a night owl.
I went to his house and stood under the street light bellowing what would happen to him and his dogs if this continued. I had my bright silver big gun while I did this.
It worked.
I don’t believe dog aggression is “always” the owner’s fault. My border collie was attacked twice in his life, both times by pit bulls. The first time was in a dog park when he was less than a year old. He was happily playing with all the other dogs, including some other friendly pits, when the aggressor came streaking across the field heading straight for my dog; for some reason, she had marked my dog and began attacking him, till my dog fell to the ground. My dog never even fought back, he just cried out in terror. I was in shock, and didn’t know what to do. Other people stood watching, everything seemed frozen in time. Eventually, my dog managed to drag himself away. I ran to grab him, but then the other dog repeated her attack. I really thought my dog was being killed. The owner, who was on the other side of the field (obviously not properly watching her dog), finally came and dragged the dog off, saying her dog had never done that before. She quickly left while I inspected my poor dog’s wounds, which included a puncture to the ear and a mild shoulder gash. I had expected him to be in far worse shape, as the attack was so violent. This was obviously a case where the owner was to blame by not supervising her dog. Luckily, her dog had a very good bite inhibition, and I was so relieved my dog was physically ok. The problem was he was psychologically very traumatized, and so was I. I never took him to a dog park again. He wasn’t dog friendly after that, and would “air snap” and growl at any dog resembling a pit who came near him (even when they were being very friendly towards him). This fear aggression soon transferred to all large dogs, and he thereafter only liked small dogs. After about eight long years, he finally overcame his trauma with the help of training. I was so proud of him. Last summer he greeted every dog in the park by our house (not a dog park) and genuinely enjoyed their company. He was actually seeking out canine company! Unfortunately, just about a month ago, I was walking him (always on leash) at night in our neighborhood, when a loose pit came charging at us, growling loudly and very ferociously, teeth bared. It was absolutely terrifying. My dog and I both stopped dead in our tracks while the dog lunged at us, it felt like a slow motion movie. I thought it was the end. Thankfully, the owner was in the garage, and he came out just in time to grab the dog’s collar. No physical harm was done, but my dog is now re-traumatized and, overnight, has become very dog aggressive. I can no longer allow him to meet and greet dogs like he did last summer, as he viciously lunges at them with a loud, ferocious roar, baring teeth. He actually seems to be copying the same technique the last dog used on him! He’s an old senior dog now, and has never bit a dog, but I have a feeling I can never trust him around dogs again, because he now feels he cannot trust them. It sure isn’t his fault, and I don’t see how it’s mine. That’s my point. The owner should not always be judged. It’s now very humiliating for me to have to endure dirty looks from other people whenever he lunges at their dog’s, even though he’s always leashed and fully under my control. I need to exercise him, and if someone approaches me with their dog, I now warn them. Sometimes they don’t listen and come up to him anyway, and he air-snaps. And I know just what they are thinking. That I’m an incompetent dog owner. It actually hurts. That’s why I say it’s not always the owner’s fault when a dog acts aggressively. Something changed in my dog’s mind since last month when he was attacked. I sense it and will never allow him near a dog again (even though he doesn’t actually bite), as I don’t ever want another dog to be traumatized by HIM. Meanwhile, I’ll just endure the hateful stares. Deepest condolences to the beautiful Aussie who lost her life, I can’t imagine the owner’s anguish who witnessed it.
My previous dog Parker was attacked by an off-lead Staffie that pushed him over and stood rigid over him with its snout pressed into his belly. Parker was a 12 year old very mellow well-socialised Kerry Blue terrier. The Staffie’s owner was out of sight around the corner. Fortunately for Parker the Staffie had a chavvy leather and bronze harness that they like to put on that type of dog and I instantly swung into action, grabbed the harness and lifted the dog off him before it could bite him. The owner then ran around the corner, punched me in the face and grabbed the dog off me. I was screaming and screaming for help and for someone to call the police. My adrenaline was frantic! She started to walk away with the dog on the ground but I grabbed it again by its harness and in the meantime someone had called the police. The owner lied about the dog being off-lead and she hadn’t hit me and I had no witnesses. I later found out she lived very near my home and the dog had previously attacked another dog a Border Collie belonging to a neighbour which had resulted in this dog needing vet treatment but this bite had not been reported. After that incident I took up nordic walking so I have something with me to protect my dogs. When my current Kerry was a puppy I had an elderly Kerry blue to Izzy and we have had issues with some horrible owners who have an off-lead GSD Malamute cross. This dog has no recall is dog-aggressive and has also bitten a person that I know yet is still off-lead! I had warned the owners to keep this dog away from mine however when I had Magnus my puppy in a stroller (not fully vaccinated) they let it run up to my elderly dog. As I could not manage the stroller and a nordic walking pole I had a can of deodorant in my pocket which I sprayed in front of the dog and it bogged off. About a year after this I was walking my 2 dogs on some woods in Norwich when I saw the dog charging towards mine. I shouted at the owners to get their dog back but they didn’t so I wallopped it a few times with my walking pole. They then threatened me and were verbally abusive so I got their car number plate and reported this to the police also about their dog being out of control. The police visited and warned them about their behaviour and their dog must be under control. I try to avoid them but the next time we saw them they got hold of the dog and leashed it-result! I am so sorry to hear of the poor dog losing its life and the owner having to watch and be unable to save her. So very sad. A training club I attended had a lady with a very reactive Yorkshire terrier who would go nutty at the other dogs it was so fearful. This was because a loose Staffie had killed the other Yorkie she owned and the dog had witnessed it. I do think some breeds should be banned as Pit Bulls are in the UK-I have had so many bad incidents with this type of dog it is very scary. The owners do not leash the dogs alongside roads and I just cross over with my dogs to get away from their off-leash dogs and if they cross the road after my dogs and get hit by a car that is not my fault. We have leash laws but no dog warden to enforce them!
I’ve run 10 miles a day or more with at least two Dalmatians for over 45 years. My senior female is too old, so only walks now. I run with my 7 year old male Dalmatian and we were attacked by two Shepherd mix dogs off lead three weeks ago. Thatcher had to have surgery to close two wounds. The owner was with them when it happened. He had their leashes flung over his shoulder.
We came up to a blind corner of a busy street in Houston. We stopped several yards back not knowing what was coming around the corner. The off lead dogs preceded the owner around the corner and were on us before I could react. If not for another dog-savvy neighbor who happened to be driving by, Thatcher would have been killed. Thatcher wears a relatively tight martingdale collar (I have to take it off one ear at a time). The dogs’ owner tackled all three dogs and Thatcher’s head got squeezed in between both attacking dogs. He was so frantic he pulled out of his collar. I was relieved that Thatcher survived the initial attack and then faced the possibility of him racing out into the middle of the busy street and being hit by a car. If not for my Good Samaritan, we probably both would have been killed because I would have run out after him. I shudder to think what would have happened if 13 year old Reagan had been with us.
As one might have guessed, the dogs were not vaccinated nor licensed. I later found out that their owner had been warned multiple times to put his dogs on a leash. We have a paid neighborhood patrol who are also Houston police officers. Our patrol told me they would ticket him if they see him again. Too late for me.
To make matters worse, I was returning home from a run three days later (by myself as Thatcher had to recover) and the owner and the off lead dogs were walking in front of my house. I’m glad there were no children around because I just let him have it.
He came back and brought me $200 which didn’t come close to paying for the surgery. I took it thinking maybe that was a way for him to learn his lesson. Nope–2 weeks later when I could run Thatcher, he was back out, dogs off lead.
The city of Houston won’t do anything unless a person is bitten or scratched, so no help there. I now carry mace and an 18 inch stick/club with me. Although I didn’t have time to use my mace in my attack, I would have had time to use my club. Seems like we are on our own and have to take responsibility for defending ourselves and our dogs.
I’m so sorry about Zazu.
I was in a situation like this at 6am in the morning while I was walking my dog. One of the neighbors had 2 large German Shepards who everyone knew had problems and they just so happened to get out that morning. Thank you to the neighbors who all came running out as soon as I started to scream and stopped the dogs from hurting my dog or myself. This was a long time ago but it still feels like it today and there is nothing you can do about it. My heart goes out to you on the passing of your baby boy.
I feel very sorry for the owner and the dog. But I must respond on behave of my situation. I have a large dog who’s reactive to other dogs. I keep him properly leashed, under control and at a safe distance from strange dogs at all times. However, we’ve encountered owners with small, ‘safe’ breeds either off leash or not under control while on leash, who run up to us on our walks. I have to yell to the owners to get there dogs or pull them back, while keeping my dog under control. Many times these ‘safe breed’ owners are telling me how friendly their dog is and how it only wants to play. Never thinking how rude it is to allow their dog to run up to a strange dog. Dogs are dogs no matter their breed or how they’re raised. Even well raised dogs can react aggressively at times. And some are just more reactive, for whatever reason, than others. It’s up to the owners to keep their dogs under control at all times.
I have had that happen to me while walking our two small terriers. A Black Lab was the attacker as we were walking down a sidewalk heading to a walking path (my dogs were on a leash). One Terrier was bitten on the thigh as the owner came running. A trip to the vet and a few days of suffering for our Sadie was the result. The police were notified but what the result was I do not know. I used to work for a Rural Electric Cooperative and when I had to go in to a yard with a snarling dog I carried a heavy 12″ Crescent wrench and never had to use it. Guess I will have to start doing that again, not the dog’s fault if they are not properly trained but I will protect our girls! I have heard that a lawsuit for a dog that has been killed by a loose dog has a $150 Thousand dollar limit.
My heart goes out to ZAZU’s parents.
I live in Central Florida for the past 15 years. Had my house built on a street that only had 3 other houses. I was able to walk my 2 dogs [a shepherd mix and newfie mix] around the block [on a leash] w/o a problem. Over the past several years more and more people are building in the neighborhood. They have dogs that are not on a leash. My two dogs have since passed just in the last 13 months. Now I have a 4 month old Labradoodle named Kody. I take him out for a walk after I get home from work. I always carry a heavy cane and my mace. If I see the dogs lose I will not venture in their direction even thought I have just a much of a right to walk my dog safely in my neighborhood as anyone else. But if they come at me and Kody I know I have what I need to defend myself and my pup.
THERE IS A LEASH LAW IN MY COUNTY BUT NO ONE OBEYS IT.