Ohio pit bull roundup 7/27/2015. I can't keep up.

We are miles behind on the Pit Bull Roundup.  There is no logical order here, please bear with me.  sometimes life interferes with blogging.  We will cover the backlog in manageable chunks.  Northern Ohio is currently a pit bull hell.  We will get to it soon.  I have not forgotten the Pibble March but simply can't keep up.

A new feature, we will note the county for these attacks.  Always good to know who is responsible.  

4/20/2015
Lockland Ohio
Hamilton County Ohio

You can't make this stuff up.  Two boys were running down a street, running from a pit bull.  One of the boys jumped into the bed of a pickup truck to get away from the dog.  A man who apparently owned the truck fired a shot.  Possibly he thought the boy was going to steal it.  The boys got scared and ran off, unhurt and were picked up by police after 911 calls were made.  Police attempted to talk to the man in the home about the shot that was fired.  Things all went to hell at this point and the SWAT team was called in.  The SWAT team let off an explosive charge and used a bull horn to talk the man out of him home peacefully.  Please share links to incidents where a Beagle at large turned into a SWAT team event.

 


                                                              * * *

4/20/2015
Madison Twp Ohio
Franklin County Ohio
A woman was attacked by a dog while she was feeding her son's dog.  A pit bull mix bit the woman in the face and head, she was transported to a Dayton area hospital for treatment.  Police are investigating.


Here is an update to the story... wait for it... the dog that bit the woman was her own dog.  The dog will be euthanized, and hopefully the owner will be charged with making a false statement to police.

                                                                     * * *

4/21/2015
Lorain Ohio
Lorain County

An 18 year old woman, being treated for pit bull bite injuries at Mercy Regional Medical Center told police that "people at 2714 Reid Ave. took control of the dog and asked her not to call police, saying the dog has bitten people before and will be killed by the Lorain County dog warden."  And this would be a bad thing? How many bites does this mauler get?

                                                                * * *

4/21/2015
Huber Heights Ohio
Montgomery County

A 14 year old Cattle Dog named Henry was minding his own business in his owner's fenced yard was attacked by the neighbor's two dogs, a pit bull and a Boxer.  In order to attack the peaceful old dog the pit bull and the Boxer broke through a privacy fence.  This is not the first time these two dogs have broken through the privacy fence and attacked Henry.
 

Lenise Knight, Henry's owner did not report it to authorities because she wanted to be a "good neighbor."  Apparently the owner of the pit bull and the Boxer has no such ambitions.

Knight has had enough.  She complained to the Montgomery County Animal Resource Center expecting the  pit bull and the Boxer would be picked up.  Remember folks, the dog warden in Montgomery county is none other that MARK KUMPF.

Wait for it.... she was told that by state law dogs can only be picked up after THREE documented attacks on dogs.  This is lazy enforcement and apparently the Montgomery County Dog Warden Mark Kumpf and the Montgomery County Commissioners learned nothing from TWO fatal dog attacks in the County last year.  Klonda Richey made dozens of complaints against the dogs that she called pit/mastiff mixes that eventually killed her.  Nothing of substance was done, sternly worded post-it notes stuck on the dog owner's front door were the best that Kumpf's staff would do.  Klonda Richey died a unimaginably painful and bloody death.   A seven month old child visiting from out of state was killed by an American Staffordshire Terrier (pit bull) with a menacing complaint from the USPS, and an attack on a leashed dog being walked on the sidewalk.  Legal action had been postponed at the time of the baby's death.

Ms. Knight makes a strong point with her thoughts here.  Henry is expected to recover from the attack. However, Knight wants people to learn from her mistake so they can protect their families.

“You have to report these dogs if you feel like you are in danger,” she said. “That way it can be on record and the dogs can be removed.”

Always start that paper trail.



6/8/2015
Sandusky County Ohio

Two pit bulls attack a dog chained in the owner's yard.   A police report was filed.

                                                            * * *

5/1/2015
Lorain Ohio
Lorain County

Alton Goshen Jr., "responsible pit bull owner" owns two pit bulls that have attacked TWICE in a month and BOTH of these attacks have killed someone else's dog.  Why did Goshen's pit bulls get a second kill?  Glad you asked but I have no answer for this. Police officer Richard Broz stated, after the second kill, per the Morning News Journal "Broz reported he has dealt with the dogs on several occasions and never observed any aggression toward people, but they had aggression toward other animals."


 (a) "Dangerous dog" means a dog that, without provocation, and subject to division (A)(1)(b) of this section, has done any of the following:

(i) Caused injury, other than killing or serious injury, to any person;

(ii) Killed another dog;

(iii) Been the subject of a third or subsequent violation of division (C) of section 955.22 of the Revised Code.

Per the Ohio Revised Code 955.11  Click here for the requirements for harboring a dangerous dog in Ohio.  

On March 31, 2015 Goshen's pit bulls attacked and killed another dog that was leashed and in the yard of the owner. Ohio law says the pits are dangerous dogs after the first kill.  Why wasn't the message given to Goshen?

 An April 24th Goshen's pit bulls attacked, killed, and attempted to dismember a Pomeranian, leashed and in the yard of it's owner.  The Pomerania owner "told police she tried to chase the dogs off, but one of them started growling at her, so fearing she would be bit, she backed off and waited for help."

On April 27th one of Goshen's pits was reported at large and police were called.  Officer Broz responded and confronted the pit bull.  The pit then ran back into Goshen's yard through an open gate.  Please review AGAIN the requirements for keeping dangerous dogs in Ohio per the Ohio Revised Code.

Per the Morning Journal "Goshen secured the gate at the time but as of April 27 did not make any improvements suggested so the dogs would not escape again, the report stated." 

 Improvements SUGGESTED?

Police cited Goshen for two counts of failure to confine dogs and one count of failure to have a dog license. Police recommended the maximum penalty allowed by law for the offenses due to the repeat incidents, the emotional trauma of the owners of the dead dogs and the quality of life of the other neighbors in the area. 

                                                                      * * *

6/25/2015
Avon Lake Ohio
Lorain County Ohio

Kimberly Larson, owner of a pit bull named Cyrus, entered a plea of "no contest" to a charge of dog at large after her pit mix killed another dog.  Per Action 19 news " Police say the Pit Bull, named Cyrus, was being walked by his owner on Orchard Park Drive when Daisy, a Corgi Beagle mix began barking and ran towards him.

Cyrus slipped out of his harness and went after Daisy. Cyrus's owner struggled to pull him off Daisy and two neighbors came to help.

Daisy died.  Larson was found guilty and paid a fine of $150.  Remember this story.  It will become bigger news in the future.

Dayton pit bull owner indicted in the 2014 mauling death of Jonathan Quarles Jr.

A Dayton dog owner was indicted on six felony charges in the fatal mauling of Jonathan Quarles Jr. on July 20th of last year.  Kimiko Hardy was aware that her pit bull was dangerous prior to the fatal mauling of her step grandson in July of 2014.  Montgomery County Prosecutor Mat Heck Jr.spoke to the media today, announcing the felony charges against Hardy.

Per WHIO Hardy’s dog, Bussa, had previously charged a letter carrier in April 2014, which led the worker to miss work for two weeks and the U.S. Postal Service to refuse to deliver mail to the home for six months, the release stated. Also, just weeks before the fatal attack, Bussa bit and attacked another dog in June 2014. Following the second incident, Hardy attended required classes at the Montgomery County Animal Resource Center on responsible dog ownership, according to the prosecutor’s office.

“This defendant was well aware that her dog was a dangerous, even vicious animal, yet she failed to properly control the animal and it killed a completely helpless infant,” Heck stated.

Hardy pleaded no  contest to charges in the attack on the other dog and paid a $172 fine.
.
Hardy was indicted by the Grand Jury for four counts of involuntary manslaughter, one count of endangering children, and one count of failure to confine a vicious dog.  Ms. Hardy is not in custody.

It might be of interest that the Dayton Dog Warden, Mark Kumpf was also well aware of the danger of Hardy's pit bull prior to the death of Jonathan Quarles Jr., as was the Prosecutor's office.



Bussa was euthanized in September of 2014.

Compare the costs of incarceration of the owners of violent dogs versus the cost of BSL. Please.

Animals 24-7 gives us something to think about.  "Punishing the deed costs twice as much as banning dogs of fighting breeds.  

 "DES MOINES, DETROIT, SYRACUSE––What does the “bully breed” advocacy mantra “punish the deed, not the breed” really cost society?
Punishing just three people whose “bully breed” dogs recently ran amok, causing two human fatalities, may cost the taxpayers of Iowa, Michigan, and New York state upward of $1 million, according to the Vera Institute of Justice’s 2012 estimate that the annual cost of incarceration in the U.S. is $31,286 per inmate."

"The annual cost to society of the 40-odd fatal dog attacks in the U.S. per year is presently upward of $147 million, according to that actuarial calculator, of which about $100 million results from fatal pit bull attacks,  and most of the rest from attacks by other “bully breeds” including Cane Corsos,  Presa Canarios,  bull mastiffs,  Dogo Argentinos,  and Rottweilers.
The cost to taxpayers of enforcing breed-specific legislation prohibiting pit bulls and other dogs of recent fighting ancestry is by contrast about 2% of animal control expenditure, in counties that enforce such legislation: about 67¢ per household per year, or potentially about $77 million per year, barely half the present cost of fatal attacks, if pit bulls and other fighting breeds were banned throughout the entire United States."

Please read the complete post. Please keep in mind, punishing the owners after a mauling still leaves this.

Dayton disgrace

Dayton residents were appalled by the actions of the Montgomery County Commissioners when they refused to fire Montgomery County dog warden Mark Kumpf after the mauling death of Klonda Richey in February of 2014.  Ms. Richey had made dozens of complaints about her neighbor's dogs and the response of the Montgomery County Animal Resource Center, headed by Mark Kumpf, was to put sternly worded post-it notes on the front door of the dog owners with absolutely zero follow up.  Klonda Richey also went to the courts for protection but was, astonishingly, refused a protection order and never offered the opportunity to file an affidavit on the dogs.  Klonda Richey made the statement "those dogs are going to kill me" and she was right.  Klonda Richey's violent and bloody death brought international attention to the city of Dayton Ohio.


Photo of the scene of Klonda Richey's death.

Dog warden Kumpf claimed that Ms. Richey's death was a "tragic accident" and despite the public record of Richey's complaints, Montgomery County officials stood behind him.

Fast forward to July of 2014 and Dayton had another fatal dog attack, this time a seven month old baby in Dayton for a family visit.  Click here for more information on the mauling death of Jonathan Quarles Jr. This part is important, the Staffordshire Terrier (pit bull) that killed little Jonathan Quarles Jr. ALSO had a record with the Montgomery County Animal Resource Center.  This one had menaced a mailman and the USPS reported it.  The Montgomery County ARC staff "educated" the owner, yep, that will solve the problem.

Well no, actually it did not solve the problem.  That very same pit bull attacked a leashed dog being walked in the neighborhood.  The Montgomery County ARC responded with charges BUT the hearing on those charges was postponed, for no apparent reason.  Just days after the date of the postponed hearing the pit bull mauled a seven month old baby to death.

Someone will correct me if I'm wrong, but I think Kumpf has to stand alone as the only dog warden in history with TWO fatal attacks in a six month period, all dogs involved having prior histories with county animal control and no definitive action taken.

What is the result?  Glad you asked.  The Montgomery County Commissioners have given Mark Kumpf a RAISE!

In an article titled "Montgomery County dog warden praised after 'difficult year."
From the Dayton Daily News "The head of the Montgomery County Animal Resource Center has received a pay raise based on a good 2014 job evaluation — a move criticized by some residents who say the agency did not do enough to prevent two fatal dog attacks last year.

Mark Kumpf, director of the Animal Resource Center, was given a wage increase of 2.5 percent, from $80,562 a year to $82,576. This decision has angered family members, friends and neighbors of Klonda Richey, who was mauled by two mixed-mastiff dogs in February, 2014, outside her Dayton home.

  Mark Kumpf publicity photo

Klonda Richey had several "difficult years" ending in her violent death.  At only seven months old, Jonathan Quarles never had time for a "difficult year" or the joyous years of a normal childhood.

The family of Klonda Richey has filed a lawsuit against Montgomery County and Mark Kumpf.  The Quarles family has the right to do the same.  I suspect the liability in the Quarles case would be huge since the county had reason to know that their animal control department was not protecting the safety of the residents of the county.

Don't miss the video with this news story on Kumpf's raise.

Mr. Kumpf is a liability to Montgomery County and to the Ohio Dog Warden's Association as well, Kumpf remains president of that organization.  The OCDWA cannot be taken seriously when they retain an internationally disgraced dog warden as their president.    

Lets not forget the victims of Kumpf's failure to act.


Klonda Richey



Jonathan Quarles Jr.

Click here for an interesting bit of video of a Dayton woman who got the sternly worded post it notes on her front door.  Note that Montgomery County ARC never followed up on the tickets AND they did not even respond to her phone calls.

Click here for more thoughts on Montgomery County.

Kumpf got a RAISE based on a good evaluation "after a difficult year"?  What planet do these people come from?

Elderly woman killed by a pit bull in Shaker Heights Ohio

7/14/2015 4 PM Update

The coroner's report gives the cause of death for Annie L. Williams as "bite wounds and crushing injuries to her neck, throat, and body." It has not yet been determined with certainty exactly who owned the pit bull that killed Mrs. Williams on Sunday afternoon.

7/14/2015 Update.
The great granddaughters of Annie Williams were interviewed by a local TV reporter.  They stated that they saw the attack from inside the house, they are eyewitnesses.  The pit bull was NOT chained in the back yard, the dog attacked Mrs. Williams from the front steps. This is a blow to pit bull advocates who blame tethering for the attack.  It is also important to note that the pit bull has a history of attack, it killed another dog in the past.

Details of Mrs. Williams life reveal her to be a fine woman, active in the community, active in her church, working part time at a local McDonalds after a career at University Hospitals.  She was described by one who knew her as someone who "never met a stranger."  A sad loss to the community.

7/13/2014
In a breaking news story, an elderly woman was attacked by a dog as she got out of her car on a quiet street in Shaker Heights Ohio yesterday afternoon.  Neighbors ran to help but could not get the dog to release, the dog was then shot by a local resident.   In comments on this story relatives have stated that the woman has died and that the attacking dog was a pit bull.  Click here for an early news report.



The horrific death of this woman brings the total number of fatal dog attacks in Ohio since the passage of HB 14 just three years ago to ten fatalities.  HB 14 was sold to the Ohio Legislature as a way to "finally give dog wardens the tools to deal with dangerous dogs" but has been an epic fail in that regard. Time has shown that the actual purpose of the bill was to deregulate pit bulls in the state.  Of the ten Ohioans killed by dogs in the state in the last three years, five of the attacks were by pit bulls, one by dogs identified by the victim in complaints to the police and Animal Control as pit/mastiff mixes, and four by all other breeds combined.  That is 50% of deaths caused by only breed/type of dog, pit bulls make up an estimated 5% of dogs in America.

Click here for a pop up video that appeared on the WKYC TV page with the earliest reports on the fatal attack in Shaker Heights.



Update - The Cuyahoga County Medical Examiners office has identified the victim of yesterday's dog attack in Shaker Heights Ohio as 71 year old Annie L. Williams.  Mrs. Williams was transported to South Pointe Hospital ,where she later died. Shaker Heights police have confirmed that the dog was a pit bull.

Click here for the 911 call.

Update - The pit bull that killed Mrs. Williams was owned by a resident of the home where their father lived.  Mrs. Williams had gone to the residence to pick up her two great granddaughters, a 13 year old child was in the car during the attack.  The pit bull was not licensed in Cuyahoga County.



The photograph below was included in a news story by ABC News 5 about the attack and death of Annie L. Williams.  Mrs. Williams should have been safe to go about the peaceful details of her life without being mauled to death as she picked up her grandchildren from the home of their father.