MICHIGAN -- A 6-year-old Oakland Township girl was bitten by a neighbor's pit bull Friday afternoon, according to an Oakland County Sheriff's Office report.
The incident occurred on Dogwood Drive when the girl walked to her next-door neighbor's home to return a ball she had found in her own yard. When she walked to the front door and knocked, two pit bulls "came running to the front door and pushed right through the door to the front porch. One of the dogs then approached (the girl) and bit her on the belly," according to the police report.
When the girl came home to tell her mother she had been bitten, the mother found that there was already a bandage on the cut. When the girl's father called the neighbor's daughter, who owns the pit bulls, she admitted that one of her dogs had bitten the girl, according to the report.
When asked whether the dog was up-to-date on its shots, the dog's owner said it was but refused to provide supporting documentation, according to the report. The woman and her dogs left before deputies arrived.
In the written report, the deputy observed "an approximately 1-inch square bloody wound with three vertical striated marks, probably from the dog's teeth. The wound was bleeding through the bandage."
The mother of the owner of the dog said it "was probably just trying to protect the house" when it bit the girl.
The dogs' owner did not return phone calls from the sheriff's office, according to the report, and will be ticketed for failing to immediately provide her name and address to the victim and for failing to provide the dog's vaccination status, as required by state law.
(Oakland Township Patch - Nov 29, 2011)
Showing posts with label november 2011. Show all posts
Showing posts with label november 2011. Show all posts
Saturday, December 3, 2011
Woman attacked by two dogs Thanksgiving night
OHIO -- She never thought what happened to her on her walk after Thanksgiving dinner would make the news.
Now an Eastlake woman shares her scary encounter.
"I turned real quick to see what it was and then there were the dogs. I kept thinking, 'this can't be happening,'" said Nancy Colo, of Eastlake.
Now an Eastlake woman shares her scary encounter.
"I turned real quick to see what it was and then there were the dogs. I kept thinking, 'this can't be happening,'" said Nancy Colo, of Eastlake.
What began as a routine walk ended with several dog bites and puncture holes for Colo. She was attacked by two Boxers on Thanksgiving night.
"There was no leash on them. There was nobody around and I started screaming," she said.
Her bloody socks, torn pants and blood-soaked tennis shoes help tell the terrifying tale. A neighbor heard her screams and called 911. Paramedics rushed her to the emergency room.
"They said it was one of the worst dog-bite cases that they have ever seen. I asked how many bite marks there were and they just said 'a lot,'" she said.
"There was no leash on them. There was nobody around and I started screaming," she said.
Her bloody socks, torn pants and blood-soaked tennis shoes help tell the terrifying tale. A neighbor heard her screams and called 911. Paramedics rushed her to the emergency room.
"They said it was one of the worst dog-bite cases that they have ever seen. I asked how many bite marks there were and they just said 'a lot,'" she said.
Nancy, who is trained as a nurse, changes her own dressings on both of her legs that have deep gashes. She will be visiting a plastic surgeon and might be facing reconstructive surgery.
"I don't want to walk around the rest of my life with holes in my legs," she added.
"I don't want to walk around the rest of my life with holes in my legs," she added.
What will happen to the dogs?
According to Nancy, the dogs are still with the owner. She is planning to see what the rules and regulations are for dogs in her neighborhood.
"They need to be taken care of, you know. It's not the dogs, it's how they're raised. What if one of my kids were with me? They almost knocked me down and my kids are a lot smaller than I am. You know, they could have killed a kid and that's the bottom line," she said.
We spoke with a lieutenant from the Eastlake Police Department He told us late Friday afternoon that the dogs' owner was cited for a dog-at-large violation The charge is a minor misdemeanor.
We also tried to get a copy of the police report but the records office was closed Friday.
[Per another article, Eastlake Police Department Lt Robert Gonzalez "said that it appears to be an isolated incident" of the dogs viciously attacking an innocent woman so they're not going to bother doing any sort of dangerous dog restrictions or citations. They gave the owner a running at large ticket. What a joke.]
(WKYC - Nov 25, 2011)
Small Dog Mauled At Boarding Kennel; Euthanized
NEBRASKA -- A small dog is mauled at a boarding kennel on Thanksgiving. The pet owner is livid after returning from a holiday trip to learn his dog was killed.
Dog owner John Pearcy said, “If there’s a violent dog death in the shop then they’re obviously doing the procedures wrong.” Pearcy had placed his small Papillion named Jack at Jade’s Pet Club boarding in Papillion, Nebraska.
Owner Andrea Pettid said her husband was feeding the boarded dogs Thanksgiving when the small dog went to the bowl in a kennel of a hound dog named Blaze. Pettid described what happened next.
“My husband went to scoop up the little dog and the little dog kind of yelped because I think my husband scared him. The little dog swung around and bit my husband so the big dog went for the little dog.”
[Show me the bite report for her husband. Show me his visit to a doctor for the bite. And explain to me why this little dog was in this area with these large dogs in the first place.
She justifies it by saying the hound was 'probably protecting its kennel area'. She doesn't know. She wasn't there.
I want to see the bites on her husband from the hound to prove that he intervened immediately to save little Jack. After all, she says he was bent down trying to pick up the small dog and 'it swung around and bit him'. So he would've had his arms right in the way for when the hound attacked. Oh? He doesn't have bites on his hands? What did he do, simply stand there while little Jack was mauled?
Or could it be that no one was there, that this whole story is made up? They left little Jack unattended in a roomful of large dogs and they found him mortally injured. That's what I believe happened.]
The kennel owner said the seven year old blood hound [that's not a Bloodhound, it looks like an American Foxhound to me] was probably protecting its kennel area. While not seizing the hound dog, the Nebraska Humane Society cited the boarding kennel owner. Humane Society Operations Vice President Mark Langan said, “The law is called owner liability. This will allow a judge to order this person to pay restitution to the owner of the small dog.”
The kennel owner said she apologizes and won’t let big and little dogs in the same area again. After paying for the vet bills to try to save the small dog, she’s offering to pay $200 for a replacement puppy.
[She did not pay vet bills to SAVE THE SMALL DOG. She took the dog to the vet and had him put to sleep - without the owner's permission. She did not say to the vet, "Whatever it costs, I'll pay. Spare no expense to save him b/c it's our fault that he's injured." She chose the cheaper route and simply had him put down.]
But the owner of Jack said money and apologies won’t bring back his faithful friend. John Pearcy said, “That makes it really worse for me knowing I took him there and he died violently.”
(WOWT - Nov 29, 2011)
 |
| RIP Jack |
Dog owner John Pearcy said, “If there’s a violent dog death in the shop then they’re obviously doing the procedures wrong.” Pearcy had placed his small Papillion named Jack at Jade’s Pet Club boarding in Papillion, Nebraska.
Owner Andrea Pettid said her husband was feeding the boarded dogs Thanksgiving when the small dog went to the bowl in a kennel of a hound dog named Blaze. Pettid described what happened next.
“My husband went to scoop up the little dog and the little dog kind of yelped because I think my husband scared him. The little dog swung around and bit my husband so the big dog went for the little dog.”
[Show me the bite report for her husband. Show me his visit to a doctor for the bite. And explain to me why this little dog was in this area with these large dogs in the first place.
She justifies it by saying the hound was 'probably protecting its kennel area'. She doesn't know. She wasn't there.
I want to see the bites on her husband from the hound to prove that he intervened immediately to save little Jack. After all, she says he was bent down trying to pick up the small dog and 'it swung around and bit him'. So he would've had his arms right in the way for when the hound attacked. Oh? He doesn't have bites on his hands? What did he do, simply stand there while little Jack was mauled?
Or could it be that no one was there, that this whole story is made up? They left little Jack unattended in a roomful of large dogs and they found him mortally injured. That's what I believe happened.]
The kennel owner said the seven year old blood hound [that's not a Bloodhound, it looks like an American Foxhound to me] was probably protecting its kennel area. While not seizing the hound dog, the Nebraska Humane Society cited the boarding kennel owner. Humane Society Operations Vice President Mark Langan said, “The law is called owner liability. This will allow a judge to order this person to pay restitution to the owner of the small dog.”
The kennel owner said she apologizes and won’t let big and little dogs in the same area again. After paying for the vet bills to try to save the small dog, she’s offering to pay $200 for a replacement puppy.
[She did not pay vet bills to SAVE THE SMALL DOG. She took the dog to the vet and had him put to sleep - without the owner's permission. She did not say to the vet, "Whatever it costs, I'll pay. Spare no expense to save him b/c it's our fault that he's injured." She chose the cheaper route and simply had him put down.]
But the owner of Jack said money and apologies won’t bring back his faithful friend. John Pearcy said, “That makes it really worse for me knowing I took him there and he died violently.”
(WOWT - Nov 29, 2011)
Pit bull attacked jogger before
NEBRASKA -- When Shelly Ballard read The Independent’s Sunday story about a pit bull attacking a Doniphan woman along Buffalo Road, she shuddered.
"It was eerily similar," Ballard said.
Ballard, a Doniphan distance runner who jogs gravel roads about five times a week, said she had been running north along Buffalo Road on Oct. 23 when a pack of dogs ran out on the road. There were three pit bulls, a brindle, a white and a puppy; two Labrador retrievers; and two small dachshunds.
The brindle pit bull ran behind her, biting her in her right buttock, and then charged in front of her.
"He kept lunging at me," Ballard said. "I had on loose long sleeves, and he kept lunging at me and tore my sleeves."
The small dogs circled and jumped at her feet.
"It made it difficult to defend myself," Ballard said.
She was worried about getting knocked down and how the rest of the dogs might respond.
"It was obvious the brindle [pit bull] was the lead dog of the pack," she said.
Ballard had stopped running when the dogs ran out from the first house on the east side of the road just south of Platte River Drive. Feeling the sting of what she initially thought was a scratch, she tried to back away from the brindle, but it kept lunging and trying to get around to her backside, she said.
"No. Easy," she told the dog several times.
After more than 15 minutes, she managed to back 100 to 200 yards along Buffalo Road, and the dog lost interest. Ballard headed for home in the Amick Acres subdivision and called the doctor and the sheriff when she got home.
The doctor advised her to get a tetanus shot and antibiotics the next day to treat the two puncture wounds and bruising. The sheriff’s deputy advised her to file a report with the Central Nebraska Humane Society.
Ballard did both.
She was surprised to read in the Nov. 27 Independent that another Doniphan jogger, Jeanine Lackey, had been charged on Nov. 6 by a pack of dogs along Buffalo Road just south of Platte River Drive. A brown pit bull attacked Lackey, leaving her with four puncture wounds and a bruise 8 to 10 inches long on her upper left thigh.
"There’s no doubt in my mind this is the same dog," Ballard said.
"I feel bad," she said of seeing Lackey’s injury. "If something had happened differently with my case, she wouldn’t have to go through this, but I filed a report."
Humane Society Director Laurie Dethloff said the society didn’t initially connect the two cases because Ballard had reported being bitten on Oct. 23 by a dog along Buffalo Road, but she didn’t provide an exact address.
Because Ballard provided directions to the home, rather than the physical address, the bite was "nonconfirmed," Dethloff said. An animal control officer was sent to the scene the day after the bite — the day it was reported — but the officer found no one at home and no dog there.
Ballard’s handwritten, detailed report of the bite was also subsequently lost, Dethloff said this week.
However, the society acknowledges Ballard’s bite did occur as confirmed by photos taken of her injury. The photos were included in a computerized report that was updated by the Humane Society this week and documented as being linked to Lackey’s case.
Although animal control officers were not able to contact the pit bull’s owner immediately after Ballard’s bite, Dethloff said, they did inform the owner after Lackey’s bite that the dog was suspected in two separate cases.
Because of those two cases and because of the severity of Lackey’s bite, which resulted in medical attention at the emergency room, the pit bull owned by Melinda Brittain was deemed dangerous.
Brittain didn’t contest the ruling and was ordered by the Humane Society to post her home at 11535 S. Buffalo Road with a dangerous-dog sign. She was also ordered to build an escape-proof kennel for Bud, the pit bull. That kennel must have a concrete bottom and wire top. If Bud is not in the kennel, it must be in the house or muzzled and on a leash, Dethloff said.
Dethloff said this week that Brittain has not posted the property but has insisted to Humane Society officials that Bud is staying indoors.
"There’s nothing we can do," Dethloff said.
Brittain lives outside of any municipal jurisdiction. Dethloff said Grand Island has an Animal Advisory Board that oversees cases of dangerous dogs. In fact, a Grand Island pit bull that bit two people was deemed as dangerous this week when owner Chad Faubion failed to show up for an appeal hearing.
But such codes cannot be enforced outside of "subdivisions," which are defined as three or more houses, Dethloff said.
In the absence of county regulations, state statutes apply out in the country, she said.
Those statutes and Grand Island city code basically allow a dog three bites before being taken by the Humane Society. After the first bite, the dog can be declared "potentially dangerous." The second bite can result in a "dangerous" declaration, and the third bite results in confiscation of the dog and a hearing for euthanization.
"The next time he bites, we can take him," Dethloff said of Bud.
The only way to bypass the "three strikes" policy is if a bite is "God-awful," Dethloff said. She defined "God-awful" as requiring 25 stitches or more.
Ideally, Dethloff said, she’d like to see dog owners who understand that proper care, including fencing, is needed to protect their animals and the public.
Brittain said she thinks her dog is getting unfair publicity. He is neutered and 1 year old, contrary to the unneutered, 2-year-old information provided by Humane Society reports referred to in the Nov. 27 story in The Independent, she said.
"I feel humiliated," Brittain said. "And I don’t feel safe now."
When asked about the kennel for Bud, Brittain said there is a kennel, but she has a lot of land and Bud is staying in the house.
Dethloff said it’s time for a rewrite of local animal ordinances. Those can be made stiffer than state regulations, she said.
"It’s frustrating," Dethloff said of trying to enforce what’s in place now. "It’s frustrating to the public and frustrating to us."
(The Independent - November 30, 2011)
Earlier:
"It was eerily similar," Ballard said.
Ballard, a Doniphan distance runner who jogs gravel roads about five times a week, said she had been running north along Buffalo Road on Oct. 23 when a pack of dogs ran out on the road. There were three pit bulls, a brindle, a white and a puppy; two Labrador retrievers; and two small dachshunds.
The brindle pit bull ran behind her, biting her in her right buttock, and then charged in front of her.
"He kept lunging at me," Ballard said. "I had on loose long sleeves, and he kept lunging at me and tore my sleeves."
The small dogs circled and jumped at her feet.
"It made it difficult to defend myself," Ballard said.
She was worried about getting knocked down and how the rest of the dogs might respond.
"It was obvious the brindle [pit bull] was the lead dog of the pack," she said.
Ballard had stopped running when the dogs ran out from the first house on the east side of the road just south of Platte River Drive. Feeling the sting of what she initially thought was a scratch, she tried to back away from the brindle, but it kept lunging and trying to get around to her backside, she said.
"No. Easy," she told the dog several times.
After more than 15 minutes, she managed to back 100 to 200 yards along Buffalo Road, and the dog lost interest. Ballard headed for home in the Amick Acres subdivision and called the doctor and the sheriff when she got home.
The doctor advised her to get a tetanus shot and antibiotics the next day to treat the two puncture wounds and bruising. The sheriff’s deputy advised her to file a report with the Central Nebraska Humane Society.
Ballard did both.
She was surprised to read in the Nov. 27 Independent that another Doniphan jogger, Jeanine Lackey, had been charged on Nov. 6 by a pack of dogs along Buffalo Road just south of Platte River Drive. A brown pit bull attacked Lackey, leaving her with four puncture wounds and a bruise 8 to 10 inches long on her upper left thigh.
"There’s no doubt in my mind this is the same dog," Ballard said.
"I feel bad," she said of seeing Lackey’s injury. "If something had happened differently with my case, she wouldn’t have to go through this, but I filed a report."
Humane Society Director Laurie Dethloff said the society didn’t initially connect the two cases because Ballard had reported being bitten on Oct. 23 by a dog along Buffalo Road, but she didn’t provide an exact address.
Because Ballard provided directions to the home, rather than the physical address, the bite was "nonconfirmed," Dethloff said. An animal control officer was sent to the scene the day after the bite — the day it was reported — but the officer found no one at home and no dog there.
Ballard’s handwritten, detailed report of the bite was also subsequently lost, Dethloff said this week.
However, the society acknowledges Ballard’s bite did occur as confirmed by photos taken of her injury. The photos were included in a computerized report that was updated by the Humane Society this week and documented as being linked to Lackey’s case.
Although animal control officers were not able to contact the pit bull’s owner immediately after Ballard’s bite, Dethloff said, they did inform the owner after Lackey’s bite that the dog was suspected in two separate cases.
Because of those two cases and because of the severity of Lackey’s bite, which resulted in medical attention at the emergency room, the pit bull owned by Melinda Brittain was deemed dangerous.
Brittain didn’t contest the ruling and was ordered by the Humane Society to post her home at 11535 S. Buffalo Road with a dangerous-dog sign. She was also ordered to build an escape-proof kennel for Bud, the pit bull. That kennel must have a concrete bottom and wire top. If Bud is not in the kennel, it must be in the house or muzzled and on a leash, Dethloff said.
Dethloff said this week that Brittain has not posted the property but has insisted to Humane Society officials that Bud is staying indoors.
"There’s nothing we can do," Dethloff said.
Brittain lives outside of any municipal jurisdiction. Dethloff said Grand Island has an Animal Advisory Board that oversees cases of dangerous dogs. In fact, a Grand Island pit bull that bit two people was deemed as dangerous this week when owner Chad Faubion failed to show up for an appeal hearing.
But such codes cannot be enforced outside of "subdivisions," which are defined as three or more houses, Dethloff said.
In the absence of county regulations, state statutes apply out in the country, she said.
Those statutes and Grand Island city code basically allow a dog three bites before being taken by the Humane Society. After the first bite, the dog can be declared "potentially dangerous." The second bite can result in a "dangerous" declaration, and the third bite results in confiscation of the dog and a hearing for euthanization.
"The next time he bites, we can take him," Dethloff said of Bud.
The only way to bypass the "three strikes" policy is if a bite is "God-awful," Dethloff said. She defined "God-awful" as requiring 25 stitches or more.
Ideally, Dethloff said, she’d like to see dog owners who understand that proper care, including fencing, is needed to protect their animals and the public.
Brittain said she thinks her dog is getting unfair publicity. He is neutered and 1 year old, contrary to the unneutered, 2-year-old information provided by Humane Society reports referred to in the Nov. 27 story in The Independent, she said.
"I feel humiliated," Brittain said. "And I don’t feel safe now."
When asked about the kennel for Bud, Brittain said there is a kennel, but she has a lot of land and Bud is staying in the house.
Dethloff said it’s time for a rewrite of local animal ordinances. Those can be made stiffer than state regulations, she said.
"It’s frustrating," Dethloff said of trying to enforce what’s in place now. "It’s frustrating to the public and frustrating to us."
(The Independent - November 30, 2011)
Earlier:
Runner, 21, brutally mauled by four pit bulls as he jogged on trail
CALIFORNIA -- A San Diego County runner today described the terrifying moment he was savaged by a pack of pit bulls as he jogged on a trail.
Richard Garritson, 21, and his 20-year-old brother, John, were attacked by the dogs about a mile from their home.
The 21-year-old said he was running ahead of his sisters, Meagan Garritson, 18, and Shelby Garritson, 15, and his nine-year-old niece, when at least six dogs attacked. One bit his leg and a second grabbed his other leg, knocking him down.
He yelled for his sister to run as he tried to fight off the dogs which surrounded him. They snapped at his legs and arms. One bit him under his armpit.
Garritson told the San Diego Union-Tribune: 'I was dripping blood from all over - my shirt, socks, shoes.'
'I was terrified,' he said. 'I thought I was going to die. They just kept biting at my legs and thighs.'
Garritson, who already had run three miles, was running out of energy and yelled for his brother, who grabbed a stick and tried to fend off the dogs.
He also was attacked as the dogs kept rushing between the two brothers, Richard Garritson said.
He said the brothers knew where the dogs lived and they yelled for the owner, who managed to get all but three dogs into the house.
The owner finally put a leash on one of the larger dogs and the others broke off the attack, Richard Garritson said.
The brothers walked to a neighbour's house and a woman there called county sheriff's deputies.
'We could barely hold ourselves up,' he said.
Richard Garritson, who comes from a family of competitive runners, said his doctor told him that he probably will be able to run again even though he lost chunks from his lower legs.
John Garritson suffered less serious bites to his legs. Their two sisters and young niece were not attacked.
Four dogs, all seven-month-old pit bull mixes, were destroyed at the owner's request, county animal control Lieutenant Dan DeSousa said.
As CBS8 reports, the other two dogs were not destroyed, with authorities citing an early investigation.
The department continues to investigate and will decide whether to pursue charges against the owner, who has not been named DeSousa said.
(Daily Mail UK - Nov 30, 2011)
Richard Garritson, 21, and his 20-year-old brother, John, were attacked by the dogs about a mile from their home.
 |
| John Garritson, 20, ran back to save his brother and was attacked himself |
The 21-year-old said he was running ahead of his sisters, Meagan Garritson, 18, and Shelby Garritson, 15, and his nine-year-old niece, when at least six dogs attacked. One bit his leg and a second grabbed his other leg, knocking him down.
He yelled for his sister to run as he tried to fight off the dogs which surrounded him. They snapped at his legs and arms. One bit him under his armpit.
Garritson told the San Diego Union-Tribune: 'I was dripping blood from all over - my shirt, socks, shoes.'
'I was terrified,' he said. 'I thought I was going to die. They just kept biting at my legs and thighs.'
Garritson, who already had run three miles, was running out of energy and yelled for his brother, who grabbed a stick and tried to fend off the dogs.
He also was attacked as the dogs kept rushing between the two brothers, Richard Garritson said.
He said the brothers knew where the dogs lived and they yelled for the owner, who managed to get all but three dogs into the house.
 |
| Richard Garritson, 21, was attacked by a pack of pit bulls |
The owner finally put a leash on one of the larger dogs and the others broke off the attack, Richard Garritson said.
The brothers walked to a neighbour's house and a woman there called county sheriff's deputies.
'We could barely hold ourselves up,' he said.
Richard Garritson, who comes from a family of competitive runners, said his doctor told him that he probably will be able to run again even though he lost chunks from his lower legs.
John Garritson suffered less serious bites to his legs. Their two sisters and young niece were not attacked.
Four dogs, all seven-month-old pit bull mixes, were destroyed at the owner's request, county animal control Lieutenant Dan DeSousa said.
As CBS8 reports, the other two dogs were not destroyed, with authorities citing an early investigation.
The department continues to investigate and will decide whether to pursue charges against the owner, who has not been named DeSousa said.
(Daily Mail UK - Nov 30, 2011)
Wednesday, November 30, 2011
Monster dog a ticking timebomb
NEW ZEALAND -- NEW ZEALAND -- A vicious pit bull - mastiff cross "the size of a Great Dane" that left an animal control officer with a cricket-ball sized hole in her calf should have been destroyed months earlier, an expert says.
Barry Gillingwater, of DSS Animal Management, said the dog had been in its Manukau pound for two months after an earlier attack in the area.
He said the attack on the officer, which happened two weeks ago, lasted 20 seconds before the dog was beaten off.
"Two officers had just dropped off another dog and saw the handler leading this dog," Gillingwater said.
"They knew all about it because we brief all our staff so they kept to one side, out of the way, as the handler walked past with the dog on lead.
"Then with no warning, the dog lunged at one of them and attacked her, severely damaging the calf muscle on her leg. The dog was beaten off by the other staff and while it was groggy they put it into a cage and called the ambulance and administered first aid."
Gillingwater said the injured officer had spent a week in Middlemore after the attack but the first skin grafted failed so she returned last week.
He said surgeons hoped the second graft would succeed so that her calf could be reconstructed after Christmas. "It was a very severe injury but luckily it didn't damage bone or arteries or she could have lost her leg. It virtually removed the calf muscle the gap was bigger [than a] cricket ball.
"It was huge bite. It was the worst I have seen in 20 years in the industry."
Gillingwater said the dog had a "long history of aggressive behaviour" but they had not been permitted to destroy it until after the attack on the officer.
The dog had been subject to section 71 of the Dog Control Act, which stated that it had to stay in the pound until its future was decided by a court ruling after the earlier attack.
Nelson animal control officer John Bergman said he was shocked by the attack and insisted that the law needed to be changed so that dangerous dogs could be destroyed without waiting for the courts.
The judicial process often took too long, exposing animal control officers working in pounds to unnecessary danger, he said.
"The Dog Control Act 1996 says that if a dog attacks someone or something you can destroy it to stop the attack," Bergman said.
"But if you stop the attack you can't destroy the dog immediately unless you have the owner's consent and that's obviously what happened in Auckland.
"The act works in some ways because it stops cowboys destroying dogs when they don't need to, but they should have been able to put this dog down. They shouldn't have to wait months for a court ruling when the dog is so obviously a big threat."
Gillingwater agreed the act needed revising, saying they did not need a court ruling to tell them the dog should have been destroyed.
"This dog was a mix of all the aggressive-type breeds plus it was a very large, extremely powerful dog picture a pitbull-bull mastiff the size of a Great Dane. We are the busiest dog pound in New Zealand and we come across some of the most aggressive dogs in the country and this dog was one of the nastiest we have ever had the misfortune to meet.
"When something that large decided to pull without warning, from walking placidly on a leash to lunging, it's hard to stop.
"She didn't let go of the leash but it was extremely hard to control and the damage was done in less than 20 seconds."
(Stuff - Nov 29, 2011)
Barry Gillingwater, of DSS Animal Management, said the dog had been in its Manukau pound for two months after an earlier attack in the area.
He said the attack on the officer, which happened two weeks ago, lasted 20 seconds before the dog was beaten off.
"Two officers had just dropped off another dog and saw the handler leading this dog," Gillingwater said.
"They knew all about it because we brief all our staff so they kept to one side, out of the way, as the handler walked past with the dog on lead.
"Then with no warning, the dog lunged at one of them and attacked her, severely damaging the calf muscle on her leg. The dog was beaten off by the other staff and while it was groggy they put it into a cage and called the ambulance and administered first aid."
Gillingwater said the injured officer had spent a week in Middlemore after the attack but the first skin grafted failed so she returned last week.
He said surgeons hoped the second graft would succeed so that her calf could be reconstructed after Christmas. "It was a very severe injury but luckily it didn't damage bone or arteries or she could have lost her leg. It virtually removed the calf muscle the gap was bigger [than a] cricket ball.
"It was huge bite. It was the worst I have seen in 20 years in the industry."
Gillingwater said the dog had a "long history of aggressive behaviour" but they had not been permitted to destroy it until after the attack on the officer.
The dog had been subject to section 71 of the Dog Control Act, which stated that it had to stay in the pound until its future was decided by a court ruling after the earlier attack.
Nelson animal control officer John Bergman said he was shocked by the attack and insisted that the law needed to be changed so that dangerous dogs could be destroyed without waiting for the courts.
The judicial process often took too long, exposing animal control officers working in pounds to unnecessary danger, he said.
"The Dog Control Act 1996 says that if a dog attacks someone or something you can destroy it to stop the attack," Bergman said.
"But if you stop the attack you can't destroy the dog immediately unless you have the owner's consent and that's obviously what happened in Auckland.
"The act works in some ways because it stops cowboys destroying dogs when they don't need to, but they should have been able to put this dog down. They shouldn't have to wait months for a court ruling when the dog is so obviously a big threat."
Gillingwater agreed the act needed revising, saying they did not need a court ruling to tell them the dog should have been destroyed.
"This dog was a mix of all the aggressive-type breeds plus it was a very large, extremely powerful dog picture a pitbull-bull mastiff the size of a Great Dane. We are the busiest dog pound in New Zealand and we come across some of the most aggressive dogs in the country and this dog was one of the nastiest we have ever had the misfortune to meet.
"When something that large decided to pull without warning, from walking placidly on a leash to lunging, it's hard to stop.
"She didn't let go of the leash but it was extremely hard to control and the damage was done in less than 20 seconds."
(Stuff - Nov 29, 2011)
Dog rescuers honored in Buchanan
INDIANA -- Two Buchanan men who rescued a man and his dog from two attacking pit bulls were recognized this week for their efforts.
Jim Cowles, 50, said he responded the way he did ‘’just because.’’
"Somebody needed a helping hand, and we just jumped in,’’ said Cowles, who appeared humbled by the award given to him and Jason Stroud.
"They didn’t have to give it to me, but it’s nice to be recognized,’’ said Kowles.
Cowles and Stroud, 28, were presented with the Citizen Appreciation Award during Monday’s Buchanan Commissioners meeting by Mayor Carla Cole.
On the morning of Sept. 10, Doyle Vergon was walking his dog on a leash near Dewey and Short streets when two pit bulls started attacking him and his pet.
Officials said Cowles was just arriving for work at Newman’s Auto when he saw the attack and retrieved a breaker bar from the garage.
He then ran over and began hitting the dogs with the metal tool.
Stroud was sleeping in his apartment when awakened by screams and other sounds of the attack.
He looked outside and then ran over hitting the dogs with a shovel, which was the first thing he grabbed while racing over from his residence, officials said.
Cowles and Stroud managed to keep the dogs off Vergon and his dog until the police arrived.
‘’I shudder to think what may have happened to Doyle and his pet if Jim and Jason had not acted so courageously and without regard for their own safety,’’ Cole said.
Stroud said he didn’t think twice about going out to help.
"I saw a man who needed help. I would just hope if I needed help somebody would be there for me,’’ said Stroud.
Later that day, police said the same two dogs attacked Ann Desenberg in her garage and her brother, Lou Desenberg when he tried to assist in his sister.
All three victims were seriously injured but Lou Desenberg, perhaps, was hurt the worst with a torn muscle in his leg, police said.
The dogs owned by a Buchanan Township couple were later euthanized.
"It was really brave to do what you did. You are all heroes,’’ said Cole in handing the men the award.
(South Bend Tribune - November 29, 2011)
Jim Cowles, 50, said he responded the way he did ‘’just because.’’
"Somebody needed a helping hand, and we just jumped in,’’ said Cowles, who appeared humbled by the award given to him and Jason Stroud.
"They didn’t have to give it to me, but it’s nice to be recognized,’’ said Kowles.
Cowles and Stroud, 28, were presented with the Citizen Appreciation Award during Monday’s Buchanan Commissioners meeting by Mayor Carla Cole.
On the morning of Sept. 10, Doyle Vergon was walking his dog on a leash near Dewey and Short streets when two pit bulls started attacking him and his pet.
Officials said Cowles was just arriving for work at Newman’s Auto when he saw the attack and retrieved a breaker bar from the garage.
He then ran over and began hitting the dogs with the metal tool.
Stroud was sleeping in his apartment when awakened by screams and other sounds of the attack.
He looked outside and then ran over hitting the dogs with a shovel, which was the first thing he grabbed while racing over from his residence, officials said.
Cowles and Stroud managed to keep the dogs off Vergon and his dog until the police arrived.
‘’I shudder to think what may have happened to Doyle and his pet if Jim and Jason had not acted so courageously and without regard for their own safety,’’ Cole said.
Stroud said he didn’t think twice about going out to help.
"I saw a man who needed help. I would just hope if I needed help somebody would be there for me,’’ said Stroud.
Later that day, police said the same two dogs attacked Ann Desenberg in her garage and her brother, Lou Desenberg when he tried to assist in his sister.
All three victims were seriously injured but Lou Desenberg, perhaps, was hurt the worst with a torn muscle in his leg, police said.
The dogs owned by a Buchanan Township couple were later euthanized.
"It was really brave to do what you did. You are all heroes,’’ said Cole in handing the men the award.
(South Bend Tribune - November 29, 2011)
Seven-year-old attacked by pit bull in Hampton
VIRGINIA -- Brandon Vines, a 7-year-old Hampton boy, is recovering after a pit bull attacked him when he was playing in the Buckroe section of the city.
He had to get stitches on his right leg. His hand and wrist were also injured during the attack.
Brandon says he was at his uncle's house playing down the street on Saturday when the dog jumped on him and took three bites out of him.
He says he'd done nothing to the dog to make it mad. Afterward, Brandon ran back to his uncle's house where an ambulance was called. The boy was taken in to have the wound on his leg stitched up.
The two wounds on his hand and wrist are healing on their own. Brandon’s uncle says he was charged with animal cruelty after he took a bat to the dog when it lunged at him.
Animal Control and the Health Department stated that the pit bull had been running loose since Saturday’s incident. The dog finally came back today and NewsChannel 3 was there as the owner surrendered her pet to Animal Control.
The owner is now facing charges.
Today, Brandon says he's scared of dogs after what he says happened to him over the weekend.
"It just come over and attacked me,” says Brandon. “I did try getting it off me, but that didn't work.”
(WTKR - November 29, 2011)
He had to get stitches on his right leg. His hand and wrist were also injured during the attack.
Brandon says he was at his uncle's house playing down the street on Saturday when the dog jumped on him and took three bites out of him.
He says he'd done nothing to the dog to make it mad. Afterward, Brandon ran back to his uncle's house where an ambulance was called. The boy was taken in to have the wound on his leg stitched up.
The two wounds on his hand and wrist are healing on their own. Brandon’s uncle says he was charged with animal cruelty after he took a bat to the dog when it lunged at him.
 |
| The owner's belly and pit bull |
Animal Control and the Health Department stated that the pit bull had been running loose since Saturday’s incident. The dog finally came back today and NewsChannel 3 was there as the owner surrendered her pet to Animal Control.
The owner is now facing charges.
Today, Brandon says he's scared of dogs after what he says happened to him over the weekend.
"It just come over and attacked me,” says Brandon. “I did try getting it off me, but that didn't work.”
(WTKR - November 29, 2011)
10-year-old attacked by pit bull now back home
MISSISSIPPI -- Austin Beaver, 10, is recuperating at home after receiving more than 100 stitches in his face following a reported attack by a neighborhood pit bull.
He can’t go back to school until a plastic surgeon releases him to resume normal activity, said his mother, Brandy Beaver.
“He has an incision underneath his eye, but he is very lucky he didn’t lose his eye or his ear,” she said.
“He has all his limbs and he’s alive.”
Austin, his brother Mason, 8, and friend Michael Horst, 9, have been summoned to appear in court Dec. 12 along with Daniel Catchings, whose dog allegedly attacked them after the dog ran out of Catchings’ home and the boys tried to help catch the dog.
The incident in Quail Creek subdivision was reported to the sheriff’s office on Thanksgiving day. Animal-control officers arrested Catchings, 41, on Monday on misdemeanors charges of violating a leash law and failing to have a current rabies vaccination for the dog.
He was released on a $500 bond.
Sheriff’s Maj. Tony Sauro said Catchings is blind and it was his understanding that others who live at Catchings’ home normally take the dog for a walk on a leash.
A good deed
Neighborhood kids know the male brindle-colored dog, so the boys thought nothing of trying to help catch the dog when it ran out of its house, Brandy Beaver said.
“They were just trying to do a good deed and the dog snapped,” she said.
She was getting ready to serve her family’s holiday meal when her youngest son came running in, screaming that they had been attacked by a dog. “I asked where his brother was and he couldn’t say anything,” she said. “He just pointed.”
Mason and Michael couldn’t get the dog off of Austin, she said, so they ran home to tell their mothers. “They did what they had to do, and they really have hero status in my eyes,” Beaver said.
A neighbor apparently pulled the dog off, she said.
The boys were taken to Memorial Hospital at Gulfport. Austin’s injuries were more serious. He was taken to Children’s Hospital in New Orleans.
“He must have some kind of guardian angel looking after him,” his mother said.
Austin is in the 5th grade at D’Iberville Middle School.
Mason and Michael, who attend D’Iberville Elementary, had injuries on their faces and on their lips or shoulder.
Dogs quarantined
The dog, called “Digger” in court papers, and a second pit bull later removed from Catchings’ home have been quarantined at the Humane Society of South Mississippi.
Beaver, a single mother, took her sons to identify the dog Monday.
“Austin hasn’t had nightmares about it and he is making an amazing recovery,” she said.
Beaver said she hopes dog owners take notice that they should maintain control of their pets.
The upcoming appearance in Justice Court will include a hearing to determine if the dog should be declared a dangerous dog, said Herman Cox, Harrison County prosecuting attorney.
If deemed dangerous, the owner would be required to follow restrictions to include keeping it in an enclosed area and posting warning signs. The dog could be walked only by an adult provided the dog is muzzled and on a leash.
Once a dog is declared dangerous, its owner can be imprisoned for a year and fined $1,000 if the dog, without provocation, attacks and injures a person, Cox said. If a dangerous dog severely injures or kills a human or another animal, the dog could be ordered put to sleep.
(Sun Herald - Nov. 30, 2011)
10 year old attacked by pit bull
MISSISSIPPI -- A Biloxi boy was so severely injured when he was attacked by a pit bull dog, on Thanksgiving day he had to have plastic surgery. The child is now home from the hospital.
Brandy Beaver is hoping her 10-year-old son, Austin, will be able to go back to school next week, but she said Austin still faces a lot of recovery from the attack.
"I saw Austin, and he was covered in blood, and I collapsed right then and there on the ground," Beaver said.
Austin, his 8-year-old brother, and a 9-year-old friend were attacked by a neighbor's pit bull.
"Austin has over 100 stitches to his face. Mason has seven stitches in his shoulder and a claw mark right in between his eyes, and the other little boy, Michael, had ... seven stitches on his top lip," Beaver said.
According to Beaver, her boys were heading home for their Thanksgiving meal when they stopped just a few doors down to help a neighbor get his dog back into the house.
"They were trying to do a good deed, and this is what happens," she said.
Brandy Beaver is hoping her 10-year-old son, Austin, will be able to go back to school next week, but she said Austin still faces a lot of recovery from the attack.
"I saw Austin, and he was covered in blood, and I collapsed right then and there on the ground," Beaver said.
Austin, his 8-year-old brother, and a 9-year-old friend were attacked by a neighbor's pit bull.
"Austin has over 100 stitches to his face. Mason has seven stitches in his shoulder and a claw mark right in between his eyes, and the other little boy, Michael, had ... seven stitches on his top lip," Beaver said.
According to Beaver, her boys were heading home for their Thanksgiving meal when they stopped just a few doors down to help a neighbor get his dog back into the house.
"They were trying to do a good deed, and this is what happens," she said.
Beaver said Austin will need more plastic surgery, and she's afraid her insurance as a single mom won't cover everything.
"I know they're not going to cover everything because we had to take him to New Orleans for his plastic surgery. I believe my mom has set up an account for donations to help me [with] medical bills," she said.
Austin has also started the painful series of rabies shots.
FOX10 attempted to contact the neighbor Beaver said her boys were helping, but there was no answer at the home. The Harrison County Sheriff's office said Daniel Catchings is charged with a leash law violation. He was released on $500 bond.
Catching owns two pit bulls. Both animals are in the custody of animal control.
A special account has been set up to accept donations for the Beaver family at Hancock Bank.
(WALA - Nov 30, 2011)
Owner in denial about his vicious dog
FLORIDA -- Devardis Givens of St. Augustine hopes St. Johns County will spare his dog after animal control officers and witnesses said it bit two people within half an hour on Monday.
But the reality is that Oz the pit bull mix is likely to be euthanized after being taken from his home, which faces the St. Augustine High School athletic fields and bus loading zone.
“Ours is not a vicious dog,” Givens said Tuesday. “We have kids in the house with us, small babies, and they hand-feed him. If this dog was out to do some serious attacks … no one would have been able to get him off (the victim).”
But the reality is that Oz the pit bull mix is likely to be euthanized after being taken from his home, which faces the St. Augustine High School athletic fields and bus loading zone.
“Ours is not a vicious dog,” Givens said Tuesday. “We have kids in the house with us, small babies, and they hand-feed him. If this dog was out to do some serious attacks … no one would have been able to get him off (the victim).”
He claims that the dog never left the yard of his green-colored home in the 600 block of Del Monte Drive.
Instead, he said, both victims got attacked because they were in Givens’ driveway. Both victims received puncture wounds that were not life-threatening.
He said the female victim, Patricia Harriett Lloyd, 57, was in his driveway and had been trying to inform him the dog was loose when the dog attacked. And he said the other victim, Charles Leroy Killian, 22, was helping Lloyd after she was attacked, and that’s when he got hurt.
But Lloyd said she was riding her bike in the neighborhood when the dog attacked, and that she came back to ask the owner if the dog was up to date on its rabies shots.
He said the female victim, Patricia Harriett Lloyd, 57, was in his driveway and had been trying to inform him the dog was loose when the dog attacked. And he said the other victim, Charles Leroy Killian, 22, was helping Lloyd after she was attacked, and that’s when he got hurt.
But Lloyd said she was riding her bike in the neighborhood when the dog attacked, and that she came back to ask the owner if the dog was up to date on its rabies shots.
Killian and animal control officials said Killian was attacked a half- hour or so earlier than Lloyd as he checked the mail at his home across the street.
Paul Studivant, St. Johns County Animal Control division chief, said St. Johns County Fire Rescue units were on the way to help Killian when Lloyd was attacked.
But he was not unsympathetic to Givens’ reaction.
Paul Studivant, St. Johns County Animal Control division chief, said St. Johns County Fire Rescue units were on the way to help Killian when Lloyd was attacked.
But he was not unsympathetic to Givens’ reaction.
“Most pet owners don’t want to believe an animal is capable of doing what it does,” Studivant said.
But the dog was obviously dangerous, he said. To back up his argument, he reviewed the video taken by photojournalist Phillip Whitley that captures the dog attacking Lloyd.
But the dog was obviously dangerous, he said. To back up his argument, he reviewed the video taken by photojournalist Phillip Whitley that captures the dog attacking Lloyd.
The unedited video — Givens saw only an edited version — shows the dog bounding out of a ditch to attack Lloyd, indicating the dog had been loose.
Studivant said Monday that he planned to recommend that the dog be euthanized.
But he said the dog was safe for now and nothing would be done without finishing an investigation, holding a hearing and giving the owner due process.
“We’re going to give him the chance to write his affidavits,” Studivant said.
Studivant said Monday that he planned to recommend that the dog be euthanized.
But he said the dog was safe for now and nothing would be done without finishing an investigation, holding a hearing and giving the owner due process.
“We’re going to give him the chance to write his affidavits,” Studivant said.
If the dog was deemed dangerous “for destruction,” Studivant said Givens could challenge that decision through a mediator.
He said animal control officers visited Givens at his house Tuesday, attempting to give him two tickets — one for each victim — requiring Givens to be in court, each carrying a minimum fine of $250.
Studivant said Givens became uncooperative and left in his car without accepting the tickets.
(St Augustine - Nov 30, 2011)
Runner attacked by dogs;owner sought
MARYLAND -- A man out jogging was attacked by a dog that police believe had been trained to fight.
On Monday at 1:27 p.m., a 23-year-old man was jogging near Davidsonville Park in the 3000 block of Patuxent River Road when he saw a man handling three dogs on retractable leashes, police said.
One of the dogs was able to get free and attacked the jogger.
During the attack, the handler fled with one of the three dogs, leaving the other two behind.
The jogger was eventually able to run away and call police. He was later taken to Anne Arundel Medical Center and was treated for wounds to his arms and legs.
According to the jogger and other witnesses, at least two of the dogs had been fighting at some point.
Animal Control responded and were able to find one of the two dogs, described as a white, brown and black American Bulldog mix.
The dog had visible wounds indicative of having been in a dog fight and was bleeding.
The second dog fled the area but was located and confined in a wooded area by a citizen.
“They were able to locate one of the dogs and detain that dog recover that animal on scene the second dog was able to get away for several hours ultimately we received a call from a citizen indicating that dog was in some thick marsh and became stuck once officers got on scene the dog was extremely aggressive biting lunging at the officers." Anne Arundel County Police Spokesman Justin Mulcahy says.
The dog, described as a white and black American bulldog mix, also had wounds suggesting it been in a fight.
The dog later died en route to Animal Control.
The dog handler who fled the area is described as a black male in his mid 20's with some facial hair, wearing a green jacket, sunglasses and a Green Bay Packers hat that was recovered at the scene. He was possibly seen leaving the area in a gold-colored Dodge minivan with white logos on the sides traveling south on Patuxent River Road.
Anyone with information on the location of the third dog or on the identity or whereabouts of the dog handler that fled the scene is asked to contact Animal Control Officer Serena Beckner at 410-222-8900 ext. 3008.
(WJLA - Nov 29, 2011)
On Monday at 1:27 p.m., a 23-year-old man was jogging near Davidsonville Park in the 3000 block of Patuxent River Road when he saw a man handling three dogs on retractable leashes, police said.
One of the dogs was able to get free and attacked the jogger.
During the attack, the handler fled with one of the three dogs, leaving the other two behind.
The jogger was eventually able to run away and call police. He was later taken to Anne Arundel Medical Center and was treated for wounds to his arms and legs.
According to the jogger and other witnesses, at least two of the dogs had been fighting at some point.
Animal Control responded and were able to find one of the two dogs, described as a white, brown and black American Bulldog mix.
The dog had visible wounds indicative of having been in a dog fight and was bleeding.
The second dog fled the area but was located and confined in a wooded area by a citizen.
“They were able to locate one of the dogs and detain that dog recover that animal on scene the second dog was able to get away for several hours ultimately we received a call from a citizen indicating that dog was in some thick marsh and became stuck once officers got on scene the dog was extremely aggressive biting lunging at the officers." Anne Arundel County Police Spokesman Justin Mulcahy says.
The dog, described as a white and black American bulldog mix, also had wounds suggesting it been in a fight.
The dog later died en route to Animal Control.
The dog handler who fled the area is described as a black male in his mid 20's with some facial hair, wearing a green jacket, sunglasses and a Green Bay Packers hat that was recovered at the scene. He was possibly seen leaving the area in a gold-colored Dodge minivan with white logos on the sides traveling south on Patuxent River Road.
Anyone with information on the location of the third dog or on the identity or whereabouts of the dog handler that fled the scene is asked to contact Animal Control Officer Serena Beckner at 410-222-8900 ext. 3008.
(WJLA - Nov 29, 2011)
Dog attacks toddler at park
CANADA -- A father watched helplessly as a 70 kilogram dog bit and scratched his two-year-old son at west-end park on Monday.
"It was like a bad dream, honestly," said Edward Ouellette, whose son, also named Edward, was attacked.
The Windsor Police Service is now looking for information regarding the dog and its owner.
The incident happened at 3 p.m. in a park behind an apartment building at 3461 Peter St.
Ouellette, 22, was playing with his son on the park equipment when he noticed a large brown dog walking toward them. The father described the dog as a pit bull / boxer mix.
Ouellette said the dog "came charging" at his son, knocking him to the ground.
“The dog came up and attacked him, just started tearing him up,” he said. “It got his legs and started working his way up to his head.”
"My heart dropped," Ouellette said. "The dog had his ear in his mouth. It was really gruesome."
Ouellette said the dog may have eaten part of his son's ear. His son also suffered scratches to the face and legs.
Ouellette kicked the dog twice to get it off his son, who was on the ground.
"I did what I had to do," Ouellette said. "It could have been worse. Thank God it wasn’t."
Paramedics transported the boy to Windsor Regional Hospital. He was treated and released for the dog bite to his left ear.
The toddler has already received three rabies shots and is scheduled for a series of even more shots.
"No kid should be going through this," Ouellette said.
Officers searched the area throughout the night in an attempt to locate the dog and its owner but were unsuccessful.
Police are asking the dog's owner to come forward to confirm that the dog has had the proper vaccinations.
The dog is described as a large mixed breed pit bull-boxer, dark brown in colour with white spots on its cheeks and a red nose. The boy's father told officers that he had never seen the dog in the area before.
Anyone with any information is asked to call Windsor Police at 519-255-6700, ext. 4830. Or, people can call anonymously to Crime Stoppers at 519-258-TIPS (8477).
(CBA - Nov 29, 2011)
Dog dies after savage attack
UNITED KINGDOM -- A DOG owner has been left devastated after his 14-year-old beloved pet was mauled to death by three other dogs.
Vincent Goodwin, 38, of Ramleaze, tried in vain to save the life of his Yorkshire terrier, Rusty, on Saturday morning after it was attacked by three Staffordshire bull terriers who were being walked by a woman outside his house.
Vincent Goodwin, 38, of Ramleaze, tried in vain to save the life of his Yorkshire terrier, Rusty, on Saturday morning after it was attacked by three Staffordshire bull terriers who were being walked by a woman outside his house.
Unfortunately, the dog, who had hearing and sight loss, suffered stomach wounds and later died from his injuries after police took him to Shaw vets.
Vincent, a maintenance engineer, has not been back to work since the incident four days ago, and is urging dog owners to be careful.
“My dog just didn’t stand a chance,” he said. “He is 14 and had slowed up a bit and he probably couldn’t see the other dog.
“The dogs just started on him and I couldn’t get my hands on him. I keep going over it in my head and I haven’t been back to work since, every day gets a bit harder. It was a complete nightmare.”
The incident happened at 9am on Saturday as Vincent was leaving his house with Rusty.
As Rusty walked from the porch to the end of the drive, a Staffy being walked by a woman with two other dogs outside the house, ran and attacked Rusty. Vincent believes the dog was not on a lead.
While Vincent began screaming for help, the two other dogs also began attacking Rusty.
Vincent is now warning dog owners to be vigilant.
“I don’t want Rusty to just be another statistic,” he said.
“I know nothing will bring my dog back and that is heart-breaking, but I feel I have got to do something about it.
“To me, this wasn’t just a normal dog attack, it was savage. I haven’t got anything against this particular type of dog, but I think owners need to be more careful. Why wasn’t this dog on a lead?
“I know it isn’t a person, but something has lost its life here and you don’t know what it is like until you are in that situation. I had Rusty since he was a puppy back in 1997 and he was a brilliant dog.
“I mollycoddled him but I couldn’t help it.
“He did everything, he came away with me wherever I went and he wouldn’t have hurt a fly.”
.A spokesman for Wiltshire Police said: “We are currently investigating this incident and inquiries are on-going at this stage.
“We took statements at the time of the attack and continue to make enquiries in relation to the dogs involved.
“We will also be liaising with the local authority as part of our inquiries.”
(Swindon Advertiser - Nov 30, 2011)
Florida: Parents enraged after finding out the German Shepherd which attacked their daughter, 3, could be given back to its owner
FLORIDA -- A German Shepherd's bite sent a 3-year-old girl to the hospital, sparking a controversy in Baldwin Park and shedding light on the complicated process used to judge the fate of dogs that attack.
Erica Lienhart spotted a leashed German shepherd named Monty in the playground at Blue Jacket Park on Nov. 4 and asked owner Joseph Marchica whether she could say hi to the dog.
When the girl reached for the dog, it bit her face. She was hospitalized and underwent plastic surgery. Her parents say she may need additional procedures.
But though state and county laws seem to specify the dog should be euthanized, Erica's parents were outraged to find out that the county will instead hold a hearing Thursday to determine its fate.
Monty's owner, however, argues that his pet was startled by the child, and though he's dismayed that the girl was hurt, he doesn't think his pet deserves to die.
The bite left a small, jagged wound on Erica's face that needed surgery, as well as scraping and bruising, photos taken after the incident show.
Her father, Orlando attorney David Lienhart, says this meets the county's standard to warrant "expeditious" euthanasia: "serious injury" to a person, including "disfiguring lacerations or injuries requiring sutures or reconstructive surgery."
Nearly identical language appears in state law as well. However, officials say the "dangerous dog" hearing set for Thursday will enable them to hear arguments before making a determination.
The hearing follows a quarantine period for the dog, which is standard procedure in Orange County. Monty could be deemed dangerous or potentially dangerous and sent home, or could be put down.
"It's really just an opportunity for both sides to have their arguments heard," OCAS spokeswoman Kat Kennedy said.
Other local agencies follow a similar process to the one the Lienharts have experienced: an investigation, hearings and an appeal process that in some ways mirrors the criminal-justice system.
Though the process is similar, the use of euthanasia varies: In Osceola County, for example, officials consider it only in the most extreme cases, while in Seminole, officials say they tend toward putting dogs down in cases involving any serious injury.
"It's not easy to take the dog and kill it," said Officer Sergio Pacheco of Volusia County Animal Services. He said many factors play a part, including the circumstances of each bite.
Lienhart, however, argues the statute is clear. A lawyer, he says that not euthanizing the dog that injured his daughter could not only endanger others, but also leave the local government liable for the next attack.
"It's a matter of time with this dog," Lienhart said. "It's a bad dog."
The day their daughter was bitten, the Lienharts reported the attack to Orange County Animal Services, which dispatched investigators to Marchica's home in Baldwin Park.
DOG HAS ATTACKED BEFORE
When neighbor Meredith Gibbs saw the Animal Services vehicle arrive, "my stomach just dropped," she recalled. "Please, don't let it be another bite."
Gibbs was bitten by the same dog in late June, a report states. She said she approached Marchica to see his baby, and Monty bit her thigh, inflicting several puncture wounds.
Gibbs contacted David Lienhart. In light of the previous bite, Lienhart says, the attack on Erica was "very foreseeable," and the animal never should have been in a park with children.
According to Gibbs, the dog has a bad reputation in her Baldwin Park neighborhood. One neighbor carries a concealed weapon for fear of it, Gibbs said, and others have complained.
One, Latanae Parker, wrote an email to OCAS last week expressing "complete shock and horror that this dog has not been euthanized" and could potentially be released.
"Many times I have walked by the [Marchicas'] backyard and have heard the dog through the fence snarling and barking at me," wrote Parker, who said she has a young daughter of her own.
Marchica says Monty bit Gibbs because it had spotted another dog down the street. He accused Gibbs of exaggerating the severity of her bite in conversations with David Lienhart.
The dog bit Erica, he said, because she reached for it unexpectedly. He says Monty was likely only warning Erica; had the dog meant to attack, he argues, the damage would have been more severe.
"She could get a cut like that from falling off her bike," he said.
OWNER IN DENIAL
Marchica has gathered statements from several other neighbors, describing the dog as "friendly" or "well-mannered." One wrote it should be muzzled, a precaution Marchica said he plans to take.
(Orlando Sentinel - November 30, 2011)
Erica Lienhart spotted a leashed German shepherd named Monty in the playground at Blue Jacket Park on Nov. 4 and asked owner Joseph Marchica whether she could say hi to the dog.
 |
| Erica Lienhart |
When the girl reached for the dog, it bit her face. She was hospitalized and underwent plastic surgery. Her parents say she may need additional procedures.
But though state and county laws seem to specify the dog should be euthanized, Erica's parents were outraged to find out that the county will instead hold a hearing Thursday to determine its fate.
Monty's owner, however, argues that his pet was startled by the child, and though he's dismayed that the girl was hurt, he doesn't think his pet deserves to die.
The bite left a small, jagged wound on Erica's face that needed surgery, as well as scraping and bruising, photos taken after the incident show.
Her father, Orlando attorney David Lienhart, says this meets the county's standard to warrant "expeditious" euthanasia: "serious injury" to a person, including "disfiguring lacerations or injuries requiring sutures or reconstructive surgery."
Nearly identical language appears in state law as well. However, officials say the "dangerous dog" hearing set for Thursday will enable them to hear arguments before making a determination.
The hearing follows a quarantine period for the dog, which is standard procedure in Orange County. Monty could be deemed dangerous or potentially dangerous and sent home, or could be put down.
"It's really just an opportunity for both sides to have their arguments heard," OCAS spokeswoman Kat Kennedy said.
Other local agencies follow a similar process to the one the Lienharts have experienced: an investigation, hearings and an appeal process that in some ways mirrors the criminal-justice system.
Though the process is similar, the use of euthanasia varies: In Osceola County, for example, officials consider it only in the most extreme cases, while in Seminole, officials say they tend toward putting dogs down in cases involving any serious injury.
"It's not easy to take the dog and kill it," said Officer Sergio Pacheco of Volusia County Animal Services. He said many factors play a part, including the circumstances of each bite.
Lienhart, however, argues the statute is clear. A lawyer, he says that not euthanizing the dog that injured his daughter could not only endanger others, but also leave the local government liable for the next attack.
"It's a matter of time with this dog," Lienhart said. "It's a bad dog."
The day their daughter was bitten, the Lienharts reported the attack to Orange County Animal Services, which dispatched investigators to Marchica's home in Baldwin Park.
DOG HAS ATTACKED BEFORE
When neighbor Meredith Gibbs saw the Animal Services vehicle arrive, "my stomach just dropped," she recalled. "Please, don't let it be another bite."
Gibbs was bitten by the same dog in late June, a report states. She said she approached Marchica to see his baby, and Monty bit her thigh, inflicting several puncture wounds.
Gibbs contacted David Lienhart. In light of the previous bite, Lienhart says, the attack on Erica was "very foreseeable," and the animal never should have been in a park with children.
According to Gibbs, the dog has a bad reputation in her Baldwin Park neighborhood. One neighbor carries a concealed weapon for fear of it, Gibbs said, and others have complained.
One, Latanae Parker, wrote an email to OCAS last week expressing "complete shock and horror that this dog has not been euthanized" and could potentially be released.
"Many times I have walked by the [Marchicas'] backyard and have heard the dog through the fence snarling and barking at me," wrote Parker, who said she has a young daughter of her own.
Marchica says Monty bit Gibbs because it had spotted another dog down the street. He accused Gibbs of exaggerating the severity of her bite in conversations with David Lienhart.
The dog bit Erica, he said, because she reached for it unexpectedly. He says Monty was likely only warning Erica; had the dog meant to attack, he argues, the damage would have been more severe.
"She could get a cut like that from falling off her bike," he said.
OWNER IN DENIAL
Marchica has gathered statements from several other neighbors, describing the dog as "friendly" or "well-mannered." One wrote it should be muzzled, a precaution Marchica said he plans to take.
(Orlando Sentinel - November 30, 2011)
Poodle Nurses Wounds After Pit Bull Attack
MARYLAND -- A Baltimore woman's poodle is nursing serious wounds after being attacked by two pit bulls.
The attack happened in the Patterson Park neighborhood on Nov. 18.
The woman said the pit bulls weren't on a leash nor were they wearing collars, and they were roaming the neighborhood unattended. She said she wants the dogs and their owners to face the consequences.
Joanne Dolgow's 3-year-old poodle, Mischa, was bandaged, sore and recovering on Monday from the attack that almost killed him more than a week earlier.
"I, personally, in my life, have never witnessed anything so horrible," Dolgow said.
On Nov. 18, Dolgow said she pulled up to her house and let Mischa out of the back seat.
"I turn around, the dog is lying on the curb and these two pit bulls are on him, and they are ripping flesh. They are literally ripping his flesh," Dolgow said.
A neighbor heard screams from the woman and the dog,and ran to help.
"There was no collar or leash (on the pit bulls)," the neighbor said. "I grabbed them by the tail, (but they) wouldn't let go, (so I) started pulling it and shaking it."
Dolgow said she and her neighbor were throwing bricks and pieces of wood at the dogs.
Eventually, they backed off, but Mischa was in bad shape. Dolgow described his leg as "shredded" from paw to shoulder. She said his tendons were exposed and he had dozens of puncture wounds all over his body, and underwent five hours of surgery.
The veterinarian compared the wound on Mischa's front left leg to a shark bite.
"He said that (the pit bulls) had to be trained fighting dogs," Dolgow said.
Dolgow was bit on her thumb. A second dog and its owner were also attacked by the dogs that same day, and Baltimore city police and Animal Control said they're investigating the case.
Authorities said the pit bulls have been removed from their owner's custody. No one came to the door at the owner's home Monday night.
Dolgow said she has filed an official complaint against the dogs and their owners.
"We think that these dogs need to be put down," Dolgow said. "I mean, what if a toddler had been out here playing? A toddler would have been killed. (My dog) almost died."
Mischa will need more surgery and will likely always have a limp, the veterinarian said.
The owners told police that the pit bulls escaped from their yard. A hearing to decide what will happen to the dogs is due to take place next month.
(WBAL - Nov 29, 2011)
The attack happened in the Patterson Park neighborhood on Nov. 18.
The woman said the pit bulls weren't on a leash nor were they wearing collars, and they were roaming the neighborhood unattended. She said she wants the dogs and their owners to face the consequences.
Joanne Dolgow's 3-year-old poodle, Mischa, was bandaged, sore and recovering on Monday from the attack that almost killed him more than a week earlier.
"I, personally, in my life, have never witnessed anything so horrible," Dolgow said.
On Nov. 18, Dolgow said she pulled up to her house and let Mischa out of the back seat.
"I turn around, the dog is lying on the curb and these two pit bulls are on him, and they are ripping flesh. They are literally ripping his flesh," Dolgow said.
A neighbor heard screams from the woman and the dog,and ran to help.
"There was no collar or leash (on the pit bulls)," the neighbor said. "I grabbed them by the tail, (but they) wouldn't let go, (so I) started pulling it and shaking it."
Dolgow said she and her neighbor were throwing bricks and pieces of wood at the dogs.
Eventually, they backed off, but Mischa was in bad shape. Dolgow described his leg as "shredded" from paw to shoulder. She said his tendons were exposed and he had dozens of puncture wounds all over his body, and underwent five hours of surgery.
The veterinarian compared the wound on Mischa's front left leg to a shark bite.
"He said that (the pit bulls) had to be trained fighting dogs," Dolgow said.
Dolgow was bit on her thumb. A second dog and its owner were also attacked by the dogs that same day, and Baltimore city police and Animal Control said they're investigating the case.
Authorities said the pit bulls have been removed from their owner's custody. No one came to the door at the owner's home Monday night.
Dolgow said she has filed an official complaint against the dogs and their owners.
"We think that these dogs need to be put down," Dolgow said. "I mean, what if a toddler had been out here playing? A toddler would have been killed. (My dog) almost died."
Mischa will need more surgery and will likely always have a limp, the veterinarian said.
The owners told police that the pit bulls escaped from their yard. A hearing to decide what will happen to the dogs is due to take place next month.
(WBAL - Nov 29, 2011)
Police Officer Shoots, Kills Dog After Attack
NORTH CAROLINA -- A dog shot by a police officer who attacked him and bit another person tested negative for rabies, Grifton Police Chief Bryan Cauley said.
The pit-bull, named Patches, had attacked a woman walking down Queen Street Sunday afternoon.
Grifton Police officer James Andrews shot the dog after he said it charged toward him and grabbed his pant leg with its teeth while he was outside the dog owner's home.
The pit-bull was sent off for a rabies test on Monday, Cauley said.
Cauley said his department will be determining of charges will be brought against the dog owner for the first attack on the woman.
PREVIOUS STORY:
A Grifton Police officer shot and killed the dog he was investigating after the animal attacked the officer, according to Grifton Police.
The pit-bull, named Patches, had attacked Madeline Barrow while she was walking on the 700 block of Queen Street Sunday afternoon, police said.
When officer James Andrews arrived at the scene, the dog charged the officer and grabbed his pant leg with its teeth.
"It was either the dog bites me or I lay the dog down," Officer Andrews said. "I chose to lay the dog down."
The officer fired one shot, which killed the animal.
"I could have shot myself the dog was so close," Andrews said.
The call came in at about 2:30 p.m.
Barrow was taken to Pitt County Memorial Hospital with injuries to her leg.
The police officer was not injured.
Whether the animal's owner will be charged is pending the ongoing investigation.
"The dog's owner was really sad," Andrews said. "The dog was part of their family."
Next-door neighbor Douglas Pierce said he's never heard of the dog attacking anyone in the four years he's lived in Grifton.
"I walk past the dog every day and all it does is barks," Pierce said. "It was probably protecting the owner."
The case is still under investigation by the Grifton Police Department which is awaiting the results of a rabies test performed Monday, police said.
Sunday's incident was Andrews' first time firing his weapon in the four years he's been with the department, Andrews said.
Even though he's one of only six officers to patrol Grifton, Andrews said what happened Sunday is a prime example of always expecting the unexpected.
"I didn't want to get hurt," Andrews said. "That's what it's all about. Going home after your shift."
(WCTI - Nov 30, 2011)
The pit-bull, named Patches, had attacked a woman walking down Queen Street Sunday afternoon.
Grifton Police officer James Andrews shot the dog after he said it charged toward him and grabbed his pant leg with its teeth while he was outside the dog owner's home.
The pit-bull was sent off for a rabies test on Monday, Cauley said.
Cauley said his department will be determining of charges will be brought against the dog owner for the first attack on the woman.
PREVIOUS STORY:
A Grifton Police officer shot and killed the dog he was investigating after the animal attacked the officer, according to Grifton Police.
The pit-bull, named Patches, had attacked Madeline Barrow while she was walking on the 700 block of Queen Street Sunday afternoon, police said.
When officer James Andrews arrived at the scene, the dog charged the officer and grabbed his pant leg with its teeth.
"It was either the dog bites me or I lay the dog down," Officer Andrews said. "I chose to lay the dog down."
The officer fired one shot, which killed the animal.
"I could have shot myself the dog was so close," Andrews said.
The call came in at about 2:30 p.m.
Barrow was taken to Pitt County Memorial Hospital with injuries to her leg.
The police officer was not injured.
Whether the animal's owner will be charged is pending the ongoing investigation.
"The dog's owner was really sad," Andrews said. "The dog was part of their family."
Next-door neighbor Douglas Pierce said he's never heard of the dog attacking anyone in the four years he's lived in Grifton.
"I walk past the dog every day and all it does is barks," Pierce said. "It was probably protecting the owner."
The case is still under investigation by the Grifton Police Department which is awaiting the results of a rabies test performed Monday, police said.
Sunday's incident was Andrews' first time firing his weapon in the four years he's been with the department, Andrews said.
Even though he's one of only six officers to patrol Grifton, Andrews said what happened Sunday is a prime example of always expecting the unexpected.
"I didn't want to get hurt," Andrews said. "That's what it's all about. Going home after your shift."
(WCTI - Nov 30, 2011)
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
Ohio: Peter Bower admits to bestiality; will get no jail time because Ohio is a backwards state with no law against sexually abusing animals
OHIO -- A man who admitted to having sex with RAPING his dog will not face jail time.
Evidence photos obtained by 10TV show Peter Bower with two of the dogs he used to own.
A file of evidence against Bower also contained a love letter he addressed to his dog named Maggie, 10TV’s Glenn McEntyre reported.
In the letter, Bower wrote repeatedly of his love for Maggie and admitted tohaving sex with RAPING her. "We made love," he wrote.
The file also contained photographs of Bower RAPINGengaged in sexual intercourse with the dog.
In the absence of a law banning bestiality in Ohio, the strongest charge prosecutors could pursue against Bower was animal cruelty, McEntyre reported.
In order to prove animal cruelty, prosecutors had to prove that the animals were injured because of the sexual contact Bower had with them.
“The prosecutor moved to dismiss several charges that he felt he could not prove due to the fact that he could not show the actual harm to the animal,” Shelby Municipal Court Judge Jon Schaefer said.
Is a child being raped always going to show physical injury to their genitals? No.
Schaefer said both sides agreed to a plea deal.
In exchange for a “no contest” plea to charge of injuring animals, Bower was sentenced to 80 days of community service, two-years of probation, ordered to attend sexual addiction classes, and prohibited from owning an animal during the 2 year probation period.
Investigators, the prosecutors and the judge all said that under current Ohio law, it was the best they could do.
“I think the resolution is appropriate because we have a very sick individual,” Schaefer said. “This way we’re gonna get that individual, hopefully, into counseling.”
They say for a tough sentence, Ohio will need to create a tougher law.
Schaefer said that if Bower fails to get counseling he could be ordered to jail for 180 days [which is nothing].
Bower declined to comment, McEntyre reported.
(10tv - Nov 28, 2011)
Evidence photos obtained by 10TV show Peter Bower with two of the dogs he used to own.
A file of evidence against Bower also contained a love letter he addressed to his dog named Maggie, 10TV’s Glenn McEntyre reported.
In the letter, Bower wrote repeatedly of his love for Maggie and admitted to
The file also contained photographs of Bower RAPING
In the absence of a law banning bestiality in Ohio, the strongest charge prosecutors could pursue against Bower was animal cruelty, McEntyre reported.
In order to prove animal cruelty, prosecutors had to prove that the animals were injured because of the sexual contact Bower had with them.
“The prosecutor moved to dismiss several charges that he felt he could not prove due to the fact that he could not show the actual harm to the animal,” Shelby Municipal Court Judge Jon Schaefer said.
Is a child being raped always going to show physical injury to their genitals? No.
In exchange for a “no contest” plea to charge of injuring animals, Bower was sentenced to 80 days of community service, two-years of probation, ordered to attend sexual addiction classes, and prohibited from owning an animal during the 2 year probation period.
Investigators, the prosecutors and the judge all said that under current Ohio law, it was the best they could do.
“I think the resolution is appropriate because we have a very sick individual,” Schaefer said. “This way we’re gonna get that individual, hopefully, into counseling.”
They say for a tough sentence, Ohio will need to create a tougher law.
Schaefer said that if Bower fails to get counseling he could be ordered to jail for 180 days [which is nothing].
Bower declined to comment, McEntyre reported.
(10tv - Nov 28, 2011)
Earlier:
Sunday, November 27, 2011
Little Girl Attacked by Pit bull Speaks Out
TEXAS -- A little girl who lives in Frontera Heights, just north of Weslaco, was rescued by a neighbor as she was being attacked by a pit bull.
Brenda Jimenez was simply walking to her friend's house Tuesday afternoon, when the pit bull next door, decided to attack.
The 9-year-old says the gate was left open where the dog lives. Brenda says the dog jumped on her knocking her onto the floor. She thought it was going to kill her.
Fortunately neighbor Alfredo Acuna was driving by when the attack had just gotten underway.
"I thought they were two pit bulls fighting. I stopped and there was a little girl under the pit bull and I noticed that the dog had her from one foot and it took off some skin and head punctures, a lot of punctures" Acuna said.
Acuna says he hit the dog on the head and it ran off. Acuna doesn't consider himself a hero; Brenda's family are thankful he was there.
The girl's family is also worried that the pit bull could be released back to its owner if its released from quarantine in 30 days.
We found out the property is on sale at a reduce price.
The property where the pit bull lives is for sale, and federal documents obtained by KRGV.com indicate Ruben Salinas is one of the sellers. Salinas was caught trying to drive a tractor trailer loaded with 287 kilos of marijuana through the Falfurrias checkpoint in August of 2010, according to the report.
An indictment alleged an ongoing conspiracy dating back to 2008 also involving at least 106 kilos of cocaine and 46 kilos of methamphetamine.
Court records show Ruben and Angelica Salinas and Fernando Perales have both entered guilty pleas. They're scheduled to be sentenced in February of next year.
(KRGV - Nov 24, 2011)
Brenda Jimenez was simply walking to her friend's house Tuesday afternoon, when the pit bull next door, decided to attack.
The 9-year-old says the gate was left open where the dog lives. Brenda says the dog jumped on her knocking her onto the floor. She thought it was going to kill her.
Fortunately neighbor Alfredo Acuna was driving by when the attack had just gotten underway.
"I thought they were two pit bulls fighting. I stopped and there was a little girl under the pit bull and I noticed that the dog had her from one foot and it took off some skin and head punctures, a lot of punctures" Acuna said.
Acuna says he hit the dog on the head and it ran off. Acuna doesn't consider himself a hero; Brenda's family are thankful he was there.
The girl's family is also worried that the pit bull could be released back to its owner if its released from quarantine in 30 days.
We found out the property is on sale at a reduce price.
The property where the pit bull lives is for sale, and federal documents obtained by KRGV.com indicate Ruben Salinas is one of the sellers. Salinas was caught trying to drive a tractor trailer loaded with 287 kilos of marijuana through the Falfurrias checkpoint in August of 2010, according to the report.
An indictment alleged an ongoing conspiracy dating back to 2008 also involving at least 106 kilos of cocaine and 46 kilos of methamphetamine.
Court records show Ruben and Angelica Salinas and Fernando Perales have both entered guilty pleas. They're scheduled to be sentenced in February of next year.
(KRGV - Nov 24, 2011)
Doniphan woman bitten by pit bull
NEBRASKA -- It was an unseasonably warm Sunday for November -- a nice day for a run. Not that it needed to be nice. Jeanine Lackey of Doniphan was an all-season exerciser. She would typically go out five or six times a week for either a five-mile run or a three-mile walk.
Nov. 6 was no different -- or so she thought.
She padded off into the gravel along Buffalo Road. The scenery there is nice -- open cornfields, blue sky -- and there's less traffic than the paved roads leading to the Amick Acres subdivision.
As she jogged, a yellow Lab at the first farmhouse on the right got up to bark her usual hello and give Lackey a friendly tail wave. The sun felt good on Lackey's skin as she passed the country home of a county sheriff's deputy.
Then she slowed. The next house -- on the east side of Buffalo Road -- always had a group of dogs.
They always ran out onto the road and barked at Lackey, so she always walked by there, not wanting to stir them up. She hadn't seen the dogs out the past two weeks, but she slowed anyway to a brisk walk.
She heard the dogs bark, so she moved to the west side of the road with her little black mutt of a dog leashed close by her side.
The pack darted out. There were two pit bulls, a pit bull puppy, a Chihuahua, a basset hound and a blue heeler mix that stayed back off the road. A big black dog that she was used to seeing wasn't there this time.
Lackey was nervous but figured it would be the routine rush out to the road, some barking, some sniffing and then retreating. She kept focused on the road and gathered her own dog's leash a little tighter.
That's when it happened.
The large brown pit bull didn't back away this time. He came right at Lackey.
He turned only enough to get behind her and lunged -- sinking his teeth into Lackey's upper left thigh.
Now she was scared. She screamed.
"No, no, no. Go home," Lackey said as she pointed her finger at the dog.
It let go, seemingly unable to get a good grip on her slick running pants. She gathered up her own dog and walked backward as she continued to yell at the dog.
"I thought it was going to come at me again," she said, wide-eyed.
She made her way to the deputy's house. He was home and called animal control.
Lead animal control officer Libbie Dethloff of the Central Nebraska Humane Society said, in this case, "there was nothing the victim could have done differently."
The dog owner, Melinda Brittain of 11535 S. Buffalo Road, told officers she had let 2-year-old unneutered male pit bull "Bud" out to relieve himself...
Another recent pit bull bite case in Grand Island has been appealed to Grand Island's Animal Advisory Board. The hearing will be at noon Monday. It's the second time that the 2-year-old white pit bull named Phantom has bitten someone in Grand Island.
The first bite happened on Sept. 7, when a utility worker was bitten while the dog was chained in the yard on a leash that reached into the alley and to the pole where the city employee was working. The second bite, on Nov. 15, happened when a passerby was attacked by the dog after it ran out of a house at 2403 W. North Front.
Bud and Phantom were both current on rabies shots, but Laurie Dethloff said other changes need to occur in animal regulations. She's working with the Animal Advisory Board to consider a new tethering law that would allow dogs in Grand Island to be chained or leashed for no more than 20 minutes. Being chained makes a dog aggressive, she said.
The proposal is expected to go before the Grand Island City Council in the spring.
Lackey took herself to the emergency room after being bitten. She was given a tetanus shot and multiple days of antibiotics. She had a recheck after two weeks, when bruising from the four-puncture bite was still about eight to 10 inches long. She missed a day of work, has trouble sitting in her car to drive and still can't sleep on her left side.
Bud was deemed dangerous, meaning that he must be muzzled when off his property. When he's at home, he must be inside the house or inside an outside kennel that is escape-proof with a concrete floor and a wire top. Brittain didn't contest the declaration.
Phantom has also been deemed dangerous, but owner Chad Faubion is appealing.
(The Independent - November 26, 2011)
Nov. 6 was no different -- or so she thought.
 |
| Recovering from the pit bull attack |
She padded off into the gravel along Buffalo Road. The scenery there is nice -- open cornfields, blue sky -- and there's less traffic than the paved roads leading to the Amick Acres subdivision.
As she jogged, a yellow Lab at the first farmhouse on the right got up to bark her usual hello and give Lackey a friendly tail wave. The sun felt good on Lackey's skin as she passed the country home of a county sheriff's deputy.
Then she slowed. The next house -- on the east side of Buffalo Road -- always had a group of dogs.
They always ran out onto the road and barked at Lackey, so she always walked by there, not wanting to stir them up. She hadn't seen the dogs out the past two weeks, but she slowed anyway to a brisk walk.
She heard the dogs bark, so she moved to the west side of the road with her little black mutt of a dog leashed close by her side.
The pack darted out. There were two pit bulls, a pit bull puppy, a Chihuahua, a basset hound and a blue heeler mix that stayed back off the road. A big black dog that she was used to seeing wasn't there this time.
Lackey was nervous but figured it would be the routine rush out to the road, some barking, some sniffing and then retreating. She kept focused on the road and gathered her own dog's leash a little tighter.
That's when it happened.
The large brown pit bull didn't back away this time. He came right at Lackey.
He turned only enough to get behind her and lunged -- sinking his teeth into Lackey's upper left thigh.
Now she was scared. She screamed.
"No, no, no. Go home," Lackey said as she pointed her finger at the dog.
It let go, seemingly unable to get a good grip on her slick running pants. She gathered up her own dog and walked backward as she continued to yell at the dog.
"I thought it was going to come at me again," she said, wide-eyed.
She made her way to the deputy's house. He was home and called animal control.
Lead animal control officer Libbie Dethloff of the Central Nebraska Humane Society said, in this case, "there was nothing the victim could have done differently."
The dog owner, Melinda Brittain of 11535 S. Buffalo Road, told officers she had let 2-year-old unneutered male pit bull "Bud" out to relieve himself...
Another recent pit bull bite case in Grand Island has been appealed to Grand Island's Animal Advisory Board. The hearing will be at noon Monday. It's the second time that the 2-year-old white pit bull named Phantom has bitten someone in Grand Island.
The first bite happened on Sept. 7, when a utility worker was bitten while the dog was chained in the yard on a leash that reached into the alley and to the pole where the city employee was working. The second bite, on Nov. 15, happened when a passerby was attacked by the dog after it ran out of a house at 2403 W. North Front.
Bud and Phantom were both current on rabies shots, but Laurie Dethloff said other changes need to occur in animal regulations. She's working with the Animal Advisory Board to consider a new tethering law that would allow dogs in Grand Island to be chained or leashed for no more than 20 minutes. Being chained makes a dog aggressive, she said.
The proposal is expected to go before the Grand Island City Council in the spring.
Lackey took herself to the emergency room after being bitten. She was given a tetanus shot and multiple days of antibiotics. She had a recheck after two weeks, when bruising from the four-puncture bite was still about eight to 10 inches long. She missed a day of work, has trouble sitting in her car to drive and still can't sleep on her left side.
Bud was deemed dangerous, meaning that he must be muzzled when off his property. When he's at home, he must be inside the house or inside an outside kennel that is escape-proof with a concrete floor and a wire top. Brittain didn't contest the declaration.
Phantom has also been deemed dangerous, but owner Chad Faubion is appealing.
(The Independent - November 26, 2011)
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