hero jack russell
I'm sure everyone has heard about little George, the Jack Russell who "rescued" five children from attack by a pair of pit bulls. Along with everyone else, I am pleased that the children were unharmed and saddened that feisty, brave George lost his life.
I've just wondered all week, though, if any other Jack Russell owners have been thinking what I've been thinking; that is, that the saving of the kids was just a fortunate accident.
George the Jack Russell was out and about unsupervised. Sensible Jack owners will think "oh noooooooo!" He was foolishly left off leash, the pit bulls were big dogs, and likely a bit belligerent. I have no doubt George perceived their intended aggression toward the kids, but here's what George was thinking: "Oh no you did not just come into my territory. Who do you think you are? Pit bulls? Whatever. You mangy ass punks are going down."
And so the fight and the happy byproduct of saving some kids and the sad end result of a fearsome, immense, stout-hearted, ferocious grizzly all wrapped up in a teensy little Jack Russell suit taking on two pit bulls, having the fight of his life, kicking pit bull ass all the way to the end.
I am smiling as I think of feisty Jack Russells everywhere. No other dog like them, these fearless, intelligent little terriers. I've told the story of George to my own small Jack, Bill, and our half Jack, Betty. Brave George and his purple heart will become a legend to aspire to for JRTs everywhere.
As small terriers will forever after, Bill and Betty reenact George's brave fight.
I've just wondered all week, though, if any other Jack Russell owners have been thinking what I've been thinking; that is, that the saving of the kids was just a fortunate accident.
George the Jack Russell was out and about unsupervised. Sensible Jack owners will think "oh noooooooo!" He was foolishly left off leash, the pit bulls were big dogs, and likely a bit belligerent. I have no doubt George perceived their intended aggression toward the kids, but here's what George was thinking: "Oh no you did not just come into my territory. Who do you think you are? Pit bulls? Whatever. You mangy ass punks are going down."
And so the fight and the happy byproduct of saving some kids and the sad end result of a fearsome, immense, stout-hearted, ferocious grizzly all wrapped up in a teensy little Jack Russell suit taking on two pit bulls, having the fight of his life, kicking pit bull ass all the way to the end.
I am smiling as I think of feisty Jack Russells everywhere. No other dog like them, these fearless, intelligent little terriers. I've told the story of George to my own small Jack, Bill, and our half Jack, Betty. Brave George and his purple heart will become a legend to aspire to for JRTs everywhere.
As small terriers will forever after, Bill and Betty reenact George's brave fight.
posted by BigAssBelle at 8:22 PM
10 Comments:
I read the George story, too. I was very sad for George. Bless his little doggy heard. but, why were all those dogs loose, especially the pits?
Did you get the big statue, yet?
Yup even in little New Zealand some idiots still want to have seriously ugly (imho!) and potentially dangerous, dogs. It's a problem a number of local councils are struggling with. One law that was recently passed requires owners of some breeds of dogs to have them micro chipped and all NEW dog registrations have to be chipped so that they can be identified. The problem is that a lot of these dogs, and there have been several incidents after George's where young children and some adults have been bitten, aren't registered.Our local council by-laws require all dogs are registered by the owner but some irresponsible people
don't. The most horrifying incident recently was an elderly women who was bitten and died from the shock!
Given that here in NZ we can learn from experiences in other parts of the world and be a bit pre-emptive, why didn't we just ban these savage dogs completely? Some thing about 'freedom of choice' apparently!
BJ.
One other thing it is important to know..in every case where a dog has bitten someone it is 'put down' (usually by shooting it!)
Oh the savagery!
BJ.
No, I did NOT hear that story until you mentioned it. Thanks for starting my day with doggy death! Sheesh.
Not taking away from George's nobility, you are right. ANY dog, big or small, should be properly cared for and not allowed to roam free.
Along those lines, while pit bulls have been unfortunately engineered by humans to be physically more dangerous than other dogs when they attack you, and perhaps slightly more predisposed to attack, it is the way people raise them that makes them frightful. These poor creatures are inbred and purposefully trained to be killers just so some humans can feel macho. Sometimes I wish that instead of putting biting dogs down, we could implant them with a trigger that causes them to go find the people who made them that way and attack maul them.
Harrumph.
Lynette, I hadn't heard this story either, and as a former Jack Russell owner myself (I lost my Sadie at 15 2 years ago) I thought the same thing you did. Jack Russells must have no idea of their outward appearance otherwise they would never pick fights with pit bulls. It doesn't matter how big or bad-ass the other dog was, don't cross a Jack!
Sniff! I had not heard this story either (computer has been down a few days) and it is just so sweet! I am posting a link to it so my 3 readers can see it too! Sweet little Jack Russells!
I'd heard the story, and was immediately willing to believe that George's motives were entirely heroic -- and yet, you have a point. George might have spoiled for a fight with those big ol' pit bulls anyway.
I have to confess a certain amount of bias against pit bulls. After my cousin's pit bull of twelve years snapped and attacked him one day (went right for the neck -- scary!!) ... I just don't trust 'em. Perhaps it's unfair, but hey -- I called it a bias. And yet, it's a bias that's not going anywhere for the time being.
What a sad story for poor George. Dogs have heart and courage, are protective and loving, and yet we still say we are anthropomorphizing when we attribute these characteristics to them. I hope George had a good life, and am grateful he helped defend those children. I, too, have a bias against pit bulls. Can't help it. They are too aggressive and unpredictable. Just wish mankind hadn't gone and fucked them up (like everything else we touch) with selective breeding.
Jack's are great little dogs. As for Pit Bulls, I'm inclined to agree with DaNator. There are a lot of people out there that shouldn't be allowed to have dogs (or kids) If they really want to preserve the breed they need to do what has been done with other temperamental breeds and start breeding for disposition. English Bulls almost met the same fate for the same reason and then they started breeding them for disposition and you now have one the gentlest dogs on the planet. If they could do it over 100 years ago, the could do it now. Though it could be like Cocker Spaniels, which were among the worst biters when I was a kid and they managed a sweet dog with all the brains of a rock.
Hi Belle,
I'm the mum of the five children and George was our neighbour's dog. I've given a thorough account of the attack, and details relating to George on my website http://herodog.bravehost.com/ It's hard to account for the thousand's of differing opinion's people have relating to this story, as people base their opinion's on facts they have read. A few NZ news headlines that so happen to attract worldwide attention, doesn't present enough facts - wouldn't you agree? My website adresses the facts. It's not about every Jack Russell or every Pitbull, or every five children, it's only about this story. Feel free to read it yourself.
Kind regards
Erica Veale
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