Police are a disgrace!

Re: Police are a disgrace!

J.R. Rimmer RVN — Tue, 14 Dec 2010 22:43:19 GMT

[quote user="Steph Phillips"]

OMG this makes me soo sad.. and mad .. thankfully we don't see this very often..

This poem bring a tear to my eye everytime I read it... ** warning ** tissues at the ready..

Today is just another day - to me they're all the same
I have the worst of genes you see, I bear the "Staffy" shame.
The shame is in our numbers, there's thousands with no home.
Thousands just like me you'll find, in kennels all alone.

My mum was "just a Staffy", my father - well who knows?
Mum, too, became unwanted, as the last puppy goes.
And then begins the process, of money-making deals
A life of "moving on" unfolds, who cares how the Staffy feels?
If you have the cash to hand, the Staffy pup is yours
But that pup is getting bigger now, just look at those big paws.

You brought me for your image, thought I'd make you look more tough
But you'll find my boisterous nature has already got too much.
If you had thought to train me, with kindness and with praise
You would have had a faithful friend to share your darkest days.
I would lay down my life for you, but you simply cannot see
You make sure you get your money back on what you paid for me.

And on it goes, until one day, I'm no longer worth a dime
The retail on an adult staff - not worth the waste of time.
So what happens to a Staffy now? Do you really want to know?
Do you care what will become of us, when we leave our final home?

Have you ever thought to wonder, "Where is that Staffy now?"
The "Staffy" has another name; he's become a "stray" somehow.
Me, I was put into a car and driven far away
The door held open, I jumped out, I thought to run and play.
It was with joy and happy heart I turned to look for you
You drove away with all my trust and a piece of my heart too.

I wondered round for many days before I was brought here.
Now I wait with heavy heart, trepidation and with fear.
Seven days is all I have you see, seven days for you to claim
The little dog that you threw out, for which you have no shame.

This is my last goodbye now my seven days are up
If only more thought had gone into the future of that pup
As the needle empties to my veins I lay down with one last sigh
I'm sorry I was born a Staffy, because it means that I must die.

- Trudie James -

[/quote]Well that just turned me into a blubbering mess, as said before, so sad but true

Re: Police are a disgrace!

BengalcatRVN — Tue, 14 Dec 2010 22:27:39 GMT

If there is a genuine reason I would not hesitate to put an otherwise healthy dog/animal down. Had a young-un recently, the owners had tried, but I think they weren't correctly informed as to why it was pretty much a free rehome. Mega sad as the owners are so lovely too, but the dog had attacked unprovoked several times and they couldn't leave it muzzled forever. But killed "just because"? It is an outright kill, and in my personal opinion, thats not what I was trained to do. Sorry, but that is my personal view, and I would proberly refuse.

Re: Police are a disgrace!

Polly P — Tue, 14 Dec 2010 22:19:01 GMT

Where I work we do about 2-3 kills a week for the police. I don't call them pts as they are outright kills as far as I am concerned.

It's a lovely practice and pays very well indeed but the retention rate for nurses is terrible, and that is the main reason.

Re: Police are a disgrace!

BengalcatRVN — Tue, 14 Dec 2010 19:27:33 GMT

Police marksmen won't shoot a confined animal, had that problem before too.

Re: Police are a disgrace!

Gillian Mostyn — Tue, 14 Dec 2010 18:47:20 GMT

[quote user="Fuzzyduck"]These were supposed to be police marks men, yet it took them more than 15 attempts to kill the dog that had injured someone not to mention the shots that had missed the dog and hit the other dog![/quote]

I can well imagine it will be very difficult to hit a moving target with a rifle, at some distance, while avoiding another moving target. I have been involved with darting zoo animals, restricted to a small cage and at close range, and that is difficult enough!!

[quote user="Fuzzyduck"]So by your reckonning if a person who committed a crime and had to be shot by the police then any innocent person who gets in the way its their fault if they get killed or injured too![/quote]

I hate comparing animals with people in this way - and I am sure the police would approach the two situations very differently, as they should. However, If I had to find some kind of similar circumstance, such as a person with a knife who is able to go around maiming people and who had to be disarmed, then I suppose I would rather one innocent person got injured in the crossfire (even if it was me) than many people got very badly hurt by the offender. Some risks are worth taking.

Re: Police are a disgrace!

Fuzzyduck — Tue, 14 Dec 2010 17:28:02 GMT

[quote user="Gillian Mostyn"]

Wow. You show a lot of sympathy for a dog that caused so much harm, and no doubt left the person both physically and mentally scarred for life. If another dog got in the way, then, as far as I am concerned, that is a necessary evil. I'm not too worried about it's trauma in this case!

[/quote]

No i dont have alot of sympathy for the dog that was killed but i had alot of sympathy for its poor sister who through no fault of her own was injured and completely traumatised. The poor thing was shaking so much her whole body was shaking and the police did know she was nice as they brought her in to be treated after they had wounded her.

These were supposed to be police marks men, yet it took them more than 15 attempts to kill the dog that had injured someone not to mention the shots that had missed the dog and hit the other dog!

So by your reckonning if a person who committed a crime and had to be shot by the police then any innocent person who gets in the way its their fault if they get killed or injured too!

Re: Police are a disgrace!

Tracy Windler RVN — Tue, 14 Dec 2010 15:40:45 GMT

More often than not these days, I feel the need for "licensed breeding" for people! Hmmm, wonder if I would get a license?!?

Re: Police are a disgrace!

Gillian Mostyn — Tue, 14 Dec 2010 14:01:00 GMT

Sorry if I seemed tactless - I was genuinely surprised that someone would criticise the police for shooting a dog that has mauled someone. I also feel that injury to another dog was regrettable, but maybe the police didn't actually know whether it was harmless at the time?I've had a few dogs in my consult room that I would happily shoot, but which the owners merrily took home.....!!!

There's no point going over the nature vs nurture debate. Some of these breeds are inherently nasty. I'm not talking about a badly trained dog that has become aggressive - I'm talking about a dog that gets the red mist and will continue attacking and maiming long after the victim is dead, given the chance. There is a big difference!

As far as needing a license to breed - you don't even need one of those to breed people!

Re: Police are a disgrace!

lizabarf — Tue, 14 Dec 2010 13:33:47 GMT

These dogs were breed for fighting then penalised for it. I dont think dog licenses would work but I really strongly feel that people should have to have a license to breed dogs as we have such a massive problem especially with staffys in re-homing centres, It makes me so angry to think of a lovely friendly dog being put to sleep because of its breed.

Re: Police are a disgrace!

Tracy Windler RVN — Tue, 14 Dec 2010 13:05:10 GMT

[quote user="Gillian Mostyn"] If another dog got in the way, then, as far as I am concerned, that is a necessary evil. I'm not too worried about it's trauma in this case![/quote]

But its still very sad and the innocent dog probably had less reason for the blame than the idiot owner. We have to put human safety before animal's, but a bit of tact wouldn't go amiss, ey?

Re: Police are a disgrace!

Gillian Mostyn — Tue, 14 Dec 2010 11:40:02 GMT

[quote user="Fuzzyduck"]The police are pretty terrible, we had 2 dogs that had been shot, by police marks men, one purposly as it had almost ripped someones leg off but the police had been shooting not only at this dog but also its sister who had inadvertantly been shot in the process. 15 shots later and the one dog was dead leaving its poor sister wounded and traumatised and us left to pick up the pieces.[/quote]

Re: Police are a disgrace!

Kim Buckley — Tue, 14 Dec 2010 09:52:10 GMT

I'm going to approach this from a different angle.

If the police didn't seize dogs of pit bull type and have them destroyed, they would get slammed for not doing their job. It must be really hard and upsetting for them having to do this. I think half the problem is lack of education of the general public. I have registered quite a few pit bulls and asked the owner if they knew that they are a banned breed and they didn't have a clue. Also there are so many staffy x pit bulls out there and people get them as puppies completely unaware of it.

In the right hands, pit bulls can be lovely family pets but at the end of the day they were bred to be fighting dogs and they will always have that inside them. If they are in the wrong hands they can be very dangerous who can do a lot of damage.

Something really needs to be done when it comes to dog ownership. I think licensing and microchipping needs to be enforced and irresponsible "breeders" made an example of. The amount of staffys in rescue homes is awful and there are just not enough homes out there for them and yet staffy pups are bred like a money making scheme.

Re: Police are a disgrace!

Lorena Williamson — Tue, 14 Dec 2010 09:05:55 GMT

That poem has just made me, my head nurse and my vet ball our eyes out!! So sad, but so true as well....Ill be passing it on I think, to my non veterinary industry friends :(

I think just that one paragraph;

'Me, I was put into a car and driven far away
The door held open, I jumped out, I thought to run and play.
It was with joy and happy heart I turned to look for you
You drove away with all my trust and a piece of my heart too. '

just choked me up :(

Re: Police are a disgrace!

Vicky RVN — Mon, 13 Dec 2010 22:06:21 GMT

[quote user="Steph Phillips"]

OMG this makes me soo sad.. and mad .. thankfully we don't see this very often..

This poem bring a tear to my eye everytime I read it... ** warning ** tissues at the ready..

[/quote]

This poem brings a tear to my eye every time i read it...it makes me think of my little Jack!

Re: Police are a disgrace!

Steph Phillips — Mon, 13 Dec 2010 22:06:00 GMT

[quote user="Leigh Fisher"]

I have just balled my eyes out to that poem! Sad but true unfortunately!

[/quote]

Tell me about it.. I do everytime I read it.. why I read it knowing that I will cry I'll never know!!

Re: Police are a disgrace!

Leigh Hinsley RVN NCert(BDev) MBVNA — Mon, 13 Dec 2010 21:58:49 GMT

I have just balled my eyes out to that poem! Sad but true unfortunately!

Re: Police are a disgrace!

BengalcatRVN — Mon, 13 Dec 2010 21:45:05 GMT

[quote user="BengalcatRVN"]

I have a client with a "pitball type" staff,

[/quote]

Should have said, was a staff x mastiff.

Re: Police are a disgrace!

BengalcatRVN — Mon, 13 Dec 2010 21:44:21 GMT

I have a client with a "pitball type" staff, we chipped it and it got seazed, wrong looking dog, and wrong looking owner. Dog was a lovely pup, he took training seriously (went to pup classes) we'd just microchipped it no more than 2 weeks before it was taken.

We had to write a letter (about 6months down the line) to state it was vaccinated and of any other medical bits. He did get it back, it's castrated, has a tattoo where it's balls once were and must be muzzled (which the dog hates) Sadly, all the training he did is ruined (dog won't sit and is over-excited) but I have told him to stick at it and I'm sure he'll re-learn. The worse this dog'll do is lick you to death! Such a shame. The owner asked me loads of questions, asked if the police had advised him and he said no! Told him to make them chat to him, as the last thing I wanted was for the dog to be put down as he had no clue what he was doing.

I feel sorry for the "wrong type" of dogs. A client's Shar pi cross got seized once, not great time for the owner, we wrote a letter for that case too.

Re: Police are a disgrace!

Fuzzyduck — Mon, 13 Dec 2010 21:42:25 GMT

Im in the north east where all the idiot scalleys have pit bull types

Re: Police are a disgrace!

Lolita — Mon, 13 Dec 2010 21:39:44 GMT

ah Steph thats so sad, brought a tear to my eye...I love staffys...my dog is part staffy, its such a shame what happens them

Re: Police are a disgrace!

Steph Phillips — Mon, 13 Dec 2010 21:28:22 GMT

OMG this makes me soo sad.. and mad .. thankfully we don't see this very often..

This poem bring a tear to my eye everytime I read it... ** warning ** tissues at the ready..

Re: Police are a disgrace!

Tracey Louise — Mon, 13 Dec 2010 21:19:22 GMT

omg i am shocked too, i was oblivious to all this going on. What a horrible and sad story

Re: Police are a disgrace!

Leigh Hinsley RVN NCert(BDev) MBVNA — Mon, 13 Dec 2010 21:10:49 GMT

I'm based in the West Midlands where the staffie status dog culture is at its peak. :(

Re: Police are a disgrace!

paula morgan — Mon, 13 Dec 2010 21:02:54 GMT

Oh god this is shocking! I really dont think I could cope with that, where abouts in the country are you? I live in Inverness and see this very very rarely x

Re: Police are a disgrace!

Fuzzyduck — Mon, 13 Dec 2010 20:35:41 GMT

We get around 10 sometimes more pitbull types in a week where i work, usually for euthanasia, or 'typing' which usually involves someone with no apparent training looking through the kennel door and say yeah its a type then it gets pts.

Most are just staffies, some could be pit bulls or cross pit bulls but most are the lovliest dogs you could meet, its a shame they are all tarnished with the same brush, sadly nobody wants staffies or staffy types anymore so i guess it saves them sitting in kennels for months on end before getting pts.

We often have to keep them in for days sometimes weeks on end, usually the more aggressive ones due to pending police action or waiting for assessment etc.

It makes me sad seeing them sitting in a kennel for their last few days of life.

The police are pretty terrible, we had 2 dogs that had been shot, by police marks men, one purposly as it had almost ripped someones leg off but the police had been shooting not only at this dog but also its sister who had inadvertantly been shot in the process. 15 shots later and the one dog was dead leaving its poor sister wounded and traumatised and us left to pick up the pieces.