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.  
             

We have LOTS of attacks to report on but this one is appalling and deserves to be seen as a failure of current Ohio law.

This post was made on Facebook today. Warning, graphic photo.

Paul Huesing added 3 new photos.

1 hr · 

Terry foister got a 100$ ticket for HIS three dogs killing our two horses & one at neighbors! Court was a farce ! Not even a fine for a dog license x 3 !! Please contact your state Representative WES RETHERFORD in Columbus. I don't want this to happen ever again .demand changes in the dog laws! Now we have to file civil suit .the fight has just begun !!!

Mr. Huesing's horses after Terry Foister's pit bulls invaded his property.  The pit bulls went on to kill another horse on another property.




THIS gets a $100 fine?  The Butler County Dog Warden is Kurt Merbs, what is he doing?  Merbs has totally failed here and deserves a public shaming.

We share your rage and your grief Mr. Huesing.  YES, dog laws need to change in Ohio.

From Local 12 News

Larry Davis Local 12 News added 3 new photos.

2 hrs · 

Terry Foister pleads guilty to minor misdemeanor charge of failure to confine an animal. His pitbull dogs allegedly attacked and killed three miniature horses in St. Clair Township. The horse owners were in court and were outraged by $150 fine. They vow to fight for tougher animal laws. Foister had no comment leaving court.

All three dogs are reported dead.  One was shot by a horse owner and the other two were reportedly shot by Foister.  I hope that was verified.

Pit bull roundup 10/4/2015. Dead pets, police reports, mauled children, escaped pit bulls, and pit bull hysteria wasting taxpayer dollars. The usual.

Here we are back at the task of cleaning up the back log of pit bull attacks in Ohio. We begin.

8/21/2015
Lakemore Ohio
Summit County

A 10 year old Silky Terrier was killed in his owner's yard by three pit bulls owned by a neighbor.  Here is how the Caleb's grief stricken owner described the attack.  "Caleb was simply standing in my yard and the Pitt Bulls escaped their scadally fenced in front yard and ran up my driveway to attack him.  He was helpless -- I beat them with only what I had in my hand -- a broomstick --and it was like hitting a steel rod.   I screamed so loud that neighbors up the street and a street away came to try to help.  However, the neighbors right across the street and who owns the dogs did not show up until the mauling was almost over.  One of my neighbors picked up Caleb and one Pitt Bull chased her into my garage, she ran into my house along with me and handed the little man to me -- she said they then cornered my cairn terrior, Caitie who was also outside with us and sniffed her then turned away.  My other neighbor said she tried to come to my aid but the black Pitt kept her at bay by aggressively barking and going toward her.  She backed away slowly into her home. My veterinarian said thank God they didn't turn on you.  I am grieving and angry that this law  In Ohio the Pitt Bull breed has been removed off of the dangerous dog list.  This law must be changed.  I don't know what political organizations are promoting this breed to be safe -- but it must be all about political gain and money.   Until Friday, I was convinced that Pitt Bulls were deemed to be a safe dog if raised properly -- but no more.  We must stop this insane propaganda and make our communities safe again. I realize that Caleb was just a dog, but I have no children and he was like my little boy.  So innocent-- but it could be a child next time.   Please sign this petition to keep Pitt Bulls out of our communities.  

Outrageous attacks like this are the impetus for BSL.  Pit bull advocates will face demands for laws regulating pit bulls until those advocates step up and end the killings.  Pit bull advocates must understand the grief of those who lost peaceful companions in bloody and violent maulings.  Please sign the petition. 

 
 Please click here for the thoughts of Connie Millward, Caleb's heartbroken  owner.

I am SO sorry Connie.

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9/27/2015
Lorain Ohio
Lorain County

A man and his daughter were attacked by two pit bulls while they were attending a cookout on 9/7/2015.  The home owner had also been cited for dogs at large earlier in this year but in classic pit bull owner fashion, the pit bulls were not present when police arrived.  This is a family affair and details of ownership of the attacking pit bulls are being covered up by the victims.

This from the same news article.  On 9/24/2015 in the same city police were called for a complaint of two loose and aggressive pit bulls. Police knew the dogs and the owner because they had been called for the same loose pit bulls just two days previously.  By the time police arrived the pit bull owner, Parker Ramaro was also present. Ramero stated that his pit bulls had "escaped their enclosure" (again).  Officers rounded up Ramero and his pit bulls and transported them all home in the police cruiser.  Ramero was cited for two counts of confinement of dogs and two counts of annual registration.    

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I include this not because it is local but because it tells us a great deal about pit bull advocacy. Kansas City obtained a $100,000 grant from Petsmart Charities for the purpose of neutering, spaying, AND LICENSING  pit bulls in two Kansas City zip codes.  At the end of the grant's time frame fully $86,350 was returned unused.  Only 45 pit bull owners took advantage of this screaming deal.  Per KSHB41 "Pit bull rescue groups and veterinarians welcomed the news, saying that more alteration surgeries would ultimately lead to fewer dogs put down.

But the vast majority of the money was never used, and, after a year-long window in which just 45 dogs received free surgeries, the city quietly returned the $86,350 dollars remaining from the grant. " 

There are 1400 plus pit bulls kept in the two zip codes named in the grant, owners of only 45 of these pit bulls were responsible enough to take advantage of the grant that not only included the surgery but licensing as well?  We hear a great deal from "responsible pit bull owners" but Kansas City did not see many of them.  If pit bull advocacy  wants to stop regulation of their dogs they must clean up their own act.



As the banner in the photo clearly shows, pit bull advocacy blamed the city. Even when the surgery is free AND includes licensing, even when the city directly mails out notices to residents, even when the city pays for radio ads, pit bull owners refuse to neuter and spay.  The failure is within pit bull advocacy and only pit bull advocates can fix this.  

Since we are already so far down this road, lets go just a little further before we turn back and return to Ohio.  Rabid Kansas City pit bull advocate and president of the Kansas City Pet Project, Brent Toellner (who was also involved with bringing the PetSmart grant to Kansas city, as I recall) has a great deal to say about mandatory neuter and spay laws.  Despite roughly a million pit bulls euthanized in American shelters EVERY YEAR Toellner opposes mandatory neuter and spay for pit bulls but does allow that neuter and spay is a very good thing. In a masterpiece of circuitous thinking, repeated by pit bull advocates everywhere Toellner states that the suffering of pit bulls warehoused endlessly, or euthanized in shelters is not the fault of pit bull owners and advocates but rather the fault of those seeking proactive solutions to the suffering.

Excerpts from Toellner's letter to the Madison City Council opposing a proposed mandatory N&S law.
"However, when you look at the MSN law in Kansas City, the law had a different impact than the inner-city outreach programs. When you look at many neighborhoods in Kansas City, MO, there are many where poverty rates are very high, and access to affordable vet care is very limited if not non-existent. Mandating spay/neuter doesn’t change the fact many cannot afford the surgery; it simply makes it harder for those with limited resources to comply. Many of these individuals live in overall “resource deserts”, where they have limited availability of resources, and may not have any local access to Veterinary Care. Add to that, many people do not own cars and taxis and buses do not allow pets on board.

Take a family in Kansas City, MO that owns a well-cared for pit bull but don’t yet have the money to alter that pet and very likely do not know there is a law mandating spay/neuter. If animal control discovers them in non-compliance, they will have to pay a $500 fine for non-compliance on top of the surgery cost. The end result is often due to lack of money, a pet with a home ends up seized and impounded into the already crowded shelter system. The goal of mandatory spay/neuter is to reduce shelter intake. But in most instances fails at that goal, and only succeeds at breaking the bond families have with their pets. 

Kansas City, MO passed its law mandating the spay/neuter of pit bulls in August 2006. In 2005, KCMO euthanized 981 pit bulls at the shelter. In 2006, KCMO euthanized 1353 pit bull type dogs. In 2007, the first complete year of the ordinance it euthanized 1,722; in 2008, 1002 were euthanized. This was at a time when euthanasia for all non-pit bull type dogs was decreasing, yet more than 1100 additional pit bulls lost their lives in the next 3 years mostly because their owners were unable to comply with the law. iv."Some may contend that a mandatory law is necessary because some people simply will not alter their pets, even if the resources are made available. However, these people have not played out the enforcement scenario. In Kansas City, because it is mandatory for pit bulls to be spayed/neutered, if someone refused to comply (regardless of reason), their dog will be confiscated and taken to the shelter. This doesn’t replace the owner’s desire for an unaltered dog, so they are now forced to go out and buy another one. This not only increased the demand for (illegally) bred pit bulls, it also just creates a perpetual cycle of dogs being taken from homes and to the shelter only to be replaced by new dogs. This process has been going on for 9 years in Kansas City, and still, 75% of the pit bulls that come into our shelter are still unaltered (many are there simply because they are unaltered)."

Toellner includes a graphic that makes him look foolish. He explains that 2007 was the first full year of the ordinance requiring neuter and spay.  Yes, euthanasia of pit bulls did increase from the previous year by 369 pit bulls for that first year.  By the second year of enforcement the numbers of pit bulls euthanized fell by 720 pit bulls. This is 351 fewer pit bulls euthanized than the year prior to passage of the mandatory N&S law.  In the second year of enforcement that number fell 316 pit bulls (667 fewer pit bulls euthanized than the year prior to passage of the mandatory N&S law).  Kansas City has turned the corner but Toellner fails to notice.
                                                                          


 Toellner claims that failure to neuter and spay pit bulls is based upon financial hardship.  Petsmart's grant made the surgery absolutely free and even included licensing. Pit bull owners chose to ignore the deal of a lifetime.  Petsmart Charities did their best to support pit bull advocacy in Kansas City, as they do everywhere backing up that support up with a huge pile of cash. By doing so the unintended consequence shows us exactly how insane breed specific advocates claims really are.

Impressive work Petsmart!

Historic fact - Pit bull advocates, including Toellner, demanded an end to the Kansas City pit bull ban but in December of 2014 Kansas City city council decided to keep their proactive pit bull ban.

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9/20/2015
Marysville Ohio
Union County



This story comes from Marysville Ohio, home of breed specific advocate Steffen Baldwin and his shelter ACT Ohio.  A pit bull attacked and killed a Yorkshire terrier. The pit bull was confined but the article did not offer a location.  The pit bull owner may be charged.  The Union County dog warden and the Union County board of health are investigating.

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9/17/2015
New Boston Ohio
Scioto County

A nine year old girl was mauled by a neighbor's pit bull. Per WSAZ "Caleigh Blower, who had just started 4th grade, was playing on a swing set with a friend two houses down from her home on Rhodes Avenue in New Boston, when she saw a pit bull push the screen door open.

"It jumped up and then bit my face, and then I fell on the ground," she said.

"Her skin was gone," Caleigh's mother Jamie Blower said. "There was nothing left. Her right arm, the meat was hanging out. It was down to the bone."

This was not the first violence from this particular pit bull.  The pit bull's owner was cited in July when the same pit bull "got loose" attacked another dog.  The pit bull owner also admitted that her pit bull had attacked someone delivering medication a month ago.

More from WSAZ "The dog's owner appeared in the New Boston mayor's court Wednesday. She was fined several hundred dollars and sentenced to one day in the county jail, police tell WSAZ.

Her dog was ordered to be put down."

The nine year old victim made the classic pit bull victim's statement ""I don't want anyone else younger than me to go through it," Caleigh said.

Wise words.  Even children understand.

Caleigh Blower, pit bull attack victim.

The pit bull has been euthanized.  New Boston residents are not happy about this attack.

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9/28/2015
Lancaster Ohio
Fairfield County

In a story that you will never see (per pit bull advocacy) a nine year old girl was bitten by a German Shepherd.  The dog bit the girl's back and elbow before it was stopped and taken back in the house.  The dog's owner was reported to be visibly upset, provided vaccination records, and plans to have the dog put down.  There was no report of medical treatment required for the child.  It was reported that tooth marks were found in the child's shirt and puncture marks were noted on her back.

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9/15/2015
Hamilton Ohio
Butler County

Two pit bulls were found decapitated on Hamilton Ohio railroad tracks.  How these headless dogs were identified as pit bulls is unclear.  Pit bull advocates are unable to identify intact and living pit bulls, but I have digressed. Click here for your "can you identify the pit bull" game.

In any case, a reward of $1000 was quickly offered by an anonymous donor connected to the Animal Friends Humane Society for information leading to whoever abused, killed, and placed the bodies of these pit bulls on the railroad tracks.

In video available by clicking here the brother of the owner of one of the dogs states his suspicion that the dogs were shot in the head prior to being placed on the tracks.  Police were drawn into this and launched an investigation.  Per Fox10 "Hamilton Police Sgt. Ed Buns said the department also learned from the Facebook post.

“Both of them had apparently been run over by a train," said Burns. "We currently have detective actively investigating the circumstances that led them being in the location they were in, the condition they were.”    

Law enforcement was not contacted about the situation until Tuesday morning, according to Buns. On Wednesday, officials were still trying to determine why the dogs were placed on the track and who is responsible.

“We’re very sure they were deceased before train came along,” said Buns.

An inspection of the dogs located at the scene showed no signs of a gunshot or other injury that would have resulted in the death of the animal, prior to being struck by a train, according to Buns.

"There's certain things you see in your career that makes you wonder what kind of a human being could do something like this,” Buns said.

Police do not have a suspect. Buns said they have received information on who to question about the situation.

Two dogs were shown in the original photo, but only one remained on the tracks when officials arrived Tuesday. It’s not clear who picked up the second dog.
     
"There was no indication that anything had been amiss with this dog previous to this, or what killed it,” Buns said.  “"We knew the dog had been hit by a train, but typically dogs don't get hit by trains.  They run away."

"My belief is they were placed on the tracks after either being rendered unconscious or killed and placed on the tracks to be run over by a train,” Buns said.

An interesting side note, one of the dead dogs was none other than Scrappy.  Scrappy bit a child in July and was hustled out of town in the dead of night during the period of his rabies confinement.  Scrappy was given to a friend of Kari Walters, the original owner but "somehow" disappeared prior to his death. Walters stated that she gave Scrappy away because she "had some things to take care of." Dog Warden Kurt Merbs stated that Walters was cited for the July attack but that Scrappy would not have been put down. 

Scrappy, biter on the run.

After a week long investigation Hamilton Ohio police announced that the investigation was closed. Per WCPO " Hamilton police worked with CSX Railroad Police to find the engineer who admitted to driving the train that hit the dogs, Buns said. The engineer said the dogs appeared to be "alive and well" when he spotted them playing on the tracks and they did not move when he sounded the train whistle.

"The engineer stated that he only learned of the investigation this weekend and is upset that the dogs were struck, but there is nothing he could do," Buns wrote in a news release."

The final statement from police was this, Scrappy had simply escaped from the home of the new owner and was running loose in the area.  The other dog, named Deno, also had a new owner, was "let out" and never came back.  

So here is the final wrap up, after a nearly week long investigation we find just two more irresponsibly owned pit bulls at large in the community (one of them a known biter on the run from a rabies confinement) run over by a train.  How much money did this police investigation cost the taxpayers of Hamilton Ohio?

In fairness to Hamilton Ohio, the scenario of hysteria and suspicion of pit bull abuse after pittie is found dead someplace is not unique to Hamilton.  The exact same report came out of Ulster New York on 9/15/2015.  Per the Daily Freeman Police Report  "Police with the assistance of the dog’s owners, determined that the two dogs were able to escape their kennel, and that no individual attacked or had stolen the dogs. As the dogs ran free ‘Blue’ was struck and killed by a nearby train. The other pit bull was struck and injured in the hind quarter, but was able to return to its residence. When the homeowners discovered one dog missing and the other dog injured, they were fearful that someone caused harm to their animals because on other occasions when the dogs ran off there were no issues... Former Ulster County Sheriff Ken Post and his wife, Denise, of Pine Plains, had put up a $500 reward for the arrest of a suspect when they heard reports the animal had been stolen on Sunday. Police said the injuries were “not natural” and began an investigation, asking the public’s help locating suspects.

Adonis’ treatment expenses were paid by the Animal Emergency Fund, which Post administers on behalf of his late mother, Marie, who started the fund in 1999."

The lesson to be learned here is that pit bull owners are responsible for the deaths of their own pit bulls when they do not keep the things confined. Don't want Chaos shot by police, run over by a train, or stabbed by the owner of some peaceful pet dying in Chaos's jaws?  Keep your mauler at home and under control. A pit bull's worst nightmare is frequently their owner.

Don't think I can stand much more of this today but we will be back soon.  I'm going to end this post with a photograph that illustrates the reason for this blog.



This is Levi Watson. He was killed by a pit bull in 2013.  Levi was four years old at the time of his death.  Another bittersweet photo that touches my soul.

Poor public safety decisions by those who should know better.

Before we get back to the Ohio Pibble March, and beat through the backlog of Ohio pit bull attacks, let's take a look at some current events and some events that are not so current but pointed out serious problems.  Pit bull advocacy does not see these problems and people die.  This post will wander a bit but I promise, it will end in Ohio.

In February of 2014 the Courier (Findlay, Hancock County, Northwestern Ohio) published an article titled Volunteer seriously injured, Humane Society sets new safety rules.  The Hancock County Humane Society added safety protocols after a volunteer was seriously injured by a pit bull mix.  The shelter director, Paula Krugh minimized the attack by stating  “He really didn’t attack her. He just kind of decided to turn her into the chew toy.” Krugh said the injuries were serious enough that the volunteer had to seek medical attention. The dog, which was on the adoption floor, was euthanized and a rabies test was conducted on the remains. The test was negative.
 "Decided to turn her into a chew toy?"

Krugh went on to say that the staff "felt defeated" by this event, "the volunteer really loved this dog."
The Hancock County Humane Society has 30 to 50 volunteers at the shelter on any given day and all have received safety training and each has signed a liability waiver form in the event of injury to the volunteer.  The liability waiver forms appear to be convenient for the shelter, three volunteers were bitten by dogs at the shelter in the previous year, all by pit bull dogs.  Only one of the biters was euthanized, the others were adopted out to families?  This significant detail is not explained within the article and is the point of this post.  

Some dates are pertinent here, the article was written in February of 2014, the previous year time frame takes us back to Feb of 2013.  Ohio law was changed by HB 14 in the spring of 2012, freeing shelters that had previously euthanized pit bulls to promote these dogs as family pets and send them off with unsuspecting families.  It did not take long for the failure of HB 14 to become evident.

The new shelter safety protocols at the Hancock County Humane Society include panic buttons, additional cameras, and a buddy system for volunteers.  These protocols sound exactly like the protocols in a power-point done by the ASPCA for the purpose of protecting shelter volunteers from serious injury, and the shelters from serious liability issues.  Please click here to read the power-point program titled The Care of Pit Bulls in the Shelter Environment, you can read the whole thing but please focus on pages 8 through 11. The ASPCA did not share these warnings with the public but have presented this material in hopes of protecting shelters from liability in the case of pit bull attacks upon shelter volunteers.

The Hancock County Humane Society is also not being completely honest with the public.  Looking at the photographs of dogs available for adoption we find at least 18 of the 42 available dogs appear to be pit bulls.  Most have only photographs but a few have the classic shelter bios.  We have Cashmere, in the shelter for 1621 days on the day the photo was taken.  A quote from the shelter's bio for Cashmere,"Living in the shelter is just too stressful for me. I hated being behind bars like I was a criminal. Once outside the kennel, I became the happy girl I was meant to be. I also have learned that I do not want to share my affection with other 4-legged pets. I need to know I am the only dog in my owner's heart and home. I also need an owner who is patient, understanding and knows how to give positive reinforcement to good behavior. A harsh, strict disciplinarian will only make me tense and afraid. Hey, I may be an out-door-lover but I am still sensitive!
Translation, she is animal aggressive as hell, reactive, and you must be 21 years old to adopt this mauler.

We have Gunner, Johnson Type American Bulldog. In the shelter for 186 days at the time the photo was made.  Here is part of Gunner's bio " My family and I just didn't seem right for each other. I am not the type of guy that likes to spend hours by myself. I am a people person! So being bored is sheer torture for me. Also, I really do not like other animals. At all. Under any circumstance. Ever. No kidding. End of story.  Obviously, I do not think of myself as a dog and I have never met an animal I like. But people are my aces in my book! 
Translation, Gunner is wildly animal aggressive and likely wildly destructive in the home.  Kiss your couch goodbye, your neighbors as well.  When Gunner gets out and kills the neighbor's Poodle police will be called.  The shelter is not requiring an over 21 adopter for Gunner.  Poor planning here.

Here is Hercules, here is a quote "Smart, funny and full of personality Hercules has one request. He must live in a home without smaller animals. He has a naturally high prey drive and looks upon small dogs and cats as something to chase and capture! Dogs his own size or larger are just fine with Hercules."  You must be 21 to adopt Hercules.
Translation, Hercules will kill the neighbor's cats and dogs.  Get used to police knocking on your front door.

How about Oliver, in the shelter for 485 days.  "I do have an abundance of confidence and may try to assert my authority on folks who are unfamiliar with bully breed dogs. I like to be the "top dog" when I meet new canines. That is why it will be important to do a thorough test visit with your current dog(s) to make sure we all get along. I'd be happy to be the only dog as well. I do not like cats one little bit!  You have to be 21 to adopt me and I will be best suited to an active home with kids older than 14.
Translation, again, cat killer and likely any to kill any available dogs as well, don't get confident that your children will be safe either.

Rizzo is a recidivist, the shelter has labeled her a "Shepherd/Terrier but is write up indicates the 21 years old requirement for adopters, they know this is a pit bull mix.  " I am 3 years old and familiar with this shelter life. I was picked up in Potter's Bridge Park in the spring 2013 and was adopted in September. My family really loves me a lot and I love them. However, I cannot live with cats. I was surrendered to the HSHC June 2015. 
Translation, too many pit bulls on the list so we will just make something up for Rizzo's breed.  Rizzo is a cat killer and the family chose peace and safety in the home over this mauler.  Smart.

Would you like to look at Ruben?  In the shelter for 503 days, here is part of the bio "Here are some facts about me: 
o I am strong.
o I love people.
o I need to be the only pet in your family.
o I am house-broken.
o I know how to walk on leash.
o I know the commands sit and stay. 
o I am working on my manners and obedience but overall I am friendly, sociable, tolerant, happy and curious.
o I can get pretty worked up and excited when playing so I need kids 10 and older who can handle my strength and energy.
So in conclusion, I need an active family who will give me plenty of exercise, long walks and playtime with toys and tennis balls.
Because I was what they call "a stray" nobody knows much about my past. But I am very hopeful about my future! 
You must be 21 to adopt me.Have good insurance and feel lucky?  Ruben might be just the dog for you, but God help your neighbors.


But I have digressed.  After you have read through the ASPCA's material on pit bulls in shelters you might read material put out by the AVMA Professional Liability Trust with the same goal, protect kennel workers from violent dog attacks.  Pretty much every possible scenario in the book is illustrated by an actual pit bull attack.  Click here to read the Does and Don'ts Concerning Vicious Dogs.  This book was done in 1993, before the AVMA sold out to pit bull advocacy.  For an impressive list of attacks, and fatal maulings by rescued pit bulls please click here.  Please note that there are live links on each story to actual news sources, the NCRC does not cover these attacks so pit bull advocates have apparently missed them.

So, Hancock County is experiencing a pit bull problem, and this is just inside the shelter where presumably trained staff is caring for the dogs.  Lets look at what is happening in the communities of Butler County Ohio.   In July of 2014 the Journal-News ran a story with the title "Recent pit bull attacks raise about breed, dog laws." This quote comes from the Journal-News "No doubt, pit bulls and mixed breeds with the pit bull’s traits are popular in Butler County, according to Deputy Dog Warden Supervisor Kurt Merbs.  “Eight out of 10 dogs I pick up are pit bulls.” 
Pit bulls keep dog warden Kurt Merbs very busy.  Last year Merbs called to the scene of a fatal attack by a family pit bull upon the mother of the dog owner.

 In August 2014 Merbs was called to investigate an attack by a pit bull upon a 67 year old woman while she was peacefully walking in her own neighborhood.   Merbs said the dog in question was a pit bull.  “Oh yes, there’s no doubt,” Merbs said of the breed of the dog.
It is refreshing to find a dog warden who is competent enough to freely identify a pit bull. At this point it should be noted that the attack upon the 67 year old woman was not the first attack for this particular pit bull.  Merbs says he responded to an incident two years ago where Sapp's pit bull attacked a woman as she walked her dog on Grand Boulevard in Hamilton. He was reportedly charged for that incident as well.
The two year time frame brings us to a few months after HB 14 was passed, why wasn't this dog declared dangerous and removed from the community?  HB 14 was sold to Ohio legislators as the way to "finally give dog wardens the tools to deal with dangerous dogs."  Why wasn't this one dealt with at the time?  

Merbs was also the spokesperson dealing with an attack upon a Black Labrador by a pit bull that ripped the Lab's ear off.  What action was taken against the pit bull owner?  The same pit bull was running loose two weeks later requiring two dog wardens and two police officers to round up this two time offender, taken to a local shelter this time. Hopefully this dog was not returned to the owner.

This quote comes from the Dayton Daily news August 8 2014 “Almost every call I did (Thursday) was for a pit bull,” he said.  Merbs added that for first-time dog owners, he would not recommend any breed of pit bulls.

“I would recommend them for experienced dog owners,” he said. “They’re high-energy dogs, definitely not for lazy people to own.”

A pit bull’s level of aggression comes down to both natural temperament and training, he said.

“You can get a pit bull that is aggressive just by being bred that way, as with any dog. But if they’re stuck on a chain their whole life and don’t socialize, that will have a lot to do with it,” he said.

 
News reports dated July 7, 2015 show that pit bulls remain a problem in Butler County.  Merbs is interviewed by WCPO Cincinnati regarding the case of a pit bull that severely injured a nine year old girl, was ordered into a 10 day home quarantine and, in a classic move, was trafficked to an unknown location before the 10 day quarantine was complete.  The child will have to undergo rabies treatment if he dog can't be located.

Pit bulls in Montgomery County?  Please type Montgomery County, Dayton, or Mark Kumpf into the site search box.  You will be here all day.  I am MILES behind on the Ohio Pit Bull Roundup as well.  Sometimes life gets in the way of blogging but look forward to MANY more pit bull stories soon.  Pit bulls are a huge problem in Ohio but still pit bull advocates hope to talk Ohio voters into throwing away their home rule rights to regulate pit bulls via an amendment to the Ohio Constitution to prohibit any community from passing or enforcing BSL.

Pit bulls in the Greater Cleveland area?  Please read the Greater Cleveland Pit Bull Roundup post.

Moving on to current events, extreme pit bull advocacy, the Animal Farm Foundation, has decided to solve the problem of pit bull attacks by hiding the breed when pushing pit bulls out of shelters rather than making any attempt to solve the problem.  Here is how they do it, check out Labels and Language on the AFF website.  Please note that the motto for the AFF is "Securing equal treatment and opportunity for "pit bull" dogs" but the AFF has decided that we shall call these animals "American Shelter Dogs" in the future "since “pit bull” is not a breed of dog recognized by any kennel clubs and there is no agreed upon definition for what a “pit bull” is, it is impossible to apply breed traits to this genetically incoherent group of dogs."

They want equal treatment and opportunity for dogs that they can't define or identify?  Is there a support group for those who might search for leprechauns or unicorns?

What is the result of mindless support for dogs that are irresponsibly bred, irresponsibly owned, dumped wholesale into tax supported shelters?  Death, death is the result.

Ashville North Carolina, already partnered with the wildly pro pit bull Best Friends Animal Society, proudly announced in June that it was  joining forces with Deirdre Franklin of  Pinups for Pit Bulls to run a pit bull advocacy and education event.

  
Ms Franklin and friends.

Here is a link to a group of photos of Pit Bulls and Pinups.  Serious public policy makers?   I have googled Ms. Franklin's "What is BSL and Can it Keep Us Safe" talk and find broken links and cancelled events, nothing on the actual speech.  




We don't know how many attended or how many pit bulls were placed but we do know that after the Project Pit Bull campaign kickoff the Asheville Humane Society went into overdrive with pit bull adoptions.  One of the pit bulls placed during the frenzy at the Asheville Humane Society killed Joshua Strother just two weeks after the pit bull was placed with Joshua's neighbors.   This was not the first aggressive pit bull placed by the Ashville Shelter.  A comment was posted by a woman who had adopted a pit bull from the very same shelter and returned it in less than 24 hours because it attacked her son.

What was the response from Ashville officials after a child was mauled to death and another was injured by pit bulls placed by the municipal shelter?  Glad you asked!  Pit bull placements were put on hold until procedures were reviewed but it was decided that "it's all good, carry on as usual."  For more on this disgraceful episode please read the posts at DogsBite.org  and Animals 24/7.  More information on the mauling death of Joshua Strother is available here.  For excuses offered by Pinups and Pit Bulls please click here. For an after-the-fact review of the placement of the pit bull that killed Joshua Strother please click here.   For a revealing look inside the shelter handling of pit bulls please click here.

What does any of this have to do with Ohio?  Glad you asked!  Here is a plea for rescue of a pit bull that was housed at the Franklin County Shelter.

COPS-Central Ohio Pit Savers

74016: “Zack” 1 year 1 month old neutered and chipped male Pit Bull mix. He has been here since March 9, which is over well over 100 days in the shelter. He has now been pulled off of the adoption floor due to notes about his behavior. In June, our vet examined him to check a patch of hair loss on his head and wrote: Examined area of hair loss on head. Appears to be a healing scab. No active bleeding or signs of infection. No treatment needed at this time. When I bent down to look at and palpate wound he growled and lunged at my face. This interaction was likely perceived as threatening to Zack but his reaction is concerning in case someone, especially a child, were to bend over him and pet his head. This dog is a feature dog and has been in the shelter since 3/5/15. He is likely understimulated and frustrated from being in the shelter for such a long period of time. He would benefit from more physical and mental stimulation and one on one training. We have not received any other reports of aggression but Zack is showing signs of stress from being here so long and could really use a loving home or foster home if rescue could pull him. Zack is a playful, active guy who gets along with other dogs and loves tennis balls! He may leave at any time for a license fee only. Zack was adopted a few days ago but returned after less than one hour for snapping at the adopters. They did not provide much detail about the snapping but stated that it did not break skin. He is timid with new people and is very stressed in this environment and needs a rescue to pull him where he will be adopted into the special home with an experienced owner. RESCUE ONLY

 

So, Zack is a young pit bull, roughly 465 days old with over 100 of those days spend inside the shelter.  He finally got his big chance but was returned in LESS THAN ONE HOUR DUE TO AGGRESSIVE BEHAVIOR.  Zack also growled at the shelter vet and lunged at the vet's face.  Zack is no longer eligible for direct placement to the public and may only be removed from the facility by a rescue group.

Who could resist this stick of dynamite dog?  Certainly not Steffin Baldwin, of ACT Ohio and Ohioans Against Bred Discrimination.

Steffen Evan Baldwin

Off to evaluate Zack! Pulled from the adoption floor after lunging at the vet and returned within an hour for nipping but not breaking the skin of an adopter and harassed by the DBO tin foil hat crowd who blog about me...at a year old he's a prime candidate for my reactive rover rehab program! Longboard in the back, hot dogs in my pocket, let's ‪#‎savethem‬!‪#‎banhotdogsnotrealdogs‬ ‪#‎showmeyourpitties‬

 — with Connie Mckee.

Baldwin has taken this dog, apparently, on a dare.

Steffen Evan Baldwin There's a small number of cult like pit haters and they started harassing the COPS page when they were honest about why Zack was returned. Those looney tunes already hate me and for good reason so when they jumped on Zack my poppa bear instincts kicked in to save him.

Like · 19 · July 31 at 7:57pm

Life goes on at ACT Ohio.

Steffen Evan Baldwin

July 30 at 10:25am ·

Dirty, happy dogs playing in the rain/mud yesterday smile emoticon Animal Cruelty Task Force of Ohio will be at PetPeople in Powell this Saturday from 10-12 with some adoptable dogs! As a responsible rescue, ACT has a set limit on intakes and a growing waiting list of dogs in need so if you're looking for a forever friend, try one of my misfits out!!! smile emoticon Zack (front and center) was taken off of the adoption floor in Franklin County last week because he was returned within an hour of being adopted for nipping. He's having a BLAST playing with the other pups and is very gentle around Evan and not too shabby running alongside my longboard either. Zack will be placed up for adoption in a few weeks after we get him out to experience more of the real world. Roxie, running up behind Zack, came out of a cruelty case in Logan County where she was attacked by another dog and is currently up for adoption. Bree, to the right, came out of a cruelty situation in Delaware County and Finn, the cream colored dog on the left was transferred from another rescue after being a little too rowdy and they are both also up for adoption. If you don't know Bullwinkle and Belle to the left of Finn, you must be new here smile emoticon ‪#‎actohio‬

Baldwin has taken a dog, on a dare,  that the County Shelter has deemed unsafe for direct placement to the public and he intends to place the thing with the public after a few weeks of tuneup.  It is claimed that ACT Ohio carries a 2 million dollar insurance policy, this might be useful.  A question remains, is the insurance carrier aware that ACT Ohio intends to place a dog deemed too dangerous for a county shelter to place?  

Central Ohio Pit Savers is not done either.  Let's look at Vinny!  Vinny is another recidivist pit bull, returned for snapping at a new adopter and also displaying aggressive behavior back at the shelter.  You can tell he is just a sweetheart because he has been photographed with a tutu around his neck.

COPS-Central Ohio Pit Savers

79284: “Vinny” 2 year old neutered and chipped male Pit Bull. He was adopted in early July but returned four days later for snapping at the owner when he corrected him for defecating in the house. He did not display aggression towards our staff upon being returned and passed his behavior retest and moved back to the adoption floor. He has been here over a month now and today one of our kennel attendants reported that he was stiff, growling and hard staring her when she attempted to enter his real life room to clean. He is currently still available for adoption but these behaviors are concerning and we will have to pull him off the adoption floor if he continues to display these behaviors. Email copitsavers@gmail.com if interested in him!  



Meanwhile, back at the ranch, ACT Ohio is moving to a new location, farther out in the country with a building that can be renovated so more pit bulls can be "rescued."  This is how Steve Markwell got his start,   

Steffen Evan Baldwin

July 30 at 3:54pm · Edited ·

I'm moving further out into the country next week and putting kennels into my new outbuilding in August/September. I have a lot of work to do in the outbuilding including pouring concrete, fixing water access, adding insulation, tacking up FRP (fiber reinforced plastic) to the walls for cleaning purposes, increasing air ventilation, piping music in and more! These 5'x15' and 10'x10' kennels would let a couple dogs hang out together during the day while I'm gone instead of being confined separately and I'm hoping to find five generous kennel sponsors that can donate a kennel to us and help us, help more dogs! Your name or business' name will be added to the kennels if you are able to help!!

Steffen Evan Baldwin

July 14 ·

For the 29th time in 34 years, I'm moving again at the end of the month!!! A little further out in the country (still in Union Co) with an outbuilding I can renovate to rehab and help even more dogs, and I can save some money there...soooo I can help even more dogs lol. Papa was a rolling stone and I go where the wind and the tails take me! I don't need any help, I have this moving thing down to a science...but I'm up for a housewarming party in August

 Living dangerously, with the peaceful public at risk.