Pit Bulls attack, kill 4-month-old ["They ripped" her "to shreds," baby now identified.]

KVBC, WorldNow ^ | 15SEP08 | Jesse Corona reporting

[familyop]

It was a tragic scene in North Las Vegas involving a baby and two dogs. A four-month-old was attacked by two Pit Bulls. The dogs were attacking so viciously police say they had to shoot them dead upon arriving at the scene.

Residents in the neighborhood near Cheyenne and Martin Luther King say they are shocked but not surprised that it happened. Neighbors tell News 3 the two Pit Bulls were full grown dogs and when the baby girl arrived at the house four months ago they began to display aggressive behavior towards the child and anyone who held her.

"We knew that someone had shot somebody," a neighbor named Gloria told News 3.

The shots that Gloria and her neighbors heard was North Las Vegas police shooting the two dogs still on the attack.

"I look in. You could see the dogs laying dead," another neighbor, Jason Howell said. The shots prompted Howell to run to his neighbor's house to see if he could help. He says that what he saw will haunt him. "There are some peculiars I don't even want to discuss," said Howell.

Howell says other neighbors have commented on the dogs' aggressive behavior. "You don't have Pit Bulls around children, period," Howell said.

Also according to neighbors, the child's grandmother was at the home babysitting when the attack happened.

Neither police nor neighbors know what sparked the attack. "You have an aggressive breed dog, a Pit Bull and a child in the house. They ripped it to shreds," Howell said. What could the child possibly have done to instigate that? I have a daughter who is 18 months old. And the look on the father's face is something I'll never forget, ever. That's all I have to say."

The grandmother who was in the house sustained injuries. She was taken away by ambulance.

It was just a couple of months ago that a local animal control officer was attacked by three pit bulls. In July the officer responded to a home in North Las Vegas.

According to reports the dogs were loose in a neighbors yard near Centennial and Lamb. The officer managed to get away from the dogs and locked herself in her vehicle.

In April two 5-year-old boys were attacked by two Pit Bulls outside a home near Vegas Valley and McLeod. One was bitten in the face, the other in the leg. Both dogs were put to euthanized..

[kanawa]

Noticed above that you applauded a posters comment...
"They are a very vicious and all States should have a law prohibiting ownership. They should all be put down."

Let's play a game...

""There should be a clause in the ordinance outlawing private ownership of xx~~~~xx. This may sound like an archaic or narrow-minded view, but I believe the xx~~~~xx to be an unpredictable animal. Every time you read about a child being killed or mauled, by a dog or dogs, the odds are overwhelming that the dirty work was done by the xx~~~~xx. A father in West Virginia battled a pack of xx~~~~xx with a garden hoe while they tore his two small sons to pieces. A little girl in Houston who was horribly maimed by a xx~~~~xx must go for the rest of her life wearing a wig. So far, a San Antonio kid hasn't been seriously hurt or killed by one of these dogs. But it will happen." (San Antonio Express, July 10, 1969).

Guess the dog.....for the answer highlight the following space... German Shepherds

[kanawa]

Why the xxxxxx ?

Because, while breed is one factor, the point I would like people to understand is that all dogs are potentially dangerous. That is dangerous to leave an infant unattended with any breed of dog.

[gogeo]

Or the dozens of other "vicious" pit bulls, rotterweilers, and german shepherds rolling around in the floor with kids, playing with baby ducks, and taking naps with kittens. Those of you attacking the animals, they didn't turn that way overnight. Go after the thugs who abuse the dogs and turn them into monsters. They're the ones who cause these tragedies, and the ones who should be held responsible...

That's great, of course, if you're interested in finding someone to hold responsible.

Myself, I think finding someone to punish is too little, too late...why should something like this have to happen before a dog can be removed?

[truthguy]

The issue isn’t with the genetics. It’s with those who train and own the dogs. Never do these articles ever explain who owned the dogs or how they were treated. If people treated any breed of dog like the idiots who buy and train pitbulls to be mean and vicious, you would see the same problem with that breed. Unfortunately, scum of the earth are attracted to pitbulls and thus treat them like crap and they end up like this.

I knew it would not be long before someone would talk about the issue being with the owners. YOU ARE FN wrong. The Pit Bull has been breed for aggression. They can snap at any time. Even when they are well cared for they can snap. I remember a case in St. Louis about 10 years ago where a Pit severely mauled a small child. They family had adopted the Pit as a puppy and raised it lovingly. The dog was well trained and never abused. On night the child got up to go to the bathroom. In the dark the dog was sleeping in the hallway. The child accidentally stepped on the dog's tail. The dog nearly killed the child before the parents could get up and rescue the child who now has scars for life. You are flat out wrong about Pit Bulls. You are either ignorant or a complete fool.

[SatinDoll]

“...jealous of the little boy.”

Yes, and no. Dogs are pack animals. They fight among themselves for status in pack rankings. The young ones get nipped and back off. If they don’t back off, it can get bloody. I do agree that the dogs should have been gotten rid of as soon as they began showing aggression towards the baby.

Puppies that are taken from their mother too young, before ten weeks of age, never learn what it means to be a dog. (See Gun Dog Magazine, October 2008, page 40. Article is titled, The Dominant Male.) “They don’t know what they are or toward what species to direct their social behavior.” Author of article is Dr. Ed Bailey.

Add to the above the fact that Pit Bulls are bred to fight other dogs and generally don’t attack humans, then this particular case indicates that these dogs were never properly socialized. There are cases where fighting Pit Bulls have been rehabilitated and become househould pets. Remember Michael Vicks, and how he had all those Pit Bulls used for fighting? I saw a television program about some of those dogs, and how they had been rehabilitated and were now in homes. Didn’t watch the whole program, but I bet they weren’t placed in homes with toddlers!

That said, I would never, NEVER, allow them around very young children, even if they behaved like angels. But that also applies to many breeds of dogs.

I had a friend who owned a jumbo-sized Siberian Husky. She observed him stalking her 2-year old niece in the backyard one afternoon and immediately kenneled him. The Husky had a high prey drive, and that seemed to include toddlers!

[1COUNTER-MORTER-68]

That would be post # 42 that I agree with,,,

I'm too old for games,,,

I stand by my posts,,,

This and the others is what I found :
~~~
http://rds.yahoo.com/_ylt=A0geu6GY2tVIC5QAKjpXNyoA;_ylu=X3oDMTE1dWZyYzZiBHNlYwNzcgRwb3MDMgRjb2xvA2FjMgR2dGlkA01BUDAxOV8xMTY-/SIG=131hacfaa/EXP=1222061080/**http%3a//www.dogsbite.org/blog/2008/09/2008-us-dog-bite-fatalities-interim.html

Sunday, September 14, 2008
2008 US Dog Bite Fatalities Interim Report: January 1 - September 13
From time-to-time, DogsBite.org is requested by a municipality to create an interim year fatality report, such as this. What stands out thus far is the high percentage of pit bull killings (61%), that only one person over the age of 2 was killed by a breed other than a pit bull and that 100% of off-property attacks have been attributed to pit bulls. The high rate of infant fatalities (1-years old and younger) across a variety of breeds stands out as well.

18 US fatal dog attacks have occurred so far in 2008. Pit bull type dogs were responsible for 61% (11). Pit bulls make up approximately 2-9% of the US dog population.
Only one person over the age of 2 has been killed by a breed other than a pit bull this year; a 74-year old woman was fatally mauled by her two dogs (Australian shepherd-mix and a golden retriever-mix).
67% of the attacks occurred to children (11 years and under). Half of these incidents occurred to ages 1 and younger. 33% of all fatalities occurred to adults (21 years and older).
39% of fatal attacks in involved multiple dogs; 11% involved chained dogs.
72% of the attacks occurred on owner property and 28% off owner property. Of the off-property attacks, 100% (5) were attributed to pit bulls.
39% of the victims were female; 61% of the victims were male. Of the male victims, nearly half (8) were 11 years and younger.
The states of Texas, Alaska and New York each suffered two fatalities.
~~~
I really don't care what you folks do north of the border,,,

Ya’ll got too much Gun Control to start with,,,

We shoot bears here,,,pit bulls/people/and anything else

that is trying to kill us,,,

The mauling and killing of US Citizens by pit bulls is

going to stop,,,

One way or the other...

[1COUNTER-MORTER-68]

I agree...

[kanawa]

You are either ignorant or a complete fool.

You could take me for a complete fool if I was to believe, given the set of circumstances, that no other breed or type of dog would be capable of this action.

Startling a sleeping dog in the dark by stepping on its tail doesn't seem like a good idea regardless of breed.

[eastforker]

Why is this stuff posted?! It serves no purpose but to make us cry. This story will haunt me for the next couple months.

Please stop posting this stuff!!
.................................................................................................................................................................................................................Why do you click on them if they upset you. The title was informative enough to tell you what the story was about.

[mkjessup]

You want to ban something others like... pretty liberal.... very liberal... hell, it is liberal.

Don't be a freakin' imbecile, it isn't a 'liberal' position to restrict or ban a threat to public safety.

Substitute 'pit viper' for 'pit bull' and thank about it chump. Either species is capable of killing and has no business being in the same environment as a 4 month old child. Your priorities are totally screwed up but your political myopia can't see it.

The fact is, your lame tactic of calling someone a 'liberal' in a limp and flaccid attempt to advance your argument is exactly what liberals do.

Pot, meet kettle.

[kanawa]

The mauling and killing of US Citizens by pit bulls is
going to stop,,,
One way or the other...

Cool ...could you do something about the carnage caused by drunk drivers while you're at it?
I don't drink. People can't be trusted to be responsible.
Lots of other drinks just as tasty and safe too. Alcohol should be banned.

But seriously...Let's assume your figures are correct....

"Pit bull type dogs were responsible for 61%"

Couple of problems here...1. The vagueness of the term "pit bull type". There are a number of breeds that get lumped into the "pit bull type" and
2. A percentage should not guide public policy. If pitbulls were magically to disappear, lo and behold some other breed/type would become the new ~61% dog.
To illustrate, here is list of fatal dog attacks in 1974...

It changes with breed popularity/population.

Pit bulls make up approximately 2-9% of the US dog population

K...I've seen higher estimates from Freepers that work in shelters so I'm going to go for 9%
An estimate in 2000 put the dog population of the US at +60 million.
9% of 60 million is 5.4 million dogs.
Given the reported number of deaths linked to "pit bulls"...11...
about 2 "pit bulls" out of a million "pit bulls" are responsible for fatalities.
While any fatal attack is unacceptable, looking at the numbers calls into question the "inherently bad/vicious" argument that some put forth.
While I could quibble about your source I do like that they at least make an attempt to gather information, analysis it and extract the salient factors.

[kanawa]

You know the argument is lost when you start comparing pit vipers and pitbulls.
Get some sleep LOL

[mkjessup]

Which one, the pit viper or the pit bull do you deem to be a more appropriate companion for a 4 month old infant?

You are in an indefensible position. All the LOL’ing in the world won’t change that either.

[Michael121]

I have 3 dogs and with each of them anybody at anytime can put their hands in my dogs bowls. They DO NOT have food aggression. Your dog seems to have it.

I have an American Bulldog/Boxer Mix and yes some people think Pit Bull when they see him, he can shred a tennis ball and carries a tennis ball and softball in his mouth, he will back off and sit down if you stick your hand in his food bowl.

Your dog needs work. I was fostering a 4 month old puppy and he nipped at the food bowl. He was gone the next day.

[kanawa]

I think I’ll follow Rush’s advice on who not to agrue with...

[kanawa]

agrue=argue...maybe I should get some sleep,

[Michael121]

Just like here in Cincinnati, they banned Pits, the gang boys and thugs are now using Rottys, speaking of the Rottweiler, there is one in a cage at the Vet, it is 165 lbs. It is called little bear, biggest rotty I have seen.

If this dog were to attack, it would rip and tear it’s “prey” to shreds. It is 4 times the size of a pit.

Weighs 15 lbs less then I do. Sweet dog he is being kenneled for the owner while out of town.

Now the Rotty attacks in Cincinnati are gonna go up though because they are being mistreated and abused and taught to attack.

Pits do not get 165 lbs, Little Bears paws are the size of my palms, his canines are 1 1/2 inches long. He is gentle but if trained he would do more damage.

I do not defend any dog that attacks, but I don’t ban a whole breed because of some.

“ATLANTA, Georgia (AP) — Rottweilers have passed pit bulls as America’s deadliest dog breed, according to a study released Friday.

The large dogs were involved in 33 fatal attacks on humans between 1991 and 1998, the American Veterinary Medical Association said.”

And so we see, it is not 1 dog breed. It IS the culture of some to have dogs trained to be mean.

[mkjessup]

I think I'll follow Rush's advice on who not to argue with ...

"A man's got to know his limitations."

Good to see that you know yours.

[brytlea]

The biggest problem with breed specific ordinances is that it’s difficult to say what a pit bull is. We think we know what a pit looks like, but bulldogs, boxers and other such breeds are often identified as pit bulls (and not all animal control personel know the difference). And what about a pit/lab mix? Is that a pit bull?
This is a very sad story. what were the parents thinking?
susie

[Psalm_2]

“I’m glad that you agree that it isn’t the dog but the owner.”

ok, but which owner? aggression may start with a previous owner, previous experiences, self induced[by the dog to itself] psych issues etc. ie the dog whisperer episodes. dog psych issues may be hidden.

in my life experience,

with rotts, end of street neighbor got rid of his after it bit small related child on his property. med atttention required.

cattle dog; bit older nephew in face, no med attention needed.

pitts, next door neighbor had 2 together. they were dangerous if you physically threatened them. ie swung a stick to shoo them away. i did this once & was chased. they were loose in my front yard & barking at me. i had to scramble up high porch stairs to get away. they followed part way up if i remember it right. if i had had my ccw on me then it would have been bad. pitts are hard to drop with a pistol which i didnt know then. also neighbor’s son was & still is a police officer. & said neighbor was a 3 time loser [been to prison for assault & battery] & relations with this family have always been strange/strained.

however important lesson. after talking with him after this incident, he advised to speak commands ie specifically tell them to go to their back yard. & not to be physically aggressive / intimidating. it worked ! i tried this with my other next door neighbor’s pitt/shepherd mix who fence jumped. i told her to go home & jump back over her fence. with some coaxing, she did ! but this may have worked simply out of their slight familiarity with me.

important note. to my knowledge the pitt pair had not been mistreated or taught aggression, yet they were
overtly barky & untrustworthy to me.

important aspects of dog personality: territoriality, dominance, behavioral constancy.[not a comprehensive list]

individual dogs & breeds differ in their sense of territory. specifically their perception of your violation of their perceived personal space [if they perceive any] which may extend 0’ to 100’+++ from them. [this space may extend onto your property & person if you live next door]. a higher sense of territory will elicit more dangerous responses especially [imo] from a dominant dog. dominance indicates a dog’s degree of submissiveness. another trait, constancy measures the ratio of concentration & interruptibility. a very high constancy means the dog’s concentration on any task is not likely interruptible unless trained to stop on command. constancy is needed in terriers who were bred to hunt as canine tunnel rats.

an amateur training a pitt bull terrier to be a fighter must realize that a fighting/killing machine must have an off switch.

simply because a dog can be taught to fight doesn’t guarantee it can be trained to stop.

who would want a 4 legged chain saw running around their neighborhood without an off switch ??