Scared and Freezing Dog Thrust into Spotlight Bites TV Anchor

Dogo Argentino Argentine mastiff

Dogo Argentino / Argentine Mastiff (not Max) photo courtesy of Wikipedia

An Argentine Mastiff dog (otherwise known as a Dogo Argentino) named Max was rescued after falling into the freezing cold Smith Reservoir in Lakewood, Colorado on Tuesday afternoon. The 3-year-old dog was off-leash when he saw a coyote running out of a bush. Max took after after the coyote and both Max and the coyote wound up on the ice of the Smith Reservoir. The ice broke and both the dog and the coyote fell through into the freezing water. It is believed that the coyote drowned immediately while Max did the doggy paddle in the middle of the freezing lake.

Max paddled for about 20 minutes before the West Metro Fire Department came to the rescue. Firefighter Tyler Sugaski, in a special cold-water rescue suit and tethered by a rope, waded over to the water’s edge until he finally broke through the ice and fell into the frigid water swimming the rest of the way to Max who was already swimming toward his rescuer.







Unfortunately Max’s ordeal doesn’t end there. After getting warmed up eating a bit and getting a few hours sleep he was whisked away in the early morning hours for a tv interview at a local television station. His owner was there and so were the firefighters that helped save his life. Unfortunately Max wasn’t into the spotlight and wound up biting the tv interviewer on the lip. The incident happened during the “My20″ morning news broadcast on KTVD. Max, was detained by animal control officers after the incident. Now Max could pay the ultimate price because the media needed to interview him in the studio before any other news agency could get the story. Instead of meeting outside at a park or even at the dog’s own home for the interview so Max could continue to rest quietly after being in a freezing lake yesterday he was in the tv studio and on camera by 7am this morning.

I can only hope that it turns out that this was not a bite at all and that the anchor woman bent down to visit with Max who jumped up excited to say hello. In the video of his rescue he does not show any signs of aggression. He swam towards his rescuer and held on to him while they were pulled to harder ice and then ran towards the other firefighter waiting by the side of the ice. He seems a little unsure of what he wants to do but ultimately sits down in front of the firefighter for help.

What are your thoughts on this? Should Max be punished or deemed dangerous because of this?

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Comments

  1. I’d like to know why the reporters face was that close to a strange dog. You don’t put your face in the face of a dog you don’t know. He could have been intimidated by the stranger and the strange surroundings. Or you’re right, he could have just jumped up excitedly.

    I don’t think it is the dog’s fault. Even if he did bite her, as long as he has his shots I don’t think he should be detained.

  2. Charlotte Cobb says

    A greedy thoughtless news bite (no pun intended)!!! The dog had been thru so much, what was everyone thinking? Only an idiot would get in a strange dogs face! This should be left alone and lessons should be learned…

  3. I’d be so upset if they put him down. After the whole stressful day the dog poor dog has been through you think they could have made him comfortable? And ya..why was the lady SO close to the dog in order to get bit? If the dog has no history of being aggressive then he should be given a second chance.

  4. Debbi Compel says

    A dog should not be expected to behave normally after a traumatic event. The owners should probably been more sensitive to that. An unknowledgable reporter is on her own for a stupid action like getting close enough to a strange dog with her face!

  5. Anyone who sticks his or her face in a dog’s face (especially a strange one) deserves that they get. Heck, even Henrietta would be likely to bite my face if she was scared and nervous and in strange surroundings even though I’m her mom and she loves me –she is a dog and it would be her natural reaction. The reporter should pay the price, not the poor dog.

  6. That’s horrible! The news station should be ashamed of themselves. After all the trauma from the previous day, who could blame the dog if he did bite her? My dog is a tiny dog, and she jumps up to give kisses…half the time she ends up biting my 6 year old because he’s bending to her and she’s jumping up to him…it’s not that she’s trying to bite, she does it to all of us. They need to use common sense the next time. Putting the dog to sleep after saving him from the freezing river is so ridiculous! 🙁

  7. I also think this was at the very least a provoked incident.
    It may have been the microphone he was jumping towards or he was trying to move out of the way or something. I have not seen that video. If he was UTD on vaccs he should be allowed house arrest for a 10 day watch. If not UTD most state laws do say hospital or shelter confinement. I can’t argue that.
    There is no way he should pay the ultimate price or even be labeled a vicious dog.
    One can only hope the reporter and station management learned a lesson from this.

  8. No, absolutely not. This dog should not be put down. It is not the dog’s fault 🙁

  9. As a Certified Veterinary Technician of 13 years, I agree the other posters. The animal has just been through a traumatic incident, then a stranger sticks their face close to the dog? The reporter was not thinking clearly to do something so ridiculous. It baffles me why this dog would be considered dangerous from a single provoked incident.

    That being said, I am also upset that the owners were walking this dog off leash. None of this would have happened had they also used common sense. This is a classic example of “oh my dog would never run off” or “my dog would never bite” in the veterinary world we hear these comments all the time, usually just before the dog runs off or bites. Animals are not robots, they are thinking and feeling creatures just like humans and to expect them to behave the way we want them to all the time is silly. Get a stuffed animal if you expect perfect obedience. Or better yet use common sense.

  10. This is absolutely ridiculous! This poor dog should be curled up at home for a long time to recover from such an ordeal. The thought of “interviewing” him is just idiotic! WOW>.. this makes me raging mad! And like everyone else said – why are you putting your face so close to a dog you don’t know??!

  11. He doesn’t seem aggressive. But I have to say, I’d bite someone if they rug me out of bed to be put in front of a camera and bright lights LOL

  12. poor thing 🙁

  13. Great find! Amazing how stupid people can be around dogs.

  14. I don’t now why the Anchor put her face so close to such a large dog, that she did not have a bond with.

    I feel really bad that she was injured since she ment no harm just over affectionate…but I pray that Max is released from Animal control, prior to the incident, Max appeared calm and nonagressive.

    I hope that Animal Control does not deem this poor guy to death. Send Max home with beloved family.

    Poor baby…

  15. JR Pickett (Vicki Vix) says

    Max should definitely not be punished. Ultimately the fault lies with his owner who should never have agreed to take him to studio for the interview. If the owner needed his/her five minutes of fame, they should have known better than to take a stressed out dog into a studio full of strange people, with all the lights and activity involved. Shame on them!

  16. Whenever I see a animal on a TV Talk Show…I think that is so mean. I can not imagine how scared the animals are. Then to be stupid enough to stick your face in from of a strange dog! The sad part is …now it is the dog’s fault!

  17. The owner was certainly at fault for putting his dog in this situation, the anchor is a big pet lover and should have known better than to put her face near a dog she didn’t know.

    I just watched the video, and apparently the dog wasn’t up to date on his shots. His owner received fines for not having his dog on a leash, not having him up to date on his shots and for the bite itself.

    The video I watched said Animal Control has investigated the dog and he has no history of bites, so more than likely he will be released to his owner, the news station will be revising their policies regarding animals in the studio.

    • I am so glad to hear that hopefully things will work out for the best for Max and that his owner will receive some educational tips about the proper care of his dog.

  18. This website was… how do you say it? Relevant!! Finally I have found something that helped me. Thank you!|

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