# Has anyone seen this? Free Skippy.



## Ninde'Gold (Oct 21, 2006)

I thought this was going to be about getting free peanut butter.

That's a horrible situation. Though it's not the first I've heard of a Golden being put down for biting.

There was an article in the newspaper in Calgary about a Golden Retriever bit a young boy after the boy was repeatedly jumping on top of the dog.

Things wouldn't happen if parents were being parents and watching their kids.


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## mylissyk (Feb 25, 2007)

There is a news article that says the dog bit the child on two occasions, the second time required 16 stitches in the boys face, and that the dog has also bitten his owner, who the child's grandfather. Their vet said he is aggressive, and three different rescues declined to take the dog because of the bite history. 

Why they didn't keep the dog and the boy seperated I can't understand.


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## fostermom (Sep 6, 2007)

mylissyk said:


> There is a news article that says the dog bit the child on two occasions, the second time required 16 stitches in the boys face, and that the dog has also bitten his owner, who the child's grandfather. Their vet said he is aggressive, and three different rescues declined to take the dog because of the bite history.
> 
> Why they didn't keep the dog and the boy seperated I can't understand.


Thanks for the more details. I wasn't really sure what all had happened. I think what made me sad was how many people were automatically blaming the child when there weren't any details about what happened.


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## coppers-mom (Jan 9, 2009)

The owner/grandfather didn't follow orders after the first bite - keep the child and dog separated and have the dog neutered.

_FREETOWN — _
_Board of Selectmen Chairman Lawrence Ashley and Health Agent Paul Bourgeois said a bite, not a scratch, to a toddler combined with other issues forced selectmen Monday to vote to euthanize a 4-year-old golden retriever.

On Friday, Ashley and Bourgeois said a Hasbro Children’s Hospital doctor last October called town officials and said Skippy, who belongs to East Freetown resident Thomas Locke, bit the child in the face, causing the then-16-month-old to require close to a dozen stitches. This came after the child was first sent to Morton Hospital in Taunton.

Locke, during Monday’s meeting, told selectmen the child, his granddaughter, was antagonizing the dog. Locke said he believes both attacks involved scratches, and he was willing to take steps to curb the dog’s aggression. He also said that he had asked his daughter to keep the toddler away from the dog, which was often moving to different areas of the house to avoid the child.

Bourgeois said because a doctor called the town, it sparked an investigation from the animal control officer and the police department. Ashley said town authorities discovered that in the first attack, the dog had the child pinned down and was face-to-face with the child. Ashley said the child now has permanent scars that plastic surgery may not be able to remedy.

Ashley said Locke was then ordered to keep the dog quarantined in a confined area and have it neutered. Two months later, there was another attack. The daughter called the police and an officer observed a scratch to the hand and a puncture wound, Bourgeois said. Locke on Monday disputed that the toddler was bitten, saying it would have caused more damage to a child that small. 

Locke has an unlisted number and could not be reached for further comment Friday.

Ashley also said town authorities discovered during the December attack that Skippy was not in a confined area and the dog had not been neutered. Locke said he was still planning to have the dog neutered and then bring Skippy to obedience school. Locke said he did not immediately get Skippy neutered because the veterinarian gave no guarantee that it would significantly reduce the aggression.

Ashley said authorities seized the animal and brought it to the Lakeville Animal Shelter.
Town authorities contacted four animal rescue leagues and spoke with the dog’s veterinarian. The veterinarian characterized Skippy as aggressive in nature. All four rescue leagues determined the dog is not adoptable based on its attacks on the child.

“You have to respect their opinion, and there are things the owner did not do. The town was put in a very difficult position. Steps should have been taken, and the owner had already been bitten as well,” Ashley said. “Unfortunately, they left the decision in the hands of the selectmen.”

Citing state law, Ashley said the town must get involved whenever a dog complaint is made public. Ashley said the town has never had to vote to euthanize an animal during his 12 years as a selectmen, but he feels Freetown had no choice but to euthanize Skippy.
Ashley also said if selectmen voted to return Skippy to Locke or let Skippy move to another town, Freetown would be held responsible if the dog mauled or killed a child.

He and Bourgeois bemoaned how no one has publicly asked about the toddler’s well being. Yet, Freetown has received a flood of e-mails asking selectmen to give Skippy another chance, Ashley said._


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## GoldenCamper (Dec 21, 2009)

Thank you for posting. The dog should be returned to the breeder if she wants him. No dog should be sentenced to death when there are options available. I will call them tomorrow to voice my concern. This is not right.



mylissyk said:


> There is a news article that says the dog bit the child on two occasions, the second time required 16 stitches in the boys face, and that the dog has also bitten his owner, who the child's grandfather. Their vet said he is aggressive, and three different rescues declined to take the dog because of the bite history.
> 
> Why they didn't keep the dog and the boy seperated I can't understand.


Could you post a link to the story if available on the web? Thanks.

Oops, takes me forever to post, thanks Teresa.


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## coppers-mom (Jan 9, 2009)

I'd send you some gas money:smooch:. In this case I think the owner failed the dog and the dog will end up having to pay.

Freetown selectmen stand by decision to euthanize dog - Fall River, MA - The Herald News

Court upholds Freetown selectmen's decision to euthanize man's dog - Fall River, MA - The Herald News


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## Bender (Dec 30, 2008)

The dog should not be returned, and the parents and grandparents should all get swatted in the head with a rolled up newspaper, noses rubbed in poop and sent to the garage till they smarten up and get a clue!

Poor kid - I hope he's ok but how on earth can they all be that clueless to allow the dog and kid in the same space AGAIN? 

Hope the owner is banned from owning dogs for a long time, he's not responsible enough to own one.


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## ChiPack (Jan 22, 2010)

I have been following this closely and Skippy is saved! They are taking donations now for his fine and rehabilitation. I just donated and am SO happy this gorgeous guy was spared!


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## GoldenCamper (Dec 21, 2009)

He is not 100% out of the woods yet. They say he must be neutered and "he must pass a professional, third-party evaluation to show he's not vicious"

'Free Skippy' lobby gets its wish — almost | SouthCoastToday.com

Thanks to all those that called and emailed, I like to think it made a difference. I wish I could have attended Thursday's meeting. This guy does not deserve to die.


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## cubbysan (Mar 13, 2007)

Out of curiousity, does anybody know who the breeder is? That is all happening in my old neck of the woods, just wondering...

OMG, any dog could easily hurt a 16 month old aggressive or not! I can't believe that after the first time, there even was a second time...


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## ChiPack (Jan 22, 2010)

GoldenCamper said:


> He is not 100% out of the woods yet. They say he must be neutered and "he must pass a professional, third-party evaluation to show he's not vicious"
> 
> 'Free Skippy' lobby gets its wish — almost | SouthCoastToday.com
> 
> Thanks to all those that called and emailed, I like to think it made a difference. I wish I could have attended Thursday's meeting. This guy does not deserve to die.


Thank you...I was so excited about the good news that I wasn't thinking of the 'big picture'! Hopefully he will get a good evaluation.


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## CarolinaCasey (Jun 1, 2007)

I don't think that the original owners should keep him. He needs to be in a more experienced home.

Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. Same kind of thinking- they aren't forward thinking enough to not let it happen again.


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## GoldenCamper (Dec 21, 2009)

cubbysan said:


> Out of curiousity, does anybody know who the breeder is? That is all happening in my old neck of the woods, just wondering...


"The Canadian breeder, Maureen Farquhar, also sent a letter to town officials, stating that she would take Skippy back to Willow Lane Farms in Quebec. “This dog comes from very well-tempered lines and the [mother] of this dog saved my son’s life,’’ she wrote."

Facebookers seek to commute dog’s death sentence - The Boston Globe


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## Laurie (Sep 20, 2009)

GoldenCamper said:


> "The Canadian breeder, Maureen Farquhar, also sent a letter to town officials, stating that she would take Skippy back to Willow Lane Farms in Quebec. “This dog comes from very well-tempered lines and the [mother] of this dog saved my son’s life,’’ she wrote."/QUOTE]
> 
> Hopefully he'll be neutered prior to returning to his breeder if that's what the ruling is......she's a Golden Doodle breeder!!
> 
> ETA: If this is the same Willow Lane Farms....a google search indicated that Willow Lane Farms is in Ontario, not Quebec. Maybe they are different kennels.


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## GoldenCamper (Dec 21, 2009)

Skippy passed his evaluation was determined not vicious. He is safe, happy, and in foster care  Some links:

Skippy The Dog Gets Another Chance « CBS Boston (with video)

Selectmen accept deal to save condemned dog | SouthCoastToday.com

Free Skippy | Facebook

Sorry I did not update you guys sooner. I am grateful to all the folks that supported him and continue to do so  Thank you.


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