Dogs Bite Blog

Tom Skeldon, the "Biased" Blade and Recent Ruling Halting Enforcement of Toledo Pit Bull Laws

2010-02-07T18:30:00.008-07:00

Please click an image to view that portion of the interview.

Exclusive Interview
Toledo, OH - In a powerful four-part videotaped interview by WTOL, former Lucas County Dog Warden and expert witness Tom Skeldon opens up for the first time about the "Yellow" Toledo Blade, whose painfully biased reporting all but forced his resignation last November; the recent municipal court ruling that halted enforcement of Toledo and Ohio state pit bull laws in the City of Toledo1 and the repercussions this ruling will have on the safety of constituents.

Never before has the 30-year old pit bull problem been summed up so quickly and distinctly as in this WTOL interview.

DogsBite.org has provided a summary of each interview clip below. Outside of the litigious history of Denver's pit bull ban -- which Colorado courts consistently uphold -- no other city except Toledo has endured a similar history. Pit bull advocates declared both regions "BSL battle grounds" back in the 1990's. As demonstrated by recent events in Denver and Toledo, this battle continues today. In many ways, this interview with Tom Skeldon is the history of BSL in the U.S.

Interview part 1 | 10:00 minutes
During the first segment, Skeldon reflects upon his many years in public service, the Toledo Blade witch-hunt, which all but forced his resignation, and the outstanding effectiveness of his tenure as the Lucas County Dog Warden. Unlike the vast majority of U.S. animal control agencies, Skeldon's department never had to dip into the taxpayer base for funding. His department wholly operated on county dog owners being compliant in paying their dog licensing fees.2

This segment also addresses the political forces, which submitted to the Blade's pressures, instead of standing up for Skeldon and his department's outstanding record. Skeldon cites that the most "disappointing" aspect of the Blade's witch-hunt wasn't even the Blade itself, but that not one elected official stood up in protest of the Blade's biased reporting. Skeldon's superiors also forbade him from having contact with his own media sources, thus silencing Skeldon's story.

Interview part 2 | 9:58 minutes
During segment two, Skeldon explains the "straw that broke the camel's back" concerning the Blade and Commissioner Ben Konop. According to Skeldon, the young grandstanding commissioner has a history of beating up devoted county employees during public meetings. About a year-and-a-half ago, Skeldon was told that he was Konop's next target. Skeldon was also told by his political superiors to "rollover" to Konop -- to not defend himself and his department.

Skeldon, however, did not "rollover" during the public meeting. Skeldon told WTOL, "For 45 minutes Konop was throwing hardballs and for 45 minutes I kept knocking home runs with his hardballs." After the meeting, Skeldon's superiors instructed him to cease contact with the media, whereby halting his communication to the public, including sharing reports of children being mauled. Skeldon said that from that point forward, his department became a "punching bag."

Skeldon also explains in this segment why he believes Konop went after him. Essentially, Konop had many zealous pro-pit bull groups "in his ear" along with the Blade -- the primary newspaper in Toledo -- pushing the pro-pit bull agenda. Skeldon talks about the national pro-pit bull lobby too and how he helped jurisdictions in Denver and Ontario, who were facing this lobby in legal battles, by providing education and expert testimony to them about the pit bull problem.

Lastly, Skeldon talks about the recent municipal court ruling in the City of Toledo by Judge Goulding that voids Toledo and Ohio state pit bull laws in the City of Toledo. Despite two Ohio State Supreme court rulings that declare these laws constitutional, Goulding (whose campaign slogan is "Keep our city safer") has now made it impossible for the dog warden and police authorites to effectively enforce vicious dog laws in the City of Toledo. Skeldon tells WTOL:

"When the weather breaks in April, your next-door neighbor can have as many pit bulls as he wants. Your next-door neighbor wouldn't have to have a muzzle on the pit bulls when he takes them off the property. Your next-door neighbor wouldn't have to have the pit bulls in a locked, fenced yard, and your next-door neighbor wouldn't have to have any insurance on those pit bulls.
"We investigate the serious dog bites for the health department. The second breed most involved in dog bites last year were Labrador retriever and Labrador retriever mixes. There were 35 serious dog bites. The third was German shepherds. There were 28. There were 81 serious dog bites by pit bulls."

Please understand that this ratio of serious pit bull bites existed with strong pit bull regulations in place. These restrictions include the State of Ohio pit bull laws and the City of Toledo pit bull laws, which limit the ownership of pit bulls to one per household and require pit bulls to be muzzled when off property. Goulding's questionable ruling, which voids these laws, means that serious pit bull maulings in the City of Toledo will take a drastic swing upward.

Interview part 3 | 3:34 minutes
During segment three, Skeldon talks about the history of Ohio state pit bull laws, which were enacted in 1987 and prior to his tenure as dog warden, and why he was targeted by pro-pit bull groups. He said that since the pit bull lobby has been unable to overturn state laws, they "shot the messenger." In this segment, Skeldon also tackles the outdated motto, "It's the owner not the breed," employed by pro-pit bull groups that ignores the genetic traits of the breed.3

"(The owners) are a factor," Skeldon said.
"If these pit bulls are going to be made vicious by an owner, shame on that owner and they should be taken to task for it.
But it is hard to tell which of those dogs are going to act that way because that is what they are bred to do. The vast majority of pit bulls that have maimed, disfigured or killed someone in the past 25, 30 years have had no history that they can find of being trained for fighting or of biting someone before."
"So out of the blue?" asked the reporter.
"Boom!" Skeldon replied. "If they are triggered."

This explanation refers back to the unpredictability of a pit bull attack that Skeldon discusses at the end of segment two. When explaining the inherent danger of the breed, Skeldon describes the lack of warning signals pit bulls display prior to an attack versus other dog breeds that offer clear physical and verbal warning signs. For instance, pit bulls often do not bark, growl or offer a direct stare prior to an attack. This information is well documented by humane groups.

Interview part 4 | 7:21 minutes
In segment four, Skeldon discusses pit bull puppies, the issue over which the Blade demonized Skeldon, calling him a "puppy killer." Skeldon's department, as well as most Ohio counties, adhere to a "No Adopt Out" pit bull policy as the state prima facially deems the pit bull breed "vicious." Skeldon also notes that nearly all U.S. insurance companies refuse to cover pit bulls, so there is "no deep pocket to put these kids back together again" after a serious mauling.

In terms of what to do with future pit bull puppies, Skeldon talks about how the recent municipal ruling will affect Lucas County residents. During Skeldon's tenure, and while pit bull regulations were enforced, his department had turned the corner on the pit bull problem. The number of pit bulls impounded was decreasing. This is a huge triumph as few other U.S. animal control agencies can report similar results. Skeldon adds about the ruling:

"If these laws aren't going to be enforced, because the courts have tied the police and dog warden's hands, then those numbers are going to come right through the ceiling. And the pit bulls will be out in the front yard instead of the back. They'll be in the alley instead of the garage. They won't be housed in the basement out of sight. They'll be flaunted. And they will be used for people to intimidate their neighbors and to control neighborhoods4 in the City of Toledo."

Lastly, Skeldon recounts the ending of his career after serving as the dog warden for over 22 years. Prior to this, he served in the Peace Corp and military. "If you look at the career, I've been obviously blessed," he said. "In the past year-and-a-half, they were knocking the snot out of me and it was uncalled for." Skeldon said that wherever you've got a "strong media form of government,"5 you end up with people in office who will succumb to this kind of pressure.

Court Rulings:
Toledo, Ohio v. Paul Tellings - United States Supreme Court
Toledo, Ohio v. Paul Tellings - Ohio State Supreme Court
The State of Ohio vs. Anderson - Ohio State Supreme Court

DogsBite.org greatly thanks WTOL for making this interview accessible to a nation and worldwide audience by posting this material to YouTube.

1The City of Toledo has appealed the recent municipal ruling.
2In most U.S. cities, dog licensing compliance is under 25% due to poor management. An excellent example was seen last year in Los Angeles under the leadership of Ed Boks.
3No person in the world has been asked to explain this outdated and false motto more times than Tom Skeldon. Note the expression on his face after the reporter poses the question.
4DogsBite.org receives numerous complaints from U.S. citizens who feel that their world has substantially "shrunk" due to nearby pit bull owners. They can no longer walk or jog down their usual paths, nor can they take their own dog on a walk out of fear of being attacked.
5The Yellow Toledo Blade.

2010 Fatality: Woman, 63-Years Old, Allegedly Killed by Family Rottweiler

2010-02-07T16:00:00.003-07:00

Found in Driveway
Cleveland Heights, OH - In a developing story, a woman was allegedly killed by her family dog early Sunday morning. Carolyn Baker, 63, was found in a pool of blood outside her home by her husband Ricardo Baker at about 3:30 am. When police arrived, they discovered that Baker had severe injuries to her right arm and shoulder, along with other bite marks inflicted by the family's rottweiler-mix. She was taken to Huron Road Hospital, where she was pronounced dead.

Despite the many bite wounds, family members do not believe the dog caused her death. They told reporters, "It was a 'good' dog." An autopsy is expected Monday, and the incident remains under investigation.

Related articles:
12/15/09: 2009 Fatality: Great-Aunt's Rottweiler-Mix Kills 20-Month Old Boy
08/30/09: 90-Year Old Phoenix Woman Dies After Complications of Dog Bite

Pet Pit Bull Unleashes Explosive Attack on Owner and Two Others in Hoboken

2010-02-06T12:31:00.012-07:00

Crime scene: One Independence Court luxury apartment.

Apartment "Ransacked"
Hoboken, NJ - In a scene described as resembling the movie "Jaws," a pet pit bull1 exploded into a "savage biting rampage" late Thursday night sending three victims, including the dogs' owner, to the hospital. Witness Paul Michael said, "It didn't look like she was going to make it. She was bad. Her entire leg was torn up." Police eventually shot and killed the attacking dog. The incident left the luxury apartment ransacked and bloody; furniture was torn apart as well.

The next time a humane official says that it is "unusual" for a pit bull to attack its owner, please point them to this blog post.

The only aspect that is unusual about this attack is that there was not a fatality nor does there appear to be a limb amputation, at least not yet. Other owners of pet pit bulls whose dogs flew into an explosive attack were not so lucky including: Carter Delany, who was killed by his two pet pit bulls last year, Annette Williams, who suffered the loss of both arms due to her pet pit bull and John Venezia, whose pet pit bull bit off his whole hand (See: Lion Tamer Complex).

A subsequent report reveals that the Hoboken incident began when a man called police to report that his roommate's pit bull, named "Giant," had severely bitten his right ankle. When police arrived they found the dog unleashed in the apartment. Giant's 26-year-old owner appeared and was repeatedly warned by police not to enter the lobby or her apartment, but she went into the apartment anyway and was attacked by her dog, causing "massive trauma and blood loss."

The only way first responders could save the victim was by carrying her out a street-level window and into an awaiting ambulance.

Hoboken police had managed to barricade "Giant" with furniture when the third victim -- a 41-year-old female Hoboken resident -- tried to enter the apartment, also despite police warnings (Again, please see: Lion Tamer Complex). The pit bull broke loose and mauled her as well, causing serious injuries to her legs. The woman was rushed to Jersey City Medical Center. Finally, Sgt. Edmund Drishti then drew his weapon and shot and killed the triple mauling "pet" pit bull.

Related ZUPF presentation

1Early reports said that two pit bulls were involved. It is later determined that only Giant was the culprit.

Bullmastiffs Kill Owner After Owner Saves Them from Death Row

2010-02-05T17:45:00.007-07:00

Scene of the 2006 attack that left Stanislav Meglic with permanent injury.

The Irony and Outcry
Ljubljana, Slovenia1 - It was reported on Wednesday that the owner of three bullmastiffs, who saved his dogs from being euthanized in a lengthily court battle, was mauled to death by them. Dr. Saso Baričević, 52-years old, was killed by his three bullmastiffs in his garden. What prompted the court battle was a violent attack by the same dogs March 15, 2006. The incident prompted wide media coverage, and the victim, 35-year old Stanislav Meglic, suffered life-altering injury.

The 2006 Attack

The incident occurred when three of Baričević's four bullmastiffs jumped out of his car and attacked Meglic along with other pedestrians. Police shot and killed one of the dogs and wounded two others. The three surviving dogs, Atlas, Joy and Atos were impounded, yet before too long attacked a trainer at the impound facility. Meanwhile, Baričević continued delaying the compensation trial by supplying the court with medical certificates showing his poor "psychological state."

In July 2009, Atlas and Joy were returned to their owners sparking a national controversy (Atos was apparently uninvolved in the attack and quickly returned to its owner). The return conditions included that Baričević must erect "dangerous dog" signs on his property; ensure that the dogs "solely" resided at his property; ensure that the dogs were walked individually with a specifically defined leash and collar and that the dogs remained "insulated" from visitors.

In September 2009, the case finally went to trial. "I remember the severe pain throughout the body. I remember the snarls, tear and crunch of teeth, I could feel my skin market. Everywhere the sprinkled blood. I thought I was gonna die (Google translation)," said Meglic in the courtroom. Attorneys for the Defense argued that Meglic provoked the incident by having a phone in his hand. Ultimately, the dogs' owners were ordered to pay Meglic 112,000 euros in compensation.

A Loud Political Outcry

The recent announcement of the dogs killing Baričević sparked new outcries, including the resignation of Agriculture Minister Milan Pogacnik, who allowed the dogs to be returned to Baričević. A separate politician, Zmago Jelinčič Plemeniti, is now calling on legislation to prohibit the breeding and ownership of dangerous dog breeds throughout the Republic of Slovenia. Numerous other European countries -- and countries across the world -- have already taken such steps.

The moral of this story is three-fold: 1.) The dangerous dog breed problem is a world issue that many countries are struggling to overcome. 2.) Victims of these attacks often receive little compensation (about $152,000 in U.S. dollars for Meglic) after enduring horrible injury -- Meglic suffered permanent injury to his right hand and extensive bodily scarring. 3.) Finally, the unconscionable "saving" of known violent dogs over the protection of human life is a worldwide issue too.

Immense Social Injustice

After the release of the dogs, but prior to the compensation hearing, one Slovenian newspaper commented on the social injustice of the 2006 incident. The victim was forced to wait nearly four years for any compensation. The dogs' owners, who were prominent doctors, were able to manipulate the system through various hired guns determined to "save" his dogs. Specifically, the paper states, "Thus, dogs have many more lobbyists and lawyers, as a "regular" citizen Stanislav Meglic."

1We did the best we could in piecing this story together through poorly translated news reports. Readers who know the Slovenia language, please leave your corrections in the comment section. We also could not link directly to the Google translation pages. To see the linked pages in English, please supply a URL here.

Five Dogs Escape Fence and Brutally Attack Three Children in Fontana

2010-02-04T12:45:00.001-07:00

Mother of the victims, Josie Arellano.

Condition Upgraded
UPDATE 02/04/10: Destiny's condition has been upgraded from critical to serious condition, but is still in a medically induced coma at Loma Linda University Children's Hospital. Family members are hopeful she'll make a complete recovery after a mauling that hospitalized three children. Dr. Jim Eguchi said, "It's too early to tell, when you're in the ICU you try not to predict things, you take it one at a time as they come along, and hopefully she makes it through."

Related video

02/03/10: Dogs' Owner "Sorry" About the Triple Mauling
Fontana, CA - In yet another horrific display of criminal and unforgivable dangerous dog ownership -- where the dogs' owner might just be "ticketed" -- five dogs reportedly escaped through holes in the fence and attacked a mother and her four children. In what should have been an afternoon "walk to the park," turned into a Freddy Krueger nightmare instead. One dog ripped a 5-year old child from her mother's arms and the other dogs attacked her two other children.

The dogs are being described as a mastiff and four pit bull-mixes.

5-year old Destiny Colon, who continues to remain on life support at Loma Linda University Medical Center was initially treated for broken ribs and a punctured lung. Police said that the hospital called after the attack to ask if they had recovered any muscle tissue from the crime scene in hopes it could be reattached. Destiny's 6-year old brother, Hector Perez, received 235 staples to close a leg wound, and her 7-year old sister, Princess Colon, was treated for bite injuries.1

One longtime resident said she knows the aggressiveness of these dogs well. "They would come after horses, after people. Everybody was in danger. I'm not surprised," she said. "When people have dogs that are dangerous and they can get out of the yard, what can you expect? Those people need to be stopped." Correction: The City of Fontana and/or its animal control department must also be held liable if these dogs had previous complaints against them.

According to Sgt. Jeff Decker, the dogs' owners are "very sorry" about what happened. This is a miserable response to Josie Arellano, whose one child may die and two others may suffer permanent disfiguring injury. Not to mention the foreseeable bankruptcy filing of the Arellano family due to extensive emergency medical bills. The owners of these dogs did not choose to own poodles -- a breed with a strong safety record -- they chose to own known "frankenmaulers."

Related video

1Information regarding the injuries is still unfolding and press reports vary.

Owner of the AADR, Andrea Press, Allegedly Uses Pit Bulls to Attack Partner

2010-02-01T11:03:00.007-07:00

New Brunswick County, NC - It was reported on January 20 that the new owner of the All American Dog Registry (AADR), Andrea L. Press, was charged with simple assault. Press allegedly used her dogs to attack her male companion during a domestic dispute. The simple assault charge carries up to 6 months in jail and or a $1,000 fine. DogsBite.org verified the charge by contacting the Brunswick County Court Clerk. The clerk also said that the state declined to prosecute.

Brunswick County Woman Charged With Assault In Dog Attack
StarNewsOnline.com
"Brunswick County woman charged with simple assault. Jan 20 Andrea L Press was charged with simple assault. Press allegedly used her dog (s) to attack her male companion during a domestic dispute. Press operates a dog registry out of her home in Brunswick County. The simple assault charge carries up to 6 months in jail and or $1000 fine. Investigators are still looking into this incident and there could be further charges according to one source."
By Brandon Sneed Citydesk@StarNewsOnline.com Posted: 01/20/2010 10:40 PM

Press bought the AADR after its former owners T.L. Williams and Bobby Smith were arrested in the Pima County dogfighting bust. Investigators said that breeders of fighting dogs (pit bulls) used the AADR website to get the registration papers to prove a dog's bloodline. At the time of the bust, critics alleged that the AADR and its website was designed by dogfighters and for dogfighters. Critics dubbed the AADR a "networking apparatus" for the dogfighting subculture.

Now in the hands of Andrea Press, who operates Eyetrap Kennels, the AADR apparatus continues.

Related articles:
05/13/09: Anti-BSL Organization, Stop-BSL.com, Gives Donated Funds to...
11/20/08: Orange County, NC Finally Passes Anti-Tethering Ordinance
04/05/08: Charged Bloodsport Breeder, T.L. Williams, Still in Business
02/28/08: Bloodsport Bust: Investigators Continue to Build Case
02/21/08: Bloodsport Bust: Officials Dismantle Upper Echelon Dog Fighters

Dutch SPCA Willing to Sacrifice Other Animals to Appease Pit Bull Fans

2010-01-27T09:00:00.001-07:00

The Hague, NL - On September 25, 2009, the Dutch SPCA1 fired animal welfare inspector Alexandra Semyonova, author of The 100 Silliest Things People Say About Dogs, after Dutch pit bull terrier enthusiasts targeted Semyonova for identifying the dangerous characteristics of the breed and criticizing the reluctance of the humane community to recognize that dog breeds created to fight are both behaviorally and physiologically different2 from other dogs.

The firing leaves The Hague3 without an animal welfare inspector until a competent replacement can be trained.

Semyonova recently issued a statement to DogsBite.org regarding the actions of the Dutch SPCA. We have underlined portions of her statement for emphasis.

Dutch SPCA Fires Animal Welfare Inspector

"It's clear that they don't care about leaving thousands of animals unprotected -- including neglected and abused pit bulls," writes Semyonova.
"I've spent almost ten years now investigating reports of neglect and abuse of animals. The Dutch SPCA knew from the beginning that I disagreed with their stance on pit bulls. This annoyed them, but I was one of the best inspectors they ever had, able and willing to spend months if necessary nursing a case along until I saw that an animal's situation had really improved. I always expressed my views on the pit bull problem as a private person or in my capacity as an expert on dog behavior. I never implied that the Dutch SPCA shared my opinion. In fact, I was -- if asked -- always quite clear that they don't. So the organization tolerated me.
In summer 2009, however, after I appeared in a Dutch television documentary on the pit bull problem, the Dutch SPCA began to get a flood of anonymous calls making ridiculous complaints about me. I was credited with owning DogsBite.org4 (quite a piece of inadvertent flattery there) and of going around parks arbitrarily tear-gassing pit bulls or stabbing them to death. In the end, the SPCA sacked me without verifying any of the complaints or the identity of the complainers, simply calling me disloyal for continuing to tell the facts about aggressive dog breeds.
The most shocking thing about this, isn't its effect on me. It's the fact that the SPCA is willing to leave all the animals -- thousands of them -- in one of the Netherlands' biggest cities without a competent welfare inspector to protect them. Dutch law only protects animals from the most blatantly cruel physical abuse. These most blatant criminal cases are covered by the national service. It's up to local welfare inspectors to take care of the other 99% of the complaints we receive, where we can't bring criminal charges and have to depend on persuasion to get an animal owner to change his or her ways. It's going to take the SPCA at least a year and a half to find and train a new city inspector up to real competence. This means a year and a half of all kinds of animals silently suffering in situations that are appalling, but that the criminal law doesn't cover.
The pit bull people are now trumpeting the success of their slander campaign all over the Internet as a big victory. It's clear that they don't care about leaving thousands of animals unprotected -- including neglected and abused pit bulls."5

The second part of Semyonova's statement addresses the "organized attacks" carried out by The Hague pit bull community. Similar attacks are carried out in America as well.

Organized Crime and Intimidation Campaigns

"If you speak out about pit bulls, you are on your own," writes Semyonova. "You are even on your own if you report the killing of your dog by a pit bull to the police."
"The anonymous complaint campaign to the Dutch SPCA wasn't the first attempt to silence me. But I'm not the only one who has been targeted. The same organized attacks have been directed toward shelters and shelter personnel where illegal pit bulls were being held for testing. There have even been break-ins and assaults.
The Dutch Ministry of Justice acknowledged on public television that these intimidation campaigns form a pattern that clearly constitutes organized crime, but said they have no intention of prosecuting the pit bull fan club that is behind it all. If you speak out about pit bulls, you are on your own. You are even on your own if you report the killing of your dog by a pit bull to the police. The police will take the complaint if you insist, but they add a warning that they won't interfere if the pit bull fan club targets you for punishment. And they don't. This has led to serious underreporting of animal maimings and deaths caused by pit bulls."

The third part of her statement addresses the hypocrisy of animal welfare groups, who favor "preserving" the pit bull breed -- terminology mainly used by dogfighters.

Hypocrisy and Lack of Real Concern for Animal Welfare

"The SPCA is largely responsible for the repeal of the pit bull ban in the Netherlands this past summer," writes Semyonova. "The SPCA now get scads of calls from people whose ordinary dogs have been savaged by a pit bull."
"Still, what shocks me most, is the willingness of the SPCA to ignore the health and welfare of other animals in favor of preserving the pit bull. The SPCA is largely responsible for the repeal of the pit bull ban in the Netherlands this past summer. The SPCA now get scads of calls from people whose ordinary dogs have been savaged by a pit bull.6 But they can no longer help these traumatized and grieving people, because it's the SPCA who made sure there's no longer any legal recourse. Worse yet, SPCA policy requires that grieving callers be fed the same old line of propaganda they wanted me to propagate.
Meanwhile, as long as no outsiders are listening, other SPCA employees I know acknowledge that they cross the street or quickly leave a dog park when they see someone approaching with a pit bull. They have one walking around at the national office. I've been told that when a visitor comes, they shut this dog up in another room. So the SPCA knows perfectly well what this type of dog is all about,7 yet they continue to fight for the breed's preservation -- and for suppression of information8 that might lead other dog owners to avoid pit bulls, thus saving many dogs' lives.
Then there's the welfare of the pit bull itself. The SPCA knows that dogfighting isn't illegal in The Netherlands, yet they aren't fighting for a law to ban it. They know that keeping these fighting breeds legal means keeping dogfighting alive as a brutal blood sport. I just don't get it that they keep spending their donors' money on keeping the fighting breeds on the streets. To me, it looks like a lack of real concern for animal welfare."

The final part of Semyonova's statement includes an unanswered email sent by Animal People editor Merritt Clifton to the Dutch SPCA chief executive.

Failure of Humane Organizations to Admit Mistake

"They don't seem to realize they are undermining their own credibility on all fronts by failing to find the courage to admit a mistake," writes Semyonova.
"In an unanswered e-mail to the Dutch SPCA chief executive, Animal People editor Merritt Clifton asked, 'The Dutch SPCA could have been credited with employing the author of the most astute book about dog behavior that we have reviewed in 23 years of full-time coverage of animal issues worldwide, except that you had fired her. Why?'
In my opinion, the organization made the wrong decision some fifteen years ago, when they decided to oppose breed-specific legislation and to fight for the preservation of the fighting breeds. Now they are more concerned with saving face by sticking to an old, bad decision than with doing what is really necessary to truly be a humane society. The same goes for humane societies all over the world. They don't seem to realize they are undermining their own credibility on all fronts by failing to find the courage to admit a mistake."

Alexandra Semyonova

	The 100 Silliest Things People Say About Dogs Alexandra Semyonova's book, credited by Animal People as "the most astute book about dog behavior that we have reviewed in 23 years," is available for purchase at the Hastings Press website. The e-book, an instantly downloadable PDF file, is available at this website as well.
	Nonlinear Dogs: A Website Dedicated to Telling the Truth About Dogs From the Nonlinear Dogs website, one can review selected pieces of works by Semyonova including: "The 100 Silliest Things People Say About Dogs," and "The Social Organization of the Domestic Dog," a study that challenges current canis familiaris organizational models.

Academic Papers
Semyonova: "Heritability of Behavior in the Abnormally Aggressive Dog"
Semyonova: "Backward Reasoning, Crooked Logic, Sudden Denial"

1Unlike in the U.S. (See: Each Humane Society is a Separate and Distinct Organization), the Dutch SPCA (NL-SPCA) is a national organization, of which all local chapters are dependent. The NL-SPCA determines policy on all issues, from pit bulls to industrial animal husbandry, and the chapters must follow these policies.
2In the years serving as the vice president for research and educational outreach for the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS), Randall Lockwood taught extensively about the "difference" between fighting dogs (pit bulls) and other dog breeds. Furthermore, Lockwood's fighting dog research was used to uphold the City and County of Denver's pit bull ban.
3The Hague is the third largest city in the Netherlands after Amsterdam and Rotterdam.
4Not only does DogsBite.org enrage U.S. pro-pit bull groups, we enrage such groups across the world!
5This is true in the U.S. as well. Furthermore, as 2007 data shows (750,000 pit bulls euthanized), the pit bull community responded by breeding more unwanted in pit bulls in 2009.
6The volume of pets, who are savagely attacked by pit bulls, far outpaces attacks on humans.
7The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) is also fully aware of the dangerous characteristics of the pit bull breed (See: ASPCA Guide to Handling Pit Bulls in Shelter Environments). Yet, the ASPCA promotes the breed as a "nursemaid's dog" to the U.S. public.
8Countless U.S. animal welfare groups suppress and distort the truth about the pit bull breed to the American public. A few examples include: Best Friends, the ASPCA and the PSPCA.

Editorial: Tyler Newspaper Supports Statewide Ban on Pit Bulls

2010-01-23T10:18:00.014-07:00

Tyler Morning Telegraph
Tyler, TX - On Tuesday, the Tyler Morning Telegraph took a bold stand on the horrendous Texas pit bull issue: "It's time for Texas to take the first steps toward a statewide pit bull ban." Not only did the paper take such a bold stance, the editors at the Tyler Morning Telegraph make clear that they understand the real issues, which we have emphasized with hyperlinks below, as well as the continued, 30-year old1 propaganda spouted by pit bull owners and breeders.

The newspaper operates in a region that has witnessed several violent and deadly pit bull attacks in the last year and staff writers have no doubt examined the devastation of these attacks including: the recent mauling of a child by four pit bull puppies, the deadly attack upon Justin Clinton in June and the horrific mauling of Kristi Langston back in March. DogsBite.org applauds the Tyler Morning Telegraph and urges additional Texas newspapers to follow suit.

Time For Public To Take Action Against Pit Bulls
"Advocates for pit bulls must grow tired of seeing headlines2 such as "3-Year-Old Mauled by Pit Bulls in Longview," which appeared in the Tyler Paper last week.
They know it means another round of explaining to friends and others how sweet their dogs are, really, and how any dog can bite, and how it must be an irresponsible owner, as it can't be the breed.
They'll have to reiterate their belief dogs are a blank slate, and no pit bull is born bad -- at least, no worse than, say, a golden retriever.
But seriously; when is the last time you read an article about how a toddler was mauled, nearly to death, playing with a litter of golden retriever puppies?
"The child sustained dog bites all over her body, and had serious injuries to her face and head," reported Longview Police Department spokesman Kevin Brownlee.
He said the mother of the child told investigators she was at the residence visiting with a friend and allowed the daughter to go in the backyard without supervision. She added her daughter had been around the dogs before.
The dogs -- four of them -- were 3-month-old puppies.
The mother now could face charges for felony child endangerment. The little girl faces a lifetime of scars, both visible and unseen.
How many more children and adults will we allow to be mauled, even killed, before we recognize pit bulls aren't goldens or labs or poodles -- that they're bred specifically to maim and kill?
It's time for Texas to take the first steps toward a statewide pit bull ban. That first step is to repeal a law that doesn't allow breed-specific bans. Florida is already considering such a measure.
Last year, a tragedy in Rusk County -- lest we forget, it was the mauling death of a 10-year-old boy -- led to a petition drive for a less-stringent response: Registration and education requirements for pit bull owners. That was opposed by advocates for this killer breed.
Other tragedies have sparked other, lesser responses, as well - such as attempts at citywide or countywide bans. But because of the state law, those bans have been struck down.
But it's time to think bigger. It's time to address a danger we know exists. It's time to at least allow cities and counties to adopt their own bans.
Will those bans be difficult to implement? Perhaps. Opponents of a pit bull ban point out many "pit bulls" are actually mixed breed dogs. And they claim enforcing bans would require "DNA testing."
Nonsense. That's where an expert -- such as an animal control officer -- can make a judgment call on what is and what isn't a pit bull. It's hard to mistake that crushing jaw.
Will pit bull advocates challenge such bans? Sure. That's their right. But that shouldn't prevent the Legislature from repealing its law preventing cities and counties from deciding on their own whether to try such bans. It's a simple matter of local control.
In the meantime, we're sure to see more tragic headlines. And we're sure to hear the same old arguments about how sweet Rex is -- or was, until the attack."

Prevent the deed, regulate the breed!

1Pit Bulls -- Family Pets and Fierce Fighters, by Tom Greeley, Los Angeles Times, July 25, 1982
2Another Pit Bull Attack Reported, Boy, 8, Slashed, Sarasota Herald-Tribune, April 29, 1980

2010 Fatality: 56-Year Old Man Killed by Daughter's Six Pit Bulls

2010-01-18T19:40:00.009-07:00

From left: Johnny Wilson's home and neighbor Avantis Smith.

Mislabeling Alert
UPDATE 01/18/10: Despite the Chicago Police Department identifying the dogs as pit bulls, director Cherie Travis is now intentionally misleading the media, the citizens of Chicago and the entire U.S. public by stating that the dogs are actually "mixed breed," but she couldn't name the breeds until further evaluation. Travis is clearly a pit bull apologist placing the "protection" of the pit bull breed at a higher priority than reporting the truth about the fatal attack of a human being.

DogsBite.org calls for the immediate dismissal of director Cherie Travis.

Other pit bull apologists are popping through the seams as well "to soften" the impact of pit bulls killing two American citizens in an nine-day period. Animal behaviorist Suzanne Hetts, who is quoted in the updated article, said that the "dog's breed" isn't the most important factor. "Usually it's a perfect storm situation, with a lot of things that lead up to the attack," Hetts said. Yet the only perfect storm in this incident is the documented, lethal genetic history of the pit bull breed.

Pit bulls -- The Living IED: Designed for death, awaiting detonation.

(IED = Improvised Explosive Device)

01/18/10: Daughter "Stunned" by Fatal Attack
Authorities report that the victim's daughter, who remains unnamed, arrived Sunday night to find her father covered in blood and near dead. The medical examiner's office ruled following an autopsy today that Johnny Wilson died of hemorrhaging from multiple injuries from a dog attack. Other sources said the victim suffered massive head, chest and upper body trauma, including having both of his ears bitten off and at least one of his eyes mauled.

The daughter, who had been breeding the pit bulls, told investigators the dogs were afraid of her father because his "voice was loud." But neighbors said that Wilson never appeared to have any trouble with the dogs prior to the incident. Avantis Smith, 31, who lives next door to the family, said he had seen Wilson walking the dogs on his way to the bank in the past. Another neighbor, Ruffin Davis, 62, said, "They always obeyed him. I don't see any reason for them to attack him."

According to Smith, Wilson's daughter was "stunned" last night and could not explain what had happened. She was perhaps as "stunned" as Chester Jordan's and Raymond Tomco's daughters, both of whom had also been breeding pit bulls in the family home and returned one day to discover their fathers mutilated bodies after being attacked by the dogs. In total, Chicago Animal Care and Control seized four adult pit bulls and two pit bull puppies from the South Side home.

Cherie Travis, director of the Animal Care and Control office, told reporters, "Dogs don't normally attack people in their own homes, so there's a lot to investigate." This is the same distortion voiced by the Pennsylvania Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (PSPCA) last year after two pit bulls first mauled their owner's son then mauled the owner. The truth is pit bulls are often in the news due to serious and sometimes fatal attacks upon their owners.

Related ZUPF video

01/18/10: Man Killed by Daughter's Pit Bulls
Chicago, IL - In a developing story, police are investigating the death of a 56-year old man found dead with dog bites at a home in the Washington Heights neighborhood. Johnny Wilson was found with several bite marks on his body, according to a spokesman for the Cook County medical examiner's office. The cause of death is unknown pending an autopsy by the medical examiner's office, but four pit bulls found at the residence were seized by animal control officials.

Related articles:
12/04/09: 2009 Fatality: Flora Woman, 85, and Her Dog Killed by Pit Bull
08/12/09: 2009 Fatality: Leesburg Man Killed by His Two Pit Bulls Trying to Break up Fight
05/11/09: Animal Agency, PSPCA, Distorts History of 25-Year Old Pit Bull Problem
03/04/09: 2003 Fatality: Anna Cieslewicz, Killed by Pit Bulls While Jogging
02/01/09: Nick Foley Approaches High School; Mother Denounces "Rehabilitating"...
11/02/08: 2008 Fatality: 62-Year Old Muncie Man Killed by Pit Bulls

Grandmother Charged in Fatal Pit Bull Mauling Dies Before Trial

2010-01-15T09:24:00.009-07:00

Trial Averted
San Antonio, TX - Last March, we reported on the fatal pit bull mauling of 7-month old Izaiah Gregory Cox. At the time of the incident, Izaiah had been at his grandmother's home. Irma Barrera had been warming a bottle for her grandson in the kitchen when her two pit bulls "broke down the baby-gate" and violently attacked the child. The dogs were so wired with aggression after the incident that arriving EMS crews had to climb through a side window to reach the dying boy.

In August, 59-year old Barrera was indicted on one count of felony injury to a child after prosecutors showed that another grandchild, a granddaughter, several years ago, had been injured by the same pit bulls. The girl, 7, was hospitalized and required facial stitches after the attack. Despite this previous attack, and neighbors voicing concern about Barrera's pit bulls leading up to the attack that killed little Izaiah, Barrera had been allowed to keep her dangerous dogs.

Texas is a "one bite free" state unless the attack involves violating an animal control law, such as a leash law. So the granddaughter likely had no civil recourse and certainly had no criminal recourse. This previous attack, however, (Barrera knew the dogs had bitten a person before) allowed prosecutors to bring criminal charges in the case of Izaiah Gregory Cox. Barrera was facing up to 20-years in prison and a $10,000 fine if found guilty of the second-degree felony.

Barrera died of "natural causes" before her criminal trial began.

It was announced earlier this week that Barrera was due in court Monday, January 11, to face the injury to a child charge. But Barrera died of "natural causes" on December 6. San Antonio prosecutors moved to drop the case upon learning of her death. The tragic case of Izaiah Gregory Cox can now be summed up as: one scarred and possibly disfigured granddaughter, one dead grandson, two dead pit bulls (shot dead by police after killing Izaiah) and a dead dog owner.

The only remaining living elements being anguish and pain.

Related articles:
09/02/09: Grandmother and Mother Charged in 2007 Death of Seth Lovitt
07/01/09: Justin Clinton's Family Starts Campaign: "Justice for Justin: Outlaw Pit Bulls"
04/01/09: 2009 Fatality: 7-Month Old Boy Killed by Grandmother's Pit Bulls
08/20/08: Dog Attacks, Trends and Dog Law Coverage of Texas

2010 Fatality: Pet Pit Bull Kills 3-Year Old Boy in Apple Valley

2010-01-12T18:40:00.001-07:00

No Charges
UPDATE 01/12/10: Investigators say they have found no evidence of negligence and have concluded that the death of Omar Martinez was a "misfortunate incident." This conclusion was drawn despite the pit bull's documented 30-year track record of seriously injuring and killing innocent children. At what point will authorities hold parents accountable for these preventable deaths? It is estimated that by 2014 or earlier, pit bulls will maul 200 Americans to death.1

01/10/10: Boy Killed in Backyard
Apple Valley, CA - Just nine days into the New Year and a pet pit bull has already killed another innocent child. Authorities say that 3-year old Omar Martinez died Saturday after he was bitten by his family's pit bull. Emergency personnel were dispatched shortly before 3 p.m. to a residence in the 23500 block of Goshute Avenue. The boy was rushed to a local hospital but did not survive. Sheriff's officials said he was pronounced dead at 4:41 p.m.

Victorville Daily Press reports that the dog's owners were unable to gain control of the dog. When firefighters arrived, the pit bull, covered in blood, came out and started to attack firefighters. A San Bernardino County Sheriff’s deputy shot and killed the animal. Art Bishop, a deputy chief with the Apple Valley Fire Protection District, said the boy and his father had been in the backyard. The father reportedly stepped away briefly and the pit bull attacked.

Related ZUPF video

View the DogsBite.org Google map of fatal pit bull attacks in Southern California.

1This estimate is based upon calculating the average number of fatal pit bull maulings per year since 2005 (16) with the first recorded fatal pit bull attack being in 1982, Dog attack deaths and maimings, U.S. & Canada, September 1982 to December 22, 2009, by Merritt Clifton, editor Animal People.

2009 U.S. Dog Bite Fatality Statistics - DogsBite.org

2010-01-06T17:30:00.000-07:00

Fatal Dog Attack Statistics
DogsBite.org recorded 32 fatal dog attacks in 2009.1 Citations of each victim's story are located on the Fatality Citations page. The last year the CDC recorded or studied dog bite fatalities by breed was 1998. Likely due to pressures from animal advocacy groups, dog fancying groups and pro-pit bull groups, the CDC stopped recording these deaths by breed. The only other known entity that tracks this vital information is Animal People News.2 DogsBite.org has joined in this effort.

2009 Dog Bite Fatalities

32 U.S. fatal dog attacks occurred in 2009. Despite being regulated in Military Housing areas and over 500 U.S. cities, pit bulls led these attacks accounting for 44% (14). Pit bulls make up approximately 5% of the U.S. dog population.3
In 2009, the combination of pit bulls (14) and rottweilers (4) accounted for 56% of all fatal attacks. In the 5-year period from 2005 to 2009, this same combination accounted for 70% (103) of the total recorded deaths (148).
The combination breakdown between the two breeds is substantial. From 2005 to 2009, pit bulls killed 82 Americans, about one citizen every 22 days, versus rottweilers, which killed 21 Americans, about one citizen every 87 days.
2009 data shows that 63% (20) of the attacks occurred to children (11 years and under) and 38% occurred to adults. Of the children, 60% (12) occurred to ages 2 and younger. In all attacks, males were more often victims, 59%, than females.
2009 data also shows that 38% (12) of all fatal attacks involved multiple dogs, and 19% (6) involved chained dogs. 75% (24) of these deadly attacks occurred on the dog owner's property and 25% (8) occurred off the owner's property.
The state of Texas led fatalities in 2009 (5) followed by Georgia and Illinois (each with 4) and California and Virginia (each with 3). Of the Texas deaths, the combination of pit bulls and rottweilers (4) accounted for 80%.

1At least seven additional victims died due to incidents caused by dogs in 2009. These deaths involved non-dog bite injury, minor dog bite injury or lacked a "reasonably clear" determination of death due to dog bite injury and are not included in the DogsBite.org statistical fatality data at this time: Dolly Newell, 80-years old (Alameda, CA), Vida Isabel Silver, 32-years old (Hayward, CA), Israel Pope Jr., 96-years old (Pickensville, AL), Gregory Isaacson, 58-years old (Kelso, WA), Beverly Head, 62-years old (San Jose, CA), Theresa Foss 47-years old (Plainfield, CT) and Timothy Niemeyer 56-years old (Indianapolis, IN).
2Dog attack deaths and maimings, U.S. & Canada, by Merritt Clifton, Animal People.
3Decade of Adoption Focus Fails to Reduce Shelter Killing, by Merritt Clifton, Animal People, July/August 2009

Announcement: Wishes for the New Year from DogsBite.org

2010-01-03T10:34:00.007-07:00

DogsBite.org - The dawning of a new decade is upon us. The year 2010 will bring many changes to DogsBite.org as we relocate our organization to the state of Texas. Instead of tracking new U.S. nonfatal pit bull attacks and police and citizen shootings of dangerous pit bulls in 2010, we will focus on analyzing the data documented in both areas from 2009. Additionally, once the relocation has occurred, the majority of energies must be focused on building a funded organization.

New Year's Wishes for 2010:

That each of 2009's pit bull attack victims and their families are not forgotten by their local and state government officials.
That in 2010, no innocent humans have to suffer through the most horrific manner of death conceivable to man -- being attacked, bitten, and ripped apart by powerful pit bulls with strong jaws and a tenacious demeanor that would prevent the average person from being able to stop the attack.
That in 2010, no innocent humans suffer significant bodily injury, such as the loss of a limb, facial disfigurement, or mobility through a pit bull attack.
That in 2010, no innocent owner of a domesticated companion animal or livestock will have to witness, experience, or have to respond to a pit bull attack upon their animal, suffering either their death, their significant injury, the necessity for emergency veterinarian services and expenses, or the trauma of such an event.
That in 2010, more organizations invested in protecting human lives will become fully informed about the real and present danger posed by pit bulls in American Society and will take positive steps to take formal positions in favor of legal restrictions against pit bulls.
That in 2010, major humane organizations will address the alarming pit bull euthanization problem -- nearly 1 million pit bulls were estimated to be euthanized in 2009 -- and support mandatory pit bull sterilization laws to reduce these deaths.
That in 2010, enlightenment comes to local and state government officials about the hidden agenda of pit bull breeders, dogfighters, and organized criminal conspirators to support anti-BSL efforts.
That in 2010, enlightenment comes to "misguided" pit bull advocates that support dogfighters and breeders of fighting dogs -- people heavily invested in the continuation of creating violent dogs -- and instead, focus their attention on breeding safer dogs.

Readers, please leave your own New Year's wishes in the comments area.

Related articles:
12/20/09: Son of Rosie Humphreys Starts Campaign to Ban Pit Bulls in Flora
12/16/09: Historic Recall: 50 Million Blinds Recalled Following Child Deaths
12/09/09: 2009 Fatality: 70-Year Old Dies After Violent Maiming by Pit Bulls
09/28/09: Young Dog Owner Shares Story of Pet Attacked by Two Pit Bulls
09/17/09: 3-Year Old Girl Airlifted After Backyard Breeder's Pit Bull Attacks
09/09/09: Elderly Woman Suffers Broken Hip and Crushed Wrist After Pit Bull Attack
08/24/09: 2009 U.S. Shelter Data Shows that Pit Bulls Account for 58% of Dogs...
04/03/09: Anti-BSL Group, American Canine Foundation, Testified for Seller of...
03/17/09: 10 Shots Stop Pit Bull Attack on Pregnant Woman and Officer
03/13/09: Anti-BSL Organization, Stop-BSL.com, Gives Donated Funds to Alleged...
03/10/09: Wichita Approves New Ordinance: Mandatory Sterilization of Pit Bulls
03/01/09: Woman's Dogs Suffer "Exploded Ribs" and "Shattered Leg" by Pit Bulls
02/10/09: Brenda Hill, 68, Attacked by Pit Bulls While Taking Out the Trash
12/12/08: Edward Faron of Wildside Kennels Has Been Charged by Authorities
06/23/08: Report: Dog Attacks on Livestock and Horses January - May 2008

Announcement: DogsBite.org Donations

2010-01-02T10:00:00.005-07:00

DogsBite.org is a national dog bite victims' group dedicated to reducing serious dog attacks. We are a registered nonprofit corporation currently seeking tax-deductible status. Donations go toward recording and analyzing U.S. fatal dog attacks, U.S. pit bull attacks, U.S. police and citizen shootings of pit bulls and U.S. cities with pit bull laws. Funds also go toward researching state, county and city dog bite laws, developing a dog bite victim support group and website hosting costs.

Learn more about our mission, our passion and why we do what we do.

Related articles:
08/14/09: Mid Year Results: U.S. Pit Bull Attacks 2009
06/03/09: Report: U.S. Police and Citizen Shootings of Pit Bulls 2008
04/22/09: U.S. Dog Bite Fatalities January 2006 to December 2008
02/20/09: 1,500 Blog Posts by DogsBite.org
07/30/08: 1,000 Blog Posts by DogsBite.org

2009 Pit Bull Attack Victims and Their Stories - DogsBite.org

2009-12-31T09:00:00.000-07:00

DogsBite.org - We have collected a group of 2009 pit bull attack victim stories1 that we have been unable to create a dedicated blog post about. Of the U.S. media reported victims who suffered injury by a pit bull not included in this post, many are recorded in the U.S. Pit Bull Attacks 2009 report, which will be published in 2010. We regret that we do not have the resources to document the massive volume of beloved pets who suffered a violent death by a pit bull.

Victims of Pit Bull Attacks:
Please click a photo to read this victim's news story.2

Victims (From left to right):
To view a richer story of each victim, please click the PDF link.

Andrew Vanderwerff, 5-years old (West Valley City, UT) (Video) (PDF)
Bartolo Colon, 3-years old (Worcester, MA) (Video) (PDF)
Christina Selman, 30-years old (Fayette, AL) (PDF)
JoJo Kerschner, 17-years old (Auburn, CA) (Video) (PDF)
Johny Varkey, parent (Doreen, AU) (PDF)
Little Bléone, 10-months old (Lausanne, CH) (Video) (PDF)
Corrie Hammond, 6-years old (Auburn, MA) (PDF)
Kelly Doxsey, adult (Tampa Bay, FL) (Video) (PDF)
Elisa Fannine, 6-years old (Bowling Green, KY) (Video) (PDF)
Duane Vanlanham, 48-years old (Buena Vista, MI) (Video) (Slideshow) (PDF)
Duane Vanlanham, 48-years old (Buena Vista, MI) (Video) (Slideshow) (PDF)
Precious Camejo, 5-years old (Philadelphia, PA) (PDF)
Jeffrey Barrett, 8-years old (New Port Richey, FL) (PDF)
Duane Vanlanham, 48-years old (Buena Vista, MI) (Video) (Slideshow) (PDF)
Duane Vanlanham, 48-years old (Buena Vista, MI) (Video) (Slideshow) (PDF)
Dylan Farris, 5-years old (Floyd County, GA) (PDF)
Sadie Theriault, 18-months old (Bellmead, TX) (PDF)
Aubrey Newman, 2-years old (Montgomery, AL) (PDF)
Maria Zaldana, 70-years old (Bayonne, NJ) (Video) (PDF)
Jeremy Poirier, 10-years old (St. Johns County, FL) (Video) (PDF)
Hunter Aldridge, 5-years old (Cardiff, AL) (PDF)
Alexus Williams,3 12-years old (Lithonia, GA) (Video) (PDF)
Girthamarie Gary, 15-years old (Chicago Heights, IL) (PDF)
Cathy Reinert, 47-years old (Reading, PA) (PDF)
Virginia Kusnir, 75-years old (Reading, PA) (PDF)
Yvonne Hyatt, adult (Gilroy County, CA) (PDF)
Gladys Roberts, 65-years old (Trenton, NC) (Video) (PDF)
Hunter Thorp, 5-years old (Cherokee County, TX) (Video) (PDF)
Michelle Hamilton, 62-years old (Willingboro, NJ) (Video) (PDF)

1Readers of DogsBite.org have asked why we have not yet written about Duane Vanlanham. Our answer is that it took us 1.5 years to write about Nick Foley, the catastrophic mauling of the 21st century. Heroic Vanlanham nearly falls into this same category and currently his story is too painful to write.
2News stories eventually fall into less reachable archive systems, which is why we provided a permanent PDF file as well.
3This victim's name was also reported as Alexus Zachary.

Related articles:
08/14/09: Mid Year Results: U.S. Pit Bull Attacks 2009
02/20/09: 1,500 Blog Posts by DogsBite.org
07/30/08: 1,000 Blog Posts by DogsBite.org

Pit Bull Attack Trigger: Slipping on Ice While Walking a Pet Pit Bull

2009-12-30T10:00:00.005-07:00

From left: Victim Joyce Mitchell and her pet pit bull (with blood on its muzzle).

Owner Attacked
Cincinnati, OH - It was reported Monday that a pit bull in the Cincinnati neighborhood of Pleasant Ridge viciously attacked its owner. Police say Joyce Mitchell was walking her pet pit bull when she slipped on ice, thus triggering a violent attack. Neighbors rushed out of their homes with hammers and shovels to beat the dog off Mitchell. The woman tried to secure her dog to a phone poll but was unable. A police officer finally gained control of the dog.

"Billy Rogers is one of the neighbors: "And I looked around looked in the car got a hammer and came down here to help her, that's all I could do was try to get the dog off of her...looked like the dog was too vicious, and some other neighbors came and tried to help too...we got shovels and tried to get the dog away from her...but he was still attacking, then the other polices came and damn..."
Nieko Payne grabbed a shovel. "When I came out she had the dog wrapped around the pole and the dog started unwrapping itself and coming after her again and I hit the dog in the face and the police grabbed the leash and he wrapped it around the tree to keep the dog until the ambulance got here but... It had a big piece of her."

Cincinnati reinstated1 its pit bull ban in 2003.

Mitchell's pit bull may or may not have been covered under its grandfather clause. Yet she chose to own a pit bull and has now suffered serious injury because of it. As spoken by Cincinnati victim Meredith Green last year, "I haven't really been an advocate of the pit bull ordinance until now. I used to feel badly for the dogs but I can see now that a pit bull is a huge responsibility and there's too much danger. Nothing was gonna stop those dogs. Nothing."

Related ZUPF video

1Cincinnati's pit bull ban was first enacted in 1986. It was later repealed in 1999 then reinstated in 2003.

Pit Bull Continues Attacking After Being "Run Over" by Police Cruiser

2009-12-28T21:21:00.009-07:00

Two Pit Bulls Shot
Glendale, AZ - It was reported Monday that Glendale police shot and killed two pit bulls after the dogs tried to attack a boy and the officers. In addition to pit bulls being able to withstand multiple shots from a police handgun or shotgun; heavily beaten by baseball bats; repeatedly stabbed with a two-prong barbecue fork or thrown off a six-story roof; pit bulls are so pain intolerant1 that even being run over by a 4,020 pound police vehicle will not stop a pit bull in "attack" mode.

So how does the average citizen stop a pit bull if it chooses to attack?

Glendale police shot and killed two pit bulls Monday after the dogs tried to attack a boy and the officers.
Police responded to a dog attack call in the neighborhood near 71st and Orangewood avenues at about 4 p.m. Residents said that the dogs had been chasing a juvenile on a bicycle.
Once on the scene, officers found the dogs to be similarly aggressive and shot them out of self defense, said Detective Mark Lankford, a spokesman for Glendale police.
One of the dogs was run over.
"The dog survived (being run down) and was still aggressive, so he (the officer) got out and shot it," Lankford said.
Lankford said the owner of the dogs has previously been cited for letting the animals loose.

1Or rather, a pit bull will "not retreat, even when considerable pain is inflicted upon it." (See: One City's Experience, by Kory A. Nelson, Senior City Attorney for the City of Denver, Municipal Lawyer, July/August 2005)

Putnam County Pit Bull Ordinance Passes; Standing Ovation from Citizens

2009-12-24T11:35:00.010-07:00

Community "Win"
Bancroft, WV - Earnest D. Hunter, who carries an old fishing rod to defend himself against dogs in the Putnam County community, was among about 20 Bancroft residents at a County Commission meeting Tuesday to support an ordinance that prohibits pit bulls, mixed-breed pit bulls and any other dogs deemed vicious from running loose. County Commissioners passed the ordinance 2-1 and received a standing ovation from the Bancroft residents.

Congratulations Bancroft residents for taking back your community!

The ordinance requires owners of pit bulls and other dogs deemed vicious to keep the dogs on their property with a six-foot enclosed fence or keep them on a four-foot leash. A vicious dog, as defined in the ordinance, is a pit bull or mixed-breed pit bull or a dog that chases, bites, or attempts to chase or bite, without provocation, a person or another domesticated animal, or exhibits unprovoked aggression. Violators face up to a $1,000 fine for the first offense.

"The owners won't listen," Phillips said. "They don't care."1

"We all like dogs. The problem is we have people not taking care of them," said Bancroft resident Jay Phillips. Residents have tried to talk to the dog owners, he said, but the animals are still let loose. He said the community is terrified of the dogs, and it's only a matter of time before someone is seriously injured or killed. On December 4, Lowell Bowden of Lindside, West Virginia (about 135 miles away) died after suffering a violent attack by loose pit bulls.

1Phillips' comment, "They don't care," nails the issue. Owners of these types of dogs do not care about your safety, your child's safety or that you may be forced to walk with mace and a golf club. They simply do not care.

2009 Fatality: 2-Year Old Killed by Family Dog in Cape Coral

2009-12-23T09:38:00.013-07:00

Victim: Liam Peck
Cape Coral, FL - A toddler died Tuesday morning after being bitten by one of the family's dogs. According to officials, the family's 8-year old male Weimaraner fatally bit Liam Peck, 2-years old, in the neck. Connie Barron, spokeswoman for the Cape Coral Police Department, said EMS transported the boy to Cape Coral Hospital, where he was pronounced dead less than an hour later. Lee County Animal Services seized the dog from the home, along with a female Weimaraner.

Incredibly, yet commonly, this article spends more time talking about what might happen to the seized dogs, one of which killed Liam Peck, rather than focusing on the innocent dead victim. The article also inappropriately includes a quote by Dr. Robert South, an epidemiologist with the Lee County Department of Health. "It really comes down to the ability of the owner to have a well-trained dog and to teach children to be appropriately cautious around animals," he said.

How many 2-year old children understand "appropriately cautious?"1

Weimaraner Safety Record
According to the Merritt Clifton report, "Dog Attack Deaths and Maimings, U.S. & Canada, September 1982 to December 22, 2009," and including this most recent fatality, Weimaraners have been involved in one fatal dog attack in the last 27 years. Of the two attacks involving Weimaraners in this period -- attacks serious enough to make the Clifton report -- both involved children. During this same period, pit bulls (excluding pit bull-mixes) accounted for 153 deaths and 777 maimings.

Related ZUPF video

Liam Joseph Peck Fund
To help the family pay for Liam's funeral costs, please visit any Fifth Third bank and make a donation to the "Liam Joseph Peck Fund."

1Directing the "weight" of understanding dog bite safety onto toddlers is wholly absurd.

Son of Rosie Humphreys Starts Campaign to Ban Pit Bulls in Flora

2009-12-20T22:15:00.004-07:00

From left: Bob Koehler's sign and his mother Rosie Humphreys.

Anti-BSL State
Flora, IL - Two weeks after 85-year old Rosie Humphreys was mauled to death by a pit bull, her son Bob Koehler erected a sign in his yard reading: "Ban Pit Bulls." Rosie was killed by a loose pit bull while walking her two poodles. The pit bull owned by Brian Pennington, 31, violently struck down Rosie and one of her dogs. Police Chief John Nicholson blamed the attack on the failure of the "D" ring attached to the dog's collar and dismissed Pennington of criminal liability.1

Koehler told reporters, "I'm going to be very vocal about it, I don't care who likes it or who don't." (High-five to Koehler from DogsBite.org!) Koehler's goal is to ban pit bulls in the City of Flora. "I'm going to keep kicking and pushing and digging until we can get something done," he said. Koehler added, "It's not a matter of if they will turn on you, it's a matter of when they will turn on you." Koehler has started a petition to try to lift the current Illinois state anti-BSL law.

Ledy VanKavage drafted the 2005 Illinois state anti-BSL law.

VanKavage's Dangerous Dog law did nothing to protect Rosie and allowed the owner of the loose pit bull to escape criminal charges!

In 2003, after loose pit bulls killed Anna Cieslewicz and severely injured Mary Murphy-Smith in a park near Chicago, "Anna's Law" was enacted by the State of Illinois. The law was intended to prevent future victims of loose dog attacks, but it turned into a "pet population" control law, which likely impacted the feral cat problem more than dangerous dogs. VanKavage, who was then working for the ASPCA, drafted the law and built the prohibition of BSL into it.

VanKavage, now a lobbyist for Best Friends, is also quoted in the Koehler article. The strategy of Best Friends is to hoodwink city officials and the public into believing that BSL "doesn't work and it is expensive," despite the fact that ample evidence exists to the contrary (See: Cities with Successful Pit Bull Laws). VanKavage also makes the following untruthful statement: "If a dog owner argues that the dog is not a pit bull, the municipality has to pay for DNA Testing."

To gain more information about VanKavage's statement, we reached out to Assistant City Attorney Don Bauermeister of Council Bluffs, Iowa. He said that since the enactment of the Council Bluffs pit bull ban (January 2005), only one instance resulted in a DNA test. "The DNA test was requested and paid for by the Defendant," he said. "The City incurred no costs on the DNA examination. The owners paid for blood draw, mailed it in and awaited the analysis," he said.

How Trustworthy Are DNA Tests?

Our understanding is that the Wisdom Panel™ DNA test created by Mars Veterinary is the most accurate test available. Yet the corporation's FAQ states the following about pit bulls: "Due to the genetic diversity of this group, we cannot build a DNA profile for the Pit-bull2." (See question: Does Wisdom Panel™ Insights test for "Pit-bull?"). So while VanKavage says, "with DNA, it is a whole new ball game," it seems that accurate pit bull DNA still has a long way to go.3

The Best Friends Baloney Calculator

VanKavage also makes the questionable statement that if Illinois were to ban pit bulls it would cost the state $18 million. How does VanKavage come up with such a number? Once again, to mislead and "scare" U.S. municipalities who may be considering a breed-specific law, Best Friends created an online impact calculator4 that "supposedly" measures the cost of a pit bull ban.5 This is equivalent to a smoker trusting an online "How Long Will You Live?" calculator devised by the tobacco industry.

What's notably left out of the "research" is the cost of not regulating pit bulls. For instance, of the thousands of persons, pets and livestock injured by pit bulls in the State of Illinois in a given year, what is the cost of their substantial medical bills -- pit bull victims often require $100,000 and beyond in medical care. Also, what is the state's annual cost of first responders including: police officers, paramedics, firefighters and animal control responding to a pit bull incident?

As pit bulls frequently inflict injuries requiring immediate emergency care, air flight responders such as helicopters are often called upon too. We have recorded these costs at $10,000-18,000 per flight from various victim stories. Finally, pit bulls account for approximately one-third of shelter occupancy across the U.S. If Illinois were to ban pit bulls (under the assumption that zero pit bulls existed in Illinois), this heavy burden on shelters would finally be lifted.

Failure to Acknowledge Victims

DogsBite.org must also point out what is always true when VanKavage and other pit bull advocates appear in the media. There is never an acknowledgment to the number of human and animal victims pit bulls leave disfigured and dead. To do so would imply recognition of the breed's inherent danger. Bob Koehler's dear mother and her poodle were savagely mauled to death by a loose pit bull that had never shown violence in the past and was not neglected in anyway.

DogsBite.org grieves for Rosie's family, and we encourage Koehler to Go Get'em!

Related ZUPF video

1Dog owners should bare the full responsibility of ensuring that their equipment is properly functioning -- aka "strict liability."
2Apparently, a test bank for the American Pit Bull Terrier has not been developed in the U.S. Therefore there is no "control sample" by which to test. DNA can only be used to determine if one sample matches a known control sample.
3Chako.org, a pit bull advocacy group, demonstrates in a YouTube video the unreliability of the BioPet DNA test. Experienced pit bull owner (user ColbyDogs) warns, "Don't buy into the whole DNA thing."
4The calculator falsely assumes that enforcement agencies are responsible for the cost of the DNA tests. As put to us recently in an email, "There is absolutely no way in hell that any government agency has to do anything to "create" evidence for the defendant."
5The calculator only represents a pit bull ban. Another strategy of pro-pit bull groups is to turn all pit bull regulation conversation into a "pit bull ban." The ban conversation is the most polarizing and often halts future meaningful dialog about the different breed-specific options available to a city.

Pit Bull Dog-Aggression: Pit Bull Charges Through Screen Door to Attack

2009-12-18T14:39:00.005-07:00

Home Invasion Attack
Lehigh Acres, Fl - In another example of deadly pit bull dog-aggression, a neighbor's pit bull charged through a family's front screen door and mauled their small dog to death. At the time of the incident Patricia Denis was decorating her home for the holidays. Her son David intervened to stop the attack and the pit bull "bit through his finger." As demonstrated by this pit bull, the breed was genetically engineered to attack and kill dogs for the purposes of dogfighting.

"Patricia Denis was decorating her home for the holidays when all of a sudden a pitbull charged through their front screen door.
"My dog was screaming horribly," she said.
Her three year-old Shih Tzu named Buster was in a fight for its life.
A neighbor's pitbull literally broke through the screen door, attacking Buster.
David, Patricia's son says it happened on the living room floor.
"Buster is only this big. The pitbull's head is this big. Buster was making a horrible noise," he said.
David tried pulling the dogs apart, but the pitbull bit through his finger.
A few seconds later, Buster was nearly dead."

Historic Recall: 50 Million Blinds Recalled Following Child Deaths

2009-12-16T15:12:00.012-07:00

Product Liability
Bethesda, MD - Last November, 1.6 million baby cribs were recalled following the death of two children. It was announced Wednesday that the Consumer Product Safety Commission and the window blind industry are recalling 50 million Roman blind and roller shades after the deaths of five children and the near strangulation of 16. The volume of fatal and horrific pit bull maulings upon children far outweigh these numbers, yet there is no publicly funded agency to protect these children.

Breeders of dangerous dogs have no liability or oversight.

"This morning we have a recall of historic proportions. The Consumer Product Safety Commission and the window blind industry are recalling virtually every Roman blind and roller shade on the market -- around 50 million sets -- because the cords pose a strangulation hazard to children.
Five children have died and another 16 have nearly strangled in the cords of the Roman shades and three children's deaths have been linked to roll-up blinds, which is why the CSPC negotiated the massive recall. But the agency said it's frustrated that it was necessary since the products should have been safer in the first place."

Historic Recall: 3.5 Million Pit Bulls Recalled Following Child Deaths

"This morning we have a recall of historic proportions. The Consumer Product Safety Commission and the pit bull breeding industry1 are recalling virtually every pit bull on the market -- around 3.5 million dogs2 -- because pit bulls pose a horrific hazard to children.
In 2009 alone, 11 children have suffered a violent death at the jaws of a powerful pit bull. Countless other children have suffered permanent disfiguring injury including having their full scalp ripped off, which is why the CSPC negotiated the massive recall. But the agency said it's frustrated that it was necessary since pit bull breeders should have been breeding safer dogs in the first place."

As demonstrated in the 1987 Sports Illustrated article, "The pit bull, friend or killer?" Pit bulls have been maiming and killing individuals since the early 1980's (known as the "pit bull leakage period"). Since this time, pit bulls have an unmatched and unbroken 30-year track record of inflicting serious injury and death upon people. A wise and dear friend of DogsBite.org recently said: "People and policymakers do not want to know the truth about pit bulls, as this implies responsibility."

1Breeders of fighting dogs, drug dealers, ex-convicts and the token household on your block running a backyard pit bull breeding operation.
2Based on pit bulls accounting for 5% of the total U.S. dog population. To see the horrific injustice pit bull breeders inflict upon their dogs, please see: 2009 U.S. Shelter Data Shows that Pit Bulls Account for 58% of Dogs Euthanized.

2009 Fatality: Great-Aunt's Rottweiler-Mix Kills 20-Month Old Boy

2009-12-15T21:00:00.004-07:00

"Dog Just Attacked"
UPDATE 12/15/09: Just before the burial service of Dallas Walters, the boy's father clarified a few issues: "There was no cookie. My son was eating potato salad and the dog just attacked him." Essentially, the rumored "cookie" story was just that -- rumored. According to the Pasco County Sheriff's Department, the investigation into what happened is still ongoing. They say it doesn't appear anyone, including the dog's owners, will face any charges.

12/15/09: Dog Purchased Two Months Ago
New information has been released in the death of Dallas Walters. The year old rottweiler-lab mix that killed the boy was euthanized just hours later. The dog belonged to Lisa and Preston Evans -- Lisa is Dallas' mother's great-aunt. The male dog was unregistered and unaltered. The couple said they got the dog about two months ago from someone in Tampa who had placed a newspaper ad. Authorities are trying to contact the sellers of the dog.

The owners surrendered the dog, named Willie, along with a 3-month old rottweiler puppy; it is unclear from the article if the puppy came from the same seller. According to Pasco Animal Services director Denise Hilton, "[The dog's owners] said the dog had been playing all day with the kids at the party with no problems at all." Yet Andrew Walters, the father of Dallas, said that Willie was a dog he had not seen before that day and was supposed to be chained in the backyard.

Walters said his family is taking the loss "second by second." He added that he had yet to talk to the Evanses. "I can't,'' he said. "I don't trust my actions.'' Walters wants criminal charges filed. Kevin Doll, the spokesman for the Pasco County Sheriff's Office, said the death is under investigation. Yet the incident looks to be another "tragic accident," despite the fact that rottweilers have the second worst safety record regarding fatal attacks, dwarfed only by pit bulls.

12/13/09: Boy Killed by Dog at Birthday Party
New Port Richey, FL - In a chilling story, Dallas Walters, 20-months old, was killed after being mauled by a pet rottweiler inside his aunt's New Port Richey home Saturday night. According to the Pasco County Sheriff's Office, a birthday party was going on at Dallas Walters' aunt's house in Moon Lake when the incident occured. Deputies say the boy was eating a cookie then dropped it on the floor. When he went to reach for the cookie the aunt's pet rottweiler attacked.

"I ran over there, pulled the dog off him," said the boy's father Andrew Walters, "I tried to beat the hell out of him."

This horrific scenario is very familiar readers: 1.) An aunt, uncle or grandparent's dangerous dog, often a pit bull or a rottweiler, with likely little to no experience with children. 2.) A young child visiting the dog owner's home, possibly for the first time. 3.) It's either the "cookie" (or food related) story, which blames the child for the life-altering or deadly attack or it's the "warming a bottle" story, where the adult steps away briefly and the pit bull or rottweiler kills the child.

Related articles:
12/03/09: 4-Year Old Boy Killed by "Pit Bull Terrier Type" Dog in United Kingdom
04/22/09: Wappingers Boy Suffers Life Altering Injures in Pit Bull Attack
04/01/09: 2009 Fatality: 7-Month Old Boy Killed by Grandmother's Pit Bulls
12/03/08: 2008 Fatality: 2-Year Old Boy Killed in Clark County, Nevada

1996 Fatality: 4-Year Old Wheeler Boy Killed by Loose Chow-Mix Dogs

2009-12-14T09:00:00.002-07:00

File photos of individuals killed by loose dogs.

Damon Tyler Austin Koehn
Wheeler, AR - On May 13, 1996, 4-year old Damon Tyler Austin Koehn was violently killed by a pack of loose chow-mix dogs. The boy's father, James Koehn, discovered his son badly mauled in a ravine near the family's home. Prior to the attack, James and his son had laid down for a nap, but Damon had awoken first and wandered outside. Authorities seized a total of 15 dogs from Dan Doiel, who lived in a mobile home 200 yards from the Koehn residence.

In early November, just after 2-year old Matthew Hurt was killed by a pit bull in Prescott, the older half-brother of Damon, Ricky Austin, contacted DogsBite.org. He said that he felt his brother's death had been in vain and worse, had been forgotten. Prior to reaching out to others and us at this time, Ricky had not spoken of the tragedy in many years. The death of Hurt prompted him to search for information about his brother's attack online, but he came up empty handed.1

"To be recognized then fall off the end of the world? For there to be nothing?" Ricky said in a phone call to DogsBite.org.

"You can find aggravated assault charges from 1996 online, or a drunk driver," he said, "but I could find nothing about the event that destroyed my family's life and left my family with massive obstacles." The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette fortunately does have online archives that date back to 1996 and Ricky was able to purchase some of these articles and forward them to us to help in the documentation of Damon's story and the unraveling of his family that followed.

The Day of the Attack

"The death of my brother is one of the most vicious cases I've ever scene," Ricky said. "Of what the animals did, they basically ate the boy."

On the morning of May 13, Ricky's mother, Mary Koehn, took 12-year old Ricky and his 8-year old sister to school then drove to work. Damon's father was an ironworker and had recently fallen off a 2-story building. He was homebound and on pain medication. Damon had stayed the day with him. After lunch, the two laid down for an hour nap. When the alarm clock rang at 2 pm, Damon was gone. James discovered his son's body at 2:20 pm. At that time, Ricky and his sister were still at school.

The incident quickly gained national coverage. According to Ricky, the media "swarmed" his small Wheeler community. About 300 to 400 cars a day came out to see where the tragedy unfolded, he said. The media then attacked James for "being asleep" and omitted the fact that the father had been on legal pain medication at the time. The problem grew so great that the family had to leave town. The media attacks2 compounded by the horrific death of Damon, proved ruinous for both parents.

After the funeral, James began questioning whether the incident was his fault and subsequently tried to commit suicide. Ricky's mother, who had recently gotten back on track after past drug abuse issues, began to abuse drugs again. Meanwhile, both families blamed the attack on Ricky and Shannon, the dog owner's daughter and girlfriend of Ricky, for walking across the ravine that connected the two homes, whereby making the path "safe" for Damon to walk.

By allowing his 15 dogs to run loose, Doiel was wholly negligent in Damon's death. Yet the media blamed Damon's parents and the traumatized parents then blamed their children.

Shortly after the attack, school let out. Ricky left to visit his father in Texas and his sister went to live with his grandparents in Oklahoma. Ricky said that he does not know how long his mother and James lived in the home after the attack -- the grandparents "shielded the children" from information after the attack. But upon receiving the life insurance policy funds after Damon's death, the two had spent it all within two months. Several years later, that house "mysteriously" burns down.

The Trial and the Penalty

"What in the world possessed prosecutors that they did not have enough evidence for the misdemeanor charges?" Ricky asked. "I'd like to know what happened in that little room."

On December 10, 1996 -- moments before Doeil's trial -- Doeil switched his innocent plea to 11 misdemeanor counts of violating the county's vicious animal ordinance to guilty after striking a plea agreement with prosecutors. Dan Doiel, 41, was sentenced to one year in jail and fined $1,000 -- both to be suspended if he performed weekly community service for six months, did not keep dogs on his property for one year and wrote a letter of apology to Damon's family.

"The sentence reflected recommendations by Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Kim Weber-Wall.3
Doiel had pleaded innocent in October to 11 counts of violating the county's vicious-animal ordinance. He entered the new plea after meeting with prosecutors moments before his trial was to begin Tuesday.
Doiel was charged after Damon's father found the boy's mutilated body in a ravine separating the Koehn and Doiel residences near the Wheeler community." -Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, 12/13/1996

We asked Ricky if the letter of apology had ever been written. He said that he did not think so. He added that by December, the family had totally deteriorated. He said, "The letter would not have mattered and possibly would have made matters worse." DogsBite.org contacted the West Fork Municipal Court to follow up on several issues: 1.) Why was there a last minute plea bargain? 2.) What happened regarding the civil case Washington County brought against Doiel?

To clear up a related matter first, according to the West Forks Municipal Court clerk, the reason why there are no Internet records regarding the guilty plea of Doiel is due to lack of technology capabilities. In 1996, Washington County did not have the capability to place such records online nor did any other Arkansas county. Such information today, 1996 records, is found only "in brief" electronically. Accessing the full case requires pulling archived paper documents.

In the criminal case against Doiel, DogsBite.org could not learn why prosecutors agreed to a plea bargain4 regarding the 11 misdemeanor counts of violating the county's vicious animal ordinance. It is understandable why prosecutors could not bring "enhanced criminal liability" charges. As in many states, Arkansas law required proof that at least one of Doiel's dogs had been reported to officials as vicious prior to the attack that killed Damon. Prosecutors could find no such proof.5

"The plea deal made my little brother die in vain," Ricky said. "It also set up another attack to happen. No repercussions!"

Doiel was not ordered by the West Forks Municipal Court to pay restitution to the Koehn family because restitution is only ordered for living victims. Damon's family could have brought a wrongful death suit against Doiel, but the idea was likely dropped at the time due to Doiel's limited assets. The Washington County Attorney's Office told us that wrongful death suits have a statue of limitations of 3 to 5 years, so the Koehn family no longer has the opportunity to file one.

The county did file a civil judgment against Doiel for nearly $16,000 due to the extensive costs of the criminal investigation, including DNA and forensic testing of the dogs. The West Forks Municipal Court clerk said that Doiel makes a monthly, in-person cash payment of $40 to the court and has been since 1997. "He's out here every month religiously," she said. While this amount may seem small, the court deemed this was all that Doiel could afford to pay each month.

Years of Therapy

"Damon's attack should have enacted a new state law," Ricky said. "When do enough children have to die?"

After spending time with his father following the attack, Ricky joined his sister in living with his grandparents. Both grandparents are doctors and had the means and understanding to enroll the children into therapy. Ricky said that he underwent two years of therapy and his sister had even more. He told DogsBite.org that both he and his sister were able to "rise above" the event with the help of his grandparents. He said that his sister has a child now and a happy marriage.

His mother, Mary, is currently living in Oklahoma and is no longer married to James.6. Still struggling with drug additions, she is unwell. Ricky said that she was very happy about our phone call. "This was a big event for me and my family -- this phone call," he said. According to Mary, whose words may or may not be accurate, the Doiels are still living in the same trailer home and have more dogs now. Information about Ricky's former girlfriend, Doiel's daughter7, could not be found.

About Ricky Austin

Currently, Ricky Austin is 25-years old and resides in Tyler, Texas near his father. He is a single father of a 5-year old boy. At one point, Ricky did own a Lab, but it brought back too many memories and he feared for his son. He gave the dog away. Ricky works in database and Internet development for the East Texas Lighthouse for the Blind (etlb.org), whose mission is to provide employment to people who are blind or visually impaired. His father, Ricky Austin Senior, is blind.

DogsBite.org greatly thanks Ricky for sharing his painful story that dates back thirteen years and continues to cause pain. As demonstrated by the story of Damon Tyler Austin Koehn, fatal dog attacks are multi-generational and not only devastate multiple families, but entire communities for many years. As the U.S. media typically abandons such stories after the initial "gory details" have been shared, the American public is unaware of the lasting effects of these tragedies.

A PDF file combining the archived news stories of Damon can be found at the DogsBite.org Scribd page, "1996 Fatal Dog Attack: Damon Tyler Austin Koehn."

1Karen Delise of the National Canine Research Council was informed by Ricky that her web site was in error regarding the number of persons convicted after a fatal dog attack in the State of Arkansas. Delise corrected the error with another error. Doiel did not plead guilty to "negligent homicide," he pleaded guilty to 11 misdemeanor counts of violating the county's vicious animal ordinance.
2 Several media accounts also tried to blame the attack on a Doritos bag that was found near Damon's body -- placing the blame back onto the victim. Sadly, such ridiculous "blame tactics" after an unprovoked serious or fatal dog attack by a vicious dog(s) are common. Ricky said that Damon and his sister had eaten the chips the weekend before and had left the empty bag in the yard.
3,4Eight days prior to publishing this post, DogsBite.org sent an email to Arkansas attorney Kimberly Weber; online references show that she is the same Kim Weber-Wall referred to in the Democrat-Gazette article. Weber did not respond to our email. On December 11, we spoke to Weber on the phone and she confirmed that she is the same person. When asked why Doiel was given the plea bargain, the phone call that had started off "tense" turned hostile. After reminding her that the case regarded the fatal dog attack of 4-year old Damon Tyler Austin Koehn, Weber said, "I'm not recalling it; I don't recall the case." It is important to point out that fatal dog attacks are rare and the incident involving Damon dominated local news and made national headlines. Kimberly Weber's current area of law practice is criminal defense.
5Most state laws allow for "one free mauling" prior to serious charges. Some states allow up to three maulings, each resulting in "serious bodily injury," prior to felony charges.
6Little additional information was provided about James. Ricky said that after he tried to commit suicide, he was later arrested. "He became a different person," Ricky said.
7Shortly after the attack, the two parted ways. The families "were at war," Ricky said. In our phone call, Ricky expressed great concern for Jennifer Shannon Doiel and what happened to her after the attack. The Doiel family did not have resources like his grandparents did.

2009 Fatality: Woman, 49, Bitten by Dog Dies Shortly Thereafter

2009-12-14T08:00:00.003-07:00

Theresa Ann Ellerman
Norfolk, VA - It was reported on Saturday that a woman died after being bitten by a dog. Norfolk Police and Norfolk Fire responded to an address at Tabor Court at about 2:30 am in response to a reported dog bite victim. Officers found 49-year-old Theresa Ellerman experiencing difficulty breathing. She was transported to DePaul hospital where she was pronounced dead at about 3:45 am. The dog, reportedly an Alaskan malamute1, was placed into quarantine.

Several days later, preliminary autopsy results showed that Ellerman died due to a dog bite to her neck. Chris Amos, a spokesman with the Norfolk Police Department, said that Theresa Ellerman of Jacksonville was visiting friends when she was bitten by an Alaskan malamute in their home. Amos would not discuss the extent of Ellerman’s injuries, but did say, "she was not mauled." Authorities continue to investigate the incident and would not identify the dog's owner.

In a tragic online post titled, "My Fiance Died," the author states: "...his Malamut bit her in the neck and throat. The swelling shut her airway and she died on the way to the hospital." The person added, "She was 5'2" tall and had more energy than anyone I have ever known. She was a retired USMC Gunny. She was my best friend and my lover. The last words we ever spoke to each other were, "I love you". She left three children, her family back in Prescott Arizona, and me."

Related video

1According to Merritt Clifton of Animal People, eight wolf hybrid attacks in the past five years, severe enough to qualify for the Dog Attack Deaths and Maiming report, have initially been reported as "malamute" attacks by dog owners who were hoping to escape prosecution for the illegal possession of wolf hybrids.