April 2nd Pit bull Roundup. Pit bulls shot by law enforcement, injured by their owners, attack small dogs, kill mini horses, run at large and attack, get a huge break in Lakewood, and attack children.

1/10/2018

Mansfield Ohio

Richland County

This comes from the "a pit bull's worst nightmare is frequently his owner" file, in a city that dropped its breed ban in 2017.  Anyone reading the linked material should be aware that there is an error in the reporting.  There is no requirement by Ohio law that communities must lift breed bans.  Google Ohio Revised Code and read state law for yourself.  In any case, I digress.

Christopher Vandenberg, age 40, was sentenced to more than three years in prison for slitting the throats of four pit bull puppies.  He cut the puppies after an argument with his wife.  All the puppies recovered and have been adopted out.   This leaves a thoughtful person wondering.  There is no question that the puppies were injured, slightly, but they all recovered.  Owners of pit bulls that maul and kill other people's pets and livestock pay a small fine and prance free.  Why?  

Here is a photo of one of the puppies. This is not a life threatening injury.

  

Here is a photo of Mr. Vandenberg.  

This is Bella, she was killed and partially eaten by pit bulls in Ohio, shortly before Christmas.

This is Pablo, he was killed in the same attack.

In addition to the deaths of the two mini horses, the same three pit bulls also killed a mini horse on another property on the same day. 
The horse in the foreground is Simon, the the third mini horse killed by Terry Foister's pit bulls.

The owner of the pit bulls that killed Pablo, Bella and Simon got a fine of $150 plus court costs.  Why three years in prison for cuts to puppies and a misdemeanor charge and $150 fine for the deaths of three mini horses?

What are we doing in Ohio?  There are bills in both the Ohio Senate an Ohio House that toughen state law regarding vicious dogs.  The Senate Bill, introduced by Senator Bill Beagle, is called the Klonda Richey Act, named after a Dayton woman mauled to death by her neighbor's dogs in 2014.  There is a companion bill, HB 352,  in the Ohio house, they are exactly the same.  These companion bills are poking along in the Ohio Legislature over four years after Klonda Richey's death.  An Alabama woman, Emily Colvin, was mauled to death by pit bulls on Christmas Eve of 2017.  The Alabama Legislature has already written and  passed Emily's Law,  legislation to hold owners of vicious dogs accountable.

The Ohio bills are well written and deserve passage.  Why can Alabama accomplish something in two months that Ohio still struggles with four years after a mauling death?  What are we doing in Ohio? 

While we are on the topic of the Klonda Richey Bill, there is this interesting story.  Andrew Nason, owner of the dogs that killed Klonda Richey after menacing her for years, has been spending his time in prison, on unrelated charges, by training dogs with the intent to become a journeyman animal trainer.  Per the Dayton Daily News. "  Nason, who is serving a five-year sentence at London Correctional for unrelated felonious assault and endangering children counts, wrote in a motion to a Montgomery County Common Pleas Court judge that he has participated in hundreds of hours in the Pets Uniting People Program (PUPP). 

Nason asked Judge Steven Dankof in a fall 2017 pro se (without an attorney) motion to credit his prison community work service toward his court costs. As of Sept. 25, 2017, Nason wrote he had performed 744 hours with PUPP.

A flyer about A-1 PUPP provided by the ODRC said it was a two-year apprentice program that offers a certificate of from the Ohio Dept. of Labor that certifies the graduate as a journeyman animal trainer.

The flyer says the program is for rescue dogs that may have been neglected, abused, surrendered, removed from bad living conditions including puppy mills. The ODRC said the program trains and socializes the dogs for adoption.

Nason wrote that he makes just $18 per month from which he must pay for utilities, health care fees, hygiene purchases and other miscellaneous expenses.

“I think this is absolutely ridiculous,” Montgomery County Prosecutor Mat Heck Jr. said. “What is the Ohio Department of Corrections thinking? Which then begs the question, do they have any clue about his past?

“If he is enrolled in such a program, maybe he can learn what it means to be a responsible dog owner, and how to properly care for and control a dog.”

An Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction spokeswoman said Nason has not been active with the program since October. No reason was provided why Nason was allowed to enroll or why his participation ended.

Dankof denied the motion."

Andrew Nason.  What are we doing in Ohio? 

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3/18/2018

Toledo Ohio

Lucas County

Here is a story that was not reported in the media but was reported on Facebook.  A pit bull attacked a small dog owned by a woman appearing to be in her 60s.  A neighbor ran to the scene and helped the woman, her small dog, and another woman escape to safety.  The small dog owner was bitten and bleeding.  Police and an ambulance were called to the scene.  The Toledo Blade did not report this attack.  Not surprising.  Thank you Mr. Louden!

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3/22/2018

Forest Park Ohio

Hamilton County

A Forest Park pit bull owner has finally been arrested for allowing his pit bulls to run free in his neighborhood.  Investigators have been called to the home of Wade Hill Jr. 62 times since January of 2017.  A child has been bitten by the pit bulls requiring 29 stitches to his face. The mail carrier is on high alert, the FedEx driver has been menaced, peaceful neighbors and local police have also been menaced.  The pit bulls have been taken to the SPCA but have been returned to the owner.  Police are attempting to get a court order to remove the dogs.  After 62 calls in a year, this should not be a problem.  What are we  doing in Ohio?   

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3/8/2018

Colerain Ohio

Belmont County  

Colerain residents are in the same situation as those in Forest Park, they are prisoners in their own homes while a neighborhood pit bulls runs free.  This dog has bitten and menaced residents.  Per Fox 19 News " "It just runs around terrorizing the neighborhood. It keeps people from getting in their houses. It actually bit my husband's leg," said Kim Thompson, who lives next to the dog owner.

She says the dog cornered her child as well. "It's so scary my son. He has little toys that he rides out front, motorbikes, and things and he got stuck down there in a circle and the dog went right for him," she said.

Another neighbor who didn't want to be identified tells FOX19 NOW the police were called to his home a few weeks ago after the dog bit him.

"He's standing there at the end of my driveway. I say get out of here, get out of here and he comes up to me like he's going to bite me and I back up then he nipped me on the back of my leg," said the resident.

Luckily he wasn't hurt but he fears it will get worse if the issue isn't addressed."

Local authorities state that they are unable to act on complaints because the dog is already gone by the time they get there.  Residents are encouraged to take photographs of the dog at large.  What?  Authorities have a great many of these photographs.  Write the citations!  Get this dog off the street so peaceful people can go on about their lives.  

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2/11/2018

Westerville Ohio

Delaware and Franklin Counties  

Two Westerville Ohio police officers were shot to death, ambushed by a local resident with a history of domestic abuse, animal abuse, and parking tickets.  In their coverage of the deaths of these two police officers  nbc4i.com notes " Smith was charged with animal cruelty in 2016 as neighbors called to report he had beaten a brindle pit bull puppy that was then put outside at the Crosswind Drive location. A judge was able to sign a search warrant for the Humane Society to take the puppy."  

A study was done, in Ohio, linking ownership of high-risk dogs and criminal behavior in the owner.   The study begins with this quote. 

This study examined the association between ownership of high-risk(“vicious”) dogs and the presence of deviant behaviors in the owners as indicated by court convictions. We also explored whether two characteristics of dog ownership (abiding licensing laws and choice of breed) could be useful areas of inquiry when assessing risk status in settings where children are present.Our matched sample consisted of 355 owners of either licensed or cited dogs that represented high or low-risk breeds. Categories of criminal convictions examined were aggressive crimes, drugs, alcohol, domestic violence,crimes involving children, firearm convictions, and major and minor traffic citations. Owners of cited high-risk (“vicious”) dogs had significantly more criminal convictions than owners of licensed low-risk dogs. Findings suggest that the ownership of a high-risk (“vicious”) dog can be a significant marker for general deviance and should be an element considered when assessing risk for child endangerment."

 Draw your own conclusions.

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3/26/2018
Cleveland Ohio
Cuyahoga County

City Dogs, a pit bull placement organization at the Cleveland City Shelter is looking for anyone willing to adopt their pit bulls.  More than 100 dogs are available, and they are pit bulls.  Look out Lakewood, many of these dogs are likely to find their way into your city.   Lakewood recently dropped their breed ban in response to complaints from a Lakewood woman who owned a pit bull (yes the proud owner of a pit bull in a city where the breed was banned).  This pit bull owner failed to keep her banned breed dog confined and it was picked up by animal control and ordered out of town.  She demanded that the city change local law to suit her particular form of irresponsibility.  This seemed logical in Lakewood and the law has been changed.  The chances that pit bull owners in Lakewood will contain and insure their pit bulls is just about zero as has be demonstrated in communities across the United States. 

The reason the City of Cleveland shelter is full of pit bulls?  Aggression and irresponsibility.  Lakewood City Council, say hello to you newest residents.     

This City Dogs pit bull is looking for a new home.  

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3/29/2018
Fort Dodge Iowa/Ohio

Well, here is good news for residents of Ohio.  A pit bull declared vicious by the Ft. Dodge Iowa Board of Animal Appeals will be given another chance - in Ohio.  Wow, lucky us.

In November of 2017 a pit bull owned by Nash Wheaton and Mariah Hocking jumped a fence and killed a cat in the cat owner's yard.  The cat owner was injured while trying, unsuccessfully,  to rescue her pet.  The pit bull also entered the home of the cat owner, apparently unsatisfied by merely killing the cat.

What is a pit bull owner to do in this circumstance?  Pack the pit bull up and run is the usual answer and Ms. Hocking did exactly this.  She brought the pit bull to Ohio.

Per the Messenger, Hocking " brought the dog back to Fort Dodge for the hearing in the second floor conference room of the Municipal Building Wednesday afternoon.

Hocking said the dog does well around people and has never hurt anyone.

Jacob Naatz, the Fort Dodge police officer who handled the case, said in his experience with the animal it was not aggressive towards people.

Naatz said he has dealt with the dog on more than one occasion. He said each time, the dog harmed or attempted to harm another animal.

According to city code, a dog is considered vicious when it kills another domesticated animal without provocation.

“There is no question the dog killed another animal and did it without provocation,” Fort Dodge City Attorney Mark Crimmins said.

Board members Dr. Michael Bottorff and Bob Martin were the only board members in attendance, so the decision on the dog had to be unanimous.

Bottorff is a veterinarian in Fort Dodge.

The board determined the dog vicious, but is allowing Wheaton and Hocking to pick the animal up from the Almost Home Humane Society of North Central Iowa today.

Hocking is to take the dog back to Ohio, where it is to remain.

According to Bottorff, if the dog is seen or heard from in Webster County again, it will be put down.

“We’re all animal lovers here,” Bottorff said. “We don’t want to see the dog destroyed.”

Newsflash for Dr. Bottorff, we are animal lovers here in Ohio and we would rather see your vicious pit bull destroyed in Iowa than have it kill peaceful pets here.  If this pit bull is too vicious to remain in your city it is too vicious to ship across state lines.  The Ohio city is unnamed but local animal control should be notified that a vicious dog is about to be shipped into town.  The county dog warden should be notified as well.

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3/8/2018
Chillicothe Ohio
Ross County

A Chillicothe police officer was charged by a pit bull and shot it.  Per the Chillicothe Gazette "  According to Chillicothe police chief Keith Washburn, officers went to a home on North Sugar Street around 5 p.m. Wednesday. The chief said a child opened the door and a large pit bull charged at one of the officers, growling. The officer retreated and when the dog continued to charge at him, Washburn said the officer fired two shots at the dog."

The dog was only slightly injured and made a full recovery.  Local residents were urged to control their dogs.  * eye roll *



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2/15/2018
Willoughby Hills Ohio
Lake County Ohio
This is as good a time as any for another law enforcement shooting of a pit bull story.  This time is was a Deputy U.S. Marshall who shot a pit bull while that Marshall was attempting to arrest a sex offender on a federal warrant.  Per Cleveland.com "Patrick Denning, 57, was hiding in a back bedroom of the home and was arrested, Elliott said. He was wanted on a warrant for failing to register as a sex offender, after his conviction in Nevada for lewdness with a child under 14 years old."

The pit bull survived.   Why are pit bulls so often found in the company of felons?

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7/11/2017
Mansfield Ohio
Richland County

More from Mansfield in this long overlooked story.  Richland County Commissioners deny responsibility for any decision on euthanization of two pit bulls that killed a tiny and peaceful pet.  Per the Mansfield News Journal. "Commissioners discussed the issue Tuesday for over 30 minutes with Hettie Rohwer, whose Maltese/Chihuahua mix was mauled and killed in one of the attacks on March 1 in the area of West Third Street and Penn Avenue in Mansfield.  Rohwer asked why county Dog Warden Dave Jordan has not taken the offending animals to a veterinarian to be euthanized.  “I checked with the (Mansfield) law director and his assistant and those dogs do not have to be held any more.  They can be put down at any time,” she said.  “I was told by the law director that the dog warden would have to transport the dogs to be put down.”  Commissioners’ chairwoman Marilyn John said the euthanasia issue was something that is between Mansfield Municipal Court, the city law director’s office and the dog owners’ attorney. “This is not something to bring to this meeting to negotiate,” she said.  “What the law director does is up to his office.”  Commissioner Darrell Banks pointed out that the dog warden is under court order to hold the dogs and that is all he can do."

The caption under this photo states that this woman is speaking to Richland County dog warden Dave Jordan after a dog escaped from this home and killed other dogs.

Stop the dithering and put these dogs down. Protect the peaceful public.

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1/22/2018
Hillsboro Ohio/Peebles Ohio
Highland County/Adams County

This is a complicated story.  A former Hillsboro woman,  who had been ordered by the courts to NOT own dogs due to prior abuse and irresponsible behavior, was found in possession of sixteen dogs, at least one of them stolen.  Olivia Gale Youst, 27, and Molly Elizabeth Salser, 26, were charged with petty theft and tampering with evidence after the sixteen dogs were confiscated.  Please read this story yourself, how do people get away with this stuff for so long?  Yost's history includes charges that her pit bull constantly ran at large in Hillsboro and killed a German Shepherd within an hour of being caught by the county dog warden and returned to Yost.
Per the Times Gazette.  " The dog warden said Yost seems to prefer pit bulls and chihuahuas and that there is some question of whether or not she owns all the dogs that were in the Peebles home.
The Adams County Sheriff’s Office has pictures of the dogs on its Facebook page with the following message: “These dogs were recovered from a residence located in the area of Jones Rd in Peebles, OH. If you recognize any of these dogs and they belong to you or know the owners please contact the Adams County Dog Pound at 937-544-2431. If your dog is recovered and want to pursue theft charges please contact the Adams County Sheriff Office at 937-544-2314.”

Confiscated dog, not looking too good.

Two more, also not looking too good.

Yost

Salzer                           I have nothing further to say about this one. 

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1/23/2018
Brooklyn Ohio
Cuyahoga County

A 13-year-old boy was attacked by a pit bull while he was walking home from school.  A classic pin-and-run attack.  The pit bull owner, a female, had been talking on her phone with the pit bull's leash under her foot.  The pit bull lunged at the boy, biting him on the bicep. Per News 5 Cleveland "The bite was bad enough, but Timothy and his parents got really fired up when the woman left without calling for help or giving him contact information, so she could show proof the dog was up-to-date on his rabies shots.

Timothy said the dog that bit him was a white pit bull.

He knows pit bulls because he has one at home.

But it’s what the woman told him that also upset his parents.

“Go home and put a band-aid on it, it will be fine,”  Timothy said she told him.

But it wasn’t fine.

He waved down a police officer who took him to get help.

Timothy needed stitches and five rabies shots. He has to go back for more shots three more times."

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In a huge computer glitch, about a year's links to Ohio pit bull maulings has just disappeared.  Makes my life easier but a sad loss.

Ohio pit bulls will do their very best to keep me busy.  I remember a few of these items, will write about them and try to stay current in the future. 

                      

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

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

7/7/2016

Elyria Ohio

Lorain County

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

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

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

Thanks Coach Heighberger!

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6/10/2016
Lorain Ohio
Lorain County 

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

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

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

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

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7/2/2016

Cincinnati Ohio

Hamilton County

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

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

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

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5/11/2016
Oberlin Ohio 
Lorain County

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

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

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

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6/3/2016

Fremont Ohio
Sandusky county 

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


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7/6/2016
Avon Lake Ohio
Lorain County

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

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5/2016
Kenton Ohio
Hardin County

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

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

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

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3/15/2016
Lakewood Ohio
Cuyahoga County

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

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

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3/21/2016
Dover Ohio
Tuscarawas County

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

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2/28/2016
Dover Ohio
Tuscarawas County

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Common sense from Mr. Tucker. 

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4/19/2016

Greenville Ohio

Darke County 

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

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

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

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

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

Makes sense to me.

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

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

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

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

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

Hold this thought. 

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4/17/2016

Greenville Ohio

Darke County   

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

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

Commission chairman Mike Stegall agrees.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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8/27/2016

Oklahoma City

Oklahoma  

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Accountability, yes!


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