Next time, when someone asks you to feed their pit bulls, say "No!"

[NOTE: Although this story is a few weeks old, I am wondering if the reason it hasn't received much media attention is because the dogs weren't actually loose? However, I think it would be a good media story to report why this guy has 9 pit bulls inside his home in the first place.

And how is the woman? They say she has "non-life threatening injuries", but this can simply mean that she has no lips or nose, but that - hey! - she'll live!]

ARIZONA -- Authorities say as many as nine dogs attacked a woman Friday morning while she tried to feed them in Tonopah.

According to the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office, the attack happened around 10:30 a.m. at a home near 350th Avenue and Buckeye.

The woman received multiple puncture wounds to her arms, legs and forehead. She was airlifted to Banner Good Samaritan Medical Center with non-life threatening injuries.

The woman is reportedly renting a trailer behind the home and went to feed the dogs for the owner when they attacked.

Air15 video showed authorities taking the dogs away from the home.

Animal Control officers used nooses to keep the dogs under control and put them into cages.

Neighbors said they knew the dogs were aggressive, but were stunned by the attack.

"It's awful. I have never heard of anything so bad," Cindy Spell, a neighbor said.

Deputies tell ABC15 it's unclear if charges will be filed since the woman went into the house, but it is likely the dogs will be euthanized.

(ABC15 - Dec 16, 2011)

Pit bulls that mauled livestock animals to death put down

CALIFORNIA -- Two pit bulls that authorities said killed a cow, six chickens, two pigs and severely mauled a steer early Christmas Day have been euthanized.

The dogs' owners relinquished ownership to Tulare Code Enforcement, Officer Frank Furtaw said.

The dogs were initially shot with tranquilizer darts so that they could be removed from the East Paige Avenue location where the attack occurred. The dogs' owners didn't want to pay $600 in fines and fees when the dogs were claimed.

"It's sad for the animals," said Gina Deniz, who owns the livestock along with her husband, Frank. "They suffered because of negligence."

Furtaw, Tulare's lead code enforcement officer, said the dogs' aggressive behavior might have come from neglect; the dogs had been allowed to roam their neighborhood. The dogs, which were not licensed, had been caught before by code enforcement and the owners had been cited.

The dogs became territorial and instinctive, authorities said.

Deniz, whose livestock was boarded at the rear of a home in the 800 block of East Paige Avenue, said there had been no previous problems with the dogs.

Furtaw said police and code enforcement officers were called to the site after receiving reports of the attack. Initially, authorities believed that only the cow had been attacked.

Tara Scott, who lives at the home where the animals' pens are located, said the chickens and pigs were discovered later. Scott said her dog, which stays inside the house, became agitated at about 4:30 a.m. Sunday, when loud noises came from the pens. A large, empty field surrounds the home, which faces Paige.

When the pens were checked, Scott said the dogs were spotted and so was the injured livestock.

"It looked like the pit bulls had settled down," she said.

Furtaw said the dogs were huddled close to each other, about 5 feet from the downed cow. When officers approached them, the dogs, particularly the female, became aggressive and charged, Furtaw said.

Additional officers were called and the dogs were tranquilized.

After the dogs were removed, officers noted that the dead cow had injuries to its neck and head, Furtaw said. Because penned animals are passive, the cow did not defend herself.

"That cow died a horrible death," he said.



The wounded steer had severe injuries on the mouth and face, Deniz said. "The poor thing has a horrible time eating," she said.

Deniz said she has already spent $1,000 in animal removal fees and veterinary treatment for the injured steer. "The vet says he will be fine," she said. "It'll have scars. It won't be like it wasn't attacked."

Furtaw said the dog owners live in the 300 block of North G Street, about 3 miles north of where the attack occurred. The pit bulls were described as normal size; the male was 60 to 80 pounds, the female 40 to 50 pounds. They were about 5 years old.

Furtaw said the dogs' breed was not much of a factor in the attack. Scott said her pit bull is a great pet, not aggressive.

"There's no particular breed that's negative," Furtaw said. "It's all owner control. We have had the nicest pit bulls. It's owner-determined."

Deniz said she doesn't know if she'll seek civil damages.

"I wish people would take care of their animals, license and tag them," she said.

Furtaw said legal action could be the likely next step. "The cow's owner can seek civil action on the loss of property," he said.

That's what Deniz should do, Scott said.

"She's out about $1,000," Scott said of Deniz. "She has lost out on that money."

[I don't particularly care if the cow was worth $1,000 or 1-cent. This animal suffered horribly. Was attacked, terrorized and torn to pieces by these two pit bulls. What does it take for a 400+ pound animal to be mauled so severely it DIED?! Four hundred pound animals do not die easily by something biting it. This probably went on for HOURS and each time the cow moved, it would trigger yet another mauling by these dogs. Absolutely disgusting.]

(Visalia Times-Delta - Dec. 29, 2011)

Teenager’s horror as puppy savaged by dog

UNITED KINGDOM -- A teenager today spoke of the horrific moment she watched her beloved Yorkshire terrier puppy mauled to death by another dog.

The 15-year-old said her family had been left devastated following the attack in Darlaston, and made a plea for dog owners to keep their pets on a lead if they are aggressives.

Police have told the distraught family that they are powerless to take action over the attack because it is two dogs fighting.

 

Chantelle Manns today described walking  one-year-old puppy Max in Pine Avenue when another dog, believed to be a bull terrier, came racing from behind and locked its jaws on her pet.

The Grace Academy pupil, who lives with mother Andrea, brother Mitchell, 16, and seven-year-old sister Abigail in Broadwaters Road, Darlaston, said the terrier snapped at her heels as she was on her bicycle walking Max.

She grabbed her pet and dropped him on some grass on the other side of a small fence, thinking she had kept him safe.

But she said the other dog leapt over the fence and sank its teeth into him.

She said: “He looked at me as if to say ‘Please help me!’

“He was trying to put his foot in the other dog’s face and the dog’s owner was trying to pull him off.”

She said of her beloved pet: “I was his best friend, he was the family pet but I was the one to wash him and feed him.”

Mother Andrea, 36, said: “It’s been very traumatic at Christmas time.

“I didn’t want to see him afterwards, so I can’t imagine what Chantelle went through seeing him attacked.

“She was sick three times when she came home that evening.”

She added: “We did get the police involved and they looked into it, but because it’s a dog fighting another dog, there’s nothing they can do, they said it was a civil matter.

“I am concerned because what happens when the dog is loose again? It could happen to a child.”

The attack happened on November 30.

(Express and Star - Dec 21, 2011)

Florida: When simply walking to a mailbox can cost you your life

FLORIDA -- A Port St. Lucie man is recovering after being mauled by a pit bull. 

Catherine Farro wasn't there to see the pit bull's attack on her husband but she has the pictures of the aftermath.

The pictures show 65-year-old Arthur Farro lying bandaged and bruised in his hospital bed after spending more than five hours in surgery.

"He had been bitten on both hands, forearms, back of his left leg, he also has bite marks on both feet, abrasions on his knees back, behind his legs," Farro told CBS 12.

Their neighbor across the street owns the pit bull that put Farro in the hospital.

Catherine Farro says they've never had problems with the dog in the past as it was usually on a leash and behind a gate. But Friday before Christmas that changed, when somehow, the dog got loose.

Farro was outside getting the mail for his neighbor. He walked across the street and when he got to the driveway that's when the victim's son says the attack happened. Kevin Farro says the dog jumped on his father, unprovoked, and knocked him to the ground.

During the struggle, he says bystanders tried to pry the dog off him, even stabbing the dog several times. 

Ultimately, it was another neighbor who shot and killed it and Farro was rushed to the hospital where he is recovering.

"It's exhausting, it's awful an entire family has to spend Christmas in the ICU because of someone else's carelessness," said Kevin Farro.

Still, despite a traumatic past 24 hours Farro says there's a lot to be grateful for.

"Hugely thankful, blessed beyond belief that he's alive and moving," said Kevin Farro.

He hopes this situation will make pit bull owners keep a closer eye on their animals so something like this doesn't happen again.

"Be aware that this happens for no reason and be careful if you are near that type of dog," said Kevin.

There is no word yet on how long the recovery process may be for Farro, as doctors are still evaluating him.

(CBS12 - Dec 26, 2011)

Woman's fears for others after assault

UNITED KINGDOM -- A woman is warning dog owners after her puppy was viciously attacked by four other dogs.

Barbara Armstrong, of Poolstock Lane, was walking her 23-week-old Border Terrier, Tia on Tuesday, December 13, when it was set upon by four other dogs.

Mrs Armstrong is now warning others to keep an eye out in the Poolstock area following the attack.
She said: “I was walking along the canal, and there was a man with four bull-terrier type dogs. Before I knew what had happened, Tia was surrounded by them and she is covered in cuts and bruises. The vet said she is lucky to be alive.

“Since the attack, I have heard from other people in the area who said that his man and his dogs have done the same thing before. He didn’t even try to stop them and just walked off.

“The police or the council wardens have done nothing and I worry for others in the area. This man needs to be found and his dogs stopped from attacking more dogs.”

GMP confirmed they have been made aware of the incident, but say they are restricted under the Dangerous Dogs Act as to the powers they have to follow up such incidents.

The attack comes as law makers review sentencing guidelines for people convicted of dangerous dogs offences in England and Wales.

The Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 is one of the most controversial laws on the statute book.

Critics accused the then government of rushing it into law under media pressure, and that it has failed to achieve its aims.

A government consultation in 2010 revealed the public to be still sharply divided on the law.

But the Sentencing Council said its proposals would help magistrates who have to deal with the vast majority of cases brought before the courts.

The Blue Cross charity says the law is not working, and it is time to shift the emphasis away from certain types of dog and place responsibility on owners.

(Wigan Today - Dec 17, 2011)

Man protects baby from dog attack

AUSTRALIA -- A brave Ipswich dad has told of how he shoved his right hand into an attacking dog's mouth to protect his daughter.

Ken Knebel was walking with his four-year-old German Shepherd, Sina, and pushing seven-month-old daughter Samara in a pram on Saturday when two large guard dogs ran at him.

Only a few metres from the front driveway of his Macalister St home, Mr Knebel was forced to first protect Sina from the attacking dogs - one of which was a German Shepherd and the other he believed to be a German Shepherd cross.

"One of them latched straight onto my foot," Mr Knebel said.

"Then Samara's pram tipped over and she started crying."

Distracted by the baby's crying, the dog that had latched onto Mr Knebel's leg released its grip.

But instead of wandering off it approached young Samara.

"I put my hand in the dog's mouth and started screaming for help," Mr Knebel said.

"It probably all happened really quickly but it seemed like forever to me."

A neighbour who heard the commotion ran out and helped the young dad fight the dogs off.

"I'm just so thankful that it was me out there and not my wife - I'm not sure how she would have reacted to what happened," Mr Knebel said.

"These dogs were scary - they were very aggressive."

Despite the prolonged attack, Mr Knebel required only three stiches to a wound in his lower leg.

He sustained deep puncture wounds to his right hand, which was still badly swollen yesterday.

Ipswich City Council animal control officers have seized the dogs involved, which they said were unregistered and trained as guard dogs.

Health and Regulation Committee chairman Andrew Antoniolli said council investigations were continuing.

"The dogs will be held pending the results of that investigation," Cr Antoniolli said.

Council was yet to determine whether or not charges would be laid against the owner of the dogs.

(Queensland Times - Dec 20, 2011)

‘I thought my beloved dog was going to die’

UNITED KINGDOM -- A Labrador was savaged and almost killed in front of its owner as they walked home on Christmas Eve.

Paul Jarvis of Bedford Close, Grantham, was walking his dog, Smudge, along Sandringham Drive when a greyhound ran over and sunk its teeth into the labrador’s throat.

Mr Jarvis desperately tried to drag the greyhound off his dog as it threatened to lose consciousness. Eventually he managed to get the greyhound’s jaws off his own pet, only for it to bite into the hind of the labrador instead.

Mr Jarvis said: “I thought he was going to kill him when he had him by the throat.

“It just came out of nowhere and just hung on. It crossed my mind that this dog was going to fight to the death.”

People living in Sandringham Drive came running out of their houses to try to help Mr Jarvis free his dog.

He said: “About five people from three houses came out and were throwing bowls of water on the greyhound but it didn’t make any difference.

“We’ve since been round to see them to thank them for everything they did.”

The attack only ceased when the greyhound’s owner arrived on the scene. Someone in Sandringham Drive then called the police and Smudge was taken to Avenue Road Veterinary Surgery for treatment to the puncture wounds in his neck and the numerous bites to his hind.

Mr Jarvis’ wife, Carol, said: “It was completely unprovoked - that’s what’s so alarming. It was a vicious attack.

“We did not really have a Christmas this year because of it. He had to have a full anaesthetic at the vets so on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day he was terrible.”

Mr Jarvis reported the attack to the police but was told that no action would be taken.

A Lincolnshire Police spokesman said: “No criminal offences were committed.”

(Grantham Journal - Dec 31, 2011)

Two Dogs Suspected In Aurora Attack Found Dead

COLORADO -- Two dogs matching the description of the dogs who attacked three people on Friday have been found dead, Aurora police said.

It appeared that they were hit by a vehicle, Aurora police spokeswoman Cassidee Carlson said.

"They were spotted on the side of E-470 at East 64th Avenue by a state trooper," Carlson said.

 That location is about 11.5 miles north of where the attacks occurred -- in 19200 block of East Gunnison Circle, near South Dunkirk Street and East Jewell Avenue in the Louisiana Purchase subdivision.

"Aurora Animal Care Officers took possession of the dogs. Aurora Animal Care Division will continue to investigate in an attempt to identify the owners of the dogs," Carlson said.

Three people were injured in Friday's morning attack, which started when a woman was walking her small dog on a path.

Two of the victims were treated and released. The condition of the most seriously injured woman -- the walker -- remains unknown.

Cheryl Schultz told 7NEWS she was preparing to go to work around 6:30 a.m. when she heard a woman screaming and the dogs barking and she ran out to help. Schultz said she saw the woman trying to protect her small dog from two pit bulls so she ran out to help.

After yelling to try and stop the attack, Schultz said she tried to pull one pit bull away. That's when both dogs -- a black pit bull and a brindle-colored pit bull-- lunged at her, she said.

Schultz tried to run back home but was knocked to the ground. With the dogs distracted, the first woman and her small dog jumped into the back seat of a car whose driver stopped to help, Carlson said.

Schultz's husband ran outside and helped her scurry back to their apartment. Shultz said she was inside her apartment, calling 911 when she looked out her window and saw a third person -- later identified as Brad Wall -- being attacked by the two pit bulls.

Wall said the attack happened quickly and as he was defending his neighbor's life, the dogs turned on him. He said they knocked him to the ground.

"They were mostly going for my throat. That’s why I had to block them up high and when I did that the other one worked on my legs," he said. The dogs bit his legs, tearing at his skin, jeans and arms, he said.

"I was able to kick them enough to where there was a car parked here and as they went around to regroup to attack me again, I got up and jumped on top of the car," he told 7NEWS.

The dogs circled the car and then ran north shortly before officers’ arrived at the scene.

Both women were transported to the hospital. Wall has had a tetanus shot, antibiotics and may have to undergo treatment for rabies. Schultz was released with several stitches to her leg.

Schultz said she's never seen those pit bulls in the neighborhood and neither of them were leashed. She said the brindle-colored dog -- the one with black and brown markings -- was wearing a blue plaid neckerchief.

(7NEWS - December 31, 2011)

Earlier:

• Attacking pit bulls terrorize neighborhood in Colorado

I’m lucky to be alive after "Big Daddy" turned on me

UNITED KINGDOM - The owner of a dog named Big Daddy which went on the rampage leaving five people in hospital today said his pet deserved to be put down and he was “lucky to be alive” after being attacked himself.

Jean Francois Vittemer shows injuries
sustained by his own pet pit bull, "Big Daddy"

Jean Francois Vittemer needed 20 stitches to puncture wounds in his left arm after his dog of two years suddenly turned on him outside his Leith home.

The 43-year-old said only the actions of his best friend, James Jenkinson, saved him from being savaged to death by the Johnson pit bull.

Mr Jenkinson, 23, hit the dog with a pool cue in a bid to make it release Mr Vittemer’s arm during the attack in Cables Wynd House, off Great Junction Street, at around 3am on Thursday.

The pair said they spent around 40 minutes wrestling with the dog as it repeatedly bit them, leaving both needing treatment at Edinburgh Royal Infirmary.

Police have already confirmed that the dog would be put down following the incident.

Mr Vittemer, who was born in the village of Toul in northern France but has stayed in his Leith flat for the last 14 years, said: “I think that Big Daddy has to be put down. I don’t want a dog like that. After attacking all those people it has to go. I loved that dog but not that much to want to keep him. I’m lucky to be alive now.

“I got him from a friend two years ago and he has never been a problem. He was always very friendly. The only difficulty I had was him chasing his tail but I gave him more exercise and that stopped.

“I had been sick with a stomach illness for five days so James had been looking after him at his flat on the floor above me. I phoned him to get Big Daddy back and give him a break, and James brought him to my door. I said, ‘Hello Big Daddy, how are you?’ and went down to pet him and that’s when he bit my arm.

“His teeth were locked on to my arm and I could not get him off. I went down the corridor, punching him, trying to fight him off. I was trying to control him with his harness but then the harness snapped.

“James tried to wrestle him off, punching and kicking, but he couldn’t. I told James to go and get a weapon. At that moment I would have stabbed Big Daddy with a kitchen knife myself. That’s when James came back and saved my life.”

Mr Jenkinson, who suffered tendon damage to his arm in the attack, said: “I came back with a pool cue. I thought, if it works on humans it’ll work on a dog. I hit him once but it just dazed him for a few seconds. It finally let Jean go but then it started biting me on the arm and then on the back. I thought I was going to die.”

Finally, Mr Vittemer and Mr Jenkinson managed to escape into a flat. Neighbour Ian Nolan, 41, a Tesco worker, and two women aged 38 and 42 were also injured by the dog.

Police officers who turned up to help were said to have taken refuge in a bin chute cupboard to escape from the dog. A specialist police dog handling unit eventually managed to contain the animal.

Mr Jenkinson said: “I loved that dog and never had any problems with it, except when it bit me on the hand on the previous Friday. You could play fight with it and have a laugh. But attacking five people is not right. He needs put down.”

(Scotsman - Dec 4, 2011)

Woman and her Jack Russell attacked by pit bull

UNITED KINGDOM -- A family dog — and its owner — are nursing injuries at their Hucknall hame after they were both attacked by an out-of control Staffordshire bull terrier.

Vicki Thornley (20), of George Street, was walking six-year-old Jack Russell "Sally" on St Mary’s Way in the town when the pet was savaged. Now police are probing the attack.

Sally recovering at home with Vicki

A shocked Vicki tried to pull the Staffordshire off and was bitten on the hand.

The attacking dog only released its grip when a member of the public came to the rescue and kicked it. The Staffordshire then fled.

Vicki rushed Sally home with a gaping wound on the dog’s hind leg. Her stepfather, Alan Clark, applied an antiseptic powder before rushing the dog to the Buckley House vets’ surgery on West Street in Hucknall.

Alan said: “When Vicki came through the door, she was just screaming that Sally had been bitten. We were all completely shocked.

“It’s disgusting. Our first thought was to get Sally to the vet’s.

“Thankfully she is OK but this could have been a lot worse. I can’t understand why people let their dogs run wild.”

Sally has been put on a course of antibiotics to prevent infection in the wound, while Vicki has undergone similar treatment after visiting her doctor.

The family understand that another Jack Russell was attacked on St Mary’s Way on the same day.
Now Alan (46) is planning to contact the RSPCA. The police have been alerted and are investigating.

The dog that attacked Sally is described as black and white and was wearing a black collar with gold studs on it.

Anyone with information is asked to ring the non-emergency police number of 101 or the free and confidential Crimestoppers hotline on 0800 555111.

(Dispatch - Dec 31, 2011)

Special place in Hell for American Bulldog owners who blame victim for his pet's death

NEBRASKA -- She was on a leash but a routine walk ended violently for a 12 year old Schnauzer named Dagmar. The small dog died of injuries suffered in an attack by a larger dog in a quiet southwest Omaha neighborhood.

Mark Neely was walking his dog as they passed a house a block over from his home. Neely said he heard approaching dog steps, “And there’s this big dog right there. It sniffed her real quick and then bit right in. Dagmar started screaming and squealing.”

The Nebraska Humane Society impounded two American Bulldogs owned by Kyle Kruse. Kruse said, “It’s a horrible accident and I can’t say anything to that family to make it right. I apologize.”

Though not present during attack Kruse said a roommate moving out accidentally left open both the inside kitchen door and the garage door. So the dogs named Barley and Hops bolted when the Schnauzer and its owner walked by.

However Kruse claims the attack was blown out of proportion and only one of his dogs was involved while the other just ran around barking.

The Nebraska Humane Society’s Mark Langan said the victim couldn't identify which dog attacked so both were seized and the court will sort it out.

The girlfriend of the owner of the bulldogs Amanda Limas said she witnessed the incident and she contends the Schnauzer owner killed his own dog trying to rescue it from the bulldog.

Limas said, “I’m assuming that from the guy running and landing straight on top of the dog on the concrete.”

However Humane Society investigators have reviewed vet reports on the Schnauzer.

Langan said, “This dog died of injuries inflicted by one or two other larger dogs based on the bites the punctures and the broken ribs."

The owner of the bulldogs has been cited for harboring dangerous dogs and his former roommate ticketed because he was home when they got out.

The bulldog owner said his insurance will cover the $4,000 in vet bills on the Schnauzer but he will fight in court to save the dogs from being put down.

(WOWT - Dec 26, 2011)

UPDATE TO STORY:
Judge returns killer dogs to owner - probably because he knows he does not have to live next door to these dogs. Owner's friends and family thank God that their prayers were answered and give congrats all around to the owner.

Yet, what about a kind word to the person sitting at home without their pet? The person who saw their beloved elderly dog killed in front of his face? Any word of sympathy to them? Of course not.

Amanda Limas' Facebook posting

Miniature ponies recovering after Rottweiler attack

TEXAS -- Two miniature ponies that were attacked by a pair of Rottweilers were being treated at a local equine hospital Friday.

Doctors said one of the horses was in stable condition, and the other, which lost an ear in the attack, was in guarded condition.

The biggest threat to the animals was the risk of infection, doctors said.

The ponies, Sampson and Twinkletoes, were given to two little girls as Christmas gifts. They were attacked in the back yard of a home near the Farmer’s Market in north Houston.

Berto Aparicio, who bought the animals for his daughter and his girlfriend’s child, said the dogs burrowed under the fence to get to the ponies.

"They were their Christmas presents," said Aparicio. "Our fence in the back is secure. I never would have expected those dogs to break through there. The thought never even crossed my mind."

Aparicio said the Rottweilers belonged to a neighbor.

When the dogs attacked, witnesses said the ponies panicked and ran through a fence into the front yard of the home, but the dogs cornered them and attacked.

Both ponies were badly injured, and Twinkletoes lost an ear.

"There were some guys telling us they seen it, that they were throwing rocks," said Roberto Torres, who lives in the house where the attack happened. "But they couldn’t help because the gates were locked."

The neighbor who raises Rottweilers in his yard apparently heard the commotion and ran next door to retrieve the dogs. Aparicio put blankets on the horses, who were visibly weakened but still standing.

"They’re pretty bad," Aparicio said. "I mean, one of them’s missing an ear."

 Workers at a nearby business say they’ve been frightened by the Rottweilers, who sometimes bark loudly at people walking down the street.

The horses were loaded into the bed of a pickup truck and taken to the equine clinic on Thursday.

The two girls, aged 7 and 9, each got one of the ponies as a present on Christmas Day. Aparicio said, if the ponies survive, he will to move them to a plot of rural land where he lives.

(KHOU - Dec 29, 2011)

New York: Pit bull owners Delinda Mascolo and Rose Gardini ordered to pay $125,000 to victim

NEW YORK -- A Staten Island letter carrier, hurt when a dog "locked onto" his arm and bit him, has been awarded more than $125,000 by a jury, his lawyer said.

Michael Velardi, 38, was attacked by a 60-pound pit bull on Sept. 30, 2008, while delivering the mail on Naughton Avenue, on the Dongan Hills-Ocean Breeze border, said court papers.

The dog, named King, escaped from his yard and jumped onto Velardi, said the victim's lawyer, John J. Tracy.

The animal "locked onto" Velardi's left forearm and only let go after the letter carrier punched it several times in the face, Tracy said.

King continued attacking Velardi, who tried to escape by jumping onto a car hood. The dog didn't relent, forcing Velardi to scramble onto the vehicle's roof, Tracy said.

The hair-raising episode finally ended when the son of one of King's owners pulled him away, said the lawyer.

"It was a pretty vicious attack," said Tracy, a partner in the Castleton Corners law firm of Tracy & Stilwell.

Velardi, a Great Kills resident, suffered a torn arm muscle and two complex lacerations, said court papers.

His injuries prevented him from working for almost two months, and he incurred about $4,000 in medical expenses, said Tracy.

Velardi sued the dog's owners, Delinda Mascolo and Rose Gardini, in state Supreme Court, St. George.

The jury awarded him $125,952, Tracy said.

Lawyers for the defendants did not return telephone messages left last week seeking comment.

Justice John A. Fusco presided over the case.

(SILive - December 27, 2011)

Girl Recovering After Being Attacked By Dogs

KENTUCKY -- A 10-year-old Louisville girl is lucky to be alive after an, incident with two neighborhood pit bulls.

Haley Glaab was rushed to Kosair Children's Hospital with several dog bites and the dogs were taken by Metro Animal Services.

Haley is healing. She has about 10 puncture wounds in one leg, two in the other and two bite marks on her wrist.

She and her family know it could have been much worse.

“They came out of nowhere and bit me and knocked me off my bike,” Haley said. “The white one kept on biting me, and the brown one came and tried to get me in the face and I blocked it and it bit me.”

Haley remembered what a teacher once did when she was attacked by a dog.

“I played dead,” she said. The dogs then left her alone.

“Her friend came in and said, ‘Haley just got attacked by a dog.’ So I run out the door,” said Haley’s mom, Maricca Glaab. “She was way down that road and I ran. I could see the blood from here.”

Clearly a pit bull type dog...

Maricca Glaab said Haley was screaming “Momma, momma, they bit me. They bit me.”

“There was no way we was going to make it. We couldn't outrun those two dogs,” Maricca Glaab said.

“And I just seen the truck and said, ‘Haley, get in the back of the truck. Get in the back of the truck. And she said, ‘I can't. My leg.’ So I get up in there and was pulling her up.”

This one looks more like a Beagle mix, though

Haley's uncle ran out and scared the dogs away.

“It's a scary thing to happen when your child gets attacked by two dogs and you don't know, you know, what to do to take that pain away,” Maricca Glaab said.

Haley’s mom said it was the first time she'd ever seen the dogs and she hopes it was the last.

“I think that they should be put down, just for the safety of my children and everyone else's children,” Maricca Glaab said.

What happens to the dogs is up to Metro Animal Services. The agency has the dogs under a mandatory 10-day quarantine while it investigates what happened.

MAS will then determine what's in the best interest of public safety.

Police initially responded to the incident after several 911 calls came in. They then notified MAS, which took possession of the dogs.

The dogs' owner is expected in court next month as part of the investigation.

(WLKY - Dec 29, 2011)

Crazed dog chewed on girl’s face



Torn face ... little Jorja after her pet dog attacked

UNITED KINGDOM -- Jorja Caze-Ramscar was dragged off a chair by the crazed Alaskan malamute called Luna.

The husky-type beast locked its jaws around the little girl's head and chewed her face.

Her mum Karine, 36, said: "They were just about to have dinner and the dog was next to Jorja.

Jorja and Luna

"It dragged her on to the floor and attacked her face. The dog had a big mouth. It was chewing on her face.

"She thought it was going to kill her. There was blood everywhere."

Jorja with mum Karine

Jorja had 20 stitches after the terrifying attack on Friday in Dunstable, Beds, and needed specialist eye treatment.

The 15-month-old dog belongs to her father Clive Ramscar, 42, and the mauling took place at his house.

He and Karine split two years ago and their daughter divides her time between them. The dog was not put down but has been sent to stay with another family.

(The Sun - Dec 26, 2011)

Police shoot pit bull that attacked K-9

CALIFORNIA -- A pit bull shot by Contra Costa sheriff's deputies Tuesday night survived its injury, and Animal Services officers will house the animal while deciding what to do with it.

A deputy shot the dog about 6:45 p.m. after it attacked and bit a police dog during an arrest of its owner, spokesman Jimmy Lee said.

Witnesses reported the suspect, 29-year-old Brian Vorum, acting weird near the Bethel Island and Gateway roads. He threatened passers-by and damaged property, Lee said.

While deputies searched the nearby Bethel Island Golf Course they encountered the pit bull, which behaved aggressively. A deputy pepper-sprayed it, and it ran.

Vorum fought when deputies tried to arrest him, and during the melee the pit bull returned and attacked the police dog, Lee said, prompting a deputy to shoot.

Vorum went to County Jail in Martinez on suspicion of parole violations and resisting arrest. The dog went to a veterinary office in Antioch for emergency care. Wednesday morning it was taken to the county Animal Services office in Martinez.

Deputies were not seriously hurt. Information about the condition of the police dog was not immediately available.

(Contra Costa Times - Dec 29, 2011)

Victim of bull terrier attack says dog owner won't pay up

AUSTRALIA -- The owner of an eight-year-old terrier attacked by another dog last August was promised fortnightly payments to cover vet bills and the cost of a blood stained winter coat – but she still hasn’t received a cent.

Dr Horace Tang checks over Teddy, who was
attacked by a bull terrier in August.

Miranda Croft, 71, was walking her daughter’s dog, Teddy, on Chisholm Street back on August 16 this year, when she suddenly felt threatened by a bull terrier bearing no collar.

Gathering Teddy up in her arms, Ms Croft went to walk away but was chased by the bull terrier, who jumped at her, biting her arm and thumb before clutching onto Teddy.

Both she and Teddy were then dragged along the footpath, Ms Croft being face-down clinging onto the lead.

Luckily, Ballarat man Glenn Bye was able to intervene, kicking the bull terrier and bashing it with a piece of wood until finally Teddy was released.

Ms Croft said the bull terrier was out of control and then went and attacked another dog in a nearby yard. Police eventually used capsicum spray to get it under control.

The ordeal left Teddy with a number of deep wounds including on one of his legs, and his chest. He spent the night at the Ballarat Veterinary Practice and racked up a bill of more than $300. Ms Croft’s winter jacket was torn and soaked in blood.

Following the involvement of police and the ranger, the bull terrier owner agreed to pay Ms Croft’s daughter for both the coat and vet bill through fortnightly payments. But more than four months on, the pair still have not received a cent.

“It seems strange something like this can happen and a person can get away with it,” Ms Croft said.

“I feel indignant that no payment has been made to repay my daughter’s vet fees. Nothing can really recompense the shock and trauma and pain – and it was a really painful experience.

“Really the payment is just compensation and all the other things can’t be paid for.”

Ms Croft’s daughter, who preferred not to be named, said she was frustrated by the lack of responsibly shown by the owner, and the lack of compassion in making the payments.

“It’s more the principle of it, the fact this woman had given her word and she hasn’t made good on her word,” the daughter said.

“My mum is elderly and we felt so upset that this had even happened.”

A City of Ballarat spokesperson said that the owners of both attacked dogs chose not to prosecute the owners of the bull terrier, and that a compensation agreement was reached between all parties.

“As agreed, City of Ballarat provided the owners of the bull terrier with payment details for the victims. City of Ballarat has had no further involvement with the case,” she said.

The bull terrier was put down.

(The Courier - Dec 29, 2011)

Evidence hints at history of neglect

WISCONSIN -- New evidence entered Wednesday in Green County Court suggests a woman charged with animal mistreatment has a history of neglecting Great Dane dogs.

Kathy J. Williams, 55, is scheduled for a jury trial in late February on five counts of mistreating animals and two counts of providing animals with insufficient ventilation. She and three others were charged after 42 dogs, mostly Great Danes, were seized in May from a home near Brodhead. Williams has pleaded not guilty to all charges.

Williams was cited for animal neglect multiple times in Fitchburg and Madison in 2006 and 2007, according to accounts from Fitchburg police and Dane County Animal Control presented by prosecutors as evidence in the Green County case.

A Fitchburg building inspector denied a kennel application for Williams' residence in October 2007 after finding 14 Great Danes living "in various rooms in the first floor and basement" with "strong odors of urine, piles of feces and an infestation of flies."

She was cited for barking dogs on several occasions in the weeks following the inspection, according to documents filed in Green County Court.

Earlier that year, Williams reportedly was keeping 15 Great Danes at a residence on Madison's west side. Animal control officers responded to numerous complaints that the dogs were "running at large, biting neighbors and pedestrians," according to court documents.

In the early months of 2006, Dane County Animal Control found 20 adult and puppy Great Danes in her care at a residence on Madison's south side, according to the documents.

Officers "observed piles of feces in the yard around the residence after responding to numerous complaints that said Great Dane dogs were running at large and creating a nuisance in the neighborhood," according to the documents.

Care for the dogs seized in May has cost Green County almost $48,000. The Green County Humane Society has found homes for all eligible dogs and their 17 puppies except for one, Elle, a 1-year-old Great Dane.

Williams' case is scheduled for trial Tuesday, Feb. 28, and Wednesday, Feb. 29.

Among the three others charged with mistreating the dogs, Allyson Williams and Donovan Williams pleaded no contest to some counts and are in deferred prosecution. The case against Melissa Harrel is pending.

(Walworth County Today - Dec 30, 2011)

Earlier:

• 46 dogs seized from home near Albany
• Veterinarian testifies about home where Great Danes were seized
• Four plead not guilty to animal mistreatment

Pit bull kills tiny pet Chihuahua

RIP Pixie

NEW ZEALAND -- Dannevirke Police are appealing to the public to help identify the owner and dog responsible in a vicious attack that mauled and killed a much-loved pet chihuahua.

Robyn Cornish was walking her 2-year-old dog, Pixie, about 6pm Wednesday last week, when a pit bull-cross attacked on the corner of High and Cole streets.

Both dogs were on leads.

"The pitbull saw Pixie and just went for her," Ms Cornish said.

"It all happened so fast. The attacking dog was on us so quickly.

"Pixie screamed and screamed. Oh my God, it was horrendous. I just can't get the sight and sounds of that out of my head."

Ms Cornish and an unknown resident from Victor St were rolling in the gutter together trying to drag the pit bull off Pixie.

"I had my fingers up the pit bull's nostrils, someone else had its jaw, but it was locked into the attack," Ms Cornish said.

"There was blood everywhere, I was covered in it and after it was all over, Pixie died in my arms."

Dannevirke Police and an after-hours security person employed by the Tararua District Council attended the scene but the attacking dog and owner had fled.

Dannevirke Police Constable Maxine Welsh said the attack was concerning and police wanted to locate the owner of the dog.

The owner was described as a slim-built male Maori, who appeared to be aged in his early 20s, wearing black pants and a white singlet.

(Hawkes Bay Today - Dec 30, 2011)

Recently adopted dog attacks owner

PENNSYLVANIA -- A dog that was adopted earlier this month from the SPCA attacked its owner at her Lansdale home, police reported Tuesday.

The woman, whom police did not identify, suffered numerous bites to her right arm and was taken to Lansdale Hospital for treatment.

Police were called to the Mount Vernon Street residence at 5:45 p.m. Friday and officers heard a woman screaming inside the home. When police opened the door, the dog, described as a black Labrador mix, jumped over the kitchen canine barrier and ran toward the officer.

Police were able to use a dog noose to control the dog and place it in the patrol car. The woman was found bleeding on the kitchen floor.

She said she was walking past the dog when it bit her right hand. She said the dog had such a strong grip on her that she could not free her hand and began using her other hand to break the dog’s grasp.

The dog became even more aggressive and bit her multiple times.

She yelled for her child to call 911 and to take safety in an upstairs bedroom.

The victim told police she had just adopted the dog but she could no longer handle or deal with it.

The SPCA was advised of the incident and agreed to pick up the dog. They also provided documentation showing the dog was current on all its shots. This documentation was forwarded to the Lansdale Hospital emergency room which forwarded it on to the Montgomery County Health Department.

(PhillyBurbs.com - Dec 28, 2011)