Posted on 09/02/2007 8:40:18 PM PDT by stainlessbanner
DALLAS — A new Texas law went into effect at midnight Friday that could put dog owners behind bars for up to 20 years if their pet fatally attacks someone.
Just hours before earlier, a six-year-old Dallas boy was mauled to death by his family's dog.
The mother of Scott Warren said the family had had the pit bull since Scott was a baby.
Kressie Warren said Friday's attack was the first time the dog had snapped at anyone.
But, she says, with a young daughter in the house, now her only child, it will be the last.
"It's going to be difficult from now on," said Warren said.
She weeps, regretful she ever got the pit bull that took her son, Scott's, life.
"I don't want to never see another pit bull, never. Because he took a precious life."
The mauling happened just before 7 p.m. Friday night.
"We were sitting there in the room and all of the sudden the dog just jumped at him, grabbed at him," Warren said.
Her daughter was in the room with them.
"She was at the back, I was grabbing his mouth trying to get him loose but he was slinging him everywhere."
By the time they got the dog off, it was too late.
Scott eventually died at Baylor Hospital.
Six years old, he'd just finished the first week of first grade.
"I'm not going to see that little boy go back to school, I'm not going to see him play sports, graduate or anything. All because of a stupid dog," Warren said.
Warren is fortunate the attack took place yesterday and the dog was in a contained area.
Otherwise, under a new state law that went into effect today, she could have faced up to 20 years in prison.
Patricia Hughes, Warren's neighbor says, while she doesn't like the idea of having pit bulls and other dangerous breeds at home, she thinks that punishment is too harsh.
"I really think that's too severe. People have committed worse crimes and haven't served that much," she said.
Warren says she's already been given a life sentence.
"Learn from a single parent struggling to raise two children and now I'm down to one. Get rid of the dogs," she said.
Police say right now, they're considering this an accidental death, so they're not pressing charges against the mother at this time.
They say that could change depending on the outcome of their investigation in conjunction with Child Protective Services.
YOu think I should? Even though he's 11 years old? My son will be very upset, but I guess I should trust your judgment and experience.
You're good.
Because people use them for dog fighting. Stopping that would take care of the problem with the breed. People like Michael Vick who kill the dogs with a good temperment and breed the aggressive ones make the breed dangerous.
Adding restrictions on onwership of the breed may help too. Banning ownership to anyone with an IQ under 10 would be a good start.
Proceed at your own risk. :)
The family IS in his pecking order - you are leader of his pack as long as you are able to maintain an alpha male status. However, if you falter, even slightly or unwittingly by some unintended gesture or injury - the dog is constantly looking to raise his status in your pack. Your little boys, if you have any, are his competition - and when he chances awareness of the beginnings of maturing hormonal smells of which you are unaware - or declining hormonal smells - any dog can snap and act on his real inclinations. Pit bulls are the worst. Common sense should tell people that. As for dogs, they are not in your family, YOU are in THEIR pack.
Really? I didn't notice that in their breed characteristics, but if that is the case, I definitely don't want one now.
The purpose of a Pit Bull is for the phallic challenged to appear more masculine.
Well, of course. Why else would I want one? The Libs in my office also tell me that the same goes for SUVs, 4x4 pickups, and guns.
Funny, I just spoke with a girl yesterday who had been attacked by a Springer Spaniel as a child.
I hadn't heard anything about that breed being a problem (unlike say, dalmations).
This is the exact reason my husband and I had a separate pen built in our fenced-in backyard for our German Sheppard to go into whenever we have company over. Our dog has never bitten anyone, but we’re not going to take a chance on the first time.
It helps when a picture features stereotypes. A couple of the guys (the two who have full control of the dogs) probably played high school football, but likely on the line, rather than a skill position. Want to know any more?
Even a broken clock is "correct" twice in a 24 hour period.
Unless it's 'military' time, then it's only correct once.
;-)
While I have tremendous sympathy for Scott, and for the dog, the comments Kressie Warren has made show that this woman should never have dogs again in her lifetime, as she obviously doesn’t know anything abou tthem and did not have this dog trained. Dogs, pit bulls especially, get a bad reputation due to ignorant people who breed them to fight and those who perpetrate dog fighting. Not ALL pit bulls are aggressive. But all dogs shoul dbe trained and they should NEVER be left alone with children of any age. Dogs ALWAYS give off warnings; it takes an intelligent person to be able to understand the types they give off and to read these warnings. Dog owners can get this information by going to a good, positive reinforcement trainign class, such as a clicker class, with their dogs. There are also numerous books on the subject of dogs, training,and how to read a dogs ‘language’. Just a little education and this boy didn’t have to die...and neither woudl the dog have to. This dog isn’t aggressive; something either startled him, or he hea dbeen being made scared and nervous over time and when his warnings were ignored and he couldn’t flee, he attacked. A little boy, and his dog, now pay the price of a parent’s neglect in getting her dog trained and leaving her children alone with a dog. I get really sick of people blaming others, including animals, for their own mistakes. Warren paid a heavy price for her mistake - she lost her son. It’s too bad she didn’t put more thought, and training, into having a dog. Dogs aren’t toys; they’re not people with four legs and furry coats; they’re not a little kids’ ‘pal’; they’re dogs and one had better understand them and train them if they plan on bringing one into their home, and especially if that home has children in it. Ignorance cost a boy an dhis dog their lives; it’s up to all people to ensure safety for peopel and for dogs if they want to own them. To not do so, is criminal.
Except for the ‘less likely’ part. They attack well above their proportion in the dog population. Well above.
No, all because of a stupid pet OWNER.
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