South Africa: Elderly woman hospitalized after second pit bull attack in less than 10 days

SOUTH AFRICA -- Another pit bull attack has been reported on the South Coast, this time in Uvongo.

According to paramedic, Glen Preston from Med-Evac, a 65-year-old domestic worker was walking along Beaumont Avenue, Uvongo yesterday (Thursday)  when dogs ran out of a property and bit the woman several times.

“The woman suffered serious facial injuries, and was also bitten on her arm, leg and chest,” said Mr Preston.

He added that paramedics had also treated the dog owner’s son, who had suffered minor bites.

According to Werner Taljaard from the SPCA, the dog’s owners have asked that the animal be put down. The domestic worker was taken to hospital.

Margate SAPS will investigate.

Note: I'm using the tag "repairman" simply because I don't have one for "maid" but the victim in this story is described as a "domestic worker".

(South Coast Herald - January 14, 2018)

Florida: Man sues woman claiming her Bobcat attacked him; wildlife officer shows up and finds just a regular housecat

FLORIDA -- Christine Lee wants the world to know she does not own a bobcat.

She spent much of Thursday fending off phone calls from friends and news reporters who had learned of a lawsuit alleging she does.

The civil complaint claims a bobcat attacked a contractor who entered her home on the 18th floor of the Skypoint Condominiums in downtown Tampa.

That man, Marcos Hernandez, is suing Lee and the Skypoint Condominium Association for unspecified damages he says he suffered as a result of a creature clawing his arms, according to court and police records.

But the feline in question is not a bobcat, Lee demonstrated Thursday. Rather, Calli is a domestic long-haired cat with a fluffy mane of black, brown, blond and gray.

"How he could even think this was a bobcat, I don’t know," Lee said as she cuddled Calli. "He must not know cats."

Calli was a kitten when Lee rescued her from a salvage yard in Georgia about four years ago. She lives with Lee, her husband, Rex, and a black cat named Max.

*  *  *  *  *  *

The incident at the center of Hernandez’s civil complaint happened May 16. Hernandez visited the apartment to conduct a scheduled fire safety inspection, Lee said. He arrived about noon, earlier than she expected.

"All I know is he was in here alone and he must have startled her," Lee said.

Upon entering, Hernandez was scratched, he reported. Tampa police records state that he was bleeding and was taken to Tampa General Hospital.

Lee arrived home at 12:40 p.m., after Hernandez had left, she said.

Calli was near the front door. Max, who also looks nothing like a bobcat, was in a bedroom.

Condo rules require owners to be present when an inspection is conducted or cage their animals, Lee said. But she said she didn’t expect the inspection to occur until late afternoon. She was surprised upon her return to learn that Calli had attacked the man.

The next day, an employee with Hillsborough County’s Pet Resource Center visited and photographed Calli. Lee was cited for not having Calli’s rabies certification readily available, but she later produced it.

That was the end of it. Until the lawsuit.

A flurry of media reports Thursday brought Lee to tears. Calli hissed at a reporter who came to visit.

"I’m agitated, and she’s agitated," Lee said.

Among her visitors Thursday were officials with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. A spokeswoman confirmed the agency was looking into the matter. Lee said they would put out a statement.

 

"They were like, ‘Really?’?" she said. "I said ‘You’re welcome to investigate the premises and see that I don’t have a bobcat.’"

Lee doesn’t know what to make of the lawsuit. She has yet to hire a lawyer.

"It’s not a wild animal," she said. "It’s just a cat."

She's lucky her cats didn't end up dead. This guy could've gotten mad, chased them around the condo, stomped them, beat them and killed them. 

If possible, never let anyone in your home when you're not home. And even when you're home, keep your pets closed off in a separate room until that person is gone. Of course, meter readers usually come during the day when everyone is at work so there's always a risk if your pets are where the meter is located... 



Texas: Homeowner calling for changes after Entergy worker pepper sprays her dogs



Iowa: Woman says repairman beat her small Poodle mix; prosecutors refuse to file animal cruelty charges




Texas: CenterPoint worker caught on tape taunting, then beating customers' dogs



North Carolina: Plumber is fired from PF Plumbing for viciously kicking client's dog in the face, but what about the coworker who saw it and never told his employer what this guy had done???



Texas: Entergy utilities employee caught on camera pepper spraying small dog


(Tampa Bay Times - January 4, 2018)

North Carolina: Plumber is fired from PF Plumbing for viciously kicking client's dog in the face, but what about the coworker who saw it and never told his employer what this guy had done???

NORTH CAROLINA -- An employee at a Winston-Salem plumbing company lost his job after a video showing him kicking a dog inside a house went viral on Facebook on Wednesday.

A woman with the Facebook profile name Kelly Nicole posted a 34-second video clip showing two men coming into a living room on the way to the kitchen with a dog barking at their heels.

The man in the front, wearing a white shirt, kicks the dog toward the couch, then continues into the kitchen. 

The dog pauses for a moment, then continues to follow the two men, barking.

The post had more than 1,800 shares and more than 550 comments Wednesday evening.

By 9 p.m., the video had been removed from Kelly Nicole’s Facebook page. She stated in an updated post she had spoken with the company, PF Plumbing.

“I would like to note the company did express a heartfelt sincere apology and made sure our dog was OK.” She added she would still recommend the company.

Kelly Nicole previously stated on her Facebook page, “see the video below of what this scumbag did to our completely harmless dog this morning,” as well as posting a screenshot of a truck of PF Plumbing.

Teresa Freer, corporate secretary and owner of PF Plumbing, confirmed the company was at the house Wednesday morning for new construction.

After the video was posted, Freer said the company’s phone had been ringing off the hook.

She said the employee, who has worked at PF Plumbing for years and has pets of his own, has been terminated. 

I'm sure he regularly kicks his own dogs in the face for no reason...

She declined to identify the employee.

“I didn’t expect this,” Freer said. “It’s unacceptable.”

After getting kicked in the face, the dog retreats, dazed

In a post on the company’s Facebook page, Freer said PF Plumbing apologizes for the actions of the employee, and hopes people don’t think they stand for the company as a whole.

The Winston-Salem Journal was unable to get in contact with the homeowners Wednesday.

According to Freer, the company employees were surprised by what was inside. PF Plumbing didn’t know anyone had moved into the house yet, and got the key to the house from a lockbox. The plumbing company’s customer was the builder of the new house, who told them no one would be home, Freer said.

PF Plumbing has no set policy about allowing employees into a house if pets are left out unsecured and no one’s home, Freer said.

“Most of the time the homeowner’s home,” she said.

Kelly Nicole, the woman who posted the video, stated on her Facebook page that one dog stays in a crate and one that does not. She said she was unaware anyone was coming to the house Wednesday.

“Had we known they were coming, we would have put the dog away before hand or came home and done so,” she stated in her post.

Freer said she’s just stunned by the actions that occurred Wednesday morning at the house.

“We’ve been here 32 years and never had anything like this,” she said. “One person has devastated 85 employees and their families.”

Sherri Williams, an assistant professor in race media and communications at American University in Washington, D.C. and a former member of the communications department at Wake Forest University, said people often seize on videos online because the images resonate with them.

“A lot of people love dogs and their pets,” she said. “To see a dog brutalized in a home by a hired guest is shocking to people and may have prompted people to share this. It may be a cautionary tale to others.”

Many people have hired help come to their house — babysitters, cleaning services, contractors, Williams said.

“We expect people to treat our home with respect, and if not, we feel violated,” she said, adding by posting the video, “the (homeowner) might have hoped for justice.”

The company posted these statements to their Facebook page. However, I saw someone post a comment saying what about their 2nd employee who saw the guy kick the dog in the face and who obviously said nothing to his bosses about what this guy did. What about him? Why have someone like that around? If a coworker was stealing or going through people's panty drawers, here's an employee who'll never open his mouth and tell his bosses about criminal and/or deviant behavior that can ruin their business.

PF Plumbing

In response to the video circulating; PF Plumbing did not want to respond until we had all of the details and spoke with the homeowner. PF Plumbing does not condone this behavior and will be taking appropriate action as this is unacceptable. As owners at PF Plumbing we are pet owners and love our pets as if they are our children. To all that have posted please keep an open mind that one employee out of hundreds does not represent our company as a whole. We try our best to provide you and our entire community with the most professional service available and have for 32 years. We do and will not take this lightly and do apologize for this inappropriate behavior.

PF Plumbing is not taking this lightly and is taking the appropriate steps, we have terminated the employee and have been in contact with the company attorney throughout the day for advice on further steps to take, PF Plumbing will release the details at which time it becomes available. Again PF Plumbing sincerely apologizes. Please I ask to keep an open mind and do not allow one employees actions to misconstrue what our company stands for!

(Winston Salem Journal - August 3, 2017)

Iowa: Woman says repairman beat her small Poodle mix; prosecutors refuse to file animal cruelty charges

IOWA -- A woman is struggling to make her case that a workman beat her dog.

Peggy Babcock told KETV-TV that she kenneled her dog, Jack, before she left the house Nov. 1.

She later received a phone call from the repairman her landlord had hired saying that the job was done, but she had to come home.

“He says, 'Ma’am, I have to apologize. I’m really worried about your dog,’” Babcock said.

Babcock said the man told her the 22-pound poodle mix attacked him, so he hit the it with a stake.

Jack was bloodied and beaten when Babcock returned home.

“He left him there to die,” Babcock said.

Babcock filed a report with the Omaha Police Department, but authorities said charging the workman with animal cruelty charges would be nearly impossible to prosecute.

Mark Langan with the Nebraska Humane Society said there wasn't enough probable cause for a felony or misdemeanor animal cruelty charge because the workman said it was self-defense.

“The only witness to that incident is the suspect himself, who indicates he was defending himself. It would have been tough for us to go to court and prove otherwise,” Langan said.

Omaha police are seeking a destruction of property offense, but the County Attorney's Office has yet to sign off on it.

Jack is left without an eye, but he will be fine.

Babcock said she won't be fine until the hired workman is held accountable.

“He's evil, and I think he needs to go to jail. I think he needs to be charged,” Babcock said.

(KCCI - Nov 29, 2012)