Candlelight Vigil Event for Victims of Dangerous Dogs Draws Attendees from Across the Country

The vigil event commences on the California State Capitol building steps at 6:30 pm, Saturday, October 26.

Sacramento, CA October 22, 2013 -- The family of a 3-year old girl mauled by a pit bull last year is hosting a vigil event to remember and honor the victims of dangerous dogs and to raise awareness about the growing frequency of serious and fatal dog attacks. On Saturday, October 26, Kaylie's Candlelight Vigil for Victims of Dangerous Dogs takes place in Sacramento on the West Steps of the State Capitol building. Kaylie's vigil begins at 6:30 pm. Attendance is free.

On July 7, 2012, Kaylie Foster required over 100 stitches across her face after being attacked by a pit bull at her father's home in Stockton. Now 5-years old, doctors say that Kaylie will have to wait until she is a teenager to undergo plastic surgery. Like many other families, Kaylie's family, who is sponsoring the vigil event, was unaware of how widespread these attacks are until it happened to a loved one. Kaylie's family hopes that the vigil will help prevent a future damaging dog mauling.

Since the attack, Kaylie's family has connected with many victims of serious dog maulings and DogsBite.org, a Texas-based nonprofit organization dedicated to reducing serious dog attacks. Victims as far away as Maryland are attending the Sacramento vigil event. California victims, including the family of Hunter Kilbourn (Antioch) who was mauled by two pit bulls in August and the family of Claudia Gallardo (Stockton) who was killed by a pit bull in April, are attending as well.

Event Details

Day: Saturday, October 26, 2013
Location: West Steps of the California State Capitol building
Time: 6:30 - 9:00pm (sundown approximately 6:15 pm)
Speakers: 6:30 to 7:15 pm - Invited speakers will begin the vigil event
Candle lighting: 7:30 pm - Candle lighting and the reading of victims' names
Closing Prayer: 8:45 pm
Parking: Street parking is free after 6 pm.

LED candles are provided for attendees! Actual (fire) candles are prohibited! 

The Bakers have been gathering the names of dangerous dog victims to be read during the vigil for many months. Victims include people and beloved pets. In July, a successful Indiegogo.com fundraising campaign for the early bulk purchase of LED candles, tee-shirts and banners was completed. More recently, Kaylie's Candlelight Vigil for Victims of Dangerous Dogs completed a successful GoFundMe.com campaign to ensure a PA rental system for the candlelight vigil event.

The Bakers, attending families and event sponsors hope that the candlelight vigil inspires a strong community turn out. Sponsors include: Baker's Hay man, DogsBite.org, Protect Children from Pit Bulls and Other Dangerous Dogs and Justice for Kaylie. For those who cannot attend, the Bakers hope that local media members will attend to ensure that the public will be able to capture a glimpse of this important event that remembers and honors the victims of dangerous dogs.

Download the Event Flyer

About DogsBite.org
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. Our website, www.dogsbite.org, was launched in October 2007 and contains a wide collection of data to help policymakers and citizens learn about dangerous dog breeds. Our research focuses on pit bull type dogs. Due to selective breeding practices that emphasize aggression and tenacity, this class of dogs negatively impacts communities the most. Our website hosts important dog bite studies, U.S. dog bite fatalities and other key bibliographies. In the Legislating Dogs portion of our site, we offer examples of breed-specific laws and documentation of the constitutionality of these laws. The Victim Realities section provides a glance into the unforgettable histories victims leave behind and much more. DogsBite.org operates out of Austin, Texas and can be contacted via: 512-650-8510 or . Research contributions and active website participation stems from individuals that span the United States of America and across the world.