Mary Jane McKenzie said she has never been so scared in all of her life.
WHEELNG -- Two Wheeling Island residents are recovering after being attacked by two pit bulls on Wheeling Island.
The incident happened just before 7 p.m. Thursday near the corner of Florida and 312 S. Penn St.
Mary Jane McKenzie claims she was in the alley way between her Florida Street home and where the dogs live at 312 S. Penn St., when she noticed a gate was opened in a yard.
That’s when McKenzie said a pit bull named Coco came charging after her. A neighbor yelled for help. McKenzie said she was able to make it to her front porch, but was bitten. Neighbor, Desmond Lekandus saw what was happening and tried to help McKenzie. That’s when, he said, a second brown and white pit bull came after him, biting him on the hand. McKenzie has a gash on her arm and a pretty severe bruise. Lekandus said it was, “by the grace of God” that the pit bulls took off.
Both McKenzie and Lekandus went to the hospital for treatment and tetanus shots.
Those bitten along with several other neighbors, City Manager Bob Herron and Councilman Vern Seals met out in front of McKenzie’s home Friday morning to address the issue. Herron claims that the home owners at 312 S. Penn St. have been cited in the past for the dogs and were cited once again after Thursday night’s attacks.
Herron said, that the city does have provisions under a pit bull ordinance to deal with some of those issues and he plans to address the dogs right away.
Residents are calling on city leaders to remove the dogs. WTRF tried to talk to those at the pit bull’s home, but were told, “Go mess with someone else, people out here doing worse than this. Go somewhere else!”
Chief Matheny said that the two dogs were removed from the home late Friday afternoon and they are impounded, per the vicious dog ordinance. Samantha Demello has been charged with two counts of vicious dog violation, Matheny said.
Jul 30, 2010
Man accused of hogtying pit bull to stand trial
A Lamont area man accused of hogtying a pit bull and abandoning it in a field will be arraigned Aug. 6 on two felony counts and a misdemeanor charge.
James D. Worley, 52, was ordered to stand trial on two counts of cruelty to animals and a misdemeanor count of abandoning a dog following a preliminary hearing Wednesday in the Lamont division of Kern County Superior Court.
The crimes are punishable by up to three years in prison.
Worley has admitted to investigators that he dumped the pit bull, since named England, in a field after it bit someone and the property owner told him to get rid of the dog, according to investigative reports.
However, Worley denied tying up the dog.
The dog was found April 22 in a muddy field southwest of Lamont. It had boot laces wrapped tightly around its mouth, neck and legs.
An animal rescue group associated with actress Katherine Heigl picked up the dog with the intention of rehabilitating it for possible future adoption.
Pit Bull owners need to push for breed specific legislation, to help keep Pit Bulls out of the hands of idiots and animal abusers.
tags: abandoned, animal cruelty, foundation, friends of the kern county animal shelters foundation, heigl, hogtied, james worley, england
Dead Pit Bull found stuffed in a suitcase
NEW BEDFORD — Someone apparently threw a suitcase with an adult female pit bull terrier and several bricks inside into the waters off the Frederick Street boat ramp in the South End, according to animal control officials.
NEW BEDFORD, Mass. (WPRI) - A gruesome discovery in New Bedford is under investigation.
New Bedford Animal Control officers say a dead pit bull was recovered from the water off Frederick Street.
The dog had been stuffed in a suitcase which was found floating by a boat ramp.
Investigators are not sure if the dog was dead before it was put in the suitcase.
A necropsy will be performed.
http://www.wpri.com/dpp/news/massachusetts/new-bedford-pit-bull-found-stuffed-in-suitcase
NEW BEDFORD, Mass. (WPRI) - A gruesome discovery in New Bedford is under investigation.
New Bedford Animal Control officers say a dead pit bull was recovered from the water off Frederick Street.
The dog had been stuffed in a suitcase which was found floating by a boat ramp.
Investigators are not sure if the dog was dead before it was put in the suitcase.
A necropsy will be performed.
http://www.wpri.com/dpp/news/massachusetts/new-bedford-pit-bull-found-stuffed-in-suitcase
Pit Nutter video
A Pit Bull named Coby kills a groundhog in this video.
This is an insight to how most Pit Bull owners treat their dogs.
Pit Bulls are a fad breed, which attracts bad owners. The majority of Pit Bull owners are not 'normal' people that just want a dog for a family pet. They are usually acquired as status symbols.
This is an insight to how most Pit Bull owners treat their dogs.
Pit Bulls are a fad breed, which attracts bad owners. The majority of Pit Bull owners are not 'normal' people that just want a dog for a family pet. They are usually acquired as status symbols.
Jul 28, 2010
10 popular Pit Bull excuses.
Man if I had a nickel for every time I've heard one of these!!!
10. My Pit Bull will only lick you to death
9. But, Petey was a Pit Bull
8. He/she's never done that before
7. Pit Bulls get a bad rap
6. Pit Bulls are lovers not fighters
5. The pit Bull attacked because it was probably abused
4. My Pit Bull would not hurt a fly
3. Golden Retrievers are more likely to bite than Pit Bulls
2. Punish The Deed not the Breed
1. It is impossible to correctly identify a Pit Bull
NO IT IS NOT! JUST FOLLOW THE TRAIL OF BLOOD!
Cities Requiring Pit Bull Dog Permits in Mississippi (BSL)
BSL has been passed, and guess what Pit Bull owners? Nobody will be coming to your door to take away your precious Pit Bull, unless you cannot comply with the law, in which case you should not have the dog anyhow.
BRANDON, Miss. (AP) - Pit bull owners in the city of Brandon have two months to obtain permits that require a special pen for the dogs and liability insurance.
Meanwhile, Flowood residents who own pit bulls have one month to obtain the permits.
The Clarion-Ledger reports both cities' leaders unanimously adopted regulations on pit bulls and similar dogs last week.
In order to obtain a permit, owners must have at least a 100-square-foot pen with a concrete floor and enclosed with at least a six-foot chain-link fence.
Additionally, the pen must have a roof. For Brandon residents, the pen has to be inside a fenced backyard.
Owners also must have a liability insurance policy of at least $100,000.
Those in violation can be fined up to $1,000 and jailed for up to three months.
http://www.myeyewitnessnews.com/news/local/story/Cities-Requiring-Pit-Bull-Dog-Permits-in/AaAulkNhGUW-cRMf0dXb7Q.cspx
BRANDON, Miss. (AP) - Pit bull owners in the city of Brandon have two months to obtain permits that require a special pen for the dogs and liability insurance.
Meanwhile, Flowood residents who own pit bulls have one month to obtain the permits.
The Clarion-Ledger reports both cities' leaders unanimously adopted regulations on pit bulls and similar dogs last week.
In order to obtain a permit, owners must have at least a 100-square-foot pen with a concrete floor and enclosed with at least a six-foot chain-link fence.
Additionally, the pen must have a roof. For Brandon residents, the pen has to be inside a fenced backyard.
Owners also must have a liability insurance policy of at least $100,000.
Those in violation can be fined up to $1,000 and jailed for up to three months.
http://www.myeyewitnessnews.com/news/local/story/Cities-Requiring-Pit-Bull-Dog-Permits-in/AaAulkNhGUW-cRMf0dXb7Q.cspx
Jul 27, 2010
Pit Bull Bites Owner On The Neck Killing Him
A Cape Town man has been mauled to death by one of the pit bulls he owned.
Jason Waverly (21) died on the porch of his home in Retreat on Sunday after one of his three dogs bit him in the neck.
A neighbour said she was not surprised that the aggressive dogs turned on Waverly; she claimed that she often witnessed him being physically abusive towards the animals.
According to The Daily Voice the neighbour said that she saw him leaving the house with one of the dogs when she saw him again he had all three dogs and was going to take them for a walk. She then told him it was dangerous and that it was not safe for him to walk alone with all the dogs.
"What happened is really tragic but it was just a matter of time before one of the dogs turned on him," the neighbour reportedly told the Daily Voice.
Steenberg police spokesperson Warrant Officer John Bartlett said the police were called to the home at 2.50pm after a friend found Jason's bloody body.
Police spokesperson Warrant Officer Hermanus van Dyk told the Cape Argus that man had tried to break up a fight between two of his dogs by putting a leash on one of them - which had jumped up and bitten him in the neck.
The SPCA's Allan Perrins reportedly said they were concerned about the amount of pit bulls on the Cape Flats. "Owners of this breed must be aware that most strive to dominate and at the first sign of weakness, they may react."
The SPCA said the family had requested that they put the animals down. They have since done so.
Pit Bull attacks kill 5 cows.
Pit Bulls can easily kill a 400 pound cow.
Five dairy heifers are dead and more than a half-dozen were injured in two pit bull attacks Sunday off Oktoc Road.
Mactoc Farm farmer Bill McGee was asleep Sunday just before 3 a.m. when he was awakened by the sound of a heifer in distress. When McGee went outside to investigate, he saw a tan pit bull "clamped down" on the head of one of his 3-month-old heifers, he said.
McGee shouted at the pit bull, then fired his 20-gauge shotgun at the dog and it ran away.
But the damage was done. One heifer was dead, two were maimed and another received minor injuries.
McGee eventually went to bed and woke up later Sunday morning to discover three more heifers were dead in another pasture and a half-dozen others were injured. Several were missing ears and tails, and chunks of meat were visible through torn skin.
"That tan pit was a powerful dog," he said. A small black and tan pit bull accompanied the tan pit bull during the attack, McGee said.
Sunday night, family friend Mark Murphy kept watch over the farm's approximately 420 heifers in case the dogs came back. They did and they brought friends.
Just before 10 p.m. Sunday, the tan pit bull returned with the small black and white dog and two others. Murphy shot the black and white dog, McGee said, and the remaining dogs scattered. But the group had killed another heifer, which brought the death total to five, McGee said.
Outside Starkville city limits, Oktibbeha County has no leash laws or vicious dog laws, Oktibbeha County Sheriff's Department Chief Deputy George Carrithers said. The county doesn't have an animal control officer either, so Sheriff's Department deputies sometimes take "wild" dogs to the county animal shelter, Carrithers said.
"But if you've got wild dogs chasing livestock in Mississippi, the law allows you to take care of the problem," Carrithers said. "It's not illegal to shoot a dog if it's chasing your livestock."
Sitting in their home Monday afternoon, Bill and Patsy McGee were distressed.
"I don't know what the solution is, but county-wide, something needs to happen," Bill McGee said. "It's just horrible to find these heifers all mangled up. It was just very depressing and distressing and now you've got that feeling like, 'I can't go to bed without somebody being on guard.'"
Monday afternoon, McGee was preparing for another encounter with the dogs.
"If they come back tonight, we'll be ready," McGee said. "We're going to have a lot of firepower out here."
The Sheriff's Department has been patrolling the area and questioning neighbors in an attempt to find the dogs, Carrithers said.
Bill McGee says he has contacted residents of the Browning Creek subdivision, located directly across Oktoc Road, and warned them to be wary of the wandering pit bulls.
"We've been out here 31 years and we've never had anything like this before," Patsy McGee said.
The largest heifer killed in the attacks weighed nearly 400 pounds.
Jul 25, 2010
Pit Bull bites boy, family's home condemned
NASHUA - A 4-year-old boy was attacked by his family's pitbull on Friday in what his parents are calling an accident. The family’s home subsequently condemned following the incident due to an illegal basement and unsanitary conditions.
Twenty-four hours and just as many stitches later, 4-year-old Eric wants his 6-month-old pitbull Caesar back, even after an attack that left him with a hole is his lip and his family without a place to live.
Eric was playing in the dog’s water bowl when police say the dog nipped him in the mouth.
The Nashua family had two pitbulls, Caesar and another 8-week-old dog. They say the dogs love their three boys ages 1, 3 and 4.
The dogs were taken pending the outcome of an investigation. It's still unclear if or when they'll be returned.
The home has been condemned due to an illegal basement and unsanitary conditions inside.
Police say an illegal apartment was under construction in the 102 Ledge Street home and due to the conditions inside, police issued a vacate order.
Eric's mom says he's back to his happy self, but until this order is lifted life will be anything but normal.
No charges have been filed but the family be cited by the town for the building violation.
http://www.myfoxboston.com/dpp/news/local/boy-attacked-by-pitbull-familys-home-condemned-20100724
Pit Bull bites Oakland child in the face
OAKLAND — A 7-year-old girl was bitten in the face by a pit bull in an Oakland neighborhood Saturday afternoon, just days after a Concord boy was mauled to death by a group of pitbulls.
The girl was taken to Children's Hospital where she was in stable condition Saturday night, said Lt. Chris Landry of the Oakland Fire Department. Oakland police and Alameda County animal services also responded at about 2:45 p.m. Saturday in the 2800 block of 82nd Avenue.
Police spoke to a neighbor who owned the dog, but it was unclear what happened to the dog, Landry said.
The incident occurred two days after a 2-year-old Concord boy was killed when he was attacked by three of his family's pit bulls in the garage of his home.
The boy's stepgrandfather was arrested on suspicion of child endangerment and owning mischievous animals that result in death. Steven Hayashi, 52, was being held in Contra Costa County Jail on $120,000 bail Saturday night.
Hayashi's five pit bulls were euthanized by Contra Costa animal services after the attack.
The county coroner's office identified the boy as Jacob Bisbee.
But they are such good nanny dogs!
The girl was taken to Children's Hospital where she was in stable condition Saturday night, said Lt. Chris Landry of the Oakland Fire Department. Oakland police and Alameda County animal services also responded at about 2:45 p.m. Saturday in the 2800 block of 82nd Avenue.
Police spoke to a neighbor who owned the dog, but it was unclear what happened to the dog, Landry said.
The incident occurred two days after a 2-year-old Concord boy was killed when he was attacked by three of his family's pit bulls in the garage of his home.
The boy's stepgrandfather was arrested on suspicion of child endangerment and owning mischievous animals that result in death. Steven Hayashi, 52, was being held in Contra Costa County Jail on $120,000 bail Saturday night.
Hayashi's five pit bulls were euthanized by Contra Costa animal services after the attack.
The county coroner's office identified the boy as Jacob Bisbee.
But they are such good nanny dogs!
Jul 24, 2010
Stray Pit Bulls Attack Lakewood Man
A 63-year-old Dallas man said he thought he would die when two dogs attacked him Friday morning.
Two pit bulls attacked Dost Aryan in the 6300 block of Monticello Avenue as he was taking a morning stroll through his Lakewood neighborhood just before 7 a.m.
David Cunniff, who witnessed the attack, said it was something he will never forget.
"It lasted 10 minutes or something," he said. "It was horrible. I could hear this guy, you know, help and screaming and yelling at the dogs."
Witness Says Dog Attack Was "Horrible"
Cunniff said the dogs mauled Aryan "from head to toe."
"His lip was hanging from his chin," he said. "I mean, he had bites on his forehead. Every inch of his body appeared to be covered in bites."
Cunniff watched in horror as Aryan somehow managed to get away from the dogs and make his way to a nearby porch.
"My neighbor looked out of the side window and I said, 'Let him in, let him in,'" he said. "I don't think she knew what was going on either. We had no idea."
Neighbors called police.
"The police showed up, and they got aggressive again, and the police took a shot -- had to fire at them -- and then they ran off between the houses," Cunniff said.
Dallas Animal Services caught the dogs a short time later.
Animal control will keep the dogs for the next 13 days to test them for rabies. They will also check for any microchips the stray animals may have to try and determine who, if anyone, owns them.
Two pit bulls attacked Dost Aryan in the 6300 block of Monticello Avenue as he was taking a morning stroll through his Lakewood neighborhood just before 7 a.m.
David Cunniff, who witnessed the attack, said it was something he will never forget.
"It lasted 10 minutes or something," he said. "It was horrible. I could hear this guy, you know, help and screaming and yelling at the dogs."
Witness Says Dog Attack Was "Horrible"
Cunniff said the dogs mauled Aryan "from head to toe."
"His lip was hanging from his chin," he said. "I mean, he had bites on his forehead. Every inch of his body appeared to be covered in bites."
Cunniff watched in horror as Aryan somehow managed to get away from the dogs and make his way to a nearby porch.
"My neighbor looked out of the side window and I said, 'Let him in, let him in,'" he said. "I don't think she knew what was going on either. We had no idea."
Neighbors called police.
"The police showed up, and they got aggressive again, and the police took a shot -- had to fire at them -- and then they ran off between the houses," Cunniff said.
Dallas Animal Services caught the dogs a short time later.
Animal control will keep the dogs for the next 13 days to test them for rabies. They will also check for any microchips the stray animals may have to try and determine who, if anyone, owns them.
Pit Bulls: Unleashing Hell
This is a newly published article about Pit Bulls, and you know me, I have to read everything about Pit Bulls... Some of this I agree with, and some I don't, but at least they are taking on the subject again.
Pitbulls are widely feared and reviled for their instinctive aggression, and recent attacks have reignited the debate over whether they should be outlawed. But does the blame for a dog's viciousness lie with the breed or owners? Tim Hume investigates.
THE DOG attack which left eight-year old Andy "AJ" Maninoa with half his face torn off earlier this month was chilling, ferocious, but hardly extraordinary.
Everything about the incident, which took place at a Housing New Zealand halfway house, followed a depressingly familiar template. The dog, Red, was known to Waitakere authorities as an aggressive animal. The owner, 30-year-old Linda Sale, had never voluntarily registered the dog. Red was microchipped only after having been impounded for straying on to the streets without the muzzle which, as a menacing dog, it should have worn. That registration had lapsed and had never been renewed. Sale had been warned just days earlier about the animal running loose, although it had been chained up in the garage at the time of the attack. The dog savaged AJ, whose family were visiting Sale, when he entered his territory, approaching for a pat.
Sale's boyfriend flipped the bird at the press as he surrendered the dog to the council. Predictably, Red was a pitbull.
AJ was left with more than 100 stitches in his face and faces a future of painful medical procedures and permanent scarring. He told his mother he was grateful his younger brother and his sister had been spared. The fact that Red was destroyed did little to placate many horrified observers, who called for common sense to prevail and the entire breed to be banned.
Story is way too long to post all of it on my blog.
You can find the rest of this article here - http://www.stuff.co.nz/sunday-star-times/features/3952156/Pitbulls-Unleashing-hell
Best blog award goes to...
This award goes to Craven Desires for best blog.
Not only is CD a great blogger, he has helped me along the way in my Pit Bull ownership adventure.
He has given me better advice about my Pit Bull than most trainers I have used. Especially with this most recent problem I am having.
He always takes the time out of his busy schedule to help me with the many problems with my Pit Bull, and CD I want you to know for that I thank you so much!
Pit Bull club meetup - EPIC FAIL
If the job is to promote a positive Pit Bull image, then this is a hilarious joke, right?
Here is their website.
http://skin.bebo.com/Profile.jsp?MemberId=10518395472
If you need a Bully group in the Rotorua area to help spread your 'postive' breed image booster, this is as positive as it gets.
Is it any wonder that Rotorua and other places in New Zealand are also having trouble with menacing Pit Bulls and their idiot owners?
Here is their website.
http://skin.bebo.com/Profile.jsp?MemberId=10518395472
If you need a Bully group in the Rotorua area to help spread your 'postive' breed image booster, this is as positive as it gets.
Is it any wonder that Rotorua and other places in New Zealand are also having trouble with menacing Pit Bulls and their idiot owners?
Jul 23, 2010
Man who stabbed pitbull to face felony charges
UTICA, July 23, 2010-- A Utica man faces felony charges after he allegedly stabbed a pitbull in the face multiple times.
26-year-old Brenton Browne, was charged with aggravated cruelty to animals, police said after responding to a complaint of animal cruelty on Gray Avenue.
According to reports, the dog was barking, which caused Browne to choke the dog.
According to reports the dog then bit Browne, causing Browne to stab the animal.
http://uticadailynews.com/daily_local_news/16104-Man-who-stabbed-pitbull-face-felony-charges.html
26-year-old Brenton Browne, was charged with aggravated cruelty to animals, police said after responding to a complaint of animal cruelty on Gray Avenue.
According to reports, the dog was barking, which caused Browne to choke the dog.
According to reports the dog then bit Browne, causing Browne to stab the animal.
http://uticadailynews.com/daily_local_news/16104-Man-who-stabbed-pitbull-face-felony-charges.html
Pit Bull Attacks vs. other breeds - understand the difference!
You can do an internet search every single day and find an appalling story about a Pit Bull attack(s). Even though it is said over and over that the Pit Bull population is lower than that of other breeds, they are involved in more attacks than any other breed these days, and often fatal attacks.
When you read stories of these unprovoked attacks on everyday common people, just walking to their mailbox, out riding bikes, or just having fun family time by pulling their toddler in a wagon, if it does not outrage you, then something is very wrong!
Chihuahuas, Cocker Spaniels, Golden Retrievers, etc. do attack, and yes, they have inflicted serious damage, but it is rare...
Pit Bulls on the other hand attack frequently and do major damage almost every time. There usually is no such thing as a warning bite with Pit Bulls. When they need to give a warning it is usually a full fledged relentless attack.
That is the difference between Pit Bulls and other dogs.
Other dogs don't feel the need to seriously maul someone to get their point across, Pit Bulls do.
Pit Bull attacks are different than other dogs. Think about the difference like this -- it's the difference between pliars, and the jaws of life.
If you still don't get it, let me show you some pictures so you can get the mental vision about what I mean...
And now on to the attack pictures..
The difference between Pit Bulls, and other breeds is clearly evident in the amount of damage done when they attack.
NORMAL DOG ATTACKS
I mean seriously Pit Bull owners and advocates, there has got to be something different with a dog that has to have a breakstick used to pry it's jaws open during a fight!
See what Pit Bull owners say about breaksticks -- http://www.thebullyhouse.net/pitbullproducts/breakingsticks.html
So, Pit Bull advocates KNOW THIS
We know all breeds are involved in attacks.
But no other breed compares when it comes to the damage Pit Bulls do when they attack.
PITBULL POLL: Should Pit Bulls be banned in Concord?
QUESTION: Would you support a ban on pit-bulls in the City of Concord?
Give your answer here: http://claycord.com/2010/07/22/question-would-you-support-a-ban-on-pit-bulls-in-the-city-of-concord/
Guns Have no will of their own.. BUT PIT BULLS DO!
And, my favorite comment coming from the poll on banning Pit Bulls goes to anonymous --
My GOD! I’m so sick and tired of the urban hyena, I mean pit bull, apologists with this “it’s the trainers (owners) fault” garbage. Some people keep lions as pets and claim they are the sweetest things as long as they are properly trained by the right owners. They claim lions aren’t dangerous. But I’ll tell you what, there is no way in hell I’d want someone with a lion living next door. Period. I feel bad for anyone that has to live next door to someone with these ticking time bombs. I read the neighbor couldn’t let her kids play in front for fear that one of the dogs would get loose.
The only silver lining is that this pack of sweet dogs didn’t get loose and go on a much more lethal rampage attacking more folks.
I really wish there was some law against owning these wild dogs.
Give your answer here: http://claycord.com/2010/07/22/question-would-you-support-a-ban-on-pit-bulls-in-the-city-of-concord/
Guns Have no will of their own.. BUT PIT BULLS DO!
And, my favorite comment coming from the poll on banning Pit Bulls goes to anonymous --
My GOD! I’m so sick and tired of the urban hyena, I mean pit bull, apologists with this “it’s the trainers (owners) fault” garbage. Some people keep lions as pets and claim they are the sweetest things as long as they are properly trained by the right owners. They claim lions aren’t dangerous. But I’ll tell you what, there is no way in hell I’d want someone with a lion living next door. Period. I feel bad for anyone that has to live next door to someone with these ticking time bombs. I read the neighbor couldn’t let her kids play in front for fear that one of the dogs would get loose.
The only silver lining is that this pack of sweet dogs didn’t get loose and go on a much more lethal rampage attacking more folks.
I really wish there was some law against owning these wild dogs.
Call to ban pit bulls in the west end
Amanda Gatti holds her dog, Puppy, yesterday. Gatti suffered bites on her knees, shoulder and armpit while defending the Jack Russell terrier when it was attacked by a neighbour's pit bull on Monday. "We got nowhere with the police basically," she says. "I'm surprised there aren't more laws about this."
'The bottom line is they're a danger,' councillor says
An attack on a woman by a pit bull has residents of Notre Dame de Grace wondering whether their borough shouldn't ban the dogs or at least toughen up its animal safety bylaws.
Amanda Gatti, 24, was attacked by her neighbour's pit bull on Monday as she was coming home from a nighttime walk with her small Jack Russell terrier, Puppy, and her boyfriend.
The pit bull had escaped from its yard and ran up the stairs to Gatti's apartment, chasing her dog.
"It happened so fast, I didn't even have time to shut the door downstairs," Gatti recounted.
Trying to protect Puppy, Gatti suffered bites on her knees, shoulder and armpit. She says her boyfriend eventually managed to restrain the pit bull by the neck.
"If my boyfriend hadn't been there, it would have been a lot worse," she said.
Gatti, who recently had heart surgery and is on blood thinners, had to go to hospital for a tetanus shot and antibiotics.
The pit bull -which had attacked Puppy once before -escaped.
Gatti filed a police report, but she said she was not convinced anything would come of it.
"We got nowhere with the police, basically," she said.
"I'm surprised there aren't more laws about this."
Commander Daniel Leduc, chief of the police station where Gatti filed her report, said the police are one part of a longer process. After the police report is filed, it is sent to the city's dog patrol unit.
"They're the ones responsible for the inquiry, not us," he said. "We don't have a lot of power."
According to Michel Therrien, a spokesperson for the Cote des Neiges/Notre Dame de Grace borough, an animal inspector visited the owner of the pit bull yesterday and the dog was taken into custody. The case is under review and the animal might be euthanized or the owner compelled to muzzle it for 90 days, he said.
Gatti and her neighbours have approached borough councillor Peter McQueen about banning pit bulls. The borough already faced the dilemma two years ago when an elderly man was attacked and severely injured by a pit bull. Then-borough mayor Marcel Tremblay had city officials look into a ban, but no changes came about.
McQueen said the city has not been moving quickly enough on the issue.
"I and my party ( Projet Montreal) are going to work toward pit bull bans throughout Montreal," said McQueen, who lives just a few blocks from Gatti's house.
Montreal's boroughs each have their own regulations on the breed. Lachine and Outremont, for example, have bans in place.
McQueen said he doesn't disagree with this point of view, but he added that people use pit bulls to intimidate each other. "The bottom line is they're a danger," he said.
"It's very frightening," said Gatti's neighbour Lawrence Pinsky.
He said many residents, including himself, have started to avoid the house where the pit bull lives because they fear the dog will attack their pets or children.
"There's nothing inherently wrong with pit bulls," said Alanna Devine, the director of animal welfare for the Montreal SPCA. "The problem is the owners."
Any dog can be trained to be aggressive, she said. Stopping pit bull attacks lies with responsible dog ownership. Instead of a ban, mandatory sterilization could be a solution, she said, because unsterilized pit bulls tend to be more aggressive than sterilized ones. "If you ban the breed, you punish responsible owners."
"Pit bull" in itself is not a breed. The breeds that make up the category include bull terriers, Staffordshire and American bull terriers and American Staffordshire terriers.
http://www.montrealgazette.com/business/Tech+sector+struggling+attract+workers/3200372/Call+bulls+west/3311649/story.html
Pit Bull owner faces animal cruelty charge for giving the dog cocaine.
A man indicted today on a charge of felonious assault in two attacks by his pit bull also faces an animal-cruelty charge because authorities say he drugged the dog with cocaine.
A Franklin County grand jury returned a seven-count indictment against Donald L. Moore Jr., 34, who pleaded guilty earlier this week in Environmental Court in an unrelated attack involving the same dog.
Moore's girlfriend, Stephanie Shahan, 23, also was indicted today. Each is charged with one count of felonious assault, two counts of failure to confine a vicious dog, one count of assault and one count of insurance fraud.
The couple, whose most recent address was on S. Powell Avenue, lied to their insurance company to obtain an insurance policy on the dog, according to the indictment.
Moore also faces one count of witness intimidation, alleging that he threatened a witness in the case. The animal-cruelty count is based on an allegation that Moore gave the pit bull, who was named "Caine," cocaine.
The dog was euthanized after it attacked 12-year-old Ryan Fuller on S. Powell Avenue on May 9. The boy was rescued by family members and neighbors, including one who stabbed the dog to get him off the boy.
Ryan, who suffered severe bite wounds to his neck, underwent surgery at Nationwide Children's Hospital. Tests on the dog after it was put down showed the drug in its system, authorities said.
Franklin County Prosecutor Ron O'Brien told WTVN ((610 AM) Radio today that it's not uncommon for dogs used in dog-fighting to be given cocaine to "rev them up" before a fight.
According to the indictment, the dog also attacked Lori Velasco-Tapia on Oct. 5. The indictment mentions both victims.
The case in which Moore pleaded guilty to failure to confine a vicious dog was filed after Moore's pit bull, while roaming free, attacked a Rottweiler mix that was being walked by its owner on Wrexham Avenue in February. The owner, Chuck Zilich, said he used his dog's leash to choke the pit bull and tie it up until animal-control officers arrived.
Judge Harland Hale sentenced Moore to six months in jail Monday after Moore pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of failing to confine a vicious dog.
http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/local_news/stories/2010/07/22/pit-bull-owner-indicted-in-attack.html?sid=101
A Franklin County grand jury returned a seven-count indictment against Donald L. Moore Jr., 34, who pleaded guilty earlier this week in Environmental Court in an unrelated attack involving the same dog.
Moore's girlfriend, Stephanie Shahan, 23, also was indicted today. Each is charged with one count of felonious assault, two counts of failure to confine a vicious dog, one count of assault and one count of insurance fraud.
The couple, whose most recent address was on S. Powell Avenue, lied to their insurance company to obtain an insurance policy on the dog, according to the indictment.
Moore also faces one count of witness intimidation, alleging that he threatened a witness in the case. The animal-cruelty count is based on an allegation that Moore gave the pit bull, who was named "Caine," cocaine.
The dog was euthanized after it attacked 12-year-old Ryan Fuller on S. Powell Avenue on May 9. The boy was rescued by family members and neighbors, including one who stabbed the dog to get him off the boy.
Ryan, who suffered severe bite wounds to his neck, underwent surgery at Nationwide Children's Hospital. Tests on the dog after it was put down showed the drug in its system, authorities said.
Franklin County Prosecutor Ron O'Brien told WTVN ((610 AM) Radio today that it's not uncommon for dogs used in dog-fighting to be given cocaine to "rev them up" before a fight.
According to the indictment, the dog also attacked Lori Velasco-Tapia on Oct. 5. The indictment mentions both victims.
The case in which Moore pleaded guilty to failure to confine a vicious dog was filed after Moore's pit bull, while roaming free, attacked a Rottweiler mix that was being walked by its owner on Wrexham Avenue in February. The owner, Chuck Zilich, said he used his dog's leash to choke the pit bull and tie it up until animal-control officers arrived.
Judge Harland Hale sentenced Moore to six months in jail Monday after Moore pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of failing to confine a vicious dog.
http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/local_news/stories/2010/07/22/pit-bull-owner-indicted-in-attack.html?sid=101
Jul 22, 2010
Memphis firefighter recalls 'surreal' pit bull attack
As Memphis Fire Department workers tried to save the life of an elderly man who had been attacked by two pit bulls, onlookers cried out a warning.
"Before you know it, everyone started screaming, 'Here come the dogs!' and there were two dogs charging us," said Lt. Ray Pelletier, a firefighter and paramedic on the scene shortly after noon Tuesday near Poplar and Manassas.
The emergency workers moved to shield the 71-year-old victim, William Parker, who died in the attack.
"I tried to get the (Fire Department) crew members behind me, and I took a long spine board and put it between us and the dogs and tried to protect the whole scene," said Pelletier, who was bitten on the calf.
But the dogs kept coming, forcing the rescuers away from Parker, who was down on the ground, Pelletier said.
"As long as we were there with the patient, the dogs were attacking us," said Pelletier. "If we got within 15 or 20 feet from the patient, the dogs moved in."
Parker's daughter, Gardenia Parker, was bitten as she tried to help her father, along with neighborhood resident Kevin Stringfellow and firefighter Ken Hartfield.
"It was surreal," Pelletier said.
Eventually police arrived and corralled the dogs, allowing the paramedics to work.
Parker did not survive the ordeal, suffering a heart attack at the scene.
The dogs are owned by Bernard Humphrey, who had been taken into police custody on Sunday because he failed to update his address for the sex-offender registry.
Police discovered Humphrey's registry offense after being called to his apartment on Manassas on Sunday because the dogs had a man trapped at his car.
Department officials say the dogs were "contained" in an apartment Sunday and Memphis Animal Services was not called to collect them.
Police haven't said if Humphrey will face charges related to the Tuesday attacks by his dogs.
The dogs are in quarantine at the Memphis Animal Shelter. An abundance of pit bulls and pit bull mixes at the facility has prompted Memphis City Council member Shea Flinn to propose a mandatory spay/neuter ordinance for the breed.
His proposal wasn't inspired by the behavior of the breed, he says, but the proliferation of pit bulls in Memphis.
"If it had been 80 percent Chihuahuas (populating the shelter), it would have been a Chihuahuas thing," Flinn said.
The ordinance is still being written and will not be breed-specific, he said.
Last October, three pit bulls attacked a Cordova woman as she walked her son's dog, biting her more than 50 times on her arms and legs.
And in April, an 8-year-old girl in Raleigh was attacked by a neighbor's pit bull an hour before the start of her birthday party.
The child required extensive surgery and a five-day hospital stay.
http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2010/jul/22/firefighter-recalls-surreal-dog-attack/
Unrelated Pit Bull attack in Memphis TN.
Also, this is a new Pit Bull attack story that happened in Memphis TN.
(Memphis 11/21/2010) An eight-year-old girl attacked by a pit bull in Whitehaven was recovering at home, after being released from LeBonheur Children's Hospital with 42 stitches.
FAST FACTS:
Eight-year-old Terriona Rhea was attacked by a neighbor's pit bull on Saturday afternoon.
Rhea received 42 stitches at LeBonheur Children's Hospital.
She said she still loves dogs.
Pit Bulls kills 2 yr. old child in attack
Cordened off: The cul-de-sac in Concord, California, is still closed as police investigate the mauling of toddler Jacob Bisbee by the pit bull terriers
A 2-year-old Concord, Calif. boy is dead after he was attacked by his family's pitbulls at home.
Police say the child walked into the garage where the three pitbulls are kept around 8:45 a.m. Thursday when the animals attacked.
The child was severely injured and later pronounced dead at a hospital. Police say two adult relatives and a young sibling were home at the time. The Contra Costa County Animal Services department is assisting in the investigation.
The child's death comes amid a recent series of pitbull attacks that have renewed calls to put restrictions on owning the breed, which was developed for fighting.
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2010/07/22/national/main6703350.shtml
Jul 20, 2010
Memphis man killed in Pit Bull attack, others injured.
FAST FACTS:
Elderly man killed, three other hurt in pit bull attack
Two firefighters were hurt when they attempted to help the man
(Memphis 7/20/2010) One person is dead and others are hurt after a pit bull attack in Memphis this afternoon. The man apparently died from a heart attack following the Pit Bull attack.
The attack happened at 230 N. Manassas near the intersection of Manassas and Poplar Avenues.
71-year-old William Parker was attacked by two dogs while walking from one yard to another.
Parker died after being taken to the hospital.
When firefighters arrived on the scene to treat the man, two of them were attacked.
Lt. Ray Pelletier and Ken Hartfield are being treated at a Methodist University Hospital and released.
William Parker's daughter Gardelia and Kevin Stringfellow were also injured and are listed in good condition.
Bernard Humphrey is the owner of the Pit Bulls. His own mother kicked him AND the dogs out because she was so scared.
This is not the first fatal Pit Bull attack in Memphis.
In 1990, a schoolteacher, Betty Lou Stidham, was mauled to death by her neighbors Pit Bull in a vicious attack.
THIS IS WHY THEY NEED TO BE BANNED OR HIGHLY REGULATED!
THERE ARE TOO MANY JUST PLAIN STUPID PEOPLE OWNING THESE DOGS!
THERE IS NO POSSIBLE WAY TO ENSURE THEY ARE ONLY OWNED BY COMPETENT PEOPLE THAT WILL MAKE SURE THE DOG DOES NOT CAUSE TROUBLE OR KILL SOMEONE, SO WHAT ARE YOU WAITING ON LAWMAKERS? HOW MANY MORE TRAGIC DEATHS DO WE HAVE TO SEE BEFORE SOMETHING IS DONE?
THERE NEEDS TO BE AN OUTCRY FROM THE PUBLIC THAT DOES NOT LET UP UNTIL THEY DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS!
Unrelated to this attack, another Pit Bull has attacked in Memphis
Also, this is a new Pit Bull attack story that happened in Memphis TN.
(Memphis 11/21/2010) An eight-year-old girl attacked by a pit bull in Whitehaven was recovering at home, after being released from LeBonheur Children's Hospital with 42 stitches.
FAST FACTS:
Eight-year-old Terriona Rhea was attacked by a neighbor's pit bull on Saturday afternoon.
Rhea received 42 stitches at LeBonheur Children's Hospital.
She said she still loves dogs.
Favorite Pit Bull quote--
Like a hand grenade, they are inert until you pull the pin. Once the pin is pulled, there is nothing you can do to stop the explosion.
--Gary Wilkes
--Gary Wilkes
Jul 19, 2010
PIT BULLS By Gary Wilkes - A must read!
Dogsbite.org originally posted this this morning.
I am reposting because I feel there cannot be too many of these circulating the internet.
http://www.dogsbite.org/pdf/pit-bulls-gary-wilkes-spring-2010-off-lead.pdf
Jul 17, 2010
David Letterman says "Pit Bulls will kill you!"
LEAVE DAVID LETTERMAN ALONE!!!!!
As some of you may know, I am signed up on just about every friggin Pit Bull info email list that can be subscribed to.
I got an email yesterday from one regarding David Letterman talking bad about Pit Bull dogs to an audience of millions, and now everyone needed to bombard the stations and say how wrong he is. The message is spreading like wildfire now.
Well actually, I would like to personally thank David Letterman for saying what he said. It has got to be hard to stand in front of millions of people and say what he said..
David Letterman is my hero of the week!!
Here is a copy of the email I received--
Please send this out far and wide.
On Thursday night, David Letterman made hugely disparaging comments about pit bulls, yet again, when he was talking to Kyra Sedgwick, as she has a dog that looks like a pit. Among other things, he said pits will chew your face off, attack your throat in the middle of the night, and that if you want to have a life in front of you, you should not get a pit. This is the second time he has done this – he did it the last time Sedgwick was on the show.
Please leave you comments at the following link:
http://www.cbs.com/info/user_services/fb_global_form.php
In the top box, choose the “The Late Show with David Letterman” and fill in your details and comment.
For him to make comments like that on one of the most popular shows on national TV is unacceptable and does huge damage to these dogs.
Let me correct you there, PIT BULLS are doing damage to Pit Bulls! Pit Bull owners feel like they have to attack anyone that speaks the truth.
MCABSL clarifies some things, to make killers look better to the public.
Earlier this week I blogger about an article about the loophole in Miami's service dog law that Pit Bull lovers and enthusiasts in Miami are grossly taking advantage of-- http://bslforpitsmakessense.blogspot.com/2010/07/pit-bulls-as-therapy-dogs-in-miami.html
And yesterday MCABSL came out with their own email to clarify a few things, which I thought was a bunch of bull because it is loaded with lies and fallacies!
Dear Board Members, Members and dog lovers:
The Miami Herald recently ran an article about “pit bulls” used as service dogs in Miami Dade County despite the ban on dogs that animal control officers believe look like “pit bulls”. We would like to clarify some statements made in the article and correct others.
Miami Dade County’s ban on these dogs was grandfathered in when Florida made it illegal to discriminate based on a dog’s breed. Dogs that look like pit bulls are protected elsewhere in Florida from discrimination based on breed.
Larry Steinhauser is quoted as saying the pit bulls he has seen are “aggressive”. Of course, we don’t know whether he has seen one or two or any “pit bulls”. People cannot look at most dogs and accurately determine their breed. Recently, in Denver Dr. Victoria Voith did a little test on animal shelter directors, dog trainers and others who work with dogs. They were asked to view 20 dogs on a videotape and identify each one by breed including whether the dog was a purebred or a mix. The professionals were surprised by how few dogs they identified correctly by breed. Voith believes as many as 75% of the pit bull identifications made by shelter workers, animal control or law enforcement are wrong. She is the author of Shelter Medicine: A Comparison of Visual and DNA Identifications of BREEDS of Dogs. As DNA testing becomes more reliable, it is proving that many of the dogs identified as pit bull are actually a mix of dozens of breeds with little or none of the DNA of pit bull type dogs.
That means a lot of dogs condemned by BSL are not even "pit bull" breeds.
In the last two legislative sessions pit bull bans like those proposed by Mr. Steinhauser were defeated. That is because legislators understand breed bans don’t work to make communities safe. Study after study has proven this. Dogs don't bite because of breed or appearance; they bite out of fear that could have been the result of poor socialization, neglect, abuse, tethering or confinement or isolation. In other words, it is the owner's negligent or criminal actions that are responsible, not the dog's breed or appearance.
Breed bans penalize responsible owners and mean the death of dogs that are not in any way dangerous. Breed discrimination is also very costly for communities. Think of it. It means taxpayers are paying animal control officers to run around and hunt down and kill dogs they think are pit bulls when we know even trained professionals cannot identify the breed of most dogs.
We would have like to see Mr. Steinhauser come to our Annual MCABSL BBQ Pit Event or Ernie Sims Pitbulls on Parade Event (in Tally). He would have the chance to meet dozens of Pit Bulls, Staffies and mixes and experience the true temperament and standard of these incredible dogs. We think if he had attended this event, he would have realized you can’t predict whether a dog may bite based on appearance or breed or what you think the breed may be. He also would have had a great time with some wonderful dogs!
The other person quoted in the article is Ms. Janet Severt, from New Horizons Service Dogs in Orlando, Florida, She is quoted as stating that although she disagrees with the ban she would never train a Pit Bull as a Service Dog. But remember the Center for Disease Control states: “There is no accurate way to identify the number of dogs of a particular breed, and consequently no measure to determine which breeds are more likely to bite or kill.” In some “Bite Lists“ the top biters are Labs and Golden Retrievers which Ms. Severt recommends and trains as Service Dogs!
Again, it is not possible to predict whether a dog may bite based on appearance or some belief about breed.
There have been a number of Pits, Staffies and mixes who have been service dogs. There is Ruby who visited Hialeah Hospital and Ice Pop who constantly visits hospitals and has raised more than $10,000.00 dollars for charities by offering $1.00 per kiss…They were both rescued from inhumane conditions as pups. The list goes on...Pits, Staffies and their mixes make wonderful service dogs! Miami-Dade County’s recognition that pit bulls can be service dogs proves how illogical and irrational the breed ban is. And how tragic for the dogs and the people who love them.
Respectfully,
Dahlia Canes~Edel Miedes-Directors
The Miami Coalition Against Breed Specific Legislation.
And yesterday MCABSL came out with their own email to clarify a few things, which I thought was a bunch of bull because it is loaded with lies and fallacies!
Dear Board Members, Members and dog lovers:
The Miami Herald recently ran an article about “pit bulls” used as service dogs in Miami Dade County despite the ban on dogs that animal control officers believe look like “pit bulls”. We would like to clarify some statements made in the article and correct others.
Miami Dade County’s ban on these dogs was grandfathered in when Florida made it illegal to discriminate based on a dog’s breed. Dogs that look like pit bulls are protected elsewhere in Florida from discrimination based on breed.
Larry Steinhauser is quoted as saying the pit bulls he has seen are “aggressive”. Of course, we don’t know whether he has seen one or two or any “pit bulls”. People cannot look at most dogs and accurately determine their breed. Recently, in Denver Dr. Victoria Voith did a little test on animal shelter directors, dog trainers and others who work with dogs. They were asked to view 20 dogs on a videotape and identify each one by breed including whether the dog was a purebred or a mix. The professionals were surprised by how few dogs they identified correctly by breed. Voith believes as many as 75% of the pit bull identifications made by shelter workers, animal control or law enforcement are wrong. She is the author of Shelter Medicine: A Comparison of Visual and DNA Identifications of BREEDS of Dogs. As DNA testing becomes more reliable, it is proving that many of the dogs identified as pit bull are actually a mix of dozens of breeds with little or none of the DNA of pit bull type dogs.
That means a lot of dogs condemned by BSL are not even "pit bull" breeds.
In the last two legislative sessions pit bull bans like those proposed by Mr. Steinhauser were defeated. That is because legislators understand breed bans don’t work to make communities safe. Study after study has proven this. Dogs don't bite because of breed or appearance; they bite out of fear that could have been the result of poor socialization, neglect, abuse, tethering or confinement or isolation. In other words, it is the owner's negligent or criminal actions that are responsible, not the dog's breed or appearance.
Breed bans penalize responsible owners and mean the death of dogs that are not in any way dangerous. Breed discrimination is also very costly for communities. Think of it. It means taxpayers are paying animal control officers to run around and hunt down and kill dogs they think are pit bulls when we know even trained professionals cannot identify the breed of most dogs.
We would have like to see Mr. Steinhauser come to our Annual MCABSL BBQ Pit Event or Ernie Sims Pitbulls on Parade Event (in Tally). He would have the chance to meet dozens of Pit Bulls, Staffies and mixes and experience the true temperament and standard of these incredible dogs. We think if he had attended this event, he would have realized you can’t predict whether a dog may bite based on appearance or breed or what you think the breed may be. He also would have had a great time with some wonderful dogs!
The other person quoted in the article is Ms. Janet Severt, from New Horizons Service Dogs in Orlando, Florida, She is quoted as stating that although she disagrees with the ban she would never train a Pit Bull as a Service Dog. But remember the Center for Disease Control states: “There is no accurate way to identify the number of dogs of a particular breed, and consequently no measure to determine which breeds are more likely to bite or kill.” In some “Bite Lists“ the top biters are Labs and Golden Retrievers which Ms. Severt recommends and trains as Service Dogs!
Again, it is not possible to predict whether a dog may bite based on appearance or some belief about breed.
There have been a number of Pits, Staffies and mixes who have been service dogs. There is Ruby who visited Hialeah Hospital and Ice Pop who constantly visits hospitals and has raised more than $10,000.00 dollars for charities by offering $1.00 per kiss…They were both rescued from inhumane conditions as pups. The list goes on...Pits, Staffies and their mixes make wonderful service dogs! Miami-Dade County’s recognition that pit bulls can be service dogs proves how illogical and irrational the breed ban is. And how tragic for the dogs and the people who love them.
Respectfully,
Dahlia Canes~Edel Miedes-Directors
The Miami Coalition Against Breed Specific Legislation.
Girl maimed by Pit Bull attack coming to terms with appearance.
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo.—A 6-year-old Colorado Springs girl is recovering from severe facial injuries after she was attacked by a neighbor's dog.
Meagan Garrow underwent a four-hour surgery and received hundreds of stitches after the attack on Monday.
The dog tore open the girl's cheeks, exposing her teeth. It also bit off one of her nostrils and tore off some flesh around one eye.
Her twin brother, Brendan, witnessed the attack but wasn't hurt.
The children's mother, Genevieve Riedel, says Meagan is doing better than expected. Riedel says that after the surgery, Meagan "looks like a little girl again."
The dog, identified as a pit bull, was euthanized. Its owner, Rachel Goran, faces a misdemeanor charge of owning a dangerous dog.
Full attack article here: http://www.gazette.com/articles/hospital-101610-monday-face.html
Meagan Garrow underwent a four-hour surgery and received hundreds of stitches after the attack on Monday.
The dog tore open the girl's cheeks, exposing her teeth. It also bit off one of her nostrils and tore off some flesh around one eye.
Her twin brother, Brendan, witnessed the attack but wasn't hurt.
The children's mother, Genevieve Riedel, says Meagan is doing better than expected. Riedel says that after the surgery, Meagan "looks like a little girl again."
The dog, identified as a pit bull, was euthanized. Its owner, Rachel Goran, faces a misdemeanor charge of owning a dangerous dog.
Full attack article here: http://www.gazette.com/articles/hospital-101610-monday-face.html
Jul 14, 2010
AJ Maninoa speaks about the attack by Pit Bull.
Earlier this week I blogged about a child that was bit in the face by a young punks Pit Bull...
Well now the child is speaking out about it.
An 8-year-old boy left with "half his face hanging off" after a pitbull attack told his crying mother he was grateful it was him and not his baby brother or sister.
AJ Maninoa spoke yesterday of the attack in the hope it might stop other children from getting too close to dogs they don't know well.
The West Auckland boy said he was with his mother, Liga Misa, 2-year-old half-sister Tali and 18-month-old half-brother Juergen at a friend's place in Hindmarsh St, Henderson, when the attack happened on Monday afternoon.
Speaking from the Kidz First Hospital at Middlemore, AJ said he had just finished eating some cake and was going to check on Juergen when he saw the pitbull, which was chained up in the garage.
"I went to touch the dog and I saw the teeth and all of a sudden it bit me and I screamed."
As the dog held on to the side of AJ's face - its teeth piercing the skin on his cheek - the terrified little boy fought back.
"It wouldn't let go so I punched it on the side of its face."
The dog released its grip on AJ's cheek and he ran - clutching a hand to his bleeding face - inside to his mother, who screamed when she saw his injuries.
It was on the way to hospital that AJ tried to offer reassurance.
"His Mum was crying," said AJ's father, Andy Maninoa. "He said to her, 'Mum, don't worry, it's lucky it was me and not my little brother or sister, otherwise the dog would have had them for lunch because they are really little."
AJ - short for Andy Junior - spent three hours in surgery, where surgeons worked to repair a tear that narrowly missed his eye and a nerve that controls his upper lip.
He now has more than 100 stitches. Although he's being brave, AJ said: "I'm still scared and I keep on thinking about it."
His message to other children is simple: "Don't go near strange dogs."
Mr Maninoa, who was at work when the attack happened, arrived at hospital expecting to see a few bite marks. He was shocked by the extent of the injury.
"I felt it in my heart," he said, tears rolling down his cheeks. "When I first walked into the room I knew he was brave. He said to me, 'Dad look at my face."'
Mr Maninoa said AJ, who used to spend time in front of a mirror working on his mohawk, was worried about the permanent scars, and kids at school laughing at him.
"We told him, 'You just tell them you are a strong man - you fought with the dog."
Mr Maninoa's partner, Kelly-Ann Julian, said AJ was a wonderful young boy, never once crying despite his horrific injuries.
"It was shocking to see how half his face was just hanging there."
The pitbull, which was destroyed after the attack, was known as an aggressive dog and had a history of rushing at people.
Waitakere City Council animal welfare manager Neil Wells said the council had warned the owners just days before the attack to keep the dog restrained and under control.
An investigation is under way to determine whether they will face charges.
Lynn approves pit bull muzzle ordinance
LYNN — The Lynn City Council has approved a law that requires pit bull owners to muzzle their pets when off their property.
Councilors on Tuesday also agreed to ask Mayor Judith Flanagan Kennedy to increase the manpower of the city’s animal control department, which currently has only one full-time officer, to enforce the rule.
The Daily Item of Lynn reports that the ordinance was passed after the council listened to nearly three hours of often passionate arguments from people on both sides of the debate.
The muzzle law was proposed by council President Timothy Phelan in May after several pit bull attacks on people in the city.
http://news.bostonherald.com/news/politics/view.bg?articleid=1267872&srvc=news&position=recent
It's a start!
Crazed Pit Bull goes on the attack in Moscow
Owner loses control of ferocious Pit-Bull, Police arrive to help.
Jul 13, 2010
Craigslist Pit Bull attack
A big surprise for some people in Oregon. A family picked up a free dog, a pit bull mix, off Craigslist. Now, that dog is in quarantine at animal control, and the family is promising legal action against the dog's previous owner. Bob Heye explains why.
Jul 12, 2010
Pit Bull found burned in bad shape.
MILFORD — Police are trying to locate the owner of a severely burned dog that was found Saturday wandering in the area of Colonial Avenue.
The female dog, which had recently given birth to a litter of pups, suffered third-degree burns on its neck and shoulder areas, police said in a statement. The injuries were severe enough to require “extensive ongoing medical treatment” at a local veterinary hospital, police said.
Police said they do not know where the pups are, or how old they are. Animal control officials “are concerned that the mother and her puppies may be affected by the undue stress caused by their separation,” police said in a statement. The Animal control officials had responded after receiving word that the injured animal was wandering, police said. The dog has been dubbed "Ginger."
Officers are investigating how the dog cam to be injured and are seeking to locate its owner, the statement said.
http://nhregister.com/articles/2010/07/12/blotter/doc4c3b48c6bfe95662095728.txt
Pit Bull bites boy in the face.
This punk walks his Pit Bull to the animal control officers truck after the dog bit a child in the face.
An 8-year-old boy suffered a "nasty gash" to his face when he was attacked by a Pit Bull yesterday afternoon.
The boy, who was rushed to Middlemore Hospital by ambulance, was believed to have been visiting an address in Hindmarsh St, Henderson, when he was bitten on the side of his face by a pitbull terrier.
The dog was taken away and destroyed last night.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10658397
Pit Bulls as therapy dogs in Miami -- Nutters found a loophole
A growing group of pit bull owners says the animals are ideal service dogs designation that exempts them from Miami-Dade's ban of the breed, which some say is instinctively dangerous.
Brian Guadagno is rarely alone -- whether he dines out, shops for groceries or flies on a plane. His dog Doc stays by his side.
The 5-year-old, 35-pound service dog is a Staffordshire bull terrier -- a breed that, like pit bulls, is banned in Miami-Dade County.
Guadagno, 32, said Doc helps him contend with a lifelong learning disability that makes it hard for him to focus.
``We've never spent time apart,'' said Guadagno, who said he no longer needs medication.
A pit bull may seem an unlikely savior, given its reputation for powerful jaws, lock-down bites and aggression.
But Doc and Guadagno are among a small but growing group of pit bulls and their owners who are exempt from Miami-Dade's pit-bull ban, enacted in 1989 after an 8-year-old girl was mauled by a neighbor's pit bull.
Within the past year, Miami-Dade Animal Services has registered about half a dozen pit bulls as service animals for people with disabilities, in what investigator supervisor Kathy Labrada called an emerging trend.
Under federal rules, any guide or signal dog that is individually trained to assist someone with a physical or mental disability qualifies as a service animal.
Federal law trumps Miami-Dade's ordinance, Labrada said.
`We're seeing a trend in an increase of citizens that claim to have a disability and their pit bull is their service animal. That is a loophole that people have found,'' she said.
Labrada said it is a challenge to verify that a dog is a service animal because federal rules do not require any special certification for the animal. In addition, the Americans With Disabilities Act restricts the county from asking specific questions about medical conditions, she said.
Anyone can train a service animal under the federal guidelines. International standards recommend a minimum of 120 hours over six months for service animals, which can easily cost tens of thousands of dollars.
``There are certainly concerns that some individuals may claim an animal as a service animal when, in fact, it isn't,'' Labrada said.
Toni Eames, president of International Association of Assistance Dog Partners, said she had heard of pit bulls as service dogs, but had not encountered one or a program that trains them.
``There's a lot of fraud and there's a lot of legitimacy,'' said Eames, who is blind and has a golden retriever as a guide dog. ``The training has to be the standard.''
In Miami-Dade, pit bull owners can face a $500 fine and possible court action to force the animal's removal. The dogs are still deemed dangerous.
``They were bred to bait and fight bulls,'' Labrada said. ``If and when they bite, the potential for damage is extreme.''
Miami-Dade's ban covers American pit bull terriers, American Staffordshire terriers, Staffordshire bull terriers or any dog that matches most of those breeds' traits.
Other U.S. cities, such as Denver and Cincinnati, have banned pit bulls. Broward County does not have a ban, though at least two cities there -- Sunrise and Tamarac -- require pit bulls to be registered. Broward resident Larry Steinhauser, 57, said he would campaign for a countywide pit bull ban -- though Florida now prohibits laws against specific breeds. (Miami-Dade's ban was grandfathered in when the state law was passed.) A pit bull once lunged at him while he walked his dog. He also witnessed another pit bull attack, he said.
``I've never seen one that isn't aggressive,'' said Steinhauser. ``I feel they're a danger to society.''
Many love and defend the bully breed. One was the lovable mascot of the Little Rascals children's movie shorts of the 1930s, and the dogs later became the inspiration for local rapper Pitbull's fierce stage name.
On the national stage, celebrity chef Rachael Ray, who owns a pit bull named Isaboo, has advocated for the dogs. (Isaboo made tabloid headlines this year for reportedly biting the ear off another pooch.)
In Miami-Dade, Dahlia Canes directs a group fighting to overturn the ban. The group -- Miami Coalition Against Breed Specific Legislation -- was scheduled to join other advocates in Tallahassee for a rally Sunday.
Canes said many owners in Miami-Dade keep their dogs under the radar -- walking them very early or very late and finding veterinarians who won't report them.
``These dogs are extremely loyal and loving. The ban should be removed yesterday,'' Canes said.
Canes pointed to Ruby, a pit bull who recently visited Hialeah Hospital. Her owner, Pat Bettendorf, of Minnesota, found Ruby as an abandoned puppy and now considers her his service dog, assisting him when he experiences anxiety attacks.
Dr. Reinaldo Carvajal, who directs the geriatric unit at Hialeah Hospital, said therapy dogs can help patients, and said the pit bulls' reputation is not deserved.
``It's due to the fact that some people have used them for activities such as animal fighting,'' Carvajal said.
Pit bulls that strictly provide therapy still face Miami-Dade's ban. While they may support emotional well-being, they do not perform a service, Labrada said.
Not all agree that pit bulls make the best service animals.
``Service dogs need to be above reproach,'' said Janet Severt, founder of New Horizons Service Dogs in Orange City, north of Orlando, and who trains service animals. ``They need to be able to handle anything life throws at them.''
That could be the sudden boom of a car backfiring to a child pulling the dog's hair.
At New Horizons, Severt trains Labrador and golden retrievers as service animals, primarily for people with mobility problems or in wheelchairs, like herself.
She said the retrievers -- originally bred as a gentleman's hunting dog -- are eager to please. She said she disagrees with the ban, but would not train a pit bull.
``My problem with pit bulls is if they're in a fight they can do a lot of damage,'' said Severt.
Guadagno's companion Doc didn't start as a service animal. He said Doc has more than 100 hours of training and was certified in 2007 by the International Therapy and Service Animal Association. Guadagno registered the dog with the county last year.
Sometimes Doc stands on his hind legs and gives Guadagno a friendly pat with his paws -- a hug -- to keep his attention from drifting.
``It's really grounding,'' said Guadagno.
Pit Bulls viciously attack college student
NEW BEDFORD - Authorities say a UMass student might need plastic surgery on his face after being attacked by three pitbulls in New Bedford.
Police say the 22-year-old student was attacked while walking near County and Robeson Streets on Friday night. He sustained serious arm and facial injuries, including losing part of his lip in the attack.
He was being treated at Saint Luke's Hospital. Information on his condition was not immediately available Sunday.
Police say two of the three dogs are being quarantined, and that the third is with its owners. Police say the dogs belong to a 19-year-old and her mother.
Police are investigating. No charges had been filed as of Sunday.
http://www.myfoxboston.com/dpp/news/local/umass-student-attacked-by-three-pitbulls-25-apx-20100711
If the dogs would have been registered, tagged, and they had pictures of the dog and the owner they may be able to identify the offenders.
Just a month before New Bedford was considering bsl, maybe it will pass now???
Article about bsl in New Bedford -- http://bostonpersonalinjurynews.com/2010/06/a-stricter-dangerous-dog-ordinance-in-new-bedford.html
Police say the 22-year-old student was attacked while walking near County and Robeson Streets on Friday night. He sustained serious arm and facial injuries, including losing part of his lip in the attack.
He was being treated at Saint Luke's Hospital. Information on his condition was not immediately available Sunday.
Police say two of the three dogs are being quarantined, and that the third is with its owners. Police say the dogs belong to a 19-year-old and her mother.
Police are investigating. No charges had been filed as of Sunday.
http://www.myfoxboston.com/dpp/news/local/umass-student-attacked-by-three-pitbulls-25-apx-20100711
If the dogs would have been registered, tagged, and they had pictures of the dog and the owner they may be able to identify the offenders.
Just a month before New Bedford was considering bsl, maybe it will pass now???
Article about bsl in New Bedford -- http://bostonpersonalinjurynews.com/2010/06/a-stricter-dangerous-dog-ordinance-in-new-bedford.html
Jul 9, 2010
Pit Bulls: It should be a Jerry Springer episode there's so much drama!
Pit Bull attack brings up questions about breed and owners.
DURANT, OK – A Pit Bull attack in Durant spurred controversy over the breed of dog and their owners. But even though there can be a negative view of Pit Bulls, most people might be surprised to find that everyone involved in this story and the attack has a Pit Bull themselves.
It happened Wednesday afternoon around 4:00 p.m., Chauncey Nelson was walking I his neighborhood on Northeast 4th Street in Durant when he came across two loose Pit Bulls.
Nelson believes the dogs were riled up by a mower nearby, so he approached the house he believed they came from. But as Nelson went up to the house, to notify the owner the dogs were out, they started barking and then attacked him.
"These were really aggressive, when one got me the other one come charging up at me, they was running a pack,” said Nelson. "It scared me I didn't have time to think.”
Nelson doesn’t think he provoked the dogs, but thinks maybe they thought his approach was an aggressive move. He was able to fight them off his arms, but had many bites and cuts all over his body. Nelson needed 35 stitches total.
Two neighbors across the street saw it all happen. They have two Pit Bulls of their own and at first thought it was their dogs. They said the attacking dogs had never given them trouble before.
“I was close enough to where they could have got me also, I didn't move at all I just stopped and once they started attacking that's when I decided to run,” said one of the witnesses.
Turns out the dogs belonged to Desiree Ellison down the street. She said she was actually trying to give her two Pit Bulls to someone else out of town, because just the day before the younger male dog had attacked her miniature horse.
"It's not like them. And I gave him away the day that he attacked the horse which was three days ago and I had my neighbor babysit her because didn't know if I was going to put her down or not.... It's still my responsibility though,” said Ellison.
And though Nelson said he holds nothing against the two dogs, he has a Pit Bull of his own; he thinks they should have at least been tied up. And as for the owners, he has no hard feelings, just thinks more could have been done.
"I don't hold nothing against them really… I believe they could have raised them a different way. It's not the dog's fault, I believe it's the owner's fault the way they raised them,” said Nelson.
And even after EMS and police arrived, the younger male dog still went after Nelson and that's when police shot and killed the dog.
But Michele Crouse, a certified dog behavior counselor, said a common misconception about Pit Bulls is that they are naturally an aggressive breed.
"They are bred to be not-human aggressive... If you have one that is human aggressive then you need to get some training for that dog because that is not in the breed characteristic at all,” said Crouse, also a pit bull owner. (Michele Crouse just said herself as most all Pit Bull owners say, that they were not bred to be human aggressive yet alot of them are as we see with this attack!)
And though Ellison said her dogs have always been good with people, she knows putting both down was the right thing.
"You know I feel really bad about the whole situation, devastated that my animals did that to somebody because I know they hurt him,” said Ellison.
Animal control did go by Ellison's house on Thursday. She also put down her other dog involved in the attack, a female that she'd had for six years
And Crouse said if you are ever approached by a loose dog or one you might think is aggressive, have a non-threatening posture, don't look them in the eye and remain calm.
She said another trigger can be shouting, waving your arms or running. And because pit bulls are very athletic dogs, they can easily jump over low fences, so it’s important to keep them well contained and train them to be friendly around other people and animals.
http://www.kxii.com/home/headlines/98076029.html
DURANT, OK – A Pit Bull attack in Durant spurred controversy over the breed of dog and their owners. But even though there can be a negative view of Pit Bulls, most people might be surprised to find that everyone involved in this story and the attack has a Pit Bull themselves.
It happened Wednesday afternoon around 4:00 p.m., Chauncey Nelson was walking I his neighborhood on Northeast 4th Street in Durant when he came across two loose Pit Bulls.
Nelson believes the dogs were riled up by a mower nearby, so he approached the house he believed they came from. But as Nelson went up to the house, to notify the owner the dogs were out, they started barking and then attacked him.
"These were really aggressive, when one got me the other one come charging up at me, they was running a pack,” said Nelson. "It scared me I didn't have time to think.”
Nelson doesn’t think he provoked the dogs, but thinks maybe they thought his approach was an aggressive move. He was able to fight them off his arms, but had many bites and cuts all over his body. Nelson needed 35 stitches total.
Two neighbors across the street saw it all happen. They have two Pit Bulls of their own and at first thought it was their dogs. They said the attacking dogs had never given them trouble before.
“I was close enough to where they could have got me also, I didn't move at all I just stopped and once they started attacking that's when I decided to run,” said one of the witnesses.
Turns out the dogs belonged to Desiree Ellison down the street. She said she was actually trying to give her two Pit Bulls to someone else out of town, because just the day before the younger male dog had attacked her miniature horse.
"It's not like them. And I gave him away the day that he attacked the horse which was three days ago and I had my neighbor babysit her because didn't know if I was going to put her down or not.... It's still my responsibility though,” said Ellison.
And though Nelson said he holds nothing against the two dogs, he has a Pit Bull of his own; he thinks they should have at least been tied up. And as for the owners, he has no hard feelings, just thinks more could have been done.
"I don't hold nothing against them really… I believe they could have raised them a different way. It's not the dog's fault, I believe it's the owner's fault the way they raised them,” said Nelson.
And even after EMS and police arrived, the younger male dog still went after Nelson and that's when police shot and killed the dog.
But Michele Crouse, a certified dog behavior counselor, said a common misconception about Pit Bulls is that they are naturally an aggressive breed.
"They are bred to be not-human aggressive... If you have one that is human aggressive then you need to get some training for that dog because that is not in the breed characteristic at all,” said Crouse, also a pit bull owner. (Michele Crouse just said herself as most all Pit Bull owners say, that they were not bred to be human aggressive yet alot of them are as we see with this attack!)
And though Ellison said her dogs have always been good with people, she knows putting both down was the right thing.
"You know I feel really bad about the whole situation, devastated that my animals did that to somebody because I know they hurt him,” said Ellison.
Animal control did go by Ellison's house on Thursday. She also put down her other dog involved in the attack, a female that she'd had for six years
And Crouse said if you are ever approached by a loose dog or one you might think is aggressive, have a non-threatening posture, don't look them in the eye and remain calm.
She said another trigger can be shouting, waving your arms or running. And because pit bulls are very athletic dogs, they can easily jump over low fences, so it’s important to keep them well contained and train them to be friendly around other people and animals.
http://www.kxii.com/home/headlines/98076029.html
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