Pit bull attacks owner

OHIO -- A pit bull bit its owner Monday, but according to the Licking County Humane Society, most other breeds are just as apt to bite as pit bulls; it all comes down to how the dogs are trained and treated.

Licking County Sheriff ’s Deputy Bradley Thomas reported that early Monday morning, at roughly 1:30 a.m., he was dispatched to 73 Myers Avenue in reference to a dog bite.

Upon his arrival, he met with the Buckeye Lake Fire Department and resident Steven Heptinstall, 22, who advised he has two dogs and they began to fight with each other. He then stated, upon separating the dogs, the pit bull bit him in the left wrist and hand. Heptinstall advised the dog would not release its bite; however, he was able to get free from the dog and put it into a cage. He then advised he stood by waiting on the squad, which then transported him to Licking Memorial Hospital.

Thomas said upon speaking with Heptinstall’s girlfriend, Alicia Jenkins, she said the dog was showing aggression toward the other dog. She said the two dogs started fighting with each other several days prior. Jenkins then said that night the pit bull started to fight with their beagle / pit bull mix dog. She said Heptinstall tried to separate the two dogs and the pit bull turned on him and bit him. Jenkins also stated the dog would not release its bite for minute; however, they were able to get the dog off Heptinstall and into a cage.

According to Thomas’ report, the dog warden advised him to notify Heptinstall the dog needed to be quarantined for 10 days. The warden also advised, it would be up to Heptinstall if he wanted to get rid of the dog. The warden said he would follow up with Heptinstall later.

Regardless of the hype surrounding pit bulls and alleged frequent attacks, Licking County Humane Society Executive Director Lori Carlson said pit bull aggressiveness has been “sensationalized.” She owns a pit bull.

Licking County Humane Society Executive Director Lori  believes
she can speak for the ENTIRE shelter

“Pit bulls get a bad rap,” Carlson said. “We are big fans of pit bulls.”

She said the breed is loyal and affectionate.

“We’ve had such positive experiences with that breed.”

Carlson said statistics show pit bulls don’t bite more often than other breeds, and they can be trained to be vicious or gentle, again, just like any other breed. “We think pit bulls are great dogs,” she said, adding there are four or five of them at the humane society.

According to the Licking County Health Department, there were 258 dog bites reported in Licking County last year. Of those bites, 25 were pit bull and pit bull mixes, 24 were Labrador Retrievers, 21 were mixed breeds, 20 were boxers, and 10 were German Shepherds. Health department Public Information Officer Tabitha Haynes said the department collects statistics about animal bites and quarantines animals so it can monitor rabies incidents. Health department Environmental Director, Chad Brown elaborated on this in a Licking Memorial Hospital newsletter.

In the newsletter, he said, “The purpose of the health department (rabies) reporting form is to establish the risk of rabies to the bite victim. If a dog or cat bite prompts medical attention, the dog or cat that caused a bite will be quarantined at the owner’s home for a minimum of 10 days to ensure rabies signs do not develop. If the animal is verified to be up-to-date on rabies vaccines, the health department can release the quarantine order after 10 days. However, if the dog or cat that caused a bite has not been vaccinated, it will need evaluated by a veterinarian and receive its rabies vaccination before it can be released.”

(The Buckeye Lake Beacon - Mar 5, 2015)