In the 3-year period from 2006 to 2008, pit bull type dogs killed 52 Americans and accounted for 59% of all fatal attacks. Combined, pit bulls and rottweilers accounted for 73% of these deaths. | More »
2010 Fatality: New Rottweiler Kills Baby on Iowa Tribal Land
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.
Dangerous By Default: Extreme Breeds by Anthony Solesky
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."
1Solesky uses the term "default" in context with a product resetting itself back to its factory "default" settings. The term could also be construed as meaning the dog "defaulted" back to its genetic traits of unpredictable aggression, tenacity and gameness.
2010 Fatality: Pit Bull Kills 65-Year Old Woman in Lee County
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.
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.
Pit Bulls Make "Most Dangerous Pet" List at The Huffington Post
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.
Dogfighter Bill Stewart Kills Himself After Criminal Operation Discovered
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
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
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
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 Bull Measure Passes Elgin City Council in 4-3 Vote
"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.
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.
2010 Fatality: 5-Day Old Infant Killed by Family Pit Bull
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.
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.
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.
2010 Fatality: 11-Day Old Baby Killed by Family Husky Dog in Independence
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.
2010 Fatality: Terry Child, 5-years old, Killed by Neighbor's Pit Bull
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.
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.
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.
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DogsBite.org is a national dog bite victims' group dedicated to reducing serious dog attacks. Through our work, we hope to protect both people and pets from future attacks.
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