A follow up to our Pixie's death....

I agree tottaly with you. I am more angry today than anything. As you say neither of our pets had any defence against a big dog. Thanks for your input.

But why didn't your pets have a defense against the dog? If they were outside, they should have. Do you have other, natural predators in the area? Out here, your pets would have been eaten by coyotes. Now a dog shouldn't be getting out of it's owners yard, but if it happened once, you should have secured your cages.

We do not have any natural predators in this area. My budgie(Reggie) would either be out of his cage on my shoulder if I was home or safely in his cage on our first story back verandah having some sunshine and fresh air.. He has done this for about 14 months and we have never had a problem before!! Pixie was a house rabbit and only 4months old. She only went outside to have a run if we were with her. The time that this dog took her, we went away for two nights. She was in a secure cage/pen with a enclosed area in it and the cage was right up under the concrete back steps against a brick wall out of all weather and she had hay to burrow into and fresh water etc. I would never in my wildest dreams imagine that this could happen in our area as we have never had stray dogs wandering. We have kangaroos next door so it is a very safe area!!! I know rabbits and birds are defenseless creatures and I am feeling guilty about it too, but we honestly thought she would be safe and the laundrey area she usually sleeps in would be a bit hot during the day while the house was closed up etc etc. I could go on for ages about our reasons for putting her there but it still does not excuse the fact that someone else did not look after their pet and allowed it to come onto my property and murder my two babies!!!

You know Ken, I am a little afraid for my kids especially the 5yo in case he is in the yard when it comes in and lunges at him. We have gates but it obviously didn't stop it. I am ringing the council dog catcher again tomorrow and asking them to keep doing rounds in this area until it is caught. At the very least it's owners should know what it has done to poor innocent creatures that wouldn't have hurt a fly.

Please read my respinse to pigglies above. I meant that this dog was unpredictable as all dogs are and if my young son was in the way of it's perceived food, then he may get caught in the 'crossfire' so to speak. I have rung the council animal control again today as the dog has again been on my verandah overnight and ripped apart a bag of garbage, even though the gates to our yard are shut.

I really doubt that a child would be in any danger from this dog. They like cats would see a bird as food period. And for a larger dog like that,it would see a rabbit as food just as much. The few people I know that have rabbits don't have large dogs partly because they don't get along with rabbits and will attack them simply because it is in their nature. Just as cats, will attack a bird or a rodent, from the cats point of view a mouse is a mouse regardless as to if it's a wild outside mouse or a pet in the house.

Thankyou. I think I have since found the dog in question and will be following up with the council on Monday...

My husband is out walking the neighbourhood at the moment with the kids. We have never seen this dog before this week but it obviously thinks it has found an easy feeding spot..

How awful for you. I would never hurt the animal in question as I do love animals. I am more angry that someone else has not been responsible enough to house their animal in their own yard. I have rung the animal control again this morning and they are investigating further. I just want the owners to know what has happened and keep their dog enclosed in its own yard.

We don't have any pets left now and the house feels so empty....

oce again.. I am soo sorry. I have always had animals around me all my life. I know how hard it must be.

This is so sad, and not fair at all.

Thanks for caring Margie...

I have since seen this dog in our street again and have again rung the council but they said they would ring me if they picked it up and I haven't heard from them yet. The worst part is thinking that the poor little things were terrified and they had no defense against a big dog. A bunny can't even scratch out at a dog.

We are definately feeling guilty about this happening to our pets, yes. But what I was saying about the child is that the dog could be unpredictable and snap at my child if he was in the road of its perceived food. My son often sits and talks with our budgie on the back verandah. No matter what our mistake, the owners of this dog should be held accountable for their mistake also in letting their dog roam the street. The council has been let know again about the situation and I hope they let the owners know that it is not being confined to its yard as is the law in our State..

Ah, I see what you're saying. I thought you meant that it was related, like because the dog got the pets, they'd snap at your child. Yeah, you don't know this dog so it is unpredictable and would be as likely as the next stray dog to snap.

Why would the dog have a predator instinct towards a child? Rabbits and birds are considered food to a dog, it's much less likely that the child would be considered. You're blowing your mistake out of proportion if you ask me. Yes, the dog should not be out running loose and maybe it needs new owners. But when you start labelling a dog viscious, you might endanger that dog's life. And it wasn't the dog's fault that it's crappy owners let it get loose and that your outdoor pets weren't protected.

Thanks twoey. We are still abit sad about it all, especially since I have seen the dog involved still running around our street. I have called animal control but unless they see the dog while it is out of the yard they can't do anything. We now have two more bunnies and they are inside bunnies now!

Thats good...at least they are safe. Have a good day!! AT PEACE WITHIN

I hope so too. I just want the dog's owners to be aware that it is running loose and doing these things. I wouldn't want it put down by the council, just kept in it's own yard.

I don't really care about compensation but I thnk the owners should be made aware and catch the dog before it hurts a small child also, as it appears quite vicious

I think she knows this, and it isn't nice of you to tell her that you hope she learned from this. This is not the time to do it. She is grieving.

Thanks Margie. I suppose we expose ourselves a little too much on here sometimes.

Thanks for your harsh but sound advice.