Don't Bring A Crossbow To A Dogfight

[Judge]

Bizarre story.

Neighbor uses crossbow to save man from dogs, but kills him

 

[GadAbout]

Dog Bites Man never gets above the fold. But Man Bites Dog, now that's a story.

 

[Misery]

First question that comes to my mind is.... what exactly had been done to the dogs to make them do that? No dog in their right mind attacks their owners like that, unless they've been badly abused or something.

 

[Judge]

First question that comes to my mind is.... what exactly had been done to the dogs to make them do that? No dog in their right mind attacks their owners like that, unless they've been badly abused or something.

Although it appears the man with the crossbow won't be prosecuted, in the course of a criminal investigation I suspect the authorities will be asking the same question about two dogs normally kept in cages. Though I know how their tenant or homeowners insurance underwriters would feel about such an exposure.

 

[GadAbout]

Although it appears the man with the crossbow won't be prosecuted, in the course of a criminal investigation I suspect the authorities will be asking the same question about two dogs normally kept in cages. Though I know how their tenant or homeowners insurance underwriters would feel about such an exposure.

Do you think the dead man will be kicked out of his apartment?

 

[Judge]

Do you think the dead man will be kicked out of his apartment?

Good point. Bringing in yet a third party- their landlord. It's quite possible. I know my own corporate landlord has a long list of prohibited dogs. And of course if the tenants never declared the dogs to be on the premises, eviction is quite possible, apart from what their insurers and law enforcement may be thinking.

 

[Mary Terry]

Although it appears the man with the crossbow won't be prosecuted, in the course of a criminal investigation I suspect the authorities will be asking the same question about two dogs normally kept in cages. Though I know how their tenant or homeowners insurance underwriters would feel about such an exposure.

Isn't it true that the type of dog - or other pets - is considered by insurers in setting the price of homeowners premiums? People with pit bulls pay more than people with sheepdogs, etc. because of the increased risk of an insurance claim.

 

[Judge]

Isn't it true that the type of dog - or other pets - is considered by insurers in setting the price of homeowners premiums? People with pit bulls pay more than people with sheepdogs, etc. because of the increased risk of an insurance claim.

It varies widely with the carrier and area. The real issue for insurers lies with their actual aggregate loss history. With the company I once underwrote for, the most offending breed was also one of the most common- Labrador Retrievers. Of course such statistics can easily change from year to year. But the greatest exposure to loss didn't usually mean the most aggressive breed of canine either.

Dogs aren't considered to be an exposure an insurer or their policyholder can effectively control. That in my time, in the event of a dogbite it meant exclusively non-renewal. Not simply raising premiums. Unless of course the policyholder elected or was forced by the authorities to euthanize their pet. Not an option insurers would offer themselves.

 

[GadAbout]

Whether by bolt or by bite, the dead man is still dead.

I have to wonder - once the owner was down with the crossbow injury - did the dogs maul him?

 

[Mary Terry]

It varies widely with the carrier and area. The real issue for insurers lies with their actual aggregate loss history. With the company I once underwrote for, the most offending breed was also one of the most common- Labrador Retrievers. Of course such statistics can easily change from year to year. But the greatest exposure to loss didn't usually mean the most aggressive breed of canine either.

Dogs aren't considered to be an exposure an insurer or their policyholder can effectively control. That in my time, in the event of a dogbite it meant exclusively non-renewal. Not simply raising premiums. Unless of course the policyholder elected or was forced by the authorities to euthanize their pet. Not an option insurers would offer themselves.

Gotcha. Many years ago we had a Labrador Retriever and our insurance agent told us that it was ranked as one of the breeds most likely to bite. I loved that dog but he made me a little nervous around children because he could be grumpy, nippy and hated anyone to touch his tail. RIP, old Woody dog.

 

[Judge]

I just recall an old case in the Bay Area involving a Pressa Canario that mauled a neighbor in their San Francisco apartment building. The dog's name was "Bane", and yes- was trained to fight. The poor woman who died was essentially ripped apart by the dog. The dog was destroyed, and both owners went to prison for a few years.

 

[Mary Terry]

I just recall an old case in the Bay Area involving a Pressa Canario that mauled a neighbor in their San Francisco apartment building. The dog's name was "Bane", and yes- was trained to fight. The poor woman who died was essentially ripped apart by the dog. The dog was destroyed, and both owners went to prison for a few years.

I remember that case, too. The dog owners were prison inmates, and the couple who were taking care of the dogs in an apartment building were attorneys. I think there were two dogs involved. Horrible death for the lady who was attacked.

 

[Mary Terry]

I remember that case, too. The dog owners were prison inmates, and the couple who were taking care of the dogs in an apartment building were attorneys. I think there were two dogs involved. Horrible death for the lady who was attacked.

The name "Bane" reminds me of the mean, old, battle axe female secretary/paralegal to our state's US Attorney at the time. My law partner and I secretly called her "Fang", LOL.

 

[GadAbout]

My family had a labrador retriever, named Lily, a female who was the runt of the litter. The only danger she posed to anyone was loving them to death. However, if you parked a motorcycle in the yard, she would snarl and lunge at that thing like it was a beast from outer space.

She maybe wasn't that bright.

Like most labradors, she would chew the heck out of anything she could get her jaws around. This might be the reason landlords don't like that breed.

 

[Judge]

I'm just wondering if insurers operate on difference assumptions these days regarding dogbite claims. In my time it still came down to actual exposure rather than any specific dog breeds. In the case of Labrador Retrievers, they were prominent only because of being a popular breed, as they still are. More popularity, more dogs, more possibilities of dogbite claims. Though eventually pitbulls would become more popular as well, and sometimes for all the wrong reasons.

Though the reality is that there are a number of dog breeds that can be potentially problematic depending largely on their owner's ability or inability to manage them. Where the human may be a bigger problem than a dog breed itself.

 

[GadAbout]

My husband was bitten on the nose by a Chihuahua.

Don't ask why his nose was in the proximity of the Chihuahua. Okay, I'll tell you. He was trying to kiss the Chihuahua. And they hadn't even been properly introduced.

 

[Judge]

My husband was bitten on the nose by a Chihuahua.

Don't ask why his nose was in the proximity of the Chihuahua. Okay, I'll tell you. He was trying to kiss the Chihuahua. And they hadn't even been properly introduced.

Same thing happened to a friend who owned a Pomeranian. Yet in my own case for as close up as I could nuzzle to my Yorkies, none of them ever bit me. Not ever.

Though I wouldn't recommend a Yorkie with a family of very young children either.

 

[Aspychata]

Saw a horrible scar from Akita breed. The child was hyper also probably freaked out the dog. Doberman is another breed that insurers aren't happy about.
I saw a pitbull dog when l lived on the res. One day it parked itself under our car. I instinctively knew to stay away, that is built like a powerhouse dog. The dog gave off a strange energy. His human parents, where kicked off the res, because the Fed employee lied about a university degree they didn't have when working for the Indian health services hospital. Don't lie to Uncle Sam.

 

[GadAbout]

Or if you do lie to Uncle Sam, keep a pitbull nearby.

 

[Streetwise]

Saw a horrible scar from Akita breed. The child was hyper also probably freaked out the dog. Doberman is another breed that insurers aren't happy about.
I saw a pitbull dog when l lived on the res. One day it parked itself under our car. I instinctively knew to stay away, that is built like a powerhouse dog. The dog gave off a strange energy. His human parents, where kicked off the res, because the Fed employee lied about a university degree they didn't have when working for the Indian health services hospital. Don't lie to Uncle Sam.

You are setting yourself up for a fall if you think one breed is psychologically unbalanced as opposed to another one read any dog's body language not the breed