Ashlynn Browning, the 4-year old daughter of Jesse Browning from the TV show “Ax Men” was recently killed in a vicious dog attack at the family home in Oregon.

According to the authorities, Jesse himself reported the attack when one of the family’s pet Rottweilers mauled his daughter. Although Ashlynn was airlifted to the Oregon Health and Science University Hospital in Portland, she was pronounced dead on the scene.

Clatsop County Sheriff Tom Bergin claimed that four months ago, a family member was also attacked by another one of their Rottweiler pets. The dog was euthanized following the attack.
The Rottweilers involved in Ashlynn’s death are currently under the custody of a local animal shelter. The Browning family may choose to put down the dogs, set it up for adoption or take them back to the house.

While dogs are often considered to be man’s best friend, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, every year around 4.5 million people are bitten by dogs. As much as 31,000 people underwent reconstructive surgery because of dog bite injuries while 885,000 needed medical attention.

Most fatal dog attacks however, involve babies and young children. Senior citizens also account for the second highest number of dog bite injuries and fatalities.

While some dog breeds are inherently dangerous (i.e. pitbulls), the owner’s negligence is often the proximate cause of dog attacks. For one, as the owner of the dog, it is the owner’s responsibility to train and socialize his/her pet as well as ensure that it is kept under control.

The owner has the duty to keep the dog leashed especially in public and if at home, properly fenced in. Sometimes, aggressive breeds are also required to be spayed and neutered in order to reduce its aggressive tendencies.

As important as it is to love and take care of pets, human life is no less important. Children, especially those at the curious stage could easily wander into an unsecured area with a territorial dog. Pedestrians and guests could also unwittingly stumble into situations where an unleashed dog can easily attack them.

Under the law, dog owners are civilly and in some states, criminally liable for the injuries their pets would inflict on other people. In a previous case in California, it was held that “The owner is virtually an insurer of the dog’s conduct” and in the event that the owner’s negligence results to injuries, the victim of the dog attack can recover damages from the owner.

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