Dog vs. Infant. Who has more rights to the home?

On Saturday afternoon, May 5, 2018, in Sherman Oaks, California, a pit bull mauled and killed a 3-month old infant girl.  According to the Associated Press, the baby’s grandmother was babysitting the infant.  She stepped away to get a bottle for the baby when the pit bull mauled the infant.  Animal Control removed a Rottweiler, a Labrador and a terrier from the home.  They have not yet determined whether one or more of the dogs mauled the infant.  The baby died at the hospital.

Dogsbite.org reports that in the 13-year period of 2005 through 2017, canines killed 433 Americans. Pit bulls contributed to 66% (284) of these deaths.  Combined, pit bulls and rottweilers contributed to 76% of the total recorded deaths. 

Pets are a staple in many homes.  Question someone about their dog, and they are offended as if you told them that you were taking their guns away.  Dog owners will tell you that their dog is a part of the family.  At some point, sensibilities about the danger of a dog, especially a large breed dog, should enter the mind of dog owners when an infant is around.  I believe, if the dog out weighs the child, then that animal should not be left alone with that child and in some cases, the dog should not be in the family home at all. 

Children are killed by the family dog more often than you think.  In January 2018, Rylee Marie Dodge, 3, was killed by her family's new pit bull in Duncan, Oklahoma.  Rylee’s dad, Jason, got the dog from a friend.  The friend was taking the dog to the pound, but Jason wanted to save the dog, so he took the dog home.  Five days later, the pit bull killed his daughter. 

A 4-year old boy in Converse, TX was killed by a pit bull-mix in March 2018.  The animal was chained to a fence in the backyard of the home.  The young boy entered into the “death radius” of the dog where he was attacked.  According to Animal Control, one of the relatives of the child actually looked out into the backyard and saw that the dog had his mouth around the little boy's neck and was shaking him.  The dog is said to be a potential mixture of American bulldog, pit bull or mastiff.  A deadly dog vs. a 4-year old child.  Where is the logic?  Why was it possible for the child to get that close to a known dangerous animal?

April 2018, Lee County, Virginia, a newborn baby girl (8 days old) was fatally attacked by a pet wolf hybrid.  W-O-L-F D-O-G  The dog, housed in the home, gained entry into a room and mauled the infant as it lay in a bassinet.  The child’s mother was in the kitchen preparing lunch when she heard the baby’s cry.  This incident is being called “a horrific accident.”  A horrific accident is a car pile-up caused by bad weather condition.  A child killed by a family pet is an egregious malpractice by the child’s parents.

There will be no criminal charges for either of these parents!  Now isn’t that special!!

How can either of these incidents be considered an accident?  Why are people allowed to have potentially dangerous dogs in a home where a child resides?  Because you have a right to do something doesn’t mean that you should.  Common sense should let you know that a child’s death from a preventable incident cannot and should not be tolerated.

Dog lovers will argue to earth’s end that dogs are the most loving and protective animals.  Perhaps they are.  But leaving them with defenseless children is not OK!  Whenever someone tells me that their dog does not bite, the first thing I ask, “did you remove all of its teeth.”  If the answer is “no”, then don’t think of bringing that dog anywhere near me or my children.

People must do better to protect their children.  Children should not be considered disposable things.  It takes nine months, in most cases, to bring a child into this world.  They are defenseless and requires adult protection 24/7.  If you believe your rights and your dogs rights supersedes your child(ren)’s rights, then you have no right to become a parent.  I know that’s a harsh statement.  You can buy a dog, however, it is not legal to buy a human being.  That’s what dog lovers do not understand.  Yes, unpreventable accidents certainly do happen.  But when your decisions cause the death of your child, that is somewhat unforgiveable.

It is unconscionable that the parents who lost their infant children above had to bury their child because of a preventable mistake. 

So many children lose their life almost before it begins because of rights.  Where are the Pro-life activist who are hell bent against abortions?  They fight for legal protection of human embryos and fetuses.  Shouldn’t they also advocate for legal protection of living human life?  What makes an embryo more important than a living being?  Once a person is forced to give birth to a child (well, maybe not forced) that they cannot care for, they are left to do as they wish, including getting that child killed or kill the child themselves, with no training on how to be a parent. 

With the gun laws and the dog laws and the “I am an adult and I have my rights” laws, infants should be granted rights and laws as well.  It may not be a bad idea to have an advocate for children living in the home where there are guns and dogs. 

We cannot continue to be OK with the death of small children because of adult’s senseless need for everything that has nothing to do with a child’s well-being. 

©2018 Radiance Smith (aka Radiance Lite)