Florida: Judge Thomas Welch spared this dog's life in May after it twice attacked a child and then later a dog trainer. Now it's bitten a child.

FLORIDA -- Panama City Police and Bay County Animal Control are investigating another alleged dog bite on a child perpetrated by Marley the dog, which had been at the center of a dispute that received national attention.

JUDGE THOMAS WELCH DEFIED REQUEST OF COUNTY OFFICIALS
Judge Thomas Welch issued a ruling May 26 upholding an arbitrator’s decision that Marley, a German Shepard-Labrador mix who twice attacked a family member, is a “dangerous dog.”

But, Welch ruled, the dog should not be euthanized as Bay County officials had requested.

An appellate court has ruled in Bay County’s favor in determining that Marley the dog is a “dangerous” animal, and as such the family must fence him in and buy insurance.

BLAMING THE VICTIM, MAKING EXCUSES
The family argued the dog attacked the teenager out of a panic mode when he was toting a toy gun, wearing a mask and “roughhousing” with his brother.

The dog then later attacked a dog trainer, presumably a trainer hired by the owner Johnothan Jones, who's more focused on how he's been "wronged" by the county, bolstered by fruit loops on the internet insisting his dog did nothing wrong and his own delusions regarding the dog.

County officials have argued the dog should be put down because it posed a threat to the public.

Reports on the alleged attack were not available as of Tuesday morning.

OWNER STILL REFUSES TO PUT THE DOG DOWN
The dog’s owner, Johnothan Jones, posted on his Facebook page last night.

“We are a very sad family right now,” he wrote. “We knew that if Marley was not perfect on every level, we would lose him. We want to fully live up to our word and understand that Marley might not be ready for a domestic environment after 11 long months of negative reinforced stimulus and PTSD from his captivity. We've done the best that we could to make his path to success work. My family would like Marley to go to a sanctuary for other dogs like him. He is a victim in this on many levels and can say the media and the county want and will portray and use everything possible to make the perception as bad as they can.”

(NWF Daily News - Oct 25, 2016)

Earlier:

• Florida: Johnothan Jones continues to argue that his dog isn't vicious
• Florida: Vicious dog's owner tries to convince commissioners to remove dangerous dog designation
• Florida: Marley to keep 'dangerous' designation despite owner Johnathan Jones' best efforts

Texas: Infant killed by family dog

TEXAS -- College Station police have confirmed an infant died following an incident with the family's dog.

It happened in the family's home on August 31st and the dog was surrendered and later euthanized.

A spokesman for the police department says an investigation revealed what happened was an accident and the dog was not provoked before the incident.

No criminal charges will be filed.

A local expert in animal behavior says the horrific tragedy can serve as an important reminder for any family with kids and animals.

Dr. Bonnie Beaver with Texas A&M's Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Services joined us on First News at Four to provide important tips and advice for parents of any all children.

(KBTX - Sept 23, 2016)

Florida: Johnothan Jones continues to argue that his dog isn't vicious

FLORIDA -- A family that had fought to prevent Bay County from euthanizing their dog has filed an appeal in circuit court to convince a judge to remove the “dangerous dog” classification on their pet.

The classification, which was approved by county Animal Control, a magistrate and a county judge after Marley the dog bit a teenager twice, is requiring Johnothan Jones’ family to pay for a $100,000 insurance policy as well as adhere to caging requirements the family says are expensive, cumbersome and not needed.

Jones, a Panama City resident and former security contractor in Afghanistan, brought the Labrador retriever-German shepherd mix to Bay County in 2011 as part of a private puppy rescue mission.

Last September the dog bit Jones’ girlfriend’s 15-year-old son, Taylor Freeman, who told a Bay County Animal Control officer he was playing hide and seek with his younger brother when the attack occurred. On Oct. 6, Animal Control received a complaint from Jones’ neighbor that the dog had bitten Freeman again.

Judge Thomas Welch issued a ruling May 26 upholding an arbitrator’s decision that Marley is a “dangerous dog.” But, Welch ruled, the dog should not be euthanized as Bay County officials had requested.

In the latest appeal, the family’s attorney, Jason Johnson, argues Florida law states a dog should not be declared dangerous if the threat, injury or damage from the dog bite was sustained by someone who was lawfully on the property but was “tormenting, abusing, or assaulting the dog or its owner or a family member.”

“The crux of the petitioner’s lay argument to the magistrate was that his dog, Marley, was protecting a family member from a perceived torment or abuse and was therefore entitled to an affirmative defense,” the appeal states. “In the magistrate’s order, the petitioner’s affirmative defense was not addressed in the ruling or subsequent order dated Nov. 13, 2015.”

Johnson previously has argued maintaining the dangerous dog designation is “so restrictive that in and of itself is almost a death sentence.” He said the insurance and enclosure requirements are so onerous that most dog owners end up having to give their animal up for euthanization.

The dog also attacked a dog trainer who was hired to try to work with the dog.

(News Herald - July 1, 2016)

Earlier:

• Florida: Vicious dog's owner tries to convince commissioners to remove dangerous dog designation
• Florida: Marley to keep 'dangerous' designation despite owner Johnathan Jones' best efforts

New Hampshire man killed by his Scottish Highland cattle

NEW HAMPSHIRE -- A New Hampshire man was fatally injured last weekend in a confrontation with a bull on his farm.

Christopher G. Merrill, 51, was found dead on his Hampton Falls farm on Sunday, according to the Union Leader.

 

Police went to the property after Merrill's family reported him missing.

“He died on the land that he loved, and I think it was mean to be. Maybe God said, ‘You know what? This is how you loved and this is how you died,' and that’s it,” said his wife, Elizabeth Merrill.

 

"Animals are funny, and a couple of days before the animal was making funny noises, it could have been in heat."

She said the family has five bulls on the property, and her husband intended to plant a Christmas tree farm.

“(The bulls) would keep the brush down, and they were going to be part of that whole vision,” she said.

In his obituary, Merrill was described as a “true outdoorsman” who enjoyed working on his farm, snowmobiling, hunting and fishing.

Merrill and his wife have three children.

"In a couple of weeks, we would have been married 24 years. I feel blessed that I had him in my life," she said.

(WCVB - May 30, 2015)