An80 year old Alameda, CA woman died this week after being bitten by a dog.
The woman, Dolly Newell, was out walking here Rottweiler and was approached by one of the neighborhood dogs. She fed the dog a biscuit. In its apparent excitement to grab the biscuit, the dog nipped the woman on the finger. However, when the wound would not quit bleeding, she went to the hospital, and got one stitch to sew up the wound. However, being a dog-lover herself, she lied to the doctor -- and initially her friend who drove her to the hospital -- that she hurt herself gardening. She didn't want to say the dog bit her because she didn't want to get the dog in trouble.
A couple days later, the woman was found in serious condition on her bathroom floor when she got a bacterial infection in the wound - -and later died at the hospital.
It's a tragic tail. And all I can think is, has our societal zero-tolerance policy on dog bites gone too far and caused us to lose all common sense?
Nothing in the article would lead me to believe that the dog that bit her was a dangerous dog. It was being a dog -- maybe not a completely well-behaved dog, but certainly not aggressive - and was a bit over-zealous in getting the biscuit. However, in our ultra-sensitive society, I can see a situation where that dog would be put down or at least put on restrictions for the small bite. Instead of using common sense that this dog clearly wasn't a huge danger to society, in many areas with "zero tolerance" policies this dog could likely be put down. That's not common sense, it's paranoia.
I understand why this woman - a dog owner and lover herself - -wouldn't want to get the dog in trouble. Especially if it were one of a few often targeted breeds of dog, a simple act of over-zealousness would mean death.
And in her effort to protect the dog, is now, sadly, dead.
I can't help but think that a little common sense would go a long way in helping with dog-bite issues.
Meanwhile, covering this story wouldn't be complete without a media irresponsibility component. While all but one media outlet reported the story as I noted above, leave it to the NBC affiliate in the bay area to, well, make up their own version of the story. Check this headline:
"Woman Dies After Rottweiler Bite, Small wound wouldn't stop bleeding".
They reported the actual story correctly, but the headline blames her dog for the bite and makes it sound as if she bled to death instead of from an infection. Disgraceful.
My heart goes out to Dolly's friends and family.
I agree with you completely in this situation. Sad story that in trying to protect the non-vicious dog the woman didn't protect herself.
Posted by: C Ann Goering | March 28, 2009 at 05:05 PM
That is really ridiculously sad. And such a comment on the fear we have in this society over dog bites. They are animals! Sometimes teeth break skin.
That poor woman. What a shame.
Posted by: Katie | March 28, 2009 at 07:02 PM
Oh that is just so sad. That poor woman was protecting a dog she had just met and it ended up costing her life.
That story is a good reminder for us to be safe, but it also shows how ridiculous our laws have gotten.
Posted by: Lindsay | March 31, 2009 at 02:55 PM