It was on the news yesterday ... the family rottweiler who mauled to death the family's new-born baby girl. That's disturbing.

I know that pets can be jealous of a new addition to the family and previously well-behaved animals can show signs of aggression at someone that they feel is intruding onto their turf. However, are there certain species of pets whose nature is more aggressive than others? Should we look at certain breeds - and the danger they may
pose to humans? Are rottweilers one of those breeds?

Does anyone have any answers?

"Are rottweilers one of those breeds?"

I don't believe so Foxy.

Evidence is clear that no dog is born savage.

When you have moronic owners who instruct their dogs to "skitch" or "sool 'em" what can one expect?

In regard to the terrible tragedy to which you refer, the media reported that the neighbours stated the dog was "scary and aggressive" to passers-by, though the animal may have only been exerting his territorial prowess. Who knows?

I am a passionate animal lover, however, I would ensure that my animals did not have access to a first baby's nursery without close supervision.

It's a simple adherence to commonsense and the "Precautionary Principle."

What a strange breed you pet-lovers are, to be sure.

>>Pericles is sufficiently arrogant to describe animals as "the inferior being."<<

Far from it. Pet-owners treat them as such, not I.

>>And what has your contribution been towards preventing animal neglect and cruelty.<<

I take every opportunity to point out to pet-owners that they are demonstrating a rare and vicious cruelty by perpetuating the habit of "ownership" over another living creature.

If pet ownership were illegal today - which it will become in the future, I can assure you - then there would be zero incidences of people-to-animal cruelty. There would also be zero incidences of rottweiller-eats-baby. Which is a kind of bonus, I suppose.

And many thanks for your contribution PALEIF, it was most enlightening.

>>I dont know what sort of personality disorder you have but please do not to speak of this hard working person Dickie in such a manner.<<

My "personality disorder" is to believe that keeping pets is a form of cruelty that demeans us as human beings, in the same way that you believe shutting sheep up in ships and transporting them to their death is a form of cruelty that demeans us as human beings.

And I will continue to address dickie in any way I see fit. You will notice that it is dickie, and not I, who has indulged in puerile name-calling.

And now you are doing the same.

Have a great day walking the dogs, won't you? And try for just a moment to think about it objectively.

Keeping pets is a form of cruelty that demeans us as human beings.

"Keeping pets is a form of cruelty that demeans us as human beings."

I take it then you are a vegetarian, Pericles?

You wouldn't dream of eating any animal which has been incarcerated, would you? How cruel would that be?

Particularly when they've been castrated, debeaked, tails chopped off, muelsed, flanks slit open and their ovaries ripped out, crippled, throats slashed, strung up alive, boiled alive, beheaded, disembowelled, stabbed in the eyes, tendons slashed and all without the benefit of a pain-killer or anaesethic.

This practice is for your benefit Pericles, an animal lover, where you are then able to salivate over your evening meal of dead, corrupted animal flesh.

Surely you wouldn't actually eat these critters, would you Pericles?

No.....I don't believe it! That would be so hypocritical of you Pericles, wouldn't it and so demeaning for you as a compassionate, kindly, human being!

Pericles
Lets move away from the pets for a moment shall we?
Now regardless or not if you eat meat how do you feel about the intensive farming industry?
Or How do you feel about Live Exports.?

Dickie
Lets save time and do what we said and help PF with the Survey and get the petition re Rudd underway.
What do you think?
We are waisting time here.

It is interesting to read the many comments, the fors and the againsts of Pet Ownership, however the main concern with which I created this thread was to "feel" for solutions to this ongoing problem that is obviously increasing in intensity!.......petty personal point scoring does nothing to create any type of realistic solution, so I will suggest another possible solution or two:

I believe that in many cases a child acompanied by a parent, sees in a local shopping centre Pet Shop a window, a display of "cute little puppies" The innocence of childhood appeals to the child, who then cajoles the parent into purchasing one of these little "cuteys", unaware of the constant love and attention needed (for it`s life) to justify this purchase, resulting in sometime at a later date an "unwanted pet" to be disposed off whichever way possible, usually the easiest which is the dumping of this "ex-loved" pet!

I suggest that Pet Shops should NOT be allowed to trade in dogs or cats for a start, and whether they should be allowed to trade in any animals at all is questionable?

Another issue that I pose is this latest one of "dog attack"......We hear of so many dog attacks often upon child members of a family. "That dog is a killer!....put it down!" .....never ever do we get to hear the dog`s side of the story, where maybe an inquisitive toddler has inserted some sharp object into an eye, anus or similar, resulting in the dog`s only response....SNAP or bite!
I myself have witnessed young children (and some not so young) do some disgraceful things to dogs, unaware of the possible repercussions, often in company of parents,......so how about considering the dog`s situation for a change?