Posted on 12/05/2002 5:17:49 PM PST by ambrose
http://www.billingsgazette.com/index.php?display=rednews/2002/12/05/build/local/85-dog.inc
Big, friendly dog frightens students
Associated Press
LIBBY (AP) - Twenty-six children are nursing scratches, bruises and other minor wounds from a big, playful dog that tried to join the lunchtime football game at Asa Wood Elementary School.
"The dog wasn't attacking kids," Principal Ken Foss said Wednesday. "The dog was actually playing tug-of-war. It's a big pup, a year or a year and a half old, and very friendly.
"But it got very aggressive and played rough. It took the kids' (foam-rubber) football, grabbed at their coats and their legs. The kids screamed and ran, and he chased them."
Foss said he did not mean to minimize the incident, which occurred Tuesday.
"It was a serious incident - 26 kids were traumatized," he said. "There were some bruises and cuts, but by the same token they weren't attacked."
A teacher's aide grabbed the dog around the neck and shooed the first-, second- and third-graders into the building, but the dog broke away and followed them inside, Foss said.
Other teachers sidetracked the dog into an empty classroom and closed the door to await Libby police officer John Graham, the school resource officer.
"He came in expecting a vicious dog," Foss said. "He opened the classroom door and here's this dog with its tongue out and tail wagging."
Graham turned the dog over to animal control officials, and it is being held while the investigation continues. He said it weighed about 70 pounds and appeared to be a Stafford or bull terrier.
The dog had not been vaccinated against rabies, so it will be quarantined until officials are sure it does not have the disease, he said.
The dog escaped that morning from its residence just outside town, Graham said. Graham had not filed any charge by Wednesday, but he said he was still investigating. He declined to identify the owner.
"We had a total of 26 students who had some type of bruise or mark, scratch, pressure indentation or puncture wound of some type," Foss said. "Of those 26 we had 10 we identified with wounds that broke the skin, scratches and so forth."
Foss and Graham agreed that even the wounds that broke the skin were minor, but said some of the children were frightened. Three had torn coats or pants.
"We had a couple of students who were pretty distraught - pretty shaken up," the principal said. "Counselors visited with them, and they seem to be doing fine.
"The biggest thing we tried to get across yesterday was it's safe to go outside. It took place at lunchtime. We have afternoon recess about 2 o'clock, and all the kids went back outside and played, which was a really good sign."
The school has 350 students from preschool through third grade. Foss said about 275 first-, second- and third-graders were on the L-shaped playground, but the dog entered the short part of the L, away from most of the children.
Foss sent a letter home with every student Tuesday afternoon detailing what happened.
"The parents have been wonderful," he said.
Copyright 2002 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
P A T H E T I C
Hmmm...this used to be the results from normal childhood play.
Dear God, whatever happened to "walk it off?" We're rearing a woosified generation...
On NOW at RadioFR!
Doug from Upland interviews JAYNA DAVIS discussing the OKLAHOMA CITY BOMBING
We are sooooo in trouble when the ChiComs attack. At that point, our technology will counteract their numerical superiority, and it will come down to who has more intestinal fortitude.
Good. That means my homeschooled, Civil Air Patrol member son will be able to run all over them.
I've made raising alpha males my life's work.
Child abuse! Child abuse!
< /Leftist>
Hell's donkeys! I used to get worse rassling my cousins.
What kind of place is raising such wimp children? What would these little Fauntleroys do if they got a serious cut, faint?
Forget sending the Marine Recruiters to that town, there are no fit candidates for recruitment.
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