February 22nd pit bull roundup. Pit bulls shot by police, pit bulls attack their owners, pit bulls fail as guard dogs, pit bulls continue to attack in communities that dropped breed bans, pit bulls abused by their owners, and more.

Sometimes life gets in the way of blogging but we are back and hope to post more regularly in the future. 

12/20/2017

Crystal Lakes Ohio
Clark County

A deputy shot a dog apparently belonging to a bystander observing a routine traffic stop.

Per New Carlyle News " What we have been able to piece together is that a deputy initiated a traffic stop near the Kennedy Rd address.  It is currently unclear how, but bystander with a dog became involved, and the deputy told a man to control the dog or it would be shot.

Conflicting reports of the dog's behavior are emerging. The owners of the dog are maintaining that the dog did nothing wrong. However; people familiar with the area tell us that the dog charges at everyone and everything. Neither can be confirmed or denied at this time.

The dog was alive and was being taken to a veterinarian for treatment.

A woman on the scene  was visibly upset with the deputies. "Is that what you guys do, go around shooting peoples' dogs," she screamed in a profanity-laced tirade. “What am I going to tell my 6-year-old now?”

You can't make this stuff up. Don't want your dog shot?  Don't interfere with law enforcement officers who are simply doing their job.  Don't allow your pit bull to charge men with guns.

This is the pit bull involved in this incident.  His name is Duke and he is not yet one year old. It was reported that he was taken to a veterinarian's clinic for overnight observation.  If he lives through the night surgery is expected.  

This is a strange story, but wait... video has been made public and this mess has been explained. There was apparently no bystander.  A legitimate traffic stop was in progress, two men were in the truck.  The truck, possibly stolen, was driven into a yard, the non compliant passenger in the vehicle, Michael Seals,  ran to the house carrying a mysterious backpack. Someone (Seals?) held the door open for the pit bull.  The officer yelled for the homeowner to control his pit bull but there was no compliance so the rapidly approaching and obviously menacing pit bull was shot.

Duke did not survive. The driver of the stolen vehicle was charged for a tail light violation.  Seals was charged for failure to comply, resisting arrest, and obstructing official business. Seals also had an active warrant through Fairborn.  It all makes sense now. 

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10/25/2017
Highland Heights Ohio
Cuyahoga County

Highland Heights police shot and killed a pit bull mix at the direction of the dog's owner.  The pit mix attacked the owner and his 18 year old son.  The pair were trapped in a basement room.  The owner told police " the dog was chewing at the door trying to get to them and his son was losing a lot of blood. The dog attacked officers as they entered the home so they shot and killed it.

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10/20/2017

Middletown Ohio

Butler County  

Pit bull fails as a guard dog.  A female  Middletown resident hired a 34 year-old man to install a new door on her home paying $150 in advance.  He later returned, with his 29 year-old girlfriend, to rob the woman.  The home owner stated "She also said she was surprised that her pit bull that usually barks when strangers are in the house didn’t move when the suspects were in the residence." 

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9/12/2017

Avon Lake Ohio

Lorain County Ohio

Pit bulls attack in Avon Lake.  Avon Lake, a community that had a breed ban prior to a 3 1/2 year effort by city councilman Dave Kos to remove the ban, continues to have pit bull problems. Please note that councilman Kos hired a pit bull advocate/animal rights lawyer to write breed neutral law the has proven to be ineffective.

In the most recent incident, the loose pit bull attacked four different individuals in just a few minutes. Click on this link and you can see actual video of the dogs in action.  One of the victims, a young boy jumped in a neighbor's pool to escape.  These two pit bulls have a history of running at large.  The owner lives in a rental property with a "no dogs" stipulation on the lease.

Avon Lake pre-bite+ ordinance, click here.

Avon Lake post-bite ordinance, click here.     Avon Lake taxpayers paid a pit bull advocate lawyer to write this law.  They were cheated.

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1/16/2018

Toledo Ohio

Lucas County

You rarely see the Toledo Blade report on a pit bull attack so this is a special event.  Toledo police officer Mel Russell was attacked by a pit bull while helping to evacuate a home that was the scene of a stove fire.  A pit bull owned by the occupants of the home attacked the officer as he helped the residents exit the home.  Rude behavior. Officer Russell threw the pit bull off but the pit bull resumed the attack, biting the officer on his left forearm.  Again the officer attempted to throw the pit bull off but was unable to do so.  He shot the pit bull three times, killing it.  Officer Mel Russell was treated and released from a local hospital.

Never attack a police officer, they carry guns.  The countdown begins for the owner of the pit bull to demand justice for his dog.  

1/17/2018 Update  We knew this was coming.

The pit bull owner is complaining that the officer shot his dog rather than tasing it.  "Ya'll could have done more to not make it a situation you didn't have to kill my dog," Holmes tells WTOL. "Ya'll could have Tased him. You Tase humans and humans are stronger than animals."

Toledo police defend their officer.  Per Cleveland.com "Police Sgt. Kevan Toney defended Russell's actions. "When a dog is attached to your arm biting you, you have to quickly make a decision and it could potentially cause further injury," Toney tells WTOL. "So, I think the officer in this case was doing just what he had to do."

The pit bull owner is also claiming that in addition to serving as a guard dog, his pit bull was also a "certified therapy dog."  It should be noted at this point, there is no certification for therapy dogs.  You can't make this stuff up.

There is no record of exactly where the family obtained the pit bull.  Was it placed by the Lucas County Pit Crew?  The Pit Crew proudly announced their 1000th pit bull placement this month.  How many of these placements went as wrong as that of Bosco the Biter?  Did the Pit Crew count that placement as two since they placed Bosco with a Fulton County family where he bit the new owner on the third day in the household and after a whole lot of legal trouble for the Pit Crew and the president of that organization, Jean Keating, went on to a life changing mauling for  out of state "pit bull expert" Jacqueline Johnson?  

Dogs placed by rescues should be micro chipped by law so that responsibility can be determined.   

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2/13/2018
Hamilton Ohio
Butler County

A 21-year-old Hamilton man was charged with animal cruelty after a video surfaced of him beating his pit bull with a thick rope leash.  Sometimes a pit bull's worst nightmare is his owner.  Wouldn't mandatory neuter and spay be better than this?  Dogs not conceived so not suffer. Zeus the pit bull was removed from the home by county dog wardens.  This is Butler County and the dog warden is Kurt Merbs.

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2/20/2018
Hamilton Ohio
Butler County

Speaking of Butler County and dog warden Merbs, there is more cruelty to report.  A 39-year-old Middletown homeowner, Tina Jackson, was charged with three counts of animal cruelty after three dead dogs, and the head of a forth dog were found in her back yard.  Merbs stated   "We made entrance into the backyard. There are dog kennels everywhere, dog houses everywhere. Right when we walked in and turned, there is a black plastic tote, sitting up on a wooden bench. Inside that tote was a decapitated head of a dog and an English bulldog," Butler County dog warden Kurt Merbs said.  The bulldog was dead, Merbs said. He said they also found a dead pit bull curled up inside a dog house. "And across the yard, inside one of the kennels, inside another dog house was a black-and-white little pit bull curled up, deceased as well," 

There was no explanation for the decapitated dog head.  Merbs stated "There's no body. There's no signs of a body. There's bones. There's no hair, fur, anything, so that would rule out that a dog ate this other body," Merbs said. "There was no animal marks, period. There was no biting, pulling, tearing. It was a clean slice of the head."

The dogs belonged to Jackson's husband ex-husband but she was reportedly caring for them.  A fifth dog was found inside the home and was in good condition.

Wouldn't mandatory neuter and spay be better than this?  Merbs spends a whole lot of his time on pit bull calls.  He should be demanding mandatory neuter and spay for the protection of dogs in his county.   He should also be demanding a change in leadership of the Ohio County Dog Wardens Association.  The association website, as of 12/11/2017 lists Mark Kumpf as president of the the OCDWA with a president-elect listed as Adam Chellis of Wayne County.  Why is Kumpf still running the show?  The man, as reported in a decision by the Court of Appeals of Ohio Second Appellate District, does not enforce the law but rather has chosen a failed policy of "dog owner education" in Montgomery County. Since taking over as Montgomery County dog warden in 2006 there have been FOUR fatal attacks in Kumpf's jurisdiction and countless attacks upon humans and pets.  Three of these fatal attacks have come from dogs already in Kumpf's system. Type Dayton into the search box at the top left of the page.  You will be here all day.   Ohio residents deserve better. 

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2/20/2018
Dayton Ohio
Montgomery County

Speaking of Montgomery County, this from Dayton.  Two pit bulls entered the home of a Dayton woman and killed her cat - INSIDE HER HOME.  The dogs were still on the property an hour later when animal control officers arrived to pick them up.  Animal control was unable to identify owners of the dogs.  As I recall,  ownership of the pit bull that killed  Dayton resident Maurice Brown  in April on 2017 has not been determined despite full knowledge of exactly where the dog was harbored.  That address has a long history of animal control calls.  Montgomery County residents deserve better.

Enough for today, this is depressing.  What is even more depressing is that there is a LOT more.  
             

Pit bull roundup 9/2/2016 Pit bulls attack at schools, at cookouts, attack visitors in the home, attack at yard sales, attack police, attack children on bikes and children on porches, and pit bull advocates complain of discrimination.

Here is a sample of the backlog of Ohio pit bull attack news stories.  If my demise depends upon being caught up on pit bull attacks in Ohio I will live forever.

7/7/2016

Elyria Ohio

Lorain County

An Elyria High School coach and assistant principal rescued four of his players from an attack by a pit bull mix  just outside the school.  The dog chased, and bit the four players.  Coach Brett Heighberger reacted quickly.  Per Newsnet5 "Police said soccer coach and Elyria High School assistant principal Brett Heighberger held down a large brown pit bull mix by the neck while sitting on the dog’s body, all in an attempt to keep the dog from charging his players.

“I’m just doing what I would normally do," Heighberger said. "I’m the assistant principal there. I’m the head coach. My job, my number one job, is to make sure the kids are taken care of and in a safe place."

The players were treated and released. The pit mix was taken to the County shelter.  If the dog's owner is not located the dog may be euthanized. 

Thanks Coach Heighberger!

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6/10/2016
Lorain Ohio
Lorain County 

A six year old boy was bitten in the face by a friend's pit bull while visiting the home of that friend. The Morning Journal reported " An officer responded to a Euclid Avenue home where the boy’s father said the boy was playing with another 6-year-old boy at another Euclid Avenue home. A short time later, the boy returned home crying with the dog bite.

The dog’s owner said when the bite occurred, he was upstairs at the home where the boys were playing, and the dog usually was friendly with the boy, the report said.

The boy was taken to Mercy Regional Medical Center for treatment."

 It was reported that the pit mix was in heat, this is not an acceptable excuse.  The "nanny dog" strikes again. 

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7/2/2016

Cincinnati Ohio

Hamilton County

An eight year old boy was bitten by a family pit mix while at a cookout with his father's relatives.  The child was not treated for over an hour while family members attempted to treat the bites by running water over them.  After failure of this inappropriate treatment the mother received a phone call from a guest at the party informing her of her son's injuries.  The mother was at the hospital waiting when her son arrived.  There have been no offers of help from those responsible for the pit bull mix. 

When police went to the home to investigate, SURPRISE! The dog was not there.  

Click here to step into the Emergency Room with  video of the treatment of this child.  He cries but bravely endures. Impressive child!  Why are we putting our children at risk?  Why do pit bull owners feel free to turn their backs on their responsibilities and go on to hide the mauler?  

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5/11/2016
Oberlin Ohio 
Lorain County

A fourteen year old boy was attacked by his neighbor's pit bull as the boy was sitting on his own front porch.  Per the Morning Journal "Officers responded to Mercy Allen Hospital in Oberlin around 10:40 a.m. where they learned from the victim and his father that a white dog with brown spots that is believed to be a pit bull attacked the boy while he was sitting on the stoop by the front door of his apartment. According to the report, several blood spots and a significant puddle of blood were located in the front door to the victim’s residence.

The victim’s father and residents in the area believed this was not the first time the dog had bitten someone.

Police attempted to contact the dog owner but were unable to do so.  It is expected that the pit bull will be euthanized. 

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6/3/2016

Fremont Ohio
Sandusky county 

The Sandusky County Sheriffs Office reported a Chihuahua was killed by a pit bull.  The little dog crawled under a fence into the yard where the pit bull was harbored.  Chances that the Chihuahua would have died if the neighbor harbored a Beagle are remote.   


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7/6/2016
Avon Lake Ohio
Lorain County

In an attack you will never hear about, a West Highland White Terrier was mauled as it was being walked by a neighbor and two children.  The Terrier was later euthanized due to the severity of his injuries.  The attacking dog was a shepherd mix.  The owner of the shepherd mix was cited and the dog was designated a dangerous dog through the Avon Lake Civil Court. 

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5/2016
Kenton Ohio
Hardin County

Per Kenton Today "Information from the Kenton Police Department report states that an aggressive dog was in the area of the 1100 block of South Detroit St. The Pit Bull allegedly attempted to bite a women who was holding a yard sale.

It was determined that the dog belonged to a residence on Letson Ave. Nobody was at home at the time and the dog was found running in the middle of the street on Letson Ave. The Hardin County Dog Warden was contacted and the dog was apprehended.

The owner of the Pit Bull dog was issued a summons for failing to properly confine a vicious dog."

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3/15/2016
Lakewood Ohio
Cuyahoga County

Lakewood officials have decided to allow Scrappy the pit bull to remain in the community.  Lakewood has a pit bull ban but it was claimed that Scrappy was an assistance dog for a child with cystic fibrosis.

A privacy fence must be erected on the property where Scrappy is harbored and Scrappy must be muzzled in public. 

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3/21/2016
Dover Ohio
Tuscarawas County

A pit bull was euthanized after it attacked an Urichsville K9 officer as he was responding to a call about the near attack of a child.  Sounds like the person who called this in had great instincts.  Officer Hickman required stitches to his right hand after the dog bit him as he attempted to defend himself.

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2/28/2016
Dover Ohio
Tuscarawas County

On Feb. 28, a Dover police officer fatally shot a dog that he said charged him while he was responding to a call that the 100-pound dog entered a neighbor's backyard and attacked the neighbor's dog.    

According to two police reports on the incident, John Tucker, a Race Street resident, told officers his leashed 3-year-old pit boxer was attacked by the pit bull while in his backyard. He said a nearby resident was walking his three dogs, each without a leash, and one of the dogs — the pit bull — ran into his yard and attacked his pit boxer. Officers noted Tucker’s dog had visible blood on its ear and face. Tucker's neighbor called police after the attack.

Tucker said the owner of the three dogs has often walked his dogs without a leash, a claim the neighbor who called police backed up. "It's very irresponsible," Tucker said. "It's dangerous."

 A Dover police officer responding to Tucker's call went to the home of the pit bull owner. 
SURPRISE!  The pit bull owner was nowhere to be found but the dogs were in the yard.  Per the Times-Reporter   "One of the responding Dover police officers walked to E. Sixth Street to speak with the owner of the pit bull that attacked Tucker's dog. The officer was unable to immediately find the owner, but saw the three dogs in the owner's backyard walking in a fenced area. The officer wrote in his report that one of the dogs, similar in stature to a bull mastiff, began charging him and was not on a leash or in an enclosure.

"Its ears were pulled back, snarled, and showing all teeth and gums as it barked," the officer wrote in his report. "I identified this as an aggressive posture. I anticipated the dog taking me down."

The officer ran away from the dog to increase the distance between him and the aggressive animal. According to police reports: A mother was playing with her children in a nearby yard; the officer said he wanted to protect the family and "squared up with the dog with knife in hand."

The woman yelled at her children to get on the trampoline to avoid the dog. At that point, the officer said he noticed the two other dogs approaching him.

"I pulled my firearm and feared one or all of the dogs would attack, taking me to the ground, and then mauling me," the officer wrote in his report. "I held off on firing in case the dogs would suddenly stop, but the black dog continued. As it neared me, within 1.5 to 2 feet, I fired on the dog two shots as center mass as possible, as the dog was running perpendicular toward me."

The dogs ran back into the owner's yard, the dog that was shot died.  More from the Times -Reporter " I think the Dover Police Department handled the situation very well and in the best way they could," Tucker said. "If people don't like the way things are handled with the police, don't put yourself in the situation. I feel bad for the dog (that died). The dog didn't have to lose its life if the owner took proper precautions." The dog's owner could not be reached for comment."

Common sense from Mr. Tucker. 

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4/19/2016

Greenville Ohio

Darke County 

The family of a 13 year old boy knocked off his bike and  bitten by a pit bull want changes in local regulations dealing with biting dogs.  Per the Daily Advocate "Shawn Crumrine, the father of the victim, spoke to the Darke County Board of Commissioners during its Monday session. Crumrine said he was also planning to address the Greenville City Council on the same topic during its Tuesday night meeting.

“I’d like for the city and county to amend their ordinances on how it handles dogs that bite,” he said, suggesting that a dog which bites a person should be placed under immediate and indeterminate quarantine in custody of the Darke County Animal Shelter until a court can make a determination on its danger to the public.

 Greenville police reports indicate the boy was chased and  bitten by two dogs, one of them a pit bull.  The dogs were unlicensed and have bitten before, several times.  One of these was a postal worker.  It  was reported that the owner of the dogs, Jamie Hensil, was told to have his dogs put down but did not comply.

 The boy received 30 stitches and endured a series of rabies injections.  He, and other children in the household remain traumatized. The family has filed a civil lawsuit against the owner of the two dogs, they seek restitution and punitive damages.  It is appropriate to demand accountability.  

In this case the dogs were home quarantined.  Crumrine says in addition to having biting dogs quarantined by the county, he would like to see a “biting dog” registry established, tracking dogs which bite people, particularly within a school zone or public park."  

Makes sense to me.

Photos of the boy's injuries.  This was not a simple dog bite, t his child was mauled as he rode his bike home.  

This story  is a segue to more, per Bluebag Media "Just a couple weeks before the Greenville biting incident, local residents became aware of an online petition asking Darke County Animal Shelter to revise its policy on euthanizing pit bull-type dogs. The petition appears on the website change.org. People from across the United States have signed the petition and called the animal shelter.

Darke County Animal Shelter Director Duane Sanning has been fielding these calls, but is not comfortable with changing the county’s policy.

“How can I adopt out a pit bull to a family with kids, with another dog of a family cat without being able to evaluate them?” he told The Early Bird last week.

Sanning said most temperament testing procedures “have been proven to the degree of yes you do or no you don’t.” 

Hold this thought. 

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4/17/2016

Greenville Ohio

Darke County   

A petition was posted on the mostly ignored website Change.org by Columbus pit bull advocate Luke Westerman. The petition asks Darke County commissioners to change their "discriminatory" policies at the Darke County Shelter so pit bulls can be adopted out  to the public.  Why is Mr. Westerman, a resident of Franklin County making demands in Darke County?  Good question, I have no answer. 

The Dark County commissioners support the work done by County Dog Warden Duane Sanning.  Per Bluebag Media " “I just wish people would find the facts out before commenting,” said Commissioner Diane Delaplane. Especially those who believe the county shelter is rushing to kill dogs instead of attempting to either find their owners or place them for adoption. “They’re making statements that just aren’t true.”

Commission chairman Mike Stegall agrees.

“His (Sanning) policy is very, very satisfactory. Duane is very sensitive about the pit bull issue. He’s gone over the limit (required number of days to keep a dog at the shelter) trying to work with them. Animals are treated well by our shelter. He’s following the guidelines and goes above and beyond.”

Ohio policy states that unlicensed dogs brought to the shelter are to be kept for three days; while licensed dogs may be kept up to 14 days in hopes of finding their owners.

The Darke County Shelter spends a lot of resources, Sanning said, promoting dogs they have for adoption – with a radio spot, newspaper advertising and on the shelter’s website.

“Our adoption rate is 85 percent, the best in the state. Other shelters run about 45 percent,” Sanning explained.

Sanning said he has concerns about adopting out pit bulls or other aggressive dogs.

“The problem I have with pit bulls is the damage they do when they bite,” he said, noting that the breed originally was bred to fight. “How do I know they will not end up in a fighting ring in California?”

“The story, I think is simple. A golden retriever is a retrieving dog – it’s their instinct. A border collie is a herding dog. Pit bulls are a fighting breed. It’s in their DNA. They were bred to fight bears and other large animals. There’s just no way to know.”

Conducting temperament testing for dogs also is questionable, Sanning believes.

“None of them (tests) have been proven to the degree of yes you do or no you don’t,” he said. 

There are no plans to change policy in Darke County. Pickaway County got a very similar petition from Change.org.  Pickaway County does not  adopt pit bulls out  directly to the public either. The writer acknowledges that while no pit bulls have been euthanized in the County shelter due to space concerns in the last TWO YEARS this "discriminatory" policy MUST be changed.  Lets review, no pit bulls have been put down in two years, when pit bulls are available for the public nobody wants them anyway, they languish for months to years because the peaceful public reads actual news from actual news sources, the county commissioners are satisfied with the status quo but the discrimination must end.  I don't get it.          

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8/27/2016

Oklahoma City

Oklahoma  

This is as good a place to put this as any other, it is not local but it illustrates the perils of pit bulls. If you want to harbor these dogs you will be held accountable for them.  The owner of five pit bull mixes that killed a sixty year old man has been charged with second degree manslaughter. Edgar Brown, the victim was killed in his own yard by the pit mixes owned by Juan Marcos Diaz.

The victim's brother has filed a lawsuit against Diaz.  "The lawsuit says Diaz “failed in his duty to keep his vicious, fierce and/or dangerous dogs from assaulting Edgar Brown.”

Dexter Brown's attorney, Noble McIntyre, said the lawsuit isn't about money but about sending a message.

“Sometimes cases are about collectibility and sometimes cases are about accountability, and this is one that's about accountability,” McIntyre said Friday.

“There's no money in this for me. ... There won't ever be any money. There's no insurance policy.

“At some point, you have to hold these people accountable and send a message to the community as a whole that you're not going to be able to hide behind the fact that you don't have an insurance policy. You still are responsible,” McIntyre said.

“I'm going to go forward with the lawsuit for one purpose: to get a great big verdict, even though it's not collectible, to send a message ... to other dog owners.”

Accountability, yes!


Booking photo for Juan Marcos Diaz.  The maximum sentence for second degree manslaughter in Oklahoma is four years in prison, the minimum sentence is two years in prison.  Not enough in my opinion but it's a start.  If you want to harbor pit bulls you will be held accountable.

                                                           

Year end roundup, part one. Schoolyard attacks, home invasion attacks, recidivist pit bull abusers/owners, "take this pit bull, PLEASE", and letter carriers deserve combat pay.

This is going to be a year end round up.  I will try to get to all the attacks that did not make a      roundup earlier in the year.  Get some coffee, this will be a long post.

  11/23/2015
Sandusky Ohio


Here is item off a police scanner.  A caller reported to Sandusky police that a pair of pit bulls were actively trying to rip through a door of the caller's home.

Picture it. 

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11/30/2015
Painesville Ohio
Lake County  

An at-large pit bull mix entered a Painesville schoolyard while students were outside on the playground.  The animal circled the 60 students before targeting on one little girl, grabbing her by the arm.  A horrified volunteer aide rushed to the child, attempting to shield the little girl with her own body.  Per FoxNews8  Zalar rushed over to help, wrapped her arms around Leah and wedged her leg between the girl and the dog.

“He would not let her go,” said Zalar.She said she continued to spin in circles until the dog finally let go, but then another fight began.“It took me backwards and down; it threw me on the ground,” she said.The courageous aide then threw herself on top of Leah and covered her head until the dog finally ran off."

The little girl required 26 stitches in her arm to close her wounds.  The aide, Laura Zalar, was treated for multiple puncture woulds, deep muscle strain, and bruising.  

The three year old pit bull dog had escaped from the property of the owner who lived near the school.  The owner is being charged with dangerous dog at large.  The pit bull was held by the Lake County dog warden for a 10 day quarantine.

Interesting timing on this.  Just hours later and a few miles away Shaker Heights pit bull advocates returned to Shaker Heights City Council chambers with empty leashes in their hands to protest a pit bull ban being considered by that community. I bet a breed ban looks real good to the parents of Painesville schoolchildren.

I hope the Painesville City Council recognizes Laura Zalar for her courageous action to save a local child.  I also hope Shaker Heights City Council recognizes the danger of allowing unregulated pit bulls in the community.  

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12/16/2015
Lebanon Ohio
Warren County

An 84 year old woman was attacked inside her own home, by a pit bull.  Two pit bulls followed the woman's caregiver, who had been walking the woman's Pekingese.  One of the pit bulls had already attacked the woman's caregiver and the woman's Pekingese on the front porch.  The 84 year old opened her door to assist the caregiver and the little dog when the pit bull entered the house, attacked the elderly home owner and killed the little dog.   Click here for video.  

The dogs were declared dangerous dogs, the neighbor/pit bull owner will have the opportunity to protest the designation.  Why would you? 

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12/4/2015
Dayton Ohio
Montgomery County

The Montgomery County Animal Resource Center gained custody of two more pit bulls, plus a dog of unspecified breed,  just what they needed.  A "responsible pit bull owner" left her four year old daughter alone in the care of the two "nanny dog" pups and another dog for an unspecified length of time.  The mother was arrested on a misdemeanor child endangering charge when she returned home, the child was turned over to Montgomery County Children Services.   

For video please click here and here.  




                                                              * * *

12/7/2015
Akron Ohio
Summit County

Markee Turner, recidivist pit bull abuser, was sentenced to 40 hours of community service at the Summit County animal shelter.  Turner was also sentenced to one year of probation and prohibited from owning or harboring animals for five years.  Turner has been found in possession of starving pit bulls twice this year. Interestingly, equipment used in conditioning dogs for the purpose of dog fighting was found in Turner's home in July.  Bet nobody suspected that.

 
Booking photo for Markee Turner. Another "responsible pit bull owner." Wouldn't mandatory neuter and spay for pit bulls, preventing the creation of dogs destined to suffer, be better than this?  

                                                             * * *

12/6/2015
Toledo Ohio
Lucas County  

The Toledo Blade rejoices that yet another test used to screen dogs for aggression prior to offering them to the public for placement has been scrapped.  Pit bull advocacy has been chipping away at any screning test that pit bulls can't pass, claiming that the test is not predictive of aggression in the home. Dogs that are food guarders (aggressive around food) have been sent to rescues for "rehabilitation" (at taxpayer expense) prior to placement but now even that safety precaution is gone.  Lucas County will continue to use the SAFER test, developed by the ASPCA, to screen dogs but it should be noted that the ASPCA will no longer certify those who administer the test.  With the number of attacks by recently re-homed shelter dogs this year the ASPCA may be responding to potential liability issues by dropping their certification process.  This quote from the announcement by the ASPCA "We have found that while individuals conduct the assessment and demonstrate they can score correctly for their certification, they are not consistently assessing in that manner throughout the year."     

The safety of the public is a very low priority here. This article comes from the Toledo Blade so we have the required quote from Jean Keating.

                                                                          * * *

12/4/2015
Columbus Ohio
Franklin County

A known aggressive pit bull held at the Franklin county shelter has received the classic Facebook "please find someone to take this creature" plea.  King is reported to be just a sweetheart with people but is admittedly animal aggressive.  The warning from shelter staff is that King is NOT safe to take to the park but they hope that just the right rescue or new owner will step up for King.  Want a known aggressive dog?  Who wouldn't?    


King could be just what you are looking for, the neighbors will love him.  

                                                                   * * *

11/26/2015
Cincinnati Ohio

The good people of Cincinnati have not forgotten Zainabou Drame and her family.  The Drame Family was treated to an elegant Thanksgiving dinner at Boi Na Braza Brazilian Steakhouse.  The family won a 7.5 million dollar settlement but do not expect to see any of it.  Zainabou's medical bills are over a million dollars and growing.  


Zainabou Drame is incredibly brave, and surrounded by the positive energy of her loving family.  

                                                                 * * *

10/9/2015
Batavia Ohio
Clermont County

A newly adopted pit bull attacked the special needs daughter of the new owner.  Bruno the pit bull was euthanized but the owner has concerns about the safety of her neighbors.  While Bruno is no longer a problem, Bruno's  parents are still in the community and presumably still pumping out puppies, they are said to be just as aggressive as Bruno.  Neighbors state that they have witnessed multiple attacks in the area in the last year. Part of the problem is the Clermont County shelter which is under new management.  Dog attacks prior to 2015 are no longer part of their records.

Mandatory neuter and spay would be very helpful here.

                                                              * * *

10/23/2015
Dayton Ohio
Montgomery County

"Responsible pit bull owners" Ronald and Mary Kincer called in a stray dog complaint on a dog called Lazarus.  The dog died of severe malnutrition and dehydration a few days after pick up by animal control.  An investigation revealed that the Kincers were not concerned about a stray, they were calling in on their OWN DOG.  The Kincers have been charged with, among other charges, knowingly committing an act of cruelty against a companion animal.

There is video at this link, take a good look at this poor dog.  Wouldn't mandatory neuter and spay be better than this?  Dogs not conceived do not suffer.  The neuter and spay surgery would be free to pit bull owners.  PetSmart Charities, Best Friends, the Animal Farm Foundation, or the Petco Foundation will make grants for this purpose.  Oh, I forgot, pit bull owners turn this screaming deal down because it is a breed specific offer.     


                                                                      * * *

10/16/2015
Toldeo Ohio
Lucas County

As if Toledo needed any more pit bull promotion, a parking lot party to raise awareness for pit bulls was scheduled during Pit Bull Awareness Month.  Those attending the event were encouraged to bring their own dogs along to meet pit bulls.  Good idea?

The event sponsor, the Pet Bull project has 11 pit bulls available at this time.  Lucas County Animal Care and Control has a total of 28 available dogs,  despite the whimsical breed IDs given, at least 26 of these dogs are pit bulls or pit mixes.  The Lucas County Pit Crew has 28 pit bulls available for adoption.   Does anybody see any lack of awareness for pit bulls in Lucas County?   


                                                              * * *

9/17/2015
Avon Lake Ohio
Lorain County

Pit bull owner David Golas took the easy way out and pleaded no contest in Avon Lake Municipal Court to two charges of allowing his pit bulls to run at large.  Golas's pit bulls killed a Shih Tzu and bit the owner of the Shih Tzu as he attempted to protect his pet.   Perry Pascarella described the August 10th attack "These two large dogs came out of nowhere and attacked Bella," he said in a recent interview. "It was horrible. I kicked them and kicked them, but they would not let her go. Each dog had part of Bella in its mouth. I dropped to my knees and started punching the dogs as hard as I could, but they ignored me. I grabbed one around the throat, but it was like wrapping my hands around a steel pipe.

"They seemed so evil," he continued. "They killed my kind, sweet, gentle Bella."

By the time Golas pried his dogs off Bella, the Shih Tzu was dead. Police arrived and noticed Pascarella had been bitten on the hand.

Golas was fined the maximum $300.  Per Cleveland.com Golas' lawyer, Timothy Fitzgerald, said the no contest plea was made to put and end to the "isolated incident." He said Golas has no problem living up to the rules pertaining to dangerous dogs.

"Golas has been following those rules all along, like responsible pet owners," he said.

Bella

Here are my  thoughts on this.  The death of someone else's pet and the injury to his neighbor was not an "isolated incident" that Golas should just put behind him.  If Golas had been living up to the rules, as other actually responsible dog owners do, Bella would be alive and her owner would be uninjured.  Avon Lake would not have passed a new law to deal with irresponsible dog owners and vicious dogs.  

The Pascarellas have filed a lawsuit against Golas and his wife.  Per the Morning Journal "The lawsuit stated that Melinda Golas had signed a contract that gave her a notice that Sandy was a dangerous dog. The lawsuit also stated that Sandy cannot roam or be alone with children younger than 10. On a date prior to Aug. 10, the Golas family knew that their gate did not close or lock properly, the lawsuit claims."

This was not the first incident involving the Golas pit bulls. It was reported that in early 2014 Golas was walking his dogs when they bowled over a 5 year old boy, causing him to cry.  The little boy's own dog ran to the child to protect him.  Golas released his pit bulls, allowing them to attack the child's dog, pinning it to the ground, biting its neck and drawing blood.  At this point Mr. Golas attempted to restrain his pit bulls.

Mr. Golas's pit bulls have been declared dangerous and must be confined per Ohio law.

Save us all from "responsible pit bull owners."

                                                              * * *

10/12/2015
New Philadelphia Ohio
Tuscarawas County

Vivian VanCamp reported that she got up early, hearing her own dog barking.  She looked out her window and saw what appeared to be a pit bull and a dead kitten.  She tried to shoo the dog away but it came up to her house and slammed into her storm door in an attempt to get at her own dog, still in the house.  She reported that she saw a second dog, it looked similar to the first.  Later she saw the dogs kill another one of her two month old kittens.  Ms. VanCamp was afraid to step out of her own home and was unable to allow her own dog out in her yard.  By the time the county dog warden arrived to investigate the pit bulls were gone.  Six kittens were killed and two more are missing.  

Ms. VanCamp wants to know who owns these dogs, she wants that owner to be aware of exactly what the dogs did.  Very reasonable.  Mark Rogo, an apparent pit bull apologist, following the comment pattern of Bob Cronk, commented on this story.  Spelling and grammar are foreign to pit bull activists.

Mark Rogo

Rank 635

You can keep trying but your finally losing the battle. How many other breeds have done the same thing don't hear about those you hipakrets."

Mr. Rogo, boldly,  has no sympathy for the kittens or the owner but acknowledges that the peaceful public is at a disadvantage.  He apparently sees this as a good thing.  "hipakrets"?  Spell check, it is on your computer.

                                                      * * *

9/12/2015
Marysville Ohio
Union County

We have dealt with this particular pit bull in the past.  The name is Zach, he was at the Franklin County Shelter as a rescue only.  The back story, Zach hit the lottery and was adopted but returned in less than an hour after biting the new owner. Zach also lunged at the shelter veterinarian, two strikes, no longer available to the general public, the liability was too great.  Steffen Baldwin of ACT Ohio and OABD stepped up to take Zach.  The plan was to rehabilitate Zach and adopt him out to the public.  As of 9/12/2015 Zach was still available (wonder why?) but anyone who might have been interested should have acted sooner.  Just recently Baldwin announced to his Facebook followers that he would keep this gem of a pit bull himself.

                                                                 * * *

9/2/2015
Brunswick Ohio
Medina Ohio

A Brunswick home owner reported that her Husky had been attacked and seriously injured  by a pit bull. The Husky owner had to hit the pit bull with a baseball bat to get it to release her dog.  The pit bull was harbored by a neighbor living two doors down.  Nice neighbor.


                                                                  * * *

8/28/2015
South Euclid Ohio
Cuyahoga County

A letter carrier was bitten by a pit bull as he was walking his route.  The letter carrier was bitten on his wrist and inner thigh but was able to grab the pit bull's collar and pin the thing to the ground until the owner could come out and drag his mauler back in the house.  Records show that the same pit bull bit another letter carrier last summer.  Has it be declared a dangerous dog yet?  How many letter carriers is this pit bull allowed to bite before the Cuyahoga County dog warden takes action?


                                                         * * *

9/9/2015
Dayton Ohio
Montgomery County

Speaking of pit bull attacks on mailmen,  Dayton letter carrier Robert Mays was attacked as he approached a Drury street home. A pit bull named Kali jumped out a window to bite Mays on the hand and upper arm.  The pit bull owner stated she was sleeping in the house with the windows open. The pit bull owner was cited and will have to appear in court.

                                                             * * *

6/18/2015
Oregon Ohio
Lucas County

And more attacks on letter carriers.  A postal worker was hospitalized after being bitten on the hand and on the leg by a pit bull mix.  



                                                           * * *



8/31/2015
Piqua Ohio
Miami County

Piqua police responded to call reporting pit bulls chasing a pedestrian. The pedestrian attempted to chase the pit bulls away by throwing rocks at them. By the time police arrived the pit bulls were back inside the home of the owner.  As the officer  tried to speak with the pit bull owner through the screen door a white pit bull ran at the door "growling and snarling" causing the officer to believe the dog would come through the screen.  The officer backed away from the residence but the genius pit bull owner opened the door allowing the pit bull to escape.  Per the Daily Call "“Unfortunately, the dog did not stop,”  The officer fired one shot at the dog when it was approximately two feet away from him.

“Unfortunately, the dog was deceased then from that one gun shot wound,” .

The Piqua Police Department has received complaints about pit bulls running at large in connection with this residence in the past.

Who could see that one coming?

                                                      * * *

4/19/2015
Dayton Ohio
Montgomery County

A Dayton woman with a CCW permit shot a pit bull attacking her dog.  The family had gone out for a late evening walk taking the baby and the dog when a stray pit bull approached and attacked Ashley Busby's dog.  Busby did what she needed to do to protect her family then she called police to report the shooting. When police arrived the pit bull was found dead in the middle of the street.  Per ABC22  Busby said she feels guilty she had to shoot a dog because she is an animal lover, "I'm a dog person. Like, I love dogs. I grew up around dogs."

I can't find fault with this story at all.  Correct priorities. Well done.  Nothing for Mark Kumpf to clean up.



                                                       * * *

4/16/2015
Mansfield Ohio
Richland County

The Richland County shelter is full of pit bulls but Mansfield, the largest city in the county, has a breed ban so pit bulls may not be placed in that city.  The kennel supervisor Monique Hypes was quoted as saying "the shelter has difficulty finding adopters for pit bulls because of their violent reputation." 
but also went on to say “They’re wonderful dogs. That’s not to say that all our dogs are perfect. There are some that have issues, but most are okay,” said Hypes. What? 

Hypes pulled out the pit bull advocates "big guns" a Facebook post begging for adopters.
 The post said, “Our shelter is maxed out on space for larger breed dogs and pitties!! We NEED your HELP!!”

It is not the fault of the public that the shelter is full of pit bulls, it is not the fault of the law that the shelter is full of pit bulls.  If pit bull activists want to fix the problem they need to stop breeding pit bulls with no prospects of a permanent home.   Problem solved,


Hypes with pit bull Bruno.

                                                          * * *

2/27/2015
Lancaster Ohio
Fairfield County

.A seven year old boy was attacked by a pit bull that belonged to a family member.  Cole Robinson was flown to Nationwide Children's Hospital for surgery and treatment, he was listed in fair condition.  The attack was unprovoked and the pit bull had no reported history of aggression. The dog was taken to the Fairfield County shelter.

Cole Robinson

The dog was euthanized by request of the owner.

                                                              * * *

5/16/2015
Dayton Ohio
Montgomery County

A positive pit bull story.  An armed intruder was stopped by the family pit bull and an armed and angry mother.  Per WOIO " Police arrived as the suspect, identified as 48-year-old David Allen Polk, was leaving. They found him bloody and bruised. He was handcuffed, when police said they found a knife in his front pants pocket, and then was taken to Grandview Hospital, the report stated.

Polk, who stands 6 feet, 4 inches and weighs 225 pounds, was booked into the Montgomery County Jail on suspicion of aggravated burglary, a first-degree felony. He is being held without bond awaiting arraignment on Monday, online jail records show.

Give credit where credit is due.  This is a scary looking dude.

Booking photo for David Allen Polk.

                                                                       * * *

6/2/2015
DAYTON Ohio
Montgomery County

A woman suffered a severe injury when a pit bull owned by a friend bit her face.  The 23 year old victim states she was petting the dog and it was licking her face. She turned to look at the television and the dog attacked.

Thomas Hine, the pit bull owner admitted that this was the pit bulls second attack.  The same pit bull bit a neighbor in April and the dog had just come off quarantine.  Hine told police he gave the dog away but the person who took the dog gave it back.  Shocking, I know.

What will Mark Kumpf do with this two time biter?  Here is the answer. the owner was given a quarantine form.  Classic.

                                                                    * * *

6/5/2015
Cincinnati Ohio
Hamilton County

Cincinnati police were called out to an apartment building for complaint of two pit bulls fighting in a hallway. When police arrived they carried a shotgun into the building, smart.  The pit bulls lost interest in fighting each other, one turned on police so they shot it.  BOOM, done, dust off your hands and go home.  Good work!

                                                                    * * *

Enough for this post but we will be back later today or tomorrow with more Ohio pit bull insanity.  I have searched the internet for a blog featuring attacks by Ohio Yorkies, or Ohio Poodles, or Ohio Beagles and found zip.  I will continue the search.