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I don't have children and don't want any <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

Your child has 4 legs, lotsa hair n really, really sharp teeth <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

A call to CPS... can't that be done anonymously? I am sure that they have a system in place for people put in this situation, CPS has been around a long time, and dealt with millions of situations, among those millions, I am sure that at some point, it was a family member that wanted to maintain a relationship with their family after calling.

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Maybe I missed it in previous posts, but what kind of dog is this?

I don't see where this would matter much, the point is the dog needs a strong handler, or to be put down, and away from those kids period. Even if it was a cocker spaniel, whom I have seen do *SERIOUS* damage to a child, that could have killed the child from blood loss had no one been home. Lets put the focus where it needs to be here, on the Guardians and irresponsible pet owners.

In Texas, I do not know about your state, CPS is prohibited from revealing the person or persons who orginally called in the report.

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Your child has 4 legs, lotsa hair n really, really sharp teeth

yes, I do consider my dogs my children - my parents even call them their "grandpuppies" - sick, eh? But, human child or no, if one of my dogs ever seriously bit a small child (without provocation, "just cause" nasty aggressive bite) that dog, my child or not, would not live to see another day. It is right that someone should call CPS and/or the teacher at the kids' school, right away.

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that could have killed the child from blood loss had no one been home.

I'd call CPS on them for leaving the kid home alone if that had been the case <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

From what I understand from my reading of CPS laws in various states, including TX, MN, NY and CT, it's legal to file an anonymous report, but to avoid people filing false reports, they require your name anyway, to be held in confidence unless they find out it was an intentional false report.

I'm not sure if having an aggressive dog in the house constitutes child abuse, but calling CPS will most likely, at the very least, send you in the right direction for how to deal with this situation. From what I have understood from these posts, calling animal control probably won't do a whole heck of alotta good because the aggressive dog requirements have been met. Even if you're not filing a report, you can speak with CPS and find out where everyone stands in a situation like this.

Um, Deana,
Did you read the article that was recently posted about a 12-year old boy who was recently killed by the 'family pet' (a pit-bull, no surprise)

Advice: Face reality, pick up the phone and call who you must. If your sister stops talking to you, oh well, the well-being of the family is the issue here.

If something happens, will you be able to handle the guilt?

Sometimes the wrong person gets a pit bull dog. It take a lot of training for some dogs. You can not let a dog bite
children or any one else . A dog should only bite when he or she is working or protecting. I think you should make the call or try and help find the dog a new home.God bless the children! They need your help.

this is a no brainer, call CPS, then animal control then the booby hatch. The woman is ill. It is very difficult to be shunned by a sibling but you'll sleep better. jsmho

to all of you interested in this subject. Yesterday 6/6, My neigbhor girl, 9 years old, came to my house to return a pair of jeans. I have 3 pit bulls. 2, 2year old neutered brothers. and a 6 month son of one of the brothers.

My place is fenced well. The little girl came to the fence and opened the gate. She's only 9 and forgot about the dogs. At the exact time, I opened my front dog to let my dogs out. As there are three over 80 lb dogs, I stood behind them to let them out. Noone ever just comes in the yard. Everyone in this area, knows about our dogs. My dogs saw the gate open and someone trying to come in the yard. They ran thru the gate, pinned her down on the ground between the fence and the car in the driveway. They bit her over and over. The alpha dog began and the other two followed. Even the puppy. He saw his dad biting her so he followed. My grown daughter and I were the only ones home. I had a hold of the two big dogs collars. The puppy ran back and forth around the car biting her hard. She was on the ground. It's harder to protect someone on the ground than if she was standing. But she is small and weighs less than even my pup. My daughter, finally on the other side of the car, pulled the girl into the drivers side of the car. Thank God the door was unlocked. Just as my daughter shoved her in the car and before she could shut the door, The big dog slipped out of his neck chain. He simply backed up and twisted his head. He was a second away from getting in the car. He charged around the car after her. My daughter got the door closed just in the NICK of time. Thank God again. I got into the car with her. My daughter Put the dogs away. The Little girl has a deep tear on her for arm. My big dog did that to her, even tho I had ahold of him. She has large puncture wounds on her thigh, and shoulder. She has bruise just from the inside of their mouth, all over. She has scratches on her neck. They could have killed her. I know they would have if they would have got to her in the family car. She is terrified. We were all terrified. Animal control came out. We signed to put our dogs down.We believe in our faily that if a dog bites a child, the dog has to be put down. People are more important than dogs. And, I love dogs. I am sad and scared and grateful in a strange way. We have a new Baby in our house. 3.5 weeks old. Perhaps that little girl took the bites, so my grandson could live. All they would have had to do is grab the baby by the head and he would die. A very important lesson I learned is accidents happen. To everyone and everything. An accident is no ones fault. Not the little girls, not mine, not the dogs. We were all just going along in our usual way. Accidents happen to the best of us. And they are going to continue to happen. We can minimize the risk. We are human. We are not always in charge of what happens. We took very good care of our dogs. They were not abused in any way. I take them out for runs in the woods almost daily. They eat well. They are loved. They are loveable back. It isn't how well dogs are taken care of. These dogs have a high pry drive. I now believe , if anyone has an attack dog in their possesion, they need to be trained perfectly. To sit, right now. To stand down, right now. ect,ect... Normal people, without that kind of interest. Shouldn't own pitbulls. Although there are more attacks from Chows than anyother breed, pitbulls are great family dogs. They have the mistique going with them. People just don't understand the serious side of their loving family pet. I am so grateful the little girl didn't die. Thanx for all your imput. I needed to find just this kind of subject when I logged on to active topics today. I also was interview by the press. I hope I've said something someone needs to hear. Kitty Finnigan <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" />

If after reading all of these responses, you're still unsure what to do, what's the worst that can happen?

If you do call your sister may never talk to you again if she believes you made the call.

If you don't call, your niece (or other relative) may end up getting killed and not be able to talk to you again in the future and your sister may end up in jail.

So, nobody dead and nobody in jail OR the possibility of at least one person dead or seriously injured and your sister in jail. The dogs behavior seems to be something your sister won't solve, so I would bet that things get worse before they get better if nothing is done.