Danger from dog packs after TEOTWAWKI

(Survival Manual/ Prepper articles/Danger from dog packs after TEOTWAWKI)                    

This article traces the feral dog pack problem from the present, as it makes it’s public appearance and extrapolates the problem into a TEOTWAWKI event.

A.  Abandoned Dogs Roam Detroit in Packs as Humans Dwindle
20 Aug 2013, Bloomberg.com, by Chris Christof
Pasted from: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-08-21/abandoned-dogs-roam-detroit-in-packs-as-humans-dwindle.html

See the video report of Detroit’s feral dog problem at –
http://bloom.bg/173Xmx0

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As many as 50,000 stray dogs roam the streets and vacant homes of bankrupt Detroit, replacing residents, menacing humans who remain and overwhelming the city’s ability to find them homes or peaceful deaths.

Dens of as many as 20 canines have been found in boarded-up homes in the community of about 700,000 that once pulsed with 1.8 million people. One officer in the Police Department’s skeleton animal-control unit recalled a pack splashing away in a basement that flooded when thieves ripped out water pipes.

“The dogs were having a pool party,” said Lapez Moore, 30. “We went in and fished them out.”

Poverty roils the Motor City and many dogs have been left to fend for themselves, abandoned by owners who are financially stressed or unaware of proper care. Strays have killed pets, bitten mail carriers and clogged the animal shelter, where more than 70 percent are euthanized.
“With these large open expanses with vacant homes, it’s as if you designed a situation that causes dog problems,” said Harry Ward, head of animal control.

Symbiotic Suffering
The number of strays signals a humanitarian crisis, said Amanda Arrington of the Humane Society of the United States, based in Washington. She heads a program that donated $50,000 each to organizations in Detroit and nine other U.S cities to get pets vaccinated, fed, spayed and neutered.

Arrington said when she visited Detroit in October, “It was almost post-apocalyptic, where there are no businesses, nothing except people in houses and dogs running around.”
“The suffering of animals goes hand in hand with the suffering of people.”
She said pet owners who move leave behind dogs, hoping neighbors will care for them. Those dogs take to the streets and reproduce. Compounding that are the estimated 70,000 vacant buildings that provide shelter for dogs, or where some are chained without care to ward off thieves, Ward said.

Most strays are pets that roam, often in packs that form around a female in heat, Ward said. Few are true feral dogs that have had no human contact.
Ward said Detroit’s three shelters — his and two non-profit facilities — take in 15,000 animals a year, including strays and pets that are seized or given up by owners.

Fearing Humans
They are among the victims of a historic financial and political collapse. Detroit, a former auto manufacturing powerhouse, declared the largest U.S. municipal bankruptcy on July 18 after years of decline. The city has more than $18 billion in long-term debt and had piled up an operating deficit of close to $400 million. Falling revenue forced cutbacks in police, fire-fighting — and dog control.

With an annual budget of $1.6 million, Ward has four officers to cover the 139-square-mile (360-square-kilometer) city seven days a week, 11 fewer than when he took command in 2008. He has one dog-bite investigator, down from three.

“We are really suffering from fatigue, short staffed” and work too much overtime, he said in an interview.
The officers, who wear bulletproof vests to protect themselves from irate owners, are bringing in about half the number of animals that crews did in 2008, Ward said.
In July, the pound stopped accepting more animals for a month because the city hadn’t paid a service that hauls away euthanized animals for cremation at a cost of about $20,000 a year. The freezers were packed with carcasses, and pens were full of live animals until the bill was paid.

Famous Fighter
Pit bulls and breeds mixed with them dominate Detroit’s stray population because of widespread dog fighting, said Ward. Males are aggressive in mating, so they proliferate, he added.

One type of fighting pit bull has become known as far as Los Angeles as the “Highland Park red,” named after a city within Detroit’s borders, Ward said.

Their prevalence was clear as Ward and officers Moore and Malachi Jackson answered calls Aug. 19. On a block where vacant houses and lots outnumbered occupied ones, they found four dogs in an abandoned house — a male and three females, including a pregnant pit bull with a prized blue-gray coat.
Ward said it appeared the dogs were fed by someone who used the house to hide stolen items.

Walking Small
Aggressive dogs force the U.S. Postal Service to temporarily halt mail delivery in some neighborhoods, said Ed Moore, a Detroit-area spokesman. He said there were 25 reports of mail carriers bitten by dogs in Detroit from October through July. Though most are by pets at homes, strays have also attacked, Moore said.

“It’s been a persistent problem,” he said.
Mail carrier Catherine Guzik told of using pepper spray on swarms of tiny, ferocious dogs in a southwest Detroit neighborhood.
“It’s like Chihuahuaville,” Guzik said as she walked her route.
At two nearby homes, one pet dog was killed recently and another injured by two stray pit bulls that jumped fences into yards, said neighbor Debora Mattie, 49.
Last year, there were 903 dog bites in Detroit, according to Ward, adding that most go unreported to police. He said 90 percent are by dogs whose owners are known.

After Attack
Many de facto strays are called pets by owners who let them wander, said Kristen Huston, who leads the Detroit office of All About Animals Rescue, a non-profit that obtained the Humane Society’s $50,000 grant last year to feed, vaccinate and sterilize pets. Some dogs run away from their neighborhoods and threaten people, she said.

“Technically, it’s illegal to let a dog roam, but with the city being bankrupt, who’s going to do anything about it?” Huston said.
Huston said she walks through some of the poorest neighborhoods to talk to pet owners about how to care for their animals, sometimes giving them bags of food or even a free doghouse.
Ward said more needs to be done to educate pet owners. He said his crews are too few, but help keep dogs in check.
Four months ago, a woman sitting on her porch on the east side was attacked by two strays that tore off her scalp, Ward said.
“We got those dogs,” he said. “It’s a big difference to that lady that those dogs were gone that day.”

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B.  3 Weeks After The Blackout, Man’s New Vicious Enemy (A short work of fiction to make you think. Remember it’s message.)
20 August 2013, ModernSurvivalBlog.com, by Ken Jorgustin
Pasted from: http://modernsurvivalblog.com/security/3-weeks-after-the-blackout-mans-new-vicious-enemy/

Jake had been taking up the rear while Chester about 200 yards ahead had been setting the pace while out on patrol.
Ever since the blackout had sent the world tumbling into chaos, their small rural community had banded together for protection and resources once they had realized the power wasn’t coming back any time soon. It had already been almost 3 weeks and word had it that there had been some sort of EMP attack…

Something about several high altitude detonations launched from 3 freighters just offshore… one on the west coast and two on the east. At least that’s what Phil said, who was monitoring a battery operated shortwave radio which had survived the EMP damage…

He had kept it in a metal filing cabinet with other stuff in the basement, which just so happened to be touching up against a cold water pipe, which was grounded. Somehow it had protected the radio from damage…

Jake knew what the outcome would entail, and it wasn’t pretty. In fact he knew it would be horribly bad. Fortunately for him and his small community of neighbors, they were not in a high population zone and would stand a better chance of making it through what was to come.

He worried though about the people in Casterlan, a moderate size town several miles away. At least it wasn’t a city, but he knew that people there were beginning to starve. The stores were looted of all food after the first week and people were now walking out beyond their town to find others with food. He knew this because he and Chester had crossed their paths while out on patrol.

On this day, late in the afternoon as the sun began to transform the world below into that golden hour… when the shadows are longer and the colors are deep in yellows and orange, Jake was jolted into the hear-and-now when he heard the shot. Then another.

It was Chester out in front. He could barely make out his shape in the glint of the sun, and there were shadows of shapes moving around him. Some of them moving closer. Jake started to run to help and knew that this was bad. He could see Chester fall down as he began swinging his rifle at the objects that were apparently attacking him. Another shot.

It seemed like forever but as Jake closed the distance between him and Chester, he saw them… a pack of dogs.

Grotesquely he could see one of them, what looked like a German Shepard, biting and chewing at Chester’s neck and another smaller but just as viscous dog tearing his leg.

As he closed the distance between them and was close enough, he dropped to one knee, aimed and began firing. The two that were on Chester ran off with the first report of his 308. There were at least half a dozen others who had been circling around Chester and Jake managed to finish two of them as the rest ran off just into the brush of the wooded edge.

He was stunned at what he saw. These were not wolves or coyotes, they were dogs!

Then it hit him. He realized that with all the chaos and lack of food, these dogs were starving and had probably been abandoned or let loose. Some of them had become feral and had reverted to their wild state, and were hunting to stay alive. He had never thought of that possibility. They were out there, forming packs, and would present a very real danger for all of them – whenever they were outside.

So, that was my short story segment which could potentially become a reality if things ever really get bad…

Imagine how many people have pet dogs. Lots! If people are starving, do you think the dogs will too? Unfortunately, yes. Some will die as they are too domesticated and won’t be able to find food for themselves. But others will hunt. It could become very dangerous in areas where there are high concentrations of people and dogs. Some of these dogs will revert to the wild and will kill for food. And that could be you…just another thing to think about.

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C. Wild Dogs Pose Post-TEOTWAWKI Danger
Pasted from: http://www.captaindaves.com/buckshot/dogs.htm
I was in a chat room tonight and we were discussing dogs. I said “If TEOTWAWKI (the end of the world as we know it) happens, then 100 millions dog will be a major problem.” Then we got to talking about the Great Depression and how the land was almost hunted dry.

First, before we accept that as fact, here was the argument. One person stated that when the great depression happened there was half the population, then there is now. So, if a great world collapse was to happen today, his premise was there wouldn’t be anything left in the forest. I have to disagree. My biggest point was during the G.D., 40 percent of the population came from farms, most knew how to hunt and a fair percentage knew how to trap. Then it makes senses that the game would disappear. But even then, there were a percentage of trappers all over this country that fed their families and saved their farms with the fur money. See the value of trapping?

My premise is we have 90 percent of the U.S. population in the cities. Most are soft and would rather steal what you have then work at hunting or trapping. I believe most will never get out of the cities and will die in a hail of gunfire, rioting and fires. When all this is going on, they will let their pets go free, thinking at least they can survive on their own. This is why at 4:00 am I’m writing this article. I could not sleep. I know city people will do this and we will have 100 million dogs and 80 million cats released to go wild.

OK, for those that are still with me, these animals will be a major problem and must be dealt with. Period. This isn’t Disney, where you can talk to the poor dog and cat and the world is all fuzzy and warm. This is reality. If you own animals never, ever, EVER, release them to go wild. If you don’t have the stomach for putting them down, have someone else do it. If you have to put dog food away at your camp, cache, whatever, great. I think a dog is invaluable then. A cat in the wild in this crisis is your greatest enemy. One study in Wisconsin found that the best predator against small game was the house cat. The common house cat killed more small game then all other predators in the study.

Now the reason I’m up this late and can’t sleep is the dogs. I understand pack mentality and a pack of dogs scares me more then a pack of wolves. I have been studying the woods and wildlife my whole life. This is how the dogs will form packs, an alpha male will take control of the pack with a beta male as second in command, the packs will range from 6 to 100 dogs depending on the food supply.

This scenario, I read years ago of a pack like this had 45 dogs and this was how they attacked people. The alpha picked a friendly looking female like a collie. This is the decoy dog. As you are walking in the woods, the collie approaches and draws your attention, as the packs circle you for the kill. When the pack sneaks up to striking distance, they will attack and so will the decoy. I’m talking lighting fast 45 dogs coming at you. How many rounds does your clip have?

You see when the riots and the death in the city is happening the dogs will learn to fed on the bodies then in turn will acquire the taste for humans. Now you have a pack of wild dogs who consider you and your loved ones as food. They have no fear of man and will kill you to insure their own survival. Now, I’m not trying to scare you and sell fear. I am telling you that this will happen if the chaos of TEOTWAWKI occurs. You’ll have to learn to kill dogs and cats on sight. Period. This is not an option.

If you want to insure your own survival, then listen to me. This is no game. If you think I’m just stating this to sell you trapping equipment then click off this article and go take a poll of the people you know, ask the following question, “What would you do with your dog and cat if you lost your job and could not afford to fed them?” I have lived in the country most of my life and I have had to deal with these animals that people let go on their own.

I have talked to the people who have told me that they still believe their Ralphy boy is probably still out there hunting with the best of the coyotes. Dreamy like and with pride in there voice! Or I know my cat is still alive because he was the best hunter in the neighborhood, he killed more birds then any other cat!

I’m not selling anything but reality! I’ll tell you another dog story that happened to me. I was trapping on this farm years ago and I caught a black mangy, scaly looking black lab mixed mongrel. I have caught lots of dogs over the years and I can let most go with out a problem, unharmed. Anyway, I approached this dog and started talking to him and slowly moving closer. The dog stood up, wagged his tail and appeared happy to see me. When this happens, 99% percent of the time I can release the dog and place him in my truck to take to the farmhouse and explain what happened. Most dogs are fine and have a sore foot for a couple of days, then they’re back to normal. Not this dog he lured me in with his friendly attitude until he thought I was in striking distance, then turned into attack mode. Lucky, I was prepared for the reaction and quickly jumped back. I never will forget that lighting fast change and the snarling teeth just missing my hand. The dog misjudged his strike range, if I had been a little closer this would be a different story.

So I walk back to truck, found the farmer and told him I caught his dog. The farmer says I don’t own a dog and what color is it, because some black mongrel attacked his wife yesterday. To make long story short, the dog was turned over to the humane department and tested positive for rabies. Now this was back in the early eighties when a lot of people were getting laid-off. People were letting their dogs go in the farmers’ fields and without proper care, and the dogs picked up all kinds of diseases. Someone has to deal with these dogs. There is no such thing as a dog or cat that is better off let go to fend for themselves. I have seen them all and most of the time you would never recognize them after 6 months on there own.

If a TEOTWAWKI does happen then someone in your group preferably everyone should trap, hunt and kill every dog and cat that has gone wild in your area. Period! I’m writing this early in the morning because I couldn’t sleep at the thought of that many wild dogs and cats free in America.

The best defense to protect your garden and livestock or game animals would be snares. I would have 10 dozens coyote grade snares and enough heavy wire to set all of them at once.

Here is another theory: Starving people will kill the dogs for food. I say sure some will become food, but the average household that has guns has less then 50 rounds, although most survivalists will have much more. So, I think after the first week most people will be out of ammo. Then the packs will rule.

Let me know what you think, am I way off base? I just keep thinking of all the people in the cities and their “My dogs are my children” attitude. Dog and cat food is a huge business. I mean, they have pet psychiatrist for Christ sakes. Think about all the movies and shows like 911 where people risk their lives to save animals. I’m not saying that this is wrong, all I’m pointing out is people’s attitude toward pets, and I guarantee they will let them go to fend for themselves when the food runs out. Make sure you are ready to face this threat.