Pitbull pack on the prowl
Worried residents of an isolated community are carrying rifles to hunt and kill a marauding pack of wild pitbulls.
A spate of dog attacks has been reported at Mahuta Gap, 12km southwest of Dargaville.
Antje De Boer said her neighbours' teenage daughter had been chased by the pack and last Sunday a pet Rottweiler had been badly mauled.
The problem has become so bad that locals are hunting the dogs, and armed Environment Northland dog control teams are patrolling the area daily.
Thompson said official efforts to control the problem had been stymied by locals taking matters into their own hands and not reporting earlier attacks to his office. He was only told of the problem last week.
The reason that they don't report it is the same reason why they don't report a lot of things... A mistrust of law and order. I mean, hello... it's Northland ! You do know what grows there, and it isn't just dogs!
3 Comments:
At 6:34 a.m.,
zip said…
"carrying rifles to hunt and kill a marauding pack of wild pitbulls"
"Children are in danger"
"We've bagged seven of them in the last two months, but we think there's three more left."
So there was at one point a pack of 10 wild Pit Bulls living together in the woods? Sure. What is the definition of Pit Bull according to The Herald? Any random dog with four legs, a tail and headline potential of course. The Herald should be sending this talent off to Hollywood to embark on his career writing scripts for b-grade horror films. The story reminds me of "Rottweiler, Dogs of Hell" for some reason. Guess it was supposed to.
At 7:38 a.m.,
Karen Batchelor said…
Ever heard the term 'Northland Special'? It's the same as the 'Pavement Special' in South Auckland etc., i.e. somewhere back there in it's genes there was a Pit Bull...maybe.
Now it's anything bred to anything and sold or given to anyone.
The only thing that surprises me about this story is that it doesn't happen more often thanks to the irresponsible media hype and the sort of half-wits that hype has brought to the breed to mix breed, mismanage and mess-up with as a direct result.
The media have blood on their hands every time it happens.
Look forward to many more incidents as long as the media continue to abuse their position to deliberately mislead the public with the sole intention of selling copy and making ratings.
As Brendan so rightly points out, every time there is such an incident the media will call them Pit Bulls, whether they are or not.
I don't think even Hollywood could use such an appalling lack of professionalism really Brendan.
Check this out:
http://dogattacksyouneverhearabout.blogspot.com/
At 8:40 a.m.,
zip said…
You're right Karen, this story would get laughed off the face of the earth in Hollywood.
For those who may be reading this, but not so familiar with the Pit Bull, it's worth mentioning that while The Herald vilifies the Pit Bull at every opportunity, Hollywood prefer casting Pit Bulls and close relatives as good dogs in children's films - far from horrors.
Fred Astaire kept Pit Bulls.
1910s. Fatty Arbuckle stars in films with his Pit Bull called Luke.
1930s. A white Pit Bull called Pete is the children's dog in The Little Rascals/Our Gang films. He is famous for the black circle around one eye.
1960s. The Incredible Journey, a film with 2 dogs and 1 cat, who travel across North American wilderness stars an English Bull Terrier.
1990s. Remake of The Little Rascals stars an American Bulldog as Pete.
1990s. Remake of The Incredible Journey called Homeward Bound, stars an American Bulldog. The actor who supplied the voice for the dog is Michael J Fox, who has also kept Pit Bulls.
2000 and now. Cheaper by the Dozen films staring Steve Martin and 10 children, have an American Bulldog.
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