Wednesday, October 31, 2012

Heartbreak: How gentle Bleu died

To close out pit bull awareness month, here is the story of a gentle family pet who didn't deserve the cruel manner of his death. This sort of thing is particularly hard for me to write about, but hopefully we can learn a lesson from this specific death, just one of the many similar sad events occurring daily. This is the story of a sweet, docile Weimaraner named Bleu, who was attacked on his own property, torn apart by a pair of roaming pit bulls and left for dead.


The most frustrating thing about this attack was that these same pit bulls had attacked him previously, but Bleu's owners were at home at the time and were able to break up the attack. The pit bulls ran home, but Bleu's reprieve was only temporary. The pit bulls returned to kill him when was all alone.


This tragedy underscores for me an important rule to protect innocent victims from needless harm, a rule that blogger Dawn James has long has long emphasized: "Never, under any circumstances, let an attacking pit bull leave your property alive". 

Let that sink in.

If the pit bulls had been killed during their first unprovoked attack, they would never have been able to return and kill this sweet boy. Hindsight is always 20-20 in these cases, but if this can serve as a cautionary tale for pet owners in the future, then Bleu's death will not have been completely in vain.


Bleu's owner continues below - 


"My husband found our beautiful Weimaraner, Bleu, just to the right of this blood-stained wall, under a utility trailer. He said when he found him he said "Oh Bleu" and Bleu, still alive, started wagging his little tail. My husband, a tough as nails bastard, still cries when he talks about this."


"Bleu was savagely killed by two pit bulls who live through the woods from us. It was the second time they had attacked Bleu. My husband was able to stop the first attack and he was assured that the dogs would never be let off their chains again. But they were let loose again, and last Friday they killed him on our property. Unbelievably, our county has no law allowing officers to remove these dogs or to even interview the owners. 

The owners of the pit bulls are completely oblivious to our loss, and to the danger these dogs pose for our grandchildren who play - or used to play - in our yard.
                                           
The pit bull owners referred to the grisly torture of Bleu as a 'dog fight', and boasted about how their pit bulls had killed another dog - a sweet, docile dog who had no blood on his teeth, which indicated he never bit either of his attackers. 

After I told my story, the pit bull lobby has attacked, slandered and threatened me. They don't want me talking about that fact that two dogs that had been in my yard often over 2 years, eaten with Bleu, been petted by me and my grandson, tore Bleu apart and left him to die in a blood-sprayed puddle behind one of our barns."

15 comments:

  1. Bleu

    To a gentle dog whose name is Bleu,
    There's people who still mourn for you,
    And remember your cruel demise,
    And 'though our hearts break, and our eyes
    Are still prone to shed a tear.
    How we miss that you are no longer here.
    And we can stroke your silver being.
    Your senseless death has found new meaning,
    May those who love you, be brave and share it,
    So a safer place we'll all inherit,
    Better policy, we'll all pursue,
    Until we meet again, our Bleu.






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  2. As if yesterday, the pictures and story bring it all back, the sight, the smell, the life-draining from his eyes. We loved him, he would stand with his entire weight against my legs like Velcro, and in a blood-sprayed flurry of teeth and teamwork, his life was tortured out of him. Thank you for sharing my beautiful pet's death in an effort to let everyone know what is at stake when there are pitbulls anywhere near you. The pain is still so fresh that only a reminder brings it all screaming back....

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  3. I am so sorry to read Bleus story.

    I printed it up yesterday and gave it and other pit bull information to a woman I know who had her 5 month old Chihuahua killed in her yard on Monday with her 10 year old daughter watching.

    I was not sure how she would take the information I gave her, but she was astounded after I told her that this kind of animal has any place in the world as a "family pet".
    Sadly there was nothing I could to do convince her to call the authorities, even after asking her how she will feel when this dog kills another pet or attacks a person.

    I am terrified that in Los Angeles their "do good" new policy of only allowing pound and rescue puppies to be sold at pet stores will put even more of these monsters out there in suburbia. I fear that the unintended (but completely foreseeable) consequence of this will be more pets killed and people maimed or killed.

    Those of us who understand what these animals really are must continue to inform and educate the public. I find most people grasp the analogy of trying to love out a Collies instince to herd.

    My condolences to Dava and their family.

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  4. It's breaking my heart to follow this series, but I'm still thankful as all get-out to Jake for doing it. People need to know this. Their hearts need to be broken. Maybe then they will stop being so passive and take some action.

    Thank you 17Barks, and now I'm off to cry a bit in silence and privacy.

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  5. every day this scenario plays out. the pit nutters just don't think their deaths matter.

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  6. I forget where I read it but to paraphrase a quote...is it any wonder that a breed of dog created to kill other dogs would be a terror to other dogs and their owners?

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  7. Im a pit owner and this story breaks my heart for bleu. He didnt deserve this under any circumstances. I dont believe in BSL and I dont beleive banning one breed of dog. However I believe in stricter laws in the entire world against irresponsible dog owners and dogs that do this. These dogs were vicious and they should be put down as they are a threat to society. and the owners should be charged get jail time and never be allowed to own any dog again since he obviously dont know how to own a dog. Pit bulls arent for everyone. You have to be a responsible owner so while i dong agree in banning the breed I think it should be harder than hell to get one. You have to prove yourself a responsible owner to get one. This is just sickening. The way the owners of the attackers acted and the fact that the owners of Bleu had to find him like this.

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  8. @Sandra -

    I can certainly go along with your idea of holding owners responsible. But when you say "pit bulls aren't for everyone", aren't you admitting that they are not like labs or beagles?

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  9. @Jake Pretty much. Some dogs are more laid back and more acceptable to be lap dogs. I know what bigger dogs like pits, german shepards and rots can do so I take the necessary precautions with mine. I take care of my dog. She is in classes for socialization, she is going for her CGC. I have to walk her for over an hour a day for to exert her energy. They are high energy dogs and if not given a proper outlet tragic things like this happen. They still are dogs just like Labs and beagles but you have to chose a dog based on what you can give it and if you cant devote your time to them DONT GET A PIT! I know several people that own pits that feel the same way that not everyone should be allowed to own a pit. They arent just a dog you leave chained to a tree or cooped up in an apartment. There are plenty of owners of pits who are good owners who have pits their entire lives without incident so how can people say that its the breed when not every breed does these vicious acts??

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  10. The owner of the pit bulls is very, very lucky it was not me he had to deal with. I would have walked over to the property where these dogs lived & I would have killed both of them. If the owner had an issue with it, he could take it up with me after his dogs were no longer drawing breath.

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  11. very sickened to read this story and hear about the pit owners reaction to what their dogs had done. these incidents are happening every day somewhere and i think they are all just as sad and maddening . the death or injury of a pet is bad enuf but the way the owners and others minimize and deflect responsibility is like salt in the wound . if victims become hardened and biased against the breed and its followers then this is a result of what has happened and how the perpetrators mishandled their responsibilitys. so be it .

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  12. Such an incredibly touching story. Poor Bleu.. An horrific end for a beautiful creature who was a victim of ridiculous lack of legislation regards highly dangerous dogs. It's time society opened up it's eyes to the immense pain, fear, suffering, destruction, finnacial cost and not least the devastated broken hearts that Pit bulls allowed to roam cause. Bleu must have suffered unimaginably. Now at peace. Legislation needs to be implemented NOW !!

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  13. That picture of Bleau in death just tears my heart out. It's not fair.

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