Marauding pit bulls attack six - 10 year old boy, Critical

[Jeana (DP)]

Jeana:
When I first looked into homebuying I did some research on this. According to the insurance that is promoted by my employer it WILL NOT cover homeowners insurance for anyone who owns the following dog breeds:German Shepard Dogs, Akita, Chow Chow, Doberman Pinchers, Rotweilers, Husky, Wolf hybred, American Pit Bull Terrier, American Staffershire Terrier, Cane Corsos and a few others. That is a HUGE list. After looking more there are some companies that have these restrictions and others that don't.

I think as a responsible pet owner it is a MUST to look into this no matter what kind of animal you have. Ya know!

Or you can just wait for the lawsuit and the person can own your home!

 

[forthekids]

Or you can just wait for the lawsuit and the person can own your home!

You got that right! I think every person with a dog should be required to take their animal to obediance training...I've definitely seen some pretty crappy owners out there. Heck lets not stop there, being a child protection investigator I think soon to be parents should be required to take parenting classes before having a kid! But that is a while other issue.:clap:

 

[curlytone]

Once again you try to make a situation less serious than it is. One two second search and:

Telegraph | News | Two postal workers die in Washington anthrax scare
TWO postal workers in Washington DC died of suspected anthrax poisoning ...
If the two deaths are confirmed as anthrax, it would bring the number of ...
http://www.news.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2001/10/23/wthrax23.xml - Cached


Burnham Institute - News - 10-23-2001
October 23, 2001 - CRYSTAL STRUCTURE OF ANTHRAX TOXIN LETHAL FACTOR INFORMS ...
“The same pathways that have been developed by anthrax to cause death can be ...
http://www.burnham.org/NewsAndInformation/News/10-23-2001.asp - Cached


Karl Pfleger's Discussion of Leading Causes of Death
It's mid-Nov., 2001. That means that more people have died since 9/11/01 ...
plus died of anthrax poisoning, plus died in the recent New York airline crash. ...
http://www-cs-students.stanford.edu/~kpfleger/auto/causes_of_death.html - Cached


CNN.com - Ashcroft: Terrorists 'poisoning our communities ...
... of the September 11 attacks -- are now poisoning our communities with anthrax."
... 13 total anthrax infections • 3 deaths from inhalation infections ...

Not intentional. Went with memory on this one. Let me offer a correction from CNN:
"Five people died of the inhaled form of anthrax and 13 others suffered anthrax infections."

I am talking about the anthrax that was sent in letters shortly after 9/11. So 5 instead of "I THINK 1". Doesn't change the point at all. When this was going on you couldn't see anything else in the media and they were telling us to go buy duct tape to prevent an attack.

Once again? Where did I do it before?

 

[Jeana (DP)]

Not intentional. Went with memory on this one. Let me offer a correction from CNN:
"Five people died of the inhaled form of anthrax and 13 others suffered anthrax infections."

I am talking about the anthrax that was sent in letters shortly after 9/11. So 5 instead of "I THINK 1". Doesn't change the point at all. When this was going on you couldn't see anything else in the media and they were telling us to go buy duct tape to prevent an attack.

Once again? Where did I do it before?

LOL Not for nothing, but every other post of your's on this thread!! LOL :truce:

 

[curlytone]

Or you can just wait for the lawsuit and the person can own your home!

That is the point of insurance, when something happens, you pay your premium and they pay the rest. My house stays with me, but thanks.

 

[Jeana (DP)]

That is the point of insurance, when something happens, you pay your premium and they pay the rest. My house stays with me, but thanks.

Talking about the policies that won't cover the dogs - not your policy!!

 

[curlytone]

These are really good general sites that examine the data on all fatal dog attacks from 1965-2005:
http://ncrf2004.tripod.com/id8.html


http://www.fataldogattacks.com/

Just to show that not all Great Danes are cuddly teddy bears:

http://www.rense.com/general19/boy.htm

http://www.jsonline.com/news/ozwash/may02/41371.asp?format=print

http://www.unchainyourdog.org/news/Roebuck.htm

 

[curlytone]

Talking about the policies that won't cover the dogs - not your policy!!

I see, my mistake.

 

[forthekids]

Ok, so now that I am a new member I am finding myself addicted to this Crime Sleuthing Community.......I feel like I'm in Debate class again...

I think that it is really important to be sure as fellow crime sleuthers we do not take everything in the media as fact. As I'm sure all of you know there is so much that can be sensationalized and it is not hard to report inaccuracies. My point here is to make sure all of us, as media junkies, that these stories aren't academic studies or fully researched reports. Just be aware of this before hasty judgments are made....about anything! Check out the following!

Listed below is a small sampling of inaccurate and misleading media accounts that have caused irreparable damage to the image of Pit Bulls:

Killer Pit Bulls Rip Granny to Shreds New York Post (NYPost.com)
Dec. 11, 2002:liar:
Pet Pit Bulls Kill Woman, 80, in Her Home The New York Times
(nytimes.com) Dec. 11, 2002
[The victim's daughter and granddaughter (owner of the dogs) could not believe the dogs, a female Pit Bull and a male Lab/Pit mix attacked and killed the elderly woman. The family hired a forensic pathologist to review the case. It was determined that although the victim had sustained some dog bites, all the bites were non-lethal and post-mortem. The grandmother was not "ripped to shreds" by the dogs but died from cardiac arrhythmia. Both dogs were eventually returned to their owners.]

Pit Bull Attack Victim Leaves Hospital WTVO (Channel 17) April 25, 2003:liar:
Man Struggles to Recover from Pit Bull Attack WTVO (Channel 17)
April 29, 2003:liar:
[The man in this case was never bitten by a Pit bull. Indeed, there is no mention of the dog making contact with the man at all. Instead, the man was running from the dog and he ran into the road and "slammed" into a passing van. He sustained serious injuries from the collision with the vehicle.]

Pit Bull Horror New York Daily News February 7, 2004
Pit Bull Mauls 3-Year-Old's Face New York Newsday February 6,
2004:liar:
[A Bronx family owned a Boxer dog and a German Shepherd puppy that usually were kept in the basement as guard dogs. Two days before the girl was bitten, the family took in a Pit Bull. The 3-year-old was alone playing with the three dogs when a dogfight started. At this point the girl was bitten in the face by the Boxer (also reported to be an American bulldog). It was later acknowledged that the Pit bull (also reported to be a Pit bull mix and a "pet bulldog") was not involved in the attack on the girl]

Cortland Pit Bull Mauling Death WBNG.com (Channel 12) Dec. 9, 2002:liar:
[It was later determined that although the Pit bull participated in the death of 24-year-old Eric Tallman, the dog did not inflict the fatal wounds. The victim died from blunt force injury. It was later revealed that the victim was beaten to death by an acquaintance over a drug debt.]

Barstow Trial Opens in Boy's Death: Pit bulls fatally mauled Cash
Carson, 10. The Press-Enterprise May 5, 2001 Murder Charges Filed in Pit Bull Mauling The Associated Press June 17, 2000:liar:
[This tragic case of a 10-year-old boy killed by dogs was carried
extensively in the media. The dogs were repeatedly headlined
as "Pit Bulls". Neither of these dogs were "Pit Bulls". One appeared to be a Pit Bull Mix and the other dog (the male that inflicted the fatal wounds) was clearly a mixed breed dog. Animal Control and photographs of the dog more accurately identify him as a possible Chow/Pit Bull mixed breed.]

Vancouver Girl Badly Injured in Pit Bull Attack CTV News Dec. 23,
2002:liar:
[This was a very severe attack and as such garnered much media
attention. As a result of more in-depth coverage the breed was later correctly identified as a Mastiff/Rottweiler mixed breed]

Family's Pit Bull Kills Boy, 20, months The Gainesville Sun May
8, 2000:liar:
20-month-old Killed by Bull Terrier Naples Daily News May 9, 2000
[This child was not killed by a Pit Bull, nor a Bull Terrier, nor
a "family" dog. How the dog came to be labelled a "Pit bull" is
unexplained. The owner described the dog to be a Labrador/Mastiff/Rottweiler cattle dog. The dog was used to herd
cattle and was kept chained on the property. Animal control and the Alachua Sheriff's office confirm the dog was a mixed breed.
Photographs of the dog reveal no discernable breed.]

Another serious problem with the image of Pit Bulls is the over-
reporting of Pit Bull attacks vs. other breed attacks.
Unquestionably, a disporportionate amount of media attention is
given to Pit Bull attacks. One example of this is a recent fatal
attack in Detroit by a Pit Bull. This story ran in over 30 separate national newspapers and was also picked up by FOX news, CNN and two British newspapers. Two weeks earlier a man was killed by his German Shepherd Dog and this story ran only in the local community newspaper. Proposed breed specific legislation as the result of an individual severe or fatal dog attack in a community appears to be a phenomena that arises almost exclusively from a Pit Bull or Rottweiler attack. Severe or fatal attacks by other breeds of dogs almost never initiate this kind of response.

Whether you care about the above information or not, please just take into consideratioin before making a judgement.

 

[BarnGoddess]

Still don't and won't ever trust a Pit Bull. I really don't believe that any responsible person should keep a Pit Bull with young children in the house. It shows lack of responsibility on the part of the owners that they trust a breed known for it's overly agressive behavior, not to suddenly attack with no prior warning. These dogs do not belong in neighborhoods where children should be able to play without fear of the neighbor's dog suddenly jumping the fence and attacking.

Responsible owners do not violate the law and take in Pit Bulls that have been banned in other jurisdictions. I agree that these dogs need to be totally banned in all residential settings.

Statistics quoted on this thread do not seem to be accurate. I sense there are many, many more attacks by Pit Bulls than appear in these lists. I don't know where these statistics are gathered, but it seems to me that all aren't listed. I suppose it depends on which side of the issue is gathering them.

 

[Casshew]

Great post Barn Goddess :clap: I want to elect you as president after that

 

[concernedperson]

Great post Barn Goddess :clap: I want to elect you as president after that

US or Canada? I agree though. My ex inlaws were enamored of a Dobe that they had had for years. Then out of the blue this dog, Rocky, took a chunk out of my ex FIL's arm, he needed skin grafting. I always knew this dog was dangerous but they would never acknowledge it.

 

[Casshew]

We don't have presidents up here

Any dog can be dangerous, even small dogs can give you a good bite - but usually it's just that - a bite, not a rip your face off. Sorry about your FIL ~ that must have really hurt physically and emotionally because he liked & trusted the dog.

 

[concernedperson]

We don't have presidents up here

Any dog can be dangerous, even small dogs can give you a good bite - but usually it's just that - a bite, not a rip your face off. Sorry about your FIL ~ that must have really hurt physically and emotionally because he liked & trusted the dog.

He died shortly after. Not from a dog bite but from an aneurism. He was pretty cool as far as FIL's go. His family was from Griffin, Ga. I loved his family and not his wife, she wasn't a part of that family. I married her son but still carry that family's name even though it isn't my own. I just like being a part of decent people.

 

[SadieMae]

These are really good general sites that examine the data on all fatal dog attacks from 1965-2005:
http://ncrf2004.tripod.com/id8.html


http://www.fataldogattacks.com/

Just to show that not all Great Danes are cuddly teddy bears:

http://www.rense.com/general19/boy.htm

http://www.jsonline.com/news/ozwash/may02/41371.asp?format=print

[url="http://www.unchainyourdog.org/news/Roebuck.htm"]http://www.unchainyourdog.org/news/Roebuck.htm[/url]

I defense of Great Danes, in the first story, the father scared them off "with his voice". I doubt a Pit Bull would retreat just because you yelled at it.

In the second story, the Dane was rescued "from a filthy" home. That poor thing was probably abused and reacted to what it saw as a threat or fear.

In the third story, "9 Danes were chained to tree". That tells me a lot about the owners right there. They were probably always chained up, and not given love, affection and attention. They were probably abused, neglected animals. A dog that size needs exercise not staying chained. Anyone responsible owner knows Danes are mainly inside family dogs. They often suffer separation anxiety from their owners.

Sorry but in all three of those stories, it's not about the breed temperament, but the owners treatment of the dogs. None of those stories convince me the Great Dane is a dangerous dog. Not one story shows the animal was a well treated, much loved pet, that just TURNED like so many Pit Bull stories.

 

[Justice7]

OK, I'm new at this, so bear with me. It took me some time to get through all the postings, but what struck me in most of these posts was how much of what's reported in the media is blindly believed. Thanks to unscrupulous, opportunistic people (the humans who have bred & trained pit bulls & other dogs to be aggressive; & the media, who are more prone to sensationalism than they are to researching the topics they write about, talk about, or otherwise portray), pit bulls & other bull-breed dogs have become the current biggest scapegoat for the lack of control this country has over its own epidemic of violence in the last 5-10 years. People are fearful of being the victims of violence, for good reason. And the media & dogfighting participants are profiting hugely from it.

Each side of the pit bull issue bickering with the other will get us nowhere. We are falling prey to the media: if they continue to hype the "horrible pit bull," the controversy simply rages on, nothing gets done about it, & newspaper publishers & t.v. networks profit. I can assure you, after researching this breed for some 8 years now, including interviewing trainers & vets, that for every "horror story" about pit bulls, there are at least 10 stories (not all reported in the media - that wouldn't sell papers) documenting bull-breed dogs' heroism & histories absent of attacks on humans or other dogs. These are the dogs, after all, whose ancestors, Staffordshire Terriers, were bred to be nannies to children. Yes, you read right. Not to mention the famous & much-loved pit bulls in U.S. history noted in earlier posts today... they were the country's mascot. The media doesn't want to know - or want you to know - because then their focus would have to be on the people who have so changed public perception of these animals, rather than the animals themselves... enter the Ku Klux Klan, who were the original dog fighters in the U.S., &, later, the criminal element in inner-city areas, who quickly learned how much money could be made fighting bull-breed dogs.

Let me tell you my experience with that same criminal element. I'm a probation officer with a 20+ year career of dealing with drug offenders & other violent offenders - in county, state, & federal systems. The "dogfighting rings" referred to earlier in today's posts as "not the problem" are not only the element perpetuating the violence you've been bickering about all day, they are also well-documented by law enforcement for bringing specific kinds of dogfighting-related criminal activities to your very own neighborhoods, including drug sales, illegal gun sales, high-stakes gambling, & prostitution. They rake in hundreds of millions of dollars in the U.S., alone. That's a LOT OF MOTIVATION to keep producing fighting dogs. Pit bulls or otherwise. Any of you who think that they will not simply find other aggressive breeds to fight when all the pit bulls are dead, are simply fooling yourselves.

Oh, & did I mention that children commonly attend these clandestine, organized "sporting events" with their families? Anyone with kids knows how easily they become conditioned to things they see or experience frequently. The violence of dogfighting is no different; they become the ones who carry on this violent tradition & its related crimes. FBI documentation clearly demonstrates that every single serial killer in this country's history began with violence to animals. That link between violence to animals & violence to humans has been clearly established. (Believe me, I see it play out every day, as I supervise newer generations of violent offenders from the same families.)

Stopping dogfighting & backyard breeding of "aggressive breeds," & enforcing existing leash & licensing laws, is the only way to reduce the number of fatal dog attacks in our communities. Breed bans will simply assure that only the aggressive, genetically unstable pit bulls continue to be bred (covertly) because - don't forget - these dogs mean big money to the opportunistic, antisocial low-lifes who breed & fight them. The dogs that attack humans & people's animals are NOT "pets," as presumed in an earlier post from today. The study referred to notes that in many cases the dogs "were ordered or encouraged to attack." Does that sound like a "pet" to you?? No, that is a dog expressly trained to be aggressive to others.

We who are concerned enough to discuss this topic need to take responsibility for alerting law enforcement when we notice activities in our neighborhoods that are connected to dog fighting & backyard breeding. When you see traffic in-&-out of a particular house or apt. building all hours of the day & night, especially night (people who stay only a few minutes), or see a pit bull-type dog - chained or running loose - with obvious signs of being fought (serious injuries or recently-healed deep scars, usually around the face, neck, & legs), or you hear a dog(s) barking or crying out from a basement, warehouse, or abandoned building that no one seems to be caring for, or you see people & pit bull-type dog traffic in/out of a partiular location that seems out-of-place, or you observe multiple bull-breed dogs heavily chained at one location, or you see classified ads for dogs for sale that state the dogs are "game bred" (bred to be especially aggressive) alert your local law enforcement. Do not try to do any investigation of the situation yourself. Murders in various part of the country have been directly linked to organized dogfighting networks; these are dangerous people. Dogfighting, to whatever degree of organization, is occurring in most of the country - in rural & inner-city areas, alike.

And yes, I live with a pit bull. He is my heart, as are my other dogs. I am more worried about the danger to him in our current social climate than I am about his ever presenting a danger to anyone else. It will be a sad day, indeed, if there are no more of these dogs; he is the most affectionate canine I've ever been around, & there have been many. He's an affable, clumsy, absolutely clownish cream puff, whose biggest threat to anyone is that he might step on your foot. :angel: We have been through obedience classes, & we are insured. And make no mistake, when he plays with a little too much gusto or steals someone else's spot on the couch, my female Heins57 - easily 25 lbs. smaller than he - promptly reminds him who rules the roost. And he runs to me for protection. Not much of a killer, never has been...

 

[Sassygerl]

Justice 7~

I have sympathy for anyone who has a pit bull and loves their dog. However, I do fear the breed, as well as several others, and while I wouldn't have one myself, I can appreciate your love for your animal. When you have a pet that is loyal and loving, it's hard to hear that your pet could possibly be taken away, put to sleep, or otherwise. I can understand and appreciate the fight against a ban when you yourself have a pit lounging on your couch who you are able to lean down and give a smooch to and you dearly adore.

I don't want to get in the mess of things here....this thread has become quite a battle, but I personally hope those that own the dogs around us are good pet owners and keep them confined. The thought of my children riding their bikes being run down and mauled by one of these dogs is horrific. I don't trust the dogs and never will. Working for a vet I was around many, and never once did we have any incidents with them. We had more incidents with the smaller, common breeds. I do agree though that when a pit turns, it can be deadly, unlike bites with many other breeds.

I would say the most fiesty, biting dogs were Chows, Shitzu's, Cockers and Lhasa's, but their bites were just that...bites. When a pit bites it's an attack....

I will never let my children be around them and I will never have one....I guess my point of this post is to say that those who have them and love their dogs, I understand your frustration and pain concerning this matter........

Sassy

 

[curlytone]

Still don't and won't ever trust a Pit Bull. I really don't believe that any responsible person should keep a Pit Bull with young children in the house. It shows lack of responsibility on the part of the owners that they trust a breed known for it's overly agressive behavior, not to suddenly attack with no prior warning. These dogs do not belong in neighborhoods where children should be able to play without fear of the neighbor's dog suddenly jumping the fence and attacking.

Responsible owners do not violate the law and take in Pit Bulls that have been banned in other jurisdictions. I agree that these dogs need to be totally banned in all residential settings.

Statistics quoted on this thread do not seem to be accurate. I sense there are many, many more attacks by Pit Bulls than appear in these lists. I don't know where these statistics are gathered, but it seems to me that all aren't listed. I suppose it depends on which side of the issue is gathering them.

Then I implore you, provide some opposing statistics or any statistics (and I am sorry, but your senses and what you think seems accurate just doesn't cut it). Many of the statistics provided on this post are from government agencies, the CDC for example, with no agenda or reason to dupe you. Can you at least acknowledge that it might be possible that the media has possibly blown the issue (or even a different issue) out of proportion?

Your right, responsible owners do not violate the law. I really hope that I don't need to explain to you that if something is banned in another jurisdiction, but not the one in which you live, then it is not violating the law to have the something-in-question where you live. If one jurisdiction applies everywhere, what is the point of jurisdictions? However, if that is the kind of logic that I have to use to get you to at least CONSIDER other ideas, here goes: Pit bulls are completely legal in most jurisdictions, so they should be legal everywhere.

 

[Casshew]

the media, who are more prone to sensationalism than they are to researching the topics they write about,

If a child or an adult is ripped apart by a pitbull and a newspaper reports it - it is not sensationalism - it is just what happened.

Thank God there is a ban where I live, people have to register their pitbull or pitbull cross, it must be sterilized and when it dies eventually, 5,6 8 - 10 years - thats it... no more pitbulls, you can't buy them, you can't sell them and if one is seen without the special pitbull tag on it's collar it is taken away - and I believe destroyed, but I am not sure on that.

A 12 year old girl had her throat torn open by a pitbull and bled to death in a park not too far from me. What a waste of a life and what a way to die - can you imagine the horror?

Also, in my neighbourhood a Mom and 2 little girls 3 and 5 were attacked on the sidewalk by a pitbull.

The 5 year old was it's target - the Mom was trying to pull the dog, kick the dog - cars stopped and a man came out to try and help the dog turned on him and tore his arms up.. the police came and had to shoot the pitbull point blank 4 times to kill it.

The little girl has had several surgeries to repair her face.

There is no place in civilized society for a killer animal. It is like walking a shark on a leash.

 

[curlytone]

I defense of Great Danes, in the first story, the father scared them off "with his voice". I doubt a Pit Bull would retreat just because you yelled at it.

In the second story, the Dane was rescued "from a filthy" home. That poor thing was probably abused and reacted to what it saw as a threat or fear.

In the third story, "9 Danes were chained to tree". That tells me a lot about the owners right there. They were probably always chained up, and not given love, affection and attention. They were probably abused, neglected animals. A dog that size needs exercise not staying chained. Anyone responsible owner knows Danes are mainly inside family dogs. They often suffer separation anxiety from their owners.

Sorry but in all three of those stories, it's not about the breed temperament, but the owners treatment of the dogs. None of those stories convince me the Great Dane is a dangerous dog. Not one story shows the animal was a well treated, much loved pet, that just TURNED like so many Pit Bull stories.

First off, you missed the point. It wasn't to start trashing Great Danes, so you don't have defend any breed for me. Remember, I am one of the few here that doesn't think that breed is the issue. So thank you very much for taking the leap to consider that it might not be the breed in the three Great Dane stories above. My point was that other breeds, one that has been described on this forum as one that would never hurt anyone, can and do hurt people.

:banghead:So why is it that when it is a Great Dane that actually hurts someone, it is okay to review the events surrounding it and not blame the dog, but to blame the circumstance or mistreatment or owner, but when the dog is a pit bull, the only conclusion that you can come to is that it was the breed?

I don't care what scared the dog off, it mauled a kid. How would that defense hold up in court? "Your honor, my client did assault the man in question, but when the police yelled, he ran. Plus I bet if it were different kind of guy, he would have killed him".

Once again, a breed OTHER than a pit bull attacks someone, the other breed is defended and it is speculated as to what a pit bull would do. What do you even base this speculation on, clearly statistics do nothing for you. The American Temperament Test Society, ranks the temperament of pit bulls higher than the vast majority of breeds: http://www.atts.org (pit bulls are called American Pit Bull terriers and American Staffordshire Terriers). I am sure that this research is meaningless to you, data doesn't matter, after all the news papers tell us otherwise.

Is it anecdotal evidence you need? I know more Pit Bull owners than any other breed owners. None of these pit bulls have ever attacked anyone or hinted at it. My friend was walking his two pit bulls when an unleashed Rhodesian Ridgeback ran towards them. The ridgeback bit his dog in the face and my friend in the hand, his dog bit the other dog to protect him. He yelled "let go" and his pit bull let go. The pit bull required stitches, the ridgeback did not.

Someone else talked about a Dobe that attacked someone. By that, I assume Doberman. Again, the conversation drifts towards pit bulls. Do you ever think that maybe the media, which people refuse to believe might NOT be the best source of information, work like the conversations on this site? Any time a dog attack is mentioned, it seems the words "pit bull" must be mentioned.