Fatal dog attack in Ohio

July 18, 2021

Lucas County Ohio  

Emily Kahl, age 31, was bitten on the neck Sunday night by a dog identified by Toledo police as a pit bull.  Ms. Kahl was declared dead at the scene. Lucas County Canine Care and Control Director Kelly Sears stated the dog's name was Romeo, her department euthanized it.  No further details are available at this time.  


 

The report comes from WTOL TV News, not from the Toledo Blade. The Toledo Blade was VERY active in passing HB 14 deregulating pit bulls in 2012.  HB 14, the bill that removed the inherently dangerous designation for pit bulls in Ohio was sponsored by Representative Barbara Spears who represented the Lucas County area.  Ms. Kahl is the twenty-first Ohioan killed by dogs since HB 14 was passed in 2012.  In the final 10 years of previous regulation, Ohio had five fatal attacks to put this number into context.  Ms. Sears and the authors of HB 14, Best Friends Animal Society of Kanab Utah proudly promised that their changes to Ohio law would make our communities safer.  

Not so much.   

Update - The Toledo Blade has, surprisingly, covered this story.  The Blade tells us that Romeo was owned by Thomas Holloway, residing at the same address as the victim.  While Mr. Holloway was not at home at the time of the attack he believes that someone else may have been in the home at the time and Romeo and Ms. Kahl's own dog may have been trying to "save her." I place little faith in this theory.  

Per the Blade " Records from the county shelter show Romeo had been taken to the shelter in October, 2019, as a stray, then reclaimed by Mr. Holloway. There are no other reports with the agency regarding the canine before Sunday’s incident." 

  "Reclaimed by Mr. Holloway" is an odd remark. Did Holloway own the dog prior to the Shelter intake in 2019?  Did he adopt the dog in 2019?  Who can say?  

This photo appeared in the obituary for Emily Kahl.  A sad loss for her family and the community. 

Sadly, a Dayton Ohio infant has died after being attacked by the family dog.

1/1/2021

Dayton Ohio

Montgomery County

 2020 ended with another dog attack death in Ohio.  A 4-month-old infant identified as Raelynn Larrison was attacked by the family dog inside the family home. The baby was transported to Dayton Children's Hospital but did not survive.  

Neighbors report the dog has been at large in the neighborhood in the past.  More details when they become available.

1/3/2021

Update             Animals 24/7 has done a thorough job of investigating the sad death of Raelynn Larrison.  Please click here to read the sad and sorry details.  The child was doomed.   

Steffen Baldwin update 8/8/2020 An astonishing investigation, Ohio law enforcement is not playing with this man.

Per the Columbus Dispatch,  Ohio law enforcement agencies invested over 13,000 (this is a correction, first reports were incorrect) hours in the Baldwin investigation.  Ohio taxpayers are paying for this. California law enforcement has an investment here as well, heaven knows how much. 

"Campbell police detective Jim Conroy said he and agents from the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation, Ohio Department of Public Safety and Union County sheriff’s office spent more than 30,000 hours on the case."

Baldwin is being held at the Tri-County Regional Jail in Mechanicsville on a $200,000 bond.

Per the Columbus Dispatch "“People are rightfully upset,” said David Phillips, Union County prosecutor." 

Yes, people are upset and for a variety of reasons.  The cruelty, the theft by deception, the blatant fraud, AND the cost of the investigation.   This was no shoestring operation.


Tri-County Regional Jail, Baldwin's current residence.


Baldwin's mugshot from the Tri-County Regional Jail.  Here is a link to Baldwin's booking information, his jail resume.

Ohio law enforcement is not playing with this man.  This is a fine thing. 

The Baldwin case has made the national news.  The Hill covered it today.  

Seven-month-old Akron child killed by family pit bull. Update 12/14/2020, no charges and the pit bull is still alive.

8/7/2020
Akron Ohio
Summit County.



A seven-month-old boy being watched by his grandmother was attacked by the family pit bull Friday afternoon.  The boy was transported to Akron Children's Hospital but has died.

The child's grandmother was also bitten by the dog but she refused treatment.

Summit County Animal Control is holding the pit bull. No charges will be filed.  

There are no further details at this time.  An autopsy was performed but results are not available at this time. 

This is the nineteenth fatal dog attack in Ohio since the Ohio Legislature passed HB 14, the bill that was written by Utah based Best Friends Animal Society deregulating pit bulls and rewriting Ohio dangerous dog laws.  Ohio residents were assured that HB 14 would make Ohio communities safer.  In the eight years since HB 14 was passed Ohio has seen 12 fatal pit bull attacks and 7 fatal dog attacks by all other breeds combined.  In the full decade prior to the passage of HB 14, there were 5 fatal dog attacks in Ohio.  Sound safer to anyone?

Akron does regulate pit bulls, here is the text of Akron law dealing with pit bulls. 

E.

Any person owning, keeping, possessing, harboring, maintaining, or having the care, custody, or control of a Pit Bull, Canary Dog or American Bulldog or vicious dog shall:

1.

Identify the dog by having the dog wear, at all times, a fluorescent green collar available upon payment of a fee, from Customer Service;

2.

Post on the premises, in a conspicuous place where the dog is kept, at least one city-issued warning sign available, upon payment of a fee, from Customer Service. The sign shall be visible and capable of being read from the public highway or street;

3.

Identify the dog by having the dog tattooed with a code number provided by the Customer Service Division;

4.

Notify the Customer Service Division within twenty-four hours if the Pit Bull, Canary Dog or American Bulldog or vicious dog has died or has been sold or donated, and provide the Customer Service Division with the name, address, and telephone number of the new owner;

5.

Keep the dog secured at all times by one of the following means:

a.

Keep the dog inside the owner's home;

b.

Keep the dog in a locked enclosure which has a top, and has a concrete base with the fencing securely attached or anchored to the concrete perimeter to a depth of six inches;

c.

Keep the dog muzzled and on a chain-link leash that is not more than six feet in length which is held in the hand of a person who is of suitable age and discretion and is outside with the dog.

6.

Pay a fee and annually, between January 2 and January 20, and whenever a dog is newly obtained, register the dog with the Customer Service Division; at the time of registration provide proof of liability insurance with an insurer authorized to write liability insurance in this state providing coverage in each occurrence, subject to a limit, exclusive of interest and costs, of not less than fifty thousand dollars because of damage or bodily injury to or death of a person caused by the dog and shall provide a certificate of insurance to Customer Service at the time the collar required by § 92.25(E)(1) is obtained;

7.

Ensure that the dog does not go unconfined on the premises of another or be at large within the city;

8.

Annually license the dog, if the dog is more than three months of age, with the County Auditor. Failure of any dog at any time to wear a valid license tag shall be prima facie evidence of lack of licensing;

9.

Vaccinate the dog against rabies by a licensed veterinarian at least once every three years; a tag indicating that said dog has been vaccinated against rabies must be worn by the dog at all times. Failure of any dog at any time to wear the rabies vaccination tag issued by the licensed veterinarian who administered the vaccine shall be prima facie evidence of the dog's lack of vaccination against rabies;

10.

Provide two color photos of the dog to Customer Service at the time the collar required by § 92.25(E)(1) is obtained. Provide one color photo of dog showing the tattoo number after the dog has been tattooed.


12/14/2020 Update - Police state that there will be no charges.  The Pit bull is apparently still alive and being held by Summit County Animal Control. 

Why?   

Getting real in Ohio.

Photo from the Marysville Journal-Tribune. The Journal-Tribune has official permission to be in the courtroom to photograph and write about the Baldwin trial.  The trial is expected to last for up to two weeks.  Excellent!

There is a great deal of national and local interest in this trial.   This IS a meltdown that anyone could see coming. 

Steffen Baldwin update 8/5/2020

Steffen Baldwin booking photo.

Steffen Baldwin is apparently back in Ohio with a $200,000 bond.  Here is a link to news coverage.  A jury trial is expected in late October. 

This is getting real.

Update 8/6/2020

More details, click here.  It just keeps getting worse. 

News coverage from the Marysville Journal-Tribune on Steffen Baldwin's arrest and charges. Baldwin faces a possible 81 years in prison.

The article is behind a paywall but it is worth the 49 cent price, WAY worth it!  Spend the 49 cents, you won't be sorry but you will be angry. 

https://www.marysvillejt.com/news/animal-advocate-indicted-for-cruelty/?fbclid=IwAR2l9XvcEYscRTfdGg9BDSgU4Xrv9fjfTCOuW2c1MhjGis7dmF7rrvCtJLQ



A quote from the article.  "“I am not sure we are ever going to know the total number of animals he killed,” said Union County Prosecutor Dave Phillips. “I certainly think the total exceeds the number of indictments. ”

Here is another " Phillips said Baldwin would allegedly tell people he was taking dogs into rescue or adopt them.

“Then he would raise money for these dogs – for their care, for their adoption, for their training – but had allegedly euthanized them,” Phillips said.

He said Baldwin had, “a pattern of lying to people to raise money.”

The indictments indicate Baldwin took funds from a variety of animal shelters, organizations and individuals throughout the state and nation.

“The allegations indicate the money he raised for the animals, even after they were euthanized were used for his personal expenses,” Phillips said, listing gifts for his girlfriend as well as strip clubs.

The indictments also allege Baldwin lied on his resume to get his position in Union County and that he lied on court documents, saying he was bit by an aggressive dog.

Also included in the indictment is the allegation that he stole a handgun from an animal rescue task force."

What the hell, here is another "(Phillips) said that when it was time to serve the indictment and arrest Baldwin, police in California invited Baldwin to conduct an animal training for the department. When Baldwin arrived, U.S. Marshals arrested him."  Picture it.  

8/1/2020 Update

We had forgotten about this and it deserves to be seen again.  My thanks to the advocate who saved
and posted it today.