Wauseon Ohio is under seige by pit bull advocacy

There is a theme to this post.

It is difficult for peaceful people to understand the investment in breed specific advocacy. Animals consistently implicated in the death or disfigurement of humans, why is there such hysteria to remove proactive local law to regulate them?

Efforts to change local law by appealing to residents and voters are grinding to a halt. We are not likely to see any  more attempts to remove breed bans appear on the ballot.  This has been tried only twice and failed in a spectacular manner both times. Those at the upper level of  pit bull advocacy want to avoid another loss at all costs so they are turning up the flame under the city councils of small communities all across America.  The landslide votes in Miami-Dade Florida and in Aurora Colorado clearly show that the public gets it.  The public is aware of the outrageous numbers of pit bull attacks, aware of the fatalities, aware of the suffering, aware of the costs.  The voters have said "no" so the small but wildly vocal and very well funded special interest group attempts to bully reluctant communities to drop breed bans and bamboozle state legislatures into passing state law to prohibit the use of home rule rights to pass BSL.  Yes, pit bull advocacy tried to this in six states this year.  They won in two states and lost in four states.  We will talk about this again sometime but back to current events in Ohio.                                                                      




11/23/2014
Toledo Ohio

The Toledo Blade reports that the Wauseon City Council passed the first reading of a measure that would remove the city's pit bull ban.  Councilman Martin Estrada, a non dog owner,  was approached by "a number of individuals and groups" asking to bring local law more "in line" with state law which was changed by the passage of HB 14 in 2012.

No mention was made of the nine people mauled to death by dogs in Ohio in the first two years since the passage of HB 14.  Historical note, in the ten years prior to the passage of HB 14 Ohio had five fatal dog attacks.  It was not mentioned that two bills aimed at fixing the mess created by HB 14 are expected to be introduced into the next General Assembly.

Jean Keating appears to be leading the effort to change Wauseon law.  Ms. Keating does not live in Wauseon Ohio but she is heavily quoted in the article.   Per the Blade "The Ohio Coalition of Dog Advocates, which played a strong role in changing the state code, provided Mr. Estrada with some information, research, and contacts."  Keating is president and co-founder of the Ohio Coalition of Dog Advocates.

11/25/2014
Toledo Ohio

In a series of articles on Wauseon Ohio the Toledo Blade adds an opinion piece slanted toward removal of a local breed ban "Pity the 'pit bull.'

In classic pit bull advocacy talking points the piece begins with excuses but prances right to claims that breed bans are falling all over the United States.  The Aurora Colorado vote to retain a breed ban in the November general election by better than a 2 to 1 margin was not mentioned.  The Aurora vote was historic in that it was only the second time that this issue has gone to voters. The first was Miami-Dade in 2012, that breed ban was also retained by local voters by a 2 to 1 margin.

The article goes on to list organizations opposed to BSL, We have the NCRC which is owned by the Animal Farm Foundation (extreme pit bull advocacy).  The HSUS and the AVMA appear on the list, both organizations are in the business of the rights and welfare of animals and have no concern with the welfare and safety of humans.  The CDC appears although in their last report listing fatalities by breed includes the statement " Despite these limitations and concerns, the data indicate that Rottweilers and pit bull-type dogs accounted for 67% of human DBRF in the United States between 1997 and 1998. It is extremely unlikely that they accounted for anywhere near 60% of dogs in the United States during that same period and, thus, there appears to be a breed-specific problem with fatalities."  The ABA is simply infested with animal rights lawyers.

No mention of organizations created to further human health and safety that are also opposed to BSL. There aren't any.  General Practice doctors, pediatricians, plastic surgeons, orthopedic specialists, nurses, social service workers, leaders of neighborhood associations, the United States Postal Service, none of these have endorsed pit bulls.

Click here for the opinion of Dr. David Billmire, professor and director of the Division of Craniofacial and Pediatric Plastic Surgery at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center.  The title of his opinion is "There is no need for pit bulls."  Here is a quote.
" Based on my extensive experience, I believe that the risk posed by pit bulls is equivalent to placing a loaded gun with the safety off on the coffee table. In my opinion, these dogs should be banned. I know this is an unpopular stand in some circles, but how many mauled children do we have to see before we realize the folly of allowing these dogs to exist?  

The arguments made by advocates of these dogs are the same arguments made by people who feel that assault weapons are an essential part of daily living. There are plenty of breeds available that peacefully coexist with human society. There is no need for pit bulls."

Here are more studies by doctors on the topic.
The effectiveness of Breed Specific Legislation in decreasing the incidence of dog bite hospitalizations in Canadian people living in the Province of Manitoba.   2012

Periorbital trauma from pit bull terrier attacks  2012

CONCLUSIONS:

In the ophthalmic setting, pit bull terrier attacks most frequently involve children and result in eyelid lacerations. Canalicular injuries are common after these attacks

Dog bites of the head and neck:an evaluation of a common pediatric trauma and associated treatment. 2014.  Conclusions

The patients most likely to suffer dog bite injuries of the head and neck are children. Although a number of dog breeds were identified, the largest group were pit bull terriers, whose resultant injuries were more severe and resulted from unprovoked, unknown dogs. More severe injuries required a greater number of interventions, a greater number of inpatient physicians, and more outpatient follow-up encounters. Healthcare utilization and costs associated with dog bites warrant further investigation.

Mortality, mauling and maiming by vicious dogs. 2011
Conclusions: Attacks by pit bulls are associated with higher morbidity rates, higher hospital charges, and a higher risk of death than are attacks by other breeds of dogs. Strict regulation of pit bulls may substantially reduce the US mortality rates related to dog bites.

Dog bites of the head and neck in children. 2011.  "Most injuries were soft tissue related, however more severe bites and injuries were observed in attacks from the pit-bull and Rottweiler breeds"

Decline in hospitalizations due to dog bites in Catalonia 1197-2008.  An effect of government regulation?  2011  Cliffs notes - a significant decline.  

Pediatric Dog Bite Injuries: A five year review of at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. 2009  The most common breeds included pit bull terriers (50.9 percent), Rottweilers (8.9 percent), and mixed breeds of the two aforementioned breeds (6 percent).

 A ten year, two institution review of pediatric dog attacks: Advocating for a nationwide prohibition of dangerous dogs.   2008   "Our cases present the ‘tip of the iceberg’ as our cases only
represented consultations directed to Plastic Surgery. The Province of Ontario, Canada has banned Pit Bulls since 2004, as have several American cities. We describe the scope of the problem, preventative guidelines, and outline why organizational advocacy in plastic surgery should be directed towards a national prohibition of dangerous dogs."

Pit Bull Mauling Deaths in Detroit.  2009  This study is autopsy material.  The photographs are sobering.

I realize that breed specific advocates may doubt the relevance of these studies, and many more just like them.  After all they are studies done by actual medical doctors, not a single vet tech is quoted.

.


12/14/2014
Toledo Ohio

The Blade reports a possible delay in the passage of a law to remove the Wauseon pit bull ban.  During a 12/11/2014 meeting of the city council County Dog Warden Brian Banister gave his thoughts on the proposal and he opposes removal of the ban. Per the Blade " Mr. Banister said while some “pit bulls” and “pit bull” mixes will never be a problem, he said when they do attack, the dogs routinely inflict more damage than any other breed.  “The differential in it is the fact that if that ‘pit’ attacks, that attack is going to be greatly, greatly more severe than a normal dog,” he said.

“It’s inherent in their DNA. ‘Pit bulls’ were hunting dogs, used as a catch dog for wild boar hunting and bear hunting. These dogs were bred to fight. Is every ‘pit bull’ out there a fighter? Absolutely not, but that is what is in their DNA. That is what they were bred to do.”

Councilman Estrada countered with the claim that BSL is unconstitutional which is false.  The Supreme Court of Ohio has upheld the constitutionality of BSL in the State of Ohio V. Anderson.  Click here for the Ohio Supreme Court's ruling in the Toledo V. Tellings case, a reversal of a lower court's ruling that the city of Toledo's BSL was unconstitutional.  Appellate courts in twelve states plus the District of Columbia have ruled BSL constitutional. The United States Supreme Court has refused to rule on BSL stating that regulation of dogs properly belongs on the state level.

Mr. Estrada goes on to state that there is no true way to identify a pit bull.  Please review again the ruling in the State of Ohio V. Anderson for the opinion of the Ohio Supreme Court that pit bulls can be identified by "a dog owner of average intelligence" and plenty of reasons why they should.  Here is a short quote " In Vanater v. South Point, supra, the court found that pit bulls have the following behavioral traits: "* * * a) grasping strength, b) climbing and hanging ability, c) weight pulling ability, d) a history of frenzy, which is the trait of unusual relentless ferocity or the extreme concentration on fighting and attacking, e) a history of catching, fighting, and killing instinct, f) the ability to be extremely destructive and aggressive, g) highly tolerant of pain, h) great biting strength, i) undying tenacity and courage and they are highly unpredictable." Id. at 1240. The court further found that pit bulls possess the quality of gameness, which it described as "the propensity to catch and maul an attacked victim unrelentingly until 

173*173 death occurs * * *." Similarly, in Singer, supra, the evidence presented at trial established that pit bulls "possess inherent characteristics of aggression, strength, viciousness and unpredictability not found in other dog breeds. * * * [U]nlike other breeds which retreat if they are injured in a fight or an attack, a pit bull will often bite, clamp down with its powerful jaw, and maintain its hold until separated from its victim." Finally, the Florida ordinance regulating pit bull ownership which was upheld in State v. Peters(Fla. App. 1988), 534 So.2d 760, states that pit bulls are distinguished by "* * * a high [in]sensitivity to pain, extreme aggressiveness towards other animals, and a natural tendency to refuse to terminate an attack once it has begun * * *." Id. at 764.

The city council president requested additional time to study the issue and get the opinion of residents of the community.   A prudent choice.   

12/15/2014

Toledo Ohio

Leaving no stone unturned in the effort to repeal the Wauseon pit bull ban, the Toledo Blade announces the showing of the breed specific advocacy classic "documentary" Beyond The Myth at the Wauseon Public Library on 12/15/2014.  This event was sponsored by Fulton County No Kill, closely associated with the Ohio Coalition of Dog Advocates led by .... Jean Keating.

I have asked many friends if they have ever seen a notice for a movie being shown at the local library debunking the vicious reputation of Beagles, or Pugs, or Irish Setters.  The Truth About Golden Retrievers?  Poodles - Bad Rap or Just Like any Other Dog?  Oddly, no one has. 

12/16/2014

Toledo Ohio

Continuing non stop coverage of the pit bull ban in Wauseon Ohio (population 7,332) the Blade reports breathlessly that a second reading of the ordinance to remove the pit bull ban passed. The vote was three in favor, two against, and one abstaining).

Three individuals spoke in favor of the ordinance.  Only one of the three was a local resident.  

Prior to the meeting the council voted 3 to 3 on a motion to table the second reading.  Mayor Huner broke the tie moving the issue forward.  

The final reading will be January 5, 2015.  Prior to the final reading the ordinance will be reviewed by the safety and code committee, the police chief, and the city's legal council.  

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12/8/2014

St Mary's Ohio 

This story did NOT come from the Toledo Blade, you may notice a difference in the reporting.

The article begins with "ST. MARYS — Keeping stride with other communities around the state, St. Marys City Council unanimously approved an ordinance regulating “pit bulls” at its meeting Monday."
 .

The new law in St Marys is based on the newly rewritten  Lima Ohio law.  Auglaize County Dog Warden Russ Bailey supported the law.  

St Marys Mayor Pat "McGowan said the city did not receive the backlash that some municipalities receive when passing restrictive laws on the dogs. Some opponents of pit bull legislation say it causes unwarranted bias against them and that dangerous dogs all a result of care of the owner rather than the breed.

“I think we did not face any opposition because people are beginning to realize their is a problem,” McGowan said. “There are a lot of people that let them free and don’t even follow the leash law. Most do but it only takes a few to ruin it for other people. We have a lot of walkers and we have had a lot of complaints about walkers encountering dogs.”

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Why is the Toledo Blade so invested in pit bulls?  Many newspapers have individual reporters with a heavy breed specific bias but at the Blade the disease infects everyone right on up through the editors to the owners of the newspaper.  The Blade has gone from reporting news to driving it and even creating it.  The Blade's sister newspaper in Pittsburgh has a similar bias but a bit less hysteria.  Toledo elected officials appear to share the affliction.  See the previous post for more insanity from the Toledo City Council.

Is there something in the water in Toledo?  Was last summer's tap water ban a red flag revealing something sinister?  Is continuous low level exposure to toxins in the drinking water driving insanity in elected officials and newspaper executives?    

Don't drink the water in Toledo.

Lunacy in Toledo

One learns to expect outrageous dog advocacy stories from Toledo but this one is so far out there it requires its own blog post.  We will cover a lot of ground, from the Vatican to Toledo with a stop in Arizona.

Very recently it was reported that Pope Francis remarked to a child grieving the loss of his dog that heaven is open to all creatures and that the boy would see his dog again.  Toledo Councilman Jack Ford, former mayor of Toledo and a non Catholic, took that and ran with it. Ford wants "death row dogs" to get a "second chance" and wants dog warden Julie Lyle to hire an outside evaluator to assess the dogs.  Ford said per the Toledo Blade "“When the Pope made that comment, that just did it for me. ... There is nothing wrong with being progressive to help any living creature,”

   

Councilman Ford.

Reality check, dogs are on "death row" for a reason, aggression, illness, old age with disability.  In Toledo that decision to euthanize at Lucas County Care and Control is made by Lucas County Dog Warden Julie Lyle.  Lyle was hired as county dog warden succeeding former dog warden Tom Skeldon with the blessing of the Toledo Blade. A little history here, The Toledo Blade, in association with Toledo area pit bull advocate Jean Keating,  participated in a lengthy campaign  to drive former Lucas County Dog Warden Tom Skeldon from office because of his protocols for dealing with pit bulls. This quote is from Jean Keating "the only way to end it, once and for all, in Ohio was to remove Tom Skeldon. That became my mission and consumed much of my time for about two years."

Lets look at what Julie Lyle is sending to "death row."  The Toledo Blade runs a daily feature, "Lucas County Dogs for Adoption" which also lists dogs euthanized at the shelter.  Today is  12/16/2014 and here is the list of euthanized dogs.  First is a pit bull, stray, brought in by animal control, bit someone in the community.  Second, a pit bull that failed the behavior evaluation, brought in by police, a stray.  Third, a Chihuahua mix with a severe injury, a fear biter and a stray.  Number four, a pit bull, owner surrender, failed behavior evaluation.  Number five, another pit bull failing the behavior evaluation, a stray.  Sixth, a Boxer, failed the behavior eval, owner surrender. Seventh, a Beagle in extremely poor physical condition, emaciated and unable to stand, an owner surrender. The final dog on the list is another pit bull, a stray, failed the behavior evaluation, brought in by a citizen.  No rescue group stepped forward to take these dogs.  Does anyone think that like these, failing behavior evaluations, and dogs too badly injured, or too old and sick to be humanely kept by their owners should be returned to the community?  

Councilmen Mike Craig and Rob Ludeman have taken leave of their senses and agree with Ford.   The three held a news conference stating "said the pound should consider “a stronger sense of basic fairness,” or due process, for dogs before the canines are killed."  “I would like the dog warden to implement a pilot program for dogs, similar in concept to the guardian ad litem program we currently have for children, that would take the dog warden and her team out of the role of total evaluator, prosecutor, and ultimately executioner, and bring in an individual from the outside to evaluate the dog prior to final disposition of its life,”


Councilman Ludeman

Councilman Craig

The zany trio suggest that the guardians ad litem be volunteers, amateurs, like say, Jean Keating the well known and high profile pit bull advocate.  Keating has not been suggested for this position, only my opinion on this part.  

Long suffering Lucas County dog Warden Julie Lyle has said that no such program exists  in any shelter and that the Lucas County shelter already has four evaluators on payroll.  Per the Blade “There’d be absolutely no reason to have outside folks do it when we have the most certified evaluators than any shelter I’ve ever seen,” “I think it’s important that we have trained, certified evaluators that know dogs, and that’s what we have.”

The Blade goes on to the mandatory quote from Jean Keating, her thoughts on the souls of pets.

At this point I would like to mention a pilot program already in place at the Lucas County shelter dealing with dogs failing the behavior evaluations.  Dogs failing the food guarding portion of the behavior evaluation are given additional time in the shelter and are free fed in an effort to reduce food guarding behaviors.  After a week the dogs are reassessed and if improvement is noted they get another week. Rescues are involved in this process and they will receive an incentive of $100 for each dog they take from the program and the $50 transfer fee is waived.  Of the first 27 dogs participating in the study eighteen failed to improve and were euthanized, six went to rescues ($600 paid in incentives and a total of $300 in waived transfer fees) and three more are still at the shelter.  

One dog that failed in the program was being rehabilitated at the Toledo Correctional Institute through the Prisoners Helping Dogs program.  The dog bit his inmate trainer in an aggressive response over a toy and was euthanized. When the prison population is being bitten by dogs being groomed for re entry into the community we have a problem.  Shout out to Mickey the mauler and Sheriff Joe Arpiao and a link to the Mickey cam.  For those who might be aware of the story here, Mickey mauled a small child and was expected to be euthanized.  Pit bull advocates went wild demanding that Mickey should live out his life in comfort. Mickey will live out the remainder of his life in luxury at a no kill shelter run by Sheriff Joe Arpiao.  



Here is a photo of Mickey's victim, Kevin Vincente as he is today.


Here is Kevin after his attack


But I have digressed yet again, back to the new program to save dogs that have already failed the food guarding portion of the behavior evaluation at Lucas County Care and Control.

Several dogs showed initial improvement in the shelter but no rescue was willing to take the dogs so they were euthanized.  It has been announced that in the future any dog showing improvement will kept at the shelter (at taxpayer expense) until a rescue turns up that will accept the dog. How much money is being invested here?  This program was suggested by the president of the Lucas County board of Commissioners Carol Contrada. Presumably the residents of Lucas County are paying the bills.

It is important to recognize that dogs from this program are not offered for adoption to the public directly from the shelter because of public safety concerns.  Rescues with limited financial resources to compensate a potential victim of a mauling by one of these dogs will, however, traffick them right back into the community.  

Here are Dog Warden Lyle's thoughts on that.  " Ms. Lyle said once the county shelter sees potential aggression in a dog, it cannot be adopted from there out of a concern for public safety.

With the restrictions that Ms. Lyle has placed on the pilot program, which was recommended by Mrs. Contrada, it would seem Ms. Lyle has accepted that many of the dogs in her care must be killed. At every turn she has a reason why she must kill dogs at the county shelter, but her usual fall-back position is “public safety.”

When asked why a dog whose food guarding behavior has been changed can’t be adopted to the public, she replied: “We still saw that initial behavior.”

But if the dog is no longer a food guarder?

“Just because they did well on a different day, doesn’t mean we didn’t see the aggression. Our primary purpose is public safety. We are not going to compromise that.” 

It seems that the Toledo officials who went shopping for a dog warden without scruples after the resignation of Tom Skeldon may have gotten a bit more than they expected with Julie Lyle and it seems that the Blade is not pleased.  It appears that the expensive program already in place to save dogs that have failed behavior testing is not enough. 

As usual, I have digressed.  Lets return to the Pope.  The Pope never made the comments that form the basis for former Toledo mayor and current city councilman Ford's desire to save "death row" dogs 
Per Religion News Service "  There’s only one problem: None of it ever happened.

Yes, a version of that quotation was uttered by a pope, but it was said decades ago by Paul VI, who died in 1978. There is no evidence that Francis repeated the words during his public audience on Nov. 26, as has been widely reported, nor was there a boy mourning his dead dog. “There is a fundamental rule in journalism. That is double-checking, and in this case it was not done,” the Vatican’s deputy spokesman, the Rev. Ciro Benedettini, told Reuters on Saturday."

The Italian version of the Huffington Post picked up the false story and and it went viral, false but viral.  Who knew that Italy was also infested with Huffington Post animal advocates?  

Here is the teaching of the Catholic Church.  Catechism of the Catholic Church Part three, Life in Christ 2418 It is contrary to human dignity to cause animals to suffer or die needlessly. It is likewise unworthy to spend money on them that should as a priority go to the relief of human misery. One can love animals; one should not direct to them the affection due only to persons.  

Here are the thoughts of Pope Francis regarding pets and children. He warns against placing animals above children in importance. Per Religion News Service  "But he went a step further and strongly criticized those couples who choose not to have children, saying they had been influenced by a culture of “well-being” that says life is better without kids.  “You can go explore the world, go on holiday, you can have a villa in the countryside, you can be carefree,” the pope said.  “It might be better — more comfortable — to have a dog, two cats, and the love goes to the two cats and the dog. Is this true or not? Have you seen it?

“Then, in the end this marriage comes to old age in solitude, with the bitterness of loneliness.“

The Catholic Church teaches that the priority in spending money should be to the relief of human misery and even uses the hard to accept word "unworthy" in spending money on animals when humans are in need.  The Pope has clearly said that children are to be valued above pets.  

In Toledo a non-Catholic former mayor has stated that a comment the Pope did not make inspired him to promote a program to give second chances to dogs already judged by professionals too dangerous or too sick to return to the community at tremendous financial cost and an early record of failure in Toledo Ohio.  Using the comment not made by the Pope the councilman has suggested that dogs already evaluated by professionals be again evaluated, this time by amateurs. These dogs are to be sent to rescues, many will be fostered in private homes.  Children, peaceful neighbors, gentle pets will be put at risk. The Pope has warned against elevating animals over children while a child devastated by disfiguring injuries and now blind in one eye  struggles to recover.  The dog causing the injuries lives in luxury with a mauler cam in his well appointed room so the mauler's fans can watch him anytime they choose.  

My head spins.

I need to rest in a dimly lit room with a cool cloth to my forehead.  I was hoping for sense and found none.  

Pit bull roundup, Special Edition. Dog fighting, menacing pit bulls, and rescues placing known biters with unsuspecting fosters.

Ohio has seen some extraordinary pit bull stories recently.  We are going to talk about three that caught my interest.

                                                                 * * *

Dogfighting is as good place as any to begin.  

Dateline Akron Ohio.  All the classic elements are here, pit bulls, dog fighting, felons (many with prior legal difficulties, don't miss Charles Roderick) gambling, drugs, marijuana grow operation, and guns.

Forty seven people were charged with dog fighting after a raid on a Cordova Avenue property.  One hundred Akron Policemen, two SWAT teams, and Summit County deputies participated in the raid.  Cleveland.com calls this "the largest dogfighting bust in recent history." In addition to the arrests police seized $51,000 in cash, 11 vehicles, two guns, and eight pit bulls, two in the ring and six more ready to fight.

Consider the salary and overtime for one hundred law enforcement officers. I digress.

Preparations for getting the dogs ready to fight included stabbing the dogs prior to putting them in the ring.  Recent changes to Ohio law set the stage for this, no restrictions on pit bulls you know.  Pit bull advocacy demanded it.

The raid was described, picture this "The home is surrounded by fencing, including one side that has an electric fence, police said. When they burst through the gates and raided a two-car garage in the backyard, they found two pit bulls fighting.

People scattered when officers burst into the garage. The fence, however, kept most of the people there inside the yard.

"They were all blocked in" "It was a zoo. People were running everywhere and throwing money and drugs to the ground." 

Police eventually caught 47 people, including one who ran around the block but was eventually caught, court records say. "

Those charged came from Akron, Cleveland, Warrensville Heights, Canton, Bedford Heights and Elyria in Ohio.  The ring also included upstanding citizens from Indiana, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and California.  Everyone arrested faces fourth degree felony animal cruelty charges in Akron Municipal Court, bonds range between $10,000 to $100,000.  The Summit County Grand Jury will see this bunch on November 25th. The Grand Jury will have a long day.


Nasty stuff goes on behind these gates on Cordova Avenue. Karen Banks and Alvin Crosby are the proprietors.  

This is a quote from Cleveland.com "Banks had $220 cash on him during the raid and officers found Crosby inside the living room with a marijuana-growing operation, court record say. Investigators found 14 plants and specialized equipment, including lights, a generator and chemicals, court records say.

At least 24 others had cash on them when arrested, according to court records, including Carlton Davis, 41, of Gary, Ind., who had $3,290 in his pockets.

In all, police seized more than $21,000 from people charged in the case. 

Several fled from officers during the raid, including Malik Knox who was eventually caught around the block with $796, court records say. Knox, 35, admitted to watching dog fighting at the home, court records say.

Another was found hiding by a fence and another person was found sleeping on the back porch of the home during the raid, court records say.

One man who was arrested also faces charges in connection with a Jan. 20 home invasion that turned into a shootout with the resident.

Charles Roderick, 40, faces charges of aggravated robbery, aggravated burglary and felonious assault in connection with the incident.

In that case, he broke into a home in the 200 block of Mustill Court and threatened a man and his two children at gunpoint, court records say. Roderick threatened the man's daughter, and the man fired several gunshots at Roderick, hitting him in the neck.

Roderick and another man fired back while the children hid behind a wall, court records say."

Upstanding citizens all.


The concession stand for the dog fight attendees.
 
The pit.


 You don't want the police to catch you with a pocket full of cash at a dog fight.                                                                  

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Dateline DeGraff Ohio.  Peaceful people who don't want to live next door to pit bull owners can identify with this story.  Derrick Triplett, age 23, apparently living at home with his mother, has been cited for dog at large and has received a letter from the city telling him that his fence is does not meet local code.  A neighbor stated that one of Triplett's pit bulls menaced her, she was unable to get out of her car and called 911 for assistance in going from her car to her house.  It has been reported that Triplett's loose pit bulls have been a neighborhood problem for two full years now, children are being kept in the house for their safety.  The menacing was the final straw.  Triplett has received a bit of special treatment.  The print article in the Springfield News-Sun talks about Triplett's "dogs" but the video makes it clear that the dogs are pit bulls.

Triplett's mother has stated the dog that menaced the neighbor has been put down but she declined to say anything more about other dogs that her son might own.  Her son has not been so discreet. Derrick has posted photos of his pit bulls on his public Facebook page.  


Derrick calls this one "the baddest pit bitch that ever lived"

Derrick misses this one.

Per the Springfield News Sun "Chief George Piersall of he DeGraff Police Department said responding to complaints about the Koke Street home uses a lot of his department's resources.  'It's just a constant nuisance" Peirsall said.  DeGraff Police Department and Logan County Sheriff records show Triplett has a history of domestic violence, aggravated menacing and vandalism charges in DeGraff. "

Don't miss the video.  The reporter clarified the police chief's remarks. Triplett has made death threats against his neighbor and her husband.  He has also nearly bitten off his own brother's finger. Charming.

As for the fence, records show that Triplett has had a permit for the fence since the spring of 2013 but is apparently in no rush. The video includes current shots of the fence, an trashy assortment of boards and chicken wire.  Mr. Triplett's neighbors have been very patient but it looks like they have had enough  

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Dateline Columbus Ohio.

Jada the unfortunate pit bull was taken as a foster by Greg and Nikki Montjoy on a Friday evening in August.  Jada came from the I Have a Dream Rescue of Columbus Ohio.

The Montjoy's have an eight year old daughter, two Chihuahuas and a kitten at home.  They are experienced at fostering dogs and Jada looked like one that needed a break. The first few days were a dream. Nikki Montjoy called herself a potential foster failure because she and Greg had thoughts of making Jada a permanent member of the family.

You can probably guess where this story is going.   Fast forward to Sunday (yes, just the third day in the Montjoy home) per ABC8 News " But on Sunday night, their 8-year-old daughter began crying.

Nikki was comforting her. As she was doing so, Jada jumped up on Nikki and started barking.

Greg, Nikki's husband, immediately told Jada “no.”

"It went from playful and cuddly to kill in the blink of an eye," said Greg.

Jada was in a full attack."

Nikki stated "the dog just kept going sort of like a viper, you know it just kept hitting."  "By the time I looked at Greg there was blood everywhere, and when I say everywhere I'm not being dramatic, it was on our wall, it was across the carpet, it was spraying out to the back of the computer screen."

 Nikki rushed her daughter to another room and returned to throw a blanket over Jada and drag the attacking dog to a bathroom. Nikki describes Jada's reaction as "trying to lunge through the blanket at me."  Nikki twice slammed Jada into a toilet in an attempt halt the attack, not unreasonable in light of the unprovoked violence.

Greg Montjoy's injuries were so severe that he spent three days in the hospital running up a $5000 medical bill.  At this point the Montjoys learned that I Have a Dream Rescue may have a dream but what they did not have was insurance.  As so frequently happens, the victim became financially responsible for the bills.

Per the Montjoys, after the attack they learned that they were not Jada's first foster family.  Jada had been returned to I Have a Dream by another foster because she had bitten.  Greg told a reporter "“I know there is assumed risk taking a pit bull into my house,”  “But at the same time, I have the head of the rescue assuring me that this is a great dog that has been fully evaluated and is perfectly safe in my house."

 A lawyer for the rescue said that the Montjoys were told about "Jada's temperament and background prior to her placement in their home."  Somehow I have reservations on this.  Who might bring a known violent pit bull into a home with a child, two Chihuahuas, and a kitten?  Click here for more information.

I Have a Dream Rescue removed Jada from the Montjoy home and she was reportedly euthanized the day after the attack.  The Facebook page for I Have a Dream Rescue, lively for a few days, has been scrubbed of any reference to Jada.  Prior to the scrubbing Misti Martin-Fuller promised to pay the medical bills for Greg Montjoy out of her own pocket so that those who have donated to I Have a Dream would be confident that donations they had made would go to care of the dogs. The blogger at Dogs Bite Decatur caught this post.  Thank you Dogs Bite Decatur!

I Have A Dream Rescue Organization

an incident with their foster dog. That foster dog is now dead because of this incident and apparently that wasn't enough.... we were not able to respond to the request for interview by NBC due to the ongoing discussions with the former fosters and our attorney. I will say this much.... the story provided is not the original story and the allegations made against IHADRO are false. If anyone has a question about what happened or our response at the time, ask me, I will answer if I can. In the interim you can see her beautiful face in her album labeled "Jada". RIP baby girl.... we are still fighting for you. Greed never wins over character and truth.... love you mama.

April Caleodis Misti I don't even know what to say...well I do but it would be nothing but vulgar for the monsters that could do that to poor Jada..and I do not want to make the situation any worse for u, with that being said...I've known u for a couple years now, I've met most of the dogs that u adopt out/pull from shelters and anyone that knows you knows that you would NEVER have knowing a dog with issues in a home, you would NEVER place anyone especially children at risk. This story makes me sooo sad for the rescue, And poor Jada and the countless pits that will lose their life over this one made up story! The fact that these people lied to cover up which is obviously an abusive household makes me SICK!! I hope that you are able to contact NBC and tell your side of the story! If there's anything we can do for you just let us know!! You know that we all have your back and we all know the truth!!! Keep up the wonderful work with IHADRO and continue to save them from monsters like them!! Love ya!

Yesterday at 6:35am · Like

Hellooo April, it has been admitted that Jada bit her first foster and was returned to I Have a Dream then placed with the Montjoys, their child, their two little dogs, and their kitten. Even the lawyer admits it.  BTW, here is a link to the foster agreement for I Have a Dream, is it new since the Montjoy mauling?  Here is a bullet point " Any injuries requiring medical care sustained by foster parent, their family and their pets from a foster animal shall be paid for by the foster parent and IHADRO will not be held liable for said medical costs"  Suspect that it may be difficult for the organization to recruit fosters in the future.  Who would sign this?

I did save one comment from the discussion on the I Have a Dream Facebook page.  A local pit bull advocate interprets the attack on Greg Montjoy. Of course he blames the victims, ignoring the previous attack by the very same dog.  A pit bull with a history of going pit and biting a foster goes pit again and mauls another foster?  No... too simple.

Mark Dunigan Sometimes it's what isn't said...my feeling at this point is mom was physical with her daughter,dicipline of some sort,and Jada reacted to it.Dad intervenes,gets physical with Jada and she defends herself.Mom admitted to beating Jadas head against the toilet,dad claims she turned on him for telling her "no",both red flags,and after watching the report I seriously doubt the possibility of the event occurring because a mother was comforting her child and a dad said "no" to Jada because it just doesn't make sense and is highly uncharacteristic of a dogs behavior.

Like · Reply · 7 · November 13 at 1:24pm

For more information about I Have a Dream Rescue (motto, "I have a dream... that one day no dog will be persecuted for the shape of their head.  Every day I fight for that dream.")click here.  News flash, nobody cares about the shape of the dog's head, they care about being mauled.
 
Misti Martin-Fuller of I have a Dream Rescue, also known as pittieprincess70 on Instagram, and Ms. McFlyness on Twitter for those who might chose to follow her.

Below is Martin-Fuller's tribute to Jada. Note Jada's bandana "Kissable, huggable, adoptable".

LikeLike ·  · Share

• 67 people like this.
• 

  Misti Key Martin-Fuller Goodbye baby... I loved you so much. You deserved better than what this world dealt you and I am so sorry we couldn't fix it. RIP sweet Jada and go play at the Rainbow Bridge... there is no fear and nothing to hurt you there. RIP baby... 
• 
  

Pit Bull Roundup, Part 2. Attacks on the handicapped, on the elderly, on children, pit bulls shot by police, and calls for change in Ohio law.

Here is part two of the  Pit Bull Roundup.  We are moving right along in the same outrageous manner.  This might require a full pot of coffee.

9/9/2014
Toledo Ohio



A disabled woman in the care of her brother and sister-in-law was attacked by pit bulls during a five hour period when she was left alone with the pit bulls in the home.  Lori Demski, age 53, was listed as being in fair condition at Mercy St. Vincent Medical Center with dog bites, broken bones, and human bites as well. (?) The dogs are reported to be owned by the son-in-law of Norman and Susan Demski.  Phillip Wall, pit bull owner, age 27, stated that  Lori Demski was attacked when she fell while trying to break up a fight between the two pit bulls.

The police report stated that Ms. Demski was attacked by the two pit bulls suffering "numerous bites from her feet to the top of her head" and wounds to both arms and fractures of both arms. A nurse noted what appeared to be human bites on Ms. Demski's thighs, buttocks, and a shoulder.  I have no explanation for this at all.

A roach infestation in the home was noted and floors were reportedly feces covered.

Pit bull owner Wall stated that "this is upsetting to me" of Ms. Demski's injuries and the charges against his in-laws were "blown out of proportion."

Lori Demski has been in the care of her brother and sister-in-law for the last 20 years.  Court records show that Lori Demski has grand mal seizures,  has a functional IQ of 45, and the functionality of a 4 or 5 year old.  Remember that Lori Demski was left alone in the house with the pit bulls for 5 hours. It is difficult to understand Mr. Wall's explanation that the attack occurred after a fall while attempting to break up a pit bull fight as the victim was alone in the home at the time.  

The pit bulls were taken by Lucas County Animal Control and are expected to be euthanized. NBC24 News reports that three pit bulls were involved.

   
    Norman Demski               Susan Demski

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9/8/2014
Hamilton Ohio

A local woman was bitten by a pit bull while riding a bicycle past the pit bull owner's house. The victim, in her 50s,  was treated at a local hospital for minor injuries to her leg.  Butler County Assistant Dog Warden Supervisor Kurt Merbs (who has been very busy with pit bull complaints in the last several weeks) stated that he retrieved the pit bull because it was "unattended by the owner with the back door of the residence open" and "it just attacked the woman."

For more information on pit bull attacks in Hamilton County please click here.

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9/25/2014
Hamilton Ohio

You have to feel sorry for Assistant Dog Warden Supervisor Kurt Merbs. Butler County has had more than its share of attacks recently and a fatality as well.  Butler County animal control responded to a call after a pit bull and a Rottweiler burst through a gate and attacked a dog being walked by its owner. Merbs stated “They had it right around the neck, which is never a good sign,” Merbs said. He added that the pit bull and Rottweiler were “playing tug o’ war” with the third dog, which appeared to be dead when he arrived at the scene. The dog was taken to a veterinarian by its owner, he said.

Onlookers were beating the Rottweiler with a recycle bin in attempt to get it to release the dog, according to Merbs. The owner of the pit bull suffered a bite on the leg while trying to control her dog. She denied medical care, according to Merbs"  

The pit bull and the Rottweiler remain with their owner, she must list her dogs as dangerous because they killed another dog and bit the owner as well.  This owner has been cited previously for failure to license,  Merbs is correct, it is not a good sign when the dog victim is dead.  

 
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9/9/2014
Mineral City Ohio

A dog described as a "Bull Terrier Bulldog" attacked four adults at a grade school as children arrived for class.  A grandmother was bitten on an arm and a leg.  A teacher was bitten on the lower torso and on a leg.  Two parents were bitten, both on the hands and arms.  The dog owner, Heather Phelps, was attempting to return her dog home when he got loose.  She was cited with two counts of allowing a dog at large. There were no reports of injuries to children but picturing this event,  it was an ugly and dangerous start to a school day.  

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9/9/2014
Medway Ohio

Yet another pit bull owner is asking why someone shot his dog.  Here is the story, Moe the two year old pit bull mix was found at the side of the road, he had been shot.  It seems that, per the owner's family, Moe had figured out to open the door and would let himself out. The family had been warned by a neighbor just last week that the dog was at large and that the family should "keep an eye on him because she has seen boys shooting at him."  Per the Springfield News Sun "Sheriff’s deputies handed the case over to the Humane Society of Clark County, but the investigation is at a standstill because there is little evidence and no witnesses saw who shot Moe, said James Straley, the Humane Society’s executive director.

The Ohio Revised Code states if a dog “is chasing or approaching in a menacing fashion or apparent attitude of attack” a person can kill the dog without facing court punishment.

“The dog in question was unlicensed, unvaccinated and at large, so if he had approached anyone in a menacing way, that person is not breaking the law by defending themselves and shooting the dog,” Straley said."

Bottom line, keep your dog at home and under control and it won't get shot.

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9/11/2014
Cincinnati Ohio
WLWT5 has followed up with Zainabou Drame, horrifically mauled by a neighbor's pit bulls in June. I highly recommend the video with this story.   The public should be aware of the aftermath of a pit bull mauling.  Zainabou's mother wants to share her story with the world.  This is an incredibly courageous family with a very determined little girl.   Zainabou lost her tongue and is unable to speak or eat.  Six year old Zainabou communicates with sign language or writes what she needs.  Remarkable !

Pit bull owner Zontae Irby faces 5 1/2 years in prison after his conviction on drug charges.  Per Cincinnati.com " While investigating the attack, though, police found evidence that led them also to charge Irby with receiving stolen property, trafficking in and possession of marijuana.  He was convicted of those charges Monday."  Cincinnati city council is now considering regulations on pit bulls. 

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10/3/2014
North Olmsted Ohio

Heads up to the residents of North Olmsted Ohio, there is a pit bull rescue located in your quiet little suburb. Chris and Maresia Hughes run Rowdy to the Rescue, "a rehabilitation home for abused dogs" and have posted video of their dog Gremlin and other dogs, presumably theirs, in tutus and costumes.  Warning, the music is abysmal.  On the up side, it appears that they can afford the insurance on these dogs.  This is a good thing because North Olmsted regulates pit bulls and $100,000 insurance is required.     

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10/9/2014
Dayton Ohio

Montgomery County is in damage control overdrive.  A two day seminar was held in Dayton for law enforcement and animal control officers from all over Ohio.  Per WDTN News " Officers, along with animal shelter employees, and municipal and county prosecutors met inside Sinclair Community College for a seminar to discuss ways to improve the response and investigation of dog mauling cases. The group also took time to discuss changing and adding legislation and asking legislators to strengthen dog laws."

I find it strange that there was no mention in the news story on the seminar of the mauling death of seven month old Jonathon Quarles Jr. mauled to death by his step grandmother's pit bull, inside her home in Dayton on July 20, 2014. The dog had a history of menacing a postal service employee and attacking a leashed dog being walked down the street. Montgomery county did not have ONE fatal attack in 2014, it had TWO fatal attacks.  The dogs in the first attack had dozens of complaints against them with no real action taken by animal control.  The dog in the second fatality had been cited my Montgomery County animal control twice. Damage control is needed here.

A hot tipper tells me that part of the presentation by one Montgomery County official discussed the use of affidavits from the public regarding dangerous dogs in the community.  An affidavit form has been provided to dog wardens.  The Ohio Revised Code has always allowed the use of affidavits, as we discussed back in February.  Please click here for a refresher. Why did it take two deaths to get to this point?  Will Ohio lawmakers act on the requests for change in the ORC in order to better protect the safety of the public.  Quick review, Ohio has had nine fatal dog attacks since the passage of HB 14, the bill that would "finally give dog wardens the tools to deal with dangerous dogs."

Don't forget Jonathon Quarles Jr.

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10/10/2014
Youngstown Ohio

Three dogs were shot in broad daylight in a Youngstown neighborhood.  One dog, a three year old American Bulldog mix (by definition a pit bull mix) was shot in the face and killed.  There were no witnesses.  Frances Schulte, owner of the dog shot to death stated  “He was part of the family and he just got loose and he was on the street and somebody shot him,”  

Diesel was found several houses from where he lived, an outdoor dog house and a chain are seen in the video. Youngstown police and local animal control are looking for information on the shooter. Here is a bit of speculation, someone who was tired of menacing dogs roaming the street.  Dogs kept at home were not shot.  The solution here is obvious.

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10/11/2014
Cleveland Ohio

A Cleveland man facing charges related to two different attacks by his pit bulls failed to show up in court.  Police officers were sent to the man's home and found him standing in the driveway, he appeared to retreat but pulled a gun and shot one police officer.  Both officers took cover and returned fire.  The man ran to the back yard.  The SWAT team was called to the scene and the man gave himself up, he was was shot in the torso and taken to Metrohealth Medical Center.  The officer was wearing a bulletproof vest and is in good condition.

Neighbors describe the pit bull owner as "a neighborhood nuisance" the pit bulls had attacked two Poodles in one attack and a Mastiff in another attack. The poodle owner (who was bitten in the hand as she pulled her Poodles to safety)  stated "the man needs to be put away."
 

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10/9/2014
Medina Ohio

The Medina Shelter was criticized by animal advocates for picking up a pregnant stray pit bull and allowing her to deliver her ten puppies in the shelter then placing the puppies at six weeks of age.  It has been reported that all the dogs were well cared for in the shelter but advocates felt the pregnant dog should have been sent to a rescue group to allow her to deliver and raise her puppies in a quieter environment.  Per Cleveland.com " County Administrator Chris Jakab said the shelter employees did an "excellent job caring for mother and puppies" and decided to keep the pregnant dog out of consideration for how busy the donation-funded rescue groups are at this time."  

State law bars sale of puppies to the public prior to eight weeks. Shelter policies are expected to be changed in response to complaints.  Those who complained about the actions of shelter staff might consider education to the pit bull owning public on neuter and spay to prevent issues like this.

Queenie the pit bull.

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9/14/2014
Muskogee Oklahoma


This is not an Ohio story but I'm including it because it  pleases me to do so.  Glenn Boulet of Muskogee was attacked and critically injured by pit bulls when he distracted them from attacking a small child in the neighborhood.  The Native American Advocacy group at Irving Elementary School held a fund raiser for Mr. Boulet. and the Muskogee Phoenix supported the group calling Mr. Boulet a hero .  The Irving Elementary School group raised $3,187.32 for Mr. Boulet's recovery.

Per News9.com " Boulet was sitting on his front porch, like he does every day, when he saw one of his neighbor's pit bulls jump the fence and charge a child.“I just so happened that I ran up in time to get the dog's attention to come at me,” Boulet said.  The boy got away, but a second pit bull got loose.  Boulet said he slipped and ended up on the ground in an alley, fighting off both dogs.  “That's when they got the best of me,” he said. “They was trying to drag me through the alley.”  A neighbor heard screams and tried to beat the dogs off with a bat, unsuccessfully. That's when Boulet's son got his shotgun."

Boulet spent a month and a half in a hospital.  The pit bull's owner Ronnie Casey Jr. was charged with misdemeanor failure to restrain dangerous dogs but he has fled the community, his location is unknown.  The dogs had an extensive history of violence.  Please click here for stunning video.


I take this opportunity to join the residents of Muskogee Oklahoma in thanking Glenn Boulet! A hero for sure.

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9/16/2014
Grove City Ohio

A pit bull breeding operation was shut down and nearly 50 pit bulls were seized, 20 of them puppies. Neighbors stated that the pit bulls have never been a problem in the neighborhood, in fact the neighbors stated that they have never seen the dogs out and that the owner is a "nice neighbor." Early reports are that the owner will be charged with failure to license.  The pit bulls were taken by the Franklin County Animal Control.  Click here for video.  It crosses my mind that little Sadie the lapdog is VERY fortunate. It also crosses my mind that the last thing Franklin county animal control needs is upwards of 50 pit bulls.



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9/30/2014
Circleville Ohio  

Pickaway County Commissioners wisely said no for a second time  to a proposal to allow direct adoptions of pit bulls to the public at the Pickaway County Wright-Poling Animal Shelter.   Current procedure is to not allow direct placement of pit bulls.  Dogs identified as pit bulls or pit bull mixes may only be released to a qualified rescue or be euthanized.  Mark Rogols, Chief Dog Warden submitted a proposal for change in April and again in September.  Rogols is dealing with increasing numbers of pit bulls and a shortage of rescues qualified and able to accept them.  The shelter is housing 18 pit bulls, one of them there since July. Per reports 40 dogs have been released to rescues this year with the majority of them being pit bull mixes.  Per Circleville Today  "Rogols said the problem with the current plan in place is that the pit bulls stagnate until a rescue can be found for them, which creates a lack of efficiency at the shelter.  Once the dog is placed with a rescue, Rogols said he loses all tracking of the dog, as well as any possible revenue.  “I can’t turn them over, and when I can’t turn them over fast, then I have to feed them and take care of their kennels,” Rogols said. “I kind of like to have a revolving door with the kennels and all breeds. What is happening now for mixed pits coming in, I might get a quick response from a rescue that is interested, but we may have to wait a month until they get an opening.”

Current shelter protocol for adoption of non pit bull dogs requires that the adopter be at least 18 years old, have a full time residence, sign an adoption agreement, purchase a license tag and pay a $55 fee.   Rogol suggests that  in the case of pit bulls the adopter  be 21 years old, sign a pit bull adoption supplement, provide a written letter from their landlord if renting, and be required to microchip the dog and pay an $80 fee.  Rogols researched pit bull adoption policies in surrounding counties  to develop his additional requirements.  

This quote comes from the Circleville Today article and I find this a bit light on fact.  "Pit bulls were removed from the State of Ohio’s vicious dog list in July 2013. In Rogols proposal, he said all issues of the dog shelter being liable by allowing adoptions of pit bulls were eliminated when the dogs were taken off that list."

Shelters across the United States have been sued for placing vicious dogs and pit bulls placed by shelters have mauled and killed humans, pets and livestock. Lawsuits are the natural result of a dog mauling. Think Rita Pepe here, mauled to death by a pit bull from a local shelter.  Think Longmont Humane Society.  Click here, and here (note the statistic that 16% of dog bites in the community were traced to dogs adopted out of Longmont), and here.  Think Sport Kim, mauled by a pit bull adopted from the Blount County Animal Shelter.  Sport required over 1000 stitches to his face and will require more surgeries in the future.  The pit bull had to be choked unconscious until it released Sport's face.  PLEASE watch Sport Kim video and take careful note of the injuries. Here are some photos of Sport , think about it.  

Think Frankie Flora, mauled by a pit bull from Out of the Pits Rescue. 

I digress, back to Circleville today "Brian Stewart, county commissioner, said the report was well done and Rogols had some great arguments. Stewart said he is encouraged that Rogols is moving the pits out now to rescue organizations even if it takes a while.

Stewart said he solicited the public for their thoughts, and there was mixed feedback on both sides. He said it is not a matter of whether the pit bull will be adopted, but rather who would be adopting them.

“Historically it has been as a county we don’t want to be in the business of giving pit bulls to drug dealers, to be real frank,” he said.

Stewart said he thinks a decision shouldn’t be made on an economic factor alone and there are other factors involved.

The commissioners expressed concern that it would only take one bad case of a pit bull being adopted that could cause a lot of repercussions. They said it was best for the shelter to continue to facilitate with other rescue organizations at this time.

“I’m not a pit advocate nor am I an opponent,” Rogols said. “They are a dog. I think it is an avenue that the shelter needs to take down the road because the problem isn’t going away, it’s getting bigger.”

This is the problem, unless those who claim to love the breed stop breeding pit bulls with no chance for permanent placement in a suitable home the pit bull problem will not go away, the numbers of dead, disabled, or disfigured humans, pets, and livestock will continue to increase.  I believe the County Commissioners have made a wise choice here.  

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10/1/2014
Elyria Ohio

A Fox8 I Team investigation is trying to find out  why an American Bulldog (by definition a pit bull mix) has not been put down after attacking an eleven year old girl in early September.   The girl was attacked causing severe facial injuries by a friend's dog in the friend's home.  The owner of the dog wanted the dog euthanized but local animal control refused to take the dog.  Here is the story per Fox8 " According to the Lorain County Dog Warden’s Office, the dog was not seized immediately because by law, it had to be quarantined by the owner for 10 days.

When the quarantine was up, Sarah Long said she again told the dog warden that she wanted to have the dog euthanized, but was notified by the Elyria Health Department that the dog could not be put down, because he had never been given a rabies vaccine by a veterinarian. Long was also warned that she could be prosecuted if she had him euthanized before he received the vaccine. “It’s sad because honestly we’ve been ready for this,” said Long.

When the I-Team asked Elyria Health Department supervisor David Oakes why the dog had not been put down 23 days after the mauling, Oakes told us, “That is because the owner of the animal has not proceeded to either do so, or provide us with the rabies vaccination information.”

Oakes maintains the handling of the mauling of Roxie Hamilton has been by the book. When asked if he could see why someone would think it was idiotic to get the dog vaccinated, and then have the animal euthanized, Oakes responded, “The follow-up vaccination is to meet city ordinance that all animals shall be vaccinated.”

Bottom line, dog mauls a guest, dog owner wants the dog put  down but bureaucratic paper shuffling keeps the dog in the community, in the home of the owner who wants it  gone.

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10/2/2014
Bridgeport Ohio

Two roaming pit bulls attacked two Shih Tzus that were on the porch of their owner.  The owner of the Shih Tzus attempted to rescue her dogs and was attacked by the pit bulls as well.  Police were called to the scene and when the arrived at the home of the pit bull owner one of the pit bulls charged the officers in an aggressive manner and was shot. One of the Shih Tzus had to be euthanized due to the seriousness of his injuries, the other was transported to an animal hospital with serious injuries. The surviving pit bull was signed over to local authorities.  The pit bull owner is facing charges of negligent assault and failure to leash, more charges may be filed.

  

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10/6/2014
Massillon Ohio

In possibly the worst way to introduce your family to the new neighborhood we have this story.  A six year old Massillon boy was bitten in the face by a neighbor's pit bull mix.  Brady Coleman's mother stated that her son was visiting a new friend when he was attacked.  The pit mix's owner was unable to provide proof of vaccination and was cited for failure to license the dog.  Per Newsnet5 "The owner of the dog said the it has never bitten anyone before and said it was an accident.

“I’m very sorry it happened,” said Rosie’s owner, who asked that her name not be used. The family has only been living in the neighborhood a week before the attack."

Brady lost part of his lip in the attack.  His mother told reporters that due to the location of the injury and the need to line up tissue to suture without swelling that the surgical repair had to be done without local anesthesia.  Think about it.  

Brady Coleman will require additional medical treatment.

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10/27/2014
Toledo Ohio

A story strangely not covered by the Toledo Blade turned up on Toledo News Now.  A pit bull mix is being credited with saving the owner's life.  Tiger the pit bull mix (nobody is having difficulty identifying Tiger's breed) walked down the street to find help for his owner, unconscious on his front porch.  A local rescue and a pit bull advocacy organization are caring for Tiger until the owner returns home.  Possibly the Blade's reporters were recovering from the Parking Lot Party to celebrate pit bulls in honor of Pit Bull Awareness Day.

 

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10/22/2014
Garfield Heights Ohio

A starving pit bull puppy was picked up in Garfield  Heights.



Per Cleveland.com " The puppy is very timid and has no social skills, Hackett said. She thinks it will be a long time until he enjoys being touched and being around people."  Ms. Hackett is the Garfield Heights Animal Warden.  "Once he is healthy, Hackett hopes to find a foster home for the dog through GM Hart – an animal rescue team servicing Garfield Heights and Maple Heights. Eventually, she would like to put him up for adoption.

"We're hoping he comes out of the shell that he's in before we put him up for adoption," Hackett said."  

Unless there have been recent changes to Garfield Heights Municipal Code the dog will not be adopted out to a Garfield Heights resident.  Garfield Heights bans pit bulls.

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10/31/2014
Toledo Ohio

A surprising story from the Toledo Blade.  Toledo Police shot a pit bull that was attacking a woman.  The dog had previously attacked small children.  The Blade does not often report on pit bull attacks.

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11/4/2014
Columbus Ohio

Two pit bulls were shot by Columbus police after the dogs attacked four people.  Per NBC4 "The women were attacked by two pit bull dogs, and a passerby in a vehicle stopped to help. 
That's when, police said the passerby's brother, who was down the street, came to help. He was also attacked, police said. Police officers said they attempted to get the dogs off the man and that's when the dogs charged the officers. Both dogs were fatally shot."  

The first victim of the pit bulls was an 85 year old woman who was simply working in her yard. The pit bull owner, Mahogney Harrison  has been located and has tearfully apologised.  Per ABC6 ""Really to the elderly lady I am very very sorry and I wish it never happened," said Harrison. The owner said she thought her two dogs were secure in their fenced-in backyard. But Harrison said she went out to vote on Tuesday, and somehow the dogs got out."Harrison has been cited for failure to control a vicious dog, and failure to license her pit bulls.  She has stated that she plans to remove the fence and does not plan to keep dogs in the future. 

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11/6/2014

Jackson Twp Ohio

A letter to the editor of Cleveland.com states that police and animal control need more flexibility in labeling dogs as dangerous.  The writer mourns the loss of her beloved cat, killed on her property by a trespassing dog.  The breed of dog is not mentioned but the problem is familiar.  Ohio Revised Code does not allow a dangerous dog designation unless the dog bites a human, kills another dog,  or is cited three times to earn a dangerous dog designation.  The writer finishes with these thoughts "If you see a potentially dangerous dog roaming, take a picture or videotape it and call animal control. It will be difficult to change these laws but we need to try in order to keep our neighborhoods safe. Pass this letter along to government officials. We can't wait until another animal gets killed or injured, or worse, a child."  

I agree, Ohio legislators must act to protect the peaceful residents of Ohio.  

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10/9/7/2014

Logan Ohio

I will finish this post with Logandaily.com.  "The bite can be worse than the bark: awareness for the victims of dog attacks" 

 This article deals with animal bites in general and goes on to dog bites in particular.  I am not going to paraphrase the last part of this article and will share it exactly as written.  Victims of Canine Attack Organize Week of Awareness and Remembrance campaign is slated for Nov. 9 to Nov. 15. This is the inaugural year for the campaign aimed at bringing both awareness and education to the public about dangerous dogs. In particular, fighting and gripping breeds with respect to the risk they present to human and animal health and safety.

At this rate, according to AVOCA, someone loses their life to a canine attack in the U.S. approximately every nine days. AVOCA also strongly believes that further fatalities are preventable through canine breed awareness and education.

Bereaved family members and survivors of canine attacks also feel an urgency and obligation to help educate the public and dispel widespread misinformation related to dog bite prevention.

Along with AVOCA, participating advocacy organizations include Dogsbite.org, Daxton’s Friends for Canine Education and Awareness, and Citizens for Canine Attack Prevention.

Visit AVOCA’s website at http://www.VoicesoftheVictims.org for additional information.