GA - Pit Bull Attack on 8yo girl, details during trial

[Kimberlyd125]

IMO there are no good pits. Just pits that have not attacked yet.

JMO and I know there are pit owners who will defend their pits forever.

I was ran into my fence this past weekend by a pit mix.
I had to call my husband to come home so I could make it from my fence to my back door.
I was scared to death because he was jumping up at my fence like he was trying to jump over it. My legs were shaking so bad I could hardly stand up.

When hubby arrived 10 minutes later (felt like 10 hours), he got out of the truck with a softball bat and a handgun. He screamed at the dog and it took off. But turned around like he was gonna come back.

I was able to get into the house and hubby was too.

Long story short, I feel the breed it too dangerous.

I would NEVER have one, especially if I had children. They can "snap" and do too much damage.

I feel the same about Chows btw.

 

[TrackerSam]

As much as I love animals, I'm terrified of pit bulls. There's one that runs wild in our neighborhood and has kept me from being able to walk my dogs for over a year. He'll be outside my house and growl at me if I try to get to my car. I've called animal control and they won't come unless I have the dog contained...like that's going to happen. I've called the sheriff's office twice and they just roll me right back to animal control. Unless he actually attacks me they'll do nothing. Now I have to carry pepper spray to be feel safe walking in and out of my house. Seriously, pits are scary dogs.

I would claim the dog attacked you and you escaped injury - in order to get the police to handle it.

 

[Reality Orlando]

This poor, poor child. From the original article:

"Family members sobbed as Ingram, who wore a prosthetic until it got too small, said she has had to learn how write and carry a tray at school.

Her surviving hand is “sort of” the same, Ingram said. “It’s not as strong as it was.”

And she has had to give up playing hand games.

Ingram said she sometimes has nightmares about her other arm being bitten off by animals."
Then:

"Edwards, who said the dogs were “very trained,” said he had no indication that the neighborhood children were afraid of the dogs.

“They played with the dogs,” Edwards said. “They knew the dogs very well. When asked whether he was surprised about the dogs’ attack, Edwards said he was “more than surprised.”

http://championnewspaper.com/news/articles/1291young-victim-recounts-dog-attack-to-jury1291.html

 

[Quiche]

That audio scared the spit out of me! Omg, I can't imagine the horror for that little girl and the caller! Even the 911 operator... incomprehensible. And the damage, oh dear! :cry:

Out here, there was a rise in Rottweiler ownership-- my sister had a number of them through the 80's and 90's. For the most part they were big loveable lugs, but if a stranger (or delivery man) approached her gated property, they better not try to come in. Also, when my boys reached puberty, suddenly the male dog (who knew them all their lives and never had a problem with the boys' antics) wouldn't allow them to run or approach their master. Very intimidating for several years. Old Norman had to be penned up when the children were around after that. There were attacks and maulings in the news from this breed too, especially if there was more than one.

It's hard to demonize an entire breed of animal, but I agree that many aggressive breeds can become much more so when carelessly bred or raised (and God help everybody if they're both!). Some dogs are just not pet quality animals.

 

[ChasingMoxie]

Did anyone even read Peeples link?

I'll never understand why people choose ignorance. First they said that Dobermans were dangerous and should be outlawed, then it was German Shepherds, after that it was Rottweilers, and now it's Pit Bulls (although that's not even technically a breed). This board demands personal responsibility in almost every case, so it should be the same here. The owner of those dogs should be charged with felony dismemberment; they failed to properly and responsibly care for and contain their dogs, so they should suffer the consequences of those actions. THEY are responsible for this, and those dogs are victims of careless owners who enabled this circumstance.

I believe there's a valid argument to be made that a deeper socio-economic bias perpetuates these drives to legislate one type of dog over another based on association with social class and often (but not always) race. It's certainly something to think about, anyway.

 

[Hopeful One]

That 911 call was so disturbing that I couldn't listen to the whole thing. Thank God the girl survived. When I started reading the article, I assumed she hadn't.

Pits scare me. Especially pits owned by people who don't take them seriously. Those are not dogs who should be raised by just anybody.

 

[krimekat]

yeah, there are many dog breeds that I fear . . .

Pits #1, especially if there are more than one in a household
Chows #2, especially if they are old or have puppies
Rottweilers #3, too unpredictable
Bulldogs #4, too inbred
Chihuahuas #5, too small - should get a cat

Heck, I was bitten by an English Setter my dad was training . . . but I have seen too many of Pit attacks. In my small home town of 500 people, a older lady walking her poodle like she did everyday and was mauled (the poodle, too) before anyone could beat the Pit off the lady -- of course, she died, as well as her poodle & the Pit (was shot by someone trying to help the lady).

just my 2 cents . . . I know that the dog owners have NO INTENTION for the dog to attack (well, in MOST cases) and have no problem when they are charged for something their dog did

 

[Hopeful One]

Did anyone even read Peeples link?

I'll never understand why people choose ignorance. First they said that Dobermans were dangerous and should be outlawed, then it was German Shepherds, after that it was Rottweilers, and now it's Pit Bulls (although that's not even technically a breed). This board demands personal responsibility in almost every case, so it should be the same here. The owner of those dogs should be charged with felony dismemberment; they failed to properly and responsibly care for and contain their dogs, so they should suffer the consequences of those actions. THEY are responsible for this, and those dogs are victims of careless owners who enabled this circumstance.

I believe there's a valid argument to be made that a deeper socio-economic bias perpetuates these drives to legislate one type of dog over another based on association with social class and often (but not always) race. It's certainly something to think about, anyway.

I read it. And just because other dogs may be dangerous doesn't mean that pits are any less dangerous. Just because pits scare me doesn't mean that other dogs don't. The original article is about pit bulls, not about any other breed, so I don't see how other breeds have anything to do with this.

 

[Hopeful One]

yeah, there are many dog breeds that I fear . . .

Pits #1, especially if there are more than one in a household
Chows #2, especially if they are old or have puppies
Rottweilers #3, too unpredictable
Bulldogs #4, too inbred
Chihuahuas #5, too small - should get a cat

RSABBM

BWWAAHAHHHAAAA!!! Thank you! For some reason, that statement just cracked me right up! And I can't say much because I have two little dogs: a Shih Tzu and a four-pound Yorkshire Terrier. :blushing:

 

[Quiche]

I wonder what a taser would do to a dog on the attack?

Okay, I looked it up and this is a pretty solid example of this scenario-- personally, if there were more than one dog (as with the little girl's attack we're discussing) it wouldn't do much good at all. Might actually turn the attack onto yourself.

Might help ROrlando, though! It's a thought.

Warning-- might disturb some viewers.

[video=youtube;ZGUyMFPJRnU]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZGUyMFPJRnU[/video]

 

[not_my_kids]

My adoptive ma had a chihuahua. That thing was evil. It would hide behind her chair and lunge at you. It would climb the back of the couch and attack your face. It would crawl under things in order to attack feet and ankles. It drew blood several times, not just from me, but from other people as well. If that had been a big dog, it would have killed someone. But it was a little dog, so it was "cute". Not to the chick that had to wear jeans year round because my legs looked like a walking doggie buffet.

My personal thoughts are that any dog can snap. Certain things make it more likely to happen in the case of any breed, including pits. Even me, that loves pit bulls would be terrified of more than one, roaming the streets in a pack. If there was only one, I would be terrified of it if if showed any aggression at all.

In my ma's case, it was keeping the dog alive long after it was comfortable, and never really letting her go outside. She'd go out, potty, and come straight back in, her whole life. I think a dog in pain that isn't well socialized and is very territorial will likely snap, and it doesn't matter about size or breed. Just as I don't believe that an aggressive pit bull should be allowed to run amok, I don't believe that an aggressive chihuahua should be allowed to run amok.

Obviously, the girl in this story would not have lost her arm if attacked by two ankle biters, but she would have faced the same infection risk from any animal bite. There are risks with any dog ownership, and the way I see it, if you aren't going to be able to put the time and energy into raising a dog that is non-aggressive, non-territorial, and completely secure, both emotionally and in terms of being secured, then you shouldn't raise an animal.

In this case, the dog's owner is responsible for the harm done to the little girl, as surely as if they had aimed a loaded gun into a crowd, and pulled the trigger. One of the stories said that the dogs had shown aggression in the past. If that is true, leaving them in an unsecured, inadequate cage and then leaving them alone is just as certain to cause harm as a gun would be in irresponsible hands.

 

[Kimberlyd125]

I've never heard of death by chihuahua.

I have heard of several deaths by pits.

 

[Reality Orlando]

I wonder what a taser would do to a dog on the attack?

Okay, I looked it up and this is a pretty solid example of this scenario-- personally, if there were more than one dog (as with the little girl's attack we're discussing) it wouldn't do much good at all. Might actually turn the attack onto yourself.

Might help ROrlando, though! It's a thought.

Warning-- might disturb some viewers.

Dog attacks Police Officer Taser Full News Report - YouTube

Thanks for the link...I couldn't watch it (hate to see anything hurt or killed) but can get the gist from your comment and am looking into different alternatives including that just from a practical view.

I contacted the local community sheriff's watch and got a response back almost right away. They want a picture if I can get one and are putting extra patrols in the neighborhood to try to track down where the dog lives. That 911 call was enough to really spur me into action to see this through this time. Thanks for all the advice!

 

[not_my_kids]

I've never heard of death by chihuahua.

I have heard of several deaths by pits.

No, because chihauhau's are small. But there are some that are just as vicious as your worst pit bull. What I'm getting at is that any dog can reach that level of viciousness. Certain circumstances will contribute to a dog of any size becoming violent.

And death from infection can occur after any dog bite. The risk with bigger dogs, like rottweilers and German shepherds, is size. The risk of pit bulls specifically is size and the way that they bite and lock down. I'm not disputing that in any way.

I'm not saying that every pit is good, it takes a lot to raise any dog. But let's make it just that, any dog. They all carry risks. Pug, poodle, pit bull, they are all risky and you are taking a gamble with any of them.

 

[21merc7]

A taser will not do anything. A few years ago my dog was attacked by a pit at the apartment complex I lived in at the time. Some neighbors ran down with a taser, they tazed the pit for a good 10 minutes, it never let go of my dog's throat. I can't even remember what worked, someone brought a stick and tried to wedge the pit's mouth open, didn't work, someone brought water and threw it on them. I was just in shock and fear so I cannot remember how or why the pit let go, may have been the bucket of water, I really cannot remember. (My dog lived, but needed surgery and meds to do so.)

 

[Kimberlyd125]

No, because chihauhau's are small. But there are some that are just as vicious as your worst pit bull. What I'm getting at is that any dog can reach that level of viciousness. Certain circumstances will contribute to a dog of any size becoming violent.

And death from infection can occur after any dog bite. The risk with bigger dogs, like rottweilers and German shepherds, is size. The risk of pit bulls specifically is size and the way that they bite and lock down. I'm not disputing that in any way.

I'm not saying that every pit is good, it takes a lot to raise any dog. But let's make it just that, any dog. They all carry risks. Pug, poodle, pit bull, they are all risky and you are taking a gamble with any of them.

There are levels of risk.

I'd much rather battle an infection from a small dog than die by mauling of a pit.

 

[Kimberlyd125]

Of the 31 U.S. fatal dog attacks that occurred in 2011, pit bulls contributed to over 67% despite only comprising about 5% of the total U.S. dog population.

http://www.jagsreport.com/2012/01/d...ends-about-victims-of-fatal-pit-bull-attacks/

 

[not_my_kids]

There are levels of risk.

I'd much rather battle an infection from a small dog than die by mauling of a pit.

The most common bite-associated infection is caused by a bacterium called Pasteurella. Most cats and dogs—even healthy ones—naturally carry this organism in their mouths. When an animal bites a person (or another animal), these bacteria can enter the wound and start an infection. The first signs of pasteurellosis usually occur within 2 to 12 hours of the bite and include pain, reddening, and swelling of the area around the site of the bite. Pasteurellosis can progress quickly, spreading toward the body from the bitten area. It is important that you seek medical care immediately if these symptoms occur. Untreated, this infection can lead to severe complications. Bites to the hand need special attention; if pasteurellosis develops in the tissues of the hand, the bacteria can infect tendons or even bones and sometimes cause permanent damage if appropriate medical care is not administered promptly.

Streptococcal and Staphylococcal Infections.
These bacteria can cause infections similar to those caused by Pasteurella. Redness and painful swelling occur at or near the site of the bite and progress toward the body. As with pasteurellosis, you should seek prompt medical care if these symptoms develop.

Capnocytophaga Infection.
This is a very rare infection, but we mention it here because it is so dangerous if it develops. There is no common name for this infection, which is caused by the bacterium Capnocytophaga canimorsus. Most of the people who have become infected were bitten by dogs; in many instances the bite wounds themselves were tiny and would not have ordinarily called for any special medical care. But Capnocytophaga can cause septicemia, or blood poisoning, particularly in people whose immune systems are compromised by some underlying condition. Up to 30 percent of people who have developed this septicemia have died. People who have had their spleens removed are at special risk for this infection. Early symptoms may include nausea, headache, muscle aches, and tiny reddened patches on the skin.
http://www.vetmed.lsu.edu/animal_bites.htm

All of the above sound pretty scary to me. All can be present in any breed or size of dog.

 

[Kimberlyd125]

I agree. But when treated, most infections are not fatal.

 

[not_my_kids]

I agree. But when treated, most infections are not fatal.

We could go round and round with this for the rest of eternity. Neither of us is likely to budge. On this part, I call :truce:

Can we at least agree that in the case at hand, the owner of the dogs was negligent, and a child nearly died because of it?