The death of baby Maleek is an absolute tragedy. However, the treatment of the dog after the fact, was another tragedy. In my opinion, it should never have been left in the home. Animal Welfare or the police should have removed it immediately. Instead, the animal was beaten by the grandfather of the baby, in his grief and anger. That act alone tells all that the dog was not loved or properly cared for.
People here claim to love their dogs, but they keep them chained or locked in small cages. This is not loving a dog. If you want to have a good family dog, it has to be treated like family. The baby’s dad said he had the dog for a year, which means it was six months old when the child was born. Perhaps the dog grew envious of the child, as I’m sure they had little time for it after the baby arrived.
Animals get jealous. It would have seen how the baby was treated and felt abandoned—and resentful. And seeing the sad condition the dog was in physically, is it any wonder that it acted as it did?
We have a Dangerous Dog Act, but what we really need is a “Thoughtless dog owner act.” I’m truly sorry for the family’s loss, but I hope it serves as a warning to future, and present, dog owners. That dog that you have chained or that dog you have cooped up in that small cage is, one day, going to attack you.
Anne Murphy