2 plead not guilty in dog attack on older SD woman

SAN DIEGO, CA -- The owners of two pit bulls that mauled a 75-year-old San Diego woman and forced the partial amputation of her leg pleaded not guilty Thursday.

Alba Cornelio, 39, and her daughter Carla Cornelio, 19, face two felony counts of having a mischievous animal that causes serious bodily injury and six misdemeanor code violations, said Tanya Sierra, a spokeswoman for the county district attorney's office.

Emako Mendoza

Both were arrested Wednesday by officers with the San Diego County Department of Animal Services. They remained jailed Thursday, and a call to their home seeking comment was not returned.
The Cornelios bred and sold pit bull puppies, animal control Lt. Dan DeSousa said.

Two of their dogs mauled Emako Mendoza of the Paradise Hills neighborhood on June 18 as she was bringing a newspaper to place on a backyard table for her husband to read, DeSousa said.

The dogs lived next door and got into the yard through a gap in the fence, he said.

Mendoza was severely bitten, and her mangled left leg was amputated below the knee. She remained hospitalized Thursday, DeSousa said, but he did not know her condition.

The 6-year-old female dogs, Estrella and Paloma, were turned over to animal control officers and euthanized at the owners' request. Eleven puppies born to one of the dogs also were killed at the owners' request, DeSousa said.

One of the pit bulls involved in the attack had bitten a poodle and the poodle's owner Dec. 25, but the bites were minor and the poodle's owner declined to press charges, DeSousa said.

It was unclear why the dogs attacked Mendoza but they were kept outside and may have lacked the social skills that indoor dogs often develop, DeSousa said.

"Responsible owners would have their dogs well-socialized with other dogs and people," DeSousa said. "Mrs. Mendoza paid a horrific price for the owners' irresponsibility."

(Mercury News - July 6, 2011)

Read More:

• California woman loses leg to pit bull attack (June 18, 2011)

Crosby residents charged in boy's dog mauling

CROSBY, TX -- Two Crosby residents are charged with failure to secure their dogs after the two pit bull-mixes mauled a 10-year-old neighbor, according to the Harris County Sheriff’s Office.

Kimberly Sheppard, 28, and Michael Haynes, 30, were charged with negligent failure to secure a dog resulting in an attack, sheriff’s office spokesman Deputy Thomas Gilliland said. The offense is a third-degree felony, punishable by two to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $10,000.

The attack happened about 4:30 p.m. Thursday, when the boy (identified as 10 year old Mario Lopez) was riding his bicycle in the 500 block of Elk.

The dogs, who live next door to the boy, attacked him for no reason, Gilliland wrote in an email. “The boy was mauled on his upper torso and lower legs,” Gilliland wrote. “He was LifeFlighted from the area and is in good condition.”

The dogs had been unsecured all day and were taken by Harris County Animal Control officers, according to Gilliland.

(Chronicle - July 3, 2011)

Read More:

• Pit bull attack sends Crosby boy to hospital (July 1, 2011)

Bay County Animal Control manager provides details of pit bull caught after attack on 7-year-old girl

BAY CITY, MI -- Though he attacked a 7-year-old girl Tuesday, a roughly 50-pound pit bull trembled and wet himself as a Times photographer snapped photos of him at the Bay County Animal Control office Wednesday.

Manager Mike Halstead said the gray dog with a white speck between his eyes and a matching stripe down his chest was not quite so timid when employee Lee Carrasco picked him up Tuesday night.

“The dog did have an aggressive demeanor when (Carrasco) picked it up,” Halstead said.

The dog, named Rott — though he is not a Rottweiler — became more docile once removed from its home at 214 S. Jefferson St. shortly before 10 p.m., Carrasco said.

Bay City Police have said Rott mauled the girl around 9:30 p.m. as she attempted to feed him at her grandparent’s house.

“The story we got from the great-grandmother was that she inherited the dog from someone who passed away,” Halstead said, adding the woman said Rott was either 1 or 2 years old and that those present at the scene were evasive to Carrasco’s questions.

“The lady signed him over to us, which gives us ownership of the animal.”

Rott was not licensed and has not been vaccinated for rabies, Halstead said. “Whether or not (an animal has been vaccinated), it is our policy to keep it quarantined for 10 days to behave on the side of caution,” Halstead said.

Halstead added that his office has not had prior problems with Rott.

Rott cannot be adopted out. He will be kept alive at least until Bay County Prosecutor Kurt C. Asbury decides whether or not to file criminal charges against anyone involved in the incident.

A Times reporter went to the South Jefferson house, but several people gathered on its front porch said the dog was not theirs and declined to comment further. The victim is reportedly still at a Flint-area hospital.

(Bay City News - July 6, 2011)

Read More:

• Pit bull mauls Bay City girl, 7

Pit bull mauls Bay City girl, 7

BAY CITY, MI — A 7-year-old Bay City girl was to undergo re-constructive surgery after a dog mauled her tonight at a home in Bay City.

The girl, the granddaughter of the home’s resident, was feeding the male pit bull about 9:30 p.m. when the dog latched onto her head and dragged her, said Bay City police.

The pit bull that attacked a 7-year-old Bay City girl Tuesday.

The youngster suffered wounds to her head and face, said police.

Animal Control has seized the animal.

Investigators did not know whether it had been properly vaccinated and the occupants of the home gave unclear information about who owns the dog, said police.

A report will be forwarded to the prosecutor’s office for review.

(Saginaw News - July 5, 2011)

Elderly Man Recovers from Dog Attack

POTTSVILLE, PA -- An 80-year-old man wants a pit bull removed from the neighborhood as he recovers from an attack that sent him to the hospital this holiday weekend.

After 50 years of marriage, Jack and Jane Jones will do anything for each other.

Jane will even change Jack's bandages on his bloody left thigh.

Jack Jones said he is in constant pain from what police confirm is a pit bull attack, just outside his Pottsville row home.

He never saw the dog coming.

"We were on our way to church," Jones said Monday. "I said 'Jesus Christ.'  It was just a pinch, and I looked down and the blood was running down."

Workers fixing a broken water main witnessed the attack and called 911.

An ambulance later took Jones to the hospital.

Police left the dog in the custody of the neighbor, telling the Joneses it will be quarantined in the neighborhood, possibly next door.

"I don't think he should be around. He's too vicious," said Jack Jones.

"It's just not fair that a dog can ruin our life," said Jane Jones.

The attack left her so unsettled she won't even venture out into her backyard to tend to her garden, which is her pride and joy.  She fears the quarantined pit bull will be let out, and that the four foot high fence in her yard won't offer enough protection.

She is even afraid to have her grandchildren over to visit.

"And I feel like we are prisoners in our own home," Jane Jones added.

Friends of the dog's owners shouted Newswatch 16 down Monday until we talked to the man who said the pit bull was at his home yesterday. He said he blames the victim, not the dog.

Yikes. I would hate to have to listen to this group
of idiots outside my home screaming about how it was my
fault that a pit bull ripped into my thigh

The owner says the elderly victim "did something" to his
pit bull to "make" it attack

"He's a puppy, he's a playful puppy. They're doing something to that dog," the man said.

Jack Jones has a doctor's appointment Tuesday. Then he hopes to meet with Pottsville's mayor to do something about the dog that attacked him.

(WNEP - July 4, 2011)

Read More:

• Man, 80, bitten by pit bill in Pottsville

Man, 80, bitten by pit bill in Pottsville

POTTSVILLE, PA -- An 80-year-old man was bitten by a pit bull Sunday in Pottsville and taken to a local hospital, according to Pottsville police.

His condition could not be obtained Monday morning.

The incident was the latest in a string of pit bull attacks in two weeks.

On Sunday, John Jones, Pottsville, was walking west in the 700 block of West Norwegian St. when a pit bull bit him in the area of his left hamstring, police say.

The victim said he didn't notice the pit bull coming toward him.

Those who witnessed the attack provided aid to Jones. Jones had lacerations to his body and was transported by ambulance to a local hospital, police said.

The owner of the pit bull, Derek Knight, 709 W. Norwegian St., told police the dog escaped after his niece opened the screen door. The incident is under investigation.

A June 22, an attack left three children injured when their family's pit bull turned on them; they were taken to the hospital for treatment. The dog was killed at the scene.

On June 23 an 8-year-old boy was bitten by a pit bull in the city after the animal was fighting with another dog.

On June 28, police said a pit bull crashed through a screen door and injured a 47-year-old woman. Her injuries were not considered life-threatening.

(Republican Herald - July 4, 2011)

Man survives dog attack, calls pit bulls a dangerous breed

NEDERLAND, CO - Michael O'Neill didn't see the dog coming.

On the last Sunday in May, O'Neill and his wife were finishing a hike in the forest north of Nederland when they were greeted by a tail-wagging black lab. O'Neill offered the dog his hand and bent to talk to him.

That's when a pit bull came over the hill in a flat-out sprint. The dog knocked O'Neill to the ground and ripped into his flesh.

"It's not that he nipped me. It's not that he bit me. He mauled me," said O'Neill, who lives outside of Nederland. "He tried to kill me, and that's a whole different thing."

After a month of healing, O'Neill says he wants people to hear his story. His goal is to make sure people understand the hazards of owning a pit bull.

"I feel like I have a responsibility to the community," he said. "What I would like is for people to know that they are a dangerous breed."

The dog bit O'Neill on the rib cage, on his lower leg and on his inner thigh. O'Neill -- who generally carries a knife in the woods since his own dog was killed by a mountain lion last year -- fought back, stabbing "Rocco" between his shoulder and his neck multiple times.

"There's only one thing that saved me," he said. "I had a knife and knew how to use it."

Rocco's owner, Michael Butler, of Wheat Ridge, came running when he realized what had happened, and he was able to pull the profusely bleeding dog off O'Neill and wrestle the dog into the back of his pickup truck.
O'Neill has nothing but positive things to say about

how Butler and the people he was with reacted to the situation -- and that's part of what scares him. If a well-cared for pit bull with no history of aggression toward humans can attack a person so savagely, then any pit bull could be a time bomb, according to O'Neill.

"I can't tell you want kind and generous people they are," O'Neill said. "This isn't anything personal. I'm not angry at them. But they made a mistake owning a dog like this."

Butler, who did not return a phone call seeking comment, was ticketed for the state offense of "unlawful ownership of a dangerous dog," a class three misdemeanor, and his first court date is scheduled for July 20.

If Butler is found guilty of the offense, there are a number of things that could happen to Rocco.

Jay Swearingen, an attorney with the Animal Law Center in Wheat Ridge, said that the state's dangerous dog statute is complicated, but convicted animals can be confined to a house or a yard.

Owners can also be required to mark the dangerous dog with a microchip or take the dog to special training classes. Local ordinances may also require dogs that have been found to be dangerous to only be walked with muzzles on leashes no longer than 4 feet. And, in rare cases, judges may require dangerous dogs to be euthanized.

"Generally, that's somewhat unlikely, assuming it's a first-bite offense," said Swearingen, who is not involved in the case.

Butler told sheriff's deputies that Rocco, who is 3-1/2 years old, had become aggressive with other dogs in the past, but not toward people.

Aimee Sadler, director of behavior and training for the Longmont Humane Society, called the attack on O'Neill a "tragic incident," but she said it doesn't mean that people should be wary of all pit bulls.

"There is not one canine behavior that is specific to one breed of dog," she said. "You can talk about tendencies with groups of dogs, but you can't guarantee that all border collies will herd sheep."

By the same logic, Sadler argues, you can't say that all pit bulls are in danger of mauling someone. Even so, pit bulls have gained enough of a reputation for becoming violent that more than 10 municipalities in the Denver-metro area have banned the dogs, including Louisville and Denver.

Louisville Mayor Chuck Sisk said the ban has worked well in his town, where only a few people have complained about not being able to own a pit bull.

"I think that pit bulls are dogs that have shown propensities and proclivities to bite more than other breeds," said Sisk, who was on the City Council that enacted the ban in the mid-1990s. "I'm absolutely convinced that it's the right thing to do in Louisville."

O'Neill said he's not calling for an all-out ban, but he does believe that the breed is more prone to violent attacks. He also believes that Rocco should be euthanized.

"I want people to be very aware when they're making a decision (to own a pit bull)," he said. "Someone could be killed by their dog."

(Daily Camera - July 4, 2011)

Pit Bull Bites 2-Year-Old In Face

ORLANDO, FL -- Orange County deputies received a 911 call from 4269 Tymberwood Lane about a 2-year-old that was bitten by a pit bull.

The caller told the dispatcher that the child was playing with the dog when it suddenly lashed out and latched on to the child's face, deputies said.


A neighbor got a gun from his home and shot the dog in the neck, but the dog did not die, deputies said.

The child was taken to Arnold Palmer Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

(WKMG - July 3, 2011)

Pit bull shot, killed by Mason City police officer

MASON CITY, IA -- A Mason City pit bull was shot and killed Friday after reportedly attempting to attack a police officer, police reported Saturday.

Mason City police reported that an officer responded at 4:56 p.m. Friday to a complaint of a vicious pit bull running loose in the 200 block of 15th Street Northwest.

The dog had allegedly charged two small children playing in a pool in their front yard. Parents were able to get the children to safety.

The police officer had located the address and was attempting to make contact with the owner of the dog when it reportedly attempted to attack the officer, the report stated.

The officer was forced to shoot the dog, which died as a result of the injury.

The investigation into the dog being at large is ongoing, the report stated. Charges are pending.

(Globe Gazette - July 2, 2011)

Biting dog shot, killed by Kingman Police during search

KINGMAN - A pit bull was shot and killed after clamping onto a detective's hand as Kingman Police served a search warrant.

The warrant was executed at a home in the 400 block of Kier Street around 10 a.m. Wednesday.

Kingman Police Capt. Rusty Cooper said the detective entered a room occupied by the home's residents and the dog. Cooper said that as soon as the door was opened, the pit bull rushed toward the detective and clamped his jaw around the detective's hand.

Cooper said the detective was unable to shake the dog loose and was forced to fire a single shot into its chest. The dog was not killed by the shot and had to be held back by other officers using a gun that fired pepper spray balls. The dog was then shot again and killed.

The warrant was the result of an investigation by the KPD FLEX squad into possible drug dealing. The home's residents, David A. Sprowson Jr., 28, and his girlfriend, Kristi Lyn Shuler, 37, were arrested on several felony drug charges, including dangerous drugs for sale, after methamphetamine and marijuana were found in the home.

Also in the home at the time the warrant was served was Shuler's 11-year-old son, her 13-year-old daughter and a 13-year-old friend of the girl's. Cooper said police were aware that the children and an aggressive dog were inside the residence when the warrant was served and that police used extra caution because of that.

Additional charges of child abuse are possible pending a review by the Mohave County Attorney's Office.

The detective received stitches at a local hospital, and the dog is being tested for rabies.

(Kingman Daily - July 1, 2011)

Where is dog that killed my poor Megan?

UNITED KINGDOM -- POLICE are investigating claims an American bulldog which magistrates ordered to be destroyed after it killed another dog is still out in public.

Ian Dane, 50, previously manager of the Twist music venue, in Military Road, Colchester, was banned from keeping dogs for four years after two of his American bulldogs killed a two-year-old terrier in Golden Noble Hill, Colchester, on February 18.

One of the dogs was later destroyed, and during a hearing in May, magistrates said the remaining dog, Roxy, was a danger to the public and should be destroyed no later than June 8 after weaning her puppies.

However, police say they do not know the whereabouts of Mr Dane or Roxy, and the owners of the terrier claim they have seen the dog out in the street near their home with two other American bulldogs.

John Kenny, of Golden Noble Hill, said: “My partner was devastated by what happened to our little dog and it was a small victory to know at least this dog, Roxy, would not be able to cause harm to any other dog, or even a child, in the future.

“But now I believe the dog is still out in public without a lead and without anyone around to control it.

“The police don’t seem to know anything.”

Mr Kenny added it was quite frightening the dangerous dog appeared not to have been destroyed.

He said: “Justice has not been done as far as we are concerned.”

Colchester district commander, Chief Insp Lee Davies, said: “Officers are working to establish the whereabouts of the dog in question so the court’s direction can be undertaken.

“In addition, any other offences disclosed will be investigated.”

He added: “I will ensure an inspector oversees this incident.”

Mr Dane was unavailable for comment.

(Daily Gazette - July 2, 2011)

Man pleads guilty in dog mauling case

MARIETTA, GA — A Powder Springs man whose pit bulls jumped a neighbor’s fence and mauled three dogs to death more than a year ago pleaded guilty Tuesday morning in Cobb State Court and will spend three years on probation.

Tommy Bell, 28, must also perform 80 hours of community service and pay $1,700 in restitution.

Bill Katin, who owned the three dogs killed Oct. 4, 2009, addressed his neighbor, Bell, before State Court Judge Irma Glover on Tuesday morning.

Bill Katin and his daughter, Ashley Katin, hold pictures of their
dogs Sandy, a 14-year-old golden retriever and Labrador mix; Gio,
a 5-year-old chihuahua; and Leo, a 9-year-old Jack Russell Terrier,
who were killed when two pit bulls jumped a fence and attacked them.

“Whatever happens to you and the court’s decision, the judge’s decision and punishment, eventually that’s going to go away for you,” Katin said. “But this will never go away for me, this loss. This feeling of loss I’ve experienced day in and day out — for the rest of my life will never go away. And I think it’s important that you understand the impact not only on me, but on my family and my household, that I can no longer go out on my back deck at my household and look out there and not see my three family members there anymore.”

Bell waived his right to a jury trial on Tuesday and pleaded guilty to three counts of animal cruelty under the state code for the deaths of Katin’s three dogs: Sandy, a 14-year-old golden retriever mix; Leo, a 9-year-old Jack Russell terrier; and Gio, a 5-year-old Chihuahua. He also read a statement to the court detailing his own frustration with the situation.

“Out of 28 years, I never thought at all about being incarcerated over a love you and I both share, and that’s a love for animals,” Bell said. “I sincerely apologize now that hopefully we can move forward and understand that community service, me being banned from animals, and the 80 hours of community service probation. I technically don’t feel it’s fair, but I think it’s right being that you have suffered great pain behind this situation.”

“I really want you to understand that I do apologize and this is truly, truly an accident, and going forth, I pray I hope that nothing like this should ever happen again, and I hope that you will sincerely accept my apology,” Bell went on to say.

Katin later shook Bell’s hand.

But Judge Glover took issue with Bell’s statement.

“Mr. Bell, this is pretty gruesome,” said Glover, who also ordered Bell to have no contact with the Katin family and barred him from owning any animals. “I don’t really care how unfair you think it is. … Well, I’m sorry, sir, that you feel that way, but this could have been a person, a human being.”

Prosecutor Melissa Rife said the state charges, which Bell pleaded guilty to, are stiffer than the county ordinance. For instance, the cruelty to animals charge under the county ordinance brings a maximum sentence of 60 days jail with a $1,000 fine, compared to violation under state code, which carries a maximum sentence of 12 months in jail with a $1,000 fine.

Cobb Board of Commissioner Chairman Tim Lee said he believed the county ordinance pertaining to animal cruelty was sufficient given that the county can make use of both the ordinance and state law, depending on the merits of the case.

“That’s always available to us,” Lee said, noting that his staff would continue to monitor the ordinance to ensure that it was satisfactory.

The resolution of the case, Rife said, “was one that the victim was very involved in and very satisfied with, and that’s what we wanted.”

Katin said Bell initially insisted Bell’s girlfriend owned the dogs, which is why the case has dragged on.

“I knew the day of the incident that those were his dogs, but I wanted other people in the neighborhood to corroborate this story so it wouldn’t just be my word against his,” Katin said. “Personally, I don’t wish any ill will. Yes, I wish he would have manned up much earlier on and said, ‘Mr. Katin, I’m sorry for what’s happened.’ I may have had a different attitude.”

Katin had arrived home on that morning to find his three dogs dead. The attacks happened inside the fenced back yard of his home, in an older subdivision off of Macedonia Road.

A Cobb County Police officer shot and killed one of the pit bulls when it lunged at an Animal Control officer.

The second pit bull has been held by Animal Control since the incident and will not be returning to Bell. Its fate has yet to be decided by the court.


(The Marietta Daily Journal - June 29, 2011)

Wounded Waukesha Man Recovering After Defending Neighbor in Dog Attack

WAUKESHA, WI -- When 39-year-old Christopher Bartosz saw his neighbor being attacked by a vicious pit bull Tuesday evening, he didn't hesitate to rush to help the 52-year-old woman.

 “You just jump into action,” said Bartosz when asked about his reaction to the situation. “Doing nothing is not an option. I’d do it again if I saw somebody hurt.”

Bartosz is recovering at his home in the eastern Waukesha neighborhood. Bartosz suffered bite wounds to his arms and legs from two pitbulls that belonged to a neighbor.

The incident began on Tuesday when Bartosz heard screaming from a house across the street. He ran to the house to find two pit bulls attacking their female owner. Bartosz says he immediately rushed at the dogs to distract them from the woman, who was lying on her kitchen floor.

 “My gut instinct was just to get those dogs off her,” says Bartosz, who says he was able to kick one of the dogs, enough to deter it from its owner and come at him instead. The dog, which was eventually shot and killed by a Waukesha police officer, bit Bartosz several times in the arm and leg.

Once the dogs were distracted from attacking their owner, Bartosz said he was able to run and find help from his neighbors before returning. One neighbor brought a baseball bat to the house to fight off the dogs.

Both Bartosz and the dogs’ owner were treated for their injuries.

Waukesha Police Capt. Dennis Angle on Wednesday called Bartosz a "hero" for his quick actions.

Police said it appeared the owner was attempting to kennel the 7-year-old dog when the 2-year-old dog attacked her.

A 9-1-1 call to police can hear a panicked neighbor asking police for help. The call came shortly after 6:30 p.m. Tuesday.

“Our neighbors next door ­– this lady is being attacked by the pit bull in the house,” the clearly shaken neighbor told dispatchers while the dogs could be heard barking in the background. “Please, hurry, hurry, hurry. .., The dog came out and bit her. … We need help right away, right away.”

(Patch - June 30, 2011)

Read More:

• Man Jumps Fence to Help Neighbor in Dog Attack

Pit Bull Shot And Killed By Homeowner Trying To Protect Family

BERMUDA DUNES, CA -- A pit bull was shot and killed in Bermuda Dunes Thursday evening, according to Riverside County Sheriff's Department.

A homeowner who shot the dog was concerned for the safety of his four grandchildren, so he shot and killed the pit bull as it charged, said Lieutenant Terrence Tingle of the Riverside County Sheriff's Department.

It happened Thursday around 5:28 p.m. in the 40,000 block of Starlight Lane. Tingle said the homeowner did nothing wrong, and will not be charged.

Family members sent a statement to KPSP Local 2 News detailing what happened.

The homeowner said the dog belonged to their neighbor and that the pit bull was carrying their new kitten in its mouth and violently shaking it.

The homeowner threw his keys and water bottles at the animal. The dog then ran off with the cat.

He went inside his house to get his gun and when he came back outside the dog was back and came after him. That is when the homeowner shot and killed the pit bull.

The cat did not survive the attack.

Family members said several months ago the same pit bull attacked and killed two of their cats. They filed a report with police and the dog owners were given a warning.

Riverside County Animal Control was called to scene to pick up the dog.

(KPSP - June 30, 2011)

Pit bull attacks raise concerns in NY village

ELLENVILLE, NY -- Officials in an upstate New York village are looking for ways to curb aggressive behavior by dogs after several attacks by pit bulls against pets and people.

Over the past two months in the Ulster County village of Ellenville, officials say pit bulls bit an 11-year-old boy in the groin and killed a family's cat and bit the owner in separate attacks.

Last month, a 25-year-old man was charged with fatally stabbing a pit bull he said had attacked his dog, also a pit bull.

Mayor Jeff Kaplan tells the Times Herald-Record of Middletown that he's a dog lover but not a fan of aggressive-breed dogs.

Village trustees are considering ways to curb aggressive behavior, including a ban on dogs in the business district and mandatory muzzles.

Officials say state law prohibits municipalities from having breed-specific rules.

(Wall Street Journal - June 30, 2011)

After vicious pit bull attack, community rallies for Izze

VENTNOR – The generosity and outpouring of support from the community has Lauree Fogelman feeling better these days.

She and her dog, Izze, are still recovering from a pit bull attack June 2 that left her with a fractured hand, tendon damage and puncture wounds.  Izzie is still being treated for an open wound to the chest left by the pit bull’s relentless attack.

Fogelman was walking Izze in her North Newark Avenue neighborhood the afternoon of Thursday, June 2 when a pit bull came barreling down the sidewalk at them. When she picked up Izze to protect him, the pit bull jumped and pulled her dog out of her hands, Fogelman said Monday, June 27.

Fogelman grabbed the pit bull by the head and tried to pull its jaws open while a neighbor came to the rescue before police arrived on the scene.

“I knew if I took my hands out of that dog’s mouth my dog would die and I wasn’t going to let my dog die that day,” Fogelman said. “This dog is like my baby.”

According to a police report, it took six police officers striking the dog numerous times with their batons before it released its grip and ran home to its owner, Omar Paz Juraez of North Newark Avenue.

“The Ventnor police were amazing,” Fogelman said. “They were relentless with trying to get dog off of us. They called Dr. (Jessica) Grant ahead of time and told her they would be bringing dog in that had been attacked. They had surgical team waiting for him and the surgery saved his life.”

She said five minutes yelling for help felt like five hours as she tried to wrestle the pit bull away from Izze, a cockapoo, which is cross between a cocker spaniel and poodle.

“They called me afterwards to see if I was OK and they called Dr. Grant to check on Izze. They were very, very compassionate and very kind,” Fogelman said.

And that was just the beginning of the support she has gotten from the community.

On Sunday, Aug. 14, from 4 to 7 p.m. there will be a fundraiser at the Log Cabin in Margate to help pay for Izze’s veterinary bills with hopes to continue a fund to help rescue dogs and other victims of dog attacks. Tickets for the event are $20 and can be bought by calling (609) 442-0072.

“Something good is going to come out of it for people who go through this and don’t have an amazing community of support network like I do, I’m fortunate,” said Fogelman.  “It’s been an amazing, eye-opening experience on so many levels.”

A social worker who works with hospice care, Fogelman said the attack has left her out of work through July due to hand surgery that was done June 7. She hopes to receive an update on her progress on Thursday.

“I understand needing help and the difficulties in asking for it,” she said.

She said she also knows that people can endure with the strength of themselves, their faith, the community, friends, and her case, a fiancée who is extremely loving and supportive.

“It makes you look to those things to see how lucky you are and fortunate you are,” Fogelman said.

“It’s really just wonderful for the local neighborhood community to help and giving money for a good cause, as far as helping rescue dogs.”

She said donations have already started coming in for the Aug. 14 event in the way of donated gift baskets, gift certificates and other items that will be raffled off.

She also said she hopes to find to way to prevent dog attacks from happening in the future.

“Have awareness to be careful when walking dogs because you never know,” she said. “Your life could change in a matter of 10 minutes. Knowing things like this can happen, something could be done and put in place to at least make owners more liable and responsible to protect people. I would never want this to happen to anyone again,” said Fogelman.

The fine that could be imposed on Paz, the dog owner, is capped at $1,000 according to police. Fogelman said she is awaiting a summons to appear in court.

(Shore News Today - June 29, 2011)

Dog Saves Family From Pit Bull Attack

SAN ANTONIO, TX -- A west side family called their family pet a hero after he came their rescue when a stray pit-bull went on the attack.

Their dog 'Bliss' saved them late Tuesday night.

Bliss saved her family

Rita Rodriguez said she was in her yard with her daughters and grand daughter when the pit bull came up behind them.

Rodriguez said they tried to get the pit bull to leave, but it wouldn't.

The next thing they saw was Bliss spring into action and keep the pit bull occupied until the family could chain it to a fence and call police.

"If is weren't for Bliss protecting my family, we would have been injured ourselves," Rodriguez said.
Bliss suffered injuries to his ear and neck, but should be OK.

(KSAT - June 30, 2011)

Preliminary Hearing Begins For Man Whose Pit Bulls Killed Toddler

CONCORD, CA -- A preliminary hearing began in Martinez Wednesday for a man whose pack of pit bulls attacked and killed his 2-year-old step-grandson in his home in Concord last July.

Steven Hayashi, 53, has pleaded not guilty to charges of child abuse, owning a vicious animal and an enhancement alleging that Hayashi allowed his step-grandson, Jacob Bisbee, to be in a situation that resulted in his death.

The attack happened the morning of July 22, 2010, at Hayashi's home at 1785 Trailcreek Court.

Hayashi had left to go play tennis with his teenage son, leaving Jacob and his brother with his wife, who was still asleep, prosecutor Mary Knox said.

The door to the garage where three of Hayashi's five pit bulls were being kept was usually locked with a deadbolt, but Hayashi allegedly left without locking it, Knox said. He also allegedly left without waking up his wife, the prosecutor said.

At about 8:45 a.m., Jacob went into the garage and was attacked by the three dogs inside. The two other dogs were in the yard at the time and were not part of the attack, according to police.

Concord police Officer Jim Nielsen testified today that when he arrived at the house that morning, he found Hayashi's wife giving CPR to a toddler. He said he took over CPR until paramedics arrived, but never saw any sign that Jacob was alive.

Jacob was taken to John Muir Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead.

The Contra Costa County coroner's office found that he died from skull fractures and severe bleeding from multiple dog bites.

In a jailhouse interview the day after the attack, Hayashi admitted that he knew one of his dogs, "Kiwi," was aggressive and said that the dogs had killed a pet Chihuahua about a year earlier.

Knox, however, said that the dogs had also killed an Akita - a large dog that can weigh 70 to 100 pounds - as well as a pet parrot, and had showed previous signs of aggression toward Jacob and his brother.

Hayashi has said the dogs were supposed to be family pets and were not bred for fighting.

The preliminary hearing, which will allow a judge to decide whether there is enough evidence to bring Hayashi to trial on the charges, is scheduled to continue this afternoon in Contra Costa County Superior Court in Martinez.

(KTVU - June 29, 2011)

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• Toddler mauled to death by FIVE pit bull terriers in horrific attack

Police officers shoot 'crazy' dog on Flynt Street

PALMER, MA -– Police had to shoot a mixed-breed dog that went berserk on a porch at 25 Flynt St. early Monday morning.

The dog, which was described as a pitbull-mix, tore apart the cushions, slammed into the picture window repeatedly and charged at the officers and dog officer.

"The dog was crazy. It was tearing apart the porch and trying to get into the home," Officer Sean Ford said.

"He was jumping over 6 feet in the air and was very aggressive."

"Ultimately, the dog had to be put down," Ford said.

Helena Jalbert, who was awoken by the dog, said she is thankful to the officers and dog officer for responding quickly. Jalbert said the incident was "horrifying" and said she is glad that the dog is no longer a threat. She said it tried to go through the door and get at her husband.

Dog Officer Fred Guzik, who is retiring July 1, said he has no idea if the dog was rabid, had distemper, or some other ailment. The dog will not be tested for rabies because it did not bite anyone, Guzik said.

Guzik said he has managed not to get bitten on the 22½ years he has been on the job, but when he encountered this dog, he thought the streak was over. Guzik still avoided getting bitten.

"I'm just glad it didn't leave the area and that nobody got hurt," Guzik said.

The dog had no tags on, and Jalbert said she had never seen it before.

(The Republican - June 28, 2011)

Officer Shoots Pit Bull That Attacked Owner

WAUKESHA, WI -- The Waukesha Police Department said a dog that attacked its owner was shot by an officer Tuesday night.

Officers said a 59-year-old woman was attacked by one of her pit bulls about 6:30 p.m.

The owner said she was trying to kennel one of the two family dogs when the other dog attacked her.

Police said the owner suffered bite injuries to one arm and to both her legs. A 39-year-old neighbor who tried to help was also bitten by the dog, police said.

While the owner and the neighbor were being treated by fire crews, an officer said he saw the pit bull trying to jump over a low picket fence to attack police and neighbors at the scene.

Would you feel safe with this 'low picket fence' containing
your neighbor's pit bulls?

The officer said he was forced to shoot the dog to prevent it from attacking again.

The Waukesha Fire Department said the owner was flown to Froedert Hospital and is in stable condition, while the neighbor was taken to Waukesha Memorial Hospital.

The Waukesha Humane Animal Welfare Society said it removed both dogs from the house.

(WISN - June 28, 2011)

Read More:

• Waukesha Police Kill Pit Bull That Attacked Owner