I am about to hit the media again for the Diesel story and have been given permission by the lawyer in the case to discuss it. I figured I would do it here first.
First off, thank you to all for your kind words, support and interest in this case. Any time a bite happens, it is unfortunate. This is especially true when a child is involved. The bites released by the mom of the latest attack were horrific and that child will be dealing with the aftermath of the attack for the rest of his life.
This case has been a real roller coaster and when I got involved with it, I knew whatever the outcome was, I was not going to please everybody. If I recommended behaviour modification as a viable option, I would have people screaming at me for being biased and putting a dog before the safety of the children. If I agreed with the euthanasia order, I would have people demanding to know the criteria that I used and accusing me of bowing to the anti pit bull sentiment.
To both of those camps, I will respond thusly....
I am biased and do not mind saying so. I love the "breed" and believe it is much maligned and has an undeserved reputation. I own a pit bull who herself had a very checkered past but is now one of the most loving creatures I have ever met. I know the real facts and credible stats (of which sadly there is not enough)...I am also aware of the misinformation (which sadly is too prevalent). I stated some of the actual facts yesterday but let me refer to my own first hand experience....
I have worked with thousands of dogs over the last nine years, many of which were bully breeds. I have only once EVER been bitten by a pit bull. Considering the numbers of dogs I have helped, considering the number of dogs I have encountered...that should say something. I know MANY loving, happy, healthy and safe pities. I know many doing very good and very valuable work. So yes, I admit to being biased.
However, just because I am biased, does not mean that I will not do what I believe is right and cannot stay impartial in cases like this. I have done so in my past work and will continue to do so.
I spent an extensive amount of time this week reviewing the facts, the medical and police reports as well as spending time with Diesel. He is a lovely boy and I truly believe the incidents were the result of some genetic and environmental factors which were present. I handled him thoroughly, we played and after a short time, he trusted me. His loving gaze was heart melting, his butt wiggle, smile inducing. To see him run and jump around, engaging me in tag and fetch was truly special.
At the end of the day though, using a standardized assessment tool which evaluated items such as touch sensitivity, resource guarding, dog reactivity and more, Diesel did not do well. He scored high risk in a number of the criteria.
Reviewing the medical files and reports along with the pictures and using Dr. Ian Dunbar's Dog Bite Scale, Diesel rated as a Level 5 risk.
It is with heavy heart that I contacted the lawyer involved with the case and told her that I could not recommend behaviour modification as a VIABLE option in this scenario. They have agreed with withdraw the application for the stay of euthanasia.
This is a sad day. Poor Diesel was really not given a chance to be the dog he could be. He is a dog that comes from poor breeding stock. He was not neutered, was poorly socialized with people, his issues appeared at a younger age, remained unaddressed and allowed to get worse. The fact that he is a pit bull is not really relevant in this case but unfortunately played a huge role in the publicity that this case achieved.
At the end of the day, it comes down to RESPONSIBLE PET OWNERSHIP for all. Owners of bully breeds, rightly or wrongly, have to be even more responsible than any other breed out there. What this means is that if you want to breed a pit bull, ensure you take the same precautions as any other licensed, responsible registered breeder. If you buy from a breeder buy from a breeder that takes those considerations seriously. If you own a bully breed, ensure you engage in EARLY, EXTENSIVE AND PROPER SOCIALIZATION. If problems become apparent, address them immediately. Do not make excuses and allow them to escalate. Seek help from a qualified and quality professional. Remember, your dog has to be better behaved than every other dog out there. Do not allow your dog to perpetuate the stereotype which exists.
I believe that in ANY case where a dog is recommended to be euthanized such as this one, a mandatory assessment should be conducted by a qualified independent third party professional. A euthanasia order should NEVER be issued without this being done and other alternatives explored. It is my belief that this should have occurred right from day one.
Hats off to those involved in this case and who were instrumental in giving Diesel the second chance he deserved. The Responsible Pitbull Owner's Group and the various individuals who worked on this (and who I will not name as I do not know if they want public mentioning) deserve a pat on the back. Averill Baker, was a force to be reckoned with here and deserves props. To those who stepped forward offering to foster Diesel and to those sending wishes of support and prayers...hats off to you too....you are amazing.
Hopefully there is some lessons learned in this case on both an individual as well as a general public at large scale. These attacks need not have occurred. The resulting publicity need not have happened and the euthanasia of a beautiful animal who simply did not know different need not have occurred.
If the last statements I made did not convince you, I will leave you with this video that I took on Wednesday and leave it for you to contemplate my words.