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

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

  11/23/2015
Sandusky Ohio


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

Picture it. 

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11/30/2015
Painesville Ohio
Lake County  

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

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

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

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

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

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

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12/16/2015
Lebanon Ohio
Warren County

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

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

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12/4/2015
Dayton Ohio
Montgomery County

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

For video please click here and here.  




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12/7/2015
Akron Ohio
Summit County

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

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

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12/6/2015
Toledo Ohio
Lucas County  

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

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

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12/4/2015
Columbus Ohio
Franklin County

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


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

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11/26/2015
Cincinnati Ohio

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


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

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10/9/2015
Batavia Ohio
Clermont County

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

Mandatory neuter and spay would be very helpful here.

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10/23/2015
Dayton Ohio
Montgomery County

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

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


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10/16/2015
Toldeo Ohio
Lucas County

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

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


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9/17/2015
Avon Lake Ohio
Lorain County

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

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

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

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

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

Bella

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

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

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

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

Save us all from "responsible pit bull owners."

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10/12/2015
New Philadelphia Ohio
Tuscarawas County

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

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

Mark Rogo

Rank 635

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

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

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9/12/2015
Marysville Ohio
Union County

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

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9/2/2015
Brunswick Ohio
Medina Ohio

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


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8/28/2015
South Euclid Ohio
Cuyahoga County

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


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9/9/2015
Dayton Ohio
Montgomery County

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

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6/18/2015
Oregon Ohio
Lucas County

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



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8/31/2015
Piqua Ohio
Miami County

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

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

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

Who could see that one coming?

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4/19/2015
Dayton Ohio
Montgomery County

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

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



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4/16/2015
Mansfield Ohio
Richland County

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

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

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


Hypes with pit bull Bruno.

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2/27/2015
Lancaster Ohio
Fairfield County

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

Cole Robinson

The dog was euthanized by request of the owner.

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5/16/2015
Dayton Ohio
Montgomery County

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

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

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

Booking photo for David Allen Polk.

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6/2/2015
DAYTON Ohio
Montgomery County

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

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

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

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6/5/2015
Cincinnati Ohio
Hamilton County

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

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

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.

                                                                  * * *

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.