# Woman dies of heart attack



## JoMichelle (Jan 20, 2012)

This was in todays news in the UK. What are your thoughts? 

Brave mum-of-five killed by pet Alsatian | The Sun |News


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## Scarlettsmom (Jul 12, 2011)

Pretty horrifying. She'd only had the dog six months. There are so many variables that could have led to this attack. It's a horrible thing for her children to have witnessed.


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## Warrior09 (May 8, 2011)

Lord gawd that is a tragic story. To be honest idk what to say about this other than im shocked and saddened for the children and family.


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## LARHAGE (Jul 24, 2006)

I love how they use a photo of a Schutzhund dog to show the mad aggressive German Shepherd, theres just not enough information to even have an opinion.


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## JoMichelle (Jan 20, 2012)

The comments people have posted on that story are blaming the owner for keeping such a big, active dog in a small apartment. I don't know, no one can know. It's tragic, but I HATE how the media present any dog after incidents like these. There will be a frenzy now - of the media printing dog attacks, not just recent ones but they will dig out anything they can on GSD's, you watch. I'll post them here if they do!


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## Gwenhwyfair (Jul 27, 2010)

Yup and pic of a child mauled in a separate incident.

A sad sad story, very tragic... no matter how it happened.

BTW doesn't the U.K. already have some pretty tough laws regarding 'aggressive' breeds?




LARHAGE said:


> I love how they use a photo of a Schutzhund dog to show the mad aggressive German Shepherd, theres just not enough information to even have an opinion.


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## Stella's Mom (Mar 8, 2011)

How horrible. I echo the other's sentiments on this post. There is no way of knowing what was going on with the dog. If the dog had been abused prior to her owning him and genetically how the dog was wired. How incredibly sad. How frightful for the children. Everyone involved in this sad story is scarred for life.


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## Jessiewessie99 (Mar 6, 2009)

The whole story is sad. But just by they way they wrote in some ways was over the top and exaggerated, such as " the Alsatian was chewing her face." Sorry I have a hard time believing that.

And this person's comment is just too stupid.: "As I've said before! Kill the entire breed and the problem won't happen again!"


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## JoMichelle (Jan 20, 2012)

Yeah we have The Dangerous Dogs Act. Pitbulls, Japanese Tosa, Dogo Argentino and Fila Brasileiro are all banned. There are multiple petitions trying to ban rottweilers.

German Shepherds in the UK are seen as loyal, family pets and are respected. The current situation in the UK is 1) People are breeding Staffordshire bull terriors like crazy, and training them for protection or fighting. 2) People are taking dogs from the hands of people advertising there pet free to a loving home and using them as bate for training the fighting dogs.

Something seriously needs to be done. I know it's complicated but I'm all for some kind of licensing to own dogs. Maybe far-fetched, but the amount of cruelty I see daily, and pets being passed around constantly because circumstances change or people realise they've made a mistake is really getting to me. It's literally all I can think about lately! I'd hate german shepherds to become the next "Chav" fighting dog


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## Emoore (Oct 9, 2002)

It's horrible and sad, but what gets lost in the shuffle is that angry boyfriends and husbands kill thousands of times more women than GSDs do. In front of their children, even. Then they kill the children. Nobody's proposing to ban men. (nor should they) 

People do love to build entire movements around one or two sensational events, ignoring things that are equally horrible but much more common.


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## Rua (Jan 2, 2012)

The Sun isn't exactly the most reputable form of news out there. They tend to sensationalize everything more than your average paper. Any newspaper who's main feature is the page 3 topless girl is not exactly my idea of a straight-to-the-facts newspaper. I would put it on a par with the Weekly World News in the US - only with more boobs.

While I don't doubt that this poor mum faced an awful demise, there aren't enough facts in this story to know exactly what brought on this attack. And you certainly aren't going to get straight facts from The Sun.


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## RocketDog (Sep 25, 2011)

As usual, Emoore, well-said.


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## Mrs.K (Jul 14, 2009)

They said she tried to calm the dog by stroking it. 

Why was he in a frenzy and why would she stroke him when he's already IN a "frenzy?"


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## x0emiroxy0x (Nov 29, 2010)

The apartment sized has nothing to do with the dog attacking her..........I lived in a 400sq foot apartment with Rocky and he got more exercise than a GSD living in a 2000 sq foot home with a backyard.

Backyards are excuses for people too lazy to walk the dog. I walk mine twice a day for 45 minutes minimum, walk/jog repeatedly until he is exhausted.

It makes me mad when rescues and people giving away dogs say "backyard required". That is ridiculous. It should be "Don't get this dog unless you are in shape enough to walk it A LOT or run with it, or take it swimming"


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## Germanshepherdlova (Apr 16, 2011)

Stories like this scare me. May this poor lady rest in peace. Wonder who will take care of her kids now? Poor babies!


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## TaZoR (Jan 26, 2012)

The fact that they are assuming the cause of death was a heart attack leads me to believe the wounds didnt appear fatal. Howecer, in any case my heart goes out to the family. It is indeed a tragedy..


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## selzer (May 7, 2005)

Wow. Some unanswered questions to be sure. And the people who responded to this incident are downright scary. 

The neighbor was somehow able to come in and get the dog off of her and perform CPR. I would say the neighbor was pretty brave. The dog was chewing her face. I think if the dog was attacking and someone was coming into your home, the dog would have redirected his aggression on the neighbor. Kind of strange. 

She had five little kids in an apartment, and gets a 2.5 year old GSD. I wonder why. I wonder if she had the dog for some type of security issue, like an aggressive X. I wonder if the dog was being encouraged to be aggressive for some reason. Of course that is reading into it. 

It is not good for GSDs and their owners. If any of it was misreported, we will never know.


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## Mrs.K (Jul 14, 2009)

We should all know by now that you can't trust the Sun. 



Local News and Sport in Nuneaton | 'Dog' death talk untrue


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## hattifattener (Oct 7, 2011)

Mrs.K said:


> We should all know by now that you can't trust the Sun.
> 
> 
> 
> Local News and Sport in Nuneaton | 'Dog' death talk untrue


^^^

and "kids" are 21,25,26,28,30 years old...

and they "looked on screaming in horror." 

"the children managed to escape and knock on a neighbour's door for help."

i don't trust that newspaper...


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## mssandslinger (Sep 21, 2010)

hattifattener said:


> ^^^
> 
> and "kids" are 21,25,26,28,30 years old...
> 
> ...


Its a very very sad story but those done sound like "children" im 24 and if my mom was being attacked and i had 4 others my age the dog would be restrained in no time, but still very sad it happened that way


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## Gwenhwyfair (Jul 27, 2010)

Read Mrs K's link above.

The story (as suspected) linked in the OP appears to be a complete and utter hogwash.




mssandslinger said:


> Its a very very sad story but those done sound like "children" im 24 and if my mom was being attacked and i had 4 others my age the dog would be restrained in no time, but still very sad it happened that way


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## CelticGlory (Jan 19, 2006)

That is so sad! Whoever told the lie about the GSD should be ashamed!


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## Mrs.K (Jul 14, 2009)

hattifattener said:


> ^^^
> 
> and "kids" are 21,25,26,28,30 years old...
> 
> ...



Surely, they are "Kids". :help:

As sad as this incident is... shows you how far the media goes to create fear, hysteria and a frenzy against dogs. :crazy:


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## Gwenhwyfair (Jul 27, 2010)

If it's not dogs it's coyotes, or a chupacabra!

The news was talking about some wild coyotes terrorizing a neighborhood not too far from here.

The trapper went out and captured them. A black and white coyote that looks like a border collie mix? 

It was a couple of semi-feral dogs that killed a cat.

I called a friend whose husband has a degree in wildlife management and they said they saw the story and fell over laughing. 

What wasn't so funny was when the news station was advised that these were stray dogs they refused to correct or retract the story. Less sensational to say a stray dog killed a cat.


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## robinhuerta (Apr 21, 2007)

Sensationalism sells! Frenzy sells! FEAR sells!
Fact is not as interesting as fiction...unless it contains the bizarre, outrageous and horrific.

With all the real killings, abuse and horrific actions associated with real everyday life and occurrences....one would think that the "news" could find more than enough "truth" to report.
Such sadness when any child or children lose a parent(s).....no need to sensationalize it.


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## Courtney (Feb 12, 2010)

Can someone please copy & paste the article? I can't open links right now


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## Wolfgeist (Dec 4, 2010)

I heard this was a false story, and wasn't actually the GSD. Not sure of the details, though.


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## hattifattener (Oct 7, 2011)

i can't open it either.


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## GregK (Sep 4, 2006)

JoMichelle said:


> Yeah we have The Dangerous Dogs Act. Pitbulls, Japanese Tosa, Dogo Argentino and Fila Brasileiro are all banned. There are multiple petitions trying to ban rottweilers.


:thumbsdown::thumbsdown::thumbsdown:


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## Anthony8858 (Sep 18, 2011)

If it's from the Sun, I'm not sold on their version. The Sun, IMO crosses paths between fact and fiction, and goes from there.

I don't believe it's the way it happened.

They also reported an Elvis sighting a few times.


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## GSDkid (Apr 19, 2011)

Article disappeared. Also, if it was as bad as you guys make it sound, I'm sure google would have found another article of it which it didn't.


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## Courtney (Feb 12, 2010)

GSDkid said:


> Article disappeared. Also, if it was as bad as you guys make it sound, I'm sure google would have found another article of it which it didn't.


Yeah, I couldn't open the link (my computer block) but could not find anything in a google search either. SO hopefully this vile story did not happen.


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## GregK (Sep 4, 2006)

So it was a sham? That's lame!!


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## Mrs.K (Jul 14, 2009)

More damage done to the breed and for what? I hate the news media!!!  :angryfire:


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## Jessiewessie99 (Mar 6, 2009)

And people wonder why I don't trust the new very much.


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## nasus858 (Oct 11, 2010)

BBC News - Warwickshire family pet dog's bites did not kill owner
Here is what really happened


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## Mrs.K (Jul 14, 2009)

Wow, the GSD wasn't even involved at all...


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## Jax08 (Feb 13, 2009)

Can someone explain why they killed the 5 month old puppy?


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## GregK (Sep 4, 2006)

Jax08 said:


> Can someone explain why they killed the 5 month old puppy?


 
I'd like to know too!!! WTH!!!!!!!!??? :angryfire:


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## Jax08 (Feb 13, 2009)

It says the puppy bit the woman. How badly was she bit? And was the puppy playing or trying to wake her up....

I think that would be a really bad position to be in to have to make a decision like that.


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## JoMichelle (Jan 20, 2012)

Oh my goodness, a completely different story! I don't believe anything I read in the tabloids. Unfortunately a lot of people do, though 

The article I linked yesterday won't work today, as the news it updated. It is still there though under a new headline. The Sun | The Best for News, Sport, Showbiz, Celebrities | The Sun.


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## Mrs.K (Jul 14, 2009)

Wow, just wow... got to hate "news papers" like that. It doesn't even deserve the word news paper.


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## idahospud49 (Jan 28, 2011)

Wow. So the article originally posted stated that the 3 year old GSD, not elderly, attacked and mauled a YOUNG MUM while her YOUNG children watched and then went screaming, terrified to neighbors for help. The neighbors came to try and help, but mom was already dead and bloody almost beyond recognition when they got there and dog was chewing on the woman's face. Good heavens that is a really really extreme way of twisting the truth!


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## Mrs.K (Jul 14, 2009)

idahospud49 said:


> Wow. So the article originally posted stated that the 3 year old GSD, not elderly, attacked and mauled a YOUNG MUM while her YOUNG children watched and then went screaming, terrified to neighbors for help. The neighbors came to try and help, but mom was already dead and bloody almost beyond recognition when they got there and dog was chewing on the woman's face. Good heavens that is a really really extreme way of twisting the truth!


Twisting? It's a flat out lie.... can't call that twisting anymore.


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## mtmarabianz (Jan 7, 2010)

Didn't read original article, Subject Line Said It ALL!!

Do you really think a GSD is gonna kill a Lady? or Owner?
Or Really ANYONE, for that Matter??
In Front of Kids?

Gotta Bridge For Sale 

GSD are Smarter Than That 
Maim, But Not KILL


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## selzer (May 7, 2005)

The puppy bit her after she died, probably trying to wake her up. And they put the puppy down. A five month old puppy. How disgusting. But who knows, they may have put the pup down before they knew the bites were post-mortem. And with all the hysteria about bully breeds...

And when a 49 year old woman dies, the family was probably in shock, and made a rash decision. 

Tragic. 

If we found Mom dead with bite marks on her face, well, I don't know if Cujo would live out the day.


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## Courtney (Feb 12, 2010)

selzer said:


> The puppy bit her after she died, probably trying to wake her up. And they put the puppy down. A five month old puppy. How disgusting. But who knows, they may have put the pup down before they knew the bites were post-mortem. And with all the hysteria about bully breeds...
> 
> And when a 49 year old woman dies, the family was probably in shock, and made a rash decision.
> 
> ...


 
My dear grandpa passed away 12 yrs ago alone in his house with the exception of his 8 month old mixed breed dog (my parents have her to this day). He had alot of scratches on his body and we know it was from her pawing at him after he was gone. When I walked in the house she was curled up next to him...it was so sad


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## Rua (Jan 2, 2012)

I hate The Sun. It's a useless tabloid. And a waste of time.


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## Syaoransbear (Sep 25, 2008)

The media is terrible. Why can't they understand that little screw ups and false reporting can do so much damage?


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## hattifattener (Oct 7, 2011)

Syaoransbear said:


> The media is terrible. Why can't they understand that little screw ups and false reporting can do so much damage?


i think they understand it very well.
they can get tons of public attention by demonizing dogs.
especially some breeds like fighting dogs and infamous "nazi dogs".

basic reaction.
"OMG there are monsters living among us !!!"

sick...


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## studio1one (Dec 13, 2011)

So here's the new story



> A DOG which attacked its owner after she suffered a fatal heart attack has been destroyed, cops said yesterday.
> The five-month-old bullmastiff cross belonged to Cassandra Smith, 49, who was found dead in her flat.
> "A juvenile dog has been destroyed following consultation with the family. An elderly German shepherd in another room was not involved in the incident


Not only was she not killed by a GSD, she wasn't killed by a dog at all and the dog that was involved was a mastiff.

Shocking reporting from a total rag of a paper.


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## justde (Oct 4, 2000)

The other thing joe public doesn't get is how to interact with dogs. In the news also is about an Argentine Dogo in Colorado that bit a news broadcaster in the face. The picture shows her almost kissy face petting the dog. The story was about the dog being rescued out of icy water, so already coping with a stressful event, then on TV. Owner should have been a more responsible handler as well!
Sue


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## Courtney (Feb 12, 2010)

justde said:


> The other thing joe public doesn't get is how to interact with dogs. In the news also is about an Argentine Dogo in Colorado that bit a news broadcaster in the face. The picture shows her almost kissy face petting the dog. The story was about the dog being rescued out of icy water, so already coping with a stressful event, then on TV. Owner should have been a more responsible handler as well!
> Sue


You don't think that story got past us?
http://www.germanshepherds.com/forum/current-dog-affairs/176397-news-anchor-got-bitten-face-air.html


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## Cheerful1 (Sep 27, 2011)

Everything I've read about the news broadcaster getting bit by the dog, lambasted the broadcaster for getting too close to an already stressed dog. What was this woman thinking??

I was playing with Joey the other night, and got too close to his face. He didn't do anything to me but I thought later on, was I stupid for doing something like that?


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## Gwenhwyfair (Jul 27, 2010)

Ya know....all countries have their 'National Enquirer' type papers.

I was following the Rupert Murdoch mess in the U.K.

It appears the U.K. has it's fair share of problems with unethical press......

No one is perfect and we can only vet links/stories to a point...but if the story is being run in a known scandal rag why even post it at all?

It only serves to bring more traffic to the site of the Sun (in this case) and promulgates falsehoods across the net.

I do* not* intend this to make the OP feel badly, but suggest that we, as consumers can choose to NOT support this type of 'reporting'......


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## msvette2u (Mar 20, 2006)

Cheerful1 said:


> Everything I've read about the news broadcaster getting bit by the dog, lambasted the broadcaster for getting too close to an already stressed dog. What was this woman thinking??
> 
> I was playing with Joey the other night, and got too close to his face. He didn't do anything to me but I thought later on, was I stupid for doing something like that?


If you got him yesterday or that morning, yes. 
If not, no.
Our own pet dogs should be able to tolerate being roughhoused and close to their faces. 
When you go up to a strange dog, just don't bend over it and get in it's face and expect it to like that.


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## Courtney (Feb 12, 2010)

msvette2u said:


> If you got him yesterday or that morning, yes.
> If not, no.
> Our own pet dogs should be able to tolerate being roughhoused and close to their faces.
> When you go up to a strange dog, just don't bend over it and get in it's face and expect it to like that.


I agree. I grab my boys face and give him kisses all the time My husband has threatened to record this because I'm sure I look ridiculous.


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## Mrs.K (Jul 14, 2009)

Your very own dog is different from a strange dog. My dogs are actually in my face and I'm in theirs. We constantly seek attention from one another. However, a stranger should not attempt to do the same thing. 

If my husband wants a kiss I happily give it to him. Now think of a stranger coming up stroking your head, groping you and trying to kiss you? We wouldn't like that and yell "SEXUAL AUSSAULT!" slap them in the face and report it to the police.


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## GregK (Sep 4, 2006)

msvette2u said:


> When you go up to a strange dog, just don't bend over it and get in it's face and expect it to like that.


Right.

If I went up to someone (human) in the grocery store like that, they'd totally freak out.


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## Mrs.K (Jul 14, 2009)

GregK said:


> Right.
> 
> If I went up to someone (human) in the grocery store like that, they'd totally freak out.


oh yeah. I would punch you in the face.


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## JoMichelle (Jan 20, 2012)

Edited as I misread a post. Apologies, I didn't know it would be so offensive to post from "that site". I assumed this section of the forum was for anything related to GSD. Will not post in future.


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## Gwenhwyfair (Jul 27, 2010)

I think you maybe responding to my comment.

Please don't take it too personally. No one is perfect but things like this can be used as opportunities to learn.

It's not about it being offensive rather it's about being careful about the information we choose to utilize and discuss. That's why the title of thread was edited, it was not about a GSD, at all.....

No one is perfect and I've learned this from the school of hard knocks myself.

Please have a good day. 






JoMichelle said:


> Edited as I misread a post. Apologies, I didn't know it would be so offensive to post from "that site". I assumed this section of the forum was for anything related to GSD. Will not post in future.


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## Mrs.K (Jul 14, 2009)

The titled was editet because it turned out to be a lie and sham of the news papers not because JoMichelle did anything wrong. :help:


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## Gwenhwyfair (Jul 27, 2010)

No she didn't....

My point is that if the Sun is known to be such a 'rag' in the U.K. we could learn from this ..... that is all. 

Like I said, I've posted things like this in the past and then decided I would be more careful.

From a macro perspective I think a paper like the Sun should be held accountable for such lies or it should be titled as 'fiction publication'.

This kind of 'reporting' is a pet peeve of mine but my thoughts on it are not suitable for this forum......




Mrs.K said:


> The titled was editet because it turned out to be a lie and sham of the news papers not because JoMichelle did anything wrong.


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## JoMichelle (Jan 20, 2012)

I completely get what you are saying. I knew to take everything printed in the sun with "a pinch of salt" but I am so shocked they have printed such lies. I am worried about the consequences and how people will perceive GSD's because of it  I wish I could do something about it, but obviously there is nothing I can do.

I won't even touch that paper/website again!!


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## Gwenhwyfair (Jul 27, 2010)

Oh good I'm glad you understood what I meant and I really do know how you feel. I've gotten caught in the same situation and felt bad too. 

There is a level of trust the public puts in people who call themselves journalists. Integrity is never a given but it did used to be at least a norm. So it's really unfair that papers are allowed to abuse the public trust like this.




JoMichelle said:


> I completely get what you are saying. I knew to take everything printed in the sun with "a pinch of salt" but I am so shocked they have printed such lies. I am worried about the consequences and how people will perceive GSD's because of it  I wish I could do something about it, but obviously there is nothing I can do.
> 
> I won't even touch that paper/website again!!


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## Emoore (Oct 9, 2002)

Mrs.K said:


> The titled was editet because it turned out to be a lie and sham of the news papers not because JoMichelle did anything wrong. :help:


Somehow, "Woman dies of Heart Attack" just doesn't have the same feel as "Woman Mauled to death by Vicious German Shepherd."


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## JoMichelle (Jan 20, 2012)

Now I must find a new place to read the daily news lol. I also feel for the poor woman's family when they read/hear of what's been said. I wonder what the truth actually is since I don't trust either story that was printed.


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## gypsyrose (Nov 22, 2010)

JoMichelle said:


> Yeah we have The Dangerous Dogs Act. Pitbulls, Japanese Tosa, Dogo Argentino and Fila Brasileiro are all banned. There are multiple petitions trying to ban rottweilers.
> 
> German Shepherds in the UK are seen as loyal, family pets and are respected. The current situation in the UK is 1) People are breeding Staffordshire bull terriors like crazy, and training them for protection or fighting. 2) People are taking dogs from the hands of people advertising there pet free to a loving home and using them as bate for training the fighting dogs.
> 
> Something seriously needs to be done. I know it's complicated but I'm all for some kind of licensing to own dogs. Maybe far-fetched, but the amount of cruelty I see daily, and pets being passed around constantly because circumstances change or people realise they've made a mistake is really getting to me. It's literally all I can think about lately! I'd hate german shepherds to become the next "Chav" fighting dog


 I had the experance of watching a GSD kill a racoon that had all but destroyed two black and tan **** dogs the shepherd killed that racoon so fast i've all ways wondered if that was why dog fighters (WHOM I HATE WITH A PASSION) did not use GSDs for bate dogs. I think michel vick got off way to easy if an example had been made of him like ten years in prison i think dog fighters would think seriously about getting out of the dog fight buisness.


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