PIT BULL MAULS GRANNY

NY Post ^ | 2.14.05

[ambrose]

PIT BULL MAULS GRANNY

By MICHAEL WHITE and ANDY GELLER

February 14, 2005 -- A 67-year-old Queens grandmother who had just left church was mauled by a pit bull yesterday as her terrified grandchildren watched in horror.

The dog bit a screaming Jeannette Metellus on the arms, legs and bottom before a neighbor hit him with a shovel and kept the snarling animal at bay until the cops came.

Metellus received stitches at Long Island Jewish Hospital.

The attack occurred about 10:45 a.m. outside 218-03 104th Ave. in Queens Village, where Metellus and family gather after Mass at nearby First Revelation Church.

Max the pit bull, who lived next door, got loose when Kathleen Antoine, sister of his owner, went into the yard. Max bit her ankle and ran off. Metellus, carrying a tin with food, was outside talking to her grandsons, Allan Charles, 10, and Daniel Civilne, 11.

"The dog started sniffing her," Allan said. "She pushed him away with her purse, and then he took her down."

Metellus' granddaughter, Joanne Clermont, 17, added: "She was on the ground, and the dog was grabbing and biting her arm. She was shaking."

Relatives struck Max with purses and even a rolled-up carpet, to no avail. Then neighbor Peter Gilles, 41, hit him in the head with a shovel.

[ambrose]

ping.

[HairOfTheDog]

Since I'm only going to do one of your pit bull threads a week, maybe you want to make sure I pick the best one.... You want me to go ahead and use this one? or might there be an even gorier one later in the week?

[Mr. K]

I hope she is OK

[ambrose]

I think we can do better. I read a few months ago that dog attacks go up as the weather gets warmer. I think you'll need to consider going to two a week.

[HairOfTheDog]

Nope....

My ping list is for people who love dogs... not for "all pit bull attacks all the time". You're welcome to start a ping list for people who want to argue about pit bulls over and over and over and over again. :~\

Until then, let me know which pit bull thread is special this week ;~D

[ambrose]

I love dogs... but Pit Bulls are dogs only in the same sense that lions are cats.

[HairOfTheDog]

OK - you'll understand why as a dog enthusiast, I'm not that interested in maulings.

[Deuces Wild Dirty Blue]

Everyone says that pits are eaisly provoked. Isn't hitting the dog with purses and and newspapers considered provoking? Don't you think that the situation could have been prevented?

[HairOfTheDog]

Signed up here today to dredge up an old thread where you can talk about pit bulls did ya?

Yeah - whacking a dog with a purse or a newspaper can be provoking to an aggressive dog. My dogs, on the other hand, would whine and run away with a broken heart if someone did that.

[HairOfTheDog]

I see you are searching out all kinds of pit bull related threads.... We've had a few of your kind in the past, who sign up and spam pit bull threads... tell me, how did you find out about Free Republic?

[Deuces Wild Dirty Blue]

In my town, there is a lot of hot water going on between the city and pit bull owners. Granted yes, there has been some attacks that have been caused by pits, but there are a few more numbers caused by dobermans and other large breeds. I heard about this website through the owner of my barn, and she suggested to come and find out exactly what other people thought. Obviously, it didn't turn out to well. Other pit bull owners, along with myself, are trying to find a way to prevent our PETS, not vicious killing machines, from being taken to the pound and put down. Although this website is good to voice an opinion and see what other people think, I may have to find another site to chat with other pit bull enthusiasts about what can be done to prevent our companions from being taken from us.

[HairOfTheDog]

Well, for one, you drudged up threads that were over a year old to comment on, and you picked a whole bunch of them. Most times, you aren't going to re-engage people on old threads, they think you're a type of troll who shows up on the board from time to time, searches out old articles, spams them with comments, and is never heard from again.

You response here shows that you were at least willing to come back the next day. But it's not a site for "pit bull enthusiasts" or a place where you'll gain much ground as an activist for them.

There's vigorous debate here about pit bulls, with people on both sides. I pity the individual dogs, every single one of them.... but I am in the camp that says pit bulls were and are bred and honed to do a task that makes them far less suitable to be a family pet then any companion breed. Breeding and background matter. That doesn't mean I'd wish one minute of pain on any of them. I just can't recommend them if someone says, which dog should I get for my family? A pit bull? Or a Labrador?

Speaking of Pit Bull enthusiast sites... We got 'invaded' so to speak, by posters from one such board not to long ago. They were true devotees of the breed... trouble is, when you looked under the surface on their site, these guys were very much still breeding and raising dogs to be 'game'. They spoke in codewords, but they're still fighting them, and still bragging about the fight in the dog when it comes to breeding. So I think to try to change the image of the pit bull, from fighting dog, to loveable pet, first of all, you're trying to undo years of selective breeding that put fight in the dog, and second of all, you're not operating in a vacuum. Others are very much still fighting them today. So to promote the breed, to create more of them, will in fact lead to more suffering of the very dogs you wanted to save. The right answer, in my mind, is for good people to at least be honest about their purpose, stop promoting them and stop breeding them. Rescue those you can. But putting a pretty bow on them and selling them as a poodle is a mistake.

[Deuces Wild Dirty Blue]

My apoligies to spamming old threads. I had no idea how old the articles really were and thought people may post.

I may be a pro-pit bull person, but I am not in anyway trying to change anyone's opinion. But to hear people say that pit's are a 'horrible' breed and they should 'kill them all' is very stereotypical. Majority of these people have not ever owned a pit, so they don't know about the good that can come from them. But, like I said, that is their own personal opinion,and trying to force them to do so will not do one bit of good. Now, as far as I can tell, there are hardley any people on this site that are pro-pit bull. Maybe I am in the wrong thread. But it is people, like some on this site, that I am trying to fight to keep my BEST FRIEND alive. No human has the right to determine when a life should be ended because of our own stupidity. Granted not all pit bulls may be sutible for being a 'family' pet. But just because they may not be able to be trusted around children does not make them a bad breed. My pit gets along with children just fine, although he is never left alone with them. In a child oriented home, the parents pick the dog. The dog does not pick the home. It is not his fault he is there in the first place. So why try to ban a breed for having us humans put them in that kind of a situation? Now, when it comes to breeding and fighting, I slightly agree, but also disagree. You said these enthusiasts were breeding and fighting their dogs for fun. Thats just the point. If the owners were actually considerate and not cold hearted (beeeeeeeeeeeep)s, I doubt we would have as much controversy about the breed as we do today. You mentioned trying to "change the image". I am trying to change the image, but not in the way you are probably thinking. I am not, by any means, trying to say pit bulls are the sweetest dogs ever, but what I am trying to say is that they are not all bad. It is the idiotic breeders that see a 100lb dog and try to manipulate the pit and try to use them toward their advantage. What about the owners who do have them just as pets, and have had their dogs for 10 years. Then someone comes along and tries to take them away and kill them just because they are a pit bull? I think their is a much more humaine and justly way of going about regulating pits. Say a breeder breeds for fighting dogs. Or maybe they just enjoy having a single dog for fighting. The dog gets out and attacks a child, for example. Why not fine or imprison the owner and ban HIM from having pit bulls? Have someone check out the premises every so often to ensure the fact there are no more animals suffering on his property. It would be kind of like a probation for owning a dog that that particular person should not have control of. It isn't just the victims of an attack that suffer, the animal suffers also. I will admit, that a pit bull is a very dangerous animal, but only it's owner will bring that out. I am not trying to promote fighting pit's or say everyone should own one. They take special care, patience, and devotion to end up with one that gentle. But given to the right person, a pit bull can be a wonderful companion.And to have that taken away from you, it just breaks my heart. It all comes back to the owner, and yes, "putting a bow on them and selling them as a poodle" is a mistake. But if you are wanting to own a pit bull, the owner should be fit and knowledgeable about the breed, before an accident happens.

[HairOfTheDog]

I think their is a much more humaine and justly way of going about regulating pits. Say a breeder breeds for fighting dogs. Or maybe they just enjoy having a single dog for fighting. The dog gets out and attacks a child, for example. Why not fine or imprison the owner and ban HIM from having pit bulls? Have someone check out the premises every so often to ensure the fact there are no more animals suffering on his property.

They do all that already.

But if you are wanting to own a pit bull, the owner should be fit and knowledgeable about the breed, before an accident happens.

If only.... If only. Trouble is.... that isn't always the case. So what do you suggest? Some kind of competence test before they're allowed to own one?

I don't like breed bans, because I think they are unworkable in their application. There is no definitive definition of pit bull, and the world is full of mixes, look alikes and uncertainty. Without a definitive legal definition of pit bull that is more definitive than "I think it looks like one" I'll never support a ban on them. All I do is recommend against them when people ask me, and sometimes even when they don't.

We have many breeds that have been carefully bred to be pets. they generally make better pets than those who have been carefully bred to fight to the death. It's just that simple. I wish no suffering on the individual dogs or owners who keep them well and love them. My heart breaks for the many dogs who suffer the life their breeding lends them to.

[Deuces Wild Dirty Blue]

I think their is a much more humaine and justly way of going about regulating pits. Say a breeder breeds for fighting dogs. Or maybe they just enjoy having a single dog for fighting. The dog gets out and attacks a child, for example. Why not fine or imprison the owner and ban HIM from having pit bulls? Have someone check out the premises every so often to ensure the fact there are no more animals suffering on his property.

They do all that already.

Then why doesn't it work? Surley the government and law enforcement agencies could use some kind of system to find out who ownes pits.

So what do you suggest? Some kind of competence test before they're allowed to own one?

I don't think I would suggest a competence test. First of all, that would take up to much time. All I am recomending here is some common sense. If people are so worried about the saftey of their family, why not do a background check on numorus breeds and see which one fits their family's criteria.


We have many breeds that have been carefully bred to be pets. they generally make better pets than those who have been carefully bred to fight to the death. It's just that simple

Back to breeding, the only reason other dogs are considered pets is because we made them that way. If it weren't for us changing the breed, we wouldn't have this "Is this one a pedigree or a mutt?" Their would be no distinguishment. But banning a breed just because we can't change it is downright stupid.

But as always, it's just my opinion.

[tame]

Oh, my, I've NEVER heard of a pit bull doing something like THIS before.

[Wristpin]

When are you people going to realize that merely existing in the vicinity of a Pit Bull may trigger it's unusually high prey drive? Don't blame the dog!

[HairOfTheDog]

Breeds were created by people intentionally, to do specific jobs, and as such they may fall by the wayside or change as the need for that breed changes. Some breeds created to do jobs that are no longer acceptable, such as bull-dogs and Rhodesian Ridgebacks, do still have a following that preserves them as a matter of interest and history. So it's possible.

As for the purpose of pit bulls... You might be working to change that purpose, but you are far outnumbered by others who are still breeding them carefully and intentionally to fight. There's a conflict between your intent to change minds, and the actual market for the dog.

My suggestions to you about law enforcement and competence testing is only to show that I understand law can only go so far. That's why I agree with you about breed bans and said so.

BTW... I can see that you are probably new to HTML sites, and it's confusing when you quote me without putting it in italics or other formatting: So here's some tips:

HTML basics

The Basics

Paragraphs, Line Breaks and Horizontal Lines
A lengthy article or reply can be very tedious to read if it does not contain some very simple HTML formating. Inserting either of the following codes will make your post much more readable:

• <br> is a line break. Text that follows this code will begin on the next line.

• <p> is a paragraph break. Text that follows this code will begin on a new line after skipping a line.

• <hr> is a horizontal rule. It draws a line across the page like this:

---

Character Formatting
Simple special effects may be created using Character Formatting Codes. These codes are used in pairs in the format: <?>words to be formatted</?>, where <?> turns the formatting "ON" and </?> turns the formating "OFF".

Please: ALWAYS turn "OFF" the formatting when you use it.

Some commonly used codes of this type are:

• <b> and </b> -- BOLD
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• <u> and </u> -- Underline
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These codes can be "nested" to produce multiple effects at the same time. For instance:

<b><i>Bold and Italic</i></b> produces Bold and Italic

---

Links
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<a HREF="URL">Link Description</a>

where "URL" is the URL address you want to link to (and you gotta use the double quotes), and Link Description is whatever you want to call your link. For example:

<a HREF="http://www.drudgereport.com/">Link to Drudge</a>

becomes Link to Drudge

More here: HTML Sandbox

Welcome to FR - If you'd like to be added to my DOGGIEPING list, I'll ping you to articles that are of interest to dog lovers... we aren't "all pit bull all the time" but it comes up often enough. FReeper "ambrose" who used to post every pitbull attack thread he could find, is no longer with us. And that's OK with me, the subject bores me to tears after awhile. But as a dog lover, if you continue to have interest in Free Republic or conservative politics in general, Welcome to FreeRepublic.

[Deuces Wild Dirty Blue]

Very well said and thank you for the information. I probablly would like to be on your doggie-ping... if I knew what a ping was. I would like to see some other articles on other topics, so that would be great. Thank You