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 ...
Yup! And I'm convinced he should consider writing a parenting book next!
Now, that is good to hear. I wish more people would deal with their kids' irresponsible and outrageous attitudes and behavior in public. Mother of the year award right here, folks. I appreciate your attitude, ma'am. If we had more mothers like you, then folks like me would be in a much better mood in restaurants and grocery stores.
Pit bull puppy, ferret in news to be adopted soonA ferret and pit bull puppy that drew national attention last month when authorities tried to determine which of the two gnawed the toes of a month-old baby should be adopted next week.
Both pets remain at the Bossier City Animal Shelter, but officials are making preparations to hand the kit over to a ferret rescue organization and the puppy to similar group for dogs, said Mark Natale, Bossier City spokesman.
“We are still holding on to both because we were waiting for the dog to get old enough to be neutered,” Natale said. “The pets should be ready, and the adoptions completed hopefully by the end of next week.”
Mary and Christopher Hansche signed the pets over to Bossier City for adoption this month as part of a plea agreement.
The Hansches were charged with child desertion after they woke up on Dec. 10 and discovered that three of the baby’s toes were gnawed off. Doctors were forced to remove another toe.
The couple pleaded guilty to one count of child desertion and gave up their family pets.
Authorities initially planned to euthanize the animals, but later determined there was no reason to put either to sleep, especially not knowing which one did it.
Several people called the animal shelter wanting to adopt the pets, Natale said.
“A lot of it has to do with who contacted us first,” he said. “The phones were ringing off the hook, and the majority of the calls were from different types of rescue organizations.”
You surely can ban all us "pitbull assholes," if you'd like.
Welcome to FR, lilmama.
As the proud owner of 5 ferrets, I'd have to disagree wholeheartedly with your perspective! Ferrets actually have atrocious PR in many areas. They're banned in Kalifornia, and I believe they're either banned or you need a permit to have them in NY. So many stories of "feral ferrets" sneaking into cribs and killing babies while they sleep make these relatively docile animals seem like killers.
Truth is that the only thing my ferts have killed were cockroaches, and while they'll chase stockinged feet around the house all day, they'd never bite.
Ferrets and pits are on the same continuum: they can be vicious or they can be sweet as sunshine, it all depends on their environment! My cousin has 3 pits, and they are the most even-tempered dogs I've ever met. And they're amazing around the little ones! It's all about upbringing.
String up the parents, regardless of which animal did the nibbling. A dog could do the damage, but I doubt a ferret could. One ferret eats about 1/4 C of dry kibble per day. Human toes don't fit their normal menu, unless the owners starved it.
The concept of "human-aggressive" as opposed to "aggressive" is a fiction. Aggression does not intrinsically distinguish between objects. I understand that pit bulls got their name for being bred to fight. That means they were selected for their aggressiveness.
I have no reason to believe that they single out or go after human targets as opposed to dogs or other animals; but if you think that being "human" somehow exempts you from their aggressiveness, you are fooling yourself. A dangerous thing to do.
Mother of baby injured by ferret now charged with theft
08/01/2007
Mary Hansche, the young woman who made national headlines last year when her baby had some of her toes bitten off by the family's pet ferret, has been arrested for stealing from a charitable group that helped her pay her electric bill.
Hansche, 22, was arrested in DeSoto Parish on identity theft charges, accused of using a computer to steal $611 from the group that helps people down on their luck. Sheriff's Lt. Toni Morris said the investigation, which began after a minister noticed irregularities in the group's bank statement, found unauthorized internet transactions.
Hansche had contacted the charitable group in Logansport, asked for help in paying her electric bill and was given a check, Morris said. Six on-line bank transactions were traced to her, Morris said.
Hansche and her husband, Chris, were arrested in Bossier City last December after their month-old baby girl lost four toes to a family pet. It's believed the family ferret got out of its cage while the parents slept and attacked the baby, who was in an infant seat on the floor.
The Hansches spent three and a half weeks in jail before pleading guilty to misdemeanor child desertion. They got out of jail and were ordered to take parenting classes. The baby, who stayed with relatives while her parents were in jail, is now living with them, Morris said.
The ferret and a pit bull puppy originally blamed for chewing off the baby's toes, were given up and adopted.
The Hansches were vilified after their arrests -- they received death threats from around the country and their house was broken into three times while they were in jail -- and they relocated to DeSoto Parish. Mary Hansche is a native of DeSoto Parish, Morris said.
The investigation into Mary Hansche, 22, started when a minister noticed unauthorized Internet transactions on a bank statement. Freedom Mission gave Hansche a check for $100 to pay the electric bill, DeSoto sheriff's Lt. Toni Morris said.
She picked up the check and used it to pay the bill. "But she retained the information off of the check and got on the computer and used it to conduct some business using someone else's information," Morris said.
Wayne Jones, director of the mission, noticed electronic payments from the church's account paid to such companies as cell phone and TV service providers.
The six transactions total $611, which makes it a felony offense, Morris said.
Hanshce denied knowing about the transactions but later confessed, Morris said. An arrest warrant was signed Monday. Hanshce was arrested Tuesday morning.
She was booked into DeSoto Detention Center then released on a $2,500 bond.
What a piece of work.
He'll find that difficult to do in his present condition...
http://www.freerepublic.com/~johnrobertson/
~snicker~
Wow, lady. You rant and rave like a DUer. You don't back up a single one of your overly-emotional assertions with fact. What a persuasive argument. Congrats.
;-)
Cute pictures!
What a POS
I knew I liked you!
...we are not surprised....
:-)
You do great too!
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