Last month, the city of Phoenix, in the United States, witnessed the very controversial struggle of animal rights activists for the survival of a dog . The animal, a Pit Bull by the name of Mickey, had attacked and mutilated little Kevin, four years old, on February 20.
According to Guadalupe Villa, on the spot during the attack, the child was playing in the garden and allegedly picked up a bone near the dog, which was attached to the end of a chain nearby. The Pit Bull then threw himself on Kevin and seriously disfigured him. Doctors say it would take months or even years of surgery to get her face back.
Unprecedented mobilization
Following this attack, it was up to a municipal judge to decide the fate of the dog Mickey, who had a good chance of being euthanized. But it was without counting an unprecedented mobilization to save the animal, because thousands of people gave their voice on social networks to defend Mickey.
The sympathizers siding with the Pit Bull insisted on making it clear that it was not a question, in their fight, of placing more value on the life of the dog than that of the child. ” It’s not Mickey versus Kevin, ” said lawyer John Schill, representing the dog in the petition submitted to the court to save him.
The petition in question , signed by more than 60,000 people, emphasizes the accidental nature of the attack. The latter would not have happened if the child had been better supervised and had not taken the bone belonging to the dog. Mickey’s supporters were also keen to point out that being tied up, as is often the case in this kind of case, caused the dog to have an aggressive attitude.
On March 25, Judge Deborah Griffin ruled that responsibility for the attack was shared by the various adults present . Despite everything, given Mickey’s aggressiveness, he should never be adopted by a family. One of the associations defending the dog has been entrusted with the latter and has the obligation to find him, within thirty days, a rehabilitation center or a refuge that will take care of him.
Awareness of human responsibility
What happened in Phoenix last month is not to remember too many similar cases , including in France. We remember, for example, that last September in Villers-Outréaux a nanny was prosecuted for ” unintentional injuries “. Indeed, as was the case with Mickey and little Kevin, the two-year-old child she was caring for escaped her attention for a moment and approached the Jack Russel tied in the garden, who then bit her in the face .
The parents of the victim asked for three months in prison for the babysitter, yet the latter is ultimately only punished by a fine of 500 euros. The judge felt that the childminder already feels guilty enough for what happened and is consumed with remorse.
If there is nowhere question of the dog, which according to the law must be examined by a behaviorist responsible for assessing whether it is dangerous or not, it is however encouraging to note the interest shown in the part of the responsibility of the nurse in the attack . Because even in the presence of an animal that may seem harmless, it is imperative to always supervise children.
