Pit bull roundup, short form 4/26/2019 Pit bulls on the roof, repeat offender pit bulls back with owners who can't contain them, pit attacks with multiple victims by pits with a multiple bite history, dog fighters harboring pitbulls (surprise) and interesting out of state rulings.

It has been far too long since the last Pit Bull Roundup, this is not due to lack of material but rather to the futility of reporting what does not change.  We are so far behind in reporting Ohio pit bull attacks that we will never catch up. Today we share a few recent attacks with many more to follow.

We will begin.

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12/24/2018
Lorain Ohio
Lorain County

4/2/2019
Cleveland Ohio
Cuyahoga County

The Lorain County Dog Warden was called to remove a pit bull from a roof.  This is not unusual with pit bulls but unheard of with Irish Setters or Beagles.




Cleveland Police were called for a similar scenario.  A dog had been tied up on a second story porch, jumped the railing and was found dangling off the front of the house.  Police were able to rescue the dog, a pit bull.  Video is available by clicking here.  The pit bull was uninjured and ran off after his rescue.  Bet the neighbors were thrilled.



Have police ever been called for a Pug on the roof?






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3/13/2019
Greenville Ohio
Darke County

A couple was joyfully reunited with a pit bull that they had lost two different times.  The couple, Jason Hunt and Hillary Frech, live outside New Madison. Their 6-year-old red-nose pitbull terrier, Kiara, had run off once before, prompting a man who worked nearby to threaten to kill the animal if it strayed back onto his property. When Kiara vanished again in September of last year, they feared that was just what had happened.


The threat was not enough to convince the pit bull owners to improve containment and supervision of their pit bull.  Kiara vanished again, gone for months until they saw a posting from the Darke County Shelter.  There she was, held in a shelter that does not adopt pit bulls directly to the public.  In order to reclaim the pit bull that the owners clearly can't contain or control, Hunt and Frech had to rely on a rescue as an intermediary 501c3 rescue to avoid liability for the County shelter.

Now that they have their repeat runaway pit bull back will containment improve?  Not likely.  It's a revolving door for pit bulls.




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3/5/2019
Akron Ohio
Summit County

This story is hard to follow.  Please hang in there.  Three people were hospitalized and a mail carrier was injured in multiple dog attacks by the same dogs on the same day.

A woman, peacefully walking in her own community was attacked by three "dogs".  Three men driving by noted the attack in progress and stopped to help the woman.  These courageous men were unable to pull the dogs off their victim so they changed tactics and beat them off.  The victim was transported to a local hospital with extensive injuries.

Prior to the attack upon the woman reported above, three other people reported attacks by three "dogs."  A second woman reported being attacked as she attempted to get out of her own van.  Hearing the victim's screams, a man came to help her.  The man was attacked as well.  Both of these two victims were transported to a local hospital with extensive injuries.

The "dogs" ran away and attacked a mail carrier.  The mail carrier sprayed the "dogs" with mace but was bitten on the thigh. The "dogs" were picked up by animal control.

Photos of the three dogs are found on this link.  They are all pit bulls but we already knew that.

Update 4/9/2019

The pit bull owner, Diane Yanke, had a pre-trial hearing in Akron, she has been charged with 21 misdemeanors, including five counts of having vicious dogs, t hr ee counts of physical harm, not having insurance and not having her pit bulls confined.  Per ABC News 5, Cleveland "  Criminal charges, related to controlling pit bulls, have been filed against Yanke three others times since September. In one case, a 62-year-old man was bitten, suffering a puncture wound on his right arm.

One case was dismissed. In the second case, Yanke was found guilty of having a vicious dog and for not securing a pit bull. She was given 180 days in jail, but the time was suspended. She was also fined $500.

In the third case, Yanke was convicted of not securing a pit bull. Her 60-day jail sentence was suspended and she was fined $50.

Diane Yanke in court.                                                            

Update 4/26/2019
Pretrial is scheduled for 4/26/2019.  Pit bull owner Diane Yanke still harbors pit bulls and the first victim in the March 4th Akron attack, Social Worker Sarah Friddle refuses to back down.  This will play out in court.

Yanke's dogs were put down but she still has another dog.  Bet her neighbors are thrilled.

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These are not Ohio stories but one out of Iowa has a lot to do with the Reynoldsburg ruling so we are throwing it out there for your consideration.  The other is a change in law in Citrus County Florida that indicates a long overdue change in direction with the treatment of vicious dogs.  We begin with Citrus County.  Citrus County has had far too many violent dog attacks and has changed shelter procedures in an effort to better protect public safety. Per the Citrus County Chronicle " commissioners gave unanimous approval Tuesday to a set of procedures designed to provide closer care of dogs and cats, preparing them for adoption.

In doing so, the board removed the rule giving rescue organizations five days to retrieve dogs considered dangerous or too aggressive for adoption.

The five-day hold was eliminated, but also the county will no longer provide dogs to rescue groups that it would not allow for adoption."   

If a dog is too vicious to adopt out directly to the public it is inappropriate for handing over to a rescue that will adopt it out into a peaceful community.  Logic is a beautiful thing.  

On to Iowa.  The Iowa Supreme Court backed the rights of a community to declare a dog dangerous.  Pinky (a pit bull) attacked a cat and was declared a dangerous dog.

After the attack, Des Moines animal control declared Pinky a vicious dog/high risk based on her breed, and a dangerous dog based upon her conduct.  Local law required insurance and proof of vaccination from her original owner, Charles Brickell.  Brickell did not challenge the high-risk designation of his dog at the time he obtained Pinky but let insurance and vaccination lapse for six years until Pinky's attack upon Rebel the neighbor's cat.  When Pinky was seized by animal control, Brickell sold Pinky to Diana Helmers, the owner of an animal rescue located outside the city of Des Moines. This began a three-year slog through the courts.  The end result was an evenly divided Supreme Court ruling.  The evenly divided ruling deferred to the lower court ruling that declared the Des Moines high-risk dog law constitutional.  Here is a link to the final brief from the City of Des Moines.  Bottom line, the constitutionality of Des Moines proactive law was upheld.

Can it be hoped that these rulings might indicate a change for the better in protecting the peaceful public from violent dogs?



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4/4/2019
Columbus Ohio
Franklin County

Twenty dogs were "rescued" from the property of German Sanchez, in addition, a dead dog was found.  Sanchez was charged with one count of dog fighting and one count of possession of crack cocaine.  Sanchez was found during an investigation into drug trafficking and his connection to dog fighting became clear.
Thirteen of the dogs were mature pit bulls, one was a Yorkie, six puppies of an unspecified breed were "rescued" per Mark Gofstein, a spokesman for the Franklin County sheriff's office.  The dogs are in the custody of the Columbus Humane Society.   “To be able to get all of these dogs away from a horrible situation is a good days work,” Gofstein said."
At least 13 of these dogs are game bred, pit tested fighting dogs. Their situation was horrible but the peaceful public is not responsible for this and should not be put at risk by any foolish, reckless attempt to turn at least 13 pit tested fighting dogs into pets.   The Yorkie should be a safe placement.    German Sanchez, booking photo.

                                                     

Luke Westerman is back in Ohio. Things are not going well for him. An update.

Luke Westerman returned to Franklin County, was booked into the Franklin County jail and has posted bond.  It is unclear if the conditions of his bond require him to stay in Ohio but he has no reason to return to Texas.  The El Paso Humane Society has terminated him.

While Westerman stated in a recent televised interview that no one had ever questioned his ethics, that does not appear to be quite correct.  The Franklin County Grand Jury indicted him on 19 counts.  Those serving on the Franklin County Grand Jury appear to question Westerman's ethics. A months-long investigation was done by KFOX14 News.  KFOX 14 makes some interesting points when they state "it is clear he is not who he appears to be."

"He is accused of swindling $700,000 from people in Ohio. It also appears he also misrepresented who he was to the city of El Paso and the Humane Society.

“This has been the best year of my life, I have never been more fulfilled,” said Westerman.

Westerman described his past year as executive director of HESP, when KFOX14 Investigates met with him in December.

“I didn’t get to do this when I was working on Wall Street, how cool is this?” he said, petting a puppy.

It's a tale Westerman likes to tell, about his time as a big Wall Street broker.

But KFOX14 Investigates found it to be a brief stint that included changing employers three different times in just two years.

Those two years were littered with allegations of misconduct before his broker's license was ultimately suspended.

“The outcome of the FINRA [Financial Industry Regulatory Authority] investigation was that your license was suspended correct?” KFOX14 chief investigative reporter Genevieve Curtis asked Westerman in Dec.

“It was frozen until my former employer and I come to terms with that upfront bonus I was paid,” said Westerman.

His broker's license was suspended in 2010 after a financial regulatory body known as FINRA found he failed to comply with a settlement agreement.

Ohio court records show a judge ordered him to pay his former employer, Ameriprise, almost $200,000. Money he hasn't paid."



Reporters for TV News Stations seldom initiate a months-long investigation into the lives and backgrounds of city residents if there is no reason to question the ethics of that individual.

I have read the indictments, they certainly point to ethics violations. You can read them yourself.  Click on this news story. Charges are included in the text.

Three members of the Board of Directors of the El Paso Humane Society resigned due to their concerns about Westerman's background. Questioned his ethics?  Apparently so.

Greg Leach, a former Solomon Global Holdings (Westerman's company) employee in Columbus stated that those working for Solomon Global Holdings received excuses but no actual paychecks.  Mr. Leach considered this an ethical violation for sure. Leach told KFOX 28 reporters in Columbus  "Whoever he touched was affected by some sort of unethical behavior. "Everybody's out to get what's theirs. Luke did a great job of teaching me that."

Leach noted that as Solomon Global Holdings began to fizzle Westerman turned to animal activism. KFOX 28 in Columbus Ohio noted  "Westerman later resurfaced as an animal rights activist in Columbus, primarily advocating for pitbulls. He parlayed that into the Texas job."

Per KFOX14 " It also appears Westerman claimed to have run the Westerman Family Foundation, but no records exist to indicate the foundation is registered with the IRS or Ohio Secretary of State."  This appears to be an ethical problem.  There is an actual Westerman Family Foundation but it is a completely different Westerman Family.

KFOX 14 also states that Westerman is not in fact, a college graduate.  He does not have a Bachelor's Degree despite frequently claiming one.  Westerman prepared a biographical handout to be given to lawmakers when he testified.  The handout states "Mr. Westerman is a graduate of Mount Vernon Nazarene University where he earned a BS in Finance and Marketing." You can read it for your self.
Westerman makes the same claim here, on his 2015 website, lukewesterman.com. One does not ethically claim academic qualifications one has not earned.  If KFOX 14 has made this accusation in error this should be very easy to clear up.  Produce a diploma or even a cap-and-gown photo.  Every graduate gets a cap-and-gown photo and every parent of a college graduate frames and proudly displays their son or daughter's photo. Westerman's parents live in the Columbus area and should be able to supply the picture if Westerman has lost his.

Per KFOX 14 "A search of county records in Ohio shows numerous pending judgments against Westerman including tax liens from the state, garnishment orders and a judgment against Solomon Global Holdings, his venture capital firm, for breach of contract."  

These pending judgments point to ethical lapses.

The Ohio charges against Westerman are already impacting donations to the El Paso Humane Society.  This is sad.

Booking photo of Luke Westerman.

Mr. Westerman made a statement on Facebook.  “To the thousands of you who have texted, called and direct messaged your words of love, support and encouragement (you know who you are), my family and I are eternally grateful for your kind heart, thoughtfulness and discernment,”  “This too shall pass and good will prevail, as it always does in the end. That fact gives me endless strength and confidence. And in the interim, I will continue to use all of my energy to make the world a better place for animals and people. God bless you, my friends."  

In his Facebook remarks, Westerman does not directly address his arrest, his firing or the 19 fraud charges he was indicted on in Ohio.

When asked for a statement by an NBC4 reporter Westerman sent the reporter, Tom Sussi a message via Facebook
 “I would never do anything unethical,” “It is completely against every single fiber of my being and everything I stand for."


Westerman pleaded not guilty to all 19 charges.  Mr. Westerman is innocent until proven guilty.  This will be an unattractive trial.

As a final thought and a final link, Please click here.  Westerman gave his thoughts on ethical living on his website lukewesterman.com, currently found only in Internet archives.  The quotes are set into tasteful colored blocks in a pleasant font. You sort of expect these quotes came from the Bible or that they were the words of Gandhi.

"The world is hectic and most people are focused on themselves.
I prefer a simpler life focused on helping others."
Luke Westerman

"Genuine concern for the welfare of others to the point
of action is the hallmark of altruism."
Luke Westerman

There is a whole lot going on here. A lot of that may be ethical violations.  It is up to the justice system in Ohio to sort this out.

Pit bull roundup 7/30/2017 Mayhem continues in the Buckeye State, children in critical condition, police are menaced by pit bulls, church goers menaced by pit bulls, pit bulls shot by police and the general public as well.

Ohio now proudly ranks second in dog bite claims in the United States.  Per Cleveland.com "Although Ohio has the seventh-largest population, it's No. 2 in insurance claims for dog bites.

The Buckeye state last year had 1,009 insurance claims for dog bites, behind only California, according to the Insurance Information Institute. Ohio is ahead of New York, Illinois, Pennsylvania and Michigan, Texas and Indiana."  Please keep in mind that pit bull owners are no longer required to carry insurance so they just skip that step in responsible ownership. Pit bull victims don't get settlements, they just pay the bills for their own attacks. 

This post will introduce a new, shorter post format to the Scorched Earth blog. This break with Scorched Earth tradition will serve two purposes.  

First, the short post format will reduce reports to the stark basics of life in our state since Representative  Barbara Sears allowed lawyers employed by Best Friends Animal Society of Kanab Utah to write law for the State of Ohio.  

Second, the short post format will also allow us to clean up the backlog as quickly as possible. It has proven to be impossible to keep up with pit bull mayhem in the state.  

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5/30/2017

Reynoldsburg Ohio

Franklin County and Licking County

A Reynoldsburg police officer was called to a local school for an animal complaint.  The officer was menaced by a loose pit bull (Reynoldsburg bans pit bulls).  The dog owner was cited for allowing her dogs to run at large AT A SCHOOL.  The dog owner refused to accept her citation.   Think she has insurance?  

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5/8/2017

Dayton Ohio

Montgomery County

A 7-year-old boy was attacked by a pit bull mix and required hospital treatment.  Per WHIO News "  The victim’s father told police the dog was “an ongoing issue with the residents in the neighborhood.” 

  This is not surprising, the county dog warden is Mark Kumpf.  Police contacted the dog owner, a 22-year-old man who claims to be willing to cover the victim's medical expenses. Don't hold your breath. The claim was made that the dog would be surrendered to the Montgomery County Animal Resource Center.  Again, don't hold your breath.   Think the 22 year old pit bull owner has insurance?  Nope, I don't think so either. 

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5/28/2017

DAYTON Ohio

Montgomery County

An aggressive dog of unreported breed was shot by Dayton Police as it menaced church goers and charged police.  A second menacing dog was taken to Mark Kumpf's Montgomery County Animal Resource Center.  Video with this story clearly shows a pit bull chained on the property where the dogs were housed.  These dogs were known to be aggressive but obviously, Mark Kumpf has yet again, failed to protect the residents of his county.   

  

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5/30/2017

DAYTON Ohio

Montgomery County

Dayton police were called to a home where neighbors reported an aggressive dog on the roof.  The dog and a second dog at the address were reportedly unlicensed.  Montgomery County Animal Resource Center staff left a sternly worded post-it note for the owners. 

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5/2017

Kenton Ohio

Hardin County

A pit bull attacked a leashed dog being walked in a Kenton neighborhood.  The pit bull owner was cited for a violation of the city's dangerous and vicious dog ordinance.

 

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5/29/2017

DAYTON Ohio

Montgomery County Ohio

News that you will never hear reported, a Dayton woman was bitten by a Chihuahua. Per the Dayton Daily News "The 34-year-old female victim said she was walking along when a tan and brown small Chihuahua ran toward her. The dog tried to bite her left ankle, but she shook the animal off and ran home.  The woman was not injured.

The dog owner, a 35-year-old woman living on Suman Avenue, was given a warning.

A sternly worded post-it note would be the traditional warning from the Montgomery County Animal Resource Center.  What kind of warning is given by Dayton Police?

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4/25/2017

Cleveland Ohio

Cuyahoga County

A Cleveland man was attacked by his own pit bull and taken to a Trauma Center for treatment.  His condition was listed as serious.  The victim's wife stabbed the pit bull to end the attack.  The pit bull was confiscated.  Here is how News 5 describes the attack "When police arrived on the scene, the wife of the man who was being attacked, Ethel Taylor, had blood splattered across her shirt.

She told police that the dog "attacked my husband and you need to kill that dog."

Taylor said she went to take a bath when she heard dogs barking in front of her house. She followed the noise to discover that her husband, Cedric Gardner, was being attacked by their pit bull.

Gardner told his wife to grab the gun but she couldn't find it.

Taylor went to the kitchen and found the biggest knife she could find and started to stab the dog repeatedly, according to a news release. Taylor pulled out her taser after stabbing the dog didn't work.

The dog let go of Gardner and retreated to the back of a pickup truck that was parked on the street."

Think this happens to Beagle owners?   

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5/8/2017

Defiance Ohio

Defiance County

A 40 year old man shot his girlfriend's pit bull mix in self defense.  He attempted to put the thing outside after it tore up his house so it began to attack him.  Beagles do this all the time. 

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5/17/2017

Mt Vernon Ohio

Knox County

A pit bull was shot while attacking a neighbor's dog, on the neighbor's property.  The shots came from a second floor window.  The property owner heard the attack in progress and could see two little girls trying to pull the pit bull off the property owner's dog.  The property owner felt that the girls and his own dog were in trouble so he took immediate action.  The property owner reported the shooting to local police, there were no charges.

As is the norm, the pit bull owner did not see the attack but claimed that the property owner was irresponsible.  She also claimed that her dog was not vicious (shot during an attack but not vicious).  You can't make this stuff up.  Video is available on the link.

   Pacman died after he was was shot three times from an upstairs window.  He would still be sleeping on the couch if he had been responsibly confined.  Don't want your dog shot?  Keep him at home.

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5/17/2017

DAYTON Ohio

Montgomery County

A pit bull owner let his American Staffordshire Terrier out to prance around the neighborhood on Mother's Day.  Boi Boi the Amstaff was shot by a neighbor.  Boi Boi's owner did not see the shot because he was not present but theorizes that the neighbor noted Boi Boi at large and went into his home to get a gun.  The neighbor stated he did not mean to hit the dog, just scare it away.  No charges were filed.  Video is available on the link.

Don't want your dog shot?  Keep him at home and under your supervision and control.

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5/10/2017

Canton Ohio

Stark County

A 76 year old woman was attacked by a neighbor's  bully breed dog when she took her own dog outside.  The  victim suffered deep bites and required hospital treatment.  The bully breed dog was surrendered to local authorities for euthanization. Stark County dog warden Jon Barber offers the classic excuses for the attack.  "I’m sure the dog could’ve been a very nice dog, but I’m not sure the environment that the dog came from, it ever had an opportunity. These bully-type dogs get a bad stereotype, but realistically, it’s the circumstances of how they were raised and how they’re brought up that led to this. It’s upbringing and social environment (that matter). This dog (is believed to have been) isolated, not socialized. So when it got loose, it reacted this way.”

Why do dog wardens repeat this crap?  They are paid to protect the safety of the public.  Who will pay the victim's medical bills?

Think there is insurance?

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6/22/2017

Columbus Ohio

Franklin County

A Columbus police officer, serving a warrant on a known drug house in that city, was attacked by a pit bull.  The pit bull was shot in self defense.  Per 10tv "The woman they were looking for initially came to the door, but then retreated inside. The officer followed her inside, at which point he says a pit bull was “put on” him.

The officer opened fire, killing the dog.

The officer was treated at the scene for his injuries.

The woman was taken into custody, as well as a second person police located while trying to clear the home."

Funny how Beagles do not figure into stories like this.

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7/24/2017

Bellefontaine Ohio  

A child looking for permission to search for his lost drone was attacked by two pit bulls harbored at a Belfontaine residence.  The boy was transported to a hospital for treatment of wounds to his face, arms, chest, groin, and back.  The pit bull owner was cited for two counts each of dog at large and failure to vaccinate.  Per the Bellefontaine Examiner "The dogs were taken from the residence by the Logan County Dog Warden, who later reported one of the dogs became extremely aggressive as he removed it from his pickup truck to a kennel. It broke its metal collar and ran off."

 This is not a dog that should be tolerated at large in the community.

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7/30/2017

DAYTON Ohio

Montgomery County

More news from Dog Warden Mark Kumpf's neighborhood.  Dayton police shot a pit bull after it attacked THREE Dayton residents. 

A Dayton police officer heard a woman screaming for help. Th woman, covered in blood, told two officers that there were others in a home being attacked by the dog. The officers could see the menacing pit, covered in blood, as it approached them aggressively.    The pit bull was shot in the nose. Medics found a second victim in the yard of the house.

Police made the decision to terminate the threat and euthanize the dog.  Later interviews with the victims revealed an attack earlier in the day by the same pit bull upon a third victim. Per WHIO " An interview with the dog bite victims revealed the dog had bitten a man earlier in the day in an unrelated domestic dispute. After the incident, the dog tried jumping on the owner and accidentally ripped a toenail off, which the owner said caused the dog to be upset “ever since.”

The dog shortly began attacking the people in the house."              

Mark Kumpf's staff arrived to remove the corpse. 

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7/4/2017

Cleveland Ohio

Cuyahoga County

A six-year-old girl was admitted to Cleveland Metro in critical condition after she was attacked by the family pit bull.  Two adult females were also attacked.  The pit bull was shot by an off-duty Cuyahoga County sheriff's officer.  Handy to have someone close by to shoot the pit bull.  But wait,  it becomes even handier, the off duty officer was a resident of the household and he was the owner of the dog.  Both the owner, Michael Shaw Jr. and his pit bull have a record of charges in another northern Ohio community.  Per Cleveland 19 News "Records from Euclid Municipal Court show Michael Shaw Jr. was cited in February 2016 for five dog-related offenses. Shaw received citations for dog running at large, excessive animal noise, failing to register his animal, failing to provide the dog with adequate food and water, and nuisance activities involving an animal. The nuisance activities charge was amended to a disorderly conduct charge in July 2017, which Shaw pleaded guilty to. All other charges against Shaw were dropped.

According to the incident report obtained from Euclid Police, Shaw's white and brown pit bull was repeatedly getting out of his backyard. On February 21, 2016, the dog was running wild in the neighborhood and police responded to the home. Prior to police arriving, a neighbor was able to get the dog back into the yard, and used trash cans to block yard's entrance. The dog escaped again and the neighbor called police back to report the dog out yet again.

Shaw went to court for the citations and the dog was "moved out of the city" according to the Euclid Municipal Court docket.

Neighbors at the Cleveland address had previously called the dog warden complaining that the dog was "vicious."

Anastasia Highsmith, six-year-old victim. 

After the attack on Anastasia, neighbors want aggressive dogs out of their neighborhood. Per the 19 new story " Two neighbors spoke about the aggressive dog problem on their street, saying there are at least half a dozen pit bulls on the block and they all seem aggressive. Lee Covert has lived on W. 22nd Street his entire life and can’t understand the need for aggressive dogs in the neighborhood. According to Covert, the same dog that attacked on July 4 had recently gotten loose and police were called because a neighbor couldn’t get into her car." 

What are elected officials thinking when they allow breed advocates to block regulation of dangerous dogs and create unsafe neighborhoods? Was allowing a proven irresponsible pit bull owner to simply move his dangerous pit bull to another community an acceptable solution?  Not from a public safety point of view.  Cleveland's dangerous dog law is clearly written but poorly enforced.  Required insurance appears to be completely ignored.  
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We will return to this mess shortly.

Pit bull roundup 4/29/2016 The Toledo Blade reports pit bull attacks, pit bulls attack their owners, pit bull owners stay in jail, pit bulls attack goats, breeding accidents, a child recovers, a pit bull attacks a police K9 and it does not end well for the pit bull.

We have taken a few weeks off for a short sanity break but are back to work. Lots of material to work with.  Pit bulls make sure of that.

3/10/2016
Toledo Ohio
Lucas County

Two pit bulls attacked a smaller dog.  The pit bulls were shot by a neighbor of the pit bull owner.  The Toledo Blade does not make it clear if the shooter was the owner of the small dog.  Police were called to the scene and noted two pit bulls,  let me correct that because the news story comes from the Toldeo Blade, "pit bulls"covered with blood on the porch of a house on Wyman Street.  A police spokesman stated at least one of the pit bulls appeared to have been shot.

The Lucas County Care and Control sent staff to pick up the two pit bulls.  The injured small dog had already been rushed to a local animal hospital.  Per Lucas County Dog warden Julie Lyle, the owner of the pit bulls picked up her female pit bull but surrendered the male.  The male pit bull has "a serious injury to the left shoulder" (AKA gunshot wound) and has been medicated for pain but shelter staff is unable to render further treatment to the pit bull because it growls and bares his teeth to staff.  

Dog Warden Lyle plans to euthanize the aggressive male pit bull stating "we are not going to put a lot of resources into medical care for a dog who is aggressive."  How refreshingly sensible!

Ms Lyle states she believes that the pit bull owner was cited but could not verify this.  

3/11/2016
Toledo Ohio

More details on this attack.  The injured dog was a Parson Russel Terrier, the little dog lost a leg in the attack that occurred in his own, securely fenced  backyard  The pit bull was shot by a neighbor.  Both pit bulls were reclaimed by their owners on Thursday.

This is not likely to end well for the neighborhood, the male pit bull was declared a nuisance for menacing  a neighbor of the owners at a previous residence.  A change of address does not actually change the dog despite the assurances of pit bull advocacy.  Lucas County Canine Control officers have called on the pit bull owners home twice in 2015 and once in 2013.  How many chances will these two maulers get?

The pit bull owners were cited for unconfined dogs and one citation for failure to vaccinate for the male pit bull.  Wow...  Why is state law not being enforced?

Here is a surprise, the pit bull owners were unavailable for comment, and the Toledo Blade continues to call these dogs "pit bulls." Some things never change. .

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March 14, 2016
Piqua Ohio
Miami County

A woman reported being bitten, while on her own property, by two pit bulls. The pit bull owner, Michael Sowers, age 44, was cited for minor misdemeanor dogs running at large and minor misdemeanor permitting dogs to bite.  The woman was bitten in her own yard and two minor misdemeanor charges?  Has anyone in Miami County actually read the Ohio Revised Code?

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4/18/2016
Bellefontaine Ohio
Logan County

A pit bull owner had to be rescued, by police, from his own pit bulls. Terry L. Tevis, age 58, tried to break up a fight between his own dogs when his own pit bull turned on him. Per the Bellefontaine Examiner "A neighbor told police the most aggressive dog scaled a fence separating the animals and attacked one of the two dogs in that kennel.

Mr. Tevis tried to break up the fight and was attacked by the pit bull.

It is not clear whether all the dogs were pit bulls but the attacking dog was noted to be a pit bull.  

Tevis was transported via squad to Mary Rutan Hospital for treatment. He had extensive cuts and wounds to his torso, arms, hands, and neck.

The attacking dog was transported to Top of Ohio Shelter.  As I recall, Steffen Baldwin is associated with this shelter but that is another topic.  Police spoke with Tevis at the hospital, asking if the pit bull could be moved to the Logan County Dog Warden so that it could be euthanized.  Tevis agreed three times, and also said the other two could go as well.

A quote from the FAQ page for the City of Bellefontaine's website "If you own a pit bull please contact city hall for additional requirements."   Click here for the dangerous animals ordinance in Bellefontaine.




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3/17/2016
DAYTON Ohio
Montgomery County

Now for some good news, a three year old boy named Trent is recovering from a pit bull attack in January.  Family members expect many more surgeries until Trent is in is twenties.  

Trent is the third generation of his family to be attacked by pit bulls.  Per ABC22now.com ""I got my grandson attacked in the face, my son attacked in the face, my son over here attacked in the leg, me attacked in the arm -- all pit bull dogs. None of them was our dog, all somebody else's dog," said Michael Carrico Jr, Trent's grandfather." 
                                                                    
The dog that attacked Trent was euthanized.



Trent just after the attack.


Trent as he recovers.

Click here for video.  THREE GENERATIONS of the same family attacked by pit bulls in Dayton. What will it take for Montgomery County to hire a real dog warden?

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4/26/2016
Elyria Ohio
Lorain County

A 50 pound pit bull mix dog attacked a 59 year old woman, Barbara Kane, on her hands as she peacefully walked down Middle Avenue in Elyria.  The 60 year old owner of the pit bull mix, Sharon Cain, was arrested.  The victim was transported to University Hospital's Elyria Medical Center for treatment.  Pit bull owner Cain stated her dog escaped from a fenced area that she considered secure.  Another "somehow" attack.  Cain was charged with dog at large, that should be easy to prove.

 


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4/28/2016
Columbus Ohio
Franklin County

A pit bull was shot by police as it attacked a police K9 in front of the Franklin County Courthouse.  The attack happened during a community event designed to allow the public to see what law enforcement officers do during their working days.  This crowd got the full effect.

The K9, named Vando, was being petted by Joe Micham when an unleashed pit bull attacked.  Vando's handler fired upon the pit bull and it is reported that a SWAT team member also opened fire.  The attacking pit bull was owned by 31 year old Aaron Slate.  Slate was charged with assaulting a police dog, and on an unrelated criminal trespassing charge.  

  
Vando, the police K9 was not seriously hurt.  The pit bull is dead.
 

Video is available here.  Raw video of the actual shooting is available here.  Three shots are heard on the video, the officers appear to be shooting straight down. A female voice is heard asking "where is the owner"?  A man appears about 45 seconds into the video, he appears to be the owner but exhibits no particular distress over the shooting of his pit bull.

A witness appears in two different TV station videos of this event.  He is shocked and upset that police shot the pit bull, in his opinion the dog should have been Tazed.  Tazers are not effective on red zone pit bulls and redirection of aggression is common.

Always remember, police K9s are police officers, they are handled by police officers who are armed. Pittie picked the wrong target.

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4/29/2016
Toledo Ohio
Lucas County

Write this date on your calendar, the Toledo Blade covered a pit bull attack and named the breed, this is the second time the Blade has done this since early March.

Two pit bulls, owned by 43 year old Anthony Allen, attacked and killed a third dog and pit a person.  An "unidentified person," one would expect this was a concealed carry permit holder, shot and killed the female pit bull and wounded the male pit bull before police arrived on the scene.  By the way, this attack happened very near a public school just to make it more outrageous.  Two security units were called by the school as children arrived this morning.  A school spokesperson stated they will continue to monitor the situation and may have the security units on site this evening as well.

The Blade article stated "Mr. Allen refused to take responsibility for his animals."  Exactly what that means is not known but the refusal to be responsible for pit bulls is common to pit  bull owners.

Why the Toledo Blade decided to cover this story is also unknown. As is the Bade's normal practice pit bulls became "pit bulls" because there is no such thing as a pit bull.  Must be a very slow news day in Toledo.

Click here for news video on  this story.  As the story is reported, one of the pit bulls ran to a property after being shot, apparently the home of its owner.Take a look at the property, classic.

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4/26/2016
Dayton Ohio/Columbus Ohio
Montgomery County/Franklin County

A hearing was held in the Ohio Senate Agriculture Committee on the Klonda Richey Act, named after Dayton dog mauling victim Klonda Richey who was killed by her neighbor's dogs in February of 2014.  Testimony was heard from proponents, and those not so thrilled with the bill. Having read the testimony of those with reservations on SB 151, it appears that they have not actually read the bill. The universal complaint from these speakers was on the euthanization of vicious dogs. They want vicious dogs returned to the community?   Those who have actually read the bill are aware that due process for dog owners is preserved.

Click here to read the testimony.  The link will take you to the main page for the Agriculture committee. Click on Committee Documents, you go to a list of hearing dates, click on April 26, 2016. SB 151 was the third bill heard.  I'm sorry for  the extra work but this is a government website. Nothing is easy.  

                          
Senator Bill Beagle, sponsor of SB 151.



Klonda Richey, killed by her neighbor's dogs in 2014.  Ms. Richey made dozens of calls to police and Montgomery County Animal Control about these dogs. No action was taken other than sternly worded post it notes attached to the dog owner's front door.

For more information please click here.

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3/24/2016
Cincinnati Ohio
Hamilton County

Per Cincinnati.com "Prince Charming, a goat brought to Spring Grove Cemetery and Arboretum as part of a program to see if grazing animals can control invasive plant species, died Wednesday afternoon after he and five other goats were attacked by a dog

Images of the dog, a pit bull, were captured on video surveillance.

Six goats – Pixie, Dixie, Prince Charming, Curley, Shirley and Della – were injured in the Monday night attack. The five surviving goats were initially in critical condition but are now in stable condition.

Seven goats were brought to preserve area near the center of the cemetery in February to see if grazing could eradicate Winter Creeper, English Ivy and other invasive species that choke out native plants. Spring Grove Cemetery and Arboretum suspended the program after the attack. The goats are being kept at an undisclosed, safe location.

Prince Charming had severe punctures and lacerations on both hind legs and could not nurse on Pixie due to her injuries, according to a post  Tuesday morning on Permaculture's  Facebook page. Woeste said it seems the goat died of an embolism resulting from injuries incurred in the attack.

"Curley has a broken back, and cannot stand, but she is eating and drinking," Permaculture posted. "... Shirley has a broken scapula, but is eating and drinking. Pixie, Dixie and Della have puncture wounds, lacerations and bruising."

Curley is not able to stand and is in a sling but she wags her tail when she is petted, Woeste said. Permaculture is irrigating the goats' wounds and giving them antibiotic shots. It will take months for the goats to heal completely.

The video at this link was done prior to the attack.

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4/18/2016
California's 2nd District Court of Appeals

This is not an Ohio story but it may serve as a warning to pit bull owners.  The appeals court upheld a lower court's ruling in the case of the fatal mauling of Pamela Devitt.  Per myLAnews.com "The three-justice panel from California’s 2nd District Court of Appeal rejected the defense’s challenge to the sufficiency of the evidence in the case of Alex Donald Jackson.

“Appellant knew his dogs were jumping his fence and attacking passersby,” the appellate court panel found in a 14-page ruling. “As an owner of animals with dangerous propensities, appellant had a duty to exercise reasonable care in keeping his dogs from jumping the fence, and his failure to do so caused the death of another person.”

Jackson was sentenced in October 2014 to 15 years to life in state prison after being convicted for the May 9, 2013, dog attack on Pamela Devitt, a 63-year-old Palmdale grandmother who was walking in the area as part of an exercise routine."                                           

Fifteen years to life in prison.  Is it worth it? 



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2/18/2016
Mt Orab
Brown County Ohio

A man and a woman were both hospitalized after being attacked by their own pit bulls. They were reportedly attempting to break up a fight between their own pit bulls, inside their own home, when one pit bull redirected upon them.  An alternative account of the attack appeared in the Ledger Independent " An attempt to introduce two pit-bull dogs who did not like each-other for a breeding session went horribly wrong on Thursday, after the dogs began to fight."

Responsible, thoughtful dog owners do not breed pit bulls.  Shelters across the United States report the dogs they harbor are 60% to 80% or more pit bulls. The percentage of pits in shelters will not change until pit bull owners accept the wisdom, and humanity of neuter and spay.  Why produce more dogs destined to suffer and die?  

Both pit bull owners were airlifted to the University of Cincinnati Medical Center for treatment.  The woman was the most seriously injured with wounds to her face. The man was injured on his arm. The attacking dog was removed to the Brown County Animal Shelter BUT the couple has the right to reclaim their mauler.

What?  Who would want the thing back?  There is no record of the decision made by the victims.

Neighbors stated the dogs did not appear vicious while they were outside.

 

                             
One does not read about airlifts of victims of redirected Beagle attacks.   Or Poodles.   Or Pugs.

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4/19/2016
Springfield Ohio
Clark County  

Here is a shocker, a pit bull owner states "my dogs are not vicious" after they jumped a fence and attacked a woman staying at the owner's house.  Pit bull owner Krystal Williams was not at home at the time of the attack.  Even though the victim was a guest in the home, Williams stated "There should have been no reason why she was in my yard" and claimed that she had told the victim, Keisha Baker to stay out of the yard.  Williams theorized her pit bull attacked her guest because the pit bulls were "protecting their puppies."  Golden retrievers do not send household guests to the hospital for treatment because puppies are on the property.  Per WHIO " Officers said the woman suffered injuries to her legs and hands and was transported to Springfield Regional Medical Center for treatment. Her condition was not available.

Witnesses described the scene as full of blood and screaming from the victim. “She was just laying on the ground crying and screaming,” Annie Patrick said, who witnessed the attack from inside a nearby home. “When I came out she was yelling for me to help.”

Patrick said the dogs were known to neighbors to escape the yard and would often tear up trash set out by homeowners.

Police said seven dogs, including three puppies, were located in the yard of the home and were removed by animal control officers. The breeds of the dogs is unknown, but two were believed to be pit bulls, according to police.

For video of the pit bull owner's statement click here.  For news video click here.

This story continues to evolve.  The pit bull owner stated to WDTNnews that the victim was a stranger attempting to enter the home through the back door but told WHIO that the victim was staying at her home but was told to stay our of the yard.  Pick a story and stick with it.

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4/18/2016
Mansfield Ohio
Richland County

While Ohio pit bull advocates lobby the city of Mansfield to drop their pit bull regulations the Richland County Health Department is looking for a white pit bull involved in a biting incident.

Per the Richland Source "The dog is described as an all-white pit bull. It was last seen in the Wood Street area in Mansfield on Sunday.

Anyone with information about this dog should immediately call Richland Public Health. Authorities advise individuals not to attempt to restrain the dog.

However, anyone with information about a canine fitting this description should call 419-774-4500."

One seldom sees warnings like this for Irish Setters or Chihuahuas, but take from this what you will.  

We have LOTS more pittery to catch up on but enough is enough for the evening.