Pit bull owner fighting to keep dog alive after he mauled 7-year-old girl: ‘What is wrong with you hateful people?’

INDIANA -- The owner of a pit bull that mauled a 7-year-old girl in February is fighting for the dog's life.

The city of Portage ruled that Stan Butrym's pet dog Gus must be euthanized by April 16 but he appealed the decision and will appear in court again on May 13.

 

"What ever happened to forgiveness? What is wrong with you hateful people who want and are eager for a cherished family member to die?" Butrym wrote on his Save Gus Facebook page.

The little girl's mother, Jessica Nygra, knows exactly why she wants Gus out of her community.

"My daughter underwent immediate surgery. She went under," Nygra told the Daily News. "It was the worst time of our entire life. She's still undergoing physical therapy."

The incident occurred about 3 p.m. on Feb. 23. Nygra's daughter was playing in the snow in their cul-de-sac with two other little girls, ages 5 and 6.

Butrym came outside his home and started a lighthearted snowball fight with the girls but left his garage door open.

Gus got loose, charged toward the little girls and viciously attacked one, Nygra said.

Nygra shared several images of her daughter's mangled leg with The News. We have decided not to show any graphic images of her gaping wounds from before surgery.

Now Nygra says she finds herself on the receiving end of vile messages — such as "your brat deserves this" — from pit bull advocates.

"We're not here to generalize an entire breed," Nygra said. "I have friends who own pit bulls and they never harmed anyone. I'm saying euthanize Gus because of what he did to our daughter. Period."

Nygra says that Gus' owners wrote their family letters a day after they returned from the hospital claiming responsibility and promising that the pit bull would no longer live at their home.

The owners also allegedly begged Nygra not to sue them — claiming they had no money to cough up.

"I waited to see if they would do the right thing and euthanize the dog on their own," she said.

Nygra alleges that Butrym owns seven animals — two pit bulls, two Rottweilers and three cats — but that houses in their neighborhood are only permitted to hold four.

"They need to get rid of three animals. That's the law," she said.

Nygra and her husband filed a request for a dangerous dog hearing, which was held on April 7.

Butrym hung up on the Daily News when contacted for comment.

(New York Daily News - May 7, 2014)