Dodge County, WI - A 4 year-old child lost her life after a dog mauled her on Wednesday. The dog, a Boxer, had been chained in his backyard.
According to WTMJ, the 4 yr-old girl was playing in the backyard where the dog was chained. It appears that the child was the daughter of family friends of the dog's owner.
This horrifying death highlights one of the primary downfalls behind chaining or tethering dogs. Not only is it detrimental to the dogs, typically causing depression, and frustration, but it can literally be deadly, as most tethered or chained dogs experience increased aggression.
Organizations, such as the Coalition to Unchain Dogs strive to educate dog owners about the many dangers of chaining dogs and work with owners to build fencing that frees the dogs from life on the end of a chain.
The child's tragic death also highlights the importance of not leaving children unsupervised with dogs. In this instance, extra supervision should have been exercised in light of the dog's size and the fact that he was a tethered dog.
Wednesday's tragic death has more than one victim. The innocent 4 yr-old little girl that will never see adulthood, and the dog that will likely be euthanized after killing a small child.
A dog that endured a frustrating life on a chain...an existence known to be capable of ruining an otherwise good dog.
Lessons can be learned from tragedies. Help educate other dog-owners about the dangers of tethering or chaining a dog. Help educate parents about the importance of supervising dog/child interaction.
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Comments
This is absolutely tragic and heartbreaking and it did not have to happen.
Please do not chain your dogs - it creates a situation where the dog can become aggressive, anti social, depressed and frustrated and ultimately can lead to the senseless death of an innocent bystander. In this case, an innocent child. This is so sad.
DEAR DOG - BOTH CHILDREN & DOGS DESERVE BETTER!
this is such a tragedy that should NOT happen ..... dogs need to be integrated as a part of the family unit - and NO child should ever be left unattended with any dog - chained or not.
the girls parents and their friends who tethered the dog are as dumb as a post
never do that to a poor dog
good thing the girl died, anyone who would let a person tie up a poor dog is too stupid to have kids or dogs themselves
Wow..."good thing the girl died"...that is harsh. I agree that the person who has chained the dog up is ignorant and perhaps the girl would be better off without those parents but it isn't a "good thing" that the girl died. This comment speaks volumes about you too.
What a horrible thing to say! It wasn't stupidity, it was ignorance. I think that your words say a lot about what kind of person you are.
Making assumptions about the situation is stupid. We only know what the news has told us. The dog might or might not have been chained all the time, you and I don't know that. Maybe they let him out on a chain for a short time to do his duty, we don't know. So to say that the girl's parents or the dog owners are as "dumb as a post" just shows your intelligence. Get the facts straight before you start making comments like that.
good thing the girl died.........you must be a "F"ing idiot.
All this happen because irresponsible parents like them and the dog's owners they are stupid, poor girl and dog very sad.
WHY WAS THE CHILD UNATTENDED IN A STRANGE YARD WITH A DOG WHO DID NOT KNOW HER ? I FEEL BAD FOR THE DOG WHO WILL BE PUT TO SLEEP, I FEEL BAD FOR THE LITTLE GIRL, THE PARENTS BOUGHT IT ON THEMSELVES,
Another senseless tragedy. My heart goes out to the child's parents. My heart also aches for the Boxer, who will probably be killed and won't be mourned by his owners. If they were cruel enough to chain him, and didn't care enough to train him to be a part of the family unit, then they probably won't care that he will be killed.
It is so true that dogs' personalities change when forced to live tethered. I met a dog that was tethered in a yard because there wasn't a fence. I could not approach him. Fortunately, he was taken in by a wonderful couple with a fenced yard, and his personality blossomed. His name was Pooch and he ended up living a wonderful life with my parents until he passed. And keep in mind that he was already an adult when he was taken off his chain and brought into a loving, warm home.
Please don't tether or chain dogs. It's cruel and inhumane. Just think of yourself living that life - doesn't sound too inviting, does it?
Train....don't chain
What a tragic waste of a young precious life.
This dog had obviously not been socialized and had probably been stuck out on that chain for ages, maybe most of his life. Why have a dog and then do this with him?
This dog and the child should have been brought up as friends. However, nobody should ever leave a child with a large dog. Dogs are wonderful creatures, but they are dogs, not people and they think in dog ways.
Condolences to the family. That is a truly terrible way to lose a child.
hmmm, so now will they institute BSL on Boxers too? Sad for everyone involved, but again proof that BSL doesn't solve problems.We need massive overhaul of many animal laws, sadly the government is more focused on issues that throw money at them.
This is a dog, how dare you compare them with human a life, you fool (Anonymous). A child's life is lost. Children get away from their parents all the time and things happen. We need to spend more time making parents aware of what could happen when a child goes un-supervised. Let me have that dog, my barbeque pit would fit him just fine.
oh yeah your thinking really good, dogs know pain just like a human...common since you don't let your child run around outside alone and you don't let your dog run with out watching over them..i have two dogs and i'm watching them always when they are out..you can put yourself in that barbeque pit....your heart is the size of a dust bunny and i hope you don't have any kids..
i'm sorry for the life of the child to end in that way,but if the dog dies because of it then i think they should do more to those people that kill others and they should be put down..how dose anybody know how that dog felt at that time....if i was tied up i don't think i would be in a good mood and then add a little child to the mood won't make me very happy..
Yes, I have kids and to your surprise a dog. Unlike you, I value humans a lot more than animals. Maybe if you had a relationship with a human instead of an animal you would know the difference. Animals don't have souls humans do; weak up you freak make that change.
Animals also have emotions, very strong ones in fact. In movies if a animal dies I feel for them more then if a person dies.
But in real life I am kinda equal. I personally like animals a bit better, because they are so easy to talk to, and love. If they're bad its because people, etc.
But you have the right to state your opinion, but please don't attack other people.
Animals have souls.
Another horrible preventable death. When will people wake up and realize its not a breed issue but an ownership issue?
The people who own the dog should be charged in the death of this little girl. Get a plastic flamingo or yard gnome if you want a yard ornament. NOT a living dog.
It makes me think... Would everyone be acting different if the dog in this story was a pit bull? This is an example of it's not the breed it's is the people who do not properly train their dogs or socialize their dogs or abuse their dogs as in this situation. I feel bad for the little girl but I feel the same for the boxer. If I could come and snatch him away at the strick of midnight I would and I would not blink an eye before doing so.
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