I am wonder if dog's owner will geting truble for this......




Two young boys, as young boys are wont to do, went to “get” coconuts from a neighbour’s yard, and when they were attacked by two rottweilers, one of them paid with his life for the adventure.

On Saturday, between the hours of 2:00 and 3:00 p.m., in the Hill View area of Santa Elena Town, Cayo, David Moltavan, 9, and Dualvin Salinas, 7, climbed over the chain-link part of a fence to get into the yard.

Although the boys knew, or ought to have known, that inside the yard were a pair of rottweiler dogs, a male and female, they still went ahead. The boys were attacked by the dogs, and ran, apparently trying to reach the fence, but Dualvin Salinas , the 7-year-old, could not make it back to safety in time. The dogs, named King and Queen, attacked him, biting him in the throat, and he was killed on the spot.

The dogs’ owner, Finley Maxwell Monsanto, was asleep inside his home at the time.

“I did not hear anything,” Monsanto told Amandala this afternoon. He has had the two dogs about one year now. “They are not imported,” Monsanto said, “I got them right here in Cayo.”

This is the first time that his dogs had attacked someone, Monsanto explained. When asked how the children got into his yard, he said that he suspected that they came over the back fence.

Monsanto said that he learned that the incident had happened when a young girl from over there (he pointed across to the next street, where a crowd had gathered under a makeshift tent) came and told me that someone had jumped over my fence.

“She asked me to look around to see if anyone was in my yard. When I looked, I saw the body of this young kid over there,” he pointed to the southern corner of his yard.

“He was already dead. The dog bit him in his throat,” Monsanto said. “I got to understand that the kids came into the yard before. I would never allow the dogs to bite that little boy, if I was around.”

According to Marlene Lemus, 18, an aunt of Dualvin Salinas, he was living with them because his mother and father were charged with weapons possession almost one year now, and they have not been able to secure bail. Salinas lived with his aunt and grandmother.

“I don’t really know what happened on Saturday. All I know is that Dualvin was here with us, he had lunch and he was here playing with another kid. He was playing with a machete in the hammock and I took it away. I don’t know if he got mad and came outside. After that, I don’t know where he went. Then my neighbor came and told me that he was in the yard. I did not believe it at first. I went to look around for him, but I did not find him, Lemus said.

Asked if there was a problem with the dogs before, Lemus said no, because they were always locked up.

Dualvin, who was from Guatemala, had lived with his parents, Norma Yessenia Albeno and Giovannie Jacinto Cardena, both of Guatemala, until they got arrested and charged for possession of an unlicensed shotgun. They were living in the village of Arenal when the parents were arrested on September 12, 2008, Lemus said.

Lemus said that when they were taken to prison, they left a baby who was only forty-three-days-old. Dualvin also has a 4-year-old sister.

Lemus said that when she learned that her nephew was in the yard dead, she called the San Ignacio Police Station. Her call was answered by a woman who told her that the police had nothing to do with that. Lemus said that she had to call the police in Belize City before she could get the San Ignacio police to come out to Hill View.

“If they never want to come, I said that I was going to the station to get them,” Lemus said.

According to Dualvin’s teacher, Mrs. Nelly Pook, he was a very obedient child and one who was very loving. “When I got him he did not know how to speak any English. But within a short time he was speaking Creole. He was also good in math. He was an infant two student who began school late.”

Inside Dualvin’s grandmother’s house, a crowd had gathered. A small wooden coffin was in the center of the living room, as pockets of people conversed in low voices. Dualvin will be laid to rest tomorrow, Tuesday.

The police said that a post-mortem would be performed, but did not say whether any charges would be brought against the dogs’ owner, Findley Monsanto.

This is a very very sad story. My heart reaches out to the family. So so sorry.

What a horrific story - so sad all around - for the boy's family and for the owner of the dogs. The parents must feel so absolutely helpless.

I am constantly worried about the dog "breeders" here on the caye that have absolutely no control over their dogs - but continue to breed them and sell them to folks that don't realize that they are in possession of lethal weapons.

Amanda I agree with you this is horrific story, no body want to see this Tragedy,
but never confuse big dog = dangerous dog! once you training your dog with good behavior, by the way these two dogs just performing their duty to watch house! if today their are two robbers instead of two kids, how would you say?

I know what you are saying - and I don't fear big dogs - I stated that I don't agree with folks having animals they cannot control.

I don't think a robber should be savaged to death by dogs either.

This is a tragedy, both for the young boys and the dog's owner. I can't imagine the remorse of a dog owner having his dogs kill a person. Having said that, I cannot fault a person for protecting his property or the dogs for doing just that.
I wonder how the adults who's responsibility it was to teach these young boys not to steal feel about this.
It is easy to place blame on those that are victims and sometimes harder to place the blame on those that are responsible.
I think in this case the unfortunate results were more a result of the adults fault to control the behavior of the young boys than the dog owner to control his dogs.
Dogs should not be expected to administer the appropriate punishment to those breaking the law.

It's a tragedy all around. The following picture gives an indication of how well the dogs were fenced in. The owner was likely only intending to protect his home from serious burglars but the kids were just being kids and never knew what was in store for them.

The dogs vet says they are well behaved in her presence and don't even need muzzles when being treated. But yes, very sad for all concerned.

A child has been killed. I hope the dogs have been sacrificed.
I wonder if the owner of the dogs have kids... If he does will he have them run the same risk???

Very sad, my heart goes out to all involved. The dogs didn't leave their property, they were controlled to the highest degree that can be required. Boys will be boys and climb fences, and dogs be dogs toward interlopers, especially running away from them - their hunting instincts kick in. The families are in my prayers.

very well stated iluv. I could not agree more,very very sad outcome. However the dogs were protecting their territory. Dogs are valueable in many ways. Pets and family members but also protectors of their people and home. I feel awful about the outcome, but the parents should have been watching their children a bit more closely. Also, I have the families in my prayers.

Yeah, I have mixed feelings..I have Rottweiler watchdog who is also my best friend..and a very calm gentle animal...BUT he is a watchdog and will do his best to protect his turf.
My (and his) yard is fenced with a 5' chain/wood fence...and is always locked. I can't be sure what might happen if someone managed to scale that fence into the dogs turf.

When a tragedy or an accident happens, too many times we feel the need to place blame. In this case, there is no need to blame the owner, the dogs, the boys or their parents. They all had a part in the unfortunate outcome. But none should be held responsible for the outcome.

A rottweiler attacked one of my mini schnauzers last night. They were on opposite sides of a fence, so the damage was minimal. We were very lucky. A poorly trained Rott can be very dangerous.

I think what history has shown is that poorly trained humans are more dangerous.

Interesting info:


Temperament
According to the FCI Standard, the Rottweiler is good-natured, placid in basic disposition and fond of children, it is very devoted, obedient, biddable and eager to work. Their appearance is natural and rustic, his behaviour self assured, steady and fearless. They react to their surroundings with great alertness. [7]

The American Kennel Club says it is basically a calm, confident and courageous dog with a self-assured aloofness that does not lend itself to immediate and indiscriminate friendships. A Rottweiler is self-confident and responds quietly and with a wait-and-see attitude to influences in its environment. It has an inherent desire to protect home and family, and is an intelligent dog of extreme hardness and adaptability with a strong willingness to work, making him especially suited as a companion, guardian and general all-purpose dog. [8]

Rottweilers are a powerful breed with well developed genetic herding and guarding instincts. As with any breed, potentially dangerous behaviour in Rottweilers usually results from irresponsible ownership, abuse, neglect, or lack of socialization and training. Inherent breed characteristics are not a factor.

The breed has received some negative publicity. In the US, in a report by the CDC, the Rottweiler was listed as the second most likely breed of dog named in fatal human attacks, following pitbulls. The report backnowledges that the broad popularity of the breed may contribute to high numbers of fatalities, but suggests Rottweilers are still disproportionately represented in attack figures. Breed-specific bite rates are not known, and less responsible owners being drawn to certain breeds may be a factor.[9] American insurance company Allstate (depending on the state) may not insure homes with Rottweilers as well as Pit Bulls, Boxers, Akitas, Chow Chows, Dobermans, or wolf hybrids.[10]

The portrayal of Rottweilers as evil dogs in several fictional films and TV series, most notably in The Omen, and negative press has added to their negative publicity. This has led to Rottweilers being banned in some municipalities and are sometimes targeted as dangerous dogs by legislation, such as in the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal and the Republic of Ireland. However, the Dutch law has since been changed as of 2008. On the other hand, not all mainstream media has portrayed the breed in a negative light: for example, a gentler side of the Rottweiler's personality was observed in the movie Lethal Weapon 3 where a Rottweiler guarding a gun smuggling operation was placated by the main character, played by Mel Gibson, with dog treats. The dog was subsequently rescued and de facto adopted by the protagonist. Also, in the HBO series Entourage a rottweiler is a dear pet of the main characters. Cujo the loveable family dog and voice of the official website in the TV series Kath and Kim, is played by National Rottweiler Council (Australia) Champion and Dual Champion (Tracking) Goodiesway Basko (AI) C.D.X. E.T.


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"Boys will be boys" indeed. Knowing this to be the case, was it reasonable to have freely roaming animals capable (physically and behaviorally) of killing a human being? In my view it wasn't, and the owner must be held responsible for the actions of his dogs as if he had done the deed himself. I see it as manslaughter (in British terminology - not sure what it would be in American).

Once we agree and accept that death is an appropriate punishment for trespass then I might let the owner off. Not till then.

Gosh Peter - the dogs were not 'freely roaming animals' nor had they previously been known by the vet, the owner, or others familiar with them, to be dangerous animals. It is a terrible tragedy and placing blame on anyone would just add more injury to an already sad event. The owner surely had no idea the boys were trespassing nor that his dogs would react in that manner. I'm glad you are not in any official capacity to make judgement on anyone with your harsh outlook on what is clearly a horrible accident. Had the dogs been roaming outside of the owner's property and fence, I would agree he is 100% responsible. But that is not the case here. Trespassers take enormous risk by engaging in the activity - sadly, the boys were unaware of the risks due to their lack of mature perspective, and I won't even take it further as to the supervising adult's part in this, surely everyone is feeling great pain and regret and charging anyone will not change the fact that Dualvin has passed away.

Peter wants the dog's owner convicted of killing. Cool wants the dogs killed. Someone maybe wants the boys encarcerated for trespassing and others wanting the adults responsible for teaching the boys not to break the law punished.
And then there is me looking at it as a terrible tragedy where none acted in a way deserving any of those punishments. Maybe I am getting soft in my later years. Or maybe others will be able to think more reasonably in their later years.

I can't see how any action against anyone or thing is warranted - let the families heal in peace and move past what might have been if not for... no need for more bloodshed or punishment laid to anyone - it was an accident and a very young life is no longer.

Was it an accident, totally unpredictable? Despite various arguments to the contrary, rottweilers are perceived as potentially dangerous in many countries. Anyone keeping them cannot reasonably claim that they were unaware that the dogs could behave undesirably. And there have been cases in other countries where landowners have been held responsible for injuries sustained by children who managed to break in - the argument being that the onus on keeping intruders out becomes greater as the possible consequences of such an intrusion increase. Having potentially dangerous dogs roaming freely within the enclosure increases the responsibility of the landowner in ensuring that children cannot physically get in. These kids don't seem to have had much difficulty climbing over the fence, and they were clearly totally unaware of the danger that was inside.

No, I don't believe the word "accident" is appropriate. "Misadventure" might be better, and that doesn't exclude the possibility of blame.