elenamarie Posted July 16, 2011 Report Share Posted July 16, 2011 The neighbors have a puppy--breed unknown--that has been spending a lot of time on my side of the property line the past couple of months. It was irritating but not unexpected around here. Mitch (hubby) was out mowing this evening and the puppy would NOT leave the fenced section of the yard. Mitch tried to chase him out, etc but nothing worked, so he reached down to pick the pup up and get it out of the gate, and the pup bit the crap out of him. Mitch has one deep puncture wound and a couple of lesser wounds. I talked to the owners a little while ago. One says the pup was vaccinated for rabies but he didn't get any tags or papers from the vet. Yeah, right! The other says she doesn't know the vaccination status. So tomorrow morning Mitch is going to our doctor and the doctor is required by law to report it to our local health agency. The health agency is either going to quarantine the dog and wait to see if the pup comes up symptomatic, or euthanize the pup and test its brain tissue. I don't want to see the pup euthanized but if that's what it takes, so be it. Either way, the neighbors are gonna be totally hacked off at us but I'm sorry, I'd rather their pup die than my husband. Why, oh why do people not vaccinate their dogs and then allow the dogs to run in a rural area known to have a lot of rabid wild animals????? :mad: Anyone know the general criteria used to decide between quarantine and euthanasia? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kirbysowner Posted July 16, 2011 Report Share Posted July 16, 2011 I dont know but would imagine it would have to be on whether your husband's life is in eminent danger, and results are needed ASAP. Also, if the owners cannot provide proof of vac. and your husband experiences the symptoms, then the puppy will be put down. I dont see the point of guaranteeing the pup, as your husband only has a few days to get vacs against rabies, and beyond those few days, the diseases will no longer be killed by the meds. sorry to hear this happened. hopefully, everything will be fine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sutsibe Posted July 16, 2011 Report Share Posted July 16, 2011 South Carolina's law on the subject... http://www.scstatehouse.gov/code/t47c005.htm SECTION 47-5-100. Quarantine, examination and destruction of biting or attacking dog, cat, or ferret. The county health department shall serve notice upon the owner of a dog, cat, or ferret which has attacked or bitten a person to quarantine the animal at the expense of the owner upon his premises or at an animal shelter or other place designated in the notice for at least ten days after the animal has attacked or bitten a person. The licensed veterinarian, the rabies control officer, or his assistants must be permitted by the owner of the pet or other animal which has attacked or bitten a person to examine the animal at any time, and daily if desired, within the ten-day period of quarantine to determine if the animal shows symptoms of rabies. No person may obstruct or interfere with the rabies control officer or his assistants in making the examination. The removal of the head of an animal suspected of having rabies must be performed by a licensed veterinarian, but the county health department may provide for the removal of the head if there is no veterinarian practicing within the county where the suspected animal is located or if no veterinarian located within the county will remove the head. The department shall serve notice upon the owner of an animal other than a dog, cat, or ferret when the department has knowledge that the animal has attacked or bitten a person. The notice must instruct the owner to have the animal immediately euthanized and have the brain submitted for rabies examination or to have the animal quarantined under conditions specified by the department. The owner shall comply immediately with the instructions in the notice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sutsibe Posted July 16, 2011 Report Share Posted July 16, 2011 Sorry! I meant to also say I hope that your husband's hand heals well and quickly! (Had a really short night last night, due to studies!) Please keep us informed how he does and what happens to the pup... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Removed #5 Posted July 16, 2011 Report Share Posted July 16, 2011 South Carolina's law on the subject... http://www.scstatehouse.gov/code/t47c005.htm SECTION 47-5-100. << extract snipped >> See I'm not the only one who doesn't mind looking up pertinent law. Actually SC's law is lenient in that they let the owner do the quarantine ( I seriously doubt that in practice ). Since it's the neighbors dog, it doesn't matter much what they (county) do, it's gonna get sticky unless the neighbors are super-reasonable. Just went looking to see what the current procedure for the human is and find that the CDC http://www.cdc.gov/rabies/ has some, to me, new and very interesting information. One of the major surprises is that they consider a bite to be urgent but not critical. Another is that the dread regimen of 14 <??> shots in the abdomen is way out of date. Best of luck in coming to a good resolution to this - all the way round. //al Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elenamarie Posted July 16, 2011 Author Report Share Posted July 16, 2011 Sorry! I meant to also say I hope that your husband's hand heals well and quickly! (Had a really short night last night, due to studies!) Please keep us informed how he does and what happens to the pup... Will do, and thanks. Unfortuately the bite was in his forearm, the underside got the worst of it, and he says it's quite sore. I heard a single pistol shot a little while ago. I don't know what that was about but I'm wondering. . .. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elenamarie Posted July 16, 2011 Author Report Share Posted July 16, 2011 See I'm not the only one who doesn't mind looking up pertinent law. Actually SC's law is lenient in that they let the owner do the quarantine ( I seriously doubt that in practice ). Since it's the neighbors dog, it doesn't matter much what they (county) do, it's gonna get sticky unless the neighbors are super-reasonable. Just went looking to see what the current procedure for the human is and find that the CDC http://www.cdc.gov/rabies/ has some, to me, new and very interesting information. One of the major surprises is that they consider a bite to be urgent but not critical. Another is that the dread regimen of 14 <??> shots in the abdomen is way out of date. Best of luck in coming to a good resolution to this - all the way round. //al I saw the same thing regarding urgent versus critical, which is why we decided to wait until the morning and see our regular doc. I also saw that they use 4 injections in the deltoid rather than the abdomen for those patients with normal immune systems. Mitch was VERY happy that abdominal shots aren't in his future. The poor man is really concerned about this treatment process. If the guy shot the pup a little while ago and is attempting to get rid of it in hopes of avoiding the fine and state involvement, Mitch will almost certainly have to go through the treatment. Ugh. Just makes me ill. Thanks for the well wishes! Oh, and I seriously doubt the state people will let them do on-site quarantine since they can't keep the pup anywhere on their property except inside the house. If the pup was kept indoors or in a kennel we wouldn't have this problem to start with. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sutsibe Posted July 16, 2011 Report Share Posted July 16, 2011 Will do, and thanks. Unfortuately the bite was in his forearm, the underside got the worst of it, and he says it's quite sore. I heard a single pistol shot a little while ago. I don't know what that was about but I'm wondering. . .. Uh - oh - probably not good for the puppy... @Al Jones - here in Iowa the owner can quarantine, as well as I recall - but I would kind of guess it would largely depend on the situation - if it was thought that the owner might not be terribly cooperative... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elenamarie Posted July 16, 2011 Author Report Share Posted July 16, 2011 Uh - oh - probably not good for the puppy... If that shot was what I think it was, I suspect the guy was trying to avoid the fines and such that will happen once the state gets involved. If he did shoot that pup I'm going to be super-PO'ed. The pup may not have been infected and if not, could've had a long and happy life, and Mitch will almost certainly have to go through the rabies treatment since there won't be a dog for the vets to examine. UGH! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elenamarie Posted July 16, 2011 Author Report Share Posted July 16, 2011 I dont know but would imagine it would have to be on whether your husband's life is in eminent danger, and results are needed ASAP. Also, if the owners cannot provide proof of vac. and your husband experiences the symptoms, then the puppy will be put down. I dont see the point of guaranteeing the pup, as your husband only has a few days to get vacs against rabies, and beyond those few days, the diseases will no longer be killed by the meds. sorry to hear this happened. hopefully, everything will be fine. I don't know how long he can wait to begin treatment, I guess we'll find out at the doc's tomorrow. Keep us in your prayers or good wishes (whichever works), we can use them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sutsibe Posted July 16, 2011 Report Share Posted July 16, 2011 @elenamarie - I don't blame you for being p.o.ed one little bit - on any/all of those accounts! Edit - will keep the both of you in my prayers! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elenamarie Posted July 16, 2011 Author Report Share Posted July 16, 2011 @elenamarie - I don't blame you for being p.o.ed one little bit - on any/all of those accounts! @sutsibe Y'know, some days I despair of the human race. . ..Thanks for understanding and for the prayers. Both are very much appreciated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sutsibe Posted July 16, 2011 Report Share Posted July 16, 2011 @sutsibe Y'know, some days I despair of the human race. . ..Thanks for understanding. I sometimes feel the same... I live in a rural area that in some ways is probably fairly similar. Animals are too often disposable - if it gets hit by a car, you get another! Gets sick? Forget the vet - cheaper to get one from the pound or someone's ad in the paper! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elenamarie Posted July 16, 2011 Author Report Share Posted July 16, 2011 I sometimes feel the same... I live in a rural area that in some ways is probably fairly similar. Animals are too often disposable - if it gets hit by a car, you get another! Gets sick? Forget the vet - cheaper to get one from the pound or someone's ad in the paper! Oh yeah, very similar. We are considered weirdos in our area--we keep Sarah indoors, she doesn't run the neighborhood, and I'd NEVER let her go without vaccinations, heartworm meds, etc. Go figure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laine Posted July 16, 2011 Report Share Posted July 16, 2011 I honestly don't know what to say. I hope your husband is okay but I also hope the so called "owners" of this pup are hit hard, especially if they killed the poor thing. That just... yeah, I'll be super POed with you if that's okay? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elenamarie Posted July 16, 2011 Author Report Share Posted July 16, 2011 I honestly don't know what to say. I hope your husband is okay but I also hope the so called "owners" of this pup are hit hard, especially if they killed the poor thing. That just... yeah, I'll be super POed with you if that's okay? Feel free to join in! It's dark out and I don't know for sure that they shot the pup, it's pure suspicion at this point. But I rarely hear a single pistol shot at night so it stands to reason. . ..I'll know tomorrow for sure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sutsibe Posted July 16, 2011 Report Share Posted July 16, 2011 Oh yeah, very similar. We are considered weirdos in our area--we keep Sarah indoors, she doesn't run the neighborhood, and I'd NEVER let her go without vaccinations, heartworm meds, etc. Go figure. My vet's clients are either ones that go all out for their beloved pets, or you see them when the poor dog has so many fleas on it that it can't stop scratching (probably the humans, too!), and it's going bald from the bites and itching - or it was hit by a car or something. And those are the ones that don't just dispose of the critter themselves... Feel free to join in! It's dark out and I don't know for sure that they shot the pup, it's pure suspicion at this point. But I rarely hear a single pistol shot at night so it stands to reason. . ..I'll know tomorrow for sure. Puppy? What puppy!? We don't have no puppy - haven't had one for ages, now! :mad: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marley & Lumikkis Mummy Posted July 16, 2011 Report Share Posted July 16, 2011 I hope your hubby is ok Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kkendra Posted July 16, 2011 Report Share Posted July 16, 2011 Hope everything turns out well for you and your hubby! x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liz Jones Posted July 16, 2011 Report Share Posted July 16, 2011 Hope everything is ok.. keep us informed on how things are going. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lebe03 Posted July 16, 2011 Report Share Posted July 16, 2011 I hope your hubby recovers quickly and that your neighbours face the full weight of the law for this incident. Are there any laws governing the killing of an animal even your own in the US? I ask this because here in the UK you would be prosecuted for killing any animal unless you have the required authorisation to do so Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RoseWillow&Dexter Posted July 16, 2011 Report Share Posted July 16, 2011 OMG! We don;t have rabies here so reading this story has been an eye opener. I didn't realise how strict the laws were. I hope your husband is okay. Keep us posted Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shadow-Kodah-Drako Posted July 16, 2011 Report Share Posted July 16, 2011 OMG i hope your hubby recovers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sqwidge Posted July 16, 2011 Report Share Posted July 16, 2011 Hope your hubby recovers x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Storm Angel n Auroras Mum Posted July 16, 2011 Report Share Posted July 16, 2011 I hope your hubby is ok and I hope the pup is alive too. x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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