8/7/2020
Akron Ohio
Summit County.
A seven-month-old boy being watched by his grandmother was attacked by the family pit bull Friday afternoon. The boy was transported to Akron Children's Hospital but has died.
The child's grandmother was also bitten by the dog but she refused treatment.
Summit County Animal Control is holding the pit bull.
No charges will be filed.
There are no further details at this time.
An autopsy was performed but results are not available at this time.
This is the nineteenth fatal dog attack in Ohio since the Ohio Legislature passed HB 14, the bill that was written by Utah based Best Friends Animal Society deregulating pit bulls and rewriting Ohio dangerous dog laws. Ohio residents were assured that HB 14 would make Ohio communities safer. In the eight years since HB 14 was passed Ohio has seen 12 fatal pit bull attacks and 7 fatal dog attacks by all other breeds combined. In the full decade prior to the passage of HB 14, there were 5 fatal dog attacks in Ohio. Sound safer to anyone?
Akron does regulate pit bulls,
here is the text of Akron law dealing with pit bulls.
E.
Any person owning, keeping, possessing, harboring, maintaining, or having the care, custody, or control of a Pit Bull, Canary Dog or American Bulldog or vicious dog shall:
1.
Identify the dog by having the dog wear, at all times, a fluorescent green collar available upon payment of a fee, from Customer Service;
2.
Post on the premises, in a conspicuous place where the dog is kept, at least one city-issued warning sign available, upon payment of a fee, from Customer Service. The sign shall be visible and capable of being read from the public highway or street;
3.
Identify the dog by having the dog tattooed with a code number provided by the Customer Service Division;
4.
Notify the Customer Service Division within twenty-four hours if the Pit Bull, Canary Dog or American Bulldog or vicious dog has died or has been sold or donated, and provide the Customer Service Division with the name, address, and telephone number of the new owner;
5.
Keep the dog secured at all times by one of the following means:
a.
Keep the dog inside the owner's home;
b.
Keep the dog in a locked enclosure which has a top, and has a concrete base with the fencing securely attached or anchored to the concrete perimeter to a depth of six inches;
c.
Keep the dog muzzled and on a chain-link leash that is not more than six feet in length which is held in the hand of a person who is of suitable age and discretion and is outside with the dog.
6.
Pay a fee and annually, between January 2 and January 20, and whenever a dog is newly obtained, register the dog with the Customer Service Division; at the time of registration provide proof of liability insurance with an insurer authorized to write liability insurance in this state providing coverage in each occurrence, subject to a limit, exclusive of interest and costs, of not less than fifty thousand dollars because of damage or bodily injury to or death of a person caused by the dog and shall provide a certificate of insurance to Customer Service at the time the collar required by
§ 92.25(E)(1) is obtained;
7.
Ensure that the dog does not go unconfined on the premises of another or be at large within the city;
8.
Annually license the dog, if the dog is more than three months of age, with the County Auditor. Failure of any dog at any time to wear a valid license tag shall be prima facie evidence of lack of licensing;
9.
Vaccinate the dog against rabies by a licensed veterinarian at least once every three years; a tag indicating that said dog has been vaccinated against rabies must be worn by the dog at all times. Failure of any dog at any time to wear the rabies vaccination tag issued by the licensed veterinarian who administered the vaccine shall be prima facie evidence of the dog's lack of vaccination against rabies;
10.
Provide two color photos of the dog to Customer Service at the time the collar required by
§ 92.25(E)(1) is obtained. Provide one color photo of dog showing the tattoo number after the dog has been tattooed.
12/14/2020 Update - Police state that there will be no charges. The Pit bull is apparently still alive and being held by Summit County Animal Control.
Why?
