New registry tracks dangerous dogs

My concerned would be potential hate crimes by animal haters. To what degree of harm did these animals that are listed do. All dogs bite. But the circumstances that the animals are in that cause the bite should be questioned. In Bears case could he of been provoked? The animals can't talk to testify on their behalf. The registry is a good idea for potential circumstances but are all the dogs listed truly at fault by their actions and could it of been a one time incident. For example Bear who is 10 years old and apparently has no other record of biting. Is it really fair to give his owners an ultimatum with a first time bite of an costly expense or death of the dog?

Well lord, Bear looks like a teddy bear...lol! Hopefully this registry will do some good, and true mean, bad dogs will go on it. I have a feeling that it's just gonna be a waste though, if Bear is any indication of the "type" of dogs that will be on the list. I think one ankle bite is kind of a waste for the list. I think the regisrty should be for seriously aggressive dogs, ones that earn the title, not one that bit an ankle once.

What a complete waste of resources. What about a neighbor's cute little puff ball that constantly nips and snarls? What about all the cats roaming untended through the neighborhoods? A cat on our street bit several neighbors over the years and everyone always said it was the humans' fault. Either drop this ridiculous smear site or set standards to include every offending animal properly.

Good idea? Yes, but when does it get updated to include the pitbulls that mauled my Newfie and bit my son? Animal control was given pictures of the dogs on my property.The Hampton Police were called and the one that bit my son was removed for several hours, but returned to the owner on demand. People walking in Buckroe need to know that these dogs are dangerous to them and their animals.When will the list be updated to include this threat?

Will the liberal political correctness ever stop? If a dog is so dangerous that it needs to be tracked - kill it!

This is your tax dollars at work.

Watching the news last night as Bear made is tv debut...I would have that if he was so "dangerous" that he would have shown some sort of action towards the strangers with the mic and camera at his front door. He sat there with his tongue hanging out, no barking or aggressive behavior.

And did you see the picture with the antlers and the cute kid? They went to a photo studio? Couldn't have been as "dangerous" as they are saying.

I think it's a great idea for the dogs that have actually mauled something or someone but not for a 1 time bite.

People do NOT have the right to own dangerous dogs. Where are background checks and required training? What places are off-limits for dogs capable of killing full grown men? Can you take your pit bull Xerses onto elementary school property?

The reason I bring this up is because I see more danger in owning a living, breathing, thinking, self-directed, animal capable of killing a human and less danger in owning a firearm.

We Americans DO have the RIGHT to keep and bear arms. Firearms are inanimate objects yet we treat them like the have minds with a desire to kill. On the other hand dogs with the capacity to kill full grown men are bought, sold, housed, walked, etc. with little of no regulation.

One of the very reasons I carry a firearm is to protect against criminals or attacking dogs.

Guns save lives!!!

Bear is not dangerous. I think this list is rediculous and is another example of "big government" taking over. Go Ron Paul 2008. If a dog has done bodily harm to someone, put it down. Don't put it on a list! It is absurd that the list includes phone numbers of the families with these dogs. I feel sorry for families, such as the Cobbs who have had to put up with all this drama over their "viscious" dog.

Is Mike Vick registered yet?

along with the cute photographs and video footage of bear maybe the news channel should have included a picture of my leg. i was the innocent woman on the bicycle last august and when bear bit me he was not a gentle cat. and just for everyone who reads these comments i in no way provoked this dog. believe me i did not want to get bitten. had this been a child i can guarentee this would have been looked at differently. luckily it was an adult and the injury was not life threatening but it did scar me and it made me want to protect my neighbors and their children.

victime of bear wrote:

along with the cute photographs and video footage of bear maybe the news channel should have included a picture of my leg. i was the innocent woman on the bicycle last august and when bear bit me he was not a gentle cat. and just for everyone who reads these comments i in no way provoked this dog. believe me i did not want to get bitten. had this been a child i can guarentee this would have been looked at differently. luckily it was an adult and the injury was not life threatening but it did scar me and it made me want to protect my neighbors and their children.

Whatcha got to say to that Bear's Neighbor?******cricket's chirping******

The story that I heard when I talked to the Cobb's was there were actually two dogs that ran out to the lady on the bike. If she was watching where she was going, how does she know which dog bit her. I have personally met Bear and I have to say he is a very gentle dog. I know I am usually a little nervous around large dogs, but Bear didn't scare me at all.

An animal is an animal.No matter how nice they may be,any animal will bite under the right/wrong circumstances.The biker rider was not at fault,and the dog was being what he is, a dog that reacts to fear or the excitement of the chase.The OWNER was at fault,but should not be dog (black)listed for an apparent one time incident

This is silly in the extreme. If I check this site and if it is current then I'll know that there is a dog in my neighborhood that might bite me. All animals can and do on occassion inflict pain and harm therefore let's register them all and we can track them along with all of the other chores of daily living.

I can't see how this registry is going to help anything. If anything it will raise the paranoia about dogs in general. Especially larger breeds because nobody wants to admit that the little dog next door can do any harm.(Little ones are usually the worst) Dogs are instinct driven just like any other animal. Having rescued many dogs in my time I have worked with many breeds. And have been charged at and bitten by quite a few. Some my silly fault some not. I think that the first thing that should really be addressed is the circumstance and the training and treatment of the dog in question. The worst bite that I have received was from a Labrador and was not provoked in any way. I have never however been bitten by a Pit Bull and I have rescued MANY of this poor misunderstood breed. And all went to homes with small children and have been valuable gentle and extremely loved members of the family. I have two myself and I am more worried about the shitsu next door than my pet bulls. And yes I do mean pet. Sorry for the long Post and I am sure I am going to be ripped apart for it. So in closing....Wake up and blame the deed not the breed. All dogs are capable of biting. Need we remember where they came from?

We shared our home with a Lab Newfie mix, a rescue dog that came to use with a broken snout, cracked ribs and so malnourished that we alomost lost him in the first month. He grew from a skinny, abused puppy into a beautiful 129 pound Newfie that loved life and people. He was brutally attacked by 2 pit bulls in our front yard, just feet from the front door, and almost bled to death. The last 2 years of his life he never fully recovered from the attack. Shortly after my dog's death in March, the pits were loose again, looking for blood and attacked my son who was returning from the store, again, just feet from our door. The owner finally cooperated with Animal Control on the last day of the quarrantine period and my son was spared the pain of having to endure rabies treatment.These dogs have attacked several dogs in our neighborhood, several people, including an elderly woman who walks daily. She was brought to the hospital for stitches in her hand and treated for bruises. These dogs are not on the DANGEROUS DOG REGISTRY! We have several pits in the neighborhood that are loving, friendly and well trained. The real danger is not knowing which dog is running towards you and your animal. One will lick you to death and romp playfully with your dog. The other will rip your dog's throat and then turn its attention to you. Since both are reddish brown, same size and no distinguishing markings, a simple walk to the store can turn from pleasant exercize to a nightmare in the blink of an eye. The owners need to be fined and the dogs need to display a tag that identifies them as dangerous. It's a moot issue when you are watching your dog being ripped apart, or are staring down at your bleeding leg in the grip of a pit's jaw.

are there no leash laws there either?

RIP Bear...We miss you!

There are leash laws in Hampton. If you are attacked, or your animal is attacked, you are told to "contain" the animal until the authorities arrive. If they don't see the animal on your property, they won't do anything. The city finally made the owners of the dangerous dogs put up a real fence around their yard and issued a warning that the dogs will be removed if another incident is reported. Big deal. No warnings. No registry entry. Same snarling, barking dogs pushing at the fence, digging under the gate and escaping. Same song and dance...catch and contain them until the authorities come. Leash laws don't work if no one follows or enforces them.