Authorities suspiciously quiet about whether they're going to charge the owner of these horses with cruelty

UTAH -- Weber County Animal Services is investigating a case of neglect of horses on a property in West Warren.

Weber County Animal Services Director Lt. Chad Ferrin said Weber-Morgan Health Department and Weber County Planning Department are also involved in the case.

"This has been an ongoing problem for several months," Ferrin said, "We've been trying to work through it."

The horses were allegedly malnourished and living in poor conditions. The agencies are working with the owners to improve the condition of the horses.

 

A resident in the area, who wished not to be identified, said a number of horses on a West Warren property have died and have been left to rot. The resident submitted photos to the Standard-Examiner.

Ferrin would not identify the location of the property under investigation and would not confirm whether the photos supplied by the resident were those of the property in question.

"When we went out there today we found they were mostly compliant," Ferrin said.
 

The owners have 48 hours to be completely compliant. However, if the owners are found not to be compliant, Animals Services can send the case to court.

Horse ownership is common in Weber County.

"It seems like half of the county owns a horse," Ferrin said.

Animal Services receives a couple of calls a month, because people believe a horse does not have enough water, feed or room, Ferrin said, but for the most part people take care of their animals.

"Most of the cruelty cases are completely unfounded," Ferrin said.

(The Standard - Sept 28, 2011)

No justice for woman murdered by dogs in New Mexico

NEW MEXICO -- No criminal charges will be filed against the owner of pit bulls who mauled a Truth or Consequences, N.M. woman to death.

On Wednesday, the district attorney announced that owner James Hardiman won’t be criminally charged unless someone has first-hand information to show he knew his dogs were dangerous.

[This is the problem with the laws. The owner only has to insist he had 'no idea' his dogs were aggressive or would ever hurt anyone. Many animal control agencies are either overworked or are lazy and don't implement the dangerous dog ordinances in their region. Bite reports and having a dog deemed dangerous sets the groundwork for when this dog AGAIN does something, the owner CAN be held responsible b/c in the eyes of the law, the owner can't claim ignorance of the dog's aggression.

Many times the owners will simply surrender the dog to be put down rather than have to deal with the restrictions placed on them by animal control.  In my opinion, that's a better outcome b/c we don't have to deal with this aggressive dog possibly getting loose again.  Unfortunately, most agencies have bad employees or they are so short-handed they simply don't have the manpower to deal with the paperwork, effort and time that involves getting a dog declared dangerous.]

The victim’s family hopes that someone will come forward and speak with authorities.

“Please come forward, a message to anybody that can help us steer this case in the other direction with another set of eyes, by God's will come forward,” the victim’s brother, Gary Salcedo, said.

The district attorney’s office said the case is not closed and the statute of limitations is five years.

(KOAT - Sept 29, 2011)

Earlier:

• Family of woman killed by pit bulls protests handling of case
• Charges undecided in fatal T or C mauling

Pit Bull Attacks Teen At Bus Stop

FLORIDA -- The walk home from the bus stop for a group of teens on the Southside of Jacksonville Wednesday ended painfully for one teenager.

A pit bull attacked the 14-year-old, who was walking home. The boy's bus driver Jennifer Goldi told Channel 4 that the dog has been a problem in the neighborhood for a while.

"My leg was just slit open, my leg was just slit open," the teen said.

The middle school student who did not want to be identified, has bandages from his thigh down to his ankle and underneath the bandages are deep bite wounds from the 60 lb pit bull.

"He just came charging at us and attacked us," the teen said.

"I laid on my horn to get somebody's attention to come out about the dog," said Goldi. "I called rescue and finally he came out and put him behind the gate."

Kids in the neighborhood said they have been chased by the dog several times after they get off the bus. Even Goldi, who witnessed the attack, said it happens all the time.

"Every day when I drop them off, they have to run from them. They shouldn't have to be scared like that," Goldi said.

David Stoner is caring for his friend's dog and admitted to leaving the gate open Wednesday afternoon. The pit bull's fate is now in the hands of animal control, who will determine if the dog should be euthanized.

"It's going to hurt me. I love that dog to death," said Stoner.

[In the video clip, the guy tells the reporter that the belongs to a 'buddy' of his who's in JAIL. I almost missed him saying it b/c I was so mesmerized by his jacked up, missing teeth.]

(News4Jax - Sept 29, 2011)

Pit bull owners face cruelty charges

WASHINGTON -- A dog owner is facing animal cruelty charges after bringing his emaciated, starving pit bull to the vet.

The Spokane County Regional Animal Protection Service filed a charging request against Randy Jensen for first-degree animal cruelty and second-degree animal cruelty. Charging requests were also filed for his sister, Talina Jensen, also faces of first-degree animal cruelty and confinement in an unsafe manner.

Randy Jensen took the dog, Jackson, in for veterinary care Sept. 9 after he lost about 20 pounds and stopped eating, according to a SCRAPS news release. However, Jensen did not have the money for the recommended exam but did not want to euthanize the dog.

He brought Jackson to his sister Talina Jensen for care, but Jackson continued to suffer “substantial and unjustifiable pain,” the news release said.

On Sept. 26, SCRAPS animal protection officers rushed Jackson in for veterinary care after they began an investigation. Tests showed Jackson’s intestines had burst and he was septic, the news release said.

Jackson was euthanized.

“Jackson suffered for several weeks and the charges reflect the serious nature of the crimes committed against him,” said Nicole Montano, lead animal protection officer. “SCRAPS takes the issue of animal cruelty and neglect very seriously and this was an extreme case of cruelty and neglect.”

SCRAPs urges anyone who sees an animal being mistreated to call (509) 477-2532

(Spokesman - Sept 29, 2011)

Disabled Man Fears Neighbor's Pit Bull

FLORIDA -- A disabled Lake Shore man said he fears for his life because of his neighbor's pit bull and he won't go into his own yard unless he's armed with a gun.

"This dog's not barking and wagging its tail to come over and lick my face," Robbie Davis said. "He's barking to come over and eat me."

Davis, who uses a motorized wheelchair after he lost a leg, says one of his neighbor's dog seems irritated by his scooter.

That neighbor wouldn't give her name, but told WJXT her dogs are not a threat to Davis.

"My dogs don't go out of the house without a muzzle on and leashes on," she told Channel 4's Hailey Winslow. "They never run around. They're in-house dogs, and they never cause any problems and they've never done anything to anybody."

Davis says one of the dogs is vicious.

"I got to carry a weapon with me when I'm out pulling weeds in my own front yard," Davis said. "Now that ain't right."

Davis says he tried calling the police, who told him to contact animal control. He says animal control told him it can't do anything until someone is attacked.

He said he's also tried confronting his neighbor, and when he did on Thursday, it turned into a shouting match.

"Why should I have to play target practice with your mean dog?," Davis asked to his neighbor.

"My dog is not mean. My dog is in the house," she shouted back.

"Chain him up and bring him out here," Davis said. "Let these people take a picture of him."

The neighbor did bring one dog out to be petted, but kept the other inside.

[In the video, the reporter says they repeatedly asked the owner to bring the other dog - the one the neighbor says is aggressive - outside. She refused repeatedly. Now why do you think she would refuse to bring the dog outside? After all, she says it's a big baby who just wants to give you doggie kisses!]

Davis says his neighbor need to build a fence or get rid of the dog before someone gets hurt, and other neighbors also expressed concern.

"He's got a big old rope leash, but one day he's going to snatch it out of their hands," Davis said.

"Something ought to be done before I have to lay in an emergency room with my arms ripped off."

(News4Jax - Sept 29, 2011)

New York: Police Continue Search For Pit Bull In North Merrick Attack; Surveillance Photo Released

NEW YORK -- Police are scouring North Merrick using helicopters and patrol cars to find a vicious pit bull that attacked a 62-year-old woman.

Shashi Sharma was mauled by two 90-pound pit bulls Thursday after finishing up her daily walk.

Victim Shashi Sharma, who made the mistake of
taking a walk. Now it might cost her an arm.

The dogs bit her face and head and tore at her arms and legs. Doctors are now trying to save her left arm. She is listed in serious condition in an induced coma at Nassau University Medical Center.

Sharma made a frantic call to 911 during the attack and when police arrived they shot both dogs – killing one of them. Friday afternoon, Nassau County Police released a surveillance photo of the two pit bulls.

The other escaped into nearby woods and is still on the loose.

Det. Lt. Kevin Smith said if police hadn’t stopped the attack Sharma could’ve been killed.

Police are warning residents to stay indoors and call 911 if they see the animal — which is considered to be vicious and dangerous.

Surveillance photo of the two Pit Bulls

One woman told WCBS 880′s Sophia Hall that she called 911 after spotting a dog fitting the description of the pit bull police are searching for.

She said the brown and white dog was clawing at a bag of garbage at a curb on Meadowbrook Road but was gone by the time officers arrived on the scene.

Police said there have been at least three sightings of the dog.

The pit bulls are believed to be the same ones responsible for an attack on a 67-year-old man on Wednesday.

(CBS New York - Sept 30, 2011)

Earlier:

• One Pit Bull Shot, Another On The Loose After Mauling L.I. Woman

Ardmore couple convicted in dog mauling death

OKLAHOMA --  An Ardmore couple whose pit bull mauled and killed a man has been convicted of owning a dangerous dog that caused a person's death.

The Daily Ardmoreite reports that a Carter County jury deliberated three hours before returning the verdict. Formal sentencing is scheduled for next month for Rickey Lynn Grant and Lisa Kay Bloxham-Grant, both age 40.

The jury recommended Grant and his wife each pay a $5,000 fine.

[The hell with the $10,000 in fines! How are these idiots, who don't appear to have two nickels to rub together, supposed to come up with 10,000 dollars?

Here are some better ideas:  Ban them from EVER owning another dog for the rest of their lives. Order them to visit the grave of Virgil Cantrell every year on the date of his death for the rest of their lives.]

Virgil A. Cantrell

The April 22 attack occurred when the couple wasn't home and with the dog chained to the porch of their home. Virgil A. Cantrell suffered severed arteries and broken bones, including a vertebra in his neck.

Deputies had to shoot the dog because it wouldn't let rescuers near Cantrell.

• (Tulsa World - Sept 30, 2011)

Earlier:

• Carter Co. man killed in dog attack

Hawaii: Vicious pit bull deemed dangerous attacks again

HAWAII -- A pit bull mix dog that had been deemed dangerous was surrendered to the Maui Humane Society and euthanized this month, after it was found unrestrained following an Aug. 23 attack on another dog at Waiehu Kou Park.

The attack last month followed an earlier report of an attack and bite by the same dog, leading to the dangerous dog designation, said Jocelyn Bouchard, chief executive officer of the Maui Humane Society.

Glynn Akina holds her dog Laka, a
miniature pinscher mix, who was attacked
by an already declared Dangerous pit bull
mix during a morning walk Aug. 23.

Within a week of being deemed dangerous, the dog was found loose when animal control officers checked on it, Bouchard said. The dangerous dog designation carries requirements including immediate confinement in a fully enclosed area.

After the violation, Bouchard said the owner agreed to surrender the intact 2-year-old male, and it was euthanized this month.

[Why did their dangerous dog ordinance NOT require neutering and spaying of a dog declared dangerous???!]

A Tuesday date is set in Wailuku District Court for the dog owner, Ginger Kapaku, who was cited for a leash law violation and dog attack.

In another dog attack that injured a woman hiking with her puppy Aug. 2 at Waihou Springs State Forest Reserve at the top of Olinda Road, dog owner Nadia Toraman was cited for a leash law violation and dog attack. Her court date is set for Oct. 11.

On Wednesday, Toraman said she was sorry the incident happened.

"Did I wish that? No," she said. "It was a freak accident.

"I'm sorry," she said. "I'm trying to do the right thing from here on."

Toraman's pit bull Kona, a 1-year-old female, was deemed dangerous after the hiker reported the unleashed dog chewed on her arms as she held up her 5-pound Pomeranian puppy to keep the smaller dog from being attacked. After a visiting nurse helped the injured woman out of the forest, an ambulance transported her to Maui Memorial Medical Center, where she was treated with multiple stitches on both arms.

Toraman's appeal of the dangerous dog designation is on the Maui County Animal Control Board's Oct. 12 agenda.

Toraman is appealing a specific requirement, not the entire designation, Bouchard said. Toraman has complied with other requirements including obedience classes for the dog, and the dog has been confined when animal control officers have made checks.

"She's been very cooperative, very responsible," Bou-chard said. "The dog has been fine. It's been very friendly."

She said that's often the case with dogs. "They're going to get worked up and riled up in a situation, where they may not be in another situation," Bou-chard said. "That's just why we need people to keep dogs on leashes."

In the Aug. 23 attack, Waiehu Kou resident Glynn Akina was walking her two leashed dogs, Laka and Buddy, at Waiehu Kou Park in the morning when the unleashed pit bull ran up from behind and attacked Laka, a miniature pinscher mix.

She said the pit bull mix had bitten Laka on his shoulder and was holding on when a boy from the family that owned the dog showed up.

The boy grabbed and straddled the dog and pounded it with a beer bottle until it finally let go of her dog, Akina said. "He helped me. If it wasn't for him, my dog wouldn't be alive today," she said. "I know that there was no way the dog was going to give up without a fight.

"I don't know what made the dog let go. I think the man upstairs had something to do with it."

She estimated that the red pit bull mix weighed about 60 pounds, compared to 15-pound Laka. Her other dog, Buddy, a terrier who also weighs about 15 pounds, wasn't attacked.

"I was so traumatized," Akina said, recalling the attack. "I was hyperventilating."

She said a man called 911 and told her it wasn't the first time the dog had gotten loose and attacked. Later, Akina said she learned there was a big hole in the fence where the dog had been tied up in the yard.

"If my dog attacked someone, I would not have that dog be able to get loose," Akina said. "You cannot take it lightly. You have to take the proper steps to make sure your dog doesn't get loose. It could have been a child. And it could have been their ohana.

"We all should be educated on what to do and what are the steps to make sure this dog is not able to attack again."

In addition to reporting the attack to police, Akina said she called the Maui Humane Society to report it. When no one showed up to investigate, she said she went to the agency to make a report.

Akina said Laka's veterinarian bill totaled $117, much of it for antibiotics and pain medication. "I'm very blessed it didn't turn out worse," she said.

Bouchard encouraged people to call the Maui Humane Society as well as police to report dog bites.

She said the agency doesn't get police reports of such incidents right away, and in some cases may not get the reports at all.

"That is really critical that people call us, even if the police have responded," she said. "At the very least, we will get the police report faster."

(Maui News - September 30, 2011)

Pit bull owner convicted of animal at large

VIRGINIA -- A press release issued Wednesday by Williamsburg Police appears to justify an officer's shooting of a pit bull three weeks ago on Richmond Road.

The release notes that Robert Asbury was found guilty Wednesday morning in General District Court of having a dog at large. Asbury was the owner of the pit bull that was shot as it approached a police officer patroling on foot early the morning of Sept. 8. Asbury was not fined and court costs were waived.

The incident took place in the parking lot of the Williamsburg Travel Inn in the 1800 block of Richmond Road around 12:30 a.m. the morning. According to police, as the officer returned to his vehicle a brown and black pit bull that was not on a leash charged at the officer.

When the dog came within an arm's length, the officer fired his gun once, striking the dog in the jaw. The animal survived, and was treated by a veterinarian.

The owners disputed the police account, saying the animal was friendly toward police, which had prior interaction with the dog. They claimed the dog was trotting toward the officer, with its tail wagging.

[Stupid owners. I don't care what they THINK the dog was doing and its intentions -- the media is full of stories of owners who lament "I can't believe he attacked that person! He's never acted like this before. My kids climb all over him. He sleeps with the cat!" As Judge Judy would say, "But for your actions (of letting your pit bull run loose), your dog would not have been shot."]

(Virginia Gazette - Sept 30, 2011)

Earlier:

• Williamsburg police officer on foot patrol shoots pit bull
• Another pit bull shot by police

Florida: St. Petersburg police officers cleared in dog shootings

FLORIDA -- Three police officers who fired their weapons at dogs in three different incidents this summer were cleared of any wrongdoing by a shooting review board on Thursday.

The incidents in which the dogs were shot:

*Three officers were investigating a domestic incident on July 25 when they entered a home at 843½ 16th Ave. N, according to police. They were met by an aggressive pit bull terrier, police said, which the residents could not control.

The dog charged Officer Jereme Hayes and kept him from leaving the house. Fearing officer injury, he shot and killed the dog.

*A report of a vicious dog brought two officers to 1733 29th Ave. N on Aug. 1. But when a neighbor tried to help police corral the dog, the agency said it charged him and Officer Matthew Kirchgraber.

 Kirchgraber drew his weapon and fired twice. The pit bull terrier was wounded but ran away and wasn't found.

*Officer Curtis Wright was answering an Aug. 19 animal complaint at 2165 Country Club Court N, according to police, when two pit bull terrier mixes attacked a county animal control worker.

 Wright killed one of the animals and the other ran away but was later captured. The worker suffered "significant injury" to both arms.

(St Petersburg Times - Sept 30, 2011)

Earlier:

• St. Petersburg police officer shoots, kills attacking pit bull
• 2 dogs shot after attacking Florida officer
• Animal Control Officer Attacked by Pit Bull

Dead Starved Horse Found Tied in Road

TEXAS -- On September 8, 2011, the Polk County Sheriff Office was dispatched to Stallion Station Road which is South of the city of Livingston. The caller advised there was a horse lying across Stallion Station Rd.

Corporal Rogers arrived on scene and found a severely emaciated sorrel horse lying across Stallion Station Rd. Corporal Rogers advised there was a rope tied to the back feet of the horse which had been used to tie to a tree on the side of the road. The horse had been dragged out of a trailer and left lying in the center of Stallion Station Rd. Corporal Rogers states it was apparent the horse had been starved, because of the condition the horse was found in.

The Polk County Sheriff’s Office is asking for assistance from the public for information leading to the arrest and prosecution for the person or persons responsible for this act of Animal Cruelty.

This is one of many Animal Cruelty cases the Polk County Sheriff’s Office has investigated over the past nine months. Sheriff Hammack advised the Polk County Sheriff’s Office will aggressively pursue cases of Animal Cruelty and file charges on owners or the care givers which ever appropriate.

The Polk County Sheriff’s Office is actively pursing the owner of this. If you have any information regarding this case please call the local Crime Stoppers @ (936) 327-STOP (7867).

Animal Control Officer Crystal Rogers advised these types of cases or increasing and it appears the economy and the severe drought has placed hardships on animal owners like never before. With the low yielding hay fields locally, owners or having to have the hay shipped in for their animals, and the cost of feed has gone up.

Officer Rogers said young and new owners did not foresee or take into account that caring for a horse or livestock goes far beyond the initial purchase cost. Officer Rogers says it’s our duty to care for the animal we have committed ourselves to because the animals can not care for themselves.

Animal Control Officer Crystal Rogers advised the Polk County Sheriff’s office has responded to 82 animal cruelty calls so for this year. This does not include the stray livestock that people have turned loose and never claim. Officer Rogers said she wants the public to know if they get into a bind there are rescue groups out there willing to help with fostering or adopting animals the owners are no longer able to care for.

Officer Roger’s said the Polk County Sheriff’s Office Animal Control Division will aggressively investigate all case of Animal Cruelty and file charges where appropriate, as well as the owner could also be responsible for any expenses incurred from seizing, impounding and Veterinarian fees.

(Polk County Today - Sept 30, 2011)

Pit bull attack on dog results in gun threat

CALIFORNIA -- People used a screwdriver to try to pry open the mouth of a pit bull as it attacked a Labrador retriever in San Clemente, a witness said, while the Lab's owner got out a shotgun with intent to shoot the pit bull, according to a report from the Orange County Sheriff's Department.

Ultimately, the Lab owner did not use the weapon and the dogs were separated, the witness said. An argument broke out when the pit bull's owner tried to drive away, officials said.

The incident was reported at 7:14 p.m. Tuesday on the 2900 block of Estancia.

(Orange County Register - Sept. 29, 2011)

One Pit Bull Shot, Another On The Loose After Mauling L.I. Woman

NEW YORK -- A Long Island woman is in the hospital after being attacked by two pit bulls Thursday morning in North Merrick, police said.

The woman, identified by neighbors as  62-year-old Shasahi Sharma had just finished walking the track behind the former Brookside Junior High School just after 11 a.m. when the two 90-pound dogs attacked her.

Victim Shasahi Sharma

As she got to the parking lot, the attack escalated. According to Det. Lt. Kevin Smith, the dogs bit her around the face and head and tore at her arms and legs.

“These dogs launched into full fledged attack,” Smith said.

On Thursday night the victim’s lone child, son Suraj Sharma, spoke to CBS 2′s Sean Hennessey.

“Her left arm is severely damaged and that she’s going to require a lot of physical therapy and surgery in the long run,” Suraj Sharma said. “Why do people have dogs that do this? She’s always been a little afraid of dogs, but usually when people are [at the track] they have them on a leash.”


The woman managed to call 911 and officers arrived at the scene while the attack was in progress. The dogs then turned on the officers, reports Hennessey. Police opened fire and one pit bull was shot in the back and killed. The other managed to escape into nearby woods and is still on the loose. Police said the second dog may also have been shot.

The woman was rushed to Nassau University Medical Center, where surgery was performed. She is listed in serious condition.

Smith said, “It’s very likely if the officers didn’t arrive and put a stop to this that this woman could have lost her life.”

 
 “We should say to the community at this time, stay inside. If they see these dogs they should let us know, call 911,” Smith told CBS 2′s Jennifer McLogan.

A neighbor told 1010 WINS’ Mona Rivera that the woman walks the track daily to lose weight and get herself back into shape. Another told CBS 2′s McLogan the victim is actually a doctor.

“I just saw her laying down there. She wasn’t really moving too much. Cops just had gloves on,” witness Fred Rinzler told McLogan.

The search for the other dog in the attack continued Thursday night.

“The woods back right up into our back yard. They still have no idea where that dog is. That dog could be in our backyard for all we know hiding,” neighbor Amanda Hertzka said.

On Wednesday night, police believe the same pit bulls were responsible for the attack of a 67-year-old man on a bicycle three blocks from the site. He managed to escape thanks to a quick-think neighbor who fought the dogs off.

Middle class neighborhoods are full of dogs like these

So just how vicious are these animals?

“They were so relentless in trying to get to this guy. I can’t imagine. They didn’t look like junkyard dogs. They looked healthy,” witness John Fiedel told CBS 2′s Hennessey.

(CBS2 - Sept 29, 2011)

Pit bull attack victim battles back

OHIO -- The road to recovery for the survivor of a dog attack is slow, but Sandra Getzendiner says her faith is pulling her through.

Getzendiner is staying with her daughters, still unable to completely care for herself. She was critically injured during a September 11th attack, but in just a few weeks has already made some great strides toward recovery.

"I feel really great for what happened to me. I feel really blessed to get through it," said Getzendiner.

Sandra was riding her bike on the North Main Street Bridge on that fateful day when two loose pit bulls attacked. Sandra was so badly injured, she was rushed by Careflight to Miami Valley Hospital where she underwent a series of surgeries.

Doctors had to reconstruct Sandra's finger, face and arm. They also had to reattach her ear.

"I just thank God cause I'm feeling really good and everything like I said I never felt really the pain that I should have."

Sandra's daughter, Charla, is now helping to take care for her, but mounting medical bills are going to be a challenge for the Getzendiners.

And that's why a Piqua man is organizing a charity poker run.

Sandra says the support from the community has been a huge help and given her the faith to get better.

The benefit is going to be held on October 22nd. The motorcycle ride starts at One More Bar located on Wood Street in Piqua. Registration starts at 10:30 and it costs $15.00 per rider, $20.00 if you have a passenger.

Meals and entertainment are included. All the proceeds go to Getzendiner.

(WDTN - Sept 30, 2011)

Earlier:

• Woman attacked by pit bulls recovering

Dog rescued from hot car at community college

OREGON -- A crowd swarmed around a car in the Lane Community College parking lot on Thursday afternoon.

"A lot of people are upset. I'm mad," said Breanna Scroggins, one of the witnesses in the parking lot.

Scroggins said she got to LCC around 8 Thursday morning when the car arrived with the dog in tow.

"This gal that owns this car got here about five minutes after I did, with her dog barking and screaming in a kennel," said Scroggins. "And I came out here just a little bit ago, and the dog's still in here. It's about 100 degrees inside the car."

By 1 p.m., a Lane County Animals Services officer said the temperature had hit at least 115 degrees.

"People have been pouring, squirting water inside the kennel, getting the dog wet, trying to keep it cool," said Scroggins. "It's just amazing, how strangers would do that for someone else's dog."

"It's pretty sad, he's been yelping and we squirted water in there," said Rosalee Skyler Thursday afternoon.

Finally, officials shattered a car window to get the tiny dog out of the vehicle.

 

"I love animals, I couldn't see my dog in there," said Skyler.

Rick Hammel with Lane County Animal Services said the dog was released to the owner at the scene, and the dog was OK. He said a mother and daughter had brought the dog to Lane Community College Thursday but had miscommunicated about who would be taking care of it during the day.

 

2012 Facebook posting shows dog with family. I hope
Ailene Joyce Farkac learned her lesson. There was no
'miscommunication'. They probably tried to take the dog to
class and they wouldn't let them in with the dog so they
stuck it inside the crate and left it in the car all day.  

The mother, Ailene Farkac, was charged with two counts of animal neglect in the second degree, which could carry a fine.

(KVAL - September 29, 2011)

Pit bulls ordered to be put down after attack

UNITED KINGDOM - Two pit bull dogs savaged a puppy in front of its young owner and bit two people as they tried to rescue it, a court heard.

The illegal fighting dogs, belonging to 21-year-old Oziar Puda, of View Street, Daubhill, must now be destroyed under the orders of Bolton magistrates.

The court heard yesterday that on August 21, the dogs escaped from the back yard of a house in Blackwood Street, Great, Lever, the home of Kelly Mort, who is the mother of Puda’s girlfriend. The dogs ran on to a nearby recreation ground, known as Walker’s Field, where a man and his seven-year-old daughter were walking their Jack Russell puppy.

The man picked up the puppy to protect it, but the pit bulls tore it from his arms and savaged it. The puppy had to be put down.

The owner and another member of the public both had their hands bitten in the attack which ended when Mort, aged 35, dragged the dogs away.

The court heard that Puda, a convicted drug dealer, had the two dangerous dogs as a status symbol to say “don’t mess with me”.

Puda pleaded guilty to owning a fighting dog and breeding fighting dogs, while Mort pleaded guilty to having custody of a fighting dog and allowing a dog to be dangerously out of control in a public place.

Both were banned from keeping dogs for 10 years and given 12- month supervision orders.

Mort must also pay £200 compensation to one of the men who was bitten by the dogs and Puda must do 175 hours of unpaid work and abide by a 16-week curfew from 7pm to 7am.

Magistrates ordered the destruction of the two dogs, called Scooby and Sky, and their young puppy.

(The Bolton News - Sept 30, 2011)

10-year-old bitten and dragged by bull mastiff

UNITED KINGDOM -- A ten-year-old boy suffered shocking injuries after being bitten then dragged along the ground by a bull mastiff.

Connor Sneddon required more than 50 stitches and reconstructive surgery to his left leg following the horror incident on Prestonpans' Hawthorn Road.

His injuries would have been worse had brave witnesses not tackled the 18-month-old dog and forced it to let go.

The dog, about seven stones in weight, was on a leash and being walked by its owner Debbie King at about 4.35pm when it suddenly bit the child's left leg and dragged him along the ground.

The animal has been destroyed at the request of Miss King who, despite her best efforts, was unable to prevent the attack.

She praised the quick action of Leanne Yorke, owner of LA Dance School on Hawthorn Road, who rushed to Connor's aid and helped pull the dog off the youngster, then administered first aid until paramedics arrived.

Leanne told the Courier: "I was locking up the studio gates and I heard screaming.

"When I saw what was happening I ran over and a man - named locally as John Tyrell - had come out of The Dasher (pub) and had hit the dog a couple of times to try and get him off the wee boy. I hit and kind of kicked it to try and help. It was such a strong dog and it took a lot of strength to get him off.

"Once it let go I just scooped Connor up and moved him away so I could give him first aid."

She added: "The owner was obviously distressed so she had been taken away (to a nearby shop) to calm down. She'd tried her hardest to stop the dog but it was too strong. I had never seen an injury like it.

"When I rolled up his trousers the front of his leg was covered with these big incisions and the bite had gone deep enough to fracture the bone. His calf muscle had been badly damaged but I knew the hospital would maybe be able to save that so I did as much as I could to keep it all together. There was blood everywhere."

Eleanor Thomson, cafe manageress at LA Dance, tracked down Connor's parents while Leanne tended to the boy's injury and they arrived on the scene before an ambulance arrived.

"Connor was so brave," added Leanne. "I think most kids would have been screaming their heads off but he coped brilliantly.

"He was very upset at first but he went into shock quite quickly so I kept trying to talk to him about lots of different things, like if he had a girlfriend and hisfavourite football team. I managed to get him calmed down.

"His parents have told me that I saved his life. I got such a fright when I heard him screaming but instinct just kicked in. It never occurred to me at the time that the dog could easily have turned and bitten me as well - all I could think about was that there was a child in serious danger."

The youngster was initially taken to Edinburgh Royal Infirmary before being transferred to St John's Hospital in Livingston.

The Courier understands that Connor required skin grafts to repair the damage to his leg and is facing further surgery.

He was discharged from hospital earlier this week and is now recovering at home.

He is currently using a wheelchair and is facing a year of recovery from his injuries.

The youngster's family was too upset to comment about the incident.

Miss King, who says she has been to see Connor since the attack, said she had no idea what had caused the animal, called Kaiser, to attack the boy.

"I was walking to the shop with the dog and the wee boy was just playing on his scooter with his friends," she said.

"It all happened too quickly for me to see what happened but I don't believe that the kid did anything at all to provoke it.

"I kept a hold of the dog and tried to pull him off but he just wouldn't let go of the boy's leg.

"It was a horrific bite. People may want to badmouth the dog but he was very much a family pet.  I used dog walkers when I was working during the day who were happy to take him out and I have kids myself.

"He would sometimes bark at passers-by when he was in the garden but he wasn't aggressive or violent. I just can't explain why he did it.

"I loved him to bits. I was so shocked by what happened but after I saw him do something so horrific to a wee boy I knew there was no danger I was going to risk bringing him home."

East Lothian Council confirmed that it had received no reports of the bull mastiff being aggressive or violent prior to the September 17 attack.

The local authority has imposed nine Dog Control Notices (DCNs) following the introduction of the Control of Dogs (Scotland) Act 2010 in February this year.

The act is designed to give local authorities greater powers to deal with public complaints relating to dangerous and nuisance dogs through issue of a DCN, or 'doggy ASBO'.

The legislation allows for obligatory electronic chipping of nuisance dogs and can require the owners to: keep the dog on a lead and muzzled at all times when out of the house - including in the owners' garden; attend dog-behaviour training; have a male dog neutered or to permanently ban it from certain places.

The canines currently subject to DCNs in East Lothian are a mastiff/Staffordshire bull terrier cross, Jack Russell, Siberian husky, a boxer/Staffordshire bull terrier cross, three rottweillers and two Staffordshire bull terriers. They are located in Haddington, Dunbar, Tranent, Wallyford, Gifford and Prestonpans.

'Offences' range from biting members of the public to attacking other dogs and animals, causing injury, and a fatal injury to a cat.

The latest incident was an attack on a member of the public in Tranent by the mastiff/Staffordshire terrier cross in Tranent at 2.35am on September 4, which left an 18-year-old girl with serious injuries.

A council source described the wounds sustained by the girl as "horrific".

Despite the council's dog warden recommending that the animal be destroyed, the dog's owners, Ronald McGhie and Sarah Renton, from Tranent, refuse to have the four-year-old animal, called Jake, put down.

The couple, who have two small children aged two, and six-and-a-half weeks old, insist that the animal is not a danger and believe his behaviour will improve after he is neutered.

The animal must also be muzzled and kept on a lead at all times when outdoors.

(East Lothian Courier - Sept 29, 2011)

Horse owner furious after dog attack

UNITED KINGDOM -- An experienced horse rider from Methil has told how she feared for her life after her own and a friend’s horse were both attacked by an out of control ‘wolf-like dog’, while they were riding in Leven.

Heather Knox (56) and Donna Summers (42) were riding in the fields behind Diageo last week when the dog, possibly a malamute breed, bit both horses and chased one across the fields.

Lucky to be alive, the owner and her horse escaped

“It started barking, but my horse (Fi, a Highland) is not frightened of dogs, as she is quite used to them, so we weren’t bothered about it until it started circling us,” Ms Knox said.

“The dog then started jumping up at the horses and biting them on the ankles.

“Fi was getting more and more upset, and she just took off across the field, very fast, and the dog chased us.

“If I had come off, I would have broken my back. I thought I was going to get killed.”

Eventually, the dog, which Ms Knox said had distinctive blue eyes, stopped and she brought her horse under control before the dog’s owner, an elderly man, apologised.

Ms Knox, who has been riding in Levenmouth for over 18 years, said she was so upset at the time she didn’t get his name but has since reported the incident to Fife Police under the Dangerous Dogs Act.

She continued: “We were lucky we weren’t near a road, as we could have ended up in the middle of it.

“He (the dog owner) said he was sorry and said his dog wasn’t used to horses. I told him it should have been on a lead if he couldn’t control it.

“It was so traumatic for both of the horses. The dog was like a predator and we were its prey.”

Both Ms Knox and Ms Summers are experienced riders, have qualifications in equine studies and, as members of the North East Fife Riding Club, the ladies are used to taking their animals out in public, but have never experienced anything like the incident.

Hoping she will never go through the same experience again, Ms Knox asked for dog walkers to show more control and added she is wary of taking Fi, who suffered a wound during the incident, back out in the open in case she comes face to face with the dog again.

A spokesman from Fife Police said enquiries into the incident were continuing.

(Fife Today - Sept 30, 2011)

Charges follow dog attack

AUSTRALIA -- Charges are to be brought against a dog owner following an alleged unprovoked attack on a Maltese Shih Tzu in Rockingham.

Rockingham Mayor Barry Sammels confirmed that the council is to press charges against the owner of a Staffordshire bull terrier under the Dog Act of 1976.

Diane Taylor with "Molly"

The attack happened when Diane Taylor was taking her small white Shih Tzu, Molly, on her daily walk.

As she was heading along Smythe Street at the junction with Victoria Street, two dogs approached Molly on the footpath.

It is believed they had escaped from a nearby property.

The small pet was then set upon and its eye was ripped out when a man tried to pull a dog off her.
Senior vet Jamie Watts at Warnbro Veterinary Surgery, who took Molly in for emergency surgery, saidher eyewas damaged beyond repair.

Instead he had to remove the eye completely and stitch up Molly’s eye socket.

The cost of the emergency operation was $900.

Mrs Taylor was distraught about the attack on her dog, which is just a year old, but said she was doing well and her stitches would be removed on Wednesday.

‘‘I am glad there will be a conclusion in this case,’’ Mrs Taylor said.

One of the dogs, the Staffordshire terrier, remains locked up in a pound at the Rockingham City Council, while the other, aBelgian shepherd who was not involved in the attack, has been released.

It will not be permitted to return to the property it escaped from.

Rangers have carried out a full investigation into the attack and how now moved towards prosecution.
‘‘All documentation, including witness and vet reports, has now handed over to the council’s legal team for advice.

We do not have any indication on when this matter will be heard before the court, and no further information will be released on the case until it is presented before a magistrate,’’ a council spokeswoman said.

(Sound Telegraph - September 28, 2011)

Dog leapt from a passing car to savage poor Alfie

UNITED KINGDOM -- A family dog almost died when it was savaged by what is believed to have been an American bulldog that leaped from a passing car to attack.

Alfie, a young Jack Russell, had a large chunk of his right side torn away and was left with deep puncture wounds to his liver, chest and leg.

He was only saved after neighbours rushed him to a vet surgery, where staff carried out a three-hour operation to stabilise him.

The bulldog's owner was bitten badly on the hand as he tried to prise his dog's jaws from Alfie's side, and drove off with his pet after he had freed him.

The attack happened in front of horrified young children, and Alfie's owners say it is only luck that the youngsters were not the victims.

They now want the dog identified and to be dealt with if it is found to be dangerous.

Alfie's owner, Jessica Orchard, was in Cyprus to be a bridesmaid at her sister's wedding when the attack happened, and had left her three-year-old dog with her neighbours in Kennard Road, Kingswood.

They were taking Alfie out to use the toilet when what is thought to be a silver Volkswagen Golf drove by.

Kim Redmond, partner of Ms Orchard's father Paul, said: "The dog flew out of the window and savaged Alfie.

"His owner stopped and had to prise Alfie out of his dog's mouth and then just drove off. He just disappeared and didn't come back the next day either.

"We think from talking to neighbours that the dog is local, and that it is an American bulldog."

Alfie's side was torn open and neighbours rushed him to Fernlea vets on Blackhorse Road. Vet Ellie Leister said: "I pulled back the towel and I could see his abdomen. It was pretty horrific and he was not in a good way at all, and there was no guarantee that we could save him."

After stabilising Alfie, a surgeon carried out a three-hour operation to stop his liver bleeding, and the following day he operated to repair his wounds. Ms Leister said: "He had puncture wounds to his right as well, and Matt the surgeon said he had never seen a dog injured so badly that had lived."

Alfie is on the mend, and is able to stand and wag his tail. But his owners are worried that such an attack could happen again. Mrs Redmond said: "Our main concern is that it could have happened to children.

"It was bad enough that it was another dog, but if it was a small child it could have been a lot worse.

"We would like the owner identified and if the dog is found to be dangerous then it needs to be addressed."

Bristol City Council dog warden Mark Coombs said: "This was a very upsetting incident where a Jack Russell has been very severely injured and a young girl traumatised."

Anyone with information about the incident should call 0117 9222500, quoting 247994.

(Bristol Evening Post - September 28, 2011)

Yorkie that bit woman in Hampton deemed not vicious

IOWA -- A Yorkshire terrier was deemed not vicious by the Hampton City Council Tuesday night after it bit a woman on Sept. 7.

Holly Lang, Hampton, was walking with a friend past the home of Kathy Meadows, 908 First St. S.W., when Meadows' 9-month-old yorkshire terrier, Mozart, ran up to Lang and bit her on the upper thigh, according to Hampton Police Department Capt. Jim Hilton. The dog was on a chain at the time of incident, but was able to reach the sidewalk.

Lang was treated at the Franklin General Hospital where she received a tetanus shot, Hilton said. Mozart was up to date on his vaccinations.

Meadows said on that particular day her lawn had been mowed and she put the stake in too close to the sidewalk or should have put it in the backyard.

"I was stunned," she said about when Lang told her Mozart had bitten her. "He has never bit anyone else before. He's a sweet, loving puppy and brings a lot of joy to people."

Meadows said she often takes the dog to the assisted living center in Hampton where she works and had never had problems there. Her manager, neighbors and friends also testified that Mozart has never exhibited vicious tendencies.

"Why do you think he bit her?" councilwoman Karen Schmidt asked Meadows.

"I think he was just playing," Meadows said. "He's a puppy."

A woman who witnessed it agreed.

"It was playful," she said. "It wasn't vicious."

Lang didn't attend the meeting but told Hilton and Councilman Dick Lukensmeyer she was OK with giving the dog a second chance.

The council agreed and unanimously voted the dog not vicious, but the incident will be recorded.

Meadows promised to keep the dog in the backyard rather than her front yard.

(Courier Lee News - Sept 28, 2011)

Town orders pit bull to be made some other town's problem

MASSACHUSETTS -- A local woman has been ordered by the Selectmen to remove three of her five dogs from the town.

Selectmen unanimously decided Monday night that three dogs owned by Donna Mason of Chestnut Street were a nuisance based on vicious disposition and required that they be removed from the town within 30 days.

Maggie Adler said the dogs broke into her
home and killed her cat.

"It's not just the incidents that have been testified about tonight," Selectmen Chairman Thomas Sheldon said. "We also have an extensive written record over six years."

The town has compiled more than 100 pages of complaints and testimony against the dogs for being off leash, excessive barking and being vicious.

The dogs are a pit bull named Chuck, a pug mix named Fooey and a German Shepherd mix named Princess.

Mason is allowed to keep her two other dogs, Addy, a bloodhound, and Egg Roll, a Shar Pei.

"My dogs are like my kids," Mason said. "Chuckie has always been tied up, and yes, Princess growls and barks, but I also blame the kids because they taught her to do that when she was a puppy because they thought it was cute. Fooey is the most lovable dog. I wanted to bring him here tonight, but I was advised not to."

Mason cried as the Selectmen made the motion to remove the three dogs into care, and she left the meeting room just before the motion was approved.

Most recently, a cat owned by Margaret Adler was killed by one of Mason's dogs after it broke through the locked screen door of Adler's house, according to her testimony.

"On July 4 and 5, I went to Tanglewood. When I leave my cats alone in the house, I will sometimes leave the glass door open," Adler said.

When she returned home on July 5, she discovered a pit bull in her house along with another dog, both of which belonged to Mason, she said.

Mason admitted it was her dogs that caused the damage and killed the cat but said it was a one-time occurrence because the dogs had gotten away from her during a walk. The dogs had run away while still on a leash; Mason said she was searching for them for two days.

"Yes, he got away from me. I'm not as strong as I used to be," Mason said. "I feel really bad."

But despite Mason's insistence that it was an isolated incident, multiple neighbors testified that the dogs have been a nuisance for a long time.

Donna Mason showed the Selectmen the leash
she says she uses when walking her pit bull,
Chuck, that she admits she was unable to control.

Ellen Bayliss recalled two incidents in which the dogs had chased her family members. On July 30, one of Mason's five dogs chased Bayliss' son while he was riding a bicycle down the street and the next day her daughter-in-law was chased while jogging.

"I'm never sure if they are safe," neighbor Sarah Madden said. "It's terrifying."

Neighbor Tony Menkal said his son and daughter were also chased by the dogs. All of the complainants, about seven neighbors, said the dogs are often roaming the streets freely.

"They didn't get bitten but they were scared," Menkal said. "They were really, really scared. It has gotten out of hand."
"I am sorry about what happened to Maggy's cat. I don't feel bad about people going through the neighborhood saying things," she said. "Right now I feel like I'm living in a goldfish bowl."

Tree Warden Robert E. McCarthy Jr., a long-time resident of Chestnut Street, said the problem arose when Mason moved back into her mother's house on Chestnut Street with 10 dogs.

"We have all tried to put up with it so it wasn't too much of an issue" he said.

He said that this is a sad day for Chestnut Street, and it's really a shame it had to come down to this point, but a decision had to be made.

"The issue here is someone in a residential neighborhood has multiple dogs barking more than they should, and doesn't keep them under control, which is a threat to other people and the neighborhood," he said.

Mason contended that some of the complaints were about dogs that she no longer owns and that the five dogs she currently owns are not nuisances. She has owned a total of 17 different dogs.

"None of my dogs have ever bit anyone," Mason said. "Chucky has never been loose. He has never been an issue."

The board, however, said the description of each dog and the compiled reports from the animal control officer that cites the dogs by name was enough proof that three of the dogs were public nuisances.

[Clearly she is a liar. Animal Control has been to her home numerous times and I don't know why they would refer to a pit bull named Chuck as one of the problem dogs if it were a completely different dog, as she insists. However, I completely disagree with them shoving THEIR problem dogs onto other communities. I don't want her damn aggressive dogs living next door to me!

Like I've said before, if I was ever attacked by one of these so-called 'banned' dogs, I would sue the city/county that ordered the dog removed from their juridsiction. After all, they can't claim ignorance, as most owners do. They banned that dog from their area b/c of its aggressive behavior. That makes them, IMHO, liable for whatever the dog does.]

"It's so far beyond reasonable that we have no choice," Selectman Thomas Costley said.

(North Adams Transcript - Sept 28, 2011)

'Vicious' dogs kill dog, injure Union City woman

CALIFORNIA -- The owners of two dogs may be cited and fined after the animals killed another dog and injured a 19-year-old woman in the Decoto district Monday, police said.

About 11:20 a.m., animal control officers responded to a call reporting "vicious dogs" at the intersection of Tenth and H streets, Lt. Ben Horner said.

The Union City woman was walking her small terrier dog when a 3-year-old pit bull and a 4-month-old pit bull-rottweiler mix attacked them, Horner said.

The woman suffered minor injuries to her hand, but her terrier was killed, he said.

Two Union City public works employees, who were driving by, hit the pit bull with a shovel to force it to release the terrier from its jaws, and then tied it to their pickup truck, police said.

Union City and Fremont animal control officers discovered the younger dog hiding in a yard at its owner's home, on the 33800 block of 10th Street, Horner said.

The dogs' owners, who were cooperative with officers, may have violated the city's municipal code, which prohibits dogs from running unleashed in public, police said.

The attacking dogs are being quarantined at Tri-City Animal Shelter in Fremont while officers determine if they have received vaccinations, he said.

Authorities also will hold a "vicious dog hearing" to review the dogs' history, police said.

(Contra Costa Times - Sept 27, 2011)

Middlefield Woman Saved From Dog Attack

CONNECTICUT -- A Middlefield woman is recovering after being attacked by a neighbor's dog Monday afternoon.

80 year old Virginia Whitaker suffered a serious bite wound to her upper left arm and a deep scratch to her right forearm, while trying to protect her 5 year old toy poodle, Molly.

Whitaker's injuries might have been worse had it not been for a local handyman and another neighbor who came to her rescue.

Whitaker, who lives in Louisiana part of the year, was returning to her Sylvan Ridge home around 12:45 p.m., when she says a neighbor's dog jumped through a fence and went after Molly.

"He was coming through that fence straight at her."

She immediately grabbed Molly, who was on a leash.

"I was holding on with all my might and screaming as loud as I could," explained Whitaker, who said two other dogs that belong to the same neighbor also jumped through the fence but did not attack her.

"I heard her scream first. I was the first one there," said Chris Pappas, a carpenter who was doing some work at a nearby home. "I ran down here, with a rock, screaming."

Pappas said he and another neighbor, Kris Shunta, who also heard Whitaker's screams, managed to stop the attack, but not before Whitaker and Molly had both been bitten by the dog.

"He actually grabbed [Molly] twice, but I got her back," Whitaker said.

Pappas described the dogs as scottish terriers.

According to Whitaker and Pappas several minutes passed before the dog's owner came out of her home and realized what had happened.

"She came out and she said 'It won't bite, it won't bite' and I'm standing there screaming with all of the people around me with blood on me," Whitaker said.

Whitaker refused medical attention, but said she was checked out by her son, who is a doctor.

Middlefield animal control officer Dave Chowaniec is investigating the incident.

"Under state statute ... the [attacking] dog has to be quarintined for 14-days," he said, shortly before speaking with the neighbor.

"The worst thing that really frightened me is the fact that I'm 80," said Whitaker who walks Molly at least once a day. "I'm not real steady on my feet and the dog could have knocked me over and that would have been bad."

Whitaker says it makes her feel good to know her neighbors are willing to help.

"She's a very strong lady," said Pappas.

(Durham Patch - Sept 27, 2011)

Brownsville Girl Attacked by Dog

TEXAS -- Doctors in the Lower Valley are closely watching a little girl attacked by a dog in downtown Brownsville.

We are told the dog that mauled her did not have rabies shots. That worries her parents. The little girl will have to be vaccinated for rabies. She is currently at a children's hospital in San Antonio getting treatment.

"When I went over there to see it, it looked really bad. It looked like the dog had ripped the girl's face up real bad. We didn't know her status, but it looked terrible," says George Moros, a neighbor.

The dog was chained up at the time of the attack. Code enforcement officers cited the dog's owner for not having it vaccinated.

(KRGV - Sept 27, 2011)

Puppies killed by dog in front of owners

NEW ZEALAND -- The owners of two chihuahua cross puppies could only watch on in horror as a large dog attacked and killed their pets on a Nelson beach.

The dog, thought to be a bull mastiff cross, savaged the two puppies on Saturday afternoon at Back Beach, Nelson City Council dog control manager Stephen Lawrence told news agency NZN.

Dog control officers believe they know who the dog's owner is and are trying to track her and the offending dog down, he says.

Lawrence was called to the beach after the attack.

"It was very upsetting for the owners and a very unpleasant situation."

Dog control investigations continue, including taking full statements from witnesses, he says.
One of the puppy's owners Kate Earl, 24, described the attack as "horrible".

"It isn't the fact it's me and my friend, it isn't the fact they've gone. It's how we keep seeing it over and over again and it could've been prevented so easily," she told the Nelson Mail.

The offending dog wasn't on a lead, and its owner told them he was fine shortly before the attack, Earl said.

Its female owner had kicked it, but that had not stopped it from attacking, she said.

The woman then abused Earl and the other puppy owner Shiree Brunell, 17, saying their dogs had caused the attacks.

"She was horrible, she told us to stop screaming and crying," Earl said.

The attack could have been easily avoided if the woman had told them to pick the puppies up, she said.

Earl's dog Nizmo, was a six-month-old, toy poodle-chihuahua cross, while Brunell's dog Milo, was a nine-week-old, pomeranian-chihuahua cross.

(TVNZ - Sept 26, 2011)

Dog attack in Perthshire leaves man scarred for life

UNITED KINGDOM -- A dog owner has been ordered to pay compensation to a farm worker who was left scarred for life after being attacked by his pet.

David Nicoll, 44, was mauled by the Lakeland Terrier which clamped its jaws on his hands as he walked his own dog in Perthshire in February this year.

At Perth Sheriff Court David Bett, 61, was found guilty of being the owner of a dangerously out of control dog.

He was warned the animal would be put down if there was any repetition.

The court heard that the Mr Nicoll was walking his own Jack Russell on the Kinfauns to Pitroddie road in Perthshire on 27 February.

Bett's dog, Murphy, ran out of his home and when he saw Mr Nicoll he attacked him.

'Covered in blood'
Mr Nicoll, who works in the farm neighbouring the Bett home, said: "I saw the dog and it saw me and raced at us. It grabbed the back of my hand.

"There was blood coming out of my hand. My jeans were covered in blood. The back of my hand was all ripped. You can still see the mark."

Another witness told how Mr Nicoll battled with the animal as it clung to his hand for almost 10 minutes.

Giving evidence on his own behalf Bett said: "Murphy is a friendly dog towards people and other dogs."

He added: "I take great pride in having friendly and well-behaved dogs."

Sheriff Gail Patrick said: "Anybody who was injured in the way Mr Nicoll was by that dog deserves a huge amount of sympathy. Whatever I impose cannot compensate Mr Nicoll for what happened to him."

She banned Bett, from Perth, from allowing Murphy outside without him being tied up or on a lead at all times. She also ordered him to pay Mr Nicoll £300 in compensation.
(BBC - Sept 26, 2011)

YOUR SAY: Mt Martha resident says dogs need more control

AUSTRALIA -- A Mt Martha woman, whose puppy was attacked by two staffordshire bull terriers wants harsher penalties for owners.

Paula Snooks was left with a $5000 vet bill after her eight-month-old Moodle’s leg was badly broken.

[FYI: A Moodle, I believe is a Maltese and Toy Poodle]

“The two dogs jumped into our yard, making a beeline for our pup Milly,” she said.

“My husband attempted to get the dogs off Milly and was bitten on his hand in the process.”

Eventually, the owner of the staffordshire bull terriers called his dogs and the couple took Milly to Mt Martha Veterinary Clinic.

“We were advised the break was severe and Milly needed to be operated on by a small animal specialist in Melbourne,” she said.

Mrs Snooks lodged a complaint with the shire.

But a ranger rang the following week to tell her the shire wouldn’t be taking the matter to court.

Shire rangers’ team leader, Paul Bonnici said the incident did not constitute a criminal offence of dog attack.

(Mornington Peninsula Leader - Sept 27, 2011)

7-year-old attacked, bitten by dog

NEW JERSEY -- A 7-year-old girl was bitten by a dog that broke its leash and attacked her Saturday afternoon in Princeton, police said.

The child went with her parents to a garden on the grounds of the Riverside Elementary School on Riverside Drive. When they arrived around 11:30 a.m., township resident Dorothy Mullen and a friend were there with Mullen’s German Shepherd, which had its leash tied to a picnic table.

The dog was able to break its leash, run towards the girl and tackle her, which caused a laceration to her back, according to police.

“There was no indication the kid antagonized the dog in any way that would cause it to attack her,” said Sgt. Mike Cifelli.

The parents took the girl to the University Medical Center at Princeton, where police were called shortly afterward. Officers met with Mullen, who has been ordered by the township’s animal control officer to confine her dog at home for ten days while the investigation begins.

“As long as the (dog’s) shots are up to date, in-home quarantine is typical for a case like this,” Cifelli said.

The girl was treated and released from the hospital later in the day Sunday. No charges have been filed.

(The Times - Sept 26, 2011)

Dog That Attacked Woman Stolen From Animal Shelter

COLORADO -- Authorities are trying to identify someone who stole a ferocious dog after breaking into a Glenwood Springs animal rescue facility.

The tan pit bull-rottweiler mix was impounded after attacking a woman in Parachute four months earlier, said Jennifer Kelly, spokeswoman for the Garfield County Sheriffs Office.

On the night of Sept. 15, someone broke a window at the back of the Colorado Animal Rescue facility in Glenwood Springs and stole the dog, Kelly said.

Garfield County Crime Stoppers and the sheriff's office are asking for the public's help in finding those responsible for the burglary and dog theft.

A reward of up to $1,000 is offered to anyone who provides information leading to the arrest and/or indictment of whoever committed this crime. People can anonymously call Crime Stoppers at 970-945-0101 or provide a text tip at http://www.garcocrimestoppers.com/

(TheDenverChannel.com - Sept 26, 2011)

Toddler recovering from pit bull attack

OHIO -- A young girl’s neighbor told News Center 7 that the family expects to take her home as soon as Tuesday after she was viciously attacked by a pit bull.

The 13-year-old male dog was going after a female dog in heat and the 2-year-old girl got in between them. That is when the dog locked onto her arm, police said.

[Love the wording. The toddler apparently is at fault for getting between a horny pit bull and a female dog in heat. Blame the victim. Why no mention of child services investigating why a toddler was left around an intact pit bull and a female dog in heat? Where were the parents???]

Police said officers shot and killed the dog as it tried to attack them when they arrived at the house.

They said the dog was properly license, so officers do not anticipate any charges against the owners.

(WHIO - Sept 26, 2011)