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Pit bull attacks child in Williamsburg; owner of dog cited by police
Posted On 20 Jun 2014
A pit bull has been placed in quarantine and its owner cited for harboring a vicious animal following an incident Friday afternoon in Williamsburg.
About 12:45 p.m., Williamsburg police responded to a residence at 265 Rice Street in reference to a report about 12-year-old girl being bitten by a dog, said Williamsburg Police Chief Wayne Bird.
"According to witnesses the child was playing outside when she was attacked by the neighbor’s pit bull that was running at large," Bird wrote.
"The child was playing. Out of nowhere the child got attacked by the neighbor’s pit bull."
The girl suffered severe lacerations to her leg. Whitley County EMS transported her to Jellico Community Hospital for treatment.
"The call when we got it was the pit bull was still at large. By the time we got there, the owner had put it up," Bird said.
He said the dog bite was severe enough that you could see the calf muscle, but authorities expect the girl to recover.
"Just luckily there were some other people out there who were able to get her away from dog before the dog did more damage than it did," Bird said.
Authorities aren’t sure why the dog attacked the child.
"All the witnesses said the dog just came out of nowhere," Bird added.
There have been no other incidents involving this dog in the past.
"The owner of the dog was extremely remorseful. The owner of the dog was really concerned about the 12-year-old child and was very upset too."
Bird cited the owner the pit bull, Amanda Walker, for harboring a vicious animal, failure to have her dog licensed and for not having the dog vaccinated against rabies.
Bird said that Walker had been given the dog fairly recently, and didn’t have any shot records.
"She had no idea if it had had rabies vaccination," Bird noted.
In accordance with state law, the dog’s owner has placed the dog in quarantine for 10 days. It is being held at property she owns on Leonard Petrey Road.
Bird said police have the authority to seize the dog or to put it down since it didn’t have proof of rabies vaccination, but aren’t seeking that in this case. He said this doesn’t mean that the court might not order the animal destroyed.
Bird said that he isn’t sure where people go to get a license for their dog, but there is a leash law requiring dogs to either be on a leash in a fenced in yard.
"They can’t run at large. They have to be vaccinated, and they have to have a vaccination tag on them," Bird said. "People just need to pay attention to their pets.
"They need to make sure they are put up and on a leash. You are responsible for what your dog does. If your dog damages somebody’s property you are responsible. If it bites somebody you are responsible for the medical bills."
Whitley County Animal Control Officer Cecil Powers assisted Bird and K-9 Officer Brandon Prewitt at the scene.
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90% of the attacks you hear the owner 1) not registered the dog, 2) not vaccinated… which means the victim usually is subject to taking the painful rabies protocol, 3) it never did this before, 4) the dogs are not properly or humanely confined. 5) the owners usually don’t give a sh*t anyway either for the dog or the victims.
90% of the attacks you hear the owner 1) not registered the dog, 2) not vaccinated… which means the victim usually is subject to taking the painful rabies protocol, 3) it never did this before, 4) the dogs are not properly or humanely confined. 5) the owners usually don’t give a sh*t anyway either for the dog or the victims.
90% of the attacks you hear the owner 1) not registered the dog, 2) not vaccinated… which means the victim usually is subject to taking the painful rabies protocol, 3) it never did this before, 4) the dogs are not properly or humanely confined. 5) the owners usually don’t give a sh*t anyway either for the dog or the victims.
90% of the attacks you hear the owner 1) not registered the dog, 2) not vaccinated… which means the victim usually is subject to taking the painful rabies protocol, 3) it never did this before, 4) the dogs are not properly or humanely confined. 5) the owners usually don’t give a sh*t anyway either for the dog or the victims.
Hey Thomas McCartney aka Lori. Tell us more fabricated statistics, you absolutely insane person. Respond to this post wih more!
Over 700 Cities, Towns & 40 Counties in the US currently have BSL against pit bull type dogs as do over 40 other countries.
Country’s,
Cities, county’s, Provinces, Military Services & Towns where Pit
Bulls type Dogs are Banned or severely restricted:
Animal Planet
Pit Bulls Already Banned in a Dozen Countries
By Terrence McCoy Wed., Feb. 27 2013
Pit bulls have been banned the world over as well as 0ver 600 cities, towns and counties in the US alone.
The prohibition on the pit bull type dog wouldn’t be anything unusual.
In 1989, Miami may have been one of the first communities to ban pit bulls — but it sure hasn’t been the last, raising questions as to whether it’s only a matter of time before every municipality imposes some sort of regulation on the animal.
Already, more than a dozen countries have banned pit bulls, making it, quite possibly, the most regulated and feared dog in the canine world.
Composed from various online resources, here’s a breakdown of the bans and regulations:
Countries that have enacted regulation on pit bulls (or some deviation):
**In 1991, Singapore prohibited the entry of pit bulls into the country.
**In 1993, the Netherlands banned pit bulls.
**In 1997, Poland enacted legislation enforcing pit bull owners to display “clear warning signs” and keep the animal behind reinforced fencing.
**In 2000, France banned pit bulls. The goal was to let the breed “die out.”
**In 2001, Germany banned pit bulls.
**In 2001, Puerto Rico banned pit bulls.
**In 2003, New Zealand banned the importation of pit bulls.
**In 2004, Italy banned pit bulls.
**In 2009, Australia prohibited the imports of pit bulls.
**In 2009, Ecuador banned pit bulls as pets.
**In 2010, Denmark banned pit bulls and pit bull breeding.
**In 2014, Venezuela will ban pit bulls.
Nationwide, a ban on pit bulls is also far from exceptional.
Cities that have laid down some sort of legislation:
Sioux City, Iowa
Council Bluffs, Iowa
Independence, Missouri
Royal City, Washington
Denver, Colorado
Springfield, Missouri
Youngstown, Ohio;
Melvindale, Michigan
Livingston County, Michigan.
My Legislation Proposal to be enacted by all states,
cities and counties in the US & Canada.
All dogs must be:
Or all dangerous dogs must be:
Or all dangerous molosser breeds, including pit bulls (American Staffordshire Terrier, Staffordshire bull terriers, American pit bull terriers, American Bulldog, Bull mastiffs, dogo argentinos, fila brasieros, presa canarios, Japanese Tosa, cane corsos and their mixes and any dog generally recognized as a pit bull or pit bull terrier and includes a dog of mixed breed with predominant pit bull or pit bull terrier characteristics), rottweilers, chow chows, Doberman pinschers, German shepherds, must be:
* Licensed
* All Pit bull type dogs Micro-chipped with any bite history in database for reference.
* Insured: All dogs must be covered by mandatory liability insurance of $100,000 min. generic and $500,000 after a skin breaking bite with insurance companies based on actuarial statistic’s determining said rate.
* Spayed/neutered (except for limited approved show dog breeders)
* All breeds involved in any bite incident must be kenneled in a locked five-sided enclosure with concrete bottom.
For all other dog owners language can be written that enclosure such as fences must be capable of containing your dog period, such generic language puts the onus on the owner, have the fines be so onerous that said owner will ensure this they make this so.
1,000 the first time, double the second time and permanent confiscation the third time with a ban on said person from owning any dog within city limits, this will create an effective outcome directly or indirectly.
* All dogs must be on leashes outside of home enclosure
* All molosser breeds must also be muzzled outside of home enclosure
* No transport of declared dangerous dogs for the purpose of re-homing. (Dangerous dogs must be dealt with where their history is known.)
* All of the rules listed above also apply to rescues: rescued dogs must be licensed and subject to inspection.
$1,000 fine for noncompliance
Elimination of the one-bite rule in all of the 50 U.S. states
Manslaughter charges for owner of dog that kills a human
Felony charge for owner of dog that mauls human, dog, or other domestic animal.
HORSWELL BB, CHAHINE CJ, oral surgeons
Dog bites of the facial region are increasing in children according to the Center for Disease Control. To evaluate the epidemiology of such injuries in our medical provider region, we undertook a retrospective review of those children treated for facial, head and neck dog bite wounds at a level 1 trauma center.
Most dog bites occurred in or near the home by an animal known to the child/family. Most injuries were soft tissue related, however more severe bites and injuries were observed in attacks from the pit-bull and Rottweiler breeds.
Younger (under five years) children sustained more of the injuries requiring medical treatment. Injury Severity Scales were determined as well as victim and payer mix demographics, type and characteristics of injury, and complications from the attack.
DR RICHARD SATTIN, chief of unintentional-injuries section of the Centers of Disease Control
We’re trying to focus public attention on this greatly underestimated public hazard.
In 1979, pit bulls accounted for 20 percent of fatal attacks by dogs. That figure had risen to 62 percent by 1988.
Nobody knows the dog population of the United States or the exact breakdown by breed. We do not believe that pit bulls represent anywhere near 42% percent of dogs in the United States. Therefore, we believe that the pit bull excess in deaths is real and growing.
ROBERT D. NEWMAN, M.D.
As a pediatrician I was disturbed to read Vicki Hearne’s assertion that there are no bad breeds, just bad dogs (Op-Ed, April 15). There is ample evidence to suggest that certain breeds of dogs are more dangerous to children than others.
From 1979 to 1994, there were 177 known dog-bite-related fatalities in the United States. Of these fatalities, 66 percent were caused by five breeds: pit bull, Rottweiler, shepherd, husky and malamute.
If you include crosses among these five breeds, that number rises to 82 percent. Other breeds, like Labrador retrievers and golden retrievers were not implicated in a single fatality during this same period.
I laud the American Kennel Club’s attempt to include information about dog breeds considered ”not good with children” in the coming edition of ”The Complete Dog Book,” and lament the fact that the book is being recalled at the request of some breeders.
Seattle, April 16, 1998
Dr. EDGAR JOGANIK (after trying to reattach scalp and ear to a pit bull victim)
Pit bull attacks are typically the most severe, and in about one-third of all attacks, the animals are family pets or belong to close friends.
That should be the message, that these dogs should not be around children, adults are just as likely to be victims.
Everyone should be extremely cautious.
DR. MICHAEL FEALY
When a Pit Bull is involved the bites are worse. When they bite, they bite and lock and they don’t let go… they bite lock and they rip and they don’t let go.
DR. CHRISTOPHER DEMAS
Bites from pit bulls inflict much more damage, multiple deep bites and ripping of flesh and are unlike any other domestic animal I’ve encountered. Their bites are devastating – close to what a wildcat or shark would do.
DR. AMY WANDEL, plastic surgeon
I see just as many dog bites from dogs that are not pit bulls as bites from pit bulls. The big difference is pit bulls are known to grab onto something and keep holding so their damage they create is worse than other breeds.
DR. PATRICK BYRNE, Johns Hopkins Hospital
I can’t think of a single injury of this nature that was incurred by any other species other than a pit bull or a rottweiler.
ANDREW FENTON, M.D.
As a practicing emergency physician, I have witnessed countless dog bites. Invariably, the most vicious and brutal attacks I have seen have been from the pit bull breed.
Many of the victims have been children. In a recent study from the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, pit bull attacks accounted for more ER visits than all other breeds combined.
In young children, the most common part of the body injured was the face. Numerous studies have proven that the number-one cause of dog bite fatalities is the pit bull breed.
I am certain that many attacks are due to owner negligence, but the fact remains that many were unpredictable and were perpetrated by formerly “loving and loyal” pets.
Dr. Chagnon has every right to leave our town as she claims she will if pit bulls are banned, just like every one of her patients has the right not to attend her clinic where she brings her pit bulls.
I applaud Mayor Pro Tem Joanne Sanders for bringing this issue to the forefront. In the interest of public safety, I recommend we enforce a spay/neuter requirement on pit bulls while reviewing and revamping all of our policies relating to animal bites.
From 1930 to 1960
when less than 1% of the dogs in the U.S. were sterilized & most
still were allowed to run free, but far fewer than 1% were pit bulls, the U.S.
had a grand total of 15 dog attack fatalities:
9 by pit bulls, 2 by Dobermans, four by unidentified mutts.
The U.S. in 1960 had 611,000 total reported dog bites.
The numbers of bites dropped to 585,000 by 1966, then
began a steady rise to 4.7 million plus.
The numbers of fatalities climbed to an average of about 10 per year by
1990, when pit bulls were about 2% of the dog population, rose steadily for the next 15 years or so, consistently reached 20-plus by the end of the 20th century, as pit bulls reached 3% of the dog population, then soared into the mid-30’s post-2010.
Pits & their close mixes are now between 5% and 6% of the dog population.
Among survivors, pit bulls are responsible for the most serious mauling’s, and any
insurance company will tell you that they cause the highest insurance claims as
a pit bull attack is a sustained action that is repeated until someone or something stops the pit bull.
A bite is a one time action that doesn’t need a police officer’s intervention.
Pet ownership is another issue.
Pit bulls inflicted 99% of the total fatal attacks on other animals (43,000); 96% of the fatal attacks on other dogs (11,520); 95% of the fatal attacks on livestock (5,700) and on small mammals and poultry (16,150); and 94% of the fatal attacks on cats (11,280).
In 2013 about one pit bull in 107 killed or seriously injured
another animal, compared with about one dog in 50,000 of other breeds.
Discrimination against pit bulls is not the problem.
It is normal dogs that are discriminated against.
Denial of the rights of (non pit bull ) pet owners to safely enjoy, and love a pet is the issue.
Pit bull attacks on pets leave the pet owners (including children) feeling powerless, depressed, and anxious.
Some victims experience ongoing post traumatic stress disorder from witnessing pit bull attacks on pets.
Everyone has to make concessions and share the public space.
When the actions of pitbulls continue to cause harm and inhibit the safe use and enjoyment of pets, and public and private property, the pit bull dog and its owners are selfishly taking away the liberties of other human beings.
Merritt Clifton Editor Of Animals24-7:
I have logged fatal & disfiguring dog attacks in the U.S. and Canada since September 1982.
Overall, of the 4,812 dogs involved in fatal and disfiguring attacks on humans since September 1982, 3,279 (68%) were pit bulls; 551 were Rottweilers; 4,109 (85%) were of related molosser breeds, including pit bulls, Rottweilers, mastiffs, bull mastiffs, boxers, and their mixes.
Of the 558 human fatalities, 294 were killed by pit bulls; 87 were killed by Rottweilers; 422 (75%) were killed by molosser breeds.
Of the 2,904 people who were disfigured, 1,989 (68%) were disfigured by pit bulls; 322 were disfigured by Rottweilers; 2,466 (84%) were disfigured by molosser breeds.
Of the 4,793 dogs involved in fatal and disfiguring attacks on humans occurring in the U.S. & Canada since September 1982, when I began logging the data, 3,260 (68%) were pit bulls; 551 were Rottweilers; 4,090 (85%) were of related molosser breeds, including pit bulls, Rottweilers, mastiffs, bull mastiffs, boxers, and their mixes.
Of the 557 human fatalities, 293 were killed by pit bulls; 87 were killed by Rottweilers; 421 (75%) were killed by molosser breeds.
Of the 2,893 people who were disfigured, 1,979 (68%) were disfigured by pit bulls; 322 were disfigured by Rottweilers; 2,456 (84%) were disfigured by molosser breeds.
Pit bulls–exclusive of their use in dogfighting–also inflict more than 70 times as many fatal and disfiguring injuries on other pets and livestock as on humans, a pattern unique to the pit bull class.
Fatal and disfiguring attacks by dogs from shelters and rescues have exploded from zero in the first 90 years of the 20th century to 80 in the past four years, including 58 by pit bulls, along with 22 fatal & disfiguring attacks by other shelter dogs, mostly Rottweilers & bull mastiffs.
The only dogs rehomed from U.S. shelters to kill anyone, ever, before 2000 were two wolf hybrids in 1988 and 1989. 33 U.S. shelter dogs & one U.K. shelter dog have participated in killing people since 2010, including 24 pit bulls, seven bull mastiffs, and two Rottweilers.
Surveys of dogs offered for sale or adoption indicate that pit bulls and pit mixes are less than 6% of the U.S. dog population; molosser breeds, all combined, are 9%.
About 31,400 dogs attacked about 61,500 other animals in the U.S. in 2013, killing 43,500 and seriously injuring 18,100.
The animals killed included about 12,000 dogs, 8,000 cats, 6,000 hooved animals, and 17,000 other small domestic animals, primarily poultry.
The seriously injured included about 12,400 dogs, 4,000 cats, and 1,700 hooved animals. Few small mammals and poultry survived reported dog attacks.
Pit bulls inflicted 99% of the total fatal attacks on other animals (43,000); 96% of the fatal attacks on other dogs (11,520); 95% of the fatal attacks on livestock (5,700) and on small mammals and poultry (16,150); and 94% of the fatal attacks on cats (11,280).
About 30,000 pit bulls were involved in attacks on other animals, many of them killing multiple other animals.
There are about 3.2 million pit bulls in the U.S. at any given time, according to the annual Animal24-7 surveys of dogs offered for sale or adoption via online classified ads.
Thus in 2013 about one pit bull in 107 killed or seriously injured another animal, compared with about one dog in 50,000 of other breeds.
Nationally, fatal and disfiguring attacks by dogs from shelters and rescues have exploded from zero in the first 90 years of the 20th century to 80 since 2010, including 58 by pit bulls, along with 22 fatal & disfiguring attacks by other shelter dogs, mostly Rottweilers & bull mastiffs.
Altogether, 33 U.S. shelter dogs have participated in killing people since 2010, including 24 pit bulls, seven bull mastiffs, and two Rottweilers.
The only dogs rehomed from U.S. shelters to kill anyone before 2000 were two wolf hybrids, rehomed in 1988 and 1989, respectively.
Springfield, MO
In April 2008, the Springfield-Greene County Health Department released data to a local TV station – following the City of Springfield’s adoption of a 2006 pit bull ban:
“The Springfield-Greene County Health Department reports that dog bites and vicious dog complaints are declining since the implementation of the Pit Bull Ordinance in the City of Springfield two years ago. In 2005 the health department fielded 18 vicious dog complaints, but only eight in 2007. Bites were down from 102 in 2005 to 87 in 2007.”
“The ordinance, which requires pit bull owners to register their dogs annually, has also resulted in fewer pit bull dogs being impounded at the Springfield Animal Shelter.
In 2005 there were 502 pit bull and pit bull mixes impounded, compared to only 252 in 2007.
According to statistics taken from the Springfield-Greene County Health Department, as reported in the News-Leader March 12, for the three-year period beginning in 2004, there were 42 “vicious” animal attacks recorded in the jurisdiction covered.
After passing the local ordinance banning or strictly controlling the ownership of pit bull or pit bull types, the number of attacks has dropped dramatically.
For the five-year period from 2007-2011, there was a total of 14.
“Because we are impounding fewer pit bulls, we’ve also seen overcrowding in our shelter subside,” says assistant director Clay Goddard. “It is the natural tendency of pit bulls to fight, so our animal control staff are forced to segregate them in individual pens.
When we have several pit bulls in the shelter simultaneously, this severely limits space for other dogs.”
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Washington
In 2008, the City of Wapato passed an ordinance that bans new pit bulls, rottweilers and mastiffs. Nine months after its adoption, in March 2009, Wapato Police Chief Richard Sanchez reported successful results:
“Nine months into the ban and police calls about vicious dogs have been cut in half. The Wapato Police tell Action News they’ve gone from 18 reports in January, February and March of last year to seven so far in ’09. “Seven calls in three months… that’s nothing,” says Chief Richard Sanchez, Wapato Police Department.
Chief Sanchez credits local cooperation for the decline of dangerous dogs.”
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Rhode Island
When the City of Woonsocket was debating a pit bull ordinance in June 2009, the animal control supervisor in Pawtucket, John Holmes, spoke about the enormous success of Pawtucket’s 2003 pit bull ban:
“Holmes says he predicted that it would take two years for Pawtucket to experience the full benefit of the law after it was passed, but the results were actually apparent in half the time.
“It’s working absolutely fantastic,” said Holmes. “We have not had a pit bull maiming in the city since December of 2004.”
Holmes says the law also capped the number of legal pit bulls in Pawtucket to about 70 animals.”
In July 2013, Pawtucket Mayor Donald Grebien and City Council President David Moran sent a joint letter to Rhode Island Gov. Lincoln Chafee asking that he reject a statewide anti-BSL measure before him.
While they agree that some pit bulls can make good pets, said Moran and Grebien, “the number and severity of pit bull attacks against people and other animals in the early 2000s required us to take the action we did.”
Prior to the 2004 city ordinance, Pawtucket Animal Control officers responded to many calls about serious pit bull attacks against people and animals, according to the letter. Two of the worst cases involved a nine-month pregnant woman and a child.
While proponents of the bill argue that breed-specific bans don’t work, said Grebien and Moran, “the results in Pawtucket dramatically prove that they do work.”
In 2003, the year before the local ban on pit bulls went into effect, 135 pit bulls, all from Pawtucket, were taken in at the Pawtucket Animal Control Shelter for a variety of health and safety reasons, with 48 of those dogs needing to be put down.
In 2012, 72 pit bulls were taken in, only 41 from Pawtucket, with only six needing to be euthanized, according to the two officials.
“That’s a tremendous improvement,” they state in their letter.
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Per section 8-55 of Denvers pit bull ban:
A pit bull, is defined as any dog that is an APBT, Am Staf Terrier, Staff Bull Terrier, or any dog displaying the majority of physical traits of anyone (1) or more of the above breeds, or any dog exhibiting those distinguishing characteristics which substantially conform to the standards set by the AKC or UKC for any of the above breed.
Over the course of 22 years, the Denver ban has withstood numerous battles in state and federal courts. It has been used as a model for over 600 USA cities that legislate pit bulls, as well as US Navy, Air Force, Marine and Army bases ( so much for Sgt Stubby).
without it, we’d see just what we see in Miss E’s lame replies. Every pit owner would claim their land shark was anything but a pit bull.
Miami Dade county voted 66% to keep their pit bull ban, just as it is worded, last year.
Dog Attack Deaths and Maimings, U.S. & Canada, September 1982 to May.25, 2013.
By compiling U.S. and Canadian press accounts between 1982 and 2013, Merritt Clifton, editor of Animal People, shows the breeds most responsible for serious injury and death.
Study highlights
Pit bull type dogs make up only 6% of all dogs in the USA.
The combination of Pit Bulls, rottweilers, their close mixes and wolf hybrids and other Pit Bull Type Dogs:
84% of attacks that induce bodily harm.
75% of attacks to children.
87% of attack to adults.
72% of attacks that result in fatalities.
80% that result in maiming