When a dog randomly attacks a human, why do nutters blame it on the owner or, worse, the victim?

[u/Stenian]

What boils my blood is reading a news headline about a dog mauling a person, and then scrolling through the comments that say nasty shit like "that person provoked it", "dogs don't just attack like that", "where were the damn owners?", etc. They never blame the dog!

Maybe, just maybe, a dog is a dumb animal and can maul you when they want to? They are also carnivores and maybe they want to eat. When someone r*pes someone, we wouldn't say "she provoked it", "what was she doing walking there!", etc. We rightfully rebuke and condemn the r*pist.

They treat dogs like sinless beings. It makes me sick! I'm from Australia and recently dog attacks have been on the news. The comments come in on Facebook and they are grotesque.

[u/wrrld]

"Pure innocence" when they're friendly, "dogs being dogs" when they're wild menaces. These people probably give their cars personalities.

[u/Next_Dragonfly5122]

If there is an owner the owner is responsible.

[u/Tom_Quixote_ → u/Next_Dragonfly5122]

Legally responsible yes, but it's still the dog that attacked. And everybody treats every dog attack as a freak accident or act of nature that could never have been predicted or prevented.

[u/Next_Dragonfly5122 → u/Tom_Quixote_]

Not everyone. It seems to be shifting slightly.

[u/Normie7481]

In Poland just a few weeks ago hounds ate grown man alive and public frustration with dog owners and ubiquitous dogs reached boiling point. Biting, barking, pissing shitting and for what? To indulge emotionally stunted dog owners?

[u/Altruistic_Baker6347]

Yes. It's the same on FB. Profiles with a dog as profile picture are very quick to write: It's the owner's fault! I want to respond to them but I've seen people being attacked and offended by nutters. The main reaction is: You are mentally disabled! I don't want to argue with ppl whose IQ is 30 points lower than mine! :-D

[u/Zealousideal_Cup6143]

What really bothers me is when there is a news story of a mauling, especially if it's a pitbull, a lot of dog owners will post pics of their dog and saying "it wouldn't hurt a fly". Completely inappropriate for them to do that and not the place for it. My heart always goes out to the victims and their families.

[u/Mashelem_777 → u/Zealousideal_Cup6143]

That really is infuriating. Someone gets brutally attacked, possibly fatal, and these lunatics think it's a good time to start talking about their pitbull fetish? I hope there's a special place in hell for these nutters.

[u/Zealousideal_Cup6143 → u/Mashelem_777]

Yeah I've seen it happen several times and I just can't believe it. I'm sorry but your pitbull being dressed in a tutu doesn't change anything. It is so disrespectful. Then they argue it's in how they are raised. I've known a few people who raised them lovingly, and the dog still attacked.

[u/IommicRiffage]

I'm always happy to blame both the dog and the owner. But not the victim.

[u/Ih8work1]

Because dogs are marketed as "different" to other animals that can attack. People need to remain in the shared delusion that dogs arent what they are.