Vermont: Lisa Demar was seriously injured in both her legs in a pit bull attack. Why won't anyone do anything about the dog, which is still living with its owners?

VERMONT -- Hospital visits, pain and infection have taken over a St. Albans woman's life after she was reportedly attacked by a dog.

Worried about her well-being, her family contacted WCAX saying although the attack happened this fall nothing has been done to help her.

Her daughter posted this September 11th

It's been nearly two months since Lisa Demar woke up in an ambulance face to face with a terrifying reality.

"Both legs. They got my left and down here on my right," said Demar.

 

She says she was attacked by a dog when she stopped by an acquaintance's home to pick up keys for a friend.

Now, she says her wounds and the infection that has taken over leave her in pain unable to work.

"Fighting to still keep the leg," said Demar.

Attempts to talk to the dog's owners were not successful.

WCAX wanted to ask St. Albans police what is being done about the dog, but no one would speak on camera. A police report of the incident shows the dog is still with its owners being confined to their property and it's muzzled if it's outdoors. The police do not plan to pursue further action.

My guess is that they're not doing anything because the dog was on its own property when it attacked her. She needs to get an attorney and sue them civilly. 

But for Demar, that's not enough. She wants the city to take action.

"I've only gotten like two different phone calls from two different men so I don't even know who is who," said Demar.

According to St. Albans City law, when a pet has bitten or attacked a person the victim should file a written complaint with the Animal Control Officer or City Council. That way the city council can weigh whether a hearing about putting the dog down or taking other measures would be necessary.

But when WCAX heard back from the town manager later Thursday, Demar and her family may have talked to city officials and he has talked with her lawyers, but she must file a written complaint. It is not clear if it's been explained to her that she needs to do that.

GoFundMe: "Please help raise money for my mom"
My mom was attacked by a pit bull last night, her leg was mauled and may never be the same! She will be out of work for a very long Time. She has a very long road to recovery. We are asking for people to donate anything they can to help with bills still coming in and every day needs with having a young child! Every penny will help

Update on my mom, she has an appointment with an orthopedic surgeon tomorrow to find out exactly where they will begin. My mother is the strongest woman I know and she will get through this with the help and support from all of us!! Thank you so much to who has donated, and also thank you to everyone who has shared!

My mom went to the surgeon today, she was told that her leg has an infection. She will be having surgery next week. We are all very thankful for the donations we have received!

WHY DON'T PIT BULL LOVERS DONATE?

After nearly 2 months, this GoFundMe has only raised $140. If just a fraction of the people who regularly post online defending pibbles and pitties and demand that we blame the deed and not the breed and that Chihuahuas and Golden Retrievers bite more... if just a fraction of these people each donated $1, this woman would have more than enough money for her medical bills. She is not going to be up and running anytime soon. She is facing months, maybe years of physical therapy and surgeries and possibly spending the rest of her life on Disability and unable to work. 

(WCAX - Nov 3, 2016)

Earlier:

• Vermont: Daughter asks for prayers after her mother was attacked by a pit bull

Defendant in Sheltie abuse case incompetent

MICHIGAN -- A St. Louis woman charged with abusing numerous dogs has been found incompetent to stand trial.

The finding is in the case of Jean Wess Hansen, 72, who faces once count of abandonment or cruelty to 10 of more animals. The charge was filed after authorities seized 38 Shetland sheepdogs from her West Pine River Road home in July.

Hansen has forfeited the animals, which went on to give birth to puppies after they were seized, bringing the total of 68 dogs.

“She cannot meaningfully assist her own attorney in her defense,” Midland County Chief Assistant Prosecutor Erik S.H. Wallen said.

Hansen’s attorney, Philip R. Sturtz of Saginaw, requested that his client be evaluated for competency due to her inability to stay on track and answer questions about the case. In the motion, Sturtz stated Hansen is paranoid, distrustful, has extreme difficulty in communication, and her statements border on the irrational and unbelievable. He also wrote she jumps from topic to topic, does not understand court procedures and is not capable of assisting him to evaluate the testimony of witnesses in the case.

Midland County Circuit Court Judge Michael J. Beale previously ordered Hansen be sent to the Center for Forensic Psychiatry for evaluations on competency and criminal responsibility, which were conducted on Nov. 7. The doctor who saw Hansen is optimistic that she could regain competency with intensive treatment.

Wallen said the case will be set for a status conference in two weeks, during which time the next step in the case will be decided. That next step could include an order for Hansen to undergo treatment.

The case was bound over to the circuit court after a preliminary exam in September, during which Midland County Animal Control Deputy Rick Shields and Dr. Janet Sherwood, a veterinarian at Midland Animal Clinic, were called as witnesses.

Shields testified he received calls from veterinarians in other counties and an animal control official from another county where Hansen had been watched due to concerns about unhealthy, malnourished and injured animals. Shields and others from the sheriff’s office went to Hansen’s home on July 3 to conduct a search warrant, seized the animals and recorded what they saw.

Wallen presented the photos and some videos depicting the conditions inside Hansen’s mobile home, including a 2-inch thick layer of fecal material covering the floors, urine and fecal material on furniture and tracked up the walls, as well as garbage bags of trash and the carcasses of two dead Shelties.

Sherwood said dogs are rated on a scale of 1 to 9, with 1 signifying emaciated and 9 overweight. All the dogs at the scene were scored between 1 and 3.

The charge is a felony punishable by up to four years in prison, a $5,000 fine, up to 500 hours of community service, or any combination of penalties

(Midland Daily News-Nov 27, 2013)

Earlier:

• Midland Co. woman facing animal cruelty charge, 38 Shelties rescued from home
• Dog finds forever home after 'largest ever shelter seizure of Shelties' in Michigan
• Former owner of 38 seized Shelties in Midland County claims someone stalked and harmed dogs

Palmetto man convicted of cruelty after puppy's ears cut off

FLORIDA -- A Palmetto man has been convicted of animal cruelty for not taking his puppy to the veterinarian after its ears were cut off.

Adrian Trevino, 22, was found guilty late Tuesday in a jury trial of one misdemeanor count of animal cruelty.

Trevino was initially charged May 15 with a felony, accused of cutting the dog's ears, inflicting unnecessary pain and not seeking medical attention for the dog's pain and suffering.

"He was in possession of this dog, the evidence shows that he was responsible for the well-being of that dog," Assistant State Attorney Lisa Chittaro said. "Therefore he is the one accountable for the well-being of the dog and he didn't do anything about it."

Trevino faces up to two years in prison and $1,000 in fines. The sentencing hearing has not been set.

The Manatee County Sheriff's Office initially received the complaint April 4. Neighbors reported Trevino had cut the ears off his puppy pit bull.

When deputies responded to the scene, the puppy was in the arms of one of the neighbors who made the complaint.

As deputies were speaking with the neighbor: "Adrian approached me and asked if he could have his dog back," one deputy wrote.

Deputies asked Trevino how long he had the puppy.

"Adrian said he found the dog last night at around 2100 (9 p.m.) in Rubonia while driving," the deputy wrote. "He said the dog's ears were already cut up, and he took it home and put antibiotic ointment on them."

Deputies reported the dog had a harness on that fit perfectly.

Animal control was called out to assist.

"The ears did not look like they were removed by a trained vet," animal control officers wrote in a report. "They looked like they were hacked off with scissors or a knife."

Neighbors told investigators Trevino had the dog for weeks and its ears had been fine until the day they reported it.

The dog was taken into custody by animal control. In addition to its ears being cut down to the cartilage, the puppy was also malnourished and had hookworms.

"The only reason the dog got medical attention was because the neighbors called 911," Chittaro said.

"The vet testified that if the dog had not received the medical attention at the time, the result would probably had been death."

During testimony, a veterinarian testified the wounds were consistent with scissors or a knife, she said.

Trevino remains free on a $10,000 bond.

(Bradenton Herald - Nov 28, 2013)

New Yorkers fined for selling dying horse in New Holland

NEW YORK -- "Two New Yorkers have been ordered to pay heavy fines for the illegal sale of a lame horse this summer at New Holland Sales Stables.

Arlow Kiehl, 80, was convicted at a summary trial Thursday of animal cruelty, specifically conducting a sale of a disabled horse.

District Judge Rodney Hartman ordered Kiehl pay $1,559 in fines and restitution following the hour-long hearing.

Kiehl initially attempted to enter the horse for auction on Aug. 12, but auction officials refused, citing the horse's injury.

Kiehl then sold "Phoenix", a 10-year-old gelding, to a private buyer at the auction, according to officials.

Sabina Mattern, a Mount Joy woman who paid $400 for Phoenix, took the horse to a veterinarian, who had it euthanized.

Doctors determined that Phoenix had a chronic hoof issue that caused severe pain, according to Keith Mohler, Humane Society officer for the state SPCA.Mohler charged Kiehl and the initial owner of the horse, Wayne Gonyaw of McGraw, N.Y.

Gonyaw previously pleaded guilty and paid the maximum $750 fine, court records indicate.

Phoenix was used primarily as a work horse in New York before Gonyaw had Kiehl conduct the sale here, according to officials.

The hoof injury had been present for quite some time, Mohler said.

"It would have been extremely painful for the horse to walk or stand" he said.

Mohler credited Mattern for getting Phoenix to the vet and auction officials for refusing to sell the horse.

(Lancaster Online - Nov 7, 2013)

Police: Animal abuser starves, threatens to hang dogs

GEORGIA -- Every room soaked in dog feces and urine — that's how police described the state of a 17th Avenue home where five dogs were allegedly being starved before the alleged cruelty was reported Wednesday.

Samuel Russell, who claims no responsibility for the dogs, nonetheless faced five charges of animal cruelty and terroristic threats during a Friday morning Recorder's Court hearing.

Officers said they first began looking into 21-year-old Russell's treatment of the dogs after midnight Wednesday when his former girlfriend called.

She told police she had been trying to get her five dogs back for weeks following Russell kicking her out, and feared they were being mistreated. Her decision to contact police came after he allegedly sent her two threatening messages — one promising she "had a bullet coming" for her, the other warning that her "dogs will be hanging."

After ordering Russell to let police into the house, officers reported hastily filled food and water bowls that looked as if they had been left empty long before their arrival. In the bathroom, the toilet lid had been broken by dogs attempting to push it aside, looking for water.

Investigators described carpets throughout the house saturated with waste, and dogs that looked as if they had not been cared for in days. Many of the animals looked as if they had not been fed in weeks.

When officers asked Russell about the dogs, he said that it was his girlfriend's responsibility to care for them everyday. However, the girlfriend testified in court that Russell would not allow her to care for the dogs, which sparked her concern.

Russell also claimed that the threatening text message was a result of his bipolar disorder, and that he meant to say that the bullet was for him.

During court, Russell claimed to have fed the animals, but said the task was difficult.

"I've fed them, but there's only so much food," Russell said. "That Great Dane eats two or three bowls a day."

Judge Michael Joyner set Russell's bond at $10,000. His case will be forwarded to Muscogee County State Court.

(ledger-enquirer.com - Nov 29, 2013)

Woman convicted of animal abuse

CALIFORNIA -- A Solano County Superior Court jury on Tuesday convicted a woman of a felony animal cruelty charge after she was seen dropping, kicking and feeding a newborn lamb beer outside of a Vacaville restaurant earlier this year.

After a two day trial, Lillian Wohn, 23, was found guilty of the felony charge related to her abuse of the baby lamb on May 11 outside of Burger City on Elmira Road.

 

A restaurant patron testified that Wohn was seen with the baby Barbados lamb in her arms and calling it her "baby" before dropping it on the ground.

Kristy Fergen testified that she stepped outside the restaurant when someone told her there was a woman with a baby goat outside.

"I asked her why she had a baby goat," Fergen testified. "She said it was her baby, at first," she added.Fergen testified that Wohn then dropped the animal on the ground from 2 to 3 feet in the air, causing it to cry out.

"It was just too weak to stand up," Fergen testified.

The lamb bleated and then urinated after Wohn nudged it with her foot before picking it up by its front paws, hoisting it into the air and then re-cradling it in her arms, according to Fergin.

"It didn't move, so that's when she kicked it," she added.

Wohn also briefly tried to feed her lamb some beer from a Budweiser can she had in a purse before the attention made her skittish and she gathered up her bags and her lamb and quickly walked off, tossing the lamb into some nearby bushes, Fergin testified.

Fergen testified that she tried to get the baby animal away from Wohn but was unsuccessful. Wohn then hurried off with the lamb and bags containing her belongings.

According to testimony, that's when police showed up and took a combative Wohn into custody and turned the lamb over to an officer with Humane Animal Services.

Ilsi Medearis, chief veterinarian at the Solano-Napa Pet Emergency Clinic, testified that she treated the animal, but observed no external injuries. After a two-night stay, the baby lamb, which still had a part of its umbilical cord attached, was released back to animal control officers.

Wohn's defense counsel argued that because the animal had no apparent injuries, she should be found not guilty.

However, prosecuting Deputy District Attorney Natasha Jontulovich called the defense argument "bogus" and argued that she needed only prove that Wohn's actions caused danger to the animal.

"She abused that animal plain and simple," Jontulovich said.

Wohn was ordered back to court at 8:30 a.m. on Dec. 23 for sentencing. She remains in Solano County Jail without bail.

(The Reporter - Nov 27, 2013)

Junction City man pleads no contest to cruelty to girlfriend's cat

KANSAS -- A Junction City man has pleaded no contest to animal cruelty over the treatment of his girlfriend's cat, which was found dead with items stuffed in its throat.

The Daily Union reports William Lemieux Jr. entered the plea to the felony charge Wednesday in Geary County District Court.

Lemieux had been jailed since he was arrested Nov. 14, after his girlfriend found her cat dead in a bag placed in a trash bin near their home.

Assistant County Attorney Michelle Brown said a veterinarian later examined the cat's body and found three cigarettes and a cotton swab jammed in its throat.

Brown said the couple had been arguing, and Lemieux originally told police that the "cat fell over" when he slammed a door.

Lemieux will be sentenced Jan. 31.

(KAKE - Nov 30, 2013)

Ontario man charged after bear hit by car then beaten to death with rock

CANADA -- The Ontario SPCA says a Bracebridge, Ont., man is facing charges after a bear was hit with a car and then beaten to death with a rock.

Investigators say the bear was struck in Gravenhurst on Nov. 3.

It was then reported that a man got out of the vehicle and proceeded to beat the bear repeatedly with a rock.

A 41-year-old man has been charged under the Ontario SPCA Act with causing an animal to be in distress, and failure to kill an animal by a method that is humane and minimizes the pain and distress to the animal.

The man, who wasn't identified, is to appear in court in Bracebridge on Jan. 28.

Senior SPCA inspector Steve Toy says any time large wildlife are struck by a motor vehicle on the road, the driver should contact local police as soon as possible.

"If the animal needs to be humanely euthanized, police services are trained to respond to the needs of the situation," Toy said.

(The Canadian Press - Nov 26, 2013)

All Dogs May Go to Heaven. These Days, Some Go to Hospice

FLORIDA -- More and more, cats and dogs get the human treatment. There are pet spas, pet therapists, pet clothes. And as it goes in life, so it now goes in the twilight. The latest phenomenon: pet hospice.

Around the country, a growing number of veterinarians are offering hospice care, and marketing it as a way to give cats and dogs — and their owners — a less anxious, more comfortable passing.

The approach, in the spirit of the human variety, entails ceasing aggressive medical treatment and giving pain and even anti-anxiety drugs. Unlike in hospice care for humans, euthanasia is an option — and in fact, is a big part of this end-of-life turn. When it’s time, the vet performs it in the living room, bedroom or wherever the family feels comfortable.

 

That’s a big part of the job, the vets say, relieving pet owner guilt, giving them an emotional bridge to a pet’s death, and letting them grieve at home — rather than in a clinic or animal shelter. The intimacy carries a premium, sometimes costing 25 percent or more than euthanasia in a clinic. Vets, and their customers, say it can be worth it.

“They’re in their own environment, not only the pet but the owners,” said Dr. Mary Gardner, co-founder of Lap of Love, a Florida-based company that is one of the leaders in a small but growing market. “They’re allowed to have other animals present, other cats or dogs present, other children,” added Dr. Gardner, who refers to a pet’s owner as its “mom” or “dad,” and has since relocated her own practice to Los Angeles. “I’ve been to some homes where they had barbecues for that dog, and invited me and the neighbors, and the dog was the man of the hour.”

Lap of Love’s business has blossomed since 2010 from two providers to more than 68 vet partners in 18 states. The International Association for Animal Hospice and Palliative Care, a group started in 2009, now has 200 members, mostly vets, but also several family therapists, lawyers and an animal sanctuary in Northern California that takes in and provides holistic healing and hospice for terminally ill and elderly pets.

“There is a formal end-of-life movement, a formal hospice movement,” said Dr. Eden Myers, a veterinarian in Kentucky who runs JustVetData.com, which tracks industry trends. Of the providers who do this, she said: “They’re everywhere.”

Dr. Amir Shanan, a vet in Chicago who started the International Association for Animal Hospice, described the movement as growing, but still not mainstream; veterinary schools are only now embracing the idea. “There are skeptics out there,” he said. “But 20 years ago, there was almost no one other than skeptics, and that’s changing rapidly.”

There are no formal standards for this hospice care, and Dr. Shanan said there was a debate about what those standards should look like. “The core of the debate is who is to decide when is the right time to euthanize, if at all,” he said, noting that some hospice supporters advocate giving pets palliative care until they die naturally, as in human hospice.

Hospice and in-home euthanasia are different things. Their growth is owing to similar factors, says Dr. Myers, including a growing acceptance of hospice for humans, as well as cellphones, laptops and online marketing that make mobile vet services easier to operate. Plus, she said, more vets offer the services as a business alternative to the high cost of starting and maintaining a traditional clinic.
“And,” she added, “you’ve got people willing to spend scads of money on their pets.”

For pet owners, the financial implications of this end-of-life movement cut two ways. In one light, hospice can be seen as reducing the cost of aggressive medical care, or it can be seen as its own version of aggressive comfort care, at least when compared to euthanizing a pet sooner.

A hospice or euthanasia visit from Lap of Love generally costs $200 or $250, including drugs.

Euthanasia at a clinic typically runs less, though prices vary widely, and is even less at a nonprofit shelter, like a local animal shelter. Some pet owners say costs are irrelevant given the peace of mind — their own.

“It was more for me than him,” said Jan Dorr, a bookkeeper in Boca Raton, Fla., who was an early Lap of Love customer in 2010. She’d spent $5,000 on chemotherapy for her chocolate lab, Darby, but the dog’s health continued to fail. When she heard about the idea of pet hospice, her reaction was positive; a year earlier, her own father died after a positive hospice experience. She called Dr. Gardner, who helped make Darby comfortable by increasing his pain medications, and giving Ms. Dorr a checklist of ways to recognize when it was time to let go, such as when Darby stopped eating, walking or interacting.

When Darby’s condition worsened just days later, the vet returned to perform euthanasia. Ms. Dorr lay down on her bed with Darby, hugging him. “She let me say when,” Ms. Dorr said, referring to the vet’s final injection. It was far preferable, she said, to the alternative: “I just couldn’t get it into my head to put him on a steel table in a cold room and let him go.”

Kathryn D. Marocchino, a professor of death and dying at California State University in Vallejo, who in 1996 founded the Nikki Hospice Foundation for Pets, said the end-of-life movement for pets addressed what she described as a “sense of coercion” faced by owners of sick pets forced to decide between aggressive treatment or euthanasia. She said that her group got calls from people thanking them, and saying things like: “Where were you 30 years ago? They made me kill my dog.”

Dr. Michele Price, a veterinarian in Northern Virginia whose in-home end-of-care business has doubled since 2009 to 20 percent of her practice, got a call recently about an ailing Labrador named Champ. She’d first seen the dog in August when his owners thought it was time to euthanize. But when Dr. Price got to the house, Champ was doing O.K., and she and the family decided on hospice treatment and pain meds. Later, Champ took a sharp downward turn and couldn’t walk. Dr. Price returned and they set up for the euthanasia.

Champ was on a quilt next to the fireplace when Dr. Price administered the initial sedation. “They hugged him, and told him what a good dog he was. They said, ‘We love you’ and ‘We’ll miss you,’ ” Ms. Price said of the dog’s owners. As for Champ, “He fell asleep. That’s the last thing he remembered.”

(NY Times - Nov 30, 2013)

Cow has to be rescued after getting head stuck in plastic garden CHAIR

AUSTRALIA -- This shocked cow had to be rescued by RSPCA officers after it got its head stuck in a garden chair.

And the commotion even caused other cows to gather around to try and help their bemused companion using their noses.

New South Wales RSPCA Inspectors were reportedly called to Appin, near Sydney, Australia, after the farmer saw the brown and white beast trying to shake its new neck piece off.

As the camera moved in, another cow jumped over its poor chair-wearing companion to get away.

The officers tranquilized the beast before slowly easing the plastic chair back over its neck, according to reports.

It is believed the lucky creature is recovering in its field following the ordeal.

(Daily Mail - Nov 30, 2013)

Family accused of killing dog with baseball bat tells their side of the story

MICHIGAN -- Dan Morofsky says his neighbor's German Shepherd, Duke, has been terrorizing his family and their own family dog since August 2011, and that three prior "attacks" left injuries to them and their dog, Diesel.

The story of what happened to Duke on Tuesday, November 19, has heated tempers to the boiling point.

Duke's owner Linda Lorenzen admitted that her dog left the backyard and began to fight with the neighbor's leashed dog that was in front of the neighbor's house. But Lorenzen told Action News that she witnessed a relative of Morofsky fatally beat Duke with the bat about 25 times.

"There is no way that dog was hit 25 times," says Morofsky, a bail bondsman, who was forced to temporarily move his family out of their home in White Lake Township because of online death threats after the incident. "They said they were going to have a candlelight vigil and our house was going to be the candle."

We're told, that day, one of Morofsky's relatives was outside with Diesel when Duke came charging at them. Diesel had been on a leash on Morofsky's own property when it happened. We're told one of Morofsky's relatives, a young man who has not been identified, ran inside the house to get the bat when he couldn't separate the dogs.

And when he came back outside, the two dogs were still fighting when it seemed Duke was now coming for him, so he swung the bat two to three times to stop Duke.

Morofsky says in September of 2011, Duke even attacked the same young man who killed him the German Shepherd last week with the bat. Morofsky showed Action News photos of puncture wounds on the young man's arms from that day. We were shown photos of multiple puncture wounds on Diesel from previous "attacks" by Duke. We were also shown photos of injuries to Morofsky himself.

On November 14, just five days before Duke was loose again and reportedly attacked Diesel and the young man, Morofsky filed a lawsuit against Duke's owners.

"It was for continuously getting bit," Morofsky told Action News. "Our dog was getting attacked. I was getting attacked. The boy was getting attacked... this is enough."

White Lake Township Police are investigating Duke's death, looking to determine if the force used to stop the dog was appropriate and justified.

Results from a necropsy are still pending.

(WXYZ - Nov 25, 2013)

Animals rescued from deplorable conditions at Pottsville home

PENNSYLVANIA -- Pottsville police and code enforcement along with Hillside SPCA rescued 23 animals Tuesday from a condemned home in the city.

Police said they searched the home at 531A N. Centre St., executing a search warrant since it was reported that someone was living there, despite being posted Nov. 18 that it was dangerous and unsafe.

 

After contacting the tenant, Lesley Lynn Schenck, 35, police determined that multiple animals were also living in the home, although there was no heat and deplorable conditions. They contacted Hillside SPCA to come get the animals.

Janine Choplick, humane officer with Hillside SPCA, said they rescued 13 dogs, eight cats and two chinchillas.

There was also one dead chinchilla in the home.

She said that all are good-natured, except for two who were scared, and they were not starved.

All of the dogs were smaller breeds, including bulldogs, dachshunds, corgis, Boston terriers and mixes of the breeds.

"The house was deplorable, uninhabitable really," Choplick said.

Choplick said Hillside is now working to document each animal to see what their medical needs might be and get them all to the vet.

According to Choplick, some of them are missing fur, one had a bad eye and one had "something going on with the butt."

[Seriously? Try to sound like a professional. Please.]

Police also said that some had lesions, open wounds and ear mites.

"They're going to end up tearing the whole house down," Choplick said. "It was that bad. Every room, except one closet, was filled with feces and trash. Every single room on every floor. It's not the worst we've seen, but it's bad. They (Schenck and the animals) couldn't have been there much longer."

Police told Schenck to vacate the property and is facing charges that will include animal cruelty and trespassing.

The investigation is continuing, pending medical evaluations of the animals.

(Republican Herald - Nov 27, 2013)

West Dundee woman gets $75,000 after dog attacked her, cat

ILLINOIS -- A West Dundee woman recently was awarded $75,000 in damages after a neighbor's dog ran in her home in July 2011, attacked her cat and, in the process, bit the woman several times.

Kane County Judge James Murphy entered the judgment in favor of Judy Horton last week after the dog owners, Terry and Victoria Schuler, of the 600 block of South Fifth Street, failed to appear in court at least twice.

In a sworn affidavit, Horton said she was attacked July 1, 2011, by the dog in her home on the 500 block of Ryan Lane. She said she had left some cat food in a bowl on her rear deck for her cat.

She saw a dog eating from the bowl and opened the door in an effort to stop it, but the dog ran inside.

"It all happened so fast. It was difficult for me to stop the defendant's dog," part of Horton's affidavit read. "The defendant's dog went after my domestic pet, namely my cat. Defendant's dog bit my cat several times."

The next day, Horton was treated for multiple bite marks on her leg and arm and a cut on her hand. But the wounds became infected, requiring four days of hospitalization and other medical treatment, according to court records.

Records show the Schulers were served with the lawsuit, but failed to appear in court Oct. 17 and last week, triggering the judgment against them under the state's Animal Control Act.

Victoria Schuler, who acted as her own attorney for part of the proceedings, argued in November 2012 court filings that Horton "willfully" brought the dog into her home and the Schulers should not be held liable.

Schuler argued that the food left outside encouraged animals to go inside.

"This is an unwise practice that the plaintiff practices, which invited animals to come," read part of Schuler's defense, which also argued she and her husband never willingly allowed the dog to run freely.

A message left with Troy Owens, who is the attorney for Horton, was not immediately returned.

(Daily Herald - Nov 27, 2013)

Teacher's dog attacked pupil, nine, on school trip

UNITED KINGDOM -- Marshall Gearing was stroking the labrador when it sank its teeth into the side of his head.

His right ear was torn so badly he needed two operations to re-attach it.

But after police carried out an investigation they told Marshall’s mum Amy they will not prosecute.

She is now considering suing the teacher and is demanding the dog is destroyed to prevent it attacking other children.

Amy, 23, said: “Marshall will be scarred for life and is now scared of dogs. He has nightmares and doesn’t want to leave my side when we go out.”

Marshall, a pupil at Kingsthorpe Grove Primary School in Northampton, was visiting Delapre Abbey Park in the town on October 24.

The school said it was “an awful accident that could not have been foreseen”.

(Daily Mail - Nov 29, 2013)

Horse doused in petrol and set alight in 'depraved' attack

UNITED KINGDOM -- ANIMAL welfare officers branded it one of the worst scenes of "depraved cruelty" they had witnessed, after a horse was doused in petrol and burnt alive.

Gardai have increased patrols in the Killinarden area of Tallaght, Dublin after a number of violent incidents.

The horse was set on fire in the early hours of yesterday morning, and gardai believe three teenagers were involved in the attack.

Gardai worked with the Dublin Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (DSPCA) to remove five other horses from the green area where the horse was burnt alive.

Brian Gillen, the DSPCA's CEO, said the horrendous death the horse had endured was unimaginable.

"Whilst we encounter many horrific cruelty and neglect cases with regard to abandoned horses, we have never seen such levels of deliberate and depraved cruelty," he said.

(Irish Independent - Nov 29, 2013)

Two horses seized; man arrested for animal cruelty

TENNESSEE -- Horse Haven of Tennessee says two horses were seized from an Anderson County property Wednesday and the horses' owner was arrested by the sheriff's office.

 

According to the sheriff's office website, Jason Shipley was arrested for failure to appear, cruelty to animals, and theft of property.

He was booked into jail on $118,000 bond.

Horse Haven told Local 8 News the two geldings taken from the property were checked out by UT veterinarians.

"They were both very thin, one worse than the other. They seemed very happy to see us. They both loaded perfectly. After we loaded them up, we took them to UT Vet School and they were checked out thoroughly. They had their blood drawn and then they came here," said Sonja Cowsert, associate executive director for Horse Haven.

They also say Anderson County Animal Control was instrumental in this case.

(WVLT - Nov 27, 2013)

LETTER: Don't trust pit bulls

CALIFORNIA -- For centuries, dogs have been bred to perform specific tasks (“Debate on sterilization ordinance,” Nov. 8).

A pointer will point when hunting birds, a Labrador retriever will retrieve birds and a border collie will herd livestock.

The desire to 'point' is instinctive to Pointers

These traits are not from training. They are from instinct that has been bred into them. Regarding pit bulls, they have been bred to fight and attack. This is an inbred instinct.

Border Collies herd livestock, but do not kill them

They can be very gentle family dogs — until something triggers that instinct. Once it is triggered, they do what they have been bred to do.

I have no patience with an owner who says, after his dog has bitten someone, “My dog has never shown any signs of aggression. He’s always been loving and gentle.”

A pit bull can turn vicious no matter how it is trained or how gentle it seems.

- Bob Backes, San Jacinto

(Press-Enterprise - Nov 27, 2013)

Woman, 67, suffers serious dog bite in Cardiff park trying to save puppy from pit bull attack

UNITED KINGDOM -- A dog walker has suffered severe bite wounds and seen her beloved pet killed in an horrific pit bull attack in a public park, just yards away from a busy children’s play area.

Elaine Seaborne, 67, from Lansdowne Road in Canton, Cardiff, was walking her 20-week-old Jack Russell terrier  in Victoria Park at approximately 2.15pm on Saturday, when they were confronted by a large pit bull dog,  which appeared without its owner.

Elaine tried to intervene as the pit bull went for her small puppy Jessie, but was forced to the ground and was attacked herself, sustaining severe bite wounds from her fingers down her forearm.

The attack took place inside the park, near its entrance on Cowbridge Road East, just yards away from a children’s play area, which was described as a “busy” scene on this particular weekend afternoon.

Elaine’s efforts to help her beloved pet were in vain, as the dog died from the injuries it sustained.
Elaine was taken to the University Hospital of Wales, Cardiff, where she received antibiotics and tetanus shots for wounds on her right arm.

The pit bull was seized by South Wales Police, which currently is searching for its owner.
Elaine said: “My dog was on a lead and we were walking in the park.

“All of a sudden there was a very loud bark. I saw the dog on its own. It was wagging its tail – it looked playful and friendly at first.

“Out of nowhere it just attacked, and it was horrific. It forced me to the ground and I screamed for help. Then someone shouted and it backed off.

“My priority now is to see the dog put down. Imagine if it had got hold of a young person, because a child would have been defenseless.  And it happened just 20 yards from the children’s play area.”

Shane Harrison, 54, Elaine’s partner and a lorry driver by trade, added: “At the hospital, the nurse said Elaine’s injuries were the nastiest from a dog attack that she has seen for several years.

“They are bad, bad wounds. Elaine was wearing a coat, a jumper and gloves and the dog’s teeth pierced through them all.

“It was a powerful animal and a vicious attack. Elaine couldn’t have stitches because the wounds would be more likely to become infected, so she has to wait for them to heal under bandages.”

Chief Inspector Bob Nicholls of South Wales Police appealed for information in order to trace the dog’s owners.

In a police statement he said: “At 2.38pm on Saturday, November 23, South Wales Police responded to a report of a serious dog bite in Victoria Park, Cardiff.

“A lady sustained serious injuries to her forearms requiring treatment in hospital after being attacked by a dog that had attacked and killed her own dog in the park.

RIP Jessie

“The dog responsible has been seized by police officers however the owner is yet to be identified. The dog seized by police is described as being of a ‘Pit-bull’ type appearance and is a distinctive blue-grey in colour.”

South Wales Police is appealing for the owner of the dog to come forward.

It is also interested to speak to anyone who believes they know the identity of the owner, or anyone with information about the attack itself.

South Wales Police can be contacted on 101, or members of the public can call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111, quoting occurrence number 62130368937.

(Wales Online - Nov 24, 2013)

Two large dogs seized from Lisgar home following alleged second attack

CANADA -- Two large dogs that bit a woman after attacking and killing her pet Chihuahua last month have been seized by animal control officers after allegedly biting another neighbor.

Carol Jasmins alleges she was bit on the elbow by one of the dogs outside of her Greenbelt Cres. home in Lisgar on Nov. 13.

She says the dogs that live in the home beside her were untethered at the time of the incident.

John Murray, owner of the two large dogs, confirmed the two 100-pound Cane Corso dogs were seized and placed in the pound by Mississauga Animal Services, but denies that either one of them bit Jasmins.

Peel Regional Police were called after the alleged attack on Jasmins but no charges were filed against the owner of the dogs.

Jasmins said Animal Services placed the dogs on a 10-day quarantine.

It was the second such quarantine in a month for the two large dogs, following an Oct. 26 incident on the same street. The dogs escaped through a backyard gate that was left open and killed a Chihuahua pup. During the attack, they bit the small dog's owner, Monica Guisao, while she was huddled over her pet, trying to protect it.

Murray, who already is facing charges under the Dog Owners' Liability Act for the Oct. 26 incident, confirmed he's been charged again under the bylaw for the alleged attack on Jasmins.

The act states that owners can be found liable for a bite or attack by a dog on a person or a domestic animal. Charges could result in a $10,000 fine and/or six months in jail for the owner. The offending dog can be forced to wear a muzzle or even euthanized.

Murray, 23, is scheduled to appear in a Mississauga provincial courtroom on Dec. 17 to face the charges under the bylaw.

(Mississauga.com - Nov 26, 2013)

Earlier:

• Small dog critically injured after attack by larger dogs in Mississauga
• City charges dog owner after fatal attack

Misty the cat mauled by pit bull

AUSTRALIA -- A Canberra pensioner has been left distraught after her little cat Misty was savaged during a vicious dog attack in Kaleen.

Helen Forbes said her cat had managed to drag itself inside despite serious injuries. She found it in “terrible pain".

“The vet said she had been attacked by a dog," she said.

“The poor little thing was two days in the vet."

It took another two weeks before her cat could get back on its feet but she is unlikely to fully recover and will carry the effects of the injuries for the rest of her life.

The vet bill of almost $600 has meant Ms Forbes will forego the new refrigerator she had been saving up for.

A couple who were driving passed her house and witnessed the attack provided a description of the dog and the owner responsible. Ms Forbes, who uses a walking stick, said she has seen the man since but had been unable to confront him.

“He walks so quickly," she said. “I've called the animal services people at the government twice but they say I need to find out where he lives. But with a walking stick I can't follow him."

She believed the dog to be a pit bull but didn't blame the dog for the attack. “A pet is only what its owner lets it be," Ms Forbes said.

[She can be in denial all she wants, but statistics don't lie.]

In 2012-13 Domestic Animal Services processed 1400 dogs.

“Approximately 5 per cent, 76 dogs, of this total number were impounded for being allegedly involved in an attack or harassment incident," a Domestic Animal Services spokeswoman said.

Since 2012 American staffordshire terriers have been at the top of the list for dog attack and harassment incidents while pit bulls have been fourth. Crossbreeds, cattle dogs and German shepherds rounded out the top five.

“Statistically, these breeds are also among the most popular breeds in the ACT," a DAS spokeswoman said. “It should also be noted that there have also been attacks from smaller breeds such as Maltese, cavoodles and dachshund.

“The most important factors in whether a dog is involved in an attack or harassment incident relate to the way it has been trained and looked after."

(The Canberra Times - Nov 26, 2013)