In August 2015, Shauna Thompson and her family were eating at a Bear Lake restaurant with their dog, a large white Pyrenees named Lilly, in the open air, in a crowded area with lots of children and others walking around. Note: their Pyrenees is not a service animal, and also later bit another child a week after this incident, but the child's family decided to not press charges.
In the Bear Lake incident, the Thompson's dog was obviously agitated and showed signs of aggression. As you can see in this surveillance video (link: https://www.ksl.com/?sid=39610397&nid=148&title=do...), at the 7:35 mark Lilly lunges at a boy who gets too close, barking and growling at and after him for nearly 20 seconds, while he runs off scared. In spite of that warning behavior, the Thompsons decided to stay, rather than leave and prevent their obviously agitated dog from potentially harming anyone else.
Sadly, that warning proved prophetic as another child was soon after attacked by their dog. at the 29:55 mark. Two small children, one 4 years old and another 2 years old, who are simply walking by are attacked. While it is possible that the 2 year old (who was bitten and dragged underneath the table as the video shows) may have stepped on the dog's tail, such an attack is unacceptable.
After months of political wrangling, on April 28th, 2016 the Rich County Justice Court Judge Ross McKinnon found Thompson, who was representing herself, guilty of allowing a vicious animal to go at large, a class B misdemeanor. Thompson was sentenced to six months of probation and ordered the pay a $680 fine. Additionally, the judge left it up to the owner whether or not the dog will be put down or sent to a ranch to avoid another dangerous situation.
In what would appear to most as a open-and-shut case, Lilly's owner Shauna Thompson has instead challenged the notion that her dog is a menace and danger to others, going to several news agencies (see story here: http://www.ksl.com/?sid=39610397&nid=148) claiming in a recent news interview that "Lilly is a gentle, loving family dog", and starting a petition to save and keep the dog, claiming that the cut on the little boys arm was not a bite, but must have been from Lily's collar, which caught him as she merely "barked" at the boy. She is also planning to appeal the ruling,
As more of the story has emerged however, she conveniently neglected to mention that a mere week later, Lilly again attacked and bit a different child in Riverton, UT (see: http://www.ksl.com/?sid=39628880&nid=148). However, the facts speak for themselves, and as the judge ruled, this dog needs to either be put down, or kept away from the public for safety's sake.
If you agree with Rich County's decision regarding this matter, and want to help protect innocent children and others from similar vicious attacks, sign this petition to show your support for holding such dangerous animals and their owners responsible, hopefully helping prevent other similar situations from escalating into dangerous attacks.
2 Comments
Livestock Guardian Dogs like the Great Pyrenees are amazing, highly intelligent dogs and most of them would not be likely to react in this way. (They often live with fussy goat and sheep moms who may get defensive over their offspring even if they know the dog well and the dogs get head butted, take it in stride, and NEVER retaliate -part of their nature). When the first petition circulated I was skeptical because I knew there must be more to the story because biting a child is so uncharacteristic for a well bred Pyrenees. Cases like these must be handled on their individual merits because all dogs are different, owners are different but this video says it all. The owners so often had their back to their dog. When the dog reacted so angrily when the first child fell (and never touched the dog), THAT was the time to LEAVE. When you own and/or breed any dog it it is crucial to recognize when one is not stable or agitated and proceed accordingly. Regardless of whether it was nature or nurture this dog is too much of a liability... even on another farm. And for the record not all white dogs are 100% Pyrenees. IF they are crossed with other types of breeds ( herding dogs, other protection breeds) you can lose the "gentle giant" very quickly. Sadly many who are now seeing the video are wishing they hadn't signed the other petition. These owners need a lot more training if they want to take ANY dog out in public safely.
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In August 2015, Shauna Thompson and her family were eating at a Bear Lake restaurant with their dog, a large white Pyrenees named Lilly, in the open air, in a crowded area with lots of children and others walking around. Note: their Pyrenees is not a service animal, and also later bit another child a week after this incident, but the child's family decided to not press charges.
In the Bear Lake incident, the Thompson's dog was obviously agitated and showed signs of aggression. As you can see in this surveillance video (link: https://www.ksl.com/?sid=39610397&nid=148&title=do...), at the 7:35 mark Lilly lunges at a boy who gets too close, barking and growling at and after him for nearly 20 seconds, while he runs off scared. In spite of that warning behavior, the Thompsons decided to stay, rather than leave and prevent their obviously agitated dog from potentially harming anyone else.
Sadly, that warning proved prophetic as another child was soon after attacked by their dog. at the 29:55 mark. Two small children, one 4 years old and another 2 years old, who are simply walking by are attacked. While it is possible that the 2 year old (who was bitten and dragged underneath the table as the video shows) may have stepped on the dog's tail, such an attack is unacceptable.
After months of political wrangling, on April 28th, 2016 the Rich County Justice Court Judge Ross McKinnon found Thompson, who was representing herself, guilty of allowing a vicious animal to go at large, a class B misdemeanor. Thompson was sentenced to six months of probation and ordered the pay a $680 fine. Additionally, the judge left it up to the owner whether or not the dog will be put down or sent to a ranch to avoid another dangerous situation.
In what would appear to most as a open-and-shut case, Lilly's owner Shauna Thompson has instead challenged the notion that her dog is a menace and danger to others, going to several news agencies (see story here: http://www.ksl.com/?sid=39610397&nid=148) claiming in a recent news interview that "Lilly is a gentle, loving family dog", and starting a petition to save and keep the dog, claiming that the cut on the little boys arm was not a bite, but must have been from Lily's collar, which caught him as she merely "barked" at the boy. She is also planning to appeal the ruling,
As more of the story has emerged however, she conveniently neglected to mention that a mere week later, Lilly again attacked and bit a different child in Riverton, UT (see: http://www.ksl.com/?sid=39628880&nid=148). However, the facts speak for themselves, and as the judge ruled, this dog needs to either be put down, or kept away from the public for safety's sake.
If you agree with Rich County's decision regarding this matter, and want to help protect innocent children and others from similar vicious attacks, sign this petition to show your support for holding such dangerous animals and their owners responsible, hopefully helping prevent other similar situations from escalating into dangerous attacks.
2 Comments
As a parent of 2 young boys this same age, I wholly support Rich County in prosecuting Lilly and Lilly's owner. We love our pets that we've had, both growing up and as parents now. However, once a dog bites, it is a danger to others (we had to put down one of our dogs, and it was hard, but necessary). I've been bitten by a dog, and my sister as well, and that dog was only put down after biting 3-4 other times. In this case, the dog needs to be away from people (either on a ranch or gone permanently), it is a public danger, and I support Rich County's efforts to protect my children. I hope you will too.
Livestock Guardian Dogs like the Great Pyrenees are amazing, highly intelligent dogs and most of them would not be likely to react in this way. (They often live with fussy goat and sheep moms who may get defensive over their offspring even if they know the dog well and the dogs get head butted, take it in stride, and NEVER retaliate -part of their nature). When the first petition circulated I was skeptical because I knew there must be more to the story because biting a child is so uncharacteristic for a well bred Pyrenees. Cases like these must be handled on their individual merits because all dogs are different, owners are different but this video says it all. The owners so often had their back to their dog. When the dog reacted so angrily when the first child fell (and never touched the dog), THAT was the time to LEAVE. When you own and/or breed any dog it it is crucial to recognize when one is not stable or agitated and proceed accordingly. Regardless of whether it was nature or nurture this dog is too much of a liability... even on another farm. And for the record not all white dogs are 100% Pyrenees. IF they are crossed with other types of breeds ( herding dogs, other protection breeds) you can lose the "gentle giant" very quickly. Sadly many who are now seeing the video are wishing they hadn't signed the other petition. These owners need a lot more training if they want to take ANY dog out in public safely.
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As a parent of 2 young boys this same age, I wholly support Rich County in prosecuting Lilly and Lilly's owner. We love our pets that we've had, both growing up and as parents now. However, once a dog bites, it is a danger to others (we had to put down one of our dogs, and it was hard, but necessary). I've been bitten by a dog, and my sister as well, and that dog was only put down after biting 3-4 other times. In this case, the dog needs to be away from people (either on a ranch or gone permanently), it is a public danger, and I support Rich County's efforts to protect my children. I hope you will too.