On January 21, 2008, Rebecca Hirst, 18, was beaten by a screaming mob outside a nightclub in Wakefield, West Yorks, UK. Her attackers were screaming that she was responsible for the death of her 13-month-old son, Archie-Lee Hirst.
The infant was killed by his grandmother’s Rottweiler on December 28, 2007. It was reported that Ms. Hirst had left her baby in the care of her 16-year-old sister, at an apartment where the Rottweiler lived. The dog grabbed the toddler not from the 16-year-old but from Ms. Hirst’s other sister who was only 7 years of age.
Strange how the British get so upset about canine homicides. In the USA, we call these killings an “unfortunate accident” and announcements are quickly made that no charges will be filed against anyone. In the odd criminal prosecution, the conviction usually is for negligent homicide and the dog owner gets off with a year in jail. No public beatings here.
This is true even in cases like that of Jennifer Lowe, whose face was ripped off by a pit bull that local Tennessee authorities previously declared to be dangerous. Under county law, the owner of that dog thereafter was required to keep it confined or muzzled, but he repeatedly violated that obligation, resulting in Jennifer’s horrific death in November 2007. Prosecutors were quick to announce, however, that they would not prosecute the dog owner even though he obviously broke the law.
To read the full story about Ms. Hirst, click here.