Fatal dog attack in Ohio

July 18, 2021

Lucas County Ohio  

Emily Kahl, age 31, was bitten on the neck Sunday night by a dog identified by Toledo police as a pit bull.  Ms. Kahl was declared dead at the scene. Lucas County Canine Care and Control Director Kelly Sears stated the dog's name was Romeo, her department euthanized it.  No further details are available at this time.  


 

The report comes from WTOL TV News, not from the Toledo Blade. The Toledo Blade was VERY active in passing HB 14 deregulating pit bulls in 2012.  HB 14, the bill that removed the inherently dangerous designation for pit bulls in Ohio was sponsored by Representative Barbara Spears who represented the Lucas County area.  Ms. Kahl is the twenty-first Ohioan killed by dogs since HB 14 was passed in 2012.  In the final 10 years of previous regulation, Ohio had five fatal attacks to put this number into context.  Ms. Sears and the authors of HB 14, Best Friends Animal Society of Kanab Utah proudly promised that their changes to Ohio law would make our communities safer.  

Not so much.   

Update - The Toledo Blade has, surprisingly, covered this story.  The Blade tells us that Romeo was owned by Thomas Holloway, residing at the same address as the victim.  While Mr. Holloway was not at home at the time of the attack he believes that someone else may have been in the home at the time and Romeo and Ms. Kahl's own dog may have been trying to "save her." I place little faith in this theory.  

Per the Blade " Records from the county shelter show Romeo had been taken to the shelter in October, 2019, as a stray, then reclaimed by Mr. Holloway. There are no other reports with the agency regarding the canine before Sunday’s incident." 

  "Reclaimed by Mr. Holloway" is an odd remark. Did Holloway own the dog prior to the Shelter intake in 2019?  Did he adopt the dog in 2019?  Who can say?  

This photo appeared in the obituary for Emily Kahl.  A sad loss for her family and the community.