Friday, March 6, 2009

OH: Vicious Dog Attack Hospitalizes 2 Owners

OH: Vicious Dog Attack Hospitalizes 2 Owners
Posted: 10:02 pm EST March 6, 2009
Updated: 11:46 pm EST March 6, 2009

JEFFERSON COUNTY, Ohio -- Neighbors in Brilliant were left shaken after two loose dogs started attacking each other, then two women Friday. It happened on North Street. Neighbors said they heard screaming for help and saw barking dogs on the attack.

"I heard a couple of ladies yelling from down the road," said eyewitness Rick Eddy. Eddy said he ran from his yard to try to help the two women. "I saw the two ladies wrestling with the pit bull so I yelled for the dog and it jumped off and finally the one woman got the dog and put it in the house," said Eddy.

Police said the collie mix wandered over to a trailer where the gate was left open with a pit bull on the other side. Eyewitnesses said the pit bull attacked the other dog -- then the owners of both jumped in and tried to break them up. "It was a lot of blood from the dogs and everything. The one pit bull really tore up the other dog," said Eddy.

Both owners were bit during the attack and had to go to the hospital. "[The bite marks] were pretty deep. They were pretty bad to the hand, but other than that, no other real bad injuries," said Eddy.

Police expect both women to be OK and said there's a lesson everyone needs to learn from this vicious attack.

"Everyone should always keep their dogs tied up. It's their animal so they should keep them on their property and not let them wander in the streets," said J.J. Kamerer of the Wells Township Police Department. The Jefferson County dog warden will determine whether any charges should be filed in this case. Police noted there is a Leash Law in the state of Ohio -- meaning every dog must be on a chain or leash and can't go running free.

Wednesday, March 4, 2009

TX: Pit bulls attack 2 teens in northeast Dallas; latest in rash of incidents

TX: Pit bulls attack 2 teens in northeast Dallas; latest in rash of incidents
12:09 AM CST on Wednesday, March 4, 2009
By DAN X. McGRAW / The Dallas Morning News
dmcgraw@dallasnews.com

Two teens were attacked by five pit bulls in northeast Dallas on Monday, the third dog attack in just over a week, authorities said. The siblings, 13 and 18, were walking in 11900 block of Hoblitzelle Drive around 5 p.m. when the dogs began chasing them. The 18-year-old sister used a belt to scare the dogs away, but one of the animals bit the boy.

Teens attacked by pit bulls
Police captured all the dogs, which were later placed in the custody of Dallas Animal Services. The dog that bit the younger teen will be quarantined for 10 days before being released to the owner, authorities said.

Dallas Animal Services issued 10 citations, including one for failing to restrain the dogs and one for failing to register the dogs, to each owner, said Kent Robertson, the agency’s manager. He declined to release the number of owners or their names.

This incident was the latest in a rash of such attacks.

On Feb. 21, two pit bulls attacked a man and a woman, Clarence Webber and Helen Fuller, outside Jerry’s Market at Bernal Drive and North Westmoreland Road in West Dallas. Webber was treated at Parkland Memorial Hospital for injuries to his eye, face, jaw, left hand and left thigh. Fuller was treated for wounds to her arms and head.

Minutes later, a 12-year-old boy jumped a neighbor's fence to retrieve a ball in Pleasant Grove and was attacked by a dog that was part pit bull.

Under Texas law, the owners of dogs that seriously injure people can be prosecuted.

The latest attacks add fuel to the debate about whether certain breeds are inherently vicious or whether their violent behavior is the fault of bad owners. “We see this every year,” Robertson said. “Most of the bites aren’t from dogs loose but from people playing with dogs or getting in between them and their food source.”

Most bites are insignificant, but some, including pit bulls bites can be severe. However, Robertson said it was hard to determine the threat pit bulls posed in Dallas because it was unknown how many lived in the city. “If there are more pit bulls than any other dog, then they are going to be responsible for more bites,” he said. “I’ve seen bad bites from pit bulls, but I’ve also seen bad bites from Chihuahuas.”

Several North Texas cities have explored the possibility of banning certain breeds. Former Rep. Tony Goolsby, R-Dallas, has asked the attorney general for an opinion on whether cities have that authority. Robertson said the city has been working with in neighborhoods to educate owners about their responsibilities and pick up stray dogs. The city rounded up more than 900 stray dogs in southern Dallas during a two-week initiative.

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OH: 10-year-old boy recognized as 'Finest Hero' for saving brother from dog attack

OH: 10-year-old boy recognized as 'Finest Hero' for saving brother from dog attack
By Megan Gildow
Staff Writer
Wednesday, March 04, 2009

Springfield, Ohio — In the week since he saved his younger brother from a dog attack, 10-year-old Brian Singleton has been on the front page of the paper, the evening news and had a day proclaimed in his recognition. "I think it's swell, but too much attention can get on your nerves," said the student declared by Lagonda Elementary to be the school's "Finest Hero."

Brian and his younger brother, Hayden Bradley, were recognized at a school-wide assembly Tuesday, March 3, along with Springfield Manor employees Cathy McCarty, Phil Bogard, Dawn Massie, Janet Varrasso and Lettie Austin and resident Gary McCarty.

Brian and Hayden were walking home from school Feb. 23, when two loose dogs approached the two boys as they walked up the hill at Springfield Manor. Brian put himself in the dogs' path to spare his brother, and several employees from Springfield Manor and Gary McCarty assisted the two youngsters.

"We have a lot of heroes in Springfield and a lot of love," school board President Donna Picklesimer said at the recognition. Prior to the assembly, Cristen Carlson and her daughter, Avery, discussed dog safety with the students with therapy pet Blanche on hand to demonstrate.

Brian, who received a gift from the school staff in addition to a Humanitarian Award and badges from the Springfield Division of Police, said he still likes dogs and knows most of them are friendly despite his ordeal. He spoke fondly of the 10 beagle pups his family tended in Kentucky one year.

The city commission proclaimed March 3, 2009, Brian Singleton Recognition Day, said Mayor Warren Copeland, also in attendance. "I'm honored to meet the mayor of Springfield, and I want to thank all the people that gave me gifts," Brian said. "I think it's wonderful to meet everyone that I've met."

• Lagonda Elementary School Principal Mike Manoloff asked Donna Bradley, mother of Brian Singleton and Hayden Bailey to write a narrative of the dog attack that launched 10-year-old Brian into the "Hometown Hero" spotlight.

Here is how she recalls the incident:

"Heroes at work: Big and Small"

Brian would always ask me if he could walk or ride his bike to school. A majority of the time I would say "no," but there were a few times I would allow him to walk to school. Brian and his younger brother, Hayden, walked to and from school for two weeks after our car broke down. My neighbor, which also is my employer, allowed me to use the company van to take them to school. However, I was not able to pick them up due to the fact that I was still at work when they got out. They were told not to talk to strangers or to stop at any friend?s houses.... they were to come straight home where my boyfriend Dave would watch them until I got home from work. I never thought to talk to them about what to do when dogs approached them.

Three-fifteen came, then 3:20... they were not home. I went to look for them. I walked the way they normally took and reached the school with still no sign of them. I called home to see if they had arrived yet and they had not... they were at Mercy Medical.

When I arrived at the hospital, I was relieved to see that Hayden was not injured and Brian?s injuries were not as bad as I thought they would be. Brian was very scared, still crying, but I held on to him and asked if he was going to be o.k. Tears rolled down his face and he shook his head.

A day later, Brian was finally ready to talk about what happened. Here said:

"Two dogs ran up to me and my brother and began barking loudly. We ran and fell. Hayden got to his feet and instantly froze... but they were still coming. I was scared for my brother and myself. I ran backwards which is something I know I shouldn?t do, but I distracted the dogs from getting my little brother... but now I was in trouble. I yelled for help and Cathy came. She was yelling at the dogs... that didn't work so she began to punch the dog in the head... and that didn't work. My shoe fell off and Cathy picked it up and used it. The dogs yelped and I was free. I was still worried about my brother.... SAVE MY BROTHER! A man picked me up and carried me inside where some nurses looked at my bites and doctored me up."

At this time, Cathy was focused on getting Hayden to safety. The dogs were then moving towards Hayden. "Stand still... don?t move... don't scream," Cathy told Hayden. The dogs were now ripping at Hayden's clothes. Hayden cried out for help. Cathy approached Hayden and put his back to her front and walked slowly backwards. "I always heard not to turn your back on a dog," she later told me.

From Mom

I thank God for all of those who were there for my children at Springfield Manor and for the staff and students at Lagonda Elementary who went above and beyond for our family.

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