Mom shoots dog attacking daughter

[paramedic70002]

(WATCH THE VIDEO)

Mom Shoots Dog Attacking Her 6-Year-Old Daughter - cbs2.com

Mom Shoots Dog Attacking Her 6-Year-Old Daughter
LAKE FOREST, Calif. (AP) ―

[Click to zoom.] Click to enlarge
1 of 1
Jennifer Cooper grabbed a handgun and shot a boxer in the chest after it attacked her 6-year-old daughter.

CBS

Close

numSlides of totalImages
A Lake Forest woman wounded a neighborhood dog with a pistol after it repeatedly bit her 6-year-old daughter on her face and body.

Orange County sheriff's spokesman Jim Amormino says the girl was playing with her younger sister in the family's driveway on Wednesday when the dog attacked.

Jennifer Cooper, who was on the porch, took one shot at the brown-and-white boxer with a Glock pistol after it chased after her as she hustled her children indoors. The girl's 14-year-old brother punched the dog and Cooper tried to kick it before going for the gun.

The girl was treated at the scene by paramedics.

The dog was taken to a veterinarian for its wounds.

The dog does not have an ID tag and authorities are trying to identify its owner.

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[Eagleks]

I'm a dog lover ... I'll say that up front. I like dogs more than most people.

Small girls, high pitched voices / screams, dog attacks. Dog shouldn't have been there, and shouldn't have attacked, Mom did good getting the kids in the clear.

Girl did not look that harmed. Was it really attacking, or playing aggressively ? No way for us to tell.... girl seemed fine and in the video I could NOT see wounds.... and if treated and left by paramedics, there could not have been serious wounds. If it's a Boxer, it could have done major damage in that time. But, I wasn't there and they didn't describe the wounds any better.

I don't know, I'm very mixed about the shooting part. Mom went inside with the kids, so they were now safe, then grabs gun and goes back out... dog is "just standing there" (as they describe it) and she shoots it. I think a call to 911 and keeping an eye on the dog might have been better action..... I think Mom was just ticked and wanted to get the dog at that point.

I guess I'm thinking shooting when it's no longer an immediate threat in a neighborhood with houses and people close...... hummmm..... stray bullets can do bad things. I understand Mom's anger that the dog just attacked her kids, and if it was acting agressively towards anyone at that point... I probably would have shot it. But, it wasn't.

If there were other kids out there and it was acting aggressively as though it may attack them, fire away.

[cdwolf]

No large bulldog breed attacked that girl..hey may have nudged and trampled a little but it was playing..
If that would have been my boxer we would have some real problems..
Bad shoot in my book..

[TVille]

Bottom line is that an unrestrained dog came into a private yard and started "attacking" children with a deadly weapon (his teeth). Whether or not he actually bit the kids is no more relevant than an armed attacker actually cutting you with a knife before you determine he is deadly. That makes it legitimate in my book, based on the information presented.

Its not clear, but appears that the kids were safe when she shot the dog, so that might be an issue for her in California. Here in Alabama that would not be an issue. If the dog is threatening me, on my property, it will be in trouble.

[ppkheat]

With the frequency of dog attacks on children and others, I'd say that people are on edge with a strange dog around, especially if children are exposed and/or in contact with the dog. Some minor nipping/playing by the dog, could just as easily escalate into aggressive play and beyond.

It is possible the mother may have overreacted, granted her daughter was "bitten". Don't underestimate a parent's intent to protect their children.

I'd say the mother chose to "shoot now, and ask questions later". Who knows, she may have prevented a future death?

I like dogs, cats, and pets myself and feel sorry for their death or suffering.

[MSteve]

I agree that the dog probably didn't need to be shot, and a call to animal control would have been more appropriate, but at the same time, I read at least once a week about some kid who has been killed or severely maimed by a dog.
If people can't keep control of their pets, and it ends up on someone else's property where it can be perceived as a threat...I think whatever happens is their own fault. In that situation, I feel bad for the dog, not the owner.

[friesepferd]

lol. for some reason i read the thread title as "mom shoots dog-attacking daughter".
now that would have been interesting

[CowboyColby]

I can understand where the mother is coming from. I have dogs and love dogs but there are a lot of not bad dogs mind you but bad owners that don't have or can't control their pets. I have two cow dogs and I have informed my neighbors if they are on there property once call me, if they are on their property twice shoot them and I'll come get them. If they chase animals once shoot them. You can train your animals about where they can and can't go. Yes I know its easier for me because mine have to go a couple miles to get to a neighbor. I have found dogs chasing my cattle a time or two and they do not live to get another chance. Its kind of a unwritten rule out here. If the girl was in danger and the dog was aggresive I think the mother did the right thing. If it was playing and the girl just fell down or something maybe call animal control the first time. Not a second time.

[shooterX]

My daughter was attacked by a dog at a friend's house when she was 3 (now 8), bit her face around the mouth, my gun was in my car, and if it hadn't been a friend, the dog would have been dead.

[hayzor]

No large bulldog breed attacked that girl..hey may have nudged and trampled a little but it was playing..
If that would have been my boxer we would have some real problems..Bad shoot in my book..

Yes, real problems.
Dog off your property, off leash, no ID = irresponsible owner. Too bad the dog pays the price for a bad owner.
I can't fault the mother - Fault is with the dog owner.

[retsupt99]

No large bulldog breed attacked that girl..hey may have nudged and trampled a little but it was playing..
If that would have been my boxer we would have some real problems..
Bad shoot in my book..

Huh?

I guess you missed this part... "...after it repeatedly bit her 6-year-old daughter on her face and body."

Big problem in my book, and I would have made sure it never attacked another child...ever!

I AM a dog lover.

[SatCong]

Huh?

I guess you missed this part... "...after it repeatedly bit her 6-year-old daughter on her face and body."

Big problem in my book, and I would have made sure it never attacked another child...ever!

I AM a dog lover.

I'am with you. Yes, I love dogs, in fact I train my German Shepherds in Schutzhund like LEOs dogs.I blame the dog owner for not keeping his dog under control. It's true, you have to be smarter then the dog, before you can train it.

[mr.stuart]

No large bulldog breed attacked that girl..hey may have nudged and trampled a little but it was playing..
If that would have been my boxer we would have some real problems..
Bad shoot in my book..

I understand,since we have a boxer. They look tough and love rough play,but I have never known of one attacking a person,unless they are trained security dogs. As others have mentioned,sounds like the owner is the problem. My dog is either in the fenced yard,in the house,or on a leash walking with me. If the girl was treated at the scene,was she really bitten? Boxers can be so goofy it appears they are attacking when it is just play. Hope the girl and the dog will be okay.

[zacii]

If it had been my kids, the dog would've been shot immediately. I don't have to run inside to retrieve my weapon.

Around here, we've got a feral dog problem, not to mention coyotes. If people care about their pets, they'll keep them at home.

A large dog rough-housing with a small child could end up bad for the child. Not a chance I'm going to take.

[cdwolf]

Did you watch the video!!! The father was holding her and not a single scratch could be seen! She wasn't crying or even holding a band-aid!!!
If it's a problem in the neighborhood leo should have been informed..she came back outside to shoot the dog!
Anyone with half a brain and one good eye could see a bulldog did not bite her in the face!!
Make no mistake, I've seen mine shatter a 3" bone with one bite and he constantly has a whole soccer ball in his mouth.So the capability is there(we all see the news).
It don't matter if your a dog or human we are all products of our upbringing.
Don't get me wrong, I'm far,far from PETA and have put a bullet in quite a few animals but to shoot someone's pet in your neighborhood is different .
My boxer is 90+lbs and 9 years old, a big baby, he stays inside 90% of the time. If my wife let him out back, and a kid from the neighborhood opened my fence and let him out, and he playfully run and knocked the neighbors kid down, if he ends up shot.. I would have problems!!

It chased after her as she hustled indoors..she's must be real quick if that monster didn't get her