Baby Mauled To Death By the Family Pit

[LUV2EDU]

I like animals. I believe that it is wrong to mistreat them, and that their should be punishment for abusing them.

 

I wouldn't own a dangerous dog anyway. However, if a dog were to attack my child, I would be the first to shoot it dead.

************************************

Quote:

 

Mother's cry: 'The dog got the baby by the head!'

 

Neighbors of an Eastpointe couple say the pair should be planning the first birthday of the son they didn’t think they could have.

 

Instead, they will be planning the 11-month-old’s funeral.

 

The boy, whom police declined to identify, was mauled by the family pit bull inside his home on Nevada about 2:45 p.m. Wednesday, police said. The boy was taken to St. John Hospital and Medical Center in Detroit, where he was pronounced dead on arrival, Eastpointe police Lt. Darrell Corsi said. Police also declined to name the parents.

Full Story http://www.freep.com/article/20090422/NEWS04/90422089/Mother+s+cry+++The+dog+got+the+baby+by+the+head++

[Remudamom]

That is heartbreaking. Those poor people.

[Ibbygirl]

Oh that is so sad. I have heard both sides of the whole pit bull issue, but for me, I just don't trust those dogs. I'm sure they are sweet and great dogs as so many people say, but a dog with that much power in it's jaws is not one I want my kids to be around. Especially with their reputation for turning. How tragic for this family. :( :(

[LUV2EDU]

Oh that is so sad. I have heard both sides of the whole pit bull issue, but for me, I just don't trust those dogs. I'm sure they are sweet and great dogs as so many people say, but a dog with that much power in it's jaws is not one I want my kids to be around. Especially with their reputation for turning. How tragic for this family. :( :(

 

 

The family probably tried to convince their family and friends that their dog would never turn on them, also.

 

This is really sad.:angelsad2:

[Soph the vet]

This is so tragic. I see so many of these types of families come through our clinic. They have small children and a very dangerous dog. People forget that they are animals. There are too many good dogs out there to allow these types of dogs to continue to breed, IMO. I get really mad when I read stories like this.

[mom4him]

I like animals. I believe that it is wrong to mistreat them, and that their should be punishment for abusing them.

 

I wouldn't own a dangerous dog anyway. However, if a dog were to attack my child, I would be the first to shoot it dead.

:iagree:We had a dog a few years ago that I felt was potentially dangerous. He was agressive as a pup in a wild out of control way. Even after working with him daily and with a trainer he was never what I considered 'safe'. He was very 'protective' of myself and my two kids but to an extreem like if I was playing with one of the kids he would threaten to attack ME! He was crabby and agressive with my oldest son who is in a wheel chair. If my ds would need the dog to move and would insist on it the dog would move but with growling and snapping. It seemed like he got WORSE as he got older.

I finally convinced my dh that we needed to have him put down before something bad happened.(If the dog would have attacked my ds while we were gone, he really would have been defenseless.) I got a good amount of critisizm for doing this but don't regret it for a moment. The vet that we took him to wanted to know if he could try to find a home for him and we refused. He was a very wierd dog.

I also love animals. We have 3 dogs that I adore but would not hesitate if I felt that one of them had become dangerous(other than licking you to death).

[Jeannie in NJ]

when my dc was quite little, their was a man staying at the end of our street that used to walk his pit bull every day on the access road which is almost part of our back yard (everyone walks their dogs there). He always ikept the dog on a leash and walked the dog at the same time every day so I just kept my dc in the house during the time that he would walk his dog. Luckily he moved after a couple of months. Those dogs really scare me (I won't go outside the rare times that I do see one).

[Pamela H in Texas]

There have been studies done and pits are NO more likely to be aggressive than any other dog. However, there are some considerations. First, a pit can do a lot more damage than a chihuahua (I'm really surprised THOSE didn't get pinged as most aggressive). Also, there are a lot more issues with the type of people who choose pits vs other dogs. And then there is the issue with very young children and supervision around animals. I don't think ANYONE takes that seriously enough. But they are animals and one startle, a pinch, whatever could set them off even if it hasn't in the past.

 

I really hate the bad rap of pits. They are beautiful and sweet dogs when bred responsibly and owned by responsible dog owners. It saddens me people have ruined such a beautiful breed.

[MamaT]

This is just SO sad. Personally, I wouldn't have any type of big dogs around babies. We have had dogs and love them, but not when we had babies.

[ChristusG]

That is so sad. Gosh, I couldn't even imagine.

 

My parents next door neighbors have two pit bulls. The male is MUCH meaner than the female. He has bitten the daughter on the leg (the daughter was about 12 at the time). Ummm, yeah....the dog would have been long gone after that if it were my dog. But no, they kept it. It has gotten out of the yard and since attacked my sisters cat, nearly killed it. It has also clamped down around the neck of another dog when they were out walking it on a leash. The dog is a walking time bomb...he's going to kill someone or something. But they just keep it.

 

When I go over there, I always make sure I look around before getting out of my car. The kids do not go in the backyard alone. I'm not even really comfortable with them going out there with an adult either. I hate those dogs.

[Julie in CA]

Those people should be prosecuted.

 

Yes, I know they've lost their son, and in the eyes of most people, "have suffered enough". But...

 

They should be prosecuted.

According to the article linked, even the neighbors knew that the dog was mean. Those people knowingly put their child in that position, as many others do. It's one of those things--if we can't get people to use good judgment on their own, we should legislate for the children's protection, and follow through with prosecution in a consistent way. If people won't give up their aggressive dogs because it's the smart thing to do, maybe they'll do it because our government steps in for the protection of children.

 

(call me hard-hearted this morning, but it's what I really think...)

[Margaret in GA]

A similar situation just happened about 30 miles from my house last week. I say ban them. They are mean creatures who have been bred to an unnatural state of aggressiveness by humans and we humans need to accept the consequences of this and get rid of them.

 

I am an animal lover, I really am.

 

Margaret

[Danestress]

but they can't do the damage a Pitt Bull does.

 

I'm no expert, but I just did a quick google search and found that while Pitt Bulls are only 2 -4% of the dog population in the US, the accounted for 65% of dog bit fatalities in 2008. ALL of the fatalities that occurred off the owner's property were due to Pill Bulls.

 

I was surprised, though, that there were only 23 dog bite deaths in the year - I would have thought it was higher than that! So I am sure with that small off a pool, it must vary a good deal, year to year. I also would be interested in all the dog bite serious injuries - maybe all those requiring hospital visits.

 

I will say that in my own circle, small dogs bit A LOT and I wouldn't let a small child play with a smaller breed like a terrier.

 

Nonetheless, it seems just very dangerous to insist that your big, aggressive dog is just *such a sweetie* as so many people do.

[clarkacademy]

I like animals. I believe that it is wrong to mistreat them, and that their should be punishment for abusing them.

 

I wouldn't own a dangerous dog anyway. However, if a dog were to attack my child, I would be the first to shoot it dead.

 

I totally agree I could easily shoot an animal that hurt my child. But I hate to say that alot of dogs get a bad rep and any dog can be dangerous and even a small dog can cause massive damage to a small child. I grew up with rots and while I never had an issue I am very leary of any animal around the kids cause you just never know. I would never trust a dog cause it is considered safe by society.

[dragons in the flower bed]

There have been studies done and pits are NO more likely to be aggressive than any other dog.

 

Would you mind pointing me to a study? I found this one which seems like it may be contrary to what you're saying here.

[lionfamily1999]

A similar situation just happened about 30 miles from my house last week. I say ban them. They are mean creatures who have been bred to an unnatural state of aggressiveness by humans and we humans need to accept the consequences of this and get rid of them.

 

I am an animal lover, I really am.

 

Margaret

What do you do with the dogs that are already here, or any puppies they might have?

 

I don't think a ban is a good idea, if only because they would have to destroy so many dogs and then continue to do so.

Those people should be prosecuted.

 

Yes, I know they've lost their son, and in the eyes of most people, "have suffered enough". But...

 

They should be prosecuted.

According to the article linked, even the neighbors knew that the dog was mean. Those people knowingly put their child in that position, as many others do. It's one of those things--if we can't get people to use good judgment on their own, we should legislate for the children's protection, and follow through with prosecution in a consistent way. If people won't give up their aggressive dogs because it's the smart thing to do, maybe they'll do it because our government steps in for the protection of children.

 

(call me hard-hearted this morning, but it's what I really think...)

Punish them for child endangerment, or abuse, or manslaughter with a deadly weapon or something, but no new laws, please. We don't need to continually create new regulations and new laws, we just need to start enforcing the ones we have. The local prosecutor has plenty of charges they could bring against the baby's parents, without making new stuff up.

[OHGrandma]

:iagree:We had a dog a few years ago that I felt was potentially dangerous. He was agressive as a pup in a wild out of control way. Even after working with him daily and with a trainer he was never what I considered 'safe'. He was very 'protective' of myself and my two kids but to an extreem like if I was playing with one of the kids he would threaten to attack ME! He was crabby and agressive with my oldest son who is in a wheel chair. If my ds would need the dog to move and would insist on it the dog would move but with growling and snapping. It seemed like he got WORSE as he got older.

I finally convinced my dh that we needed to have him put down before something bad happened.(If the dog would have attacked my ds while we were gone, he really would have been defenseless.) I got a good amount of critisizm for doing this but don't regret it for a moment. The vet that we took him to wanted to know if he could try to find a home for him and we refused. He was a very wierd dog.

I also love animals. We have 3 dogs that I adore but would not hesitate if I felt that one of them had become dangerous(other than licking you to death).

 

Thank you for being a very responsible pet owner.

[LadyR]

Just yesterday we had a pit bull show up on my backyard deck. My own dog happened to be stuck under the deck or else she would have gone after it - probably a good thing she was stuck. I was very surprised that the pit bull left my dog alone - it even went under the deck. I called the animal control officer but it was gone by the time she arrived. I'm afraid to let my kids play in the yard. I am praying for the finances to buy a fence.

[Carrie12345]

There have been studies done and pits are NO more likely to be aggressive than any other dog. However, there are some considerations. First, a pit can do a lot more damage than a chihuahua (I'm really surprised THOSE didn't get pinged as most aggressive). Also, there are a lot more issues with the type of people who choose pits vs other dogs. And then there is the issue with very young children and supervision around animals. I don't think ANYONE takes that seriously enough. But they are animals and one startle, a pinch, whatever could set them off even if it hasn't in the past.

 

I really hate the bad rap of pits. They are beautiful and sweet dogs when bred responsibly and owned by responsible dog owners. It saddens me people have ruined such a beautiful breed.

 

:iagree:

We adopted our two large dogs (GSD/Rottie/maybe-Husky mutt and Rottie/Lab mutt) when our kids were almost 7, 3 and 2, and we had another baby after that.

But we have big rules. The kids (even at nearly 11, 7, 6 and 2) aren't left unsupervised with either dog, and the dogs are never loose around the kids at the same time.

When one dog is with the kids, the other is either outside (or inside, if we're out) or crated. When the dogs are outside together, the kids are inside, or the other way around.

 

My dogs are wusses. Charlie has peed on people who walk into our yard because he gets excited. Radar is a 90+lb lap dog. But they're animals. Animals with big teeth and nails. We love them dearly, but they're still animals that are capable of anything.

 

Would I own a pit? Probably not.

I also don't think I'd ever own a horse. My aunt's horse attacked her and put her in the hospital. He ripped her head open and bruised most of her ribs. But I don't blame the horse's breed, and I don't blame horses in general. I'm just no longer very comfortable around them, myself.

 

People tend to forget that pets are real animals. I firmly believe that most pet related tragedies could be avoided if people would just remember this.

 

Even if it means searching for non-plastic child-proof locks so your toddler can't crawl into the crates with the dogs and have a party. :scared:

[Danestress]

The local prosecutor has plenty of charges they could bring against the baby's parents, without making new stuff up.

 

Can you share some of the choices the prosecutor would have in this case?

[Pamela H in Texas]

Julie,

 

I DO agree that if they knew the dog was aggressive that they should be held accountable. You can't do much about a dog that turns on a dime, but one that has shown aggressiveness and is able to do MAJOR harm (including kill)? There is no excuse for having THAT around your infant!

 

Allowing a child to be in a situation like this is neglect. It could be negligent homicide, I would guess.

 

In general, I love animals and I generally love pit bulls. But to knowingly keep your infant around an aggressive dog that could severely hurt or kill your child is WRONG. Having a baby around a snippy terrier is one thing, having it around a known aggressive pit bull is another.

Edited April 23, 2009 by 2J5M9K

[Peggy in Va]

There have been studies done and pits are NO more likely to be aggressive than any other dog. However, there are some considerations. First, a pit can do a lot more damage than a chihuahua (I'm really surprised THOSE didn't get pinged as most aggressive). Also, there are a lot more issues with the type of people who choose pits vs other dogs. And then there is the issue with very young children and supervision around animals. I don't think ANYONE takes that seriously enough. But they are animals and one startle, a pinch, whatever could set them off even if it hasn't in the past.

 

I really hate the bad rap of pits. They are beautiful and sweet dogs when bred responsibly and owned by responsible dog owners. It saddens me people have ruined such a beautiful breed.

 

:iagree:Thank you for pointing this out.

 

First of all I'd like to point out that "Pit Bull" is not an actual breed, but a term that includes the American Pit Bull Terrier, American Staffordshire Terrier, and mixes that resemble these breeds. That would include lab/pit, boxer/pit, or any others.

 

I have owned dogs all my life - mutts, Golden Retrievers, Labs, and German Shepard Dogs. Any of these dogs could have turned on a person or another animal at any time under the right (or in this case wrong) circumstances. Just because a dog is of a particular breed does not make it vicious or more inclined to attack or be vicious. However, poor breeding, training, and treatment of the animal can. I say can, because not all dogs that have been mistreated are vicious. Not to mention, a dog might not have been mistreated, but instead not properly socialized during the time it was 8-12 weeks old, which a very formative period in a puppies life.

 

My oldest dss owns two American Staffordshire Terriers (aka Pit Bulls). They are very sweet dogs. One he has had since it was a puppy the other he took in when it was an adult as a rescue. They are gentle and affectionate animals. One, in fact, helped raise a little of kittens after the mother had been hit by a car and killed. He helped take care of the physical needs of the newborn kittens that they were not able to do on their own.

 

As Pamela stated in her post, "There have been studies done and pits are NO more likely to be aggressive than any other dog." In fact, 83.3% of American Staffordshire Terriers and 83.5% of American Pit Bull Terriers passed the American Temperament Test, surpassing the Dalmatian at 81.6%, the Cocker Spaniel at 81.7%, and the popular Border Collie at 79.6%."

 

That said, would I have left my other dss when they were younger alone with these dogs? No. Not because I consider them vicious, but because the dogs weren't use to dss and dss weren't use to the dogs. Small children should not be left alone with any dog. Dogs are dogs and small children are small children. Small children are just as capable of hurting a dog as a dog is capable of hurting a child. Granted the injury from the dog can be worse. But IMO no responsible parent or dog owner would leave a small child alone with any dog. I didn't leave my dss alone with my Golden Retriever - not so much for fear that he would bite them, more for fear that they could hurt him.

 

If you look at any on-line breed specific (Golden Retriever, Lab, Sheltie, etc.) rescue site, you will find dogs that the organization explicitly states should not be placed in a home with children and/or other animals because the dog could/would cause harm. Does this mean that all Goldens, Labs, etc. are bad breeds to own if you have kids. Absolutely not. It just means that these particular dogs are not suitable (unsound, bad temperament if you want to call it that) for owners in those situations to own. The exact same thing can be said for Pit Bulls.

 

Pit Bulls have many excellent traits and are commonly used as therapy dogs, for Search and Rescue work, and serve as narcotic and bomb sniffing dogs. The American Pit Bull Terrier as a breed is not human aggressive and used to be referred to as the "nanny's dog". However, like any dog individuals can be unsound and have behavior problems. Because of their popularity, they were our mascot in WWI and WWII, and were featured on recruiting posters during this time period. And last but not least, there is Sgt. Stubby, a Pit Bull war hero who was wounded in action twice, saved his entire platoon by warning them of a poison gas attack, and single handedly captured a German spy.

 

Am I a lover of "Pit Bulls"? No, not really. I probably wouldn't own one. Not because I think they're vicious, but because I think other breeds are prettier and I tend to prefer dogs with longer hair. I just think it's sad that because of a few, this breed as a whole has received such a bad reputation. Especially when there are other breeds, such as the Old English Sheepdog, Llasa Apsa, Jack Russell Terrier, Chow, and Chihuahua that have the capacity to be aggressive but aren't maligned in the same way.

 

It is beyond tragic what happened to this child and its family. But I do not believe this incidence is a result of a specific breed. More than likely, there had been incidences where this dog had exhibited behavior, that if the parents had taken it seriously or had known to take it seriously, this tragedy would have been prevented.

 

JMO

[AuntieM]

This is so tragic. I see so many of these types of families come through our clinic. They have small children and a very dangerous dog. People forget that they are animals. There are too many good dogs out there to allow these types of dogs to continue to breed, IMO. I get really mad when I read stories like this.

 

Soph, I am so glad to hear this from you, a professional in the field. We had our own saga of neighbors moving in with insufficiently restrained pits, resulting in our near $5000 investment in fencing. I did not get a good night's sleep until that fence was complete, though sadly it changed all the outdoor neighborhood play for the kids on our street. Our back yard used to be the go-to baseball-football field, but those "pets" ruined that. The family also had 3 kids, 2, 4 and 10. The adults spent a lot of time trying to convince the neighbors how friendly and harmless these dogs were, but I could see how the dogs stiffened up, growled and tugged at their restraints any time any of us went out into our own back yard. We moved about 2 years ago, but every time I see one of these headlines, I feel sure that when I click on the story link it's going to be about a tragedy in *that* family.

 

Again, it is nice to see an authoritative source express an opinion like yours.

[Jenny in Florida]

There have been studies done and pits are NO more likely to be aggressive than any other dog.

 

I agree with you in general about not blaming the breed. And I do know that some folks have really great luck with bullies. I read recently that one of the dogs confiscated from Michael Vick's kennel is now working as a therapy dog (although, come to think of it, I don't know if that one was a bully).

 

However, there was a study done by the Centers for Disease Control that found over half of the deaths due to dog attacks over a 12-year period involved "pit-bull-type" dogs and Rottweiliers: http://www.cdc.gov/ncipc/duip/dogbreeds.pdf

[FlockOfSillies]

:iagree:

[BikeBookBread]

About six months ago, we had a couple of loose pit sightings; it was just wandering around our neighborhood. The first time, our neighbor just blew it off and said, "Don't worry about ___ (I can't remember the dog's name but it was something ironic like "Fluffy"). He's a big woosie".

 

The second time, we were playing outside on our front porch. She ran up towards our home, and I scooted the kids inside quickly (no master was anywhere to be seen). Right as we got inside, the dog came up to the floor-ceiling window on the side of our front door and just stared inside for what seemed like half an hour, but it was probably a few minutes. Just silently stared. It was unsettling. I called animal control, as we have a leash law in our neighborhood CC&Rs. They must have come by and spoken to the master, because I haven't seen the since. (Or he could have moved away as it belonged to an Air Force Airman who shares a rental home with other guys down the street.)

 

Is that normal behavior for any kind of dog, or warning behavior?

[lionfamily1999]

Can you share some of the choices the prosecutor would have in this case?

Like the next poster said, negligent homicide comes to mind. Also, child endangerment and possesing a deadly weapon (or laws that cover that). I do know that dangerous dogs, like the one in the article, can be considered 'weapons', especially after they attack.

 

Of course, I don't study law, but I'm sure someone who does could come up with a nice long list. Think along the lines of child welfare and animal welfare laws, crossed with weapon laws.

[lionfamily1999]

About six months ago, we had a couple of loose pit sightings; it was just wandering around our neighborhood. The first time, our neighbor just blew it off and said, "Don't worry about ___ (I can't remember the dog's name but it was something ironic like "Fluffy"). He's a big woosie".

 

The second time, we were playing outside on our front porch. She ran up towards our home, and I scooted the kids inside quickly (no master was anywhere to be seen). Right as we got inside, the dog came up to the floor-ceiling window on the side of our front door and just stared inside for what seemed like half an hour, but it was probably a few minutes. Just silently stared. It was unsettling. I called animal control, as we have a leash law in our neighborhood CC&Rs. They must have come by and spoken to the master, because I haven't seen the since. (Or he could have moved away as it belonged to an Air Force Airman who shares a rental home with other guys down the street.)

 

Is that normal behavior for any kind of dog, or warning behavior?

We had a pit bull issue with a neighbor (oh no, he's just a sweetie!). That dog did much the same thing yours did. He would run up, without making a sound. Now, that dog also bared his teeth and crouched (like readying for a jump). His intentions were pretty clear to me. The most unsettling thing was the silence, for sure. As though the dog were stalking or seeing us as prey, instead of seeing us as a threat, iykwIm. He was stealthy, rather than loudly agressive.

[Bee]

When my youngest dd was a baby we had 3 dogs including a staffordshire terrier (a pit bull) the others were mixed breeds.Our children know (because we've told them over and over) that you do not touch sleeping dogs or go near their food or disturb dogs in any way. Any dog. When the children were young we always knew where the dogs were and where the children were. They were never left alone with each other. Dogs are dogs.They are not substitute children. I think far too many people simply have no control over their dogs. Dogs need to know that the humans are the dominent members of the household. Dog ownership is a big responsibility and I don't think most people realize that.

[Jugglin'5]

Well my aunt had a horse nearly die, really he should have died, (it was amazing that he survived), after a pit bull that had been a friendly, happy ranch dog for years. He was a beautiful dog. But one day, for no apparent reason, he attacked the horse and got him by the throat. They could not get the dog off until they killed it. It was horrible. I have been very nervous around pits since then, because I had never seen this one be aggressive before. We have a couple of strays that have started wandering into the yard, and this being the country (animal control can't get here in time), we will probably have to take matters into out own hands. I won't have any regrets.

[joannqn]

I also would never own a bit bull or staffordshire terrier. My cousin was attacked by the family pit bull when she was 12/13 or so. It was the family pet. The sweetest dog ever. Would never harm anyone. Then one day, instead of greeting her happily when she arrived home from school, it attacked her. She ended up needing 30 stitches across her face, above and below one of her eyes.

 

We had a boxer-smooth coat collie mix for a while. She was an alpha/dominate dog. We saw it early on and tried to give her back to the shelter we got her from. Rather than taking her back, they strongly wanted us to work with her even though we had young children. I was always leary of her and refused to take her out on a leash. It came to a head when I got pregnant. Something about my pregnancy hormones set her off and she became extremely protective of me; no one could get within 30 feet of me. She nipped my neighbor on the hand, breaking the skin. Our vet refused to put her down so we had to drop her off at the human society for quarantine and euthanasia.

 

I compare that to our other dog. He's a smooth coat collie mix, 55lbs, and so submissive it's pitiful. He'll take anything from anyone. He even bellies up to our toddler. No worries with him as he knows his place.

[Catherine]

5 years ago when my youngest was a toddler, I arrived home from an early morning errand, got him out of his car seat and let him toddle around our yard for a few minutes while I carried in something from the car. I took him up onto the porch and went down, picked up a rake and tossed it under our porch. It was met with a snarl-a starving stray female pit bull was lying under there on a pile of old insulation.

 

She easily could have attacked and killed my little one. Strays are not terribly uncommon here in the burbs of a large city. Many of our city's young men own aggressive pit bulls-it's some kind of macho symbol. The vet told us *****es are often abandoned if they produce puppies that are not "aggressive enough". I found this really upsetting. She ended up euthanized, so sad. I was told by a neighbor, who owned an aging, sweet-tempered pit bull, that rescue organizations for them are almost nonexistent, because well-informed owners wouldn't consider adopting a dog whose provenance and genetics were unknown. Apparently they are too unpredictable.

[Janet in WA]

There have been studies done and pits are NO more likely to be aggressive than any other dog.

And there are other studies that show otherwise. Depends on who does the studies and what their agenda might be.

[msjones]

I never hear about any other breed of dog killing or randomly mauling humans. How about the rest of you?

[Julie in CA]

I never hear about any other breed of dog killing or randomly mauling humans. How about the rest of you?

Nope! I've never heard of any horrible deaths via Jack Russell Terrier or Chihuahua.:confused:

[Danestress]

I never hear about any other breed of dog killing or randomly mauling humans. How about the rest of you?

 

A simple google search will show you that other breeds are certainly capable of killing humans or maiming them.

[Janet in WA]

I haven't had any personal experiences with pit bulls attacking and/or killing humans. But I have had plenty of experiences with them attacking and/or killing other animals (including our own pets). It's what the breed has been developed to do, so no big surprise. The only other breed that has come close to being such a problem, in my experience, has been Rottweilers. I'm sure there's a line between attacking humans and attacking other animals in the dog's instincts, but it would seem that circumstances can inexplicably and tragically erase that line. There are just too many other breed choices out there for me to even consider taking on the responsibility of introducing a pit bull into my family and neighborhood.

Edited April 23, 2009 by Janet in WA

[Perry]

.

[dragons in the flower bed]

It came to a head when I got pregnant. Something about my pregnancy hormones set her off and she became extremely protective of me; no one could get within 30 feet of me. She nipped my neighbor on the hand, breaking the skin.

 

My family has had a few incidences of biting, mostly because of dogs becoming overly protective of an individual.

 

The first incident in our family history is of a Great Dane that came loping down the Manhattan block where my grandmother lived (at age seven -- in 1935) and bit my playing, flailing, little-girl-bouncing grandmother on the arm.

 

The second was when my mother's poodle bit me (I was 2.5) when Mom was pregnant with my brother. I had tried to jump on Mom's lap and the dog took it as an attack and defended Mom. She had been a family dog for years, and shown no signs of aggression previously. Everyone was shocked. Maybe she was just getting old and confused.

 

The third time, a labrador retriever bit my brother in defense of me. I was seven and he was five, and we were squabbling about whether or not he should come into my bedroom. The dog was next to me as I blocked the door, and when my brother tried to force his way in past me, she bit him!

 

Oh, and then there's my uncle and his Yorkies. They've always bitten us, but their teeth are made for killing rats, so we got to the point where we just ignored it. They're ankle biters. We wear boots when we visit the house where he lives.

 

None of these involve pit bull breeds. I've lived with two different Rottweilers and both of them really were the most submissive dogs I have ever known.

 

I did have one incident with a pit bull breed. The animal next door got a hold of my Australian Shepherd's neck and would not let go. (That's what this breed instinctively does -- attacks other animals, and doesn't let go.) I threw a garbage can at it; my partner punched it; it's owner was trying to pull it bodily away from my dog. It was one of the most terrifying incidents I've lived through. Both my partner and my dog came away torn and bleeding (but alive) and the dog's owner literally limped away. They got rid of that dog, and replaced it with another pit bull.

 

There are some more stats here.

[Pamela H in Texas]

Almost everyone knows several poorly behaved animals, few of which are pits. I totally get, as I put in my first post, that pits, and other large dogs, can do far more damage than a chihuahua or terrier...I think the fear and reaction is overdone though. No one is talking about banning cars because of a risk of PEOPLE acting like idiots with those and many more people are idiotic with them with much more consequence.

 

One day, all animals will get along with all other animals and people. I can't wait until God's original purpose is fulfilled. Then we can quit talking about killing off animals because of what people have done to them.

[Jenny in Florida]

I never hear about any other breed of dog killing or randomly mauling humans. How about the rest of you?

 

Well, the study I linked to earlier shows that pit bulls and Rotweillers together accounted for a little over half of the dog-related deaths during the 12-year period studied. The remainder were by other breeds.

[Peggy in Va]

I never hear about any other breed of dog killing or randomly mauling humans. How about the rest of you?

 

 

The following is from the CDC

 

 

However, breeds responsible for human DBRF (dog bit related fatalities) have varied over time. Pinckney and Kennedy13 studied human DBRF from May 1975 through April 1980 and listed the following breeds as responsible for the indicated number of deaths:

German Shepherd Dog (n = 16); Husky-type dog (9); Saint Bernard (8); Bull Terrier (6); Great Dane (6); Malamute (5); Golden Retriever (3); Boxer (2); Dachshund (2); Doberman Pinscher (2); Collie (2); Rottweiler (1); Basenji (1); Chow Chow (1); Labrador Retriever (1); Yorkshire Terrier (1); and mixed and unknown breed (15). As ascertained from our data, between 1979 and 1980, Great Danes caused the most reported human DBRF; between 1997 and 1998, Rottweilers and pit bull-type dogs were responsible for about 60% of human DBRF. Indeed, since 1975, dogs belonging to more than 30 breeds have been responsible for fatal attacks on people, including Dachshunds, a Yorkshire Terrier, and a Labrador Retriever.

 

 

[Jugglin'5]

Almost everyone knows several poorly behaved animals, few of which are pits. I totally get, as I put in my first post, that pits, and other large dogs, can do far more damage than a chihuahua or terrier...I think the fear and reaction is overdone though. No one is talking about banning cars because of a risk of PEOPLE acting like idiots with those and many more people are idiotic with them with much more consequence.

 

One day, all animals will get along with all other animals and people. I can't wait until God's original purpose is fulfilled. Then we can quit talking about killing off animals because of what people have done to them.

 

I'm not for banning. I'm for enforcing manslaughter laws. Unfortunately, a man in a neighboring town got his just deserts as far as I'm concerned. He was killed by his own pit bull, after the pit bull had mauled a child earlier that year.

[LUV2EDU]

Here is a picture of the baby and an article for from the baby's uncle.

 

Quote:

Uncle of mauled Eastpointe boy warns parents about pit bulls

 

 

Lovejoy said his brother and sister-in-law, who are in their 40s according to police, have been married about 17 years, and had tried for years to have a child. He said “God blessed” them with a son. They were preparing for his first birthday party on May 3.

 

The boy’s parents — who neighbors said they knew only by the first names Earl and Felicia — were in the room when the attack occurred, Lovejoy said.

 

Lovejoy said the dog “didn’t growl, didn’t bark,” just walked over and grabbed the child, who was standing on a bed. The boy’s father used a handgun to shoot and kill the dog. The gun the father used — a.45-caliber — was registered and he had a permit to carry a concealed weapon, police said. He fired eight shots at the dog.

http://www.freep.com/article/20090423/NEWS04/90423045

[Ibbygirl]

Here is a picture of the baby and an article for from the baby's uncle.

 

Quote:

Uncle of mauled Eastpointe boy warns parents about pit bulls

 

 

Lovejoy said his brother and sister-in-law, who are in their 40s according to police, have been married about 17 years, and had tried for years to have a child. He said “God blessed†them with a son. They were preparing for his first birthday party on May 3.

 

The boy’s parents — who neighbors said they knew only by the first names Earl and Felicia — were in the room when the attack occurred, Lovejoy said.

 

Lovejoy said the dog “didn’t growl, didn’t bark,†just walked over and grabbed the child, who was standing on a bed. The boy’s father used a handgun to shoot and kill the dog. The gun the father used — a.45-caliber — was registered and he had a permit to carry a concealed weapon, police said. He fired eight shots at the dog.

http://www.freep.com/article/20090423/NEWS04/90423045

 

Heartbreaking!!! So sad! :(

[lionfamily1999]

I never hear about any other breed of dog killing or randomly mauling humans. How about the rest of you?

Mutts. Packs of mutts. Also, hunting dogs, like beagles. Of course, they are dogs that have gone back to the wild, but stray dogs in packs, regardless of their breed, tend to be super dangerous.

[Danestress]

to get a criminal conviction in a dog bite case, unless the local jurisdiction has a statute that addresses keeping dangerous dogs. California has such laws, but I wasn't sure about Nevada. It's been done ... it's just hard.

 

Of course, it ought to be hard. Perhaps civil damages are more appropriate in most cases.

 

Here is a pretty good site surveying some of the criminal cases: http://www.dogbitelaw.com/PAGES/crim.html

[lionfamily1999]

to get a criminal conviction in a dog bite case, unless the local jurisdiction has a statute that addresses keeping dangerous dogs. California has such laws, but I wasn't sure about Nevada. It's been done ... it's just hard.

 

Of course, it ought to be hard. Perhaps civil damages are more appropriate in most cases.

 

Here is a pretty good site surveying some of the criminal cases: http://www.dogbitelaw.com/PAGES/crim.html

In this case, though, who would the parents pay civil damages to? It seems like child endangerment, at the very least, or accidental homicide would be easy to charge them with. However, whether or not a jury of their peers would decide to put them away, or convict them any wrong doing, is hard to say.

[Danestress]

In this case, though, who would the parents pay civil damages to? It seems like child endangerment, at the very least, or accidental homicide would be easy to charge them with. However, whether or not a jury of their peers would decide to put them away, or convict them any wrong doing, is hard to say.

 

There would be more you could charge a parent with than you could the next door neighbors. If the neighbor's Pit Bull comes in my yard and hurts my child, it actually would be very difficult to get criminal charges. But keeping a dangerous dog around children intentionally is another matter. Surely that might be child endangerment *if* they knew the dog was dangerous. Even so, they are saying (of course) that there were no signs that the dog was vicious. One of the neighbors says he was mean, though.

 

It's just so beyond sad. I can't imagine the horror those parents are experiencing right now:(

[Nakia]

How incredibly sad! I hate this happened, but I have to wonder if it is really a good idea to charge the parents. Aren't they suffering enough? Sure, they probably made a poor decision, but for the rest of their lives, they are going to have to live with that. That seems like punishment enough for me.