Posted on 12/20/2006 8:54:01 PM PST by paulat
Mother: Ferret, not pit bull, gnawed off baby's toes
BENTON, La. – The parents of a month-old girl whose toes were gnawed off while they slept apparently disagree about whether the culprit was their ferret or their 6-week-old pit bull.
Mary Hansche, 22, told KTBS-TV on Tuesday that she thinks it was the ferret. "The way the bite marks were on her foot. The ferret being out of its cage. I knew it wasn't the dog," she said.
[snip]
"We were told that the puppy had blood on its fur. But when the officers arrived there, the animal did not have blood on its mouth," he said.
Natale said which animal did it won't affect charges against the Hansches, who were booked Dec. 10 on charges of child desertion and criminal negligence and remained jailed Wednesday in lieu of $50,000 bond each.
[snip]
Their daughter has been released from the hospital and is in state custody.
The Hansches were asleep on a mattress on the floor and the baby in a carrier next to the mattress when her cries woke them, police have said. They were not tested for alcohol or drugs, since such tests would not be needed to prove the charges, Natale said Wednesday.
Defense attorney Pam Smart said she is waiting for results of a hair analysis to back up the couple's statement that they were not using drugs.
[snip]
She also said their bonds are too high for misdemeanors. A bond reduction hearing is scheduled next month.
Both pets were released from quarantine but will remain in the Bossier City animal shelter until the court case is over, Natale said. Either the court or the city may decide their fate, he said.
(Excerpt) Read more at dallasnews.com ...
No bad dogs. Just bad owners.
Thanks for the ping.
There were a few of us that had doubts about the original story.
I just finished 12 hours on the road
and I'm bit bushed to give this more than a cursory look right now,
although I felt the newbie deserved an immediate comment.
I'll ping some folks who might be interested
in the inane and hateful drivel posted by some on this thread.
PS: your pit reminds me of our Patches, just more manly. (ours is a girl.) Merry Christmas!
Think of it as a Freeper book..er dog... burning.
PPS: Aren't you the one who had an encounter with a bear that your dog helped to save you? Where are the pics from that?
Now I must really go and get some food in me.
Skipped all my meals today and I'm as hungry as a bear. ;~)
Her 'glamor' photo.
I was bitten by 2 different daschunds and also a German Shepherd. My brother was bitten by a daschund on the face and required stitches. None of the bites were reported to the police, animal control or Drudge Report. I propose all weinie dogs and German Shepherds be destroyed. /sarc
Don't tell my husband, but I'm in love with Cesar!
I notice that pit bull owners are always defending pit bulls. But there sure have been a lot of ugly stories about them. Grandchildren killed by them. Owners killed by them. You never hear about black labradors doing that. But where I live, you hear about a pit bull killing or maiming someone in our city about four times a year. I'm not talking about dog bites, I'm talking about serious, permanent damage or death.
Ping and kudos for nailing that ferret when this story first came out.
Thank you! They're Burmese, Sawyer(Sable) and Cooper(platinum). I highly recommend the breed if you are a cat lover.
I bet it was the ferret. Those things are mean. And if there's a live ferret in the house, the pit bull aint all that mean now is he!?!
I am a cat lover too. We have a Siamese, a Balinese, a Russian Blue and a tiger. All my cats have been rescue cats. I have a zoo here and love everyone of my animals. Merry Christmas to you and your family & cats. ~~Pandora~~
I'm still hung up on the fact that they didn't test the parents for drugs/alcohol. That should have been on their record and considered for future hearings as to whether they get their child back.
They should never have custody of that child again nor ever own any animals.
Just what I think.
The myspace says she has a son too. I wonder where he was when this happened.
If I get what you're saying...it's that...if the pit bull is mean, how is the ferret alive?
I agree...it's the ferret.
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.