| 132 | RIP Mr Deer | 2009-10-02 |
A couple of weeks ago a story in the Knoxville News Sentinel grabbed my attention. It seems that a man was camping at Elkmont Campground in the Smokies with his pit bull. The dog was unleashed and attacked a large deer. Later, the injured deer had to be put down.
Dear me. This is a disturbing article. I am not that upset about a deer being killed, the common white tail is definitely not endangered. (Of course the mule deer pictured above is very rare in TN!) If the dog had killed a mouse or squirrel I would have been just as concerned as I am with the deer being attacked.
The crazy thing was, the dog was off its leash in a park. In some places it is illegal to even own a pit bull, because they are a fighting dog. They will kill. No dog should be loose in a park.
We are dog lovers. We own a golden retriever. As we were raising our dog, he had to teach him to sit, come, down, heel, etc. We did not have to teach him to retrieve. That skill is breed into the dog. We could be petting the dog with him being the sweetest dog in the world and someone else in the vicinity throws a ball, he immediately jumps up and retrieves the ball every time. It’s instinctive to him.
The pit bull on the other hand is bred as a fighting dog. He might be the sweetest dog in the world but is still a fighting dog. If the instinct is triggered, the dog fights and/or attacks.
So why was the dog loose? Who knows. But, hopefully we will all learn from the testimony to be given at the trial. I hope the Park will prosecute the man to the fullest extent of the law.
I am just glad that the pit bull only attacked a deer, just think if it would have been a child or for that matter an adult.
(Okay a confession, I am biased. As a young man I frequently rode solo bike tours and have been chased and bit by a variety of dogs. I believe every dog should be restrained regardless of breed, but especially any breed of fighting/attack dogs.)
link - http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2009/sep/18/pit-bull-attacks-deer-in-national-park/?partner=popular
RIP Mr Deer.