I think the Humans involved are all to blame. The worker shares in the blame if the owner's story is correct. Common sense should tell the individual not to enter the property when a large dog is unattended. I don't know about the rest of you. When the owner of a large dog tells me not to enter until the dog is put away I listen and respect that request.

The owner is responsible for having a dog that he and the other family members could not control. I would have preferred to see the officials (animal control and the judge) show some common sense. This dog doesn't need to be put down. It needs proper training and the family needs instructions on how to properly handle working dogs. I think the 250,000 was too much. The workers medical bills should have been covered as well as any missed days at work at the most. Hopefully the worker learned a lesson. Don't enter someone property when a large working breed is not under proper control. Hopefully the owner of Congo has learned owning a large working dog require his entire family to learn how to properly handle and control the dogs.

Tracy:

The workers WERE told to enter the property. The owner then told them to "wait in the car" while he took a shower. The workers got out of the car when the wife came outside.

The worker panicked and grabbed the wife to put her between himself and the dog, unfortunately he caused her to fall, consequently and naturally the dog read this as an attack on the wife.

The district attorneys office first wanted the dog labeled potentially dangerous, the owner refused and wanted a trial. I agree that just because the owner lost is no reason to kill the dog.

I would NEVER in a million years have told someone to wait in the car THEN leave my GSDs outside unattended, while I went and took a shower. Who couldn't see this as a possible FU?

To me, this whole this can be summed up as WTF or What was he thinking????

 Quote: randy allen

Andrew,
I don't care how many dogs a person keeps, as long as they are healthy, balanced and attended to within a family structure.
I'm also sure I've read somewhere in this mess that the land scaper arrived some what earlier than expected.
So the dog was sent to a boarding school. So what, while most of us here prefer to train our own (in my case, I prefer to screw them up myself) most people don't have the time or experience for specialized training of any sort. And Congo from all appearences is well adjusted and intigrated within the family structure at any rate.
Only a well bonded dog of any age (and at eighteen months amazing) is going to take on a grown man attacking a member of their pack.Randy

Maybe it’s time to start thinking outside the box and come up with some alternative solutions for the courts to consider for Congo. We shouldn’t wait until a decision has been handed down, by then it will be too late. What about some of you experienced dog handlers that are connected to either law enforcement, schutzhund or ring sport clubs ask around and see if anyone within your field would be interested in adopting the dog. Maybe the court would consider allowing the dog to be rehomed out of state (for the cost of shipping) if they knew is was going to an experienced dog handler. At 18 months old, the dog could have the potential of become a good working dog and even if he washed out: a suitable home could be found where he could still have a great life??? Just Thinking 

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My crystal ball is shaking...I'm getting a premonition...I predict this thread will be locked.

Was there something unclear about my TWO mod posts or the board owner's follow-up?

 Quote: ed frawley

I will be a little more blunt - my web board is NO PLACE to rant about politics or immigration. DON"T DO IT - go to a political web forum if this is your interest. !!!!!!

Better close it.....