Found online what a sad situation for all concerned http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/gloria-knowles-savaged-to-death-by-five-1409649

Saw this in the paper this morning, how dreadful :-(

Bit concerned that sky news was calling the Dogue de Bordeaux  Bordeaux bulldogs.. rather misleadingly to the general public.

Heard a discussion on my local radio station this morning asking if people should only be allowed one dog in view of this attack.

Heard a discussion on my local radio station this morning asking if people should only be allowed one dog in view of this attack.

How daft. Most of the people killed by dogs in recent years were killed by a single dog.

This is yet another tragic case where we will never know for sure what happened and whether it could have been prevented or not.

Awful situation feel so for the family.  As has been said we don't know the situation at all but only allowing people to have one dog would not solve it.

Awful comments by people underneath the article and cannot believe the DDB owner who said that they are not like Staffies who should all be muzzled :(

> As has been said we don't know the situation at all but only allowing people to have one dog would not solve it.<br />

Very sad situation. Yep, having only one dog would not avoid things like this, especially if the woman had the heart attack before the dogs attacked her. Nobody came to her screams, without the dogs she may have been found dead with no mauling, but dead all the same. It may well have been her heart attack that triggered the dogs to attack.

But who knows, the dogs may have been dodgy (behaviour wise) anyway, especially if things like the following are true;
"I just didn't think to do anything about it as I often hear noise from the grandchildren as they wind the dogs up I heard barking too, but again I thought nothing of it."

Whatever happened it is very sad indeed :(

Yeah i hurd about this today, poor lady and i feel so sorry for her family. Someone on another forum in on was saying about this as apperatly the know the family, He said all the dogs are going to be put down and that the two bulldogs types had blood on them but the others didnt. He was also saying that there were allways realy friendly and well looked after but one of the bulldogs was a handfull but he was still young and that they are all shocked that it happened.

Bordeaux bulldog is an old name the breed was referred to, found in breed books on history. Possibly a more emotive verb as dogue de bordeaux probably does not portray any visual images on what the breed may look like. Even though, most know now what they are, as they are the new jeremy kyle breed. Just a matter of time before the breed was demonised, but yet we will never know the truth. It doesnt shock or appall me the papers have jumped on this calling the breed, typical knee jerk reaction, to an unfortunate event.

He said all the dogs are going to be put down

That is a shame, especially when no-one knows what really happened, from the photo's they look like well looked after family dogs, they are such beautiful dogs, such a shame, who seem to have been around screaming children without incident, (most dogs nightmare situation) the grandmother apparently is well known to them and has often fed them whilst the daughter is out too without prior incident?

Dogs as we know can be unpredictable and pack behaviour can make our beloved softies soon show much quicker their predator side if something sets them off, but even so......

I do wonder if the screams on that day 'without doubt' did in fact come from that household is that even sure? As a child and adult scream is so different, I don't think I would misjudge who was screaming?

I'm more in the thought process of the heart attack happening, perhaps strange noises coming from the poor lady, or her falling over, (on the dogs,maybe making one bite?) maybe her body going into spasms and some of the dogs then doing what came instinctually (for some breeds and characters that instinct comes faster to them) when any animal is showing signs of illness, suffering or frightening them by strange behaviours, they will attack or fear bite.

The whole thing is terribly sad, I suppose the family are just trying to make sense of it all and doing the only thing they think they can at this time.......... cctv may well have told a different story which may have saved some or even all of the dogs. :-(

But, I guess without it the family will really never know and the sight of blood on some of the dogs and the poor mother would make most of our blood run cold, and view our dogs in a different way forever or for a time. They don't know if there is an unsound dog in the pack who may have attacked or if everything was all done afterwards by a couple of the dogs and purely instinctual never to again be repeated.

From what I've read it seems strange that they say 'heart attack' at all......... it does imply no savage puncture marks or critical wounds from the dogs at all.

Such a sad situation for all concerned and perhaps no-one is to blame........

RIP poor lady....................  Deepest condolences to the poor family.

terribly sad.
do wonder though if there were warning signs that becomming too 'pack' driven as it said this morning in paper that they had killed their own families cat a while earlier that had been a great pal to them sleeping with dogs etc.
keeping a group of dogs regardless of breed does require a fair bit  more then keeping one or two dogs.

> do wonder though if there were warning signs that becomming too 'pack' driven as it said this morning in paper that they had killed their own families cat a while earlier that had been a great pal to them sleeping with dogs etc.

That's not a warning sign of being too pack driven, it's a warning sign that not enough care was taken, IMO.

When a dog lives with a cat and gets along with that cat, it is highly unlikely the dog will do any harm to the cat when they are both laying down and relaxed, however, when the dog is excited and playfull things can go badly wrong - the dogs instincts can take over or the cat can get accidently hurt (huge size difference, strength difference & play stlye difference)
It was reported that one dog started to 'play' with the cat & chuck it in the air - (who in thier right mind would not intervene at that moment, even if they had missed the warning signs prior ???) Then, it was reported, that the other dogs joined in - that is general dog behaviour. My dog, that is not interested in toys in the slightest, would always join in with our last dog if he started chuching a toy around. The difference with this pack of dogs is the 'toy' turned out to be the family cat :(

When a dog lives with a cat and gets along with that cat, it is highly unlikely the dog will do any harm to the cat when they are both laying down and relaxed, however, when the dog is excited and playfull things can go badly wrong - the dogs instincts can take over or the cat can get accidently hurt (huge size difference, strength difference & play stlye difference)

Exactly. One of my Persians jumped out a window earlier this year -my fault for not considering the possibility she might squeeze through the top gap, and the cats are USED to going out via the living room window to their own enclosed dog free run. However this girl got out the wrong window and the 5 Malinois that were outside thought this was strange and new and fun ( a cat falling out through the top of the window) -so they started playing with her, as if she was a toy. My husband heard a noise, looked out the window and saw it. The dogs were treating her like a toy -and I think what saved the cat was the fact she just made herself all floppy and did not fight back OR try to run away. Hence she had some smaller injuries such as a lost tooth and a sore tongue plus some bruising on her body (and she was FILTHY), but she lived. Had five Malinois really wanted to kill, she'd have been long gone, but also, had we not quickly realised what was going on, she'd eventually have died from being used as a play thing. After all, TOYS don't last long!

> Had five Malinois really wanted to kill, she'd have been long gone

Oh definately! I rememeber last year, I had the misfortune of seeing a neighbours cat get killed by thier dogs, the poor cat was dead in seconds :(

Your poor cat must have had the fright of her life, bless her. It's a very good thing your husband heard the commotion. I'm so pleased for you that she was saved.

It is very sad- I don't think saying people should only own one dog is the answer.
I think when people get a dog they should be made to take classes so they no how to properly
deal with the breed of dog they have chosen. People should do the research on their breed they like instead
of trying to fit a certain breed into their lifestyle- makes more sense to get the breed that fits you. Only have the number
of pets you can afford as well as provide them with the stimulation/exercise they need.

I have had 6 dogs at one time- 2 big ones and 4 boston terriers and all is well- we are now down to the 2 boston's and
now our big pup Moose- who will be an only pup so we can afford to keep feeding the way we are and spoil they way we want.

Maybe the dogs  just didn't have the stimulation they needed to keep them both physical and mentally challenged.

Either way this family has suffered a great loss and I do feel for them- to no your own animals mauled your own mother
how terrifying and sad :-(

I definately think something needs to change in this country regarding dog ownership.  Definately.
Dog ownership is a priviledge not a right and should be treated this way.
Maybe some sort of system whereby the first 2 dogs are free to own but after that, you need to pay x amount per extra dog?
And I definately think certain types need to be banned from urban populations.  Totally asking for trouble with that statement, I know, but it is just my opinion.
I don't understand the need for these massive, tough breeds which no-one has any chance of stopping should they chose to turn.  And I know the majority of owners of massive breeds on here are good owners but joe public getting these breeds is just asking for trouble.  And it's not just massive dogs either, the amount of times I have been harassed by staffie types while out with both my kids and dogs, is unbelievable.
I'm not trying to get into a breed arguement but I think dogs and owners should need to pass some sort of temperment tests and obedience test to keep a dog.  It should not be a right.

And this is coming from a dog lover....imagine how the MP's who DON'T like dogs feel.

This is an tragic but isolated incident.  So isolated in fact, it deserves mention in the national news.  How many humans have been harmed by badly disciplined and ill tempered humans compared to dogs?  However I do agree with the need to have a more responsible attitude to dog ownership and there does seem to be an obsession with having power dogs nowadays.  I have nothing against particular breeds but some of the owners of these breeds have a serious attitude problem such as the amount of staffie owners I see with their dogs off lead or allowing them to run riot around our local dog walking area.   Both of my two have been attacked by staffies and are terrified of them.  RIP to the poor ladyxx

> And I definately think certain types need to be banned from urban populations.

How would that change anything??????
This poor woman was attacked when she was feeding her daughters dogs, in the place the dogs lived.

The woman that got killed 2 yrs ago by a mastiff type dog, got attacked inside the dogs home.

Most dog attacks happen in private property in general, not 'urban areas'.

>    And I definately think certain types need to be banned from urban populations.

Really!? How does that make any sense? Its not the breed its the one on the other end of the leash.
It all comes down to the breeders, the owners ect. You breed for a dog to be mean, owners train for a dog to be mean you'll end up with a bomb.
You breed for a dog to have good temperament, you socialize your dog to be good natured you should end up with a well adjusted canine friend.

Its not the breed- my brother adopted a 6 month old pit from the humane society and she is the sweetest lil thing you could no- she is now about
8-9 years old.

It also comes down to keeping the dog stimulated as well- with out thinking and exercises- a bored dog is a destructive dog.

What I mean is, the neighbour who heard her screams had said even if he had known she was being attacked by the dogs, there would have been little he could have done as he's not superman(his words). 
If you take away the status dogs, you take away the status dog issue is all I mean.
Maybe larger breeds can be owned if proven to be a responsible owner? 
I'm sorry, I'm maybe biased by the area I live.  I have met so many 'status' dogs and their owners and been harassed that even me, as a dog lover, can see something needs to change.  I don't remember being afraid of any type of dog in years gone by, but I am now.

> What I mean is, the neighbour who heard her screams had said even if he had known she was being attacked by the dogs, there would have been little he could have done as he's not superman(his words).

He could have called the police and an ambulance. 2 different neighbours said they heard screaming & dogs barking at 5:15pm, an ambulance was called at at 6:12pm, the woman died of shock from blood loss. It seems as if she had been on her own for nearly an hour, If somebody had got help for her, she may still be here.

No, I am not suggesting it's the neigbours fault, it's the dogs that killed the poor woman, but I find the whole thing strange.

I have 2 close neighbours with dogs, 1 has 2 westies, they are always yakking at something so I never go to see why they are making a noise. Another neighbour has an Akita, it's VERY unusual for him to bark so if I ever hear him, I'll go & check it out.
If I heard either of my neighbours dogs barking at the same time as I heard screaming, I'd check it out for sure - unless it was common to hear screaming & barking from that garden. If it was common to hear screaming & barking from that garden, it suggests the dogs were often wound up into a frenzy, which is not a very good thing.

Yes, you are right.  I did say I am getting really biased about larger(or muscle breeds as we call them here) breeds in the wrong hands.  Suppose I should really think about situations before typing.  I have been there too.  I had a pack of 8 akitas at one point.  It's just, i can see how easily and quickly things can go wrong IN THE WRONG HANDS.  But, that shouldn't be to the detriment of the decent owners, like you.  I apologise.  But you know it's us that's going to suffer when the laws change, right?
You are right about it all being strange.  But then, my old akita boy did 'damage' twice too before I made the tough decision to PTS before he REALLY harmed someone.  I gave him the benefit of the doubt once but the second time, I just couldn't justify his aggression.  How many owners would take that tough step? Seems this family didn't.
PS Back then, my dogs wouldn't have liked a 'gate' with people coming into there garden even if she was coming to feed them either! Can see how that was an accident waiting to happen.

>  I apologise

Ahh, thank you, but there is no need to apologise. :) I haven't taken offence atall, I'm just trying to make sense of things.

There has to be a way to avoid these tragedies, I'm just trying to figure out, in my head, what the real problem is.

It isn't the breeds, there are all different breeds that have been resonsible for horrific maulings, ranging from wesites to the power-breeds (a labrador PUPPY has even been responsible for mauling a baby to death in the US). There are far too many pathetic, idiot, status dog owners that think having an unruly, powerfull dog is fab, but plenty of dogs from owners not like this have caused problems.

Looking through some dog attacks that have media coverage over the last 10+ years, there isn't a consistent corelation of damage cause by breed, eg. some people have been attacked by a bullmastiff or akita and recieved much less damage than from an attack by a collie or westie. I know that the bigger the dog, the more potential it has for causing damage, but that isn't how things seem to pan out.

The general theme seems more of a lack of understanding about dog behaviour in general, dogs being mistreated or misunderstood. I really don't know what the answer is, but I can't see how any breed specific thing is going to help the bigger picture. I think it's more a case of dog owners need to be more clued up on dog behaviour. Perhaps a compulsory test on basic canine behaviour?????

> I made the tough decision to PTS before he REALLY harmed someone

That is the sort of owner every dog needs. That incredibly tough decision you made, I'm so sorry you had to do that but good on you for being so responsible, it must have been horrible having to make that decision. You used your head, sadly not enough people do anymore :(