Nintendogs Blamed for Enticing Real Dog to Attack Child

[Tom Goldman]

Nintendogs Blamed for Enticing Real Dog to Attack Child

Be careful, because playing Nintendogs can apparently get you attacked by a real dog.

A somewhat disturbing story has come out of the UK about a little girl that was viciously attacked by a dog possibly because she was playing Nintendogs [http://www.amazon.com/Nintendogs-Labrador-Retriever-Friends-Nintendo-DS/dp/B0009YDS10/ref=sr_1_1?s=gateway&ie=UTF8&qid=1285749405&sr=8-1]. While this might at first seem like the unjust blaming of videogames by a publication known somewhat for doing so (the Daily Mail), this attack actually could be the result of an unfortunate coincidence this time.

Nine-year-old Megan Walker was playing Nintendogs on her Nintendo DS at a family friend's abode while the house Bull Mastiff named Saracen was sleeping in a nearby room. Reportedly, when the Mastiff heard Walker's in-game dogs barking it came gunning for her, dragged her off of a sofa, and bit a large portion of her lip off.

The girl was taken to a hospital where surgeons were able to sew her lip back on. Though she's doing better, it's unknown if she'll need plastic surgery or not. The mastiff was put down as a result of the attack.

Walker recounts what happened: "[Nintendogs] barked and Saracen dragged me off the couch by my foot. I was scared." Walker's grandmother says: "I blame the game for what happened to Megan. If they hadn't been playing it I don't think the dog would have gone for her."

So what do you think? Is it actually possible that the noises coming from Nintendogs were the trigger for such a violent attack? Some dogs certainly have violent tendencies, but the dog's owner told police that that little girl may have kicked Saracen, so videogames weren't the only possibility here.

In this case, above others, it actually seems plausible that a videogame was partially and coincidentally responsible for a terrible event, though I wouldn't exactly blame Shigeru Miyamoto for a coincidence. Then again, if a dog is that violent it shouldn't be running free around nine-year-olds, so its owner was ultimately responsible rather than the game.

Source: Daily Mail [http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1315826/Girls-lip-torn-dog-heard-barking-Nintendo-DS.html]

Permalink

 

[Autofaux]

It's a bull mastiff. Why was it inside with a nine year old child in the first place?

 

[JeanLuc761]

It's a bull mastiff. Why was it inside with a nine year old child in the first place?

Basically this. While the attack could have been entirely coincidental, having a dog like that around a 9-year old is probably not the best idea.

I'm full-grown and I'm nervous around dogs that physically imposing.

 

[The Cheezy One]

Yep, and play Modern Warfare and terrorists will come into your house and shoot you. I'm not trying to play down this incident, its tragic, but now a videogame has indirectly hurt a young girl, this will be ammo against gaming

I blame the game for what happened to Megan. If they hadn?t been playing it I don?t think the dog would have gone for her

Although, considering its the Daily Mail, im surprised they didnt try to blame it on foreigners, the racist scum

No one from Nintendo was available for comment.

and why would they be? its not like sort of thing is a hazard nintendo could have prepared for. maybe replace the actual barking with subtitles? woof woof. bark-ing mad is what this is, just a load of bull(mastiff)

 

[default]

Yeah. I hate dogs, they can all go die, and this story has just reaffirmed that hate.

It wasn't the games fault though, of course. It's just stupid barbaric dog nature. She could have been watching a tv show about dogs. The only reason it went for her is because it was on her lap where the bark came from.

 

[C_sector]

Why is the dog called 'Saracen'? :/

 

[Master10K]

Due to the fact that it's coming from the Daily Mail, I call bullshit on this anti-videogame story. But if for some far-fetched reason that this really did transpire, then it's oblivious the owner's fault for not training their dumbass dog not to attack lil kids or for just keeping it in the same the vicinity of the child. There have been way too many vicious dog attacks, in the UK lately.

 

[Eri]

Dog owners fault. Pretty much just that.

 

[Daniel_Rosamilia]

Fuck...
NOT.
THIS.
SHIT.
AGAIN.

I WISH people, especially the media, would stop blaming things on video gaming, when there are other, higher-ranking things related to this.
Dog = FUCKING MASSIVE. Problem 1
Dog = NOT TRAINED AROUND LITTLE KIDS. Problem 2
Parents = NOT WILLING TO TAKE BLAME. Problem 3 (the major one, because that proves the parents are afraid of responsibility)

Ta-DAH.
3 larger problems found.
Anyone wish to contribute to this list?

EDIT: To the 6 or so people so far that wave quoted me, thank you, especially the one that said 'Couldn't have put it better myself' (or something very much like that)

Now, can you please not quote me? Logging on to see that 2 more people quoting me is nice, but on the same topic?
Jeez, it's like the quote button's broken people's minds and MADE them quote me.
In case you didn't notice, I don't like attention.
NOT.
AT.
ALL.

 

[Ben Legend]

I've played Nintendogs with a dog in the house... and guess what!

Spoiler

NOTHING HAPPENED!

Hence, my experiment proves nintendogs does not cause woman to get excited around you. the average normal dogs to go mad and attack.

 

[LawlessSquirrel]

They blame the game, then kill the dog? Bad incident, but that seems a disconnect in logic there. I don't know what the cause was, likely the lack of dog training, but... yeah, it doesn't make sense to me.

Meanwhile, I'm thirsty so I'm gonna eat my pie.

 

[The Wooster]

Why is the dog called 'Saracen'? :/

My best guess.

 

[VulakAerr]

I blame the Daily Mail publishing bullshit stories as the cause for me setting fire to their offices next week...

 

[Fensfield]

Implausible, but not entirely impossible.

I forget, is the breed involved listed under the dangerous dogs act?

Oh well, in this case whatever the mass-media does, I'm fairly certain that between the cutesy, harmless perception of Nintendogs, and the generally increased awareness of incidents involving dogs lately, the only people really going to start making noise over videogame involvement in this will be people looking for a reason, anyway.

Also, the Daily Mail, again? Why do we always have to get our news from particularly crappy and dishonest tabloids? -.-

 

[1blackone]

It's a bull mastiff. Why was it inside with a nine year old child in the first place?

Basically this. While the attack could have been entirely coincidental, having a dog like that around a 9-year old is probably not the best idea.

I'm full-grown and I'm nervous around dogs that physically imposing.

FYI Bull Mastiffs are usually suuuuuper docile. They make terrible guard dogs for this reason and a kid would have to attack it and damn near draw blood for it to give a retort.

I would have to think that it was a freaky convergence of things that led to this: Probably the game's barking agitating the dog compounded with the girl being a stranger and kicking him.

BUT IN NO WAY IS IT A VIDEO GAME'S FAULT!

 

[ajrcrawford]

Not sure why everyone is assuming that because the dog was a large breed it was necessarily violent by nature. Bullmastiffs are, as a breed, generally very docile, obedient and loyal. They are prized as family pets for this reason.

This is a very unfortunate incident, but dogs are complex. Any number of things could have set it off. That said I personally don't think Nintendogs had anything to do with it. The Mail is an abhorrent publication.

 

[Evilsanta]

That a game triggerid the dog to attack, yeah right... My dog doesnt even react to shit like this then again it is quite old. And the grandma blames the game?

Damn stupid people.