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25 thoughts on “Justice for Boomer: Family Shares Story After Two Unleashed Dogs Viciously Attacked and Killed Their Beloved Cat

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  1. Two words: Civil Lawsuit. Gravenstein family, I hope you file one. And win big.

    • Sadly I bet they signed that right away to get the pittance they mentioned in the article. I really wish they hadn’t settled. I wonder if they had not settled if the judge would have watched the video?
      I understand they had been through so much at that point and didn’t want the owners to get off Scott free, a real possibility. I still wish they had gone for it and got the dogs declared dangerous. The owner could have put them down if that was too expensive after all “They are just dogs”.

  2. This just highlights the lack of respect, courtesy, and empathy in the general population. Whether it’s trying to walk through Walmart and having someone stand in your way and talk while making eye contact with you but refusing to move, or having two dogs kill your innocent cat and then the caretaker laughing like it’s a joke. This is where we are at, people. We’re all going to hell in a handbasket because we’ve forgotten how to treat each other with basic respect and dignity. The fact that they didn’t even show remorse or concern is downright scary to me.

  3. Very strange mindset – a dog needs to kill someone, in order to be declared dangerous. How about some common sense: if a dog is big enough and has strong enough jaws, it’s dangerous, period. Realistically, something can click, any minute, in it’s animal brain, and it can attack. In a sane world, it would be obvious that every dog should only be outside with leash and muzzle, without any declarations. I shouldn’t have to carry a bear maze going for a walk with my child, because some sick person chooses to own a dangerous dog and treat it like a “friend” instead of an animal, which it is.

    • Sometimes I think people are in strangely codependent relationships with their dogs. I see bumper stickers declaring their love for their dogs, etc. You have to wonder if they parade their dogs around for attention or if they just can’t stand to be alone for a moment? Dog owners often blur the line between animal and human. If a dog gets hit by a car, it may be temporarily devastating, but the pain will not permeate and last the way a child being mauled to death by a dog would. I really think these crazy people have a very hard time differentiating the two.

      • I agree, Mama Bear. When I meet someone who’s that “into” dogs, I can’t help wondering what’s gone wrong in their lives.

        And I’m also wary of them. Because no matter how hard I’d try to have any sort of relationship, I’d always be playing second fiddle to the dog.

    • Dogs that attack cats are also unreasonably dangerous. Despite what one will see on Looney Tunes, it is not natural for a dog to attack a cat. Dogs chase cats and anything else that moves, but do not normally catch them, kill them or eat them. When the cat stops running, turns around and hisses at the dog, the fun is over. A non-deranged dog will not commence fighting this fast, agile and determined creature with its 16 stilettoes and needle-sharp teeth. https://dogbitelaw.com/vicious-dogs/a-propensity-to-attack-other-dogs-means-a-dog-is-dangerous-to-people

      • I agree. I have a large (normal breed) dog and four cats. The dog has never once made a single aggressive move toward the cats. Aside from the occasional touching of noses, my dog and cats ignore one another. Same thing with outdoor cats we see on our walks. My dog barely glances at them.

        A dog slaughtering cats, especially cats who are doing nothing but peacefully napping on a porch, is NEVER ok. This story makes me sick inside.

      • It’s true. My dogs and my parent’s dog will chase squirrels all day long. (Like the dog in Up, if you’ve ever seen that movie.) But those dogs know who the boss is when the cat walks in the room. They’re not buddies, but they have never chased her or acted aggressively toward a cat in the house. Running toward or messing with, sure. But no trying to kill. One of my bonehead dogs even tried to make friends with a skunk one early morning. It was all wagging tails and curious interest until he got blasted in the face. That was a fun time!

  4. A “pet lover” acquaintance just sent me an email forward from the ASPCA yesterday, urging support of federal legislation that would abolish “holding times” for pit bulls confiscated from dogfighting rings. Instead, they want the dogs to be adopted or put in foster homes right away. Grimly, this proposed legislation is being called the “HEART” Act.

    Wouldn’t you like to see bred, conditioned, and experienced fighting dogs adopted into your neighborhood? As usual, the ASPCA is being truly “heart”-less toward all other pets who may end up in the jaws of aggressive dogs.

    We don’t have the money of these big lobby groups, but we all have our stories, and voices, to talk to our legislators about what’s going on.

    • Those big lobby groups get money from people. And, truth be told, I used to donate money to my local humane society. I no longer do. Reason: Their relentless pushing of pit bulls.

      I’m just one person, but I don’t think I’m the only one.

        • I just made my first donation to dogsbite.org!!! Colleen, thank you for the excellent research, content, and fighting this battle!

          • I just made my second donation (and am commenting because I know seeing other people say so has been the spur I needed in the past!)

            Seconding the thanks for the website.

  5. This is why a part of me cheers every time one of these pit bull owners gets taken out by their own ‘pet’. They have a totally sociopathic disregard for all other lives, from the cat lounging peacefully in its own yard (“just a cat!”) to the child down the street (count down ‘til we hear them saying “just a kid!”).

    My heart breaks for Boomer and the terror this poor gentle creature had to experience in his last moments. I hope the Gravensteins can heal from this and feel — and be — safe again.

  6. Following on your “just a cat” or “just a kid” comment, they very well would think that, but not all would say it. This is because the sociopaths that own dangerous dogs all have something in common. They are narcissistic and manipulative. All sociopaths share these traits, along with a lack of empathy. They manipulate facts in order to diminish any wrongdoing. This ties into their narcissistic “I am perfect and can do no wrong” trait. They may fake empathy, but none truly have the capacity for it. They will think “it’s just a cat/kid” but most wouldn’t say it in order to save face, because they are narcissistic.

    This is just something I’ve learned from years of research and close observation of a family member.

    By the way, all serial killers are also sociopaths. This has to make you wonder if all of these maulings are truly accidental.

    • Pit bull owners seem to fall into one of two categories. The sociopathic, unstable, mentally ill group, or the ones who believe the lie that pit bulls are no different than Golden Retrievers and believe they’re committing some altruistic act by “saving a poor misunderstood pibble.”
      Both are dangerous to the general public, but for very different reasons. The level of depravity I’ve seen from pit bull owners will make your blood run cold. The sick, inhuman things they say is unfathomable to normal people. The key word is normal. If I had a bunch of money and a degree in neurology, I would study the brains of pit bull owners (even though it’s not confirmed they actually have brains). I would bet there is a deficiency in the ventromedial prefrontal cortex, just like in sociopaths and psychopaths.
      Unfortunately I haven’t a bunch of money or a degree in neuroscience. What I do have is 2 beautiful kids and a S&W to protect them with, because those depraved people live among us. The one benefit of pit bulls is that they help us identify many of those people in society we should most likely avoid! Like a modern day scarlet letter.

      • This is so true!

        Although I personally don’t know any pitbull owners without that hint of sociopath in them (usually manifests as narcissism) I suppose dumb people also exist.

  7. We have a beautiful Maine Coon as well. Poppy is her name, and she is about the sweetest cat I’ve ever had the pleasure to meet. My 8 year old daughter is extremely attached to her. Even my tough guy veteran husband enjoys her company, gently kneading and purring on our laps in bed at night.
    Boomer and Poppy might be “just a cat” but we love them. They’re part of our daily routines. They’re our buddies and can make our day. When I think of all the ways Poppy is a part of our life, I can only imagine how awful it must be to suddenly lose that in a violent, disgusting way, the way Boomer was lost. I know what it would do to me emotionally, but I can’t imagine my daughter’s reaction.
    My heart goes out to the Gravensteins. They and Boomer didn’t deserve to go through such a horrific ordeal, all because some fool couldn’t do the most basic form of responsibility and contain those dogs. And then to act like demented sub-human trash on top of it. Sickening.
    I’ll give Poppy and extra scratch under the chin tonight, in Boomer’s memory.

    • I do feel this way about my 12 year old Siamese kitties. Although they are strictly indoor. I had them before I had real children. Naturally when the real children came along, my priorities changed, but I still love them just the same and I don’t believe they deserve any type of cruel fate like this poor cat.

  8. Does anyone know their twitter site? I’d love to express my sorrow at their loss and wish them well.

  9. To the moderator … I didn’t think about you being on twitter. Following you now with my nonpolitical account and I will follow with my political one which will reach more people (10 vs 8,000+ followers).

  10. Want to extend my sympathies to you and your family for the loss of such a loving family member!! I can certainly relate having my little 5 pound yorkie killed by my neighbors Rottweiler over 20 years ago. To this day I’m am still haunted by that horrific experience. 2 other of my dogs disappeared the previous year from my backyard and we have long suspected they met the same fate but weren’t able to prove it. As you , we also were disgusted with the lack of basic humanity from our irresponsible neighbors who wasted no time telling the other neighbors We were responsible for the attack for lacking a suitable fence for a large dog( we didn’t have a large dog!) after that experience I’ve paid much closer attention to the attitudes of people with large potentially dangerous dogs and have noticed the complete disregard for the most basic of responsibility relating to their dogs. Not having any truly enforced laws that protect us from these slobs leaves you feeling rather helpless! I am interested in knowing how people feel about tough, gritty and enforced regulations in regard to dogs over a certain weight limit. I believe it could be considered discriminatory to target a certain breed but by separating them into a weight class would present a good argument. After all we don’t see 15 lb cats or dogs mauling someone to death! So please share your opinion with me on this matter!

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