Pennsylvania: Woman claims man stabbed her Pit Bull mix for no reason; doesn't mention the dog was loose and tried to attack man

PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA -- When I read the GoFundMe page, I immediately suspected the owner, Jesse Mortimer, wasn't being 100% truthful. She says:

"A man was passing by our home while Clark was outside, on his leash, to go potty. The man suddenly stabbed Clark when Clark went up onto the sidewalk to greet him. He showed no aggression towards the man, as he is a very sweet boy. The man then immediately took off, leaving our poor boy bleeding out on the street. He was stabbed in the lower abdomen, close the lungs and stomach."

If this dog is leashed he wouldn't have had an opportunity to get to the sidewalk. If a person has a reasonable fear of being attacked, they are legally allowed to protect themselves.

When we get to the news story, which is one-sided on her part, we get the truth:

Wednesday night, Clark was outside on a leash when a man walked toward Fretts' home on Burrows Street. Clark started barking.

"He said, 'Girl, get your dogs in,' so I was like, all right, I'm going to make sure they're all contained," Fretts said.

In the process of getting Clark inside, the dog slipped out of his collar and ran toward the man.

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Clark is a friendly dog, claims its owners.

"When we adopted him, he had no record of aggressive behavior," owner Greta Fretts said.

Wednesday night, Clark was outside on a leash when a man walked toward Fretts' home on Burrows Street. Clark started barking.

"He said, 'Girl, get your dogs in,' so I was like, all right, I'm going to make sure they're all contained," Fretts said.

In the process of getting Clark inside, the dog slipped out of his collar and ran toward the man.

Fretts is adamant that Clark wasn't attacking the man, but said that as the dog ran toward the passerby, Clark was stabbed by the man, who then ran away.

"Not real aggressive or anything," Fretts said. "He was just trying to run and greet him like he usually would anyone else, and the guy had a knife already and stabbed him in the said."

Immediately, Fretts applied pressure to the wound. She and her roommate got Clark to a veterinarian at Pittsburgh Veterinary Specialty & Emergency Center in the North Hills.

"It penetrated his chest cavity and caused an injury to the lung, so it was a very deep wound," Dr. Kelsey Sutcliffe said. "He's a young, otherwise healthy dog. I think his prognosis is excellent, as long as he continues to do as well as he has."

Pittsburgh police are investigating the incident.

(WTAE - April 11, 2018)

North Carolina: Mother, young son mauled on Easter Sunday. Pit Bull won't stop when beaten with tree trimmers; only relents when repeatedly stabbed

LEE COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA -- A local mother and her young son are recovering at UNC Hospitals in Chapel Hill after being attacked by a dog in Sanford on Easter Sunday.

The attack happened while they were visiting family in the 4000 block of Lee Avenue in Sanford this weekend.

The community is rallying around Tiffany Griffis and her 2-year-old son Cameron Moore to help care for her other three children while she recovers.

Griffis's cousin, Destiny Godfrey, was there when it happened.

She said the dog went for the 2-year-old first. Griffis was able to lift him above her head, but the dog then started going for her legs.

Godfrey said they were dropping off a plate of food to her when a nearby dog escaped from a neighbor's yard.

The bottom of the neighbor's chain-linked fence was unsecured.

The battle to stop the attack was a desperate one according to Godfrey, who tried to stop the dog by hitting him with garden shears.

When that didn't work she moved to more extreme measures.

"The next thing I thought was 'God, what do I do,'" she said, "And it's like I heard this voice in my head telling me 'stab him, stab him,' and I grabbed the biggest knife I could see, and I just started stabbing him."

Godfrey said while Cameron is expected to be released from the hospital today, after a bite to his left thigh, Griffis' injuries are much more extensive.

Her fingertips and both legs were mauled. Griffis and Cameron were airlifted to UNC Hospitals following the attack.

Godfrey said that while Griffis' surgery for her legs went well, it's unclear what the road ahead may bring.

Godfrey said she worries about what this could mean for her cousin, a single mother supporting four children.

At first, I thought with so many young children and being referred to as a "single mother", she is a widow. But it seems she has a fiance who (based on their Facebook posts) appears to be the father of her three youngest children. 

Maybe I'm getting old and grumpy, but whatever happened to people getting married before they start having children?? Yes, what happened to her and her little boy is horrific and she will definitely need donations for her long-term medical care that isn't covered by insurance, but the father of her three children - who she is not married to - is the one who should be buying diapers and clothing for his children. 

Note: I've been making at effort at blurring out the faces of children when I locate and post their parents' social media photos in relation to an article, but since the article didn't blur the faces of these children, I didn't either.

According to Lee County Animal Control, they are holding the dog for a 10 day observation period. The dog is set to be euthanized afterward.

Same photo on both of their FB pages

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NORTH CAROLINA -- Crystal Underwood Burris is with Tiffany Griffis. Posted on Facebook April 1, 2018 ·

Pray warriors need serious prayer. They were attacked by pit bull. She is having surgery to save her leg and the baby was bit in vital areas .....please pray!

(WTVD - April 2, 2018)

Links:

• Tiffany Griffis Facebook
• Cory Moore Facebook

Rhode Island: Man, sister charged with animal cruelty for not taking Pit Bulls to veterinarian after they were stabbed; one dog suffered until finally dying

RHODE ISLAND -- A Roslindale, Massachusetts man and his sister are both facing animal cruelty charges in connection with an incident that left one dog dead and two others severely injured.

Rhode Island State Police said 18-year-old Paul Thibeau and 26-year-old Julia McDougall turned themselves in Wednesday morning, following a joint investigation with the Rhode Island Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RISPCA).

 

 

Both Thibeau and McDougall were arraigned at Providence District Court.

RISPCA spokesman Joe Warzycha said Thibeau was visiting McDougall at her home at 28 Saint James Street in Providence when their Pit Bulls got into a fight.

  

While trying to break up the fight, Warzycha said Thibeau stabbed two of McDougall’s dogs. 

According to Warzycha, both Thibeau and his sister waited more than seven hours before bringing the most severely injured dog to a veterinarian. 

That dog later died from its injuries.

 

 

Joe Warzycha, of the RISPCA, told NBC 10 News that Thibeau waited more than seven hours before he took the dog that was most severely injured to a vet and when he did, the dog was already dead.

“Immediately following the altercation, he put the dog into the dog crate, ran some errands, took care of some other personal things and seven hours later, made the determination to bring the dog to Ocean State [Veterinary Specialists.]”

In addition, Warzycha said McDougall never sought veterinary care for her other two injured dogs.

Thibeau claimed he stabbed the dogs in self-defense, and Warzycha said the RISPCA does not dispute his argument.

The cruelty charges against the brother and sister were based on the fact that neither promptly sought veterinary care for the injured dogs, according to Warzycha.

Rhode Island State Police Press Release:

At 8:30 AM, Troopers arrested Paul Thibeau, age 18, of 39 Archdale Road, Roslindale, MA for Cruelty to Animals - Felony.

The arrest was the result of the barracks assisting the Rhode Island Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals with their investigation and Thibeau subsequently turning himself in. Thibeau was processed and later arraigned at Sixth Division District Court.

At 8:30 AM, Troopers arrested Julia McDougall, age 26, of 28 St. James Street, Providence, RI for 1) Cruelty to Animals - Felony and 2) Cruelty to Animals - Misdemeanor (2 counts).

The arrest was the result of the barracks assisting the Rhode Island Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals with their investigation and McDougall subsequently turning herself in. McDougall was processed and later arraigned at Sixth Division District Court.

(NBC4i - March 7, 2018)

United Kingdom: Shad’a McQueen stabbed her dog several times, slit its throat then left it to slowly die in agony. The judge gave her probation

UNITED KINGDOM -- A woman who slit her dog’s throat after going on a booze binge has been banned from owning an animal again.

Shad’a McQueen attacked her pet bull dog on October 29 last year after a night out drinking with an ex-girlfriend, Croydon Magistrates Court heard this week.

The 33-year-old armed herself with a knife and set upon her pet dog at her home in South Norwood in south London, stabbing it several times in the body. The court heard how she then used the same knife to slash the dog’s throat.

She then called the police and when officers arrived, the female dog was found to be ‘close to death’ and was taken to a vet and put down.

GIVEN PROBATION FOR HORRIFIC CRIME
McQueen pleaded guilty to stabbing her dog and causing the pet unnecessary suffering and was handed a four-month jail term, suspended for 18 months. She was also ordered to do 60 hours of unpaid work and was banned from owning animals for an indefinite period.

Judge Susan Holden told McQueen that ‘no animal’ should have to ‘go through what your dog was put through’. She added: ‘This is a deeply distressing case. ‘It’s clear that your dog must have suffered unnecessarily.’

Despite the courts stating that she was banned from owning animals for "an indefinite period", they immediately told her she could go visit her other dog. That would be the one she didn't stab repeatedly and then slit its throat, leaving it lying there in agony, slowly dying. 

When sentenced at Croydon Magistrates’ Court, the 33-year-old found out she may one day be able to own a dog again.

She walked free from court and was told she will be able to visit her other, shared pet dog - if accompanied - who she owns along with an ex-girlfriend.

This is how this ridiculous woman dresses for court.

(Metro UK - March 9, 2018)

California: "Akiba is home from from the vet after the Pit Bull attack"

CALIFORNIA -- Ginger Snap posted on Facebook January 20, 2018 ·

Akiba is home from from the vet after the Pit Bull attack at 700 Longview Pismo Heights. He’s in a lot of pain and shaking but it looks like he will heal.

 

Laura Ruema - Always the same from pit bulls! My little guy spent 3 days in the animal hospital, had X-rays, labs, and surgery and bandage changes for days...but he’s doing great. Hoping the same healing for yours!

Ginger Snap - Horrible! I’m so sorry. I’m glad he’s healing. We are so fortunate it wasn’t worse for Akiba. Luckily a neighbor knew how to get the dog to release before it caused much more damage.

Laura Ruema - Ginger Snap the owner actually stabbed his dog to release mine! So glad Akiba is doing well!

Ginger Snap - Laura Ruema, omg!!! Wow what a terrifying experience. I am so sorry

Laura Ruema - Ginger Snap don’t feel bad-my Rue is a warrior and so am I! People make fun of little dogs, but guess what? They are survivors and so are we! The pit bull that did this is dead....praying the same for you and yours! And thanks to our attack 😞 I found out how many times this happens every single day in this country and have joined the advocacy to protect other pets and children and other vulnerable individuals. So we are definitely going to win this one!

Diana Kassir - Call the police too (not just animal control), and get a 'police report'. Please do hold the owner accountable!!! I took the owner of the Pit bull (He killed my Afghan) to court and got my $6,000.00 vet bills & any expenses.

Ginger Snap - That is horrible. I made police report and animal control went to their house today. I am so sorry for your loss.

  

 

  

  

  

 

I think Rue is a Bichon Frise