VHS talks about dog aggression after recent dog attacks, gives safety tips

Yahoo

26-04-2025

VANDERBURGH COUNTY, Ind. (WEHT) — The Vanderburgh Humane Society is weighing in on two recent dog attacks in the Tri-State, one of which was fatal.
'It is scary. When you are in the midst of that, you know, you don't know what to do, and time freezes,' says Amy Hart, a Tri-State resident and dog owner.
The dog attacks happened on April 14, which the shelter says was in the middle of dog bite prevention week. One of them occurred in Huntingburg. Authorities say four-year-old Evelynn Lopez died as a result of a dog attack. The other one was reported in Evansville and injured a woman.
'These situations are so tragic and heartbreaking, and our hearts go out to those families, says Amanda Coburn, the Director of Advancement at VHS.
VHS says social media exploded with comments after the attacks, blaming the owner and the dog. VHS says it is not fair to the pet or its owner.
'That is a misconception. When you are talking about actual aggression, unprovoked, that causes a dog to just attack and hurt people, it is genetic,' Coburn says.
VHS says aggression often starts with the mom of a litter, and can happen with any breed.
'An aggressive Chihuahua may have aggressive puppies. An aggressive Germain short-haired pointer may have aggressive puppies. It is important for people to understand that it is not the owner. Some dogs are just aggressive, and that is just the way it is,' Coburn says.
VHS says there are ways to help prevent aggressive behavior, including spaying and neutering pets. The shelter says not fixing pets could have dire consequences.
'Intact males are more likely to exhibit more aggressive behavior, both towards people and other dogs, especially if there is an intact female in the mix. You are just asking for trouble there,' Coburn says.
There are also tell-tale signs that owners can look out for. Amy Hart owns two dogs and says the signs can be easy to see.
'The hair standing up on the back, them licking their lips when there is no food, their eyes are bugging out. You know you have to be able to read your animal,' Hart says.
'You are responsible for that dogs behavior, so if that means you have to leash them in your yard so they don't jump your fence, or wear a muzzle out in public, there is no shame in that. It's a great way for someone to walk up to your dog and say 'Maybe I should not pet this dog.' Take precautions. There is no shame in it. It is better to be safe than sorry,' Coburn says.
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