...................................

[Jennasis]

Gather up your other neighbors and march over there and confront her. A good ol' fashioned lynching! NO seriously...perhaps if you all went over as a group and explained your concerns/fears and let her know that none of you will tolerate STAYING in their homes when she is out walking the dogf or if the dog gets loose, she will need to rethink her stance.

 

[laurie31]

Imagine if her "warning note" said something along the lines of:

I've got a big celebration coming up this weekend and I plan to imbibe. You might want to stay off the roads, since I won't have a designated driver.


I doubt that would go over very well


I'm still over her yelling at the parents to get their kid inside, when he was playing in his OWN YARD! We are dog lovers, we have four rescues, but holy cow! They stay on our property! Lots of our neighbors have dogs, too. They walk them, of course. We simply wave at each other when they pass our yard. I can't fathom what my reaction would be if instead they shouted at me to get my children inside. I think it wouldn't be very Christian, though...at the very least, I would have to say, "You keep your dog off my property!"

C.Ann, it's horrible that you've been made a prisoner in your own home! I hope you can get it straightened out soon. I still can't believe the woman thinks the rights of her dog to roam free and potentially bite (maul or even KILL) someone override the rights of property owners to occupy their own property.

 

[cheerful chickadee]

to be a prisoner of your own home is ridiculous, you have every right to feel safe in your home and anywhere on your property. You shouldn't feel afraid of going outside. Ugh that is terrible. I also think it's terrible that someone is going to have to get hurt before something can be done, hopefully it's not a child. ugh!

 

[olena]

I'm also surprised at the brass ones on this lady in this litigious society we live in. It's like she's begging for a lawsuit.....pretty, pretty please with a Milkbone on top.

And delivering the note beforehand just digs her hole deeper, if it ever comes to that. There's no defense after that.

 

[C.Ann]

Good grief! This gets more ridiculous by the minute!! I just got in my van to go down and check my mail box and once inside of it, I heard the dogs barking and realized that they were outside (and she's in work)..

Got my mail and decided to drive by her place and my eyes nearly fell out of my head! There are the two dogs - inside this flimsy, flimsy fenced area barking their heads off.. I'm talking the kind of fencing with the skinny green poles that you would put up to keep rabbits out of your garden or something.. All either one of those dogs would have to do is lean on that fencing - or stand up against it with their paws - and the whole shabang would come tumbling down..

 

[Jynohn]

As the proud owner of three Great Danes who truly earn their nickname "gentle giants" people like this woman make me so angry. Great Danes are typically loveable, overgrown babies, but as in all breeds, there are exceptions. On the rare occasion that a Great Dane IS aggressive, the results can be devastating. That's why Danes end up on dangerous dogs list for insurance companies. Even though the incidence of bites are low, they are more likely to be reported because of the extent of the injuries they can cause.

I too would be shocked if a reputable rescue organization placed this dog. In the rescue I volunteered with, there is no way we'd place a Dane with known aggression problems. The liability is just too great.

C. Ann, I'm sorry I don't have too many suggestions for you, but as others have said, you may want to contact Great Dane Rescue in your area. They have a vested interest in protecting the reputations of these dogs, so may be willing to help you out with ideas.

Good luck!!

 

[olena]

Good grief! This gets more ridiculous by the minute!! I just got in my van to go down and check my mail box and once inside of it, I heard the dogs barking and realized that they were outside (and she's in work)..

Got my mail and decided to drive by her place and my eyes nearly fell out of my head! There are the two dogs - inside this flimsy, flimsy fenced area barking their heads off.. I'm talking the kind of fencing with the skinny green poles that you would put up to keep rabbits out of your garden or something.. All either one of those dogs would have to do is lean on that fencing - or stand up against it with their paws - and the whole shabang would come tumbling down..

Got a camera?

 

[C.Ann]

----------------------------

 

[C.Ann]

Got a camera?

---------------------

As a matter of fact, yes, I do! Do you think the flimsy fencing could be used against her in terms of not having a known "biter" in a secure setting when she's not home?

Never even thought about that until you mentioned the camera.. Thanks!

 

[lindakmonty]

omg C. Ann!! I'd make some calls and explain the situation and try to get some help. That is just a horrific accident waiting to happen. NO way should you have to worry about walking to your own car!! I feel so bad for you!!!

I'm sure pictures could only help you in the future sure can't hurt!

 

[olena]

---------------------

As a matter of fact, yes, I do! Do you think the flimsy fencing could be used against her in terms of not having a known "biter" in a secure setting when she's not home?

Never even thought about that until you mentioned the camera.. Thanks!

Actually, I was thinking it would document her idea of fencing. If this blows up and the neighbors clamor to the authorities, pictures mean a lot more than complaints. Pictures can back up your descriptions.

There was a pitbull attack case where the dogs weren't properly restrained and got loose and into trouble. By the the time AC got out to investigate, PROPER fencing was in place. You see what I mean?

ETA- Don't risk your safety for the pictures, but I'm sure you weren't planning to. You sound pretty spooked already. I know the feeling, as I have had aggressive dog issues in my own neighborhood with inadequate fencing.

 

[Nana Annie]

Just to satisfy my own curiosity, why would a rescue center even allow such a large dog - known to be a biter - to be adopted by a single woman who weighs "maybe" 115 to 120 lbs. and would likely have a difficult time trying to manage such a large animal (especially when walking him with the other Great Dane at the same time)?

It just doesn't make sense to me.. I don't know why they would allow this dog to be adopted out - and I don't know why this woman would choose to adopt a dog with a history of biting..

Is this how these rescue places normally work?

As others have mentioned - no reputable rescue organization would have adopted out this dog under these circumstances.

This is why reputable rescue organizations make it so difficult to adopt one of their dogs. They do extensive interviews, do several home visits etc. Not a single rescue organization I have known of would adopt out a dog that is known to bite to a home without a very, very secure enclosure, let alone a fenced yard, to keep the dog in. It makes it a hassle to adopt a dog, but these are the very situations that they are trying to avoid. When an organization adopts out the dog, they want to make sure it is the very best environment for the dog, and also for the humans involved.

Jynonh has some good advice. Contact a Great Dane Rescue near you and have them help you. The last thing the Dane people want is for their breed reputation to be sullied by a bad apple.

Here are the breed rescue groups as listed by AKC:

Great Dane Club of America
Pookie Kostuk, (203) 272-8292, Fax: (203) 272-9199, Connecticut

Great Dane Club of Las Vegas

Great Dane Rescue, Inc.
734-454-3683
Covering MI, IN, OH, AL, IL, Ontario, Canada.

Great Dane Club of San Diego
Bonnie M. Lynd, Chairperson, (619) 561-9408, California Danemania2@aol.com
Elizabeth Marshall, (760) 940-1782, California SdGrtDane@aol.com

Great Dane Club of Des Moines, Inc & GD Rescue

Great Dane Club of the Mid-South, Inc.

The Great Dane Club of Western Pennsylvania

Great Dane Rescue of Ohio, Inc.

Great Dane Rescue of the Carolinas
10425 Mt. Holly-Huntersville Rd., Huntersville, NC, (704) 697-9706, fax: (704) 697-9705

Helping Hands Dane Rescue
10 Jones St., Vilonia, AR 72173; phone: 501-796-3878 or 501-888-1741
Mary Neiser or Kim James, contact persons

Mid-Atlantic Great Dane Rescue, Inc.
Baltimore, MD, (410) 945-5454, Debra Rahl, President, debra.rahl@verizon.net

Rocky Mountain Great Dane Rescue, Inc.

Thunder Hill Great Dane Rescue
Giving loving homes to strays and abandoned Great Danes
Local rescue/adoption in Medina, Ohio

Many of these are links that didn't transfer over with my cut and paste, so here is the link from the AKC site:

[http://www.akc.org/breeds/rescue.cfm#614ote]
Just scroll down to the Great Danes and find the rescue that is closest to you. Hopefully they will have some good solutions.

And get your camera out and document that flimsy fencing. You might also want to start a journal of when her car is gone, yet the dogs are left unattended in an un-safe enclosure.

 

[C.Ann]

Actually, I was thinking it would document her idea of fencing. If this blows up and the neighbors clamor to the authorities, pictures mean a lot more than complaints. Pictures can back up your descriptions.

There was a pitbull attack case where the dogs weren't properly restrained and got loose and into trouble. By the the time AC got out to investigate, PROPER fencing was in place. You see what I mean?

ETA- Don't risk your safety for the pictures, but I'm sure you weren't planning to. You sound pretty spooked already. I know the feeling, as I have had aggressive dog issues in my own neighborhood with inadequate fencing.

-----------------------------------

Ahhhh.. Gotcha! I think I can take the photos from inside my van with the window down.. Great idea!!

 

[olena]

-----------------------------------

Ahhhh.. Gotcha! I think I can take the photos from inside my van with the window down.. Great idea!!

Even better if your camera has time/date stamp.

 

[C.Ann]

Jynonh has some good advice. Contact a Great Dane Rescue near you and have them help you. The last thing the Dane people want is for their breed reputation to be sullied by a bad apple.

Here are the breed rescue groups as listed by AKC:

Great Dane Club of America
Pookie Kostuk, (203) 272-8292, Fax: (203) 272-9199, Connecticut

Great Dane Club of Las Vegas

Great Dane Rescue, Inc.
734-454-3683
Covering MI, IN, OH, AL, IL, Ontario, Canada.

Great Dane Club of San Diego
Bonnie M. Lynd, Chairperson, (619) 561-9408, California Danemania2@aol.com
Elizabeth Marshall, (760) 940-1782, California SdGrtDane@aol.com

Great Dane Club of Des Moines, Inc & GD Rescue

Great Dane Club of the Mid-South, Inc.

The Great Dane Club of Western Pennsylvania

Great Dane Rescue of Ohio, Inc.

Great Dane Rescue of the Carolinas
10425 Mt. Holly-Huntersville Rd., Huntersville, NC, (704) 697-9706, fax: (704) 697-9705

Helping Hands Dane Rescue
10 Jones St., Vilonia, AR 72173; phone: 501-796-3878 or 501-888-1741
Mary Neiser or Kim James, contact persons

Mid-Atlantic Great Dane Rescue, Inc.
Baltimore, MD, (410) 945-5454, Debra Rahl, President, debra.rahl@verizon.net

Rocky Mountain Great Dane Rescue, Inc.

Thunder Hill Great Dane Rescue
Giving loving homes to strays and abandoned Great Danes
Local rescue/adoption in Medina, Ohio

Many of these are links that didn't transfer over with my cut and paste, so here is the link from the AKC site:

[http://www.akc.org/breeds/rescue.cfm#614ote]
Just scroll down to the Great Danes and find the rescue that is closest to you. Hopefully they will have some good solutions.

And get your camera out and document that flimsy fencing. You might also want to start a journal of when her car is gone, yet the dogs are left unattended in an un-safe enclosure.

----------------------------------

I'm in New York - will have to check the link and see if there is an organization anywhere near here..

What can these people do? Is there any way they can make her relinguish the dog?

 

[C.Ann]

-----------------------

 

[agnes!]

I have an idea that no one else has mentioned yet.
Got any newspapers up in your neck of the woods? Hmmmmm...

agnes!

 

[reeddi]

I did get in contact with the beagle rescue here and they also said with the bite history (2 times on record) they would be unable to take him and place him anywhere. Becuase when you think about it, where could he go that would be guaranteed not to be around children? Even if it was a person living alone now, he is only 4 and that person could have children in the future.

Honestly, it has been the hardest decision we have had to make and we have tried to think of ANY other way. Let me clarify what the AC said - they would have to take him from OUR house, not necessarily put him down. Although the officer said that is the most likely thing that would happen.


I appreciate the question and did not think you were flaming me.



C.Ann,
Stay strong and as everyone has said "document, document, document."

Reeddi

 

[Beth76]

-----------------------------------

Ahhhh.. Gotcha! I think I can take the photos from inside my van with the window down.. Great idea!!

Just make sure to leave the car in "drive" in case you need to bolt.

 

[Nana Annie]

Jynonh has some good advice. Contact a Great Dane Rescue near you and have them help you. The last thing the Dane people want is for their breed reputation to be sullied by a bad apple.

Here are the breed rescue groups as listed by AKC:


----------------------------------

I'm in New York - will have to check the link and see if there is an organization anywhere near here..

What can these people do? Is there any way they can make her relinguish the dog?

I don't think they can forcibly make her give up the dog. But they have resources that many of us aren't as familiar with. At least they might give you some good ideas on how to handle the situation. They may even be willing to talk to the lady to "explain" what her legal liabilities are and persuade her to relinquish the dog.

I would start with the following person. She is the National Chairperson for Great Dane Rescue.

Chairperson

Mary Barnett
6672 E US Hwy136
Crawfordsville, IN. 47933
765-362-3239
Mbarnettreed@aol.com

Just explain everything you have explained to us, ie: the note, the screaming at the neighbors to get the child in, the flimsy fencing etc, and ask for suggestions.

Let us know how it works out.