Brave caregiver

Rottweiler attacked a group of children at a playground

In this case, the Rottweiler attacked a group of after-school care children.(Bild: Krone KREATIV/© Horst Einöder/ Flashpictures Stock Adobe)

A traumatic experience for a group of schoolchildren in Upper Austria: a Rottweiler that had broken free attacked the after-school care children who were spending their free time at a playground. One child was taken to hospital, and it is thanks to the courageous caregivers that nothing worse happened.

"We are doing everything we can to ensure that this incident is dealt with by the schoolchildren and has no negative consequences" – Daniel Hagendorf, head of the Children and Youth Service in Linz, sent the crisis intervention team to the Römerberg School after a group of children was attacked by a dog.

Supervisor "dragged along"
The students were at the neighboring Schulertal playground with their supervisors at around 1:45 p.m. on Tuesday when a Rottweiler, which its owner (52) was walking on a leash, suddenly broke free. "A supervisor reacted immediately and grabbed the leash that the dog was dragging behind it as it ran," Hagendorf said. Although the woman was able to catch the leash, the Rottweiler dragged her behind it and she was unable to stop the dog attack.

Pounced on two children
The Rottweiler lunged at two children—a girl (8) and a boy (9)—and bit the boy in the leg. The caregivers intervened and dragged the dog away from the children. According to the police report, the owner then regained control of her animal. While the girl was unharmed, the boy had to be treated in hospital.

Here, the Rottweiler attacked a group of after-school care children.(Bild: Krone KREATIV/© Horst Einöder/ Flashpictures Stock Adobe)

Request for swift action
"The owner is being charged with bodily harm," the police confirmed. The Linz municipal authorities are also investigating under the Dog Ownership Act. "Since the dog is kept near the school, it is important that it does not pose a danger. We have therefore asked our colleagues to quickly check the conditions under which it is kept," said Hagendorf.

We are now, of course, giving the children the choice of whether to go to the playground or stay in the after-school care center garden.

Daniel Hagendorf, Leiter des Kinder- und Jugend-Service in Linz

Possible removal of the dog
Concerned parents told the "Krone" newspaper that the Rottweiler had already attracted negative attention on several occasions due to aggressive behavior—albeit within the fenced property. Following the bite attack, in addition to requirements such as a muzzle, the authorities may even remove the animal.

„Krone“-Kommentar

Vertrauen ist gut – Kontrolle ist alles

"My dog wouldn't hurt a fly" – dog owners' trust in their animals is important, but at the end of the day, trust is good, but control is everything!

Even with the best-behaved pooch, owners should always be prepared for their four-legged friend to "not just want to play" for some reason. What triggered the Rottweiler during the attack at the playground in Linz is unknown, but also irrelevant.

(Bild: Krone KREATIV, Alexander Schwarzl, Markus Wenzel)

Dog owners must always have their animals under control – the little "Fifi" as well as the powerful "Killer." Otherwise, you should get a cat. They do what they want anyway.