View Full Version : Customs Patrol Dog Attacks Child
Horrible.
wusa9.com (http://www.wusa9.com/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=97332)
DULLES, Va. (WUSA) -- Dulles Airport and Customs officials have confirmed a Customs and Border Protection K-9 in training attacked a 4-year-old girl just after 12 p.m. Thursday at Dulles International Airport.
The child was there with her mother and a younger sibling picking up a friend coming from Argentina.
Officials have not yet confirmed why the dog attacked the child, but she was bitten once and received a cut that was a half inch deep and two inches wide.
The child's grandmother tells 9NEWS NOW the dog bit the girl just under her pelvis and refused to let her go. The dog would not release her, even as the handler gave the command to release.
As her mother tried to intervene, she received numerous bites to her hand.
The dog was eventually subdued by its handler, and the girl was transported to Reston Hospital in serious condition.
Peregrino
02-19-2010, 20:43
With any luck the law suit will result in policy changes. Unfortunately that's the only way to hold the Gov't accountable (and that's not a sure thing). Pity a lawyer will get rich in the process.
mojaveman
02-19-2010, 21:28
Do you suppose there was anything unusual about the girl that may have triggered the attack?
I've worked with K-9s in the past and they are usually very well trained and disciplined. Then again, they are still animals.
We had a local K-9 trainer go out of business because his legal expenses were too high. In many of the cases where he was sued the law enforcement personnel who used his dogs were justified in using that level of force. This is a blameless society though and I also live in Kalifornia.
That is horrible. IMHO they should be using sniffing dogs only, not attack dogs in that enviroment. While bite dogs have their place a crowded airport is not one of them. Bomb/drug sniffing dogs are better than high tech IMHO so I am not anti K-9, they just don't need bite dogs.
Our K-9's (Wilson PD) are trained to detect drugs , a couple explosive dogs, and still be able to apprehend suspects. "Attacking" is part of their training as well. That being said, they do demonstrations with children all of the time and none of them have ever acted aggressively toward one. Just from what the article said, the K-9 in question was still in training, which makes it sound like the dog was not certified yet.
I know the NYPD I worked with. Always had to keep their attack Dogs out of reach of the public. Don't know if it was policy or just being smart.
Either behind a counter or some type of barrier where no one could reach it. They were very aggressive, the way they should be. The sniffing Dogs on the other hand were always out and about with the public.
There are also signs all over Airports and Train stations telling the public not to approach or pet these Dogs at any time. Yet I saw people do it. Even people telling their kids it was OK to Pet the Cute Dog.
AngelsSix
02-20-2010, 16:55
Not to be a smartass, but what was the dog doing off leash in a terminal with people in it if it was a.) not certified, and b.) doing "training"? Just wondering....
The command we use to alert others that we are releasing a dog for whatever is "dog off leash, freeze!!" If you move after that, you are going to get bit, the dog will go after the first thing it sees moving, sometimes ignoring the "bad guy" and going after a fellow LEO, because he/she was still moving and they just happened to be the closest thing moving away. I almost got bite during an exercise because I never heard the handler yell.
Not to be a smartass, but what was the dog doing off leash in a terminal with people in it if it was a.) not certified, and b.) doing "training"? Just wondering....
The command we use to alert others that we are releasing a dog for whatever is "dog off leash, freeze!!" If you move after that, you are going to get bit, the dog will go after the first thing it sees moving, sometimes ignoring the "bad guy" and going after a fellow LEO, because he/she was still moving and they just happened to be the closest thing moving away. I almost got bite during an exercise because I never heard the handler yell.
Good point about the leash. Our handlers do keep them on a leash in public places other than demos, which are controlled environments. I haven't been bit while chasing a suspect when the dog was released but have had a couple buddies that have. They had the same problem and didn't hear the release. Of course we ragged them to no end.
Leozinho
02-21-2010, 18:25
That is horrible. IMHO they should be using sniffing dogs only, not attack dogs in that enviroment. While bite dogs have their place a crowded airport is not one of them. Bomb/drug sniffing dogs are better than high tech IMHO so I am not anti K-9, they just don't need bite dogs.
Where does say it was an attack dog? The article says it was a drug/bomb dog.
If it has teeth, it can bite.
The last time I passed through Dulles a 13 inch Beagle sniffed my bags. I doubt it was trained for duel sniffing and attack.
Where does it say the dog was off the leash?
Remember standing at the end of a very s-l-o-w line at the Aeropuerto in Lima, around midnight, waiting to check-in for my flight home to the U.S., and I will never forget the "dog!" There I was just standing there with my suitcase parked next to me, and up it came behind me...large, brownish, like a GS in appearence. It's nose was to the ground, around my feet, and my bag.
Remember glancing down at it, and just thought, well, okey-dokey then!:eek: Eventually, it went to sniff someone else...cannot imagine trying to fight that thing off..
Hope the little girl is okay...
Holly
relentless
02-22-2010, 22:05
Dogs can smell fear. Yes, fear has a scent. I worked for several years to turn around a pit I had adopted. The dog was raised wrong and wasn't socialized with other dogs. I didn't trust my dog around anyone. It sounds like the little girl may have startled the dog.
armymom1228
02-22-2010, 22:09
Dogs can smell fear. Yes, fear has a scent. I worked for several years to turn around a pit I had adopted. The dog was raised wrong and wasn't socialized with other dogs. I didn't trust my dog around anyone. It sounds like the little girl may have started the dog.
Yes, let's blame a kid in an airport full of people. :(
Dogs can smell fear. Yes, fear has a scent. I worked for several years to turn around a pit I had adopted. The dog was raised wrong and wasn't socialized with other dogs. I didn't trust my dog around anyone. It sounds like the little girl may have started the dog.
Seems to me that fear was precisely the right feeling, given what the dog did...
AngelsSix
02-23-2010, 16:08
Seems to me that fear was precisely the right feeling, given what the dog did...
I have to disagree, this may not be the case at all.
I have a GSD that was not raised around children, therefore, HE is skittish around the squalling little brats. He is not mean at all, but kids freak him out. He has a tendency to bolt in fear, taking me with him, which is dangerous because I weigh all of 120. If he heads straight to the road in front of a car, I cannot stop him.
I have had to literally yell "stop!!" because kids see Max, start running toward him yelling "doggie!!" I have no idea why kids do this. You would think they would be taught that it can be dangerous to run towards a dog. But in this case, that may be exactly what happened....
Sounds like the dog got spooked for some reason. My heart goes out to the little girl.
A true unbiased statement sir. Am hoping that more FACTS come out in this case, and the conjecture can be put to rest.:confused:
Holly
A better perspective on the matter.
http://morrisonworldnews.com/?p=7100
Richard
Dogs can smell fear. Yes, fear has a scent. I worked for several years to turn around a pit I had adopted. The dog was raised wrong and wasn't socialized with other dogs. I didn't trust my dog around anyone. It sounds like the little girl may have startled the dog.
I have no idea what that means.
We have both Belgian Malinois and German Shepards. All are "patrol" read - not "attack" trained. Only after completing 14 weeks of daily discipline, track, and bite training with their handler can they even start the 10 week scent (explosives or drug) course. After this 24 week period, handlers are expected to conduct training of some sort on a daily basis to keep play drive up and recert every 3-4 months.
I could care less what the dogs smells - when hes (we only use males) properly trained and working, he reacts only as an extention and or tool of the handler. Problem or hyper dogs fail the training early on. When a dog completes training, it is the handlers action or inactions that are usually the common denominator to almost all the negative bites I've seen. If the basic discipline commands are not re-enforced regularly, the dog reverts to a teen ager with a 3 second attention span and usually acts out or fails to heel and or recall.
This is why we demand that all handlers in training take hits off every dog in the class on a rotating bi-weekly basis, during recerts, and on "cherry days". The handlers need to understand the end result of releasing such a tool and more importantly, the feeling of being on the other end of a 70lb Belgian Malinois or 85lb German Shepards running full speed at you and locking into your arm (hopefully). It then becomes so ever important that the handler of said growling fur and teeth locked on your sleeve/arm, be able to recall his partner on command - as we never get angry at the dog.
Don't know if this was the case here - but I cannot think of one good reason to have any bite trained dog (on or off lead) at an airport, there are just too many liabilities for almost zero return.
I have to disagree, this may not be the case at all.
I have no idea what caused the attack -- I'm just saying that the kid would have been very justified in feeling afraid. (In response to the guy that said 'dogs smell fear.')
And what of it of the kid did something stupid? A dog meant to be around throngs of people will surely encounter plenty of similar situations, and that's not an appropriate response.
The Reaper
02-23-2010, 20:49
I like the beagles for sniffing.
Great noses, very non-threatening.
TR
I always believe dogs, trained or untrained will sometimes respond in an aggressive manner without logic.
Example: I have a couple of rottweilers. The female, good as gold and wonderful with kids since we got her. She's now 6 but a year ago, whilst chit chatting with a family friend, my dog went for the face of my neighbour's daughter who was staring at the rottie and maybe, prompted a "dare" to the rott.
Some dogs hate being started at...maybe they think its a challenge...I was lucky. I had her harness on and managed to yank her before she made contact with the child's face and saved myself and the child a hell of a lot of agony...
But..boy..it was mouth open and fangs exposed...going straight for the little girl's face..
You just never know sometimes with aggressive dogs. Trained or not.
Especially when kids are around.
I like the beagles for sniffing.
Great noses, very non-threatening.
TR
Just got one myself...wonderful dog to have around the home..and a great pet for the family...
Bill Harsey
02-25-2010, 09:09
I'm pretty cold hearted when it comes to something like this.
After biting the little girl that dog should have been taken out of public sight and put down. No excuses, reasoning or bs. just finish it.