VA - Bethany Stephens, 21, mauled to death by her 2 dogs, Dec 2017

[whereareyou]

‘He was bait’: Family dog mauled to death at PetSmart
http://wtvr.com/2017/11/06/he-was-just-bait-family-furious-after-dog-mauled-to-death-at-petsmart/

Guess who?

What am I missing?

 

[Zelda1010]

Graphic description of the pictures of the body shown to reporters in this article.

http://wtvr.com/2017/12/19/longtime...isly-dog-mauling-they-were-very-passive-dogs/

***Warning graphic****
Quoted from article:

"Afterward he shared pictures of the scene with journalists, which showed how much of the body had been dismembered. Her right breast was missing, there was a shallow bloody cavity where it should have been. Her arms had no skin on them and a huge chunk of the center of her face was eaten. Stephens was completely naked other than a boot on one foot the other was near the body."

****End graphic warning****

This one mentions that she wasn't discovered until the next day when friends showed up looking for her at Dad's house.

http://fox6now.com/2017/12/19/dogs-went-through-drastic-lifestyle-changes-before-mauling-owner/

From article:
"The weather changed, and the dogs lived out "in the cold."

Blackwood said that with Stephens coming home maybe five times a week, the dogs became more isolated and only had contact with each other.

They were not fed daily.

[...]


“The breed in and of itself is a high-energy breed. They like to have a lot of structure and a lot of exercise, so by keeping them in a pen, alone, under-socialized, away from people – that energy is just building up and building up and building up and that’s when you start to see dogs fighting more regularly. That’s when you start to see more negative scenarios," Paul said. [Certified master dog trainer Valerie Paul did not know Stephens, Pac-Man, or Tonka, but has testified in multiple court cases and has been deemed an expert by the court system. She offered WTVR some potential answers as to how and why the dogs allegedly went from adoring their owner to feeding on her body.]"

My thoughts: Is the Dad incapacitated in some way? How is it not his responsibility to feed the dogs the other two days when the owner, his daughter, is not able to feed them while he is sheltering them on the property? But I guess being a cruddy pet sitter and trying to do your daughter a favor during a transition in her life isn't a crime. I'm sure he has enough guilt and has paid an unimaginable price. But that's why I question if he is incapacitated in some way. Or maybe he just worked a lot and feared dogs.

 

[Deleted member 158085]

I just keep thinking how lucky I am that I was never seriously attacked by a big dog while breaking up a fight. She was only 21, and she probably had a lot to learn yet about dogs and what the human response needs to be to keep you safe during a dog fight. (And you can know these things in your head but still have the wrong automatic reaction during an emergency.)

Because my serious bite came from a 5 lb dog, I learned some valuable lessons about dealing with dogs when they are stressed without getting maimed. And because one of my cats had a serious issue with redirected aggression his entire life, I learned how to not get hurt during an episode and how to watch for triggers.

I did break up a fight once with the largest pit I've ever seen to this day, but I luckily had a makeshift tool available to keep him 4 feet away from me while I did it, or this could have been me. I don't think he would have meant to attack me, but in all likelihood he would have automatically redirected his aggression toward me in the heat of the moment (as an Australian shepherd once did when I was breaking up a fence fight, but I had boots on so when she bit my leg I didn't feel a thing).

Anyway, I think this young lady meant well by her dogs and seemed to be on her way to becoming a pretty knowledgeable dog person. But I think that all the negative circumstances combined with possibly an act of caring (like attempting to break up a fight between the two dogs) ended in a terrible tragedy.

She likely had few choices for these dogs, as it is very difficult to find good homes for pits. So she couldn't quickly rehome them if she needed to give them up. It's too bad someone wasn't willing to help her a bit more with feeding and walking them while she got back on her feet.

Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk

 

[Davia18]

That's any big dogs.



No. What the stats back up is that pit bulls or dogs classified as such are the dog de jure of low class, irresponsible people who shouldn't have pets, children or driver's licenses. Do normal, upstanding citizens own these dogs as well? Of course. But the lowlife macho creeps ruin it for everyone else.

And if their dog of choice was a boxer you'd see vastly more maulings and deaths from boxers.

Dogs classified by many as "pit bulls" including mastiffs, bully breeds, whatever, are dogs that need a job. Like Dobermans and Shepherds and Chows and Sharpeis. These are strong dogs with high intelligence who need strong owners who give them lots of guidance, huge amounts of exercise and tons of love and gentle training.

If they don't get that, they find a job and that job is often viciousness.

Sadly, the dogs falling under the pit bull umbrella are often owned by people who keep them chained or tied, hit them and train them to fight. Very dangerous combo. Even labs and retrievers will turn dangerous under those conditions.

I don't know the circumstances of this case. First glance looks like they were loved. But that explains the stats. Not any inherent genetic propensity for viciousness. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=U49ro5NEavU

Wanted to bring this post up again. It's very well said.
I have owned and bred what everyone refers to as a pitbull.
I had 5 at one point and they where the best dogs I ever owned.

I think there was multiple factors here that caused this not just one.

 

[AzPistonsGirl]

What am I missing?

It was a pit bull that did the killing in this story. I guess that's what we were supposed to take away. Shrug.

 

[AzPistonsGirl]

for what is worth i read if you are of a mind to intervene in an attack to grab the back legs of the attacker and pull straight up. It startles the attacker and interrupts the attack mode.

this.

 

[DevilDogMoM]

Are there any other cases such as this to reference, where a hand raised pet turned on an owner and legitimately fed on them, when other options could have been available? I mean, they were no longer locked up...they could have "hunted" down small rodents or other scraps left around in the woods more readily. Making the assumption all things are correct as mentioned here & Bethany was the accidental target of redirected aggression (for whatever reason) that resulted in the initial attack--WHY did the dog(s) continue beyond that to actively consume her? Perhaps it was just the one, which would be interesting to know, as well. Why not turn on each other in the small kennel if THAT hungry?

I hope we can honor what Bethany had devoted her young life to and let this situation bring light to what we clearly do not yet fully understand about human-canine interaction, which goes far beyond breed specifics.

 

[DevilDogMoM]

Are there any other cases such as this to reference, where a hand raised pet turned on an owner and legitimately fed on them, when other options could have been available? I mean, they were no longer locked up...they could have "hunted" down small rodents or other scraps left around in the woods more readily. Making the assumption all things are correct as mentioned here & Bethany was the accidental target of redirected aggression (for whatever reason) that resulted in the initial attack--WHY did the dog(s) continue beyond that to actively consume her? Perhaps it was just the one, which would be interesting to know, as well. Why not turn on each other in the small kennel if THAT hungry?

I hope we can honor what Bethany had devoted her young life to and let this situation bring light to what we clearly do not yet fully understand about human-canine interaction, which goes far beyond breed specifics.

Also, I feel the need to clarify that my "Name" has nothing to do with dog ownership & just realized how it could be misunderstood with this Topic. My son is an Infantry Marine & that's the reference. [emoji631][emoji955]

 

[Deleted member 158085]

Are there any other cases such as this to reference, where a hand raised pet turned on an owner and legitimately fed on them, when other options could have been available? I mean, they were no longer locked up...they could have "hunted" down small rodents or other scraps left around in the woods more readily. Making the assumption all things are correct as mentioned here & Bethany was the accidental target of redirected aggression (for whatever reason) that resulted in the initial attack--WHY did the dog(s) continue beyond that to actively consume her? Perhaps it was just the one, which would be interesting to know, as well. Why not turn on each other in the small kennel if THAT hungry?

I hope we can honor what Bethany had devoted her young life to and let this situation bring light to what we clearly do not yet fully understand about human-canine interaction, which goes far beyond breed specifics.

I think we have a tendency to anthropomorphize even when we don't realize it. They probably chose to eat her body simply because she was dead and they were hungry. Going to hunt a squirrel when there is food at hand does not make sense in the wild.

Many people don't realize how little it takes for cats and dogs to revert to their wild instincts and nature. We may put sweaters on them and feed them at the table, but given the right circumstances, they can easily go feral.

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[Jade]

Wanted to bring this post up again. It's very well said.
I have owned and bred what everyone refers to as a pitbull.
I had 5 at one point and they where the best dogs I ever owned.

I think there was multiple factors here that caused this not just one.

BBM

But the one factor that is the constant in these kinds of cases is the psychology of the PB.

Here is an example telling of how a PB does in a trial [obedience] ring:

There are aspects of ring sport which put the bulldog at a disadvantage when competing against sheepdogs like shepherds and malinois. The sport requires the dog, at times, to bite and then quickly release and retreat - something no true bulldog is willing to do. Also, biting the leg, which is considered preferable, takes more training for a bulldog who will naturally shun the extremities in favor of the more "courageous" bites to the body. A bulldog is bred to grip the head of its prey - whereas a sheepdog nips the legs. Therefore sheepdog breeds have a natural advantage in this regard.

http://www.workingpitbull.com/activities2ndpage.html


More about “gripping” dogs:

If pit bulls are just like every other dog, why do they come with these special handling instructions and tools designed exclusively for pit bulls and with warnings against their use on normal dogs?


Proper Break Stick Usage
Keep in mind that most dogs fight differently than pit bull dogs. A pit bull's inherent reaction in the heat of a fight is the one of a Terrier with a prey. The pit bull will work to get a solid grip and then hold and shake. This is quite different than most other types of dogs who do a lot of random biting, growling and barking but will most likely quit when their opponent shows signs of submission. In many cases, a non-pit bull fight will be a lot of noise and snapping jaws, usually resulting in little damage. Since a pit bull will firmly grip and hold its victim, break sticks have been designed to break their grip. This is the safest, easiest and most effective way to stop a pit bull fight. NO responsible owner should be without one.
(http://www.myspace.com/kbda/blog/262842586)

http://thetruthaboutpitbulls.blogspot.com/2012/06/locking-jaws.html

 

[gitana1]

Why are we talking about cats and posting personal pet photos on this thread? This is supposed to be about Bethany and the horrific thing that happened to HER.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Oh dear. I was posting about my cat in the context of animal behavior and how even beloved domesticated animals can have wild and aggressive instincts. The photos I attached were gratuitous and just for fun. But I see now that they were highly offensive to you and as there is clearly so much more to be discussed that doesn't have to do with our own pets, I apologize and won't post anymore.

 

[anonypotomous]

Oh dear. I was posting about my cat in the context of animal behavior and how even beloved domesticated animals can have wild and aggressive instincts. The photos I attached were gratuitous and just for fun. But I see now that they were highly offensive to you and as there is clearly so much more to be discussed that doesn't have to do with our own pets, I apologize and won't post anymore.

Oh brother. They weren't "highly offensive". They weren't even "offensive".. I never said that. It's just frustrating when a thread gets derailed and goes off topic because sometimes it ends up spiraling. What if everyone here started posting their pets photos in this thread? PS: I learned the hard way - I've gotten called out myself for "gratuitous" off topic posts/photos, and figured it was against TOS.

 

[Jade]

Are there any other cases such as this to reference, where a hand raised pet turned on an owner and legitimately fed on them, when other options could have been available? I mean, they were no longer locked up...they could have "hunted" down small rodents or other scraps left around in the woods more readily. Making the assumption all things are correct as mentioned here & Bethany was the accidental target of redirected aggression (for whatever reason) that resulted in the initial attack--WHY did the dog(s) continue beyond that to actively consume her? Perhaps it was just the one, which would be interesting to know, as well. Why not turn on each other in the small kennel if THAT hungry?

I hope we can honor what Bethany had devoted her young life to and let this situation bring light to what we clearly do not yet fully understand about human-canine interaction, which goes far beyond breed specifics.

I wonder if they were really eating as in hungry or were persisting in attacking/breaking down their prey/kill and incidentally consuming the flesh as it came loose?

On the Daily Mail today there was a little dog that was standing by his homeless owner who had been hit by a car and killed. Being a homeless dog I’m guessing he might not eat a proper diet but it didn’t go oh, a little blood on this dead body I’ll tuck in

Ugh sorry -enough from me today

 

[MagicRose99]

If it is against TOS, then it isn't up to a poster to call out another poster.

If you have an issue with any post(s), then flag it for a Mod to check out. Taking issue with a post can lead to unpleasantness in a forum and cause more issues than letting it go. To flag, click the triangle with an ! in the middle of it.

 

[drama_farmer]

I think we have a tendency to anthropomorphize even when we don't realize it. They probably chose to eat her body simply because she was dead and they were hungry. Going to hunt a squirrel when there is food at hand does not make sense in the wild.

Many people don't realize how little it takes for cats and dogs to revert to their wild instincts and nature. We may put sweaters on them and feed them at the table, but given the right circumstances, they can easily go feral.

Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk

bbm

I'm wondering if it was her habit to feed her dogs before taking them out for a walk? I know that everyone has their own routine. IMO, If her routine included arriving at the kennel, greeting the dogs, checking water, providing dog food and then going for a walk, that makes me question if these dogs were ravenously hungry. Bethany seemed to be a compassionate and experienced dog owner. If she was aware that her dogs were getting sub-par care, as part of their new living situation, IMO, I think she would be even more diligent about making sure they got plenty of food when she was there.

 

[gitana1]

Graphic description of the pictures of the body shown to reporters in this article.

http://wtvr.com/2017/12/19/longtime...isly-dog-mauling-they-were-very-passive-dogs/



This one mentions that she wasn't discovered until the next day when friends showed up looking for her at Dad's house.

http://fox6now.com/2017/12/19/dogs-went-through-drastic-lifestyle-changes-before-mauling-owner/

From article:
"The weather changed, and the dogs lived out "in the cold."

Blackwood said that with Stephens coming home maybe five times a week, the dogs became more isolated and only had contact with each other.

They were not fed daily.

[...]


“The breed in and of itself is a high-energy breed. They like to have a lot of structure and a lot of exercise, so by keeping them in a pen, alone, under-socialized, away from people – that energy is just building up and building up and building up and that’s when you start to see dogs fighting more regularly. That’s when you start to see more negative scenarios," Paul said. [Certified master dog trainer Valerie Paul did not know Stephens, Pac-Man, or Tonka, but has testified in multiple court cases and has been deemed an expert by the court system. She offered WTVR some potential answers as to how and why the dogs allegedly went from adoring their owner to feeding on her body.]"

My thoughts: Is the Dad incapacitated in some way? How is it not his responsibility to feed the dogs the other two days when the owner, his daughter, is not able to feed them while he is sheltering them on the property? But I guess being a cruddy pet sitter and trying to do your daughter a favor during a transition in her life isn't a crime. I'm sure he has enough guilt and has paid an unimaginable price. But that's why I question if he is incapacitated in some way. Or maybe he just worked a lot and feared dogs.

I think the moral of the story is that we all really need to understand dogs well and have the capacity to care for them before owning them. I don't ascribe to the attitude that certain breeds are inherently vicious or dangerous. I think that has to do with the individual animal and their experiences, lifestyle
and energy levels. (And I realize many disagree with that).

But to me it is a fact that large dogs need more exercise, especially breeds that have been bred to work, herd, etc. And breeds that tend to be highly intelligent also need a ton of stimulation and attention.

I also think that large dogs, especially strong ones, need people who are strong enough physically to care for and handle them, confident and knowledgeable enough to control them and not let them dominate and have adequate resources and time (this goes for all dogs) to care for their needs.

Intelligent, strong working breeds need a lot of care. I've always had large dogs and I have one right now who I co-own who is very old now and doesn't have much time left. But I won't get another when he dies even though I love them so.

That's because I don't have a stable enough schedule to devote to a young dog and I would never just leave such highly social pack animals alone for hours. It makes them insane. IMO adequate care of a large dog costs about $700.00 a month. Because I would have to put the dog in a good doggie daycare during the week while working and high quality food and vet care is expensive.

And yes I'm an attorney but certainly not rich. About a third of my work is low cost (low income clients and veterans who get a slash rate, not to mention pure pro bono cases I have) and I work the equivalent of part time. So I'm not prepared to spend that much right now.

Taking large dogs who might have had a history of abuse or maybe inappropriate training, giving them a ton of attention and then suddenly confining them to kennels with a lack of consistent food and only "visits" is enough to drive any dog mad. Regardless of breed.

But then combine that with the fact that these animals are powerful dogs and Bethany was a tiny gal.

It seems like a disaster waiting to happen.

I remember this elderly gentleman who walked his large boxer on the trail I jog on. He could barely control the dog. He struggled so hard to keep control. That dog became insane whenever it saw another dog. He'd yell at me because mine was off leash (I know that scares some people the dog just stays right by my side and never veers off. Period. Even if a dog comes up and attacks. He will stand still crying until I release him, poor guy.) but I just walked by and my dog ignored the crazy thing writhing around and twisting on the leash.

That dog was extremely high energy and there was no way that elderly man could cope with it. He needed tons of intensive training and someone strong enough to physically handle the dog.

After about a year they disappeared.

I said it before: Dogs that are neglected and are bred to work in some capacity will create a job and for many, if it's not incessant, manically barking, digging or destroying property, it's viciousness. They have nothing to do. Leaving a highly social and intelligent pack animal like a dog in a kennel all day is the equivalent of placing a human in solitary confinement. We've seen what that does to prisoners. Dogs become insane as well.

So I think there is one moral to this horrific story- no one should adopt animals they can't adequately care for. Especially strong ones that can kill if they lose it.

P.S. besides large dogs that need a lot of care and space, I also wouldn't get a Jack Russell Terrier unless I lived on a farm. Or rode a bike on a trail every day at high speeds for at least an hour. Those characters are highly intelligent and energetic and will absolutely wreak havoc if not given extreme
amounts of exercise or long jobs!

 

[DakotaMayi]

Oh dear. I was posting about my cat in the context of animal behavior and how even beloved domesticated animals can have wild and aggressive instincts. The photos I attached were gratuitous and just for fun. But I see now that they were highly offensive to you and as there is clearly so much more to be discussed that doesn't have to do with our own pets, I apologize and won't post anymore.

Don't worry, gitana. It's good to see things like what you posted, we can't stay on topic all of the time, we would go insane. We are human and that's not how human conversations work. Also, what you wrote wasn't off topic. We are allowed to go off topic for just a little bit. We wouldn't all start posting just because one of us did. Calm down everyone, it was just a cat. The thread is still about Bethany.

 

[Zelda1010]

Also from the fox6 link earlier. Jones is identified as a court professional who has not met anyone in this case. bbm

"The fact that they are pit bulls doesn’t connect to what they did. It is a dog thing," said Paul, who is also owner of the kennel Impawsible Pups. She said at the end of the day, dogs are animals, and in extreme circumstances, they can potentially view even their owners as threats or food sources.

"That’s actually very normal. Dogs view people very differently than how we view people. When we see a body, we think of our loved ones and all of the memories that they bring to us. Dogs don’t, in general," she said.

 

[jamicat]

This tragedy hit me hard as I currently am caring for two dogs that two family members could not continue to keep. Neither dog is what I would have picked at my age and activity level, and I’ve had to make a lot of accommodations to my lifestyle to care for them.

I live in an area where there are a lot of pit bull mixed dogs. That they are the most frequently found in shelters is certainly the case here, and often fees are waived are lowered for these dogs so that they can find homes. Unfortunately, a lot of those who adopt these dogs are not able to care for the adequately, much less optimally. IMO, this happens too often, and as a result these dogs too often do not get the care, attention, training, facilities they should be getting. That they are very strong dogs, fast moving, with a high prey drive, and a focus that is difficult to break, makes it far more likely for a catastrophe to happen.

Ms Stephen’s father/family should not have harbored the dogs the way they were kept is a given. The devastation that was the result will haunt them forever. I see how a family member can be pushed into such an arrangement reluctantly, and it’s a horrible shame that no one was able to step in and give those dogs the care they deserved and needed

No one will ever really know what happens to Bethany with those dogs that day. She could have been running and playing with them and things gotvout of control. One might have jumped on her and knocked her down, triggering a frenzy. That she disconnected from them after treating them as her “babies” could have caused a festering resentment and pain in those creatures now caged outside without human company in the colds and not regularly fed.

My heart goes out to all who have suffered from this tragedy

 

[whereareyou]

It was a pit bull that did the killing in this story. I guess that's what we were supposed to take away. Shrug.

I'm really tired and have been sick but I swear to god that I read that article three times and it doesn't say anywhere in it what kind of breed killed the little one????