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noreply@blogger.com (bitbypit) — Sat, 27 Mar 2010 03:26:00 +0000

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U.S. Dog Bite Fatalities: January 1, 2005 to March 8, 2010 - DogsBite.org

noreply@blogger.com (bitbypit) — Thu, 25 Mar 2010 19:30:00 +0000

DogsBite.org - From time-to-time, advocates and elected officials ask us for up to the minute statistical data regarding U.S. fatal dog attacks. Our combined results of just over five years show that pit bulls and rottweilers continue to be the top killers, just as they were in the 1979 to 1998 CDC report.1 During the 1980s and 1990s, fatal dog attacks averaged 17 per year.2 The death-by-dog-bite rate now is nearly double this amount at over 30 per year and largely due to pit bulls.3

Five Years and 67 Day Period

From January 1, 2005 to March 8, 2010, DogsBite.org recorded 158 U.S. fatal dog attacks.4 Pit bulls were responsible for 56% (88) of these deaths. This is equivalent to a pit bull killing an American citizen every 21.5 days during this time period.5 Rottweilers, the second leading killer and positioned far behind pit bulls, accounted for 15% (23) of these deaths. Combined, pit bulls and rottweilers accounted for 70% (111) of attacks that resulted in the death of a U.S. citizen.

Year	Total Deaths	Pit Bulls	Rottweilers
2005	28	16	5
2006	30	16	8
2007	35	21	4
2008	23	15	0
2009	32	14	4
2010 (67 days)	10	6	2
Total	158	88	23

1Breeds of Dogs Involved in Fatal Human Attacks in the United States Between 1979 and 1998, by Sacks, Sinclair, Gilchrist, Golab and Lockwood, Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, 2000
2This number is often misquoted as 12 by researchers, reporters and the CDC itself. Attorney Kenneth Phillips lays out an excellent argument as to why this number is actually 17. To summarize, it is more accurate to combine the multiple fatal dog attack reports during the 18-year period from 1979 to 1996, which shows that 304 U.S. citizens died from these attacks. This is an average of 17 deaths per year. It must also be noted that the 20-year CDC report (1979 to 1998) only focuses on deaths where breed identification is known (238), not the total number of persons killed by dogs during this time, and if one divides 238 by 20, the number 12 appears again.
3The 20-year CDC report (1979 to 1998) shows that pit bulls and their mixes killed 76 U.S. citizens, an average of 4 per year. In the last five years alone, pit bulls and their mixes killed 82 individuals, an average of 16 per year.
4Data was gathered through media accounts that were available at the time of the attack or found through Internet archives. A copy of each news article pertaining to each death is available at the "Bite Statistics > Fatality Citations" section of DogsBite.org.
55 years (1,825 days) plus 67 days in the year 2010.

Editorial: Lynn Journal Writes, Pit Bulls "Love Violence and Mayhem"

noreply@blogger.com (bitbypit) — Wed, 24 Mar 2010 17:29:00 +0000

Ban Pit Bulls
Lynn, MA - After 76-year old Margaret Murphy was terribly mauled by her grandson's pit bull last week, the Lynn Journal published a vividly clear and honest opinion article about pit bulls including: "Pit bulls by their nature are ferocious animals. They are attack dogs -- and they often attack. They love violence and mayhem. They enjoy mauling people they do not know." Kudos to the Journal Staff for having the courage to print the truth to the American public!

Ban pit bulls
"Now that yet another resident of the this city has been mauled by a pit bull, I wonder, what purpose exactly do pit bull terriers serve for the owners?
More importantly, what service do they serve for us, the residents of his city?
The answer in both cases is nothing.
Pit bulls by their nature are ferocious animals.
They are attack dogs – and they often attack.
They love violence and mayhem.
They enjoy mauling people they do not know.
They are strong, so strong, that when attacking police, the police tend to shoot first and ask questions later.
They do no-one any good and wherever they live, there is the potential for disaster.
Such was the case last week when a pit bull tried to maul a 76 year old Eastern Avenue resident.
In fact, the pit bull did maul her, and in such a way, that she was taken to the hospital bleeding profusely and was stitched up by doctors.
The pit-bull was put down, as it should have been.
In fact, it should have been put down before it had the chance to maul the 76 year old Eastern Avenue woman.
By our count, this is the 12th incidence of pit bull mauling of a local person in the past three years. This is just a guess approximation.
Pit bulls living in this city have mauled grandmothers, children, infants, men and women, just about anyone they feel like mauling.
How many innocent residents must be mauled by pit bulls in this city before they are outlawed?
Of course, I’ve been told by pet lovers and those who claim to know that pit-bulls are loving animals, that most pit bulls are gentle by nature and that they would never hurt a soul.
Sorry.
I don’t buy into that, and those mauled by pit bulls in this city certainly won’t buy into it, either.
In this city where so much of what we do is regulated by rules and regulations, perhaps it would be a good idea to out-law pit bulls for the public good.
How many more maulings of innocents by pit bulls are necessary before the city does the right thing to protect its residents?"

1Where is the AARP regarding the protection of senior citizens from dangerous dogs? The AARP is AWOL and sold out to the "pet industry lobby" years ago.

Villa Teresa School Run by Carmelite Sisters Suffers Series of Vandalism

noreply@blogger.com (bitbypit) — Tue, 23 Mar 2010 17:00:00 +0000

From left: Sister Veronica Higgins of Villa Teresa School and images of vandalism.

Classrooms "Demolished"
Oklahoma City, OK - One week after the Oklahoma Court of Civil Appeals ruled in favor of Villa Teresa School, challenging validity of a kennel license held by Kenneth Gonzales, owner of a neighboring pit bull terrier kennel (See: Coverage of Catholic Sisters Seeking to Remove Pit Bull Kennel), Villa Teresa School was ransacked. Parts of the school are described as "demolished" with broken religious statues and racial slurs written on classroom white boards.

"The school, which offers preschool education and child care, has been troubled with vandalism since November, Higgins said.
In the most recent incident, two classrooms were "demolished,” windows and religious statues were broken and someone defecated on the floor, Higgins said. Racial slurs were written on classroom white boards, and acid was splashed on doors, she said. A tricycle was thrown on the roof and toys in the room for 3-year-olds were broken."

An earlier article about the incident (March 15) shows the destruction on video. National media, CNN, even picked up the story. As voiced by Sister Veronica Higgins, "I want to catch the person because it's just so unreal that people could do such harm to people that have not done harm to them." DogsBite.org feels the same way. Officials at Villa Teresa School hope the release of surveillance photos will help. We urge anyone with information to please contact the Oklahoma City Police Department.

How You Can Help

Please mail donation checks to: "Villa Teresa Schools" with the designation line at the bottom to: "Villa Teresa Moore."
Mail to: Villa Teresa Moore / 1216 Classen Drive / Oklahoma City, OK 73103

Related articles:
06/25/08: Coverage of Catholic Sisters Seeking to Remove Pit Bull Kennel

Pit Bull in Recent Mauling Adopted from Humane Society of Indianapolis

noreply@blogger.com (bitbypit) — Tue, 23 Mar 2010 16:00:00 +0000

From left: James Bates and HSI Director John Aleshire on the defense.

Dog Has Paper Trial
UPDATE 03/23/10: Shawn Middleton, 25, faces four misdemeanor counts including dog bite resulting in serious bodily injury after his two pit bulls mauled James Bate. One of the pit bulls had been adopted out by the Indianapolis Humane Society less than two months before. Court documents show that the dog, named Yoda, had shown signs of aggressive behavior while in the care of the society, which contradicts Director John Aleshire's earlier claim that the dog had not.

Councilman Mike Speedy believes the dog should have never been adopted out. He said the attack is a wake-up call that Indianapolis needs a pit bull ordinance. Speedy spent much of 2009 trying to pass his At Risk Dog proposal, but through the urging of Aleshire, his fellow councilors tabled the issue. "We're very reactionary," Speedy said. "We don't have a comprehensive, targeted solution and the maulings will continue, and I fear there will be a fatality before it's all over."

03/14/10: Humane Society Director on the Defense
Indianapolis, IN - After two pit bull attacks were reported in the same day, it was discovered that one of the two pit bulls involved in the March 4 attack on James Bates, 23, had been adopted just weeks earlier from the Humane Society of Indianapolis (HSI). The owner of the dogs, Marion County Sheriff's Deputy Shawn Middleton,1 adopted one of the dogs on January 8 from the society. Four days later, Middleton's neighbors called 911 to report the aggressive dogs.

In just four days, the adopted pit bull was reported to the police for its aggression. 6-weeks later, the dog2 attacked a person.

Humane Society of Indianapolis Director John Aleshire3 said the pit bull showed no signs of aggression before it was adopted. "We do not adopt out aggressive dogs, period," he said. "We saw no signs of aggression that would cause us to be concerned here." According to Aleshire, before a dog can be adopted from the society, it must undergo "thorough behavior testing," including putting a hand-shaped instrument near the animal's food bowl to see if it growls or bites.

Exactly how thorough does this sound to you readers? (Please see: Aggressive Behavior in Adopted Dogs that Passed a Temperament Test).

Video Recap
John Aleshire: "We do not adopt out aggressive dogs, period."
Joanna Massee: "Obviously this dog was aggressive."
John Aleshire: "Well, something happened after the dog left, yes, but the dog showed no signs of aggression --"
Joanna Massee: "Four days after it left, because police were called 4 days."
John Aleshire: "Could be, the point is that we saw no signs of aggression that would cause to be concerned here."
Joanna Massee: "Does this cause you to re-evaluate your policies?"
John Aleshire: "Uh, our policies have been thorough and we have, we are very satisfied with the policies that we have."
News Narrator: Humane Society Director Aleshire said some dogs in the shelter require mandatory obedience training, which the owner promises to do after adoption. Such is the case with Middleton's pit bull.
John Aleshire: "Mandatory obedience is not because the dog is aggressive; it's just a handful and an energetic dog"...
Joanna Massee: "Does the humane society take any responsibly about what happened?"
John Aleshire: "The humane society can never guarantee a dog or a cat."
News Narrator: Aleshire said no guarantees and no proof on paper. Aleshire could not provide any paperwork on the dog's testing results, but he assured us the dog passed everything.

Five Dogs Escape Fence and Brutally Attack Three Children in Fontana

noreply@blogger.com (bitbypit) — Tue, 23 Mar 2010 14:00:00 +0000

Mother of three child victims, Josie Arellano.

Felony Charges Filed
UPDATE 03/23/10: Felony charges1 are being filed against a couple from Fontana after their five dogs attacked a whole family, critically injuring a 5-year old girl on February 1. Lopez Gonzalez, 49, was arrested on Monday. He pleaded not guilty to seven felony counts of allowing vicious animals at large. He remains in jail, with bail set at $250,000. His wife Judith Mendez Lopez, 55, is expected to turn herself in soon. She is also expected to be charged with seven felony counts.

If convicted of all charges, the couple could get seven years behind bars.2

02/04/10: Condition of 5-Year Old Girl Upgraded
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 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.3

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

Donation information:
Donations to assist with medical and other expenses are being accepted through the Colon family's church. Please make checks out to the Apostolic Church, 5401 Citrus Ave., Fontana 92336. In the memo section, write "c/o Colon Family." For additional information, please call: 909-822-5450.

1We presume officials are filing felony charges under California Penal Code section 399.
2Under the much misunderstood Texas state law (Lillian's Law), a similar sentence of 7-years -- and the only publicized conviction under Lillian's Law -- was given after the "death" of Tanner Joshua Monk.
3Information regarding the injuries is still unfolding and press reports vary.

Dog Bite Victim Attorney Responds to "Blame the Victim" Comment

noreply@blogger.com (bitbypit) — Sat, 20 Mar 2010 17:00:00 +0000

A candlelight vigil held for Jennifer on her 22nd Birthday.

The Death of Jennifer Lowe
DogsBite.org - From time-to-time we publish a "blame the victim" comment to show our readers how shameful they are. On March 10, 2010, an anonymous commenter left the following message about the fatal pit bull mauling of Jennifer Lowe. During this lengthily and horrific attack, Jennifer fought back both pit bulls as they tore away her face, neck, shoulder and arms. She died shortly after reaching the hospital. She did not lose consciousness until her death.1

"FYI, Jennifer Lowe knew those dogs had been deemed aggressive and CHOSE TO LIVE IN THAT TRAILER WITH THE DOGS. They were breeding them and bragging to customers that the dogs had "attacked a cop car." The dogs had never bitten anyone, they had never attacked or killed anyone's livestock or pets.2 So it's not like they were out biting people and the authorities weren't doing anything about it. They were only deemed aggressive b/c a police car was involved. Jennifer Lowe's death, although tragic, is no one's fault but hers, her boyfriend, her boyfriend's family who also lived there and bred the dogs."

DogsBite.org forwarded this comment to Kenneth Phillips, who represents the Lowe family. Phillips recently said that the family received an undisclosed settlement from Knox County. Phillips successfully obtained this settlement since officials knew the dogs that killed her were dangerous. According to WATE.com, in the year leading up to Jennifer's death, animal control had deemed both pit bulls "dangerous" and had visited the dog owner's home five times.3

Mr. Phillips' Response:

"The police had been charged by the dogs and had shot at them one year prior to Jennifer's death, well prior to her being at the mobile home where they eventually killed her. I have that police report. Additionally, the police had regarded the dogs as being vicious because the dogs were doing things like attacking a police car, near a school bus stop and a church, making the presence of the dogs a serious threat. I have the incident on video, I have the police on video advising the animal control officer that the dogs were vicious, and I have on video the reaction of the animal control officer, which was less than satisfactory, to put it mildly. More to the point, Jennifer was not present at any of those times (or she would have been on the videos), so one cannot say that she knew anything about what had happened. Additionally, the County of Knox would have produced such evidence if any existed, but none was produced in the litigation. Whoever wrote this post is relying upon hearsay, not facts. Based on what we know, Jennifer was not responsible in any way for what happened to her. Additionally, her death was so horrifyingly violent and inflicted over such a long period of time, that nobody could ever say that it was her "fault" to have died in that way."

DogsBite.org no longer accepts anonymous comments. Readers must now have a Google, Blogger, WordPress, TypePad, LiveJournal or AIM account.

1This same horrible truth, of the victim being "conscious" during every bite, the ripping and tearing of skin, ligaments and muscles and the crunching of bones, was also spoken by the families of Cheryl Harper and Lowell Edison. Victims of violent dog attacks do not "pass out" readers, they vividly experience each moment of the attack.
2Media reports show that the pit bulls owned by Charles Smallwood had indeed attacked a neighborhood dog prior to the attack on Jennifer.
3Pit bulls in fatal mauling considered 'dangerous,' animal control says, WATE.com, November 13, 2007 (www.wate.com)

Radio Show Interviews Assistant City Attorney Don Bauermeister About Pit Bull Bans

noreply@blogger.com (bitbypit) — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 18:45:00 +0000

Listen to Interview
Indianapolis, IN - On March 5, radio talk show host Greg Browning interviewed Assistant City Attorney Don Bauermeister about the Council Bluffs, Iowa pit bull ban. The interview followed two pit bull attacks that occurred on March 4 in Indianapolis. One of the incidents involved victim James Bate, who was attacked by a pit bull that had been recently adopted from the Human Society of Indianapolis. The other incident involved police officer Jeffrey Viewegh.

Browning: "Joining me now, my guest, Assistant City Attorney Don Bauermeister, tell me the dateline on how you finally end up banning these dogs?"
Bauermeister: "In January of 2005 the city council had passed -- in the fall of 2004 -- had passed a pit bull ban, which allowed for existing pit bulls to remain with lots of strings attached. They could stay in, so basically we grandfathered in the existing pit bulls, but the ban took place. We started enforcement in January of 2005.
Now in 2004, we had a terrible year.
We are a small city of about 60 to 70 thousand people, and in 2004, before our ban took place, we had 29 people rushed to the emergency room with various injuries and pit bulls were our number one attacker, number one dog biter.
We passed a ban and started enforcing it in January of 05, at the end of 05 our numbers had dropped down to 19 people injured by pit bulls. In 06, the numbers dropped to 7 people injured by pit bulls. In 07, 2007 we only had two people injured by pit bulls and we haven't had a person injured by pit bulls since. So in 2008 and 2009 we had zero attacks. As of March 5th, 2010 we have yet to have a pit bull injury here in Council Bluffs."
[Break]
Browning: "With this kind of a decision Don, what has been the backlash, if at all, of those who love their pit bulls?"
Bauermeister: "My boss has been here given close to thirty years and he told me that this was the most controversial thing the city council has ever done. We had, we got bombarded with emails, phone calls, faxes, from all over the country. The group who advocates on behalf of the pit bulls is a very organized group. They belong to Yahoo groups...through social networking they are very well organized. This is a lot of money, and there are a lot of political story lines in the shadows that people don't realize just how organized this group is, that advocate of behalf of pit bulls.
The problem is, you don't have anybody advocating for the victims. Again, like one of our city council member's said during this whole discussion and debate was, he made a comment that a pit bull wasn't much more than a stick of dynamite with a tail on it."
Browning: "And I would say there have been many people in our community that would agree with you. We've had callers that have talked about being bitten multiple times and every time it happens to be the pit bull in their community as opposed to different breeds."
Bauermeister: "Well, you know, it's easy logic: Any dog can bite right? We all agree on that, but that's not the point. The point of it is the damage that they cause. It's not a propensity to attack or a likelihood -- that a pit bull is more likely to bite you than a Chihuahua or a Dachshund -- that's not the point. The point of it is the damage that they do.
To draw some parallel examples, it's okay for us to go buy a little small firecracker, but we can't go out and buy a hand grenade right?"
Browning: "Right."
Bauermeister: "But why is that? They are both explosives; they both can hurt you right? But which one is going to do more damage?"
Browning: "Yeah, a caller had mentioned -- actually gave an example similar to that yesterday -- in terms of if you had your choice between a little foo-foo dog biting you or having to take one on would you choose that or would you choose the pit bull?
So as you say, certainly no one wants the grenade, you'd rather handle the firecracker."
Bauermeister: "Well Greg, why is it that the country of England, where these dogs come from, if you do your research on Staffordshire bull terriers, that's a village that's a town in England. Now why is it that the country of England, our closest ally, in 1991 at a federal level banned pit bulls? And this is where the dogs originally come from."
[Break]
Browning: "Don as far as lawsuits, but because your decision, have you seen any?"
Bauermeister: "No. There were all kinds of threats, and you've got the several organizations out there that I won't name by name to avoid conflicts and people getting upset, but there are several groups you will get phone calls from, from all over the country, and they'll threaten you will all kinds of lawsuits. But here's the thing Greg, I've done the research. I am a lawyer. And court after court after court has upheld -- municipalities enjoy the very clearly an American jurisprudence police powers to regulate this area."
Browning: "Have you had any other nuisances in your community similar to the pit bulls?"
Bauermeister: "There's a lot of rhetoric and argument that these thugs that were responsible for the pit bulls, that they'll just go out and grab another dog and we're going to see a problem with some sort of replacement dog. That has not happened. That's simply false, and it's rhetoric, and it hasn't happened in Denver either.
I think our number two biter may be Labrador retrievers, but that's relatively speaking. We have thousands more Labradors here in the Midwest than we do pit bulls licensed. So, it's a number's game.
You have to understand, pit bulls make up between two to five percent of the total dog population in the United States, yet, they account for -- year end and year out -- 60% [of fatal dog attacks]. So if we look at pie charts, [pit bulls] are sliver of the total dog population. There have been seven people killed this year already and it's what March 5th? That's one [person dead] every nine days.
We hear about a shark attack off the coast of Florida -- there's been one person killed in the United States by a shark [this year] -- it's front and center. All the major [national] news networks cover that, but we don't cover pit bulls killing a 58-year old man in Chicago or a 38-year old woman in Philadelphia or a 3-year old in California. We don't hear about that. Are we supposed to "accept" that, but we don't want to accept a shark out in the ocean?"
Browning: "Don, we've run into the same problem here in the community of Indianapolis. It was a couple years back; I remember the same thing. It was once there was one story of a pit bull attacking somebody -- actually it was a 2-year old and it was just a terrible tragedy. Then it got the media's attention. Then all of a sudden when there was another pit bull attack, it was multiple stories in the media."
Bauermeister: "What I encouraged our local media here in the Omaha metro area to do is to go pull the 911 tapes. Those are public record. Now as a prosecutor, I hear those 911 tapes.
We’ve got 911 calls where the dog is latched onto the lady's arm for 7 minutes long. Okay, go put your hand in a vice, and leave it there at full pressure, and then put teeth in it for seven minutes. It's a bloody mess."
Browning: "I can only imagine.
Something that I found interesting, again our guest from Council Bluffs, Iowa, Assistant City Attorney Don Bauermeister, had also brought up a website: DogsBite.org.
Take a look at that, because I'm checking it out, and remember our little Amaya Hess? When she was 2-years old, was attacked and she's one of the children that they show as a dog bite victim.
It's really troubling. There is some interesting information. I want to put it like that because I am trying to be fair. Often times as a talk show host that is probably the most difficult thing for me to do because I get an opinion, and I still say: You know what? I have to look at both sides Browning and hopefully, you'll be able to do the same."
We will open up the lines to you though and allow you to weigh in on this. This is still one of those issues that's affecting our community. We've had two pit bull attacks, just within the last couple of days here. Could Indianapolis, let me say it this way: "Should" Indianapolis take a note from Council Bluff's, Iowa and have a ban on pit bulls in Indianapolis?"

1Transcribed on March 16, 2010 by DogsBite.org. [Brackets] inserted by DogsBite.org for clarification purposes.

2010 Fatality: Rottweilers at Home One Day Kill Baby on Iowa Tribal Land

noreply@blogger.com (bitbypit) — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 17:15:00 +0000

Two Adult Rotties
UPDATE 03/11/10: The Journal confirms the breed of dog that killed a 9-month old child: Two adult rottweilers. A source close to the family said the dogs had been brought into the home Sunday night. Just hours later, the little boy crawled out of his crib and was killed by the animals. The child's mother, Stephanie Easley, was at work at the time of the incident. Easley was taken to Stillwater Medical Center to be treated for emotional distress and shock.

03/10/10: Fatality Victim Identified
The name of an infant who was fatally attacked by a dog south of Perkins, Oklahoma has been released by the state Medical Examiner’s office. Justin Lopez, 8-months old, died of blunt force trauma to the head, medical examiner’s spokeswoman Cherokee Ballard said. Firefighters responded to a call that a child had been attacked by a dog at about 11 am Monday. The incident occurred on Iowa Tribe land in Payne County. The tribe continues to have no comment.

03/08/10: Dog at Home One Day
Perkins, OK - In a developing story, an infant was killed Monday morning at a rural residence, south of Perkins, after being attacked by a dog. The attack happened in Payne County, on Iowa Tribal land. Iowa Tribe Police Chief confirmed the fatal attack, but would not release any details adding, "We have no comment at this time." A cousin of the victim, Stephen Wood, said the dog that killed the infant was a rottweiler the family had brought home on Sunday.

An infant, new to the household, plus a new pit bull or rottweiler is a ruinous and possibly deadly combination, as demonstrated by this horrific incident, which will soon become "yet another fatal dog attack statistic." The risk associated to this combination rises wholly off the charts. One should not expose an innocent and defenseless infant to any breed of dog, but to expose such a child to the top two killing dog breeds is as reprehensible as it is tragic.

Related articles:
03/02/10: 2010 Fatality: 'Ax Men' Jesse Browning's Stepdaughter Killed by Rottweiler
02/24/10: 2010 Fatality: 5-Day Old Infant Killed by Family Pit Bull

Dangerous By Default: Extreme Breeds by Anthony Solesky

noreply@blogger.com (bitbypit) — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 18:00:00 +0000

From left: Dominic, Brian Nevill, Shelly Burnett, the injuries and collapsible dog pen.

Dangerous By Default
On Saturday, April 28, 2007, Anthony Solesky's son and two other boys were attacked by a pit bull that broke free from its pen. Anthony's son, Dominic, suffered life-altering injuries in the attack. "Dangerous By Default"1 is a first hand account by Dominic's father about the attack and what happened afterward. In a raw, powerful, and at times explosive voice, Anthony leads readers through his son's painful ordeal and the community upheaval and healing that followed.

The 77-page e-book (PDF file) is divided into 25 short chapters, including his son's arrival into Critical Care Emergency and swift transition into Pediatrics ICU (PICU). Solesky details the serious injuries his son suffered, how the pit bull owner threatened one of the boys, the action steps Solesky took after the incident and the awful realization that the Baltimore County Health Department managed to turn this Public Health issue into a referendum on dog owner's rights.

The story of what happened to the Solesky family is a classic tale of the absolute social injustice victims of violent dog attacks experience. Furthermore, the account details the stunning lack of leadership, if not demented leadership, demonstrated by the Baltimore County Health Department whose agenda held the rights of dog owners above the rights of existing and future victims of serious dog maulings. DogsBite.org greatly thanks Anthony for this wonderful contribution.

Preface | Page 2

"Common sense alone reveals that some breeds reach the point of diminishing return as 'Domestic Pets.' Many breed experts and advocates tout a belief that training and treatment can usurp this fact. Sadly their math is the formula behind these unfortunate incidents recurring as repeating decimals of fate.
Ultimately a public health and safety issue, our story explores the reality that responsibility does not lie solely in the way we train and treat our pets but equally in the type of pets we introduce into the community setting in the first place."

The Attack | Page 9

"When I answered her call this April evening, I knew in my heart and could feel through the phone that something really bad had happened. I didn't speak. I opened the phone and placed it next to my ear. I could hear Irene breathing. She was nervous but composed. She said, 'Tony, Dominic is alive but he has had a terrible accident. We are at John Hopkins and they are taking him into the operating room right now.'
It is hard to explain, but it is a feeling kind of like déjà vu. I felt as if I knew that that was what she was going to tell me. I believe that it is probably because of adrenaline. A person under stress can experience the 'now' in both parts of their mind that experience memory and real time simultaneously. You are stunned and the ordeal is only just beginning. I said only two words, 'What happened?'
She said, 'He was attacked by a Pit Bull.'

Critical Care Emergency | Page 12

"After another 45 minutes passed and still no Dominic, we began to feel panic and dread again. I always think of the families of coal miners or lost children -- how they endure is beyond my ability to comprehend. The phone used to get updates from the operating room was not working all night. Finally, I walked around the hospital floor and pleaded with the first person I found. He was in housekeeping. I told him, 'Look, I cannot stand the not knowing. Could you please check on the welfare of my son? I can take anything but the not knowing.' He summoned a nurse and I explained my anxiety to her. She said she would investigate.
After an emotional eternity, the nurse appeared and explained the delay to me. She told me that right after they had planned to bring Dom out the first time, they had lost resuscitation of his leg and that they had finally gotten things back under control. Five hours and 19 grueling minutes from when he first went in a mass of doctors, nurses, tubes and one very swollen child appeared through the double doors."

Eye See You (ICU) | Page 13

"He had a bite to the face just missing his left eye that had torn away and left his cheek and the tip of his nose hanging. He had claw marks and puncture wounds, bites to the arms, chest and back. The flesh had been torn away from his upper left thigh and a life threatening injury, a 2-cm tear to his femoral artery. I would later learn from Dom that the dog had clamped onto his left leg, picked him up, and shook him violently and repeatedly like a rag doll while dragging him in circles. He had various other scrapes, road rash, bruises, and contusions as a result.
The doctors said that he had suffered severe blood loss and required multiple transfusions. They had to remove a vein from his right upper thigh and graft it to his damaged artery in his left leg. They had to perform a procedure called a fasciotomy. This was explained as making an incision on both sides of the length of his calf and letting the calf muscle hang out of the skin. They did this so that the swelling from all his injuries would not restrict blood flow to the lower leg and his foot."

Dominic's First Words | Page 16

"Besides many numb spots up and down his leg and foot, there were a couple of areas where the nerve was completely detached and the signal just came to a dead end. The worst part is it is extremely painful to have these electrical impulses sent down intact nerves while damaged nerves present a whole new threshold of pain. Besides the EMG, the nerve regeneration and healing process have the same type of pain and will appear inexplicably. It is extremely hard and maddening to see a child in such pain."

Neighborhood Militia | Page 17

"I figured the dog owner was waiting to hear I was home and then would come to express his concern for the entire matter and Dominic's condition. Not only was this not the case, but Baron told me that the dog owner had threatened his son, Scotty. Instantly I was back in the same hyper-aware mode as the day of the incident. It came over me in a wave. It was like when you are embarrassed except it had nothing to do with embarrassment. It was just pure adrenaline. The story he told me, along with the few bits and pieces Irene had told me, and the conspicuous absence of contact from the dog owner began to sicken and stun me with each sentence Baron spoke."

Taking Action | Page 19

"I followed his advice and in short order I was able to speak directly to my Councilman Vince Gardina. I could hear concern in his voice and I knew I was on the correct track. The next morning I returned the phone call to the Towson Times reporter and he interviewed me by phone. I was also wondering why the dog owner had not been charged with a crime. Based on the concern of my Councilman, and the fact that the Towson times had called, I started to believe that it might be best to get the word out about this incident. It may simply be that the general public and the neighbors outside of our community were not aware of the incident. I had hoped that by telling my story, it would garner the support and some type of action from the community."

Breed Apart | Page 30

"When asked by the reporter if I thought this type of attack could be specific to certain breeds, I said, 'It is obvious by this incident that some dogs cross the line of suitability as 'Domestic Pets.' This would be confirmed weeks later when I was told directly by doctors I spoke with. Months later, on WJZ Channel 13, they played an interview with the head of surgery at the time for Johns Hopkins. He made a statement to the effect that, without exception in his six years as head of surgery, all of the dog attacks they treated involving extreme injury and trauma, could be attributed to Pit Bull-type dogs. In my interview, I stated words to the effect that a lion is in the cat family but I don't want it in my neighborhood."

Breed Apart | Page 30

"Clearly some dogs are innocuous, almost no matter the situation. Some are borderline and others are extreme. I do not support that animals should be afforded judgment on an individual basis. That is a fundamental right reserved to a human society. To elevate an animal to that stature is anthropomorphic and shows a very specific, shockingly common and unabashed social disconnect.
Further, the all-to-often use of animals as surrogates for human children is dangerous to real children should we, unassuming, passively overlook this behavior as eccentric and harmless. This is where I see the biggest failing. These behaviors skew the implementation of common-sense controls that should be endorsed by animal advocates who have the highly motivated people, will, time and money to do the most good. By not supporting laws that would relegate these breeds to specific settings, they impede creating more continuity among their owners."

Dominic's Account | Page 35

"He said the dog bit him in the face and its mouth slid off. He said he got to his knees and the dog bit him in the thigh and began to drag him around the alley. He said he tried to choke the dog and it let go of his leg and bit him on the arm. Dominic said, 'Then I couldn't fight and at some point the dog let go.' He said he laid there and the dog kept coming up and pouncing on him and nudging him and then he saw a man come up. He said the man was screaming, 'Oh my God, Oh my God!' and grabbed the dog out of the alley.
I asked, 'Did he say anything to you?' and Dominic said, 'No.' 'Come on Dominic, not even, 'Are you all right'? 'No' he said. Not even, 'I will be back?' I asked. 'No!' Dominic said. 'Come on Dominic,' I said, not even 'I am getting help?' 'No Dad. I already told you he was just screaming.' I then said, 'What did you do after he grabbed the dog?' Dominic said, 'I tried to get up and run home but I kept falling down. So then I tried to walk home but I kept falling so then I started to crawl home but some lady just kept yelling, 'Lay down, lay down. You're hurt!'

Basic Instincts | Page 41

"The 'all breeds of dogs can bite' acknowledgment of the Baltimore County Task Force was the only objective fact in their report. Then shamefully, they put a spin on their acknowledgment that implied all dog bites are the same. Attempting the equivalent of comparing a non-venomous and venomous snake bite as the same, this reach is demeaning of these tragic incidents.
Their amateurish attempt to argue the specific to the general, is prolific among advocates along with a myriad of inept platitudes such as 'blame the deed not the breed'. Their conclusions where not objectively based but biased. They intentionally failed to gather or solicit a comprehensive input group. Their irresponsibility revealed by submitting only a vague two-page report to Councilman Gardina. One can draw only two possible conclusions; complete incompetence or conspicuous absence of objective input they knew would hurt their agenda."

Every Dog Has Its Day (Dangerous Dog Hearing) | Page 49-50

"I was sitting in a hearing room while my son was still confined to the hospital after 17 days. Here was a guy who rather than humbly throw himself on the mercy of the community, take responsibility for his actions, and as a gesture of contrition, show compassion for the victims of the incident, he has decided to attempt to get his dog back and spend his potential fine money on a lawyer. Worse still, he is willing to have us relive this entire trauma in a hearing to do it. Here I must say if you are attempting to build a team to make a case for Child Endangerment charges, the dog owner by far was our 'Most Valuable Player.'

Every Dog Has Its Day (Dangerous Dog Hearing) | Page 51

"My wife Irene would testify that she was in the house preparing hamburgers for a cookout and hearing a frantic knock at the front door. It was Kyle and at first she thought he was looking for Dominic but he kept saying, 'No! Dominic has been attacked in the alley by a dog.'
Irene went down the alley in bare feet, unarmed, unprepared, and totally expecting to find a child that needed consoling with an apologetic dog owner offering to pay for a doctor's visit. Instead when she looked down the alley, she saw Dominic flopping around on the ground and a women screaming into a phone.
She became frantic and started to run to Dominic and could see he was covered with blood and that there were various pools of blood in the alley. Irene would testify that it looked like a shark attack and that Eric gave her a towel and assisted her in keeping calm and stopping the blood from leaking out. Irene also testified that Dominic was asking if he was going to die and at that point, she really didn't know the answer to his question. Finally the EMS personnel arrived and she stated that she accompanied Dominic in the ambulance to Johns Hopkins."

Dominic Comes Home | Page 55

"In the days that followed, we would be greeted by nurses and physical therapists who came to the house for wound care and physical rehabilitation. Irene and I put Dominic in our bed because it had a queen-size mattress so the nurses and therapists had more working room. These were tough visits for about two weeks. The changing of the dressing every eight hours was a slow, painful, and when Dominic cried, an enraging process. There was always the pain of physical therapy topped off with the sudden and inexplicable nerve regeneration that was ever present. It would leave him writhing, screaming and crying in pain. All this over someone's right to have such a pet and the atypical lack and regard for the responsibility that goes along with that right. "

Dog (And Pony) Show | page 61

"At the breed-specific hearing workshop, those assembled against the proposed legislation were more compelling with organizational skills, their sheer numbers, and their agenda than anything in context of a solution that potential legislation proposed. Sadly, and in a demeaning way, rather then this being a Public Health issue, it was allowed to and turned out to be, a referendum on dog owner's rights.
The wrong tone set by the Health Department led the entire matter down the path of dysfunctional infinity from the beginning. As a result, with no representation from the emergency responders, the medical community, the insurance, and legal industry to balance the testimony, the focus pandered to a well-organized obstructionist posture."

Pet Project | Page 77

"The greatest irony is that so many animal advocates seem current and open minded about individual human rights and life choices. Still it was they who started up the slippery slope that drew constant anthropomorphic parallels.
I could only assume they lacked meaningful relationships with humans as the impetus for elevating their pets to such human proportions. I could not understand how they could appear logically reasonable enough to conclude humans can be born with certain predispositions that cannot be trained or behaved away, then take a complete 180 in logic as proponents that concluded, animal instincts and behaviors can be usurped by their grand mastery as pet owners."

2010 Fatality: Pit Bull Kills 65-Year Old Woman in Lee County

noreply@blogger.com (bitbypit) — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 20:50:00 +0000

Injuries "Severe"

UPDATE 03/08/10: Lee County Coroner Alfred Elmore confirmed in a phone call today with DogsBite.org that Ethel Horton suffered severe injuries in the pit bull attack. There was no mistake in the tone of his voice. "Oh they were severe," he said. The death of Ethel Horton indeed qualifies as a U.S. fatal dog attack, despite animal experts such as Richard Polsky who declare otherwise:

Polsky's website: "For example, there was an incident in March 2010 incident in Lucknow, South Carolina involving a 65-year-old lady in which all news stories initially reported a fatality caused by a pit bull attack, but subsequently the autopsy indicated a fatal heart attack was the primary cause of death (presumably from the stress of the attack). Hence, this incident cannot be included in the database."

03/05/10: Severity of Victim's Injuries Unclear
The Lee County Coroner reports that the victim died of a heart attack "before the dog did much damage to her." The question is the amount of damage -- were the injuries severe or not? As noted by our language, "Deaths involving non-dog bite injury, minor dog bite injury or cases that lacked a "reasonably clear" determination of death due to dog bite injury are not included in DogsBite.org statistical fatality data."

DogsBite.org will follow up with the Lee County coroner's office shortly.

03/04/10: Fatal Attack Victim: Ethel Horton
Authorities report that the victim, Ethel Horton, was killed by the pit bull while trying to beat the dog off her 71-year old husband, Jerry Horton, who was first attacked by the animal. The two had been taking care of the 10-year old pit bull, Brutus, for their nephew who lived next door. Apparently, while Jerry was feeding the other dogs in the yard, Brutus "snapped," broke its chain and violently attacked Jerry.

Jerry suffered severe injuries and was taken to a hospital in Hartsville.

03/04/10: 65-Year Old Woman Killed by Pit Bull
Lee County, SC - In a developing story, a 65-year old woman who was caring for her neighbor's pit bull was attacked and killed by the animal. Sheriff E.J. Melvin said the attack happened off Stokes Bridge Road near the town of Lucknow. Officials have so far not identified the victim. Melvin said the dog belonged to the woman's neighbor, and she and her husband were caring for the pit bull when it attacked both of them.

Since 2005, South Carolina has suffered at least 6 fatal dog attacks, including the most recent incident. Of the six attacks, five (83%) are attributed to pit bull type dogs. To clarify the WISTV article, 22-month old Allen Young was mauled to death by his father's four pit bulls in 2006. In 2007, the father, Michael Anton Young Jr., 25, was charged with involuntary manslaughter. It is unknown what resulted in these charges.

South Carolina Fatal Attacks

Related articles:
02/04/09: A Recent Review of South Carolina Fatal Dog Attacks (2006-2008)

Pit Bulls Make "Most Dangerous Pet" List at The Huffington Post

noreply@blogger.com (bitbypit) — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 19:55:00 +0000

A male, unneutered, chained pit bull -- a recipe for disaster.

The Pit Bull "PuffPo"
UPDATE 03/07/10: The Huffington Post has removed the pit bull from the nine most dangerous pet list. The article now displays the "eight" most dangerous pets, minus the pit bull, once again showing the true nature of the Huffington Post (also referred to as the HuffPo). The altering of this article shows exactly how the pro-pit bull lobby works: hide the truth about the pit bull breed.

Parents and readers of DogsBite.org, we guarantee you that the original image posted by the Pit Bull "PuffPo" of a male, chained pit bull (pictured), is indeed a very dangerous "pet." Few humane organizations and gatherers of fatal dog attack statistics would disagree. The Pit Bull PuffPo succumbed to pressures from pro-pit bull groups and did so OVER the safety of your children.

03/03/10: Huffpo Names Nine Most Dangerous Pets
According to the Huffington Post, there are nine dangerous pets that are too dangerous to own, pit bull terriers being one. The list includes: ostriches, kinkajou, pit bull terriers, constrictor snakes, venomous snakes, tiger (or any other big cat), alligators, crocodiles, and/or caimans and deadly spiders. It seems the only dangerous species left off the list are flesh-eating piranhas, who are known for their sharp teeth and a voracious appetite for meat.

Ban pit bulls early and ban often.

Dogfighter Bill Stewart Kills Himself After Criminal Operation Discovered

noreply@blogger.com (bitbypit) — Sat, 06 Mar 2010 02:39:00 +0000

From left: Bill Stewart, Pit Bull Reporter, seized marijuana and firearms.

"Rushin Bill"
Romance, AR - It is reported that the editor and publisher of dogfighting magazine, Pit Bull Reporter1, Bill Stewart (aka "Rushin Bill")2 shot himself to death. The incident began after a grass fire broke out on Stewart's property. When crews arrived to distinguish the fire, they discovered $124,000 of marijuana, more than 40 guns, pit bulls and a dogfighting ring. Just after the discovery, Stewart shot himself.

The incident involving Stewart, a "star" figure amongst dogfighters, demonstrates the true nature of dogfighting, which is organized crime. The criminal endeavor of dogfighting goes hand-in-hand with gambling, illegal drugs, weapons and more. These elements cannot be separated from it either, thus showing the importance of police authorities to aggressively pursue reports of dogfighting operations.

"It was an eye opener because most of the time you find people who are growing marijuana and dealing in marijuana, to be this well armed," detective Brandon Grimes says. "When you walk into the residence and there are guns strategically located throughout the house, when you have guns in the bathroom, in the laundry room, in each bedroom, guns outside of each door and then you start noticing the window blinds. There were squares cut in the blinds that can be used for ether observation or to fire a rifle or pistol out of.”
Sources say Stewart is considered a godfather of dog fighting and went by the name Rushin Bull in the violent dogfighting underworld. He even edited and published an underground publication called Pit Bull Reporter.
"To find out this person is also the editor and publisher of a dog fighting magazine, it just goes to show you what all it reaches into, really shocking,” Grimes said.

2010 Fatality: 'Ax Men' Jesse Browning's Stepdaughter Killed by Rottweiler

noreply@blogger.com (bitbypit) — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 21:25:00 +0000

Female Rottweiler
UPDATE 03/02/10: It is now reported that Ashlynn was Jesse Browning's stepdaughter. She spent half of each week at the home of her father and the other half with her mother, D'Ette, and Browning. Apparently, the two paired up when Ashlynn was about 1-year old. Jay Browning, Jesse's father, said the girl's mother went out to check on her and she was laying there bleeding and the female rottweiler1 was nearby.

03/01/10: Reality TV Star's Daughter Killed
Astoria, OR - 'Ax Men' star Jesse Browning's 4-year old daughter was killed by the family dog Sunday in Astoria. The little girl, Ashlynn Anderson, was pronounced dead on arrival to Portland's Oregon Health and Science University Hospital. "Everyone was there in minutes, but she was pretty severely mauled. By the time they got her to OHSU, she had lost too much blood," said Clatsop County Sheriff Tom Bergin.

According to Bergin, "The mom just happened to look out and saw the dog and the child laying there. Apparently, the dog just snapped." The Brownings own two rottweilers, both of which were removed and quarantined at a local animal shelter, where they will be "adopted or euthanized." Four months ago, an Astoria deputy was forced to remove a third rottweiler from the Browning home "because it had gotten aggressive."

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).

1The offending female rottweiler was reportedly two-and-a-half years old.

Pit Bull Owner Asks Police to Shoot Him After Dog Attacks His Face

noreply@blogger.com (bitbypit) — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 02:40:00 +0000

Pit Bull Attacks Owner
Mesa, AZ - According to Mesa police, an 18-year old named Raul went inside his home to get a video game for a friend when his pit bull, named Chico, attacked. "The 18-year old suffered severe lacerations to the face. "We got him out of the apartment and he was transported to Scottsdale Memorial Hospital," said Mesa Police Sgt. Dan Butler. Police said that initially, the victim was so traumatized by his appearance, he told officers to shoot him.

A pit bull attacked his young owner in Mesa on Friday, slashing the man’s face, police said.
Friends of the victim described sounds echoing through their apartment complex that are the stuff of nightmares.
"I just heard growling. I heard him say, 'Stop it,'" said Darrin Keser.
"Cops everywhere, ambulance," said Malynzo Cofey.
According to police, an 18-year-old man named Raul went inside his home to get a video game for a friend when his pit bull, named Chico, attacked.
"The 18-year-old suffered severe lacerations to the face. We got him out of the apartment and he was transported to Scottsdale Memorial Hospital," said Mesa Police Sgt. Dan Butler.
Police said that initially, the victim was so traumatized by his appearance, he told officers to shoot him.
The victim’s father was also in the apartment at the time of the attack and initial reports from police were that the two got into a verbal fight that riled the dog.
However, officers said they were having trouble confirming that.
"We don’t know where the father is at this particular point, so we’re still looking for him to get some kind of statement as to what happened ," said Butler.
Darrin Keser identified himself as the friend who wanted to borrow the video game.
He said Raul always treated both of his pit bulls well, but Chico was known to have a temper.
"The dog does get vicious at times, and I heard the dog growling and then I heard Raul saying, 'Dad,'" said Keser.
Officers at the scene said the victim will most likely need multiple reconstructive surgeries to repair his face.
The attacking animal was taken to Mesa Animal Control. The family has not yet decided if Chico will be put down.

U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission Recalls Sweatshirts Due to Strangulation Hazard

noreply@blogger.com (bitbypit) — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 04:20:00 +0000

Defective sweatshirts recalled.

Recommended Guidelines
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission issues recall after recall of sweatshirts, cribs, strollers, pacifiers, bracelets, car seats, toys, games and numerous other products prior to the death of a child or person to prevent the future injury or death of a child or person. From January 1, 2010 to February 23, 2010 pit bull type dogs killed six Americans, four of which were children. This is equivalent to one American citizen dead every nine days due to pit bulls in 2010.

The CDC,1 who has broken their promise with the American public to provide "objectively derived" data, along with animal groups, claim that public policy regarding dangerous dogs should not be based upon fatal dog attack statistics, which clearly illustrate the pit bull's horrific safety record. As demonstrated by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, such policies and legal restrictions are issued daily regarding unsafe products prior to even one human death.

Children's Hooded Sweatshirts with Drawstrings Recalled by Baycreek Due to Strangulation Hazard
Hazard: The sweatshirts have a drawstring through the hood which can pose a strangulation hazard to children. In February 1996 CPSC, issued guidelines (pdf) (which were incorporated in to an industry voluntary standard in 1997) to help prevent children from strangling or getting entangled in the neck and waist drawstrings in upper garments, such as jackets or sweatshirts.

Despite the pit bull problem being 30-years old and pit bulls on track to maul 200 Americans to death by 2014, there is no "objective"2 government body or academic institution devoted to the pit bull and dangerous dog problem. As spoken by family members of surviving and dead victims, these victims suffer injuries that look like a "chainsaw" inflicted them or were left "maimed beyond recognition, with no facial features remaining and other horrific disfigurement."

Pit bulls are a defective dog breed and all 3.5 million should be recalled.

Recent defects include:

1Dr. Jeffrey Sacks, epidemiologist for the CDC, said. "Fatal attacks represent only a very small proportion of dog bite injuries and shouldn't be the primary factor driving public policy regarding dangerous dogs."
2Viewpoint: The CDC Fatal Dog Attack Report Issued in 2000 Was Positively Biased

Pit Bull Measure Passes Elgin City Council in 4-3 Vote

noreply@blogger.com (bitbypit) — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 17:47:00 +0000

"Dangerous" Declaration
Elgin, IL - In a state that disallows breed-specific laws, the home rule1 City of Elgin, Illinois made strides toward declaring the pit bull breed as "dangerous." The measure requires that "dangerous" dogs require $500,000 liability insurance, which is a realistic coverage amount for pit bull injury, muzzle their dogs when they are walked, erect a 6-foot-high fence if the dogs are outside, pay $100 for a three-year license and put signs on their homes warning of a dangerous dog.

Now that's prevention!

1Home rule cities -- such as the City of Denver -- do not have to abide by state laws that prohibit breed-specific laws. Way to stick it to Ledy VanKavage Elgin!

2010 Fatality: 3-Year Old Mauled to Death by Pit Bull Type Dog in Ocala

noreply@blogger.com (bitbypit) — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 20:10:00 +0000

Champion Haaker's Uno of OHK and GC Haaker's Uno of OHK GTT2

Breeding Op' Ends
UPDATE 02/24/10: Officials report that the offending male dog named Uno (right photo) was euthanized Wednesday. Today, the three remaining female American pit bulldogs seized at the Haacker's Dream Bulldog Ranch were euthanized as well. "No one witnessed the actual attack on the child, but all of the [dogs] in the pen potentially had access to the little girl during this fatal attack," said Animal Services Director Jill Lancon. "We can't risk another tragedy."

02/21/10: Mother Ran Breeding Operation
Lori Haaker, the mother of the child, is an active breeder of Scott type American bulldogs and hybrids. The two Haaker dogs depicted in the photo clearly illustrate pit bull type dogs (See: Pit bull faq) and once again raises the issue of exactly how to classify the Scott type American bulldog. The Scott type and breed standard is by definition a pit bull-mix, as the breed was directly developed by crossing early Johnson lines with the American pit bull terrier.

Pit bull breeders, owners and kennel clubs of have been disguising the pit bull's name since 1935. The Scott type American bulldog seems to be the latest outcrop. Though Haaker's website, dreambulldogranch.com, appears to be offline, one can browse the site's web archives. We found this page particularly ironic: "We are working toward a personal goal in our breeding program where the emphasis is on a temperament that is above all, people and child friendly."

The Department of Child and Family Services is investigating the parents of the little girl, whose name has still not been released. Details of the attack, such as how did the child wander into the pen, remain unclear. Four American pit bulldogs were chained to different trees inside the pen. Only one dog is believed to be responsible for the deadly attack. The child was dead by the time emergency responders reached the scene. The couple has four other children.

02/20/10: Another Child Dead Due to a Pit Bull
Ocala, FL - Another fatal pit bull attack occurred today -- two in one day. The incident happened in Ocala, Florida. Jenifer Fisher, of the Marion County Sheriff's Office, said a woman was in her yard with her daughter, cleaning out the pen where the family keeps four pit bulls chained to trees. The woman went into the house and she didn't see her daughter when she returned. The woman later realized the girl had entered the pen and was being mauled by one of the dogs.

Specifically being mauled to death by one of the pit bulls.

Related articles:
02/18/10: 2010 Fatality: Terry Child, 5-years old, Killed by Neighbor's Pit Bull
01/12/10: 2010 Fatality: Pet Pit Bull Kills 3-Year Old Boy in Apple Valley
09/05/09: 2009 Fatality: 2 Pit Bulls Kill 10-Year Old Boy in Rusk County, Texas

2010 Fatality: 5-Day Old Infant Killed by Family Pit Bull

noreply@blogger.com (bitbypit) — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 12:02:00 +0000

Death by Pit Bull Bite
Conyers, GA - Another newborn infant was killed by a family dog. According to a Rockdale County Sheriff’s Office press release, the mother of the 5-day old baby girl heard the infant crying last Thursday and found the pet pit bull on top of the baby’s bassinet. The bitten infant was taken to Rockdale Medical Center then airlifted to Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta at Egleston for surgery. The infant was listed in critical condition and died Tuesday, February 23, from the injuries.

Danny Lowery, owner of Conyers K-9 Academy, incorrectly tells reporters that "a dog will tell you before it bites" in the article. It is well documented by humane groups that fighting dogs (pit bulls) frequently fail to communicate intention prior to an attack. Pit bulls may not offer a direct stare, a growl or bark before an attack. Due to selective breeding for the purposes of dogfighting, pit bulls also ignore traditional signs of submission and appeasement amongst other dogs.

Related ZUPF video

Related articles:
02/19/10: 2010 Fatality: 11-Day Old Baby Killed by Family Husky Dog in Independence
08/18/09: 2009 Fatality: Infant Killed by Pet Pit Bull in Hardy County

2010 Fatality: 37-Year Old Philadelphia Woman Killed by Mother's Pit Bulls

noreply@blogger.com (bitbypit) — Sun, 21 Feb 2010 16:34:00 +0000

An image from Christine Staab's Myspace page.

Staab's Mother Speaks
UPDATE 02/21/10: The mother of Christine Staab (See: Video), Barbara Erb, told the local paper that the two had been arguing when Christine fell backward (See: Pit bull triggers) causing her pet pit bull to attack and kill her. Erb said she tried frantically to pull off the dog, Jade, but could not get the pit bull to release its grip on Staab's throat. The four surviving pit bulls were taken to an SPCA shelter. Like her husband, Thomas Fowler, Erb would like the dogs returned to her.

Erb described the six pit bulls as "house dogs" that were well cared for and even microchipped for identification. "They were spoiled rotten," Erb said. "They were not neglected in any way." The door of the house had one sign that read "Beware of dog," and another saying that in the case of fire, rescuers should save the six dogs inside. It listed their names: Paige, Peaches, Maggie, Satan, Bear, and Jade, as clearly the lives of Erb's dogs outweigh the lives of human beings.

Related ZUPF video

02/20/10: Victim's Step-Father Defends Dogs
In an incident described as a pit bull "brutally attacking" and killing Christine Staab, and police officers being forced to shoot the animal so that it would release its grip on the victim's neck, Staab's step-father Thomas Fowler denounced Stabb on local TV and said that two of the family's six pit bulls were doing "what comes naturally to a dog." Fowler said the pit bull, Jade, was only protecting his wife who was trying to take back a set of keys from Christine.

It is not natural for a dog to kill a person during a family argument.

Troubled and allegedly drug addicted 37-year old Christine Stabb was mauled to death by her mother and step-father's pit bulls right in front of their very eyes. The scene must have been horrific: A pit bull locked onto Staab's throat shaking it vigorously back and forth, blood spewing everywhere…blood gurgling cries must have been heard. At his first chance, however, Fowler defended his pit bulls "all of whom he says were friendly, nonaggressive pets" and hopes to have the four dogs returned to him.

02/20/10: Police Shoot Dogs; Can't Save Victim
Philadelphia, PA - In a developing story, Philadelphia police and animal control officers are investigating an incident in which a dog brutally attacked and killed a 37-year old woman. According to police, the attack took place Saturday morning at a home on the 1400 block of East Oxford Avenue in North Philadelphia. Philadelphia police responding to the scene were forced to shoot and kill two pit bulls on the scene. The identity of the victim has not yet been released.

Related articles:
02/06/10: Pet Pit Bull Unleashes Explosive Attack on Owner and Two Others...
01/18/10: 2010 Fatality: 56-Year Old Man Killed by Daughter's Six Pit Bulls
08/12/09: 2009 Fatality: Leesburg Man, 20, Killed by His Two Pit Bulls Trying to...
05/11/09: Animal Agency, PSPCA, Distorts History of 25-Year Old Pit Bull Problem

2010 Fatality: 11-Day Old Baby Killed by Family Husky Dog in Independence

noreply@blogger.com (bitbypit) — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 21:52:00 +0000

Newborn Killed
Independence, MN - In another instance of a newborn being killed by a family husky dog, it is reported that 11-day old Robert D. Hocker suffered the same horrific fate Thursday. According to West Hennepin Public Safety (WHPS) Director Ray McCoy, "The infant boy was in his car seat on a bed in the bedroom, when he was bitten by the family Siberian husky." Emergency personnel "exhausted all life-saving measures, and the infant was pronounced dead at the scene," McCoy said.

In the recent DogsBite.org fatality report (See: Report: U.S. Dog Bite Fatalities January 2006 to December 2008) husky type dogs were responsible for 4 deaths (in comparison to pit bulls with 52), two of which involved infants: Alexis Hennessy, 6-days old (Hopatcong, NJ) and Jane Doe 3-days old (Warren, OH) and the other involving 11-month old Trey Paeth. In 2009, huskies were involved in two deaths, one involving 3-week old Olivia Rozek, who was survived by her twin.

Related articles:
01/21/09: 2009 Fatality: Olivia Rozek, 3-Weeks Old, Killed by Family Husky
09/28/08: 2008 Fatality: 3-Day Old Infant Killed by Family Dog
09/08/08: 2008 Fatality: Alexis Hennessy, 6-Days Old, Killed By Family Dog

2010 Fatality: Terry Child, 5-years old, Killed by Neighbor's Pit Bull

noreply@blogger.com (bitbypit) — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 17:45:00 +0000

From left: Anataisa, offending pit bull, its dog house and a now "missing" pit bull.

Pit Bull Declared Killer
UPDATE 02/18/10: Tests show that the quarantined pit bull is the lone killer of Anataisa Bingham. Sheriff Malcolm McMillin said, "The owner of the dog could possibly be charged with manslaughter; we're working that out now." (This, however, may just be a "dream charge.") Another pit bull was also found dead near the scene. Officials do not know how that dog died. As this case involves dogfighting, it's likely that they do know and are not releasing this information.

Anataisa Bingham's funeral will be 11 am Saturday at Little Bethel Church in Terry. DogsBite.org prays for the little girl's family.

02/17/10: Dog Owner (Dogfighter) AWOL
The owner of the pit bull that killed Anataisa is reportedly the grandson of the property owner where the pit bulls were being stored. Anataisa's family members have given authorities the name of the individual. "We know we're going to catch (him)," Sheriff Malcolm McMillin said, "It's just a matter of time." Hinds County District Attorney Robert Shuler Smith said the dog owner could face a depraved-heart murder charge or culpable negligence.

The dog owner may face animal cruelty charges as well. There are indications that the pit bull suspected in the attack was used for dogfighting. That dog is currently being held at the Mississippi Animal Rescue League. Other pit bulls from the property -- seen in early photos and videos -- were quickly removed by unknown forces and their whereabouts are currently unknown. Yet another indication that the dogs were being bred for the purposes of illegal dogfighting.

02/15/10: County Supervisor Calls for Ban
The pit bull that authorities believe killed Anataisa last Friday, two days before her 6th Birthday, will likely be euthanized this week. In response to the child's death, Hinds County Supervisor George Smith said he would propose banning pit bulls in the county. In 2008, in the same county, Tony Evans Jr. was also killed by a pit bull (See: White dog in video). Smith said since Evans' death, there has been discussion of banning pit bulls, but nothing has been done.

When asked by a reporter, "What do you say to that person, 'Well, I have a pit bull and it's never hurt anybody -- and I obey the law.'" Smith responded: "I would say to them, I understand that. These pit bulls have never done anything that we know of and look what happened." (Kudos to Hinds County Supervisor George Smith!) This is the bottom-line readers. The "unpredictability" of a pit bull and the inability for the public to know which pit bull is safe or not.

The recent Hoboken incident (and many others) show that pit bulls are not even safe around their owners!

02/12/10: Young Child Found Dead in Snow
In a disturbingly accurate video that shows the deadly crime scene, police officers, family members and the remaining chained pit bulls on the adjacent property, one can begin to imagine the horror this young child faced. On a morning that Anataisa should have been in school, which was canceled due to snow, she instead suffered the most horrific manner of death conceivable to man -- being attacked, bitten, and ripped apart1 by the powerful jaws of a pit bull.

Related ZUPF video

02/12/10: Attack Victim: Anataisa Bingham
Terry, MS - In a developing story, another child has been mauled to death by a pit bull. Sheriff's deputies say 5-year old Anataisa Bingham walked out of the mobile home she lived in at 1911 Green Drive around 7:30am to go to a friend's house across the street. The pit bull attacked her between the two homes. It's believed the dog was kept with some other pit bulls in a small patch of woods behind a nearby house. The pit bulls do not belong to the little girl's family.

Anataisa Bingham would have turned 6-years old on Sunday.

Since 2005, DogsBite.org has recorded four fatal dog attacks in the State of Mississippi. Each deadly attack was carried out by a pit bull.

Javelin Anderson, 6-years old (Conehatta, MS)
Tony Evans Jr., 3-years old (Jackson, MS)
Destiny Marie Cox, 16-months old (Union County, MS)

1A separate report indicates that the pit bull ripped out Anataisa's neck.

Pit Bull Advocate Rachael Ray Under Fire After Her Pet Pit Bull Attacks "Again"

noreply@blogger.com (bitbypit) — Sat, 13 Feb 2010 03:01:00 +0000

Fifth Animal Attack
New York, NY - Daytime television host Rachael Ray, who is a pit bull owner and strong advocate of the breed1, is under fire by the media and bloggers2 after her pit bull, named Isaboo, attacked another dog in New York City, ripping off the dog's ear. Reports say that Isaboo has been involved in at least five violent attacks against other animals, this one being the latest. Ray paints herself as a dog lover, but clearly cares little for the safety of other dogs when around Isaboo.

Surprisingly, the Gothamist points this out. It is rare for an organization to make this connection (major humane groups3 do, but have more interest in protecting pit bulls than protecting beloved pets who each day suffer brutal injuries and death by the powerful jaws of a pit bull). It is doubtful that Rachael Ray will put Isaboo to sleep. Instead she'll send the dog to a sanctuary to be "rehabilitated," specifically, to "magically remove," the pit bull dog aggression gene.

"Rachael Ray's beloved pit bull Isaboo has been involved in at least five incidents of violence against other animals, with the latest fight happening earlier this month as one of the dog's handlers walked it in the Village. According to Radar and, um, the National Enquirer, the attack happened when another dog walked by and "Isaboo lashed out so quickly and ripped the other dog’s ear off before its handler could pull it away." A vet was able to save some of the dog's ear, but Ray is reportedly devastated because she may have to put Isaboo to sleep.
One source frets, "Rachael calls Isaboo her baby,' but after the latest dog fight, she’s living in fear that her pet will have to be put down. While she loves the dog, she can’t help worrying about what would happen if Isaboo attacked a person." So multiple violent attacks on other pets are cool as long as no human blood is spilled? What kind of Keffiyeh-wearing terrorist is Ray, anyway?"

As far as Rachael Ray being concerned about a human attack, she certainly should be. Since August 2009, two U.S. citizens have been killed by pit bulls while trying to protect another pet being attacked by a pit bull (Carter Delaney and Rosie Humphries). Countless other U.S. individuals -- we mean countless -- have been seriously injured in this same scenario. So what's next for Isaboo? Will Ray make the responsible choice or have her dog undergo "magical rehabilitation?"

After posting this story, YouTube artist Zupf (See: DogsBite.org Announces Our Annual Awards for the Year 2008) created this video slideshow. We posted Zupf's material 02/13/10.

1Additional Rachael Ray pit bull propaganda: Max, The Shelter Dog Meets Rachael Ray.
2Rachael's Rayging pit bull ordeal, Rachael Ray worries over her Pitbull's attack, Rachael Ray Nightmare: Pit Bull May Have To Be Put To Sleep, Rachael Ray’s Aggressive Pit Bull May Have To Be Put Down?, Rant: Rachael Ray's Pitbull Attacks!, Rachael Ray’s Pit Bull Goes on Rampage, Not enough love and understanding for Isaboo?, John Del Signore at the Gothamist asks the $64,000 question
3Most humane groups also do not support breed-specific pit bull laws, including mandatory spay and neuter pit bull laws. This is despite the fact that nearly 1 million unwanted pit bulls were euthanized in 2009.

Zupf: Cuba Child Left Unrecognizable After Pit Bull Attack

noreply@blogger.com (bitbypit) — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 17:49:00 +0000

"Touch and Go"
Cuba, MO - In a developing story, a mother tells KVOM.com about a pit bull attack that left her 7-year old daughter Lexi with permanently disfiguring injuries. Debbie Middleton states: "(The pit bull) totally broke her eye bone; it was totally broken. (The dog) crushed her check bone into a thousand pieces the way the doctor was talking." Middleton said her daughter's condition, who is currently in the intensive care unit at St. Louis Children's Hospital, was "touch and go."

Lexi had been playing with a friend when the neighbor's pit bull attacked -- information is still unfolding about the details of the attack.1 Middleton said, "She come over and said my dog just attacked your daughter. So I went over there, I see her face, it was horrible," Middleton said. "The guy said he couldn't get the dog off of her." The dog left puncture wounds in the child's neck and broke out her teeth. Middleton said that she could no longer recognize her daughter.

The Middleton family has no health insurance, and the pit bull owner likely had no coverage on the dog. Please click a thumbnail to see a larger image of Lexi in the hospital.

A fund has been set up to help the family with Lexi’s medical expenses. Persons who wish to donate can visit the Southern Commercial Bank at 7201 South Broadway or call: 314-481-6800.

1A subsequent report said that Lexi had been participating in a snow ball fight and that she interacted with the pit bull that was chained outside the home (she was not attacked inside the pit bull owner's home). As in many areas in the U.S., the dog was "home quarantined" following the attack. Authorities ordered the owner to chain the dog outside for the 10-day quarantine period. An unknown entity then shot the pit bull killing it. Additionally, and horrifically, Lexi's family owns pit bulls. So if she ever gets out of the hospital, she'll have an especially interesting homecoming.

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

noreply@blogger.com (bitbypit) — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 01:30:00 +0000

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.