Posted on 04/29/2007 4:59:14 PM PDT by Fawn
PORT ST. LUCIE When Dawn Sharbuno's husband came into her hospital room Thursday night where she lay with nearly her entire face ripped off by the family dog, she worried he would leave her.
No, he told her, "We've been through hurricanes together. We've been through everything together. I'm not going to leave you now."
Sharbuno, 46, underwent eight hours of reconstructive surgery at St. Mary's Medical Center in West Palm Beach, where she was flown after the attack. She has three or four more surgeries to go.
She had just gotten out of the pool and was sitting outside Thursday evening when her adopted dog, Roscoe, a black and tan chow-shepherd mix, came over. Her husband said she reached down to pet Roscoe when he jumped up and bit her.
"Her face was completely off across the bridge of her nose," Harry "Lou" Sharbuno remembered. "The only thing holding it on was her chin. It was like something out of a horror movie."
The couple adopted Roscoe from the St. Lucie County Humane Society less than a month ago after losing a dog to cancer. Harry Sharbuno said Roscoe never showed aggression toward people and only grumbled over food with their other dog, Venus.
"He's a beautiful dog," Sharbuno said. "He's very deceiving."
Sharbuno said his wife worked as a truck driver before a disabling accident three years ago, while he was recently laid off from an interior contracting job. The couple broke down and bought health insurance for both of them just two days before the mauling.
Port St. Lucie animal control officers took custody of Roscoe, who was returned to the St. Lucie County Humane Society Friday morning. He will be quarantined for 10 days - at a cost of $20 per day to the Sharbunos. Then, the couple will have the option of reclaiming the dog, giving him to a rescue service or having him euthanized.
At the humane society Friday, Roscoe wagged his tail and took shelter manager David Robertson's commands to sit and shake hands. Robertson said the dog arrived as a stray from Port St. Lucie Animal Control.
Before being handed over to the Sharbunos, Roscoe - like all dogs - was given a temperament test in which a humane society employee gave him a bowl of food and then tried to take it away. Roscoe passed.
The humane society tested him again Friday morning, and Roscoe again did not bark or bite, Robertson said.
Robertson said he received about 30 calls Friday morning from people who had heard about the attack.
"They're concerned about the dog, and they're concerned about the lady."
I think you're right on the money. And boy, it IS ugly. Last one I'd pick.
I've heard a lot of badmouthing of puppy mills from so-called reputable breeders, but no one has ever explained to me just what a puppy mill is. As best I can tell, it is any breeder with more dogs than the breeder doing the badmouthing.
-ccm
Last Summer I named my new Grey Tabby kitten Sporkweasel, in honor of Free Republic critter of the same name. My two kids have no idea where the name comes from, but my neighbors all think in am nuts when I call for “Sporky” out the side door at bedtime.
Ban all pittbulls in all residential areas.
LOL
Ping.
This wasn’t a pitbull.
A love bite?
Obviously not a pitbull — a pitbull would’ve finished the job.
She wasn't 2yrs old
Gee, let me think....
.
.
Well I worked 2 years with a vet in my youth.. Chows were the worse breed I ran across next to pit bulls. Rabies poles were extremely helpful in handling them, along with a seditive shot. Owners would often trick the dog into getting it the car, because they were too afriad to handle their own animal.
Chows... are dangers... in my non-expert opinion.
And you didn't have this cat destroyed ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !
Are you nuts?
The problem is, very few dog owners are experts. Too many people think they can adopt or buy a large, powerful or agressive breed for protection, or macho status, and they haven't the vaguest idea how to handle it. Ditto for these "no kill" shelter workers, whose main concern is to find the dog a home, and not whether a prospective owner has the strength of mind and body to handle the dog.
Then there's the problem of a shelter dog's history. It's either a stray, and there's no clue, or the shelters rely on the word of a previous owner, who could be lying through their teeth to avoid the cost -- or grief -- of euthanizing a dangerous animal.
So, yes, we need more experts.
Jim, in your well justified efforts to rid FR of its liberal/socialist elements,
why is a poster who consistently demonstrates
that she clearly has no comprehension of the conservative principles
of individual freedom, personal responsibility and accountability
and has no problem abrogating the BOR, specifically the 4th, 5th and 9th amendments
allowed to continue to post her ignorant and totalitarian drivel on FR?
"New York City Mayor Giuliani administration trains its quality-of-life sights on city's dogs with bill that would increase fines for harboring dogs deemed to be dangerous, deny dogs any consideration for being provoked into barking or biting, and require owners of pit bulls to obtain $100,000 in liability insurance before being granted dog license"
Will dog owners derail Rudy before he even makes it to the primaries?
Will America tolerate a pooch-hating President?
link to links
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.