Last Updated: 4:08 p.m.
Note: if anyone would like to help the mother of the children with contributions toward care or other matters–the family’s car was damaged and needed costly clean-ups, for instance–you may reach her at this email address. Please do not contact her for polemical purposes, however.
The girl is 5 years old. Her brother is 3. Their mother is 27. All three were the victims of a vicious, double attack by a pit bull that attacked the children as their waited for their mother in their van, parked at Bunnell’s Second Chance Rescue shelter late Wednesday afternoon. The first time the dog jumped through an open window. The second time the dog jumped in through a door that had been left open, after the children’s mother had attempted to seek help.
When a Flagler County Sheriff’s deputy arrived at Florida Hospital Flagler’s emergency room at 6 p.m. Wednesday, the scene horrific. The 3-year-old boy had blood gushing from his face, which had started to swell and discolor from the bruising. His eye socket appeared to be damaged. His sister was in another bed, blood soaking through bandages that the paramedics had applied. She was crying in pain. The children’s mother had blood leaking down her cheek and neck as she was attempting to calm her children, who appeared to be in shock. Large quantities of blood soaked the blankets which had been used to cover all three victims.
At least the victims were stable, an emergency room doctor told the deputy.
The attack revives a running debate about pit bulls, which are the frequent target of criticism and, in some communities, of outright bans–Miami-Dade County, for example, banned pit bull ownership in 1989, and Miami-Dade voters by a 63 percent margin renewed the ban in 2012. But in an appearance on WNZF’s Free For All Friday this morning, Jeff Hoffman, the sheriff’s chief deputy, said pit bull attacks tend to get more attention than other dog attacks even though other breeds have their share of victims, too. It’s not the dog so much as how the dog is trained and raised, Hoffman said.
Paramedics who’d responded to the attack and transported the three victims to the hospital said the pit bull had left lacerations and puncture wounds on one of the victims’ left temple, behind her left ear and on her arms. Another victim had puncture wounds to the front and rear of her right shoulder and laceration on the same side. The boy was in the worst condition, with a right eye puncture, a tear in the upper and lower parts of his mouth, and a large puncture under his chin. He also had puncture marks and deep lacerations to his right upper eye. He was missing a tooth and had multiple lacerations to his face and upper body.
The 911 Call[media id=366 width=250 height=100]
The children’s mother is a volunteer at the Second Chance Rescue shelter in Bunnell. She told police she’d left the two children in her vehicle while she was doing some work at the shelter. According to the information the volunteer gave police, a black and white pit bull “had broken out of his cage.” The pit bull jumped into the passenger side window, which was down, of the volunteer’s Toyota Sienna minivan. Once the pit bull got inside the vehicle, the children’s mother told police, “it went straight to her son who was sitting in the middle row of the van and latched on to his head, dragging him to the floor of the vehicle,” according to the sheriff’s incident report.
Second Chance Rescue disputes that the dog is a pit bull, calling it a mixed labrador instead. Amy Carotenuto, director of the Flagler Humane Society, where the dog is being quarantined for 10 days before it is euthanized, said that absent a birth certificate–which the dog does not have–it is impossible to say precisely what sort of dog it is. “I bet there’s not a pure-bred bone in him,” Carotenuto said. “Some people might say he is a pit bull,” she said, because of his 40-pound frame and appearance, but “whatever he is, he is a lot of different breeds.”
Carotenuto stressed: “The issue is the same no matter what breed he is. He is a 40-some pound dog that put some hurt on some kids.”
A caller to 911 asked the mother during the call for a description of the dog. She tells him that it’s “a pit.”
The police report continues, referring to the children’s mother: “She stated she attempted to get the dog to let go of her son who kept biting down on his face. She stated that she had to grab the dog’s mouth and pry it open, using her hands to free her son, at which time the dog turned on her, biting her in the face and neck.”
After gaining control of the dog, the children’s mother then dragged the dog back to its cage, securing it there to attempted to run and get help from other workers. But then she said she saw the dog break out of its cage again and run back toward the Toyota. The dog again jumped into the open passenger door window and started to attack the volunteer’s daughter, grabbing her by her shoulder and whipping her to the floor. The children’s mother then dragged the dog out of the van again and put it into another holding area. She then got into her vehicle and drove to the owner’s property, where she and her children called 911.
Later that evening Scott Christopher of Flagler County Animal Control told police that he’d already picked up the dog for quarantine and was headed back to the Flagler County Humane Society. Christopher would be conducting an investigation and would be in contact with all parties involved.
“I then went to the area where the incident had occurred,” the investigative deputy wrote in the incident report, “and inspected the vehicle where the incident had taken place. While looking at the vehicle I observed large scratches and muddy dog prints on the passenger side door and muddy dog prints on the passenger side seat along with dog prints leading to the back of the vehicle. I observed blood splatter on the seats and ceiling along with large pools of blood on the floor and pieces of clothing in the vehicle.”
Second Chance Rescue posted a summary of the incident on its Facebook page Thursday, describing it as “a juicy story that exploits people,” disputing the facts laid out by the sheriff’s report and attacking media for reporting those facts.
“The dog was friendly and vetted so we agreed to take it,” Second Chance Rescue wrote, describing the dog as a “lab boxer” rather than a pit bull. “Last night, one of our volunteers and her children were there, and she was letting him out to potty like she has all week and he bit them. He did NOT break out of his cage like the news said.”
The statement goes on, remarkably, to ascribe blame at great length: “This is not to say that it is not a big deal,” the statement reads, “because we value our volunteers so much and will do whatever we can for them. The fact is though, that if these Humane Societies were not charging a drop off fee, we would not be known as the dumping ground for unwanted animals. People use to not want to drop their pets off there because they did not want them to die and now they dont because they can’t afford it. If so many backyard breeders did not get away with breeding and breeding and breeding, there would not be so many dogs born with their wires crossed liked this one.”
Carotenuto said the Humane Society typically asks for $150 as a surrender fee for a large dog, but that the fee is not set in stone. If an individual can’t pay it, the Human Society asks for a contribution of some kind, because of the expense of maintaining animals. In one case, an individual recently opted to volunteer for two hours in lieu of paying a fee. “We definitely work with people. We don;t turn people away,” Carotenuto said/
The Second Rescue statement concludes by saying that dogs do not attack “for no reason,” that the attack was not its fault, and that media are intent on describing it as a pit bull attack. “Our heart breaks for the mother and child that was involved. However, she knows that when you are at a rescue, with dogs that have been abused and dumped, you can’t assume 100% safety at all times,” the statement concludes.
A.S.F. says
It makes me wonder why people bring pitbulls into their homes. It’s not the dog’s fault, if aggressive behavior is part of their genetic make=up. It’s the questionable judgement of the human beings who attempt to become their masters that’s puzzling, especially people who bring a pet with such dangerous potential into homes where children (or vulnerable adults) reside. You may think they are cute when they’re puppies or believe you are getting a cheaper guard/alarm system than any other one on the market. But dog bites are nothing to fool around with and being mauled is not a nice way to die.
Jamie says
This is unfortunate all the way around. As a dog lover, I hate that certain breeds of dog get a bad name. I am also sick to my stomach at how many people abandon their pets. You have to have a pea sized heart to dump an animal. Short of dying, there is NO REASON GOOD ENOUGH. Get rid of your Iphones and your cable tv, before you decide you can’t afford your pet. Stop collecting cats and dogs if you are a renter! Don’t adopt puppies and kittens when you KNOW your marriage/relationship is on the skids.
I hope those injured in this incident make a speedy recovery.
lee77 says
There are so many to blame for this tragedy — and it is a tragedy because two children have been maimed and scarred for life. First, there is the pit bull (and it IS a pit bull regardless of the fact these delusional “rescue” people say otherwise) that should have NEVER been accepted by the rescue organization. Rescue organizations routinely mislabel pit bulls because many people refuse to adopt them and this isn’t the first pit bull a rescue organization has deliberately mislabeled a “Lab-Boxer-mix.”
Second, there is the “mother,” who, instead of caring for her toddlers, was “volunteering” her time to care for a bunch of worthless fleabags while her children were left sitting in a vehicle! Unless mothers of children 3- and 5-year-olds have nannies to care for their offspring, they do not have time to “volunteer” at a dog rescue. If this woman has so much extra time on her hands, instead of wasting it on caring for dogs, she should be lobbying the state legislature to overturn its anti-BSL law!
Compounding an already bad situation, we have Jeff Hoffman, who claims “pit bulls tend to get more attention than other dog attacks even though other breeds have their share of victims.” The reason pit bull attacks get “more attention” is because when one of these land sharks attacks, it isn’t just a nip that requires nothing more than minor first aid, it is an all-out mauling in which someone — usually a child — ends up badly injured or dead!
Finally, we have the people at Second Chance Rescue lying about what happened, which proves, once again, that people in dog rescue have seriously misplaced priorities. Such people value dogs above everything else on earth and the fact two innocent children were almost killed doesn’t bother them at all!
Blondie says
I have had dogs all my life my dog is a pit bull mixed and is the big and sweet he thinks he is a puppy that can sit in your lap. For a dog to snip at some one is very very very different then biting not 1 person but 3 and in the neck and face sorry that dog needs to be put down. This was not a nip it was an attack.
Sarah says
Wow… I used to work there, and I cannot believe what I am reading. The children’s mother is the most sweetest lady I have ever met, and my heart goes out to her and her kids.
confidential says
Very unfortunate accident. First for the children and their mom. Second for the dog. Hope the children and mom recover soon from their injuries. Hope the dog is not destroyed.
Tracy says
This is so sad I hope everyone is ok . But not one person said anything about the fact that the children were left unattended THIS IS ONLY ONE REASON NOT TO LEAVE YOUR CHILDREN UNATTENED. The article said they were left while the mother went in to do work , kids are taken every day and people are killed everyday it amazes me that now of days with all the bad things going on that anyone would leave there children alone in a vehicle . These children were way to young to be left alone anywhere for any amount of time . How can a 3 year old or 5 year old defend them self no matter what the situation may have been .
We the people says
Strange how yesterday the dog went from a boxer lab mix to today being a monstrous pit bull. Before anyone throws stone at this breed check your facts first. I know first hand it doesn’t matter what breed the dog is, it matters on who raises it and what has happened to the dog. Yes I have been attacked my a pit bull entering thier home, and yes I have been attacked my chihuahuas, sheep dogs, labs, puddles and shih tzus. More the little dogs then anything else.
chuck says
Prayers of peace for the kids and mother. They must be traumatized. I hope their bodies, hearts and minds heal quickly from this.
FlaglerLive says
Readers: the focus of this story is on what a dog did to two children and their mother. The breed, while not irrelevant, is secondary, though it’s disheartening–and disgusting–to see more attention given the issue of the breed than the trauma of the attack on three human beings. References to the breed are based on the police report, the 911 call, and what the mother told the cops on scene. Those references have been qualified by Second Rescue’s take on the case and by the Humane Society’s director. You’re welcome to comment on the case within that framework, courteously and rationally. Address the issue. Don’t lecture fellow-commenters. Your comments will not be approved if they make judgments about the mother’s actions or categorical assumptions about the dog’s breed. And they will not be approved regardless if, as has been the case in innumerable unapproved comments, your misplaced outrage and foul language wastes our time and most readers’ intelligence.
Belle says
How terrible! The rescue shelter had posted on their facebook page about this, but suddenly deleted it. Basically claiming the news was lying. It also sickens me how she(I’m guessing Debi, the owner, posted it) seemed more upset about the lack of news coverage about her rescue needing help but was quick to cover this story than one of her workers and children being mauled.
Debi, if you are reading this, you really should care more about this lady and her kids. Yes, your rescue made the news over something bad. Deal with it. Don’t milk the story and say she knew what she was getting into. It doesn’t matter what breed the dog was.
I would also like to state a fact about these cages. I know several people who used to volunteer there, and the cages are very old. If a dog really wanted to break away from it’s cage, it would be easy for him!
Reaganomicon says
Here’s your facts: in my neighborhood, we have 6 homes. One person has no dogs. Myself and one other homeowner have non-pit dogs, and have never had our dogs attack anyone. The remaining three homeowners have pit bulls, and EVERY ONE OF THEM HAS ATTACKED SOMEONE. The people across the street lost their pit because he was declared a dangerous animal, the person at the end of the block’s pit mangled a child’s face and was put down for a rabies test. The people on the other side of the block’s pits attacked myself and my dog. So yes, do indeed check your facts.
Merritt Clifton says
Of the 4,571 dogs involved in fatal and disfiguring attacks on humans occurring in the U.S. & Canada since September 1982, when I began logging the data, 3,089 (68%) were pit bulls; 548 were Rottweilers; 3,894 (85%) were of related molosser breeds, including pit bulls, Rottweilers, mastiffs, bull mastiffs, boxers, and their mixes. Of the 541 human fatalities, 281 were killed by pit bulls; 86 were killed by Rottweilers; 408 (75%) were killed by molosser breeds. Of the 2,750 people who were disfigured, 1,857 (68%) were disfigured by pit bulls; 320 were disfigured by Rottweilers; 2,311 (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. 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%.
Freddy says
I am sorry for the children and mother that was attacked by this dog.
orphan says
Thanks, FlaglerLive.
How in the world are we still a world?
Florida Native. says
I think everyone should have of these beautiful loving pit bulls that attack and kill children. I think I’ll get one tomorrow.
Mike says
The shame here is two fold, the poor family who were attacked (hope they are dong okay) but worse yet are the excuses from the shelter. Not the dogs fault? I understand abused animals and the fear they feel, but for the love of God do not blame the family instead of the animal. The shelter should have just said we feel for the family and we are looking into the situation, not the unfeeling release they put out. Note to the rescue get a PR person and do not just let any idiot put out a statement that does more harm then good to the mission you are trying to convey.
THE VOICE OF REASON says
NO REASON GOOD ENOUGH?
So I was a bad person for taking in my two cats that started swatting at my new baby whenever I put her down to crawl on the carpet?
It broke my heart to give them up, but I think protecting my child was a GOOD ENOUGH REASON.
Outsider says
I’m sorry, but this breed is capable of disabling an ambulance, as was the case some decades ago when I lived in Atlanta. Sorry if I don’t fit the mold of a bleeding heart that puts certain animals’ welfare above those of human beings, specifically children. That being said, put a bullet through that dog’s head right now, and any other sitting in that “rescue.”
Julie says
The breed is relevant because “Lab-Boxer” is rescue-speak for pit mix. And ONLY a pit mix would break out of a cage and then jump into a vehicle through a window in order to attack children….TWICE. And only in the hazy, ethereal world of pit proponents would said dog then be deemed worthy of “another chance”….to kill a child.
Shawna says
So. Second rescue is saying it’s the volunteers fault that while she was there assisting, for free, that the cage was faulty or whatver the case….that’s it’s the volunteers error? Really encourages folks to raise their hand to pitch in at a facility that is already under distress and spreading word of closing down. Their statement should have read more about the sympathy and support for the volunteer. Or is it volunteer at your own risk?? C’mon man, innocent children were involved. Take the blame in whatever context is applicable and now raise funds for their medical bills, or that rescue shelter shouldn’t be open until the ratio of volunteers/trained staff can accommodate these troubled dogs. I don’t discredit their great intentions but this is an expample of why they need help….yet also accountability :( God bless the woman and her children who will most likely be scarred for life not just mentally but physically.
No more pitbulls says
They are an evil breed and need to be exterminated. So tired of wimpy people making excuses for this evil breed of dog. I do not want to hear about how sweet YOUR pitbull is….because it has the ability to be evil and it is only a matter of time.
They ALL need to be put down – and that means yours too if you have one.
No more pitbulls says
You seem to get attacked an awful lot….and you are using the same TIRED argument about “it is the owner not the breed”.
WRONG. They are evil and need to be put down.
kb58 says
Lee77, Of all the comments listed, I couldn’t agree or appreciate yours the most. I agree with what you had to say on every issue you spoke of 100 percent. Thank Goodness there is someone out there with some common sense.
Debbie Bell says
Pit bulls ARE misunderstood, by pit bully people. They think that because pits are kissy faced commical affectionate dogs they won’t act on centuries of selective mutation and attack. Whether or not this dog’s label will be changed, this behavior was that of a good pit bull.
Good pits seek and destroy others, for no reason. This is essential in fighting dogs and pits remain the choice of all North American dog fighters.
Normal social animals need a reason to attack, so normal dogs do not fight well in distant pits, not over a resource. Those who fight dogs cannot merely hope that their dog will feel like fighting over a rawhide. Nope. Good pits mature to feel the drive to attack without warning, without reason, to continue even if the other submits (normal dogs stop when one says uncle often without severe injury) to continue even after suffering severeresource personal injury.personal
Normal dogs need to be angry to bite and kill. Good pits can be happy having a great day AND feel the urge to bite and not stop. A good beagle is happy when acting on his instincts to sniff bark and chase rabbits.
read the pitbull books by Colby, Stratton, Armitage. Nope book give any advice on how to train your Pitbull to attack and kill dogs. That’s because none is necessary. Pitman simply watch their dogs, and when they begin to focus on other dogs, they simply let them fight. this is called turning on or starting
Debbie Bell says
When another dog isn’t available and the urge to bite floods the bully dog mind, a dog sized victim (a child) will do fine.
Check out the YouTube video “bullseye hang time” which show how happy pits are with their teeth clenched still tugging more. “Pitbull vs cavalo” shows how driven a good pit can be. This pit is game, dead game.
Debbie Bell says
If you spend time with bully people you may come to realize that it is not about the dogs, it’s about self, ego and their ability to breed/own the dog of their choice. Proof is their refusal to offer or accept anyways to reduce the pitbull crisis.
Pitbulls disproportionately cause suffering and disproportionately suffer and die. Check out most large shelters: full of pitbulls, and their dumpsters are full of dead pit bulls. But the pit bully people say don’t change a thing!
So they actually don’t care about pit bull welfare.
Before pitbulls infested our community, we never had a victim dog killed on a public sidewalk, or in her own yard by a seek and destroy attack .Normal dogs would never break into a fenced yard with the purpose of killing the submissive victim dog there. Attacks like that are unique to fighting dogs/pits.
Nikia says
It says the mother was a volunteer not a paid worker. It sounds like she means well. Praying for the family. It also seems like more information will eventually come out but some pieces of the story are not released yet.
Debbie Bell says
What? Send the dog to a sanctuary? Maybe Spindletop or Olympia Animal Rescue could take him?
Oh wait, they both became scandals. Wonder what happened to the bite case dogs they took?
David O says
Slap as much lipstick as you want on this pig. It’s a pit bull.
Common Sense says
kid may be blind in one eye and you hope hes not blind… HELLO priorities, dogs as good as dead far as im concerned
merese says
The dog is shown in News 9 coverage and other stories and the police on site and the video clearly shows pitbull. The breed is very relevant. No other dog acts like this so regularly.. They go beserk and change from nice family pets into monsters. The pitbull you have today might be the monster that kills tomorrow. Not every animal behaviorists is a sell out to the wealthy dog fighter promoted pitbull lobby! Words from a world reknown animal behaviorist and evolutionary biologist that isn’t a sell out to the wealthy dog fighters: I’ve seen many pit bull puppies that have seemed fine until their sixth or seventh month, at which point they suddenly tried to kill a playmate they’d been fine with until then. And so on, including family pit bulls that suddenly killed a child or an adult owner at the age of five or eight years. The bad wiring can’t be detected in the pitbulls first six months of life, — or at any time until the pit bull has been cremated. There is no training that will counteract genetically determined behaviors SEE Heritability-of-Behavior-in-the-Abnormally-Aggressive-Dog-by-A-Alexandra Semyonova on scrib dot com.
Several of the genes involved in this sudden, pathological aggression have been identified. The differences in brain structure and chemistry that they cause are clear (training doesn’t fix deviant brain structures). The mechanism — why the genes activate when they do — hasn’t been figured out yet.
Get a hold of this animal behaviorists book: The 100 Silliest Things People say about Dogs.
merese says
The dog was identified by the mom, the police and the 911 call as a pitbull. after the fact, some tried to attribute the dog breed to something different. If it were the owners, as we the people says, than the most popular dog breed ever .. the lab.. would be the top maulers and casket fillers but that top prize has belonged to pitbulls for decades.
merese says
Thanks for the sanity. I am so sick of serious maulings and deaths being reduced to nips and bites. This was an attack and the dog needs to be euthanized to protect the public.
kat says
Wait a minute here,,,,,,Sounds like this rescue group was trying to pass this dog off as another mix breed avoiding the pit name. Pretty scary…I see that all the time. These rescue groups posting pit mixes as other breed mixes so they get adopted and you can see it in the photo that it is more pit than anything else. Yes I would be more apt to rescue a boxer mix before a pit mix. I think that shelter should be sued. I get so tied of hearing “ITS HOW THEY ARE RAISED” That is so BULL. They were bred to fight for years and years. You cant take that away from them. Think about it. Can you take the hunting behavior out of a Pointer or setter? No of course not, Can you take the herding behavior from a border collie? No of course not. can you take the rodent drive from a rat terrier. No of course not. Then what makes you think you can take the fight behavior from pit bull???? This has nothing to do with how they are raised. Obviously this shelter thought the dog was friendly and had it up for adoption. Imagine bringing something like that home to your kids. So how could it be so adoptable one minute and a killer the next??? B e c a u s e that’s what they do.
Gia says
These dogs are vicious & the race must be exterminated.
PCresident says
[First part of comment deleted. Grossly misinformed and misleading.–FL]
This is typical of dogs who are American Staffordshire Terrier (aka Pitt bulls). Nothing in the photo indicates a dog that is a lab/boxer mix (posted on PC observer). This dog looks like a Staffordshire Terrier and not a lab mix. The dog chewed a kid’s face, his sisters’ bodies, and the mother. No surgery can repair the damage that has been done emotionally to these kids.
I get the primary purpose of Second Chance Rescue is animal replacement, but when a horrific event occurs like this, the kids and the mom are the only thing that matters. While I have dogs, and I care deeply for my animals, if the animals were ever to attack a human, my attention would be 100% on the humans involved.
The dog clearly and unprovoked attacked 2-3 kids the first time, then is placed back into cage where it gets loose again and commences to attack the kids again. The only logical thing to do is to euthanize the dog. There would be no reason whatsoever to keep that’s dog.
Gail Rosbach says
Seems to me it was the other way around. 911 call, caller states it was a Pit attacking. Picture of the dog looks like a Pit Bull Mix. These stories are always dissected by Pit nutters to make it appear it was not a Pit Bull. Only a fraction of Pit Bull attacks are reported by the press. Any one who thinks it will never happen to them better wake up and carry some kind of weapon when doing stuff outside, esp. if they are
walking their pet dog. This situation is already about as bad as can get with Pit Bulls attacking, and o lawmakers still do nothing to very little to change the situation. They are too afraid of the Pit Bull Lobby to do the right thing, so its to us to protect ourselves.
Blondie says
It’s all in how they are raised.
Blondie says
I agree it’s not about the breed it is what this dog did to 3 people
Darrin says
IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO IDENTIFY A PIT BULL
The Myth:
No one can correctly identify a pit bull. Fighting breed advocates claim that most people shown a collage of dog photos online can’t tell which one is the pit bull.
The Reality:
Many pit bull advocate groups post a collage of dog pictures online and ask the public to “identify the pit bull”.
What the public does not know is that the majority of dogs pictured are shot from camera angles deliberately designed to mislead. In addition, they show heads only, so size cannot be considered—this would not be the case when seeing the dog in real life.
They also feature many rare breeds that are related to pit bulls, but which are extremely uncommon in the United States (e.g., the Dogue de Bordeaux, Alapaha Blue Blood Bulldog, and Ca de Bou).
And one of the dog breeds that is included is an American Staffordshire Terrier which is the exact same breed as the American Pit Bull Terrier, but registered with another organization. Click here for an in-depth, illustrated article about this misleading test.
It should also be noted that many humane societies offer discounts on spaying/neutering of pit bulls. If pit bulls are so difficult to identify, then how do shelter workers identify who qualifies for the discount?
There are also many pit bull rescues with the term “pit bull” in the organization name. How do these groups know which dogs to rescue?
Loba Art says
Readers can see photos of the attacking dog here: http://www.wftv.com/photo/news/local/dog-attacks-woman-children-flagler-county/p8zZx/ http://www.myfoxorlando.com/story/24976324/pit-bull-attack
The dog’s unprovoked and prolonged attack is not characteristic of boxers or labradors.
Numerous studies have found that attacks by pit bulls are particularly damaging, unprovoked, and prolonged:
“Attacks by pit bulls are associated with higher morbidity rates, higher hospital charges, and a higher risk of death than are attacks by other breeds of dogs.” http://journals.lww.com/annalsofsurgery/Abstract/2011/04000/Mortality,_Mauling,_and_Maiming_by_Vicious_Dogs.23.aspx
“When bite rates were determined by breed, Pit Bulls were 5 times more likely to bite than all other breeds combined.” http://www.dtic.mil/cgi-bin/GetTRDoc?AD=ADA381425&Location=U2&doc=GetTRDoc.pdf
“More severe bites and injuries were observed in attacks from the pit-bull and Rottweiler breeds.” http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22235708
“More than 30 different offending breeds were documented in the medical records. The most common breeds included pit bull terriers (50.9 percent), Rottweilers (8.9 percent), and mixed breeds of the two aforementioned breeds (6 percent).” http://journals.lww.com/plasreconsurg/Abstract/2009/08000/Pediatric_Dog_Bite_Injuries__A_5_Year_Review_of.28.aspx
“A retrospective review was performed at two urban Children’s hospitals from 1996-2005 of all dog attacks presenting to the plastic surgery service…57% of dogs were deemed to be of a dangerous breed (Pit Bull or Rottweiler).” http://aaps1921.org/abstracts/2008/P13.cgi
“It is remarkable that five out of eight fights which led to the death of the victim involved the clearly over-represented group of fighting dogs.” http://www.azs.no/artikler/art_agressive.pdf
“In attacks where guide dogs were injured, dogs belonging to bull breeds were the most common aggressors (41.5 per cent)…Most injuries to people occurred in attacks involving an aggressor belonging to a bull breed (52.6 per cent).” http://veterinaryrecord.bmj.com/content/166/25/778.abstract
“During the one-year period between June 1986 and June 1987, 14 people were killed by dogs in the United States. Ten of those 14 deaths are attributed to pit bulls. Thus, 71% of the deaths during that period were attributed to a type of dog that accounts for 1% of the US dog population…Most breeds do not repeatedly bite their victims; however, a pit bull attack has been compared to a shark attack and often results in multiple bites and extensive soft tissue loss…pit bulls inflict more serious bite wounds than do other breeds because they tend to attack the deep muscles, hold on, and shake.” http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/3238616
“This breed has an intensity and duration of attack not seen in other dogs. This leads to severe injuries and, in some cases, death of the victim (human or animal). This trait has been created by cruel individuals who want animals that are ‘game’ for dog fighting.” http://veterinaryrecord.bmj.com/content/168/5/133.abstract
It’s understandable why those in the business of marketing pit bulls to the public would want this to go down in history as a “labrador mix,” but it also flies in the face of evidence, science, and common sense. Second Chance is alone in calling the dog a “labrador mix.” Both the victim (a Second Chance volunteer) and the police report describe the dog as a pit bull.
27 of the 32 U.S. dog attack fatalities last year involved pit bulls and there were numerous other close calls. Some of the victims (Beau Rutledge, Daxton Borchardt, and others) were killed by beloved, indoor family pet pit bulls.
Attempting to minimize the damage done to the pit bull’s reputation should not be the priority after an event such as this (as it too often is). Rather, we are overdue for a serious, informed conversation about the influence of selective breeding on canine behavior and safety. Pit bulls are bred by the tens of thousands in this country for illegal dogfighting and there is no way to prevent these abnormally aggressive genetics from leaking into the general pet population.
R.C. says
First I would like to convey my prayers and best wishes to those injured in the incident. Next don’t always blame the breed for attacks. This dog snapped for some reason and attacked the same people who for the last week had been walking it and treating it with kindness. I currently own a pitt bull, which I acquired from Second Chance 2 years ago. the only thing violent on this dog is her tounge. She will lick you to death. She is also a TRAINED AND REGISTERED SERVICE ANIMAL. So please don’t look down on all pitts. With great owners you have great dogs. I applaud Debi, Dana and all the others at the rescue who do all they can to help.
Dan says
Aggressiveness is in their genetic make up? Amazing the things people will believe just because they want to. I have owned 4 pit bulls, not one of them has ever been aggressive towards anyone or anything and throughout all of their lives there has been ample opportunity for my dogs “predisposition” as you say to take over and attack or defend itself from other humans and animals. But guess what. None of them has done either. I’ve had loose dogs run up challenging them. Even biting in some cases where my dogs always ignored or avoided the situation. Can you guess why??? They aren’t special hybrids. They are all pure bred blue nose and red nose and they were raised and treated with love and so that’s all they know, so that is how they respond to situations. Your lack of insight while offering opinions as facts about a single breed is incredible and shows your own ignorance. But with your train of thought can we also assume all humans are predisposed to aggressive behavior and therefore we should treat everyone as a dangerous criminal? Because they exist. Murder happens daily in our lives. Or can we assume that we should ban driving because we know bad and careless drivers exist and fatalities occur daily. But there’s no talk of that at all is there? Nope this way of thinking is secluded to guns and pit bulls now. Use to be a few other breeds. It’s not the animals. It’s the people raising them that need to be held accountable. Although once an animal has been deemed dangerous it needs to go as well. This mentality of taking away everyone’s rights when something bad happens or when some irresponsible person abuses an animal and it lashes out is crazy. Get your head out of the sand. I don’t protect dangerous animals. But I don’t pretend they are naturally so either. They are trained and taught one way or another to do as they do. Just as EVERY species.
Dan says
And how many drug dealers/thugs/hoodlums/criminals think it’s cool to own and make a lab mean? Btw pits have been outselling other breeds for many years. I have a black lab and three pits. Guess which animal is the alpha and most aggressive between them…My lab and he would also be the last of the four I would trust around a child or baby. Now how does that make sense with your facts. You must live in a neighborhood with some very irresponsible people who don’t care for their animals or like most others just making things up that support your opinion. It’s a big animal capable of inflicting harm yes. But predisposed to aggression and violent behavior. Not a chance. No more than any other. They just are unfortunate enough to be the favorite of aggressive violent owners.
AnimalScience101 says
Blah blah blah Im so sick of the pitbull rhetoric that I could barf. Hey folks its getting OLD and your effing bully breeds are going to maul their way into the public eye and you will be forced to lie more and hide them because public outrage is GROWING. Ive been around dogs all my life, trained them since I was in college, took animal science and genetics so dont even try to tell me to get educated. I am and thats why I will fight for the rights of humans to be SAFE from these fighting bred dogs. You are NOT going to stop the blowback!!
AnimalScience101 says
And after being attacked by your chic, sheepdog, lab puddles and various other dogs… YOU ARE STILL HERE, Guess what? Over 30 people are not here because their lives were taken by bully breeds in 2013. This year promises to be a “bumper crop” – Fighting bred dogs are genetically wired to maul to the death. GENETICS MATTER. Sheepdogs herd, labs retrieve, pointers point…. you get it? If not, get some edumication in the science of purpose bred dogs.
dava says
This woman should sue this nightmare shelter for all the money they ever see. What a horribly horrible gruesome attack on little uns…so innocent yet somehow the pit worshipers find fault with them…yeah, they wanted their faces torn off.
ryan says
The sad part is that no one has the courage to talk about where the dog came from before it was there. Unfortunately, being Bunnell, the dog was probably at one point owned by some thug gangsta type or drug dealer who ruined the dog so that it would be made mean. Unfortunately, when a pit bull has attacked people in a neighborhood, the media is too cowardly to identify the dog’s owner with a picture of them posted everywhere. It is important to know how a dog became that way. It is not genetic that pit bulls are naturally aggressive. Another thing, for non rescue pit bulls that attack people, I challenge FlaglerLive to post the owner’s name and picture so that people can see who the real problem is. I think we all know what I am talking about here. I volunteer at the Humane Society and walk the pit bulls every weekend, and I have never had one go after me except one that was seized from a thug that was in quarantine. Stop blaming the breed, and stick to the facts, no matter who gets offended, because there is no room for liars.
so sad says
It’s just a sad story all the way around. I feel horrible for the mother and her children for what happened but I also feel for Second Chance Rescue and the dog in question. No one knows what type of abuse or neglect some of these rescued animals have endured in their life to survive and it can’t help but leave emotional scars like it does in humans. People who do this type of volunteer work know this and take precautions when dealing with these animals. If I read the story correctly it stated that dog had lived in a car with it’s previous owner and it was probably just trying to get back to something familiar when it got out. Unfortunately there were children in the car that the dog didn’t know and it reacted. It’s not an excuse for what happened but I can understand how it did. I think the initial reaction from Second Chance was more knee-jerk and that’s why they deleted it. I’m sure they feel terrible about what happened to the children and the volunteer. I do feel some of this responsibility lies with the Flagler Humane Society who wanted $150 to take this dog in from the homeless man. If they had taken this dog in the first place none of this would have happened in the first place. I’m pretty sure it was obvious that the guy was homeless and couldn’t afford the fee. I agree with others who say leave the breed out of it. I had a vet up north that raised pits and he stated there is no bad breed, only bad owners and breeders and that he had received more bites from small dogs than from the larger more “dangerous” breeds. Please don’t condemn an entire breed or characteristic because of these instances. There are plenty of attacks done by small breeds as well, they just don’t get the publicity like the larger breeds do. What we need is harsher laws against animal abuse and neglect and make those people who abuse these animals accountable for their actions. We have always adopted rescued animals and they have been some of the best companions we have ever had once someone gave them a chance to thrive. My best goes out to everyone in this story and my heart breaks for the dog that will now have to be euthanized.
R.C. says
First I would like to convey my prayers and best wishes to those injured in the incident. Next don’t always blame the breed for attacks. This dog snapped for some reason and attacked the same people who for the last week had been walking it and treating it with kindness. I currently own a pitt bull, which I acquired from Second Chance 2 years ago. the only thing violent on this dog is her tounge. She will lick you to death. She is also a TRAINED AND REGISTERED SERVICE ANIMAL. So please don’t look down on all pitts. To have a great dog, first you must have a good owner! I applaud Debi, Dana and all the others at the rescue who do all they can to help rescue these animals in need.
kb58 says
Watch out ryan. You better not put much faith in pitt bulls. A close family friend owned one who was their family pet. Yes, sweet as candy and never harm a fly….till one day…he spotted a teen girl walking down the street. He busted out through the laundry room door, across the front yard and mauled that young girl to the point of 2 weeks in the hospital and many plastic surgeries. Abused or trained to attack?? Not on your life. That dog was treated better than their own kids. I get literally nauseated when I read the posts from people defending these dogs. It IS genetic. How can people be so ignorant?
A.S.F. says
I understand the point that some people are trying to make to defend pitbulls. But, the fact is, it is well-documented that pitbulls need more intensive socialization training, hopefully at an early stage, to off-set some of their fighting tendencies. Because of the shape of their jaws and the tremendous gripping power of them, a bite can be very destructive. There are variations in what most people refer to as “Pitbulls.” Some dogs are more of a mix than others. It may be that this dog was abused or not properly trained. All the more reason for anyone to be careful approaching any dog (or other animal) they are unfamiliar with. But to say that Pitbulls are not known for their aggressive tendencies is a bit of a stretch. I don’t care how much of an animal lover or expert you claim to be. We all need to use common sense, especially where children are concerned.
Miah says
Im really sorry for what this family went through however, no one can blame the dog. Its unknown how he was brought up or how he was treated. I have had many pit bulls and never had a problem with any of them, however, I have had then since they were just little puppies and raised them my way, and no one was certain on what type of dog it really was. He could have been mix, he could have been abused so one really knows, so they should be bashing the breed.
plaiddog says
There are numerous cases of pit bulls raised from puppies, trained, socialized, sterilized, and given lots of love who attack without provocation. You assume that the dog must have been raised to be violent. What science tell us is that genetics, as well as environment, play a role in animal behavior. The fact that you’ve never had a problem with the breed, thus it must be the way they are raised, is a leap in logic. Your experience is just that: your experience. It is not a universal truth. Nor would it be true to say that all pit bulls are aggressive because of attacks like this one.
plaiddog says
In my local shelter, I find dogs pit mixes often called something else. Sometimes it’s outright shocking. You’ll see a dog that has all the characteristics of a pit labeled a shepherd, or a retriever.
All pits are not dangerous, but you are taking your chances with this breed. Why people are willing to take those chances with their children, or other pets, is beyond my comprehension. So many great breeds, why get one that is controversial and potentially dangerous? A lot of people believe love and kindness will override breeding. Naive thinking. And a lot of people get the dog because they like the power. Why else do owners only spay/neuter at a rate of 25%?
LAWABIDINGCITIZEN says
i am a pitbull owner as well as other breeds… pit bulls are not the only animals who attack and/or bite poeple…..
Seminole Pride says
I was very disappointed in the owner of Second Chance Rescue response when he was questioned by the media, into what had happened. I believe that if you are going to run a Agency like this, that you should know everything about the dogs in your procession. Not to say “NO COMMENT”.
Brad2 says
Its time to ban Pit-bulls, they are too dangerous to have as pets. You can’t insure these dogs, so when they bite someone the owner has no way to pay for the attack. Leaving the victim with a permanent scars or death and huge medical bills and no recourse against the dead beat owners. The City should BAN THEM IMMEDIATELY before there is more tragedy and deaths, Every time i walk my small dogs I have to be on guard for these uncontrolled vicious dogs, I may have to start packing a weapon to protect my animals out in public. My fear is that someone in the background may get hurt from a stray bullet during any attack.
Charles K Lamato says
FIRST: Why is the mother not being charged with child endangerment for leaving her very young children unattended in the van?
SECOND: This animal is a pitbull and anybody at Second Chance who said he is not is an complete liar – Second Chance had the dog listed AS A PITBULL for adoption. You can see proof of their ad for the dog AS a pitbull in no fewer than three places.
THIRD: Amy Carotenuto is a pitbull owner – you can already guess what side she would be on when she downplays the breed – she knows it is a pitbull too.
FOURTH: There needs to be legislation requiring anybody with a pitbull to have insurance – you think Second Chance is going to pay for the extreme medical damage that THEIR dog caused?
BSL works – it works for Miami-Dade and it is about time for BSL here too. Enough is enough of letting pitbull fans promote their agenda and dangerous breed over the safety of our neighborhoods and families. Two small children were almost killed – it could be your grandchild or small dog next!
Anonymous says
I don’t understand why anyone would feel sorry for a stupid dog after it did something like this to a child!!! That mentality is a sick one!
inna hardison says
a Pit Bull is not a breed, people. Frankly, I’m unsure as to whether or not any of the commenters could ascertain a breed of this dog accurately if standing in front of it. Here is your little problem with BSL and pits snap and kill people scenarios: there are bully breed dogs, lots of them, that all have pit like features, i.e. square jaw, a specific fur colour and posture of the dog. The CDC STOPPED analyzing dog bite stats based on breed for one very simple reason – a breed of a dog was usually established based on sheer fear or 3rd party report, and a good majority of dog bites and fatalities that have been attributed to pits over the years turned out to be the result of a much friendlier variety, like labs, and boxers and american bulldogs, et al.
For all the let’s exterminate the breed/race whatever people who are honestly convinced that these dogs are unpredictable – do some legitimate research. Into pits, and then, if you are so inclined, into any other genocide perpetrated for the public good.
For the record – I have two pits. Or maybe two pit mixes – no idea actually, as they were both adopted from our local shelter. I love my kids. These dogs grew up with them. Slept in their beds. Ate at the family table. That sort of thing. What I’m saying here is as anecdotal as the crap some of you people say that makes these dogs out to be rage-filled freaking killers. Here is a little bit of history, if you will: pits were (unfortunately for them) chosen to do the dirty fighting crap in the rings BECAUSE they were the LEAST likely to go after their human handlers. It takes a lot to break that specific dog. And if anyone here wants true safety for the people of Palm Coast and Flagler per se – demand that your freaking law enforcement personnel go out west some where these dogs are tied to trees and fed nothing but steroids til the fights… But who the fuck wants to risk their lives for that…. Much easier to blame it on the damn dogs.
Toni says
My heart goes out to this family absolutely – and I hope they can find peace soon.
I myself have been bitten by chihuahuas, dachshunds, and a lab. All unprovoked and without warning. My pit bull has been bitten by my neighbors dachshunds too many times to count And his reaction was as expected from a well rounded dog, he acted surprised and ran back to me with no signs of aggression or retaliation.
You should educate yourself and not let the media do it for you. There are cases of aggression in every breed. Pit bulls are just the hot topic now. About 7 years ago it was Dobermans who were in the spotlight and before that is was German shepherds – all because of a few bad examples. These dogs too were stereotyped as being out of control and deemed vicious.
plaiddog says
There is now proof that the dog that attacked is a pit bull mix. Pictures of the dog, as well as previous postings from the Second Chance about the dog. These folks lied so their beloved breed would not have yet another bad press moment. Gee, ya think that maybe it is the breed after all?
http://cravendesires.blogspot.com/
plaiddog says
Your experience with your pits is a good one. But it does not define ALL peoples’ experiences. Many dead and mauled children by loving family pits like yours.
Taking a chance with these dogs around your children is clearly your choice. Other parents have made that same choice, and their kids have been killed or scarred for life.. Not something I would do with my children. Nor would I leave two small children in a car unattended.
Your dog of choice is also the dog of choice for many thugs, ex-cons and aggressive types. People like you do not seem to realize this problem is bigger than you and your two pits. Close to a million pit bulls killed in shelters yearly because pit bull advocates fight BSL. The result is that 75% of pit bull owners do not spay/neuter their dogs. Thus we have a glut of unwanted pit bulls that are killed at taxpayer expense. Further, thousands of people and pets yearly are attacked by pit bulls, and most of the victims receive no compensation.
Mandatory spay/neuter for pit bulls could reduce the numbers killed in shelters and attacks. Breed specific legislation is an umbrella term; it does not always mean banning. MSN should be supported by any sane pit advocate.
BTW, there was DNA study about identifying pit bulls,and it turned out the shelter and rescue workers correctly identified at about a 96% rate. Not as hard to do as you obviously believe.
Perhaps you need to look at the stats on dog attacks, the faces of mauled children, the totally unprovoked attacks by pit bulls raised with love and training, and you might realize a dog bred to fight is always going to pose some level of risk.
ryan says
You don’t ban every pit bull because of attacks. Not everyone wants a little yapper dog that never shuts up. Actually there is recourse for victims of vicious dog attacks. Unfortunately, because of political correctness, no one has the courage to discuss the REAL problem behind the mean dogs. We know that most of the bad dogs come from the hood where they have been ruined.
ryan says
That is because you know what kind of people created the pit bull problem in Miami. certain types, we will call them thugs, use them for organized criminal activity like dog fighting.
anion says
What does your TRAINED AND REGISTERED SERVICE ANIMAL do for you? Is it a Seeing Eye Pit Bull? Does it open doors or retrieve medications for you? Where did the two of you train, or where was the dog trained, and in what program specifically/with what focus?
Or did you just buy a vest off Ebay so you could force your brute on other people? If you did, you should know that fraud like that makes it harder for people who are actually disabled and actually need their service dogs. If you didn’t, congratulations, your dog is one of a literal handful across the US.
I’m sure your dog is sweet and loving. That’s what all pit owners say–right up until the second their dog snaps and kills another animal or a person (just like how you just said this dog must have just “snapped” and “attacked the same people who had…been walking it and treating it with kindness.” News flash: normal dogs do not behave that way. No matter how they were treated, they do not behave that way. Pit bulls were bred for centuries to attack without warning, to kill what they attack, to not give up attacking. You can’t train that entirely out of them, any more than you can train a greyhound not to run or a bloodhound not to follow a scent. Sure, your dog might not ever attack anyone, but when a pitbull attack leaves such devastation and often death, who wants to take that chance? Especially when there are so many other dogs out there who aren’t famous for snapping one day and killing their owners/their owners’ children/their neighbors/sheep/cows/horses/goats/other dogs/puppies/cats/kittens?
anion says
Ryan, it absolutely IS genetic! Pit bulls were BRED specifically to be aggressive. It is the entire reason men created the breed.
anion says
My beloved dog (we’d had him four years at that point) started snapping at my toddler when she got close to him. He never made contact…because I didn’t give him the chance. I had a choice: I could try to keep him locked in my bedroom or outside in the S FL heat when my daughter was awake and not in her chair or swing (which I actually did for a few months), or I could surrender him and hope and pray he’d find a home where there weren’t little ones to make him nervous and he’d have people to pay him the attention he deserved.
I resisted that surrender for a long time. I loved letting him out in the evening and petting and cuddling with him. He was a wonderful dog. But when I discovered I was pregnant again, my husband and I realized that we wouldn’t be able to let the dog out, like, ever, and that was it.
We did it for him, because we loved him. We did it for our children, because our responsibility to them overrules our responsibility to the dog that–no matter how much we loved him, and we really did–was not our actual CHILD, was not a human being. There is an enormous difference.
I cried and cried when we surrendered that dog, but again, he wasn’t my flesh and blood. And I knew we were doing the right thing, because you cannot keep a dog that bites people!
(BTW, he was a shepherd/collie mix. That’s why when the toddler got too close he’d snap at the air and walk away. If he’d been a pit bull and decided he was mad at my daughter? I shudder to think.)
There ARE reasons to surrender an animal. Important, valid, correct ones. Your failure to see that, and understand it, points to a serious lack of thought, care, and feeling–not to mention imagination.
inna hardison says
plaiddog – and for that one study there are far too many that have pointed out the inherent difficulties among vets, shelter staff et al to identify a breed. The fact that the study you reference included American Bulldogs by itself should dismiss that study, as that breed is in NO WAY related to a pit type dog, whatever that may be.
As for choices – we all, or the lucky among us get to make those. I didn’t know what breed my pups were when we got them. It just didn’t matter. I am as likely to believe in the inherent evilness of a breed of dog as I am in the inherent evilness of a race or nationality or religion of a person. And I’m perfectly ok with that.
As for dogs bred to fight- you really ought to do some research. There is zero correlation between dog aggression (and pits were fighting other dogs, just fyi) and human aggression. So no, these dogs are not always going to pose some sort of risk. Lastly – the first 7 decades of the last century were filled with pits in the media and on tv as nanny dogs, yep – babysitting the kids, as loyal family companions (Helen Keller et al), and as an all American great dog (fire house mascots, pre-dalmation). It wasn’t until two decades ago that these dogs incurred the wrath previously bestowed upon German Shepherds and later Dobies and Rotties et al. It’s simply next on the list at the moment. In a few years they too will be replaced by some bigger and beefier designer breed to instill fear into the hearts of the ignorant. And maybe some day humanity at large will finally put the blame where it so very squarely belongs – on the asshole humans who treat these dogs as their quick ticket to some crack cash. Until then, I’m just happy that this state, for all its faults, made BSL unconstitutional.
lucy jones says
Richard Stratton said it best…….the pitbull is a thousand times less likely to attack a human than any other dog…however, if he does attack, he is a thousand more times dangerous. All dogs are capable of being trained…but all humans are not capable of training their dogs.
lucy jones says
As a responsible pitbull owner…trainer and dog boarder…..all dogs should be treated equally…equal punishment……….it’s really is a sick thing when dogs are elevated above human status….my dog will be put down if ever it harms any human and i want to be charged for it…….i couldn’t live with myself should a dog of mine hurt anyone!!!!!!!…..especially a child…..I would never allow anyone to care for my dog and not hold myself and the caregiver accountable for any crime committed by my dog…………a human life is far more valuable than a dog’s life.
A.S.F. says
According to news reports, the mother in question here “left her 3 old son and 5 year old daughter in the family’s Toyota Sienna with the windows rolled down as she went to do some shelter work.” Then, according to account, the dog charged the car. First of all, who leaves such young children in a car by themselves for any predator to grab, let alone for some random dog to attack? While I can understand being an animal lover and wanting to help animals, there is a question of priorities here! I wish Godspeed to this family and these children, in particular. I hope a valuable lesson has been learned at what will hopefully prove, in the long-run, to be at not too great a price.
plaiddog says
Well said, Lucky. Wondering if your dogs are spay/neutered?
plaiddog says
A “thousand times less likely to attack a human than any other dog…”
Any stats to back that up?
Yes, they are far more dangerous.
BlueFawn says
The truth is that even a hostile or habitually aggressive dog may be reached and changed with kindness and gentle care and a skillful and intelligent approach. That is the best expression of our human awareness. I agree with the writer above who thought this dog was leaping for something familiar when it jumped into the vehicle, then reacted. It was already deeply stressed. What happened to the mother and children is sad and very serious. But they do not have to put down this dog and I wish they would not. If you love dogs you might want to visit the website and videos of the Hope for Paws organization. They rescue strays — terrified, hostile, dangerous ones included — and transform them by caring for them, no holds barred, no expense refused. Check out a few of the videos. http://www.hopeforpaws.org/ The man who does the rescues clearly knows how to communicate with frightened animals; depressed, angry, hurt, stressed animals. We need to learn this. Including learning about communicating with frightened human animals. To kill this dog because it has been labeled is ignorant, wrong and lazy. Even if it had hurt my child — and you can probably tell I’m a mother above all else — I would not want to kill the dog. That’s revenge. The only thing that makes humans stand out is love and forgiveness. All life is valuable. All life.
Patti says
I agree that OFTEN it is the owner, not the dog.
I agree that people should be more careful with their children.
I agree that not all pits are bad (or so I am told).
I do wonder why we don’t read these stories about labs, cocker spaniels, etc. Do labs bite sometimes? Sure but I do NOT hear stories like this one
AJ says
I agree completely. Its not the dog’s fault, its the fault of humans who deliberately bred these dogs to be aggressive, which is why its in their genes. A pit bull can be good for ten years and then suddenly, with no warning, SNAP. This is why almost every owner, after their pit snaps, says, “He’s never done that before!” All it takes is that first time.
AJ says
Pit bull defenders always bring up anecdotal stories. Anecdotal stories are not what people need to go by, but dog attack statistics. The fact is that while pit bulls comprise only about 3% of the American dog population, they are responsible for more than 90% of all bites, attacks, maulings and fatalities.
Kaththee says
FlaglerLive says:
March 14, 2014 at 4:31 pm
“Readers: the focus of this story is on what a dog did to two children and their mother. The breed, while not irrelevant, is secondary, though it’s disheartening–and disgusting–to see more attention given the issue of the breed than the trauma of the attack on three human beings.”
I respectfully disagree. This is a news story and each of the 5 Ws and the H is a legitimate point of debate to address, including the mother’s culpability which I would say is the “H.” I wouldn’t assume she was neglectful as it seems she was Johnny on the spot, and probably felt the children were safer in the car which is a reasonable assumption. We don’t know if she ever had those children out of her sight or ear shot, just because she was out of the car and the children were inside doesn’t mean she left them on their own. It is ironic though that while she was giving a dog a “second chance ” a dog used that second chance to harm her children. A “second chance” is a sentimental appeal but you must then ask yourself “a second chance to do what? ” Sentimentality covers brutality. All the debate surrounding the breed of the dog who attacked these 3 human beings is central to the story as well. It would be grotesquely myopic to fail to connect this story to the countless others just like it. Pit bulls are dangerous animals and pit bull apologist always use the same tired verbiage to protect the breed including claiming the dog wasn’t a pit even though it looks like a pit bull as Amy Carotenuto, director of the Flagler Humane Society claimed, “Some people might say he is a pit bull of his 40-pound frame and appearance” and went on to say breed doesn’t matter. She too wanted to shift our focus from the bigger problem of dogs that look like pit bulls attacking and mauling people and just express sadness and those sorts of emotional sentiments and shame us for asking why, and coming to the obvious conclusion.
Debora McKinley says
Blue and red nose is nothing more than color. As in the 2 beloved well cared for pitbulls that destroyed the family’s infant son and little girl had a red nose and the other had a blue nose. It’s a term backyard breeders use, according to pitbull org. They never showed aggressive signs either, but I bet they did. I bet if a stray kitty or little dog wandered in your yard, I bet the outcome wouldn’t be good for the hapless little creatures either. Decades of genetics don’t simply disappear just because you give them snuggles and trained them to sit. That breed is the number 1 child killing dog that rottweilers couldn’t begin to compete with. Rotties are number 2 but their fatalities are miniscule compared. Good luck. I bet the father of those kids changed his stance on the breed. Shame those babies had to suffer because mom and dad blatantly ignored how many ppl, mainly children, died from pitbulls and the breeds made from pitbulls.