Alabama: Two-year-old girl attacked by family's Rhodesian Ridgeback / German Shepherd mix; grandfather also attacked when he intervened

ALABAMA -- Two people injured in a dog attack Wednesday afternoon have been released from hospitals after treatment.

A Labrador / Bulldog mix Rhodesian Ridgeback / German Shepherd was identified as the dog that attacked Kairi Sky Burleson in her yard, and then attacked her grandfather, Michael Perry Burleson on the left arm near the elbow, damaging an artery, said Cullman Police Chief Kenny Culpepper.

The two-year-old was taken to Cullman Regional by a family member for treatment, while the grandfather was flown to North Huntsville Hospital. Both were released after treatment, Culpepper said.

Cullman Fire and Rescue and Cullman Emergency Medical Services personnel were the first to arrive at the scene and began treatment of the victims.

FAMILY SHOT AND KILLED DOG BEFORE POLICE ARRIVED
A Cullman police officer arrived and reported the dog, which was estimated at 2 years old and weighing 100 pounds, was shot and killed before responders arrived.

The body of the dog, which was a family pet, was sent to a veterinarian to be tested for rabies, Culpepper said.

Mikayla says the dog was a Rhodesian Ridgeback and German Shepherd mix and that their veterinarian thinks the dog may have been poisoned "because he's never heard of a dog that lets a baby" play with it like this little girl did and then turn on her. 

The dog may not have been poisoned but may have had some medical ailment (cancer eating away at its stomach, etc) that meant it was in pain. If it were my dog, I'd get a necropsy in order to eliminate all possibilities as this was a dog that was raised around the child, around family members, etc. - it wasn't just chained to a tree and ignored. 

Now certainly one could argue, "Well you never say any of this when it's Pit Bull that attack family members!" - and they would be right. Because Pit Bulls have shown time and time again that they're unstable, unpredictable and have a trigger that sends them from being calm to trying to kill. A 'nice' Pit bull that goes its whole life without attacking and killing something is an exception to the rule. This dog attack was an anomaly so a necropsy should be conducted.

(Cullman Times Online - Jan 25, 2018)

United Kingdom: "He had chunks missing from his little body" - Beloved beagle is mauled to death by two bloodthirsty Pit Bulls during walk in the park

UNITED KINGDOM -- A two-year-old Beagle has died after he was savagely torn to pieces by two dogs as he was taken out for a walk in the park.

Chester the two-year-old beagle had 'chunks missing from his body' after he was set upon by the dogs which appear to be Mastiff Argentinos (Dogo Argentinos) or pit bulls - breeds banned in the UK.

Police say it remains unclear what type of dogs they are, and experts are carrying out tests to determine their breed.

Janet Payne, Chester's dog walker, said she was forced to watch him being thrown around 'like a rag doll' and claims when she asked the dogs' owner for help, he simply replied: 'Why the f*** wasn't your dog on a lead?'

Peter Moran, the first person on the scene, said 'never in his life had he seen utter barbaric scenes.'

Disturbing video of the attack shows blood pouring from the dog' mouths as they savage the defenceless pet near St Patrick's High School in Winton.

In the clip, their owner can be seen trying to unlock the animal's jaws before walking away.

Images of the man seen with the two dogs have now been circulated on Facebook.

A spokesman for Greater Manchester Police said the two dogs have now been seized under the Dangerous Dogs Act (1991). Police said the owner has not yet been arrested, as the investigation is ongoing.

Chester, a gift from Jennifer Thornley to her husband Gary for their wedding two years ago, had been let off the lead to enjoy a run-around with his dog walker when he was brutally set upon.

Jennifer, 29, a hospital doctor, said: 'He was the most beautiful boy.

'He was our best friend, we absolutely love him. He was so friendly, so trusting. I don't know what we are going to do without him and I've never seen Gary like this. When I saw him he was in our kitchen, he had chunks missing from his little body.

'I've seen the video - those dogs enjoyed it. What if this happens to a child? We need to do something.'

Janet Payne, Chester's dog walker, said she was forced to watch him being thrown around 'like a rag doll' on Wednesday afternoon.

Ms Payne, 39, was walking five dogs at the time.

She said: 'I was shouting to Chester to come and I looked up and saw two big dogs with something between them. I just knew. I screamed.

'I clipped the other dogs to a railing and ran to Chester. He was in the middle of the field being pulled all over the place.

'The little boy was being torn to pieces.'

Ms Payne tried to intervene, begging the man walking the pit bulls to help.

But she claims all he said was: 'why the f*** wasn't your dog on a lead?'

After around 30 seconds, Chester was dead.

Peter Moran wrote on Facebook: 'I was the first passer by on the seen to help this poor woman try to calm down never in my life have I seen utter barbaric scenes.

'Not only was I walking my labrador but I stayed with the woman until the police arrived and looked after the other four dogs.

'My heart goes out to the owners and the dog walker. The dog walker was utterly in bits, I wasnt leaving her until the police arrived.

'My heart goes out to the beagles' owners can't imagine what they must be going through.'

Ms Payne added: 'At one point the white dog looked at me and I thought I was for it, but he went back to Chester.

'Then the man managed to get him off and left the other dog with me as he walked off calling for it every now and then.

'Eventually the blood-covered dog ran after him, he didn't even look back. He just left me screaming in horror with the poor lifeless boy at my feet.'

Janet called the police and Jennifer's partner, Gary, a 28-year-old a project manager for Barclays rushed to the scene and found his dog mauled to death on the grass.

Jennifer added: 'Chester was so funny and made us laugh every day. He followed us everywhere around the house - and if one of us was upstairs and the other downstairs, he'd sit on the top step so he could be between us.

'Everyone just loved him, he was a member of our family, a gentle, friendly, loving dog who was just happy to be close to us.'

The couple took Chester to Scotland two weeks ago where they went on a four-hour hike led by their beloved pet.

Gary said: 'He always fell asleep on guests' laps and he was always so happy, he cheered us up. He hated it if we were upset or we hurt ourselves.

'When Jennifer worked night shifts before her shifts as a hospital doctor, Chester would keep her company during the day - and then be by Gary's side when he was alone at night.'

VIDEO CLIP:

Update: The dogs are now being described as a Pit Bull / Rhodesian Ridgeback mix and a Mastiff type dog (referred to as a "Bully Kutta", a blanket term for all breeds of fighting dog in Pakistan, which is a large muscular Mastiff-type dog). 

So should we be surprised that a fighting dog is attacking and killing a docile Beagle? Of course not. It's inherent in their genetics to be this way. 

There's a reason that laboratories that experiment on animals use Beagles - because they're known to be sweet and docile. They don't use Pit Bulls and other bully breed type dogs because they're not known for being sweet and docile. Even cruel scientists who experiment and kill innocent dogs know this.

 

 

(Daily Mail - Nov 23, 2017)

Maine: Sam Miele's face was ripped off by her friend Carrie Gammon's Rhodesian Ridgeback. Gammon and her attorney blame Sam and refuse to euthanize the dog

MAINE -- A Western Maine woman says she's still waiting for justice nearly a year-and-a-half after a dog ripped off part of her face.

"I still don't like having my picture taken at all," said Adriane Miele, who goes by "Sam."

Miele doesn't recognize her own reflection anymore.

"It's been really hard financially, emotionally to accept that this is what I'm going to look like for the rest of my life," she said.

Her life, and her face, forever changed in March of 2016.

Miele said she had just arrived at a Rumford home to have a drink with friends, but before she could reach for the door, a Rhodesian Ridgeback named Ralph came barging out.

"Grabbed me by my face and shook," said Miele. "That's when he took the whole piece of my face."

Photos taken hours after the attack are so graphic, CBS 13 can't show them.

Miele was hospitalized for seven days and underwent two surgeries, one to replace her lower lip, the other a skin graft procedure, in which doctors took tissue from her chest to use on her cheek.

"I have a lot of nightmares still," she said.

The dog's owner, Carrie Ann Gammon, is charged with keeping a dangerous dog, which is a civil offense. She wouldn't talk to CBS 13 about the attack.

Her dog's fate will ultimately be decided in court.

LENNY SHARON BLAMES THE VICTIM

Gammon's attorney, Lenny Sharon, tells CBS 13 in a statement: "Ralph is the entire issue as we move closer to trial. We have retained the services of one of the best dog 'whisperers' who has done a series of tests with Ralph and concluded that he is not a dangerous animal under the statute."

Sharon also said, "On the night in question, Carrie texted (Miele) and said in essence, 'Knock before you enter, so that I have time to get Ralph acclimated.' Instead, she brought a 12 pack of beer. She slammed open the door and reached low to retrieve the beer which she had brought with her. Ralph was resting on the other side of the room from the woman who got bit. The banging of the door accompanied by her bending down startled Ralph. We are not interested in the fine but we will not agree to the dog being put to sleep by the State."

"I think the dog should be euthanized," said Miele.

But more than a year later, she said, nothing has changed.

"Why has this dog been able to live at home being as dangerous as it is, and not been quarantined or not been put in a shelter until this trial comes, until this trial is over?" asked Miele.

The animal control officer for the town of Rumford declined to answer that question, instead referring the CBS 13 I-Team to the District Attorney's Office. Calls to prosecutors weren't immediately returned.

Liam Hughes, the director for the state animal welfare program, can't speak to this dog specifically.

"If the owners can safely contain them in their home and they're not gonna pose a risk to public safety, they could stay at the home," said Hughes. "But that's for the animal control officer and local law enforcement to monitor the situation and make sure the animal's not going to be a threat."

Hughes said locking up an animal can sometimes lead to worse behavior.

Rumford Police Chief, Stacy Carter, wouldn't go-on camera, but told CBS 13 there's a muzzle order in place to protect the public, meaning the dog has to be muzzled anytime it's outside the four walls of its home. He said there have been no complaints about the dog being violent since that order took effect.

"It's a matter of time," said Miele. "It's like a time bomb."

Miele said she saw the dog out without a muzzle and reported it to the town in a witness statement, but nothing was done. Carter confirmed the complaint was made, but the animal control officer found no wrongdoing when she followed up.

"I'm afraid that it's gonna happen again before this actually does to go court and they make a decision about this dog," Miele said.

She said court proceedings have been postponed half a dozen times.

"It's way too slow," Miele said. "I mean, if I had done what this dog did to me, to him, I would already be in jail. I would already have been to court. That's how I feel."

Miele said resolution in court will give her some closure, though it can't heal the pain she endures daily or pay off the mountain of debt she's facing from medical bills and being out of work almost a year.

"It's rough and I wouldn't want someone else to go through this, ever," she said.

The case is scheduled for a jury trial in September.

(WGME - August 2, 2017)

Connecticut: Man's dog mauled on public hiking trail by loose pit bull, leaving him with a $5,000+ vet bill

CONNECTICUT -- A family whose dog was viciously attacked on a public hiking trail in East Haddam said their pet was not involved in a dogfight, but a dog attack.

Now, they are calling for action.

A pit bull attacked a Rhodesian Ridgeback named Marley and Marley's family said she's in rough shape.

They said it could cost thousands of dollars to save her.

The attack happened on Sunday morning.

Gregg Davis took Marley for a walk on the Hatch Lot Trail to enjoy the spring weather.

However, he said it went horrifically wrong.

"I came to the end of the trail and a dog that was unleashed abruptly came over the ridge over there and just violently attacked my dog," he said. "[It] grabbed my dog by the neck and pinned her down to the ground and tore open her throat."

Gregg Davis said he couldn't do anything but watch.

A passerby even tried to separate the pit bull from the other dog, but failed.

The owner of the pit bull heard the noise and was able to pull the dog off of Marley.

However, Marley was so traumatized that she ran off into the woods before Gregg Davis was able to find her and bring her to the vet.

Gregg Davis said Marley suffered severe lacerations to the neck and chest.

"On top of having my dog attacked like that I have the sticker shock afterward of seeing upwards of $5,000 worth of medical bills," he said. "That's out of pocket."

He said he didn't know if Marley would be the same again.

"We've grown very fond and very close to Marley," said Milton Davis of Marlborough, Gregg Davis's father.

Gregg Davis's parents said it could have been much worse.

"If it hadn't been the dog it could have been a child," said Jean Davis, Gregg Davis's mother.

East Hampton's animal control officer, Mike Olzacki, said the owner of the pit bull was cited for not having their dog confined and being unlicensed.

The Davis family said that's not enough.

"No matter what kind of dog it is, it is your responsibility to take control of that dog and have control at all times," Gregg Davis said.

Animal control put the pit bull in a 14 day quarantine and it will undergo an evaluation.

However, East Haddam, like many other towns, does not have a violent dog ordinance, which can put restrictions on certain breeds or give animal control more power over a decision of what will happen to the dog.

The Davis family said they are still looking at all of their options with Marley and legally.

They reiterated that their biggest concern is making sure everyone else is safe on that trail.

(WFSB - May 1, 2017)

California: Kelvin Johnson, 29, and Jasmine Marshall, 26, recorded their dogs attacking and killing animals and then posted onto social media

CALIFORNIA -- Their names are Max and Sasha.

The pair of dogs — a pit bull mix and a Rhodesian ridgeback mix — allegedly killed raccoons, coyotes, bunnies, domesticated rats and even an egret. Much of this violence was documented and posted on social media.

These wild animals were all killed as part of the dogs’ training by their masters, a San Francisco couple who now face six felony animal abuse counts of killing, maiming, or abusing animals, according to the San Francisco District Attorney’s Office.

  

Husband and wife Kelvin Johnson, 29, and Jasmine Marshall, 26 — who were both arrested earlier this week — were caught allegedly after their pets made a kill in Golden Gate Park, according to a law enforcement official with knowledge of the case, but who was not authorized to speak on the record.

Kelvin denied the charges Tuesday and pleaded not guilty, claiming his dogs were attacked by the wild animals.

According to police, last Tuesday a passerby notified police after seeing the couple allegedly sic their dogs on a raccoon and a coyote in Golden Gate Park on Martin Luther King Jr. Drive.

When police and animal control arrived, they found a van with the dogs inside and the corpse of a raccoon nearby. Two dogs were confiscated by Animal Care and Control, and the couple was detained but released. Both dogs had cuts and scratches on their faces. A third dog has yet to be located.

But the next day, when the pair tried to retrieve their property at San Francisco’s Richmond Station, they were arrested since documentation of their actions was posted online.

The couple was allegedly training their pets to fight by having them attack and kill wild animals, according to the law enforcement source. They then posted images of the dead animals on social media.

One social media account identified by police notes that “I enjoy letting my dogs be dogs of [sic] you don’t like it your fault welcome to the life of Sasha and Max and sometime [sic] smoke.”

Police said in one post they set loose a rabbit in a field for their dogs to chase and kill. In another post they show their dogs and a freshly killed egret. They also posted images of their dogs killing domesticated rats, according to police.

Police also claimed that Johnson was involved in attacking a man with his dog in October 2015 in Bayview-Hunters Point.

Johnson, who remains in custody with an $80,000 bail, appeared in San Francisco Superior Court on Tuesday afternoon where he pleaded not guilty and his lawyer said his dogs were being attacked by six raccoons and a coyote.

“These dogs were attacked by raccoons in Golden Gate Park and the coyotes,” said Johnson’s court-appointed attorney Everett Hewlett.

But prosecutors countered that statement and classified the case as “highly disturbing,” citing social media posts of the dogs attacking all sorts of animals.

“This is depraved, disturbed behavior,” said Assistant District Attorney Catherine McBride.

Johnson is set to appear in court again alongside Marshall, who was released on her own recognizance earlier this week, for her arraignment Thursday.

(San Francisco Examiner- Nov 29, 2016)

Oregon: Homeless man allegedly beats woman's dog to death, nails its tongue to tree in city park

OREGON -- A Southeast Portland woman made a disturbing discovery in a city park last week, her missing puppy, mutilated. She believes a homeless man, who frequents the Springwater Corridor, killed her dog, Laika.

On Saturday, April 2, Carolina Guerrero found the gate leading to the backyard open. She says the front gates were locked. When she called for her dogs, only two of them ran out, Laika was gone.

Laika was a 10-month-old Pit bull - Rhodesian Ridgeback mix.

"She was the sweetest dog you could ever meet," she said.

Armed with a flier, Guerrero searched the neighborhood and conducted her own investigation. She asked neighbors, strangers, and homeless people. She posted an alert on social media. Her four-day search led her to a homeless camp at Beggars Tick Park, a city park located near Southeast 111th and Foster Avenue along the Springwater Corridor.

Guerrero says she learned that a homeless female, who is only known as "Kim," had been seen with Laika around the Springwater Corridor and some nearby convenience stores. She says several different homeless people said "Kim" had boasted about stealing the dog because "she thought it was cute."

While at the park, two homeless people told her another camper killed the dog, then buried it nearby.

Guerrero says she found Laika buried in a shallow grave with a cut to one of her hind legs. She says the dog's tongue was removed and nailed to a tree.

"When I least expected it, I saw a little piece of her ear just sticking out of the ground," Guerrero said. "It was really upsetting, extremely upsetting, but we're learning to cope with it."

A week later, on April 13, Guerrero called police to report the crime.

 

Portland police say an officer familiar with the area went to the park the following day. The officer did not find the campsite the victim had described to him. Police say it actually appeared that the park had been cleared out, as the campsites that he'd become familiar with were now also gone.

Unfortunately, a week had passed between the time when the victim found her dog and the time she called police. It's quite possible that anyone involved or anyone having knowledge of what happened to Laika has since packed up and moved.

The officer has been unable to identify "Kim" or any of the homeless people that the victim encountered during her investigation. The only information the victim had about "Kim" is that she is a white female and had purple hair at the beginning of April, per other homeless people. There is no other suspect information.

RIP Laika

Under Oregon law, theft of a companion animal is a Class C Felony. The Portland Police Bureau encourages any animal owner to report suspected theft, if there is information or evidence to indicate the animal was stolen.

Anyone with information about this theft can submit it by email to CrimeTips@PortlandOregon.gov.

(KATU - April 16, 2016)

South Africa: Beloved Maltese attacked and killed by neighbor's two Rhodesian Ridgebacks

SOUTH AFRICA -- A Durban North family said they are in shock after their pet Maltese poodle, Onyx, was attacked by two Rhodesian Ridgebacks on Monday last week.

The two-year-old suffered four puncture wounds in the attack and later died due to the severity of the injuries. Colleen Coetzee said the vets tried everything they could to save the dog but failed.

According to Coetzee, Onyx got out of her property when the gate failed to close and was pulled through the bars of her neighbour’s fence by the two dogs, which punctured the young dog’s lungs and esophagus. When Coetzee ran out to the grisly scene, she noticed the neighbour holding her dog aloft and handing it to her.

She now plans on laying a charge and has contacted the Metro Police over the incident. She says her family are ‘devastated and in a state of shock’.

“My daughter came to visit and I opened my gate to let her in, however when I tried to close the gate, it wouldn’t close. My granddaughter needed to go to the loo and in the ensuing panic, Onyx got out and we didn’t notice.

"After realising that he got out, we immediately began looking for him and it was only when I ventured outside the yard, I saw the neighbour holding him above his head.

“He pushed Onyx through the bars in his fence and it was only when I was walking back to the house that I noticed blood all over my shirt. I realised he had four puncture wounds, one to the top of his head, another just underneath his chin and two others to his lower body. We rushed him to Ashburne Vet and he was incubated but he died hours later,” she said.

Coetzee added that she believes her dog was pulled through the fence by the ridgebacks and is concerned a similar attack may occur to someone else’s pet or small child. She is currently awaiting the Metro Police, who she has contacted to lay the charge.

(Northglen News - April 1, 2016)

Australia: Shawn Hemphill, 32, and Samantha Flood, 32, sentenced for 'appalling' animal cruelty crimes

AUSTRALIA -- A Belconnen couple have been banned from owning animals for five years after being convicted of animal cruelty charges described as abhorrent, appalling and an offence to the Canberra community.

Three dogs under the care of the couple were seized by RSPCA inspectors in late 2014 in a severely emaciated state with illnesses from inadequate worming.

Inspectors were appalled by the dogs' poor living conditions and an unwillingness to provide appropriate care. The couple kept the dogs on chains to stop them attacking each other, with one found with a bloody ear on inspection.

Shawn Hemphill, 32, became tearful when sentenced by Special Magistrate Margaret Hunter in the ACT Magistrates Court on Monday afternoon.

Ms Hunter said the dogs, Rhodesian Ridgebacks and Staffordshire pit bull mixes, were found in "a very, very deplorable state" that should have been an immediate concern for the couple. She said the dogs had been living in filth at the back of the property.

"They were supposed to be your family, your pets," she said. "The community finds it abhorrent and quite frankly so do I."

Hemphill said photographic evidence proved there was food available for the dogs despite being severely underweight.

According to a pre-sentence report, Hemphill had admitted to smoking cannabis around the time of the offences and believe the animals had been treated appropriately.

According to a veterinary statement, the Rhodesian Ridgeback was severely emaciated due to starvation and illnesses caused by inadequate worming and no veterinary care.

The court heard Hemphill objected to the seizure of his dogs and he threatened RSPCA inspectors over the phone after they were taken from his property.

Ms Hunter said Hemphill, who is unemployed and receives a Centrelink payment of $285 a week, had a criminal record of threatening behaviors and she was appalled he had chosen to re-offend.

"These inspectors are trying to do something for community and should not be treated in that way," she said. "I take it as a serious matter."

Hemphill was also ordered to serve 350 hours of community service with a three-year good behavior order.

Hemphill's partner, Samantha Flood, 32, was also sentenced to a two-year good behavior order and 30 hours of community service, to be completed over two years.

Ms Hunter accepted the dogs did not belong to Flood but found she was responsible for their care and responsible for their poor condition.

She also took into account the fact Flood was employed and was not at home for the duration of the day.

During the preparation of the pre-sentence report, Flood expressed shame about the way the dogs were treated and became tearful when describing their conditions.

(Canberra Times - Jan 18, 2016)

Torey Geile arrested after punching man who was trying to stop Geile's Rhodesian Ridgebacks from attacking old Labrador

FLORIDA -- The man who broke the jaw of popular South Walton pastor Tom Guido with a punch to the face has been charged with felony battery.

County Judge David Green signed a warrant late Tuesday afternoon for the arrest of Torey Geile, according to Greg Anchors, chief assistant state attorney for Walton County.

Geile, a roofing contractor and engineer with Destin Roofing Inc., had retained counsel and turned himself in at about 12:30 p.m. Wednesday, according to an official at the Walton County Jail. He could not be reached for comment Wednesday prior to being placed into custody.

Green had waited a full week before signing the arrest warrant. He wanted to know Guido was willing to proceed with pressing charges, Anchors said.

As the case hung in limbo, a handful of residents of the subdivision where the pastor and Geile’s family walk their dogs called the Daily News to express concerns about the incident that led ultimately to the arrest.

All of them said Geile was the clear aggressor in the dog fight dispute that resulted in a single devastating punch being thrown to Guido’s face.

Both Anchors and Sheriff Michael Adkinson said Wednesday it was clear to them by the time the warrant was actually signed that charges against Geile were justified.

“Whatever explanation he had for hitting (Guido), he wasn’t justified under the circumstances,” Anchors said.

Guido, pastor of Resurrection Catholic Church in Miramar Beach, and neighbor Edward Fincke were walking their dogs early Dec. 19 when two big dogs, Rhodesian Ridgebacks, belonging to the Geiles ran up on them.

Geile’s wife had been walking the dogs and they got loose when she let go of their leashes, reports said.

The woman and Guido were trying to pull the Ridgebacks off the pastor’s aging Labrador Retriever when Geile ran up and delivered what was described by one witness as a “haymaker.”

Guido told a 911 dispatcher after the punch was thrown that he’d been “cold cocked.”

“While there was a high level of confusion, we do not believe Mr. Geile used prudent judgment given the totality of the circumstances,” Adkinson said Wednesday. “We believe there was sufficient time for him to slow down and make a better decision.”

Guido suffered a broken jaw severe enough that he had to be hospitalized.

(NWF Daily News - Dec 30, 2015)

New Zealand: American Pit bull degloved woman in attack, but owner says the dog should have Christmas at home

NEW ZEALAND -- The owner of a dog responsible for ripping the skin off a woman"s hand has asked the animal be released to spend Christmas at home.

Lennox, a 55kg American Pit bull Terrier cross, bit and "degloved" a school teacher who was visiting the Flaxmere home of the Fa'alele family on October 8.

The teacher, who had arranged to meet Matthew Fa'alele and his partner, spoke briefly to children on the property and noticed Lennox standing silently.

After a short time she tried to let herself in by reaching over a gate and releasing a latch. As she did so Lennox jumped and bit her right hand, locking its jaws and refusing to let go. When she was finally able to yank her arm back, the bite degloved her hand, nearly completely removing the skin from her hand.

Fa'alele apologised and the woman was taken to hospital.

The attack was reported to the council on October 12, but when animal control officers went to the property Fa'alele said he had removed Lennox. He was found at the property on November 24 and has been held at Hastings District Council pound ever since.

Fa'alele is being prosecuted for owning a dog causing a serious injury and the matter is likely to be heard in Hastings District Court next month.

But in the meantime, Fa'alele has appealed to the council to release Lennox until the hearing, when his fate will be decided.

In a letter to the council Fa'alele has asked that "our youngest family member who is also our pet dog" spend Christmas with the family, especially Fa'alele's three young children aged under eight.

Fa'alele said if Lennox was allowed home he would ensure the dog was fully muzzled if taken off the property and would be kept in a separate fenced-off part of the section.

"He is a loving dog and an important part of our family," Fa'alele said.

In a report to the council's Hearings committee staff said Lennox did not display the usual characteristics of an aggressive dog, but that was not unusual for this type of dog.

The Dog Control Act required dogs to be held in custody until a prosecution is determined, unless a council is satisfied the dog will not threaten the safety of any person, stock, pets or wildlife.

The appeal, set down for Tuesday, will be the second such appeal heard by the council in a fortnight. Earlier this month Kayla Bremner was unsuccessful in having her Rhodesian ridgeback Rascal released for Christmas.

Rascal, was one of three dogs involved in an October 3 attack at Whirinaki Beach, north of Napier, which left two women requiring hospital treatment.

Bremner has pleaded guilty to owning a dog that rushed a person causing injury and is due to be sentenced in the Napier District Court in February.

(Stuff NZ - December 21 2015)

The hunt is on for two vicious dogs which left a family pet for dead in horrific attack

AUSTRALIA -- RANGERS are hunting two dogs which left a family pet for dead after a horrific attack in front of the owner and her daughter on Sydney’s Central Coast.

Gorokan resident Renea Donaldson and her eight-year-old daughter watched on in horror as their pet dog Yogi was mauled by two stray dogs — believed to be American staffordshire bull terriers — in the family’s garage.

“It looked like a murder scene,” said Mrs Donaldson of the attack, which left the Rottweiler Rhodesian Ridgeback mix in the vet hospital for days with scores of puncture wounds to his head and neck.

Mrs Donaldson had put the dog, which she described as “a big teddy bear who wouldn’t hurt anyone” in the backyard while she went to the shops for half an hour on Tuesday afternoon.

When she returned with her daughter she heard growling and cries coming from the garage.

“I had a gut feeling something was wrong, and when I opened the door to the garage — which Yogi can get into through a dog door — there was blood everywhere. It was just horrific — like a horror movie.”

Mrs Donaldson said the two dogs had broken their way into the backyard through a timber fence and chased her dog into the garage through a dog door.

By the time she had run to a neighbour for help, the attacking dogs had dragged Yogi on to a rock in the garden where they continued to maul him.

“They had blood all over their teeth. I was like a mother possessed so I screamed at them to get off and they ran out of the yard,” she said.

The dogs have not been seen since.

“I’m worried about other people’s dogs. What kind of people own these dogs to break in and attack another dog in its own home? They should be shot or put down. I can’t imagine what would have happened if my daughter had been in the backyard,” she said.

Vet Chris Jamieson of Kanwal Veterinary Hospital who operated on Yogi after the attack said he is lucky to be alive.

“A smaller dog or child would not have survived this attack,” he said. “ He was certainly very lucky and was in a very bad way when he came in and was totally exhausted.”

Mr Jamieson said while this hunting behaviour is typical of pack animals, such as dogs, it is not expected “in suburbia”.

“Dog owners need to keep their pets under control and teach them socialisation,” he said.

Wyong Shire Council Ranger Service Manager Rennes Projceski said council was trying to locate the offending dogs.

“We have searched the area around the attack. If found, they will need to be positively identified and we will need to locate the owners,” Ms Projceski said.

“We do take these matters seriously and our first priority is to find the dogs and return the animals to their owners,” she said.

She said if someone has seen the dogs to call Wyong Council.

(Daily Telegraph Australia - Nov 5, 2015)

New Zealand: Owners charged after dog attacks in Hawke's Bay

NEW ZEALAND -- Three dog owners are being prosecuted after attacks in Hawke's Bay left two women requiring hospital treatment.

The three owners will each face two charges under the Dog Control Act following the October 3 attacks at the seaside settlement of Whirinaki, north of Napier.

One of the victims, a woman in her 60s, suffered a significant bite injury to her arm and was admitted to Hawke's Bay Hospital before being transferred to Hutt Valley Hospital for specialist care.

About 45 minutes before the woman was attacked there was another attack by three dogs on a woman who had been running on the beach at Whirinaki.

The woman, who is in her 30s, was pulled to the ground and received multiple puncture wounds and lacerations to her upper arm, her armpit and buttocks.

She was also admitted to Hawke's Bay hospital for treatment.

Hastings District Council, which is responsible for dog control in the Whirinaki area, said the charges related to the dogs "causing serious injury" to the two victims.

Two of the dogs allegedly involved in the attack, a male bull terrier cross and a male Neapolitan mastiff cross, were relinquished by their owners and destroyed last week.

The third dog, a male Rhodesian ridgeback cross, is being held in the Hastings District Council's pound pending the outcome of the council's prosecution.

The council said all three dogs came from the same address, where one lived and the other two were visiting.

A court date for the owners has yet to be set.

(Stuff.co.nz - October 13 2015)

The village of Hawthorn Woods spends $28K in legal fight to euthanize vicious dog

ILLINOIS -- The village of Hawthorn Woods has spent $28,000 in a protracted battle with a couple over the fate of their pet beagle, Heidi..

Heidi belongs to Hawthorn Woods couple Brian and Jean Bacardi, who readily admit that the dog bites when she feels threatened.

At police departments from Hawthorn Woods to West Palm Beach, Fla., Heidi has amassed a lengthy record.

And records show that in November 2012 the village ordered the Bacardis to relinquish ownership of Heidi. Mayor Joe Mancino declined to say much about the ongoing case but said the legal fees stem from the village response to a lawsuit filed by the Bacardis in February 2013.

"The village will always defend ourselves when we're being sued," Mancino said. "And we'll always protect the public health."

The Bacardis are now paying to keep Heidi at a kennel in Carol Stream. They argue that this protects the public health in Hawthorn Woods just fine.

"We're just trying to save her life," Jean Bacardi said.

But some who have worked closely with the family suggested the Bacardis could have done that before both sides started racking up legal bills.

"The city gave them so many opportunities to re-home the dog," said Stephanie Paluch, who founded a dog-rescue program that tried to help the Bacardis, then eventually turned them away.

Love, unleashed
Since last July, Heidi has lived at the Happy Paws Pet Resort in Carol Stream. Brian or Jean Bacardi visit her nearly every day. On an uncommonly warm March afternoon, Jean came by early to walk Heidi for a few blocks — she said that helps bring the 8-year-old dog's energy level down.

That afternoon, Jean had small red scratches on her right hand and wrist. She explained that Heidi gets excited when her owners visit. Jean makes no attempt to hide that her dog gets excited at different stimuli.

"We knew we had to keep her away from strangers, and it was going OK, until that day," she said.
"That day" was Halloween 2012, when Heidi mistook a trick-or-treater for an intruder, according to a Hawthorn Woods police report. But that day could have been several others, as well: Records from the McLean County Health Department, the Normal Police Department, Hawthorn Woods police and the Lake County Health Department show that Heidi's temperament has been an ongoing problem for the Bacardis.

"She's a beautiful, living thing, and she's a member of our family," Jean said. "As long as we have the means to keep fighting, we will."

The Bacardis say they have spent thousands of dollars to save Heidi's life. Even more, Brian spent eight days in the Lake County Jail in May 2014, held in contempt of court as the result of one of this case's many turns.

Jean has an explanation for every bite: Some she calls accidents; some she describes as chains of unlucky coincidences. Five took place in Hawthorn Woods, one downstate in Normal and one in Florida, according to records. But she says each was an isolated incident that will never happen again.

She and Brian designed fliers that asked the residents of Hawthorn Woods for their support, and printed enough to deliver one to every house in the village. They circulated a petition that, as of April 30, has 441 signatures.

They have an electronic fence around their yard, but no physical barrier. The bite reports say they let their dogs out unleashed.

Hawthorn Woods retains the firm of Schain, Banks, Kenny & Schwartz for legal counsel. Separate from all other legal expenses for which the village pays, it wrote four checks in 2013 and 11 more in 2014 marked "Bacardi litigation."

Pam Newton, the village's chief operating officer, said that when expenses from the first four months of 2015 are added in, Hawthorn Woods has paid $28,327 in legal bills for the Bacardi case.

Because the case remains in court, Newton offered little comment.
"The case speaks for itself," Newton said.

The Bacardis bought Heidi and her brother Hero, both 8-week-old beagle mixes, as 10th birthday presents for their son in March 2007. They took the puppies to six weeks of obedience classes, during which Hero displayed a calm demeanor. Thinking they had naturally laid-back pets, the Bacardis opted out of further instruction.

"I wish we had invested in that training when they were younger," Jean said. "That was a big mistake on our part."

Heidi's demeanor was far more energetic than Hero's.

"Heidi has always been a little more skittish than her brother," Jean said. "On a few occasions … unexpected visitors … she's nipped at them, and then run away. She was protecting her property."

The complaints about Hero and Heidi go back to June 18, 2008, and are mostly for barking.

But on April 28, 2009, the beagles allegedly both went after a delivery guy. "The two dogs bit him, one on the leg and the other on the scrotum," a police report reads. "He kicked one of the dogs to get it away."

One of the biting incidents led to a report from the Lake County Health Department, which states that the Bacardis have had trouble with other dogs for years. "She has had 4-other dogs in the past that have bitten the ComEd guy (4/15/97) and a FedEx guy (5/29/98)," the report reads.

Because they sometimes let their dogs out unrestrained, Jean said she knew Heidi needed to be inside the house on Halloween 2012. What followed was a chain of bad luck, she said: Her boys let the dogs into the backyard, but then she got an important phone call and she never checked to make sure her sons had brought Hero and Heidi back inside. Then a young girl in costume made her way to their house.

"The situation on Halloween … she had not had an incident in two and a half years," Jean said. "But, you know, accidents can happen."

The Bacardis have a beware-of-dog sign. The police report documenting the Halloween bite indicates the family believed this marker should be enough. "Because it was an accident, [Jean] did not feel she should be held responsible for the dog biting someone on her property," it reads.

Another incident happened on July 14, 2013, in Normal. The Bacardis drove downstate to watch their son's baseball team in a tournament, and brought Heidi along. During one game, a young boy spotted a cute little beagle and walked up to her. Startled by his approach, Heidi bit him.

"That was really an unfortunate event," Jean said. "I think any dog could have reacted like that. It was just terribly, terribly unlucky."

Hawthorn Woods Police Chief Jennifer Paulus had already seen enough of Heidi by then. Her department had four bite reports and 17 barking complaints during Heidi and Hero's tenure in the Bacardi home, plus another from a visit to West Palm Beach.

Paulus sent the family a certified letter declaring Heidi "vicious in nature" and ordering her out of village limits. The Bacardis challenged the police, and received a hearing in administrative adjudication — the court municipalities put on for traffic tickets and other local ordinances. The family lost. Believing their dog deserved a home in Hawthorn Woods, they filed an administrative complaint in the 19th Circuit Court of Lake County.

While this played out, Hawthorn Woods' order was in effect, and the Bacardis handed Heidi over to out-of-town friends. She was a handful, though, and a Heidi-sharing network developed among the Bacardis' friends, many of whom have sons who play baseball together. Day by day, the beagle bounced from home to home. "Sometimes we weren't even aware of where she was," Jean said.

Wanting their companion to feel stability, the Bacardis brought Heidi home in May 2013 — a violation of Hawthorn Woods' order. Their sons had some friends over May 26. Heidi ended up biting one of their sons' friends.

"This is where it gets a little complicated," Jean said. "It was our bad luck. We thought everything was fine."

The ensuing police report came with a $1,000 fine and a firm stipulation. Heidi had already been labeled "vicious," and if she was seen in the village again that would be proof her owners could not be trusted to keep a dangerous dog off the streets. Authorities would seize her and end the threat.

The downstate bite occurred after that agreement, and Normal requested that a Hawthorn Woods officer deliver its ticket to the Bacardi home. An officer made that delivery on Aug. 27, 2013. "I could see two small dogs inside the home," an officer wrote in a report, adding nobody but the dogs was home when he dropped off the ticket.

The Bacardis assert Heidi was with friends that night, and that the officer only saw Hero — but this was a second record alleging they ignored the village's ban. Believing Heidi could be back in town on any day, posing a bite threat, Village Hall wanted her euthanized.

But they cannot seize her until the courts settle the Bacardis' grievances. "As long as the appeal goes on, she can live," Jean said.

On May 21, 2014, Brian appeared before Judge Jorge Ortiz, who expected to see proof of Heidi's whereabouts, most likely through documentation from a kennel — but their middle son had taken her to Florida with him, and had no paperwork to prove it. The judge held Brian in Waukegan for eight days, until the son drove Heidi back to the kennel.

On May 22, 2014, Brian's first full day in jail, the last Hawthorn Woods police report indicates Hero and the Bacardis' new dog — a beagle-lab mix named Panda they adopted in 2013 — chased several people around at a nearby bus stop. Paulus confirmed in an email that Heidi was not involved in this, but it was the 25th report coming from the Bacardi residence since 2008.

On March 16, the Bacardis came to Hawthorn Woods' Village Board meeting with a proposal: revoke the death warrant and the family would find a new home for Heidi and drop the suit. For Village Hall, no more suit would mean no more legal fees.

It would also mean uncertainty. Would the Bacardis keep their word this time and not sneak Heidi back to the house? Jean Bacardi said she expected officials to show trust.

The board took no action during the public session but discussed it privately. On March 19, village attorney Patrick Brankin sent a concise response.

"The unanimous consensus reached was not to settle," Brankin wrote.

Heidi's case is now in the Illinois Appellate Court's Second District, awaiting a date for oral arguments or a decision from a three-judge panel based on briefs filed by Village Hall and the family.
Boarding at Happy Paws costs $23 per day. Since October 2013, when Heidi spent her first night at a kennel in Lake Zurich, the family estimates it has spent nearly $10,000 on temporary shelter for the dog.

They say they are continuing their legal battle without representation, having spent more than $15,000 on legal fees earlier in the appeal process.

The Bacardis still do not have a physical fence. Hero and Panda have been abiding at home with no police complaints for nearly a year. Heidi sees her family most days, at Happy Paws.

INCIDENTS WITH THE BACARDI FAMILY'S DOGS(TIMELINE)
At police departments from West Palm Beach, Fla. to Hawthorn Woods and Normal, Ill., the Bacardi family's beagle mix, Heidi, has amassed a lengthy record. In Lake County courts, a long string of events has led to Heidi's death warrant.
March 2007
The Bacardis buy Heidi and the dog's brother, Hero, both 8-week-old beagle mixes, as 10th birthday presents for their son, Jared.

Jan. 2, 2008 - West Palm Beach, Fla.
Heidi is accused of biting a person in the leg while on a family trip to Florida, but the report says the circumstances of the bite are unknown.

July 5, 2008 - Hawthorn Woods
50-year-old gets minor bite on forearm.

Aug. 23, 2008 - Hawthorn Woods
From a Lake County Health Department and Community Health Center animal bite report: Woman at neighborhood block party receives treatment at Glenbrook Hospital after being bitten. Her injuries were minor.

April 8, 2009 - Hawthorn Woods
A delivery man receives bites to the leg and scrotum. Both Heidi and Hero are involved, according to the documents.

April 28, 2009 - Hawthorn Woods
From a Lake County Health Department and Community Health Center animal bite report: Another delivery man received bites to the leg and scrotum. Only Hero involved. Reports states Brian Bacardi says, "... victims are revengeful and make up stories."

June 18, 2010 - Hawthorn Woods
Victim bitten on the abdomen.

Oct. 31, 2012 - Hawthorn Woods
From a Hawthorn Woods police report: An 11-year-old trick-or-treater who arrives at the Bacardis' home is bitten on the right thigh by Heidi. Responding officer writes in report, "(Jean Bacardi) stated there is a sign in her yard warning there is a dog on the premise, therefore the warning should be enough."

Nov. 14, 2012 - Hawthorn Woods
From a Hawthorn Woods Police Department letter to Jean Bacardi: Police chief writes letter certifying Heidi as a vicious dog, banishing her from Hawthorn Woods.

May 26, 2013 - Hawthorn Woods
From a Hawthorn Woods police report: A boy is bit by Heidi on the right side of his stomach. It is the first violation of the Nov. 2012 vicious dog order.

July 14, 2013 - Normal, Ill.
From a McLean County incident report: A child is bitten in the groin area by Heidi. The responding officer writes in the police report, "(Victim) said that Brian did not seem to really care that his dog just bit (the victim) and was more worried in just telling him that the dog was fine and up-to-date on shots."

Aug. 27, 2013 - Hawthorn Woods
A Hawthorn Woods police officer delivers the Normal, Ill., citation to the Bacardis' home. He says he sees Heidi inside the home, but no other family members are there. The family says it is not Heidi, but a new dog named Panda. Heidi's death warrant is signed.

October 2013 - Lake Zurich
Heidi begins a stay at a kennel.

Jan. 7, 2014 - Hawthorn Woods
A police officer responds to a complaint of a large dog loose in the neighborhood. Jean Bacardi arrives and states the dog is hers. She says she got the dog a few weeks prior, and it's not yet trained on the family's electronic fence. The officer gives Bacardi a warning.

May 21, 2014 - Waukegan
Brian Bacardi starts an eight-day stay in the Lake County Jail, held in contempt of court as the result of one of this case's many complicated stories.

May 22, 2014 - Hawthorn Woods
Hero and the Bacardis' new dog, a beagle-mix named Panda they adopted in 2013, chase several people around at a nearby bus stop. The responding police officer receives a call later that afternoon from a concerned neighbor who saw the dogs were loose. The officer encourages her to keep calling police as, "this is a problem for the residents in this neighborhood."

July 2014 - Carol Stream
The Bacardis send Heidi to live at the Happy Paws Pet Resort.

March 16, 2015 - Hawthorn Woods
The Bacardis attend a Hawthorn Woods Village Board meeting with a proposal: revoke the death warrant on Heidi and the family would find a new home for the dog.

March 19, 2015 - Hawthorn Woods
Hawthorn Woods village attorney Patrick Branklin responds to the Bacardis' request: "The unanimous consensus reached was not to settle."

April 2015 - Hawthorn Woods
The Bacardis design fliers asking for support, and print enough to deliver to every house in the village. They circulate a petition to save Heidi's life that has received 441 signatures as of April 30.

(Chicago Tribune - Apr 30, 2015)

Man who raped a dog on film accidentally sent video to his girlfriend

UNITED KINGDOM -- A MAN who had sex with his dog on film and accidentally sent the video to his girlfriend has been ordered to sign the sex offenders register by a court.

David Buchanan filmed himself having sex with his Rhodesian Ridgeback pet on a tablet computer as he watched porn at home while his partner was at work.

However, his depraved act was uncovered after a video clip of the act was unwittingly sent to his horrified girlfriend's mobile phone.

The woman immediately called the police and Buchanan, 34, was arrested and charged with sexual assault on March 7.

He admitted the offence and was ordered to register as a sex offender for seven years.

Keith Ballinger, for the prosecution, told magistrates in Swindon, Wiltshire: "This comes to light because it is reported by his then partner.

"She was at work on this day and received on her mobile phone a 29-second video clip from a tablet computer.

"That video showed him having sex with their 10-month-old Rhodesian Ridgeback."

He added: "It appears her mobile phone and the tablet are linked by the cloud, and it is that way the video was sent to her.

"When arrested he said he knew he had done wrong and it was stupid.

"He had been at home watching pornography and wondered what it would be like to have sex with the dog."

Ellen McAnaw, for the defence, said: "There is a great deal of embarrassment and shame about what happened.

"He spends most of his time at home drawing or playing XBox, and he doesn't seem to have any friends outside the previous relationship."

Buchanan, of Royal Wootton Bassett in Wiltshire, was made to register as a sex offender for seven years, given a 12-week suspended sentence for two years, 50 days of rehabilitation, £85 costs and £80 victim surcharge.

(North Devon Journal - April 16, 2015)

Vultures lead neighbor to third N.J. mauled cat; loose dogs captured

NEW JERSEY -- The two loose dogs who mauled cats to death yesterday were captured by their owners today after a police received a call that the dogs had been spotted.

Yesterday, Jan. 30, an elderly woman witnessed the dogs killing one of her cats outside her home, and a second cat was found dead a short time later. Charges against the owners are pending by the township's animal control officer.

Township police reported today that the dogs may have killed a third cat belonging to a neighbor of the first woman. The third cat was found after vultures were seen circling woods behind a home.

Police said the dogs' owners learned yesterday evening, Jan. 30, of the first attack and called to say that their two dogs had escaped their home the evening of Jan 29 and had not returned.

The cats were attacked in the 400 block of Riegelsville Road, about 2 miles from the dogs' home, police said.

Today, a resident of Dogwood Drive, about a half-mile from the cats' home, saw the dogs running loose and called police, who then notified the owners. The dogs weren't wearing collars, but police said they were registered and have current rabies vaccinations.

The dogs are both males, police said, but were neutered. Their owners told police the dogs had escaped from a garage the evening before the cats were killed.

Township animal control officer Nate Barson, called by one of the woman's neighbors, was already looking for the dogs when the attacks occurred.

The attack happened on Jan. 30 at about 11:30 a.m. According to township police, the woman noticed the two dogs on her porch, and snapped a photo of them. She hadn't seen anything amiss at that point, but was apparently uneasy about their proximity.

A short time later, they said she looked outside and saw that one of the dogs had one of her cats by its head, while the second dog had the cat's tail in his mouth.

She called for help and Barson arrived in time to snap a photo of the dogs escaping into a wooded areas behind homes.

Today, police said the third cat was found near the site of the witnessed mauling.

The elderly woman had shared her home with tan-colored "Donavan" and grey-colored "Butch" for 10 years and was deeply upset, officials said. Her home is set back from the road and, as is common in such areas, her cats moved between the outside and indoors. Police said the attack clearly happened on her property.

Barson said the dogs have been secured. He plans on Feb. 2 to file charges against the owners, who could face fines and be required to make restitution.

(NJ.com - Jan 31, 2015)

Earlier:

• Loose dogs maul N.J. cats, elderly owner witnesses attack