Hiker Bit by Dog in VT

[peakbagger]

The original poster hikes a lot of lesser visited summits and has completed numerous lists. He posted on VFTT.org some photos of his injury. Careful they are pretty gruesome.

https://www.vftt.org/forums/showthre...RNING!-GRAPHIC!)

He is real lucky as typically in a dog pack situation, one dog starts the attack and the others join in.

[Gambit McCrae]

wow thats a nasty one!

[ldsailor]

This is the owner's fault. I hope he is sued into bankruptcy. I've been charged numerous times on trails by dogs whose owners' didn't have them under control. Very scary. Maybe if enough of those owners end up living in their car and word gets out, this type of thing won't happen as often.

I saw a video blog made by a young female hiker. She was on the Florida Trail when three pit bulls came running out of their yard and charged her. Incredibly, the owner was in the yard and did nothing to stop the dogs. The only thing that saved the hiker was pepper spray she had. She hit the dogs with it, and they were last seen rolling around on the ground. The dogs' owner was still standing in her yard watching. Incredible.

[MichaelK7]

That dog needs to be put down, if it hasn't been already. I also hope the hiker sues the owner and wins.

[JNI64]

Yeah that nasty!!
I don't know what a person would with several dogs attacking.
But I do think everyone that reads this should learn some dog self defense. Just like we know what to do with bears and ticks and rabid animal or a rabid person.

[Majortrauma]

Sued into bankruptcy is quite excessive and would serve no real purpose when justice cold be served in another manner. Pay for medical bills and any trauma he suffered, take the dogs from him, no longer allowed to own dogs.
But making the person homeless is NOT the answer.

[JPritch]

I've always said people need to be more afraid of dogs (and ticks) on the trail than bears or snakes. I've seen 9 bears and 2 rattlers....never once felt in danger. I've been nipped on the arm by a leashed dog whose owner stepped off the trail as I walked by, been confronted by a loose pit bull, and several times had to wearily walk past aggressive dogs being restrained by their owners. It's a snowball effect. A bad encounter leads to anxiety when approaching the next dog and I'm sure the dogs sense either my fear or my willingness to poke their eyes out with my trekking pole if necessary.

[wyclif]

Trekking poles are very good at doubling as protection against aggressive dogs.

[JNI64]

You could take an eye with your trekking pole but it's kind of a small target. Dogs don't have very good peripheral vision take your trekking pole to the Dogs mouth let him take it and shove it until it comes out the other end.
If you don't have trekking poles take your shirt off wrap it around your arm and let the dog take the arm, take your other arm around his neck and snap back. Dogs necks don't go back.