Weekly Roundup -- Week Ending 5-18-08
It's been quite a week. It's become pretty apparent that any good will and "not all 'pit bulls' are dangerous" good will that came from the Mike Vick dog fighting fiasco has gone away. Sigh. Onto the roundup.
Osceola (NE) looks at banning 7 different breeds of dogs
Some neighbors who say they're concerned about the ONE registered 'pit bull' in the town of Osceola (Maggie). The council says it wants to do the right thing and not make a law that squarely impacts one person, so they are banning 7 breeds of dogs: Staffordshire Bull Terrier, American Pit Bull Terrier, Am. Staffordshire Terrier, Chows, Dobermans, Rottweiler, American Bandage Mastiff, Neopolitan Mastiff, and any dog with the appearance of any of the above. American Bandage Mastiff? Never heard of it. Nor has this site. Nothing says I completely pulled an ordinance out of my butt and made up an arbitrary list of breeds to ban like puting in a breed that doesn't appear to exist. I'm sure they're a huge problem in Osceola though.
Mosinee, WI looks at banning "pit bulls' also
They have 5 licensed 'pit bulls' in the city. Really, do you need a law to target 5 people? Is a law targeting only 5 people really ok? It doesn't look like most the people who wrote into the newspaper are supportive. Heck, even the newspaper editorial staff thinks it's a really bad idea.
DeKalb (Ga) Girl mauled by "pit bull"
The dog was actually a 'pit bull/rottweiller mix" (the rotty wasn't enough to make the headline), the dog broke its chain and attacked the 8 year old girl.
Dillon, SC passes breed specific legislation
The city now requires that all 'pit bull' type dogs must be registered and kept in a fenced area. When on a leash, they must be on a leash no longer than 5 feet long. Do all other dogs not have to be registered? Shouldn't they all be either fenced or leashed outside? I'm confused...
Pit bull ban tweaking put on hold
Apparently the city council didn't have much support for Cecil Thomas' crazy ordinance that would have tied up a ton of police resources enforcing the city's 'pit bull' ordinance. At least they're getting this part right.
The city is considering a ban on 'pit bulls'. Not much in the way of numbers to judge what's going on here, but they apparently have had one bite this year by this type of dog.
Whitehall, OH has two vicious dog proposals that are being discussed
Not many details -- one apparently allows for multiple dogs to be grandfathered under the ordinance. If you live in Whitehall, or near there, go make your voice heard.
Kansas City, KS man sentenced for his role in fatal 'pit bull' attack
Derick Lee, who owned the property where the dogs were harbored (the home was ruled unihabitable by humans and no human lived there) had the two dogs jump a fence and attack 71 year old Jimmie Mae McConnell nearly 2 years ago. Ms. McConnell died officially of a heart attack, although the dogs were attacking her at the time of the heart attack. Lee was sentenced to 4 years in prison.
Dog attacks for the week:
7 year old attacked by a Japanese Akita while playing outside his home that was roaming free.
"Dog" attacks child in Springfield OH. No breed was listed, but from the pictures and the video it is a very furry dog, so clearly a non-bully. This article calls it a "Chow-Husky mix".
A family's dog bit a caseworker in Colerain Township (OH). The dog is listed as an Akita.
"Pit bull" mix attacks seeing eye dog. The injuries were pretty minor, but the dog may have difficulties doing its job as a seeing eye dog now.
Five year old girl hospitalized after "Dog" attack. The dog , a chow, was a chained up in the neighbor's back yard and the girl (without supervision) walked up to the dog and tried petting it.
Labrador Attacks 10 year old girl in Sidney, Australia. The dog had a track record and had previously bitten someone else.
A 6 year old Palestine (TX) boy hospitalized following attack by an English Mastiff.
Crestview (FL) boy bitten by 'pit bull' -- the boy was feeding the neighbor's dog's crackers. The dogs were on tethers in the back yard.
11 year old Aurora (IL) girl was bitten by a 'pit bull' while she rode her bicycle. The dog was running loose, jumped and bit her in the arm. The girl fell off her bike. This scene plays out hundreds of times every day (and nearly weekly in my neighborhood growing up) without a news story. However, if there is a 'pit bull' involved in the nip, the story is news.
Buckfield (ME) woman recovers after being attacked by a 'pit bull'. The dog apparently bit her so hard it broke the skin. This sounds like an incredibly mild attack (it always sucks to get bitten though), this just isn't a newsworthy bite.
There were two other pretty major attacks this week...I'm going to cover off on those under a separate header later this week.
That is really, really bad. I have a scar on my arm from a shepherd bite (dog broke his chain) - my mother refused money from the owner (even though she had to pay a deductible - I only needed 3 stitches for a hole made by one tooth). I was ok, just scared (I was 11). Later, with the owner, went up to the dog to pet him. FF some mumble mumble years and I finally get the dog I want... yep, you guessed it - s Shepherd. If my mother and the lady who owned the dog had not handled it the way they did, I probably would not be sitting here with a 95 pound black and tan horse laying at my feet.
Shame on today's society for being so sue happy (yes, that contributes to the type of behavior exhibited in BSL), and shame on people for thinking BSL will correct everything. Not every dog - because it's a [insert brand here] will be mean or will bite. But of course, I'm probably preaching to the choir for most of the people reading this - since BSL advocates have their heads so far up their nether-sides, they can't be reading anything remotely anti-BSL.
Posted by: Cheryl | May 19, 2008 at 11:21 AM