Congo, the German Shepherd May Die b/c he Protected his Owner

[ZooCrew]

Please look at this website and email the governor and call his office.  they are tallying the phone calls there.

I am completely disgusted by the verdict that the judge brought down on this dog.  Read the story.  A group of illegal immigrants come to do some landscaping.  Against the owner's instructions to wait until he was outside, they entered the property when his wife drove up.  Dogs came running out and were then beaten on the head by one of the gardeners with a rake.  Another man grabbed the wife and fell to the ground with her and she screamed, at which point one of the dogs attacked him.  He was the only one bit, with non lifethreatenin g injuries.  The dog was deemed dangerous for attacking the man and was sentenced to death.

The illegal immigrant was rewarded $250,000 settlement, despite changing his story 3 times.  There were also some concerns about the bias created by the animal control officer on the scene.

http://petloverstips.com/ForTheLoveoftheDog/news-updates/congo-the-german-shepherd-may-die-tomorrow[/color]]http://petloverstips.com/ForTheLoveoftheDog/news-updates/congo-the-german-shepherd-may-die-tomorrow

I just cannot believe a dog cannot protect his owner on the owners own property, whether or not it is a real or perceived threat.  It is ridiculous to me how Congo could be deemed a dangerous dog.  This country is getting way too quick to judge before reading all the facts properly and with knowledge on the subject matter.

[pyr4me]

I emailed and called as well. How outrageous. Clearly the judge who handed down this verdict hasn't a clue about dogs and is acting out of a very reactionary position!

[Nicole]

Is there anywhere that has this story posted that ISN'T some type of animal rights group?

I'm just wondering, because when I google it, I only find it on animal welfare or animal rights sites. I haven't found it in any newspapers or anything.

I just like to get an objective view about something before I form an opinion.

[Nicole]

OK.

I found one.

Here, in case anyone else is interested.

http://www.nj.com/centraljersey/index.ssf/2007/11/judge_lets_congos_death_senten.html

IT doesn't mention the rake or attacking the wife.

And here is the original article on the same site:

http://www.nj.com/news/times/index.ssf?/base/news-3/1194584838113330.xml&coll=5

[Nicole]

OK.

After reading the articles that ARE NOT on animal rights or animal welfare sites, and with my limited exposure to this, I am going to have to say that I can't form an opinion, and I'm surprised that so many others have been able to.

Nobody was there besides the landscapers and the wife, and the dogs. Only THEY know what happened.

I just know that Cabeza wouldn't do that, and I wouldn't want him to. I'm sorry, but a dog that attacks to the point of mauling and does not stop when the owner calls them off is a little sketchy, in my opinion.

OH, and I just want to add that somehow, people seem to be really hung up on the fact that the guys attacked were illegal aliens. Does that somehow change things? Not to me. That part is irrelevent.

I'm sorry, I'm not trying to stir up controversy, but this whole thing irritates me. Could be the pregnant hormones, I guess.

There's just a LOT there that I think many of us (under different circumstances, and if the animal rights groups didn't tell us to SAVE CONGO!!!) would find objectionable. For example, why did this guy have a whole pack of dogs in his yard? Puppies and the like? Is he a BYB? Why wasn't Congo neutered? Why wasn't he trained to be called off when the owners called him off?

[MagicM3]

1st I don't believe that being an illegal or not has anything to do with this....

I hate the fact that dogs or the animal always pay the price for stupid people..

From the story I have read...If I had been thrown down or knocked down in a panic from a gardener and screamed in fright.the pack of three that I presently have would have all attacked him..Let alone the other stuff they were doing..

How quickly I would have been able to stop the attack,would have depended a lot on how long it took me to get up and away from the person who grabbed me...

I have had many herding guard dogs in my life...they are my favorites...in cluding a GSD...and knowing him...anyone that would have physically grabbed me and I went down would would not have walked away...period. ..

As far as my pack presently...pa ck behaviour  is to protect the pack and being recogized at the leader it would be a very ugly scene if it happened here....

We humans love our dogs and they love us back...and their barking is a warning to all that can hear it...not to cross the line we want them to bark and not only warn us but others...

I'm sorry if this is wrong but I think this dog did the correct thing..and unless he had a record of roaming and visious behaviour he should get a medal....but that's just MO

Tricia and the fur kids

[Nicole]

Well, when I read the story in the newspaper (not on the animal rights sites) the part about the landscaper knocking the wife down wasn't validated. That part remains her side of the story, and only published on animal rights sites.

The landscaper was told to wait by the husband, but was allowed to follow the wife in. The wife never told him to wait.

I'm not saying that I think that euthanizing the dog is the best thing, but um, what if it was one of their little boy's friends that came in, uninvited? Kids do that sort of thing, you know. I think that we're all blaming the landscaper because he's an easy target. An illegal alien. Undocumented worker. WHATEVER. (Sorry Stella, I'm totally offended by what you said.)

I don't think that we would all react with such vigor if the story was that the little boy's friend ran into the gate and was mauled by the dog. And that is where the judge had to decide to protect society. Not just compensate the undocumented illegal. He had to make sure that this wouldn't happen to anyone, because as far as he was concerned, that is a risk.

And if the story were about a kid, we probably wouldn't all be rushing to save the dog. We'd be calling that guy a BYB, we'd be bemoaning the fact that his dog was untrained, etc. We'd be saying that he should have had the dog neutered. I think that if you guys searched your hearts, you'd know that the fact that the victim was an undocumented Mexican adult plays a part.

[ZooCrew]

I think the only real facts that need to be looked at are 1) that the only person attacked was the man who grabbed the female owner, no one else was bit or injured.  And 2) that the gardener changed his story at least 3 times.

I also have some conerns about the animal control officer as since he wasn't there I don't know how he could be making some of the statement he has been making as well.  He said that the female owner never fell down but he couldn't know that as he wasn't there at the time of the attack.  That tells me (as well as some other comments he made) that he has taken the word of the gardener above the word of the owners.  They should both be taken into account w/o bias on either side.  It doesn't sound like he has done that.   Besides the fact that he "lost" a written statement from I believe the female owner. 

If this had been a child mauled then it would be a totally different story.  But then again I doubt a child would be grabbing onto one of the owners causing them to cry out.

[Nicole]

I think the only real facts that need to be looked at are 1) that the only person attacked was the man who grabbed the female owner, no one else was bit or injured.  And 2) that the gardener changed his story at least 3 times.

I also have some conerns about the animal control officer as since he wasn't there I don't know how he could be making some of the statement he has been making as well.  He said that the female owner never fell down but he couldn't know that as he wasn't there at the time of the attack.  That tells me (as well as some other comments he made) that he has taken the word of the gardener above the word of the owners.  They should both be taken into account w/o bias on either side.  It doesn't sound like he has done that.   Besides the fact that he "lost" a written statement from I believe the female owner. 

If this had been a child mauled then it would be a totally different story.  But then again I doubt a child would be grabbing onto one of the owners causing them to cry out.

Well, maybe this is where we all differ, but the grabbing of the female owner in my interpretation of the whole thing, hasn't been documented as a "fact".

[Commonsense]

The judge needs his head examined. What happened to commonsense? Maybe a good bite on his stupid head would wake him up. What a moron. That dog did his job. The dog should be rewarded not punished. Also, to the individuals I watched on the news that stated "if he bit someone then he is vicious". Those morons too need their heads examined. What is this world coming to? Maybe the next time I go to the bank and the teller says "have a nice day" and I don't, maybe I'll sue them.

[bigdogs@5501]

UPDATE---A Superior Court judge signed a consent order to free Congo the German shepherd Thursday afternoon, meaning that the Princeton Township dog, which was declared vicious and condemned to death by a lower court judge on Tuesday for biting and scratching a landscaper, is expected to be released to his owners' custody while his case continues to be appealed.

[Commonsense]

Funny how a higher court judge believed it was safe enough for Congo to go home. That in itself is grounds for an immediate release of the charges against him. That being said, the focus should be on the illegal landscaper. He should be forced to take afew hundred dollars of the $250,000.00 he received and buy a oneway ticket back to his homeland. Regardless of what others think if you are illegal YOU HAVE NO RIGHTS! I don't care if your innocent of any wrongdoing besides being illegal. When you come here "illegally" you take that chance and the burden of costs for anything medical etc. should not be thrown on the taxpayers to foot the bill. If your illegal YOU HAVE NO RIGHTS! Thats the gamble of being illegal. Plain and simple. Oh and to the judge who sentenced Congo to death, I hope Congo has the opportunity to meet you one day and use your leg as a fire hydrant. I really had to hold back on that one. 

[redbean]

This type of thing drives me mad. In Ireland this year they made a new law that the top 10 "dangerous dogs" cannot be kept in Dublin!!! This includes rotties, dob's, akita's, any type of mastiff or bully! Its a joke. I have a staffie and a bull terrier luckly I live 25 mins from da dublin border!! Its mental, theres no such thing as a bad dog, jst bad owners.

[Commonsense]

I know you must be referring to me. Well, I am not forgeting Congo but if the truth hurts TOO BAD. Thats the problem, no one likes the truth or are afraid to express themselves. I speak my mind and the only ones I offend are the bleeding hearts. Once again TOO BAD. God bless Congo. ooops! I said God. On the other hand Congo is the subject matter and is not forgotten. If he were you would not be reading this.

[Commonsense]

I have no agenda. Any normal human being would not only get upset over the Congo issue but at the whole senario, meaning the illegals getting what they do not deserve. Some can argue why did the home owner hire illegals. Regardless whether they're right or wrong Congo should not be put down for doing his job. I've had pedigree shepards all my life (5th one as of now)and know and would hope my dog would have responded the same way Congo did. It was normal, not vicious. As far as reflecting my personality on this forum, my intension is that I hope the ones involved read this (the judge)who clearly did not show any commonsense. Thats what society has lost, commonsense.