"Shuffling" a Pit Bull After a Dangerous Dog Court Hearing
Back in September, a
70-year old man was severely mauled by three pit bulls in Chili, New York. A Medicab driver named Scott Quenell was a on a routine call when he saw three pit bulls dragging what he thought was a "bag of garbage" across the street. When he looked closer, he realized that it was not a bag of garbage at all. What was being pulled and ripped apart along the street was an elderly man, 70-year old Thomas Tziatzou.
At the court hearing, about a week later, witnesses told the judge how they used their cars to try to get the dogs off the victim. Lori Hendron said she saw the dogs grab him by his head and legs and rip his ear off. Prosecutor Keith O'Toole told reporters, "He was hit down so hard that his dentures flew out of his head onto the street. He was shredded, shredded so much, bitten so much that the tendons on his arms were exposed."
The judge only ordered one of the three dogs destroyed.
It has come to the attention of DogsBite.org that "pit bull shuffling" may be occurring regarding one of the remaining dogs. The judge had ordered the two remaining dogs to be examined by an animal behaviorist to determine their fate. According to a recent posting at Pit Bull Talk Forum, the behaviorist is recommending that one dog be rescued, even though he or she reportedly describes this dog as "very dominate."
8th post down: "Just popped in to ask/plead for help...a few weeks ago there was a mauling incident where 3 pits attacked a 70 year old man in the city of Rochester...anyway the behaviorist we worked with is in charge of evaluating these dogs and recommending what to do with them. She called me because at the time when we worked with her, I was involved with the "other" place and she needs to recommend a rescue to take one of the dogs in.
I guess 2 of them are not adoptable, but there is one dog she thinks is totally adoptable but needs some work. She will not recommend that he goes back to the former owners, she wants a rescue to take him. I told her I didn't trust the "other place" but that i would post here and see if anyone could help, or take him into rescue, or knew anyone who could. She was told he'd be put down otherwise and she sees that as totally unnecessary.
Anyway, the dog is a male, unneutered, white, 5 months...also he is very dominant she said. He has dem. mange. She thinks he is a mix, but doesn't know for sure. If anyone can help-please let me know ASAP!!! Thanks guys!"
The behaviorist appears to believe that the male, unaltered and "very dominant' pit bull that participated in an attack that nearly killed a man is a good, safe rescue bet. The references to the "other place" sound like a local shelter or the Chili Animal Control Department. This cannot be determined from the post. What can be determined is that there is an attempt to shuffle this pit bull around in hopes of rescue and rehabilitation.
Who knows where the dog might end up?
At the hearing to determine the fate of the dogs, not only did the witnesses, prosecutor and victim think it wise to put down all three dogs, the nearby town of Wheatland's Dog Control Officer Gary Hults agreed as well. He said, "Personally I'm very concerned about it. In the Town of Wheatland we take very serious when people get bit or whatever, when we deal with what we consider dangerous dogs," says Hults.
The result of the judge's ruling now has an animal advocate -- who states "I can't imagine a rescue taking in a dog like this but thought I would post it anyway" -- making a cross-posting to a forum board with secretive references in hopes of saving this dog. But how does one find a home for this dog? What are the chances this dog will ever be rehabilitated and land in an environment other than a desperate or violent one?
Related articles:09/08/08:
70-Year Old Man Mauled by Pit Bulls in New York07/14/08:
Adoption Disaster; Another Dog Dead to Pit Bulls
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