Sunday, July 31, 2011

Connecticut: Attorney for Vickie Tkacz Has Different Story About Newfoundland Attack and Killing of Labrador

CONNECTICUT -- An attorney representing a woman arrested on Friday after her dogs attacked and killed another dog at Jackson Cove Park says the dogs did not begin the altercation, according to the Republican-American.

Ralph Crozier, who represents Vickie Tkacz (pronounced Kach), 37, of 48 Jackson Cove Road, Oxford, says the black Labrador Retriever (named Roxy) that was killed in the attack last week "leaned forward and growled" when he heard or saw the Newfoundlands, the Rep-Am reports.

RIP Roxy

Crozier also alleges that only two of the four Newfoundlands were involved in the attack and the other two were innocent yet were also taken from Tkacz, which Crozier says is unfair, according to the Rep-Am.

NOTE:
Ralph Crozier has his own problems to deal with:

(2013 article) Ralph Crozier is accused of laundering money that he knew came from illegal narcotics trafficking.

Two years ago, Crozier was the defense attorney in a local case that had emotions running high in Oxford.

Crozier and Tkacz

He represented Vicki Tkacz of Oxford, a woman who was frequently in trouble with local animal control officials and whose Newfoundland dogs attacked and killed a non-violent Labrador Retriever named Roxy at Jackson Cove. Crozier then began seeing Tkacz socially and moved in with her in Oxford.

He has been convicted with crimes related to domestic violence and drunken driving, for which he was sentenced to six months in prison.

(Oxford Patch - July 31, 2011)

Read More:

Dogs viciously maul couple

CANADA - It just about stopped Terry Stewart's heart Tuesday night when his daughter called, frantically explaining a pair of Akitas had just mauled her and her boyfriend in central Alberta.

Nothing seemed out of the ordinary earlier around 10 p.m. when his daughter, 28, and her boyfriend, 27, and her beagle cut through the garage to get to his suite, near Didsbury, Alta., passing a female Akita, her mate and their puppies.

"They'd been there many times. My daughter had been there many times and her dog had been there many times ... it wasn't like they were strangers.

"They played with the dogs, fed the dogs and knew them well," said Stewart.

But the dogs attacked. The female went after the woman, the male after the man.

The boyfriend, a big man, said Stewart, grabbed the bar from a trailer hitch and started swinging, but the dogs didn't stop.

"(Those dogs) were fighting for the kill," he said.

"My daughter came very close to it. (The dog) bit her collarbone and her breast and was going for the throat.

"Both said another minute and they wouldn't have been able to fight anymore; they figured they were both going to die there."

They managed to get out the side door.

At the hospital in Didsbury, he saw his daughter, with several chunks of flesh missing and many teeth punctures.

Her boyfriend was in even worse shape with many large chunks of flesh torn out from his arms and legs.

It took over 620 stitches to close him up.

Days later, both are at Stewart's place recovering. The beagle is, too.

The Akitas, taken from who Stewart described as their "just as sorry as can be" owner are in Calgary under quarantine and assessment for the next 10 days.

Bill Bruce, director for Calgary Animal and Bylaw Services, said the animals seem normal now. He could not offer an explanation as to what happened but noted it is odd to have a male and female together with a litter.

"She won't accept him; she would probably try to kill him to keep him away from her puppies," said Bruce.

"Having the female in a garage with the male there is what we would consider fairly high-risk (and) coming in with yet another dog (the beagle) would be high-risk."

The Akitas were Andrea Strang's, a fellow renter at the home.

She was charged in association with the dog attacks, and will appear in court in September, where she could face heavy fines and jail time for her animal's behaviour.

(Toronto Sun - July 31, 2011)

Earlier Story:

Call for dogs to be kept on leads after cat killed

UNITED KINGDOM -- A fresh call has been made for ‘dangerous dogs’ to be kept on leads after a family pet was killed in Park North.

Sox the cat was fatally injured after being savaged by a dog on Wednesday night and her condition was so bad she had to be put down by vets, leaving her family distraught.

Owner Carol Gray has now hit out at the dog’s owner saying that a child could have been on the receiving end of the dog’s bloodlust, and that young men with powerful, status-symbol dogs must not let them roam free.

It comes just days after the Adver reported a similar attack by two Staffordshire bull terriers in Taw Hill on a pug belonging to Rachel Sparrow, which also left Rachel with the threat of losing a finger.

After the latest incident, a Facebook group has been set up calling for such dogs to be kept on leashes.

“I was sat in the kitchen, and I could hear a man shouting: stop it, come on, stop it! There was snarling,” said Miss Gray, 42, of Tyndale Gardens.

“I opened the gate and saw this bloke struggling and shouting. Sox was pinned at the edge of the kerb against the fence.

“I went to grab Sox, and she wasn’t moving. Just her head. She was just lashing out with her mouth, she didn’t know what was going on.

“At the time my youngest daughter went to the neighbour to get help and saw the man walking by with the dog. It still wasn’t on a lead.”

The man was in his late teens, with fair hair, and walked off in the direction of Eldene. His dog is believed to have been a Staffordshire terrier, and was white with brown patches.

The 17-year-old cat was crushed by the dog’s weight, and suffered internal injuries leaving her unable to walk.

Miss Gray’s daughters, 13-year-old Jess, and Emma, 16, are having trouble coming to terms with the attack.

“They’re withdrawn, they’re not themselves,” she said.

Emma has now set up a Facebook page to gather support for a law to keep dangerous dogs in check.

Within half-an-hour of setting it up, it had received 28 supportive comments.

Miss Gray, who works as a receptionist at Great Western Hospital, said: “That man couldn’t control that dog. He was fighting with it to get it off my cat.

“That man needs to be shamed. When that dog attacked my cat he just walked off.

“This man didn’t even stop to ask was my cat ok. He was gone within seconds.

“Something has to be done about these dogs. That could have been a child. All we see is these young blokes going around with these dogs. All it does is make them feel good because they’ve got these powerful dogs.”

(Swindon Advertiser - July 31, 2011)

Neighborhood held hostage by cat-killing pit bulls

BRIDGETON, NJ -— A local couple is asking why something was not done sooner, after their cats were killed by a pair of unregistered pit bulls who had escaped and done nearly the same thing more than a year before.

James and Sarah Livoti live on Woodland Drive, which joining with Institute Place forms a loop off Atlantic Street, and until last Thursday lived there with their two cats Snowflake and Other.

"We called him Other because there was Snowflake and then he was the other cat," explained Sarah. "Other would walk along with me as I walked out to the garbage," said James.

"And you know what else? During the winter I had a heat pad out there for them. I put it in their little house and they would have it made all winter."

That all came to an abrupt end on Thursday, July 21, when two pit bulls belonging to a neighbor down the street escaped from their owner's yard and mauled them both to death.
 The dogs belong to Leroy and Christina Harris, who live on Institute Place. And this was not the first time they had done something like this. 

On April 21, 2010, an officer was dispatched to Woodland Drive. The police report from the incident said it was, "...in reference to two dogs killing cats in the neighborhood."

Upon arriving on that date the officer found one of the pit bulls, Platinum, standing above the dead body of Calvin, a 16-year-old orange cat belonging to the Canino family.

He had blood on his nose.

Anthony Canino, who lives at the residence with his daughter, Maria, took the officer to the back yard and showed him the dog had also killed their 22-year-old cat, Momma.

A young man named Stephen Williams ran up to the scene and leashed Platinum. He had been watching the dogs for the Harrises and later told the officer that Platinum and the other pit bull, Raven, had escaped when he let them off of their leashes just inside the front door of their home.

Williams claimed both of the dogs were four years old, up to date on their shots, and registered with the city of Bridgeton. He said they were owned by Christina Harris.

The officer told Williams to quarantine the dogs for 10 days and to contact the police if they exhibited any violent behavior. The officer said he would contact the Cumberland County SPCA and Health Department.

He issued two summonses to Harris for allowing her dogs to run at large.

Maria Canino was less than pleased with the response from both the owners and the city.

"There was no remorse from the owners, no apology. They're right down the street and they never knocked on my door," she said. "Then I really started to push the issue.  I called up animal control to find out when the hearing would be. Bill Knipe said Harris had a previous warrant she would have to deal with first before this would be addressed."

The hearing occurred and Canino said she never received a call or notice about it.

"I found out they only received a fine because this was a non-indictable offense. Then I called the Health Department and they said the dogs had been quarantined and were found to not be a danger. That really ticked me off because they had just killed two animals in the street," she said.

No one from the Cumberland County Health Department was available Friday to confirm this, but the dogs were returned to the Harrises.

She said she now walks around the block three or four times a week with her baby.

"I see the owners. They never said a word to me, never apologized. I think to allow the dogs to stay here with them is unfair to the neighborhood."

Melody Jones shares her sentiment. She lives next door to the Livotis with her husband and 5-year-old daughter, Mimi.

She said she came outside about 10 minutes after the dogs had attacked the Livotis' cats.

"I walked into my driveway and was standing at the front of my car. The cops were already there. The owner was standing in my yard and he still hadn't gotten the dogs. He didn't say a word to me. Then I looked around the car and saw the dog was still standing there loose by the trunk. I went running and screaming back into my house because I was concerned for my own safety," she said.

She recalled an earlier instance where she had seen the two dogs running loose in her yard.

"I saw a big black and a big brown dog come running into the yard right where my daughter plays. And these are huge dogs. They look like they weigh 100 pounds apiece. Thank goodness she wasn't out there then. The owners have done nothing to make sure the dogs are properly contained," Jones said.

"My concern is, these dogs have killed four pets in the past year and a half. They always name a law after a person once they're dead. I don't want my daughter to have to get attacked for them to make a 'Mimi Law,'" she said.

While Maria Canino never received an apology from the Harrises, the Livotis did receive an apology letter. However it contained some inconsistencies.

 "We cannot express how truly and deeply sorry we are for the loss of your pet by human error," reads the letter signed by Leroy and Christina Harris. "We have lived in the neighborhood for the last nine years and with Platinum and Raven for the last eight years without incident."

During the April, 2010 incident for which Christina Harris received the two summonses, Stephen Williams had claimed the dogs were four years old.

Later on in the letter they also offered to pay for some yard lights that the dogs broke while chasing the cats.

There is a hearing scheduled at Bridgeton Municipal Court for Tuesday, August 2, to determine what will happen to the dogs.

Leroy Harris was issued two summonses apiece for having unlicensed dogs, vicious or potentially dangerous dogs, and dogs running loose.

Bev Greco, Executive Director of the Cumberland County SPCA confirmed that the agency had taken possession of the dogs after the Livoti incident.

"The dogs are not aggressive toward us, but they may be small animal aggressive," she said. Aside from its responsibility to hold the dogs she said the agency is not otherwise involved in the case.

The Livotis, Melody Jones, and Maria Canino said they will all be attending Tuesday's hearing. James Livoti does not know what will happen to the dogs but is determined to not have them return to the Harris residence.

"We can't have a situation like this exist in the neighborhood," he said.

Leroy Harris declined comment on the entire matter.

He answered his door on Institute Place holding what appeared to be a child of no more than one or two years.

"Not to be disrespectful or ignorant," he said, "but we're going to court for this on Tuesday and whatever has to be said will be said there."

(The News of Cumberland County - July 31, 2011)

Toddler is savaged by dog in pub garden

UNITED KINGDOM -- A TODDLER was savaged by a dog at a Hampshire pub.



Sonny Gray will be scarred for life following the attack, which occurred after he began stroking one of two American Cocker Spaniels belonging to an elderly couple on holiday in the New Forest.

Sonny, who is 21 months old, was discharged after treatment in hospital but had to return 24 hours later after his face swelled up.

Today his recovering at home in Romsey.

The incident took place at the Empress of Blandings pub in Romsey Road, Copythorne, on Monday.

His mother, Emma Gray, 26, said: “My partner, Mark Enis, took Sonny for a walk in the pub garden and asked an elderly couple if he could stroke their dogs.

“He’d been stroking one of them for about ten minutes when the other one suddenly lunged at his face.

“The people in the pub were lovely and cleaned him up but the bites were quite deep so we scooped him up and took him to hospital.

“It was such an unprovoked attack – he hadn’t even touched the dog that lunged at him. What really annoyed us is that the dogs’ owners didn’t even apologise or ask how he was.”

A police spokesman confirmed that officers were investigating the incident.

(Daily Echo - July 31, 2011)

Saturday, July 30, 2011

Horse found dead, others malnourished; owner charged

OHIO -- A Middletown woman is facing numerous animal cruelty charges after wardens found one deceased horse and several others malnourished in Madison Twp.

Sandra Givens, owner of the American Quarter horses, was charged with seven counts of cruelty to animals, a second-degree misdemeanor, for allegedly leaving the seven horses without adequate water and food.


If convicted, Givens faces a maximum $750 fine and 90 days in jail per count, Butler County Chief Dog Warden Julie Holmes said.

Holmes’ office received a complaint regarding the horses’ condition on July 20. Givens was charged on July 22 after a horse was discovered dead. She had previously been investigated and given a warning in May, according to Holmes.

Givens, who declined to comment for this story, was arraigned July 26 in Middletown Municipal Court; a pretrial hearing is set for Aug. 8.


Four of the six surviving horses are now in the care of the Animal Friends Humane Society based in Hamilton, and two horses will stay under the supervision of the humane society until they can possibly be returned to an out-of-state co-owner.

Givens also was previously under investigation by the Greater Dayton Humane Society after several complaints were made about the condition of her horses while in Dayton, according to Holmes.

The agency offered on two different occasions for Givens to give up her horses to the humane society, which she declined.



Givens claimed to have the horses visited by a veterinarian in May, but said she had trouble getting to the horses and there were money issues in buying hay, Holmes said.

“In the past three months her horses would show slight improvement when we investigated Givens in May,” said Holmes. “We do not know when the horses started to deteriorate. It’s hard to tell what caused the poor condition of these horses.”

(Pulse Journal - July 29, 2011)

Terrified girls witness 'fighting' dog maul pet cat outside Battersea home

UNITED KINGDOM -- Two terrified little girls were forced to watch in horror while an out-of-control "fighting dog" mauled their beloved pet cat and left it in a bloody heap.

The savage attack - the latest in a spate of reported attacks on animals by vicious dogs - prompted the girls' father, Rahim Jung, to call for urgent action to be taken to tackle the seemingly growing problem.

Mr Jung, of Wroughton Road, Battersea, said three-year-old Isla and six-year-old May were sitting in the doorway to their home with Persian cat Jinxy on Saturday evening when a Pit bull-type "fighting dog" burst into the front garden and sunk its teeth into the feline.

He said: "This dog ran straight into our front garden and grabbed the cat in its jaws and shook the cat for a period of about two or three minutes - it was time enough for us to call the police and the RSPCA.

"The dog would not let the cat go. The owner was hitting and punching the dog but it was just not letting it go."

At one point the dog, which Mr Jung said "must have weighed 10 stone", even turned on its male owner and bit him on the arm - before finally letting Jinxy go and leaving it in "a bloody heap on the floor".

Mr Jung added: "I have absolutely no doubt a dog that size could have killed one of the children."

Despite the ferocity of the attack, Jinxy survived. He suffered five broken ribs and a broken leg - and the Jung family were left with a £500-plus vet bill.

Mr Jung said the dog owner, who was with a female companion during the incident at 6.30pm, ran away bleeding from his arm. Some neighbours, who ran out of their homes after hearing shouts and screams, attempted to give chase but failed.

Isla and May were said to be "deeply traumatised" by the attack on Jinxy, who is described as "the most docile friendly cat you could imagine".

Police were notified but a spokeswoman said it was a civil matter, not a criminal one. Safer neighbourhood team officers told Mr Jung they would circulate details of the attack around the area.

Last month police announced they would up patrols on Tooting Common following a savage dog-on-dog attack which left a dachshund fatally injured.

(Guardian UK - July 29, 2011)

Officials seek Chow that bit woman

WAUSAU, WI -- The Marathon County Health Department is looking for a dog that bit a woman on Wausau's east side.

The incident happened in the 900 block of Steuben Street, according to a news release. The dog was described as a light-colored chow chow. The news release did not say when the bite occurred or the severity of the woman's injuries.

Health department officials do not know the status of the dog's rabies vaccinations, and the woman might have to undergo a series of rabies shots.

Anyone with information about this dog should call the Health Department at 715-261-1908, Marathon County Sheriff's Dispatch Center at 715-261-7785, or the Humane Society of Marathon County at 715-845-2810.

(Wausau Daily Herald  - July 30, 2011)

Dogs maul local police officer

AUSTRALIA -- An off-duty police officer walking home was savaged by two Ridgeback dogs in School Lane on May 10.

The dogs’ owner, Chantelle Maree Saunders, faced the Emerald Magistrate’s Court last week on two charges of failing to ensure a dog does not attack or cause fear.

Ms Saunders, representing herself in court, pleaded guilty to the charges laid as Central Highlands Regional Council animal control officer Robert Maher detailed the offences.

Mr Maher said Ms Saunders “failed to take reasonable steps” to control her dogs, Cookie and Biscuit.

At 3pm on Tuesday, May 10, an Emerald police officer was walking home when a male and female pair of white Rhodesian Ridgeback dogs approached and started growling, he told the court.

The male, Cookie, jumped on the officer’s chest and tried to bite his neck and throat.

He was bitten on the left hand.

Mr Maher said Cookie was so intent on the attack his whole body was off the ground. The female, Biscuit, then attacked the officer from behind.

He was treated for cuts and bruises at the Emerald Hospital following the attack.

Ms Saunders said her dogs had “never done that before” and the attack “just happened after the big dog” escaped the yard.

She told the court Biscuit and Cookie were destroyed following a council order.

Magistrate Cameron Press took into account the dogs had been destroyed and Ms Saunder’s guilty plea before he convicted and fined her $400 for each animal, with an order to pay the $75.90 destruction fee per dog.

The conviction was not recorded.

(Central Queensland News - July 25, 2011)

Horrific conditions inside hoarder's home

WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP, OH -- A woman called Sandusky County Sheriff's deputies after getting a call from a home on Hayes Avenue on Friday where she heard what appeared to be a woman moaning and a baby crying.

When sheriff's deputies arrived, they found an unconscious woman, surrounded by dogs amid animal waste and a stench so foul that firefighters, deputies and employees from the Sandusky County Dog Warden's office needed to use masks and self-contained breathing equipment because of it.

"There weren't any windows open in the home," said Deputy Angelo Jaso, the first on the scene. "It was like an oven in there."

Animals were loose in the house as well as locked in cages

Officials counted 22 dogs inside the house at 4444 Hayes Ave., and 14 more in outdoor kennels and inside an outbuilding behind the home.

When Jaso arrived, all entrances to the home were locked and he asked for someone to bring bolt cutters. Once the front door was forced open, Jaso said, several dogs poked their heads out.

"Before we walked in, all the dogs were sticking their noses out, just dying to get out," he said.

Jaso said some of the dogs were covered in their own feces and the smell of urine permeated the home. Some of the dogs looked dehydrated, he said, and quickly ran to a bowl of water outside after he opened a door. Three cats and a Cockatoo also were found at the home.

The woman, [later identified as Susan G. Baker, 68], regained consciousness at home before being taken by ambulance to Fremont Memorial Hospital, but was not making much sense, said Chief Deputy Bruce Hirt.

"It's a real mess in there," Hirt said.

Jaso said he found the woman, who apparently lives alone, unconscious in a recliner with the television on.

One of the deputies was bitten by a dog while working at the home and was treated by medical personnel for the bite.

One of the rescued dogs. Notice the matted fur from the
shoulders down? It's probably full of feces, urine.

Sandusky County Humane Society President Joanne McDowell said the society's shelter at 2520 Port Clinton Road was already overflowing with animals and the 36 dogs are pushing them over the edge.

"We don't know where to put them all," McDowell said. "We are hoping we can foster some of them out."

She said the animals need to be kept at the shelter for legal reasons while a humane society agent investigates the case for possible charges against the pet owner. The dogs were all very scared, dirty and some were sick when they arrived, McDowell said.

"They smell; they are covered in feces," she said. "It's just so sad. I went back there and just broke into tears."

McDowell said the humane society has a history with the Hayes Avenue home, but an agent visited a year or two ago and confirmed that everything was clean and the dogs were being taken care of.

She said the county humane society is in desperate need of financial help to pay staff to take care of the extremely high number of animals at the shelter and to cover higher-than-usual veterinarian bills.

"We need money," McDowell said.

Eight of the dogs were taken to the veterinarian Friday, she said.

The Sandusky County Health Department also was contacted by deputies about the conditions inside the home.

UPDATE TO STORY: 36 counts of Animal Cruelty were filed against the woman. On Oct 3, 2011, she appeared at her bonded arraignment and pleaded not guilty.

(News Messenger - July 30, 2011)

Officer witnesses dog attack

TRACY, CA -- An officer who responded to reports that a pit bull attacked two smaller dogs on the 1800 block of Geranium Way at 8:16 p.m. Tuesday, July 26, witnessed the same unleashed pit bull run across the street and attack a smaller dog.

The owners of the victimized canines all took their animals to a nearby veterinarian. The pit bull was taken to the owners, who secured the animal, and animal services was notified.

(Tracy Press - July 27, 2011)

Bull Terrier bites tot's face

BRONX, NY -- A skittish English bull terrier tethered to an iron fence at a Bronx neighborhood park lunged at a friendly 4-year-old girl who tried to pet him, tearing into her face, authorities said.

The terrifying attack on little Ishay Stevens occurred around 4:30 p.m. at Third Avenue and East 170th Street near Gouverneur Playground in the Claremont section of The Bronx.

The male dog, named "Fifty," was tied up to the park fence, his owner nearby, when the preschooler — who lives across the street from the playground — spotted the animal lying down and sprinted over to to pet him, witnesses said.

She was carrying a red balloon in her hand — and her gesture apparently riled the tied-up pooch.

He lunged at the little girl and sunk his teeth in her face.

Stunned and bleeding after the sudden attack, the child was rushed to Lincoln Hospital with her mother by her side.

Mom Nicki Fuller later said the girl needed four stitches to close the rips in her upper left cheek — and "the crease of her smile."

"My daughter is going to be okay, but she is still going to be scarred for life after this," an irate Fuller told The Post last night.

"This should have never happened. It’s upsetting.

"This dog is constantly barking. It has been a big problem around the neighborhood and the park for some time, so we are planning to take [legal] action to finally get something done about it."

But the owner of the dog, who didn’t want to be named, disagreed that "Fifty" was a problem — or vicious.

He said the dog bit the girl once in the nose – and only after she ran up to him while the dog was lying down and vulnerable.

The mom of the girl, he added, then ran into her apartment building across the street and returned franticallywielding a two-by-four.

"Go ahead and beat my dog, but it’s a felony!" he said he screamed at her.

Fuller confirmed she came out looking to swing the two-by-four but "only because I was frantic, and I heard the dog was loose."

"I just wanted to protect my daughter," Fuller added.

"He has some nerve telling people about that."

The dog was never hit after the attack, and cops responded quickly to the chaotic scene to calm freyed nerves.

Both the dog and its owner were taken to an Animal Control center.

But authorities said they didn’t expect the canine would be taken from its owner.

Cops said the dog was legally licensed and its owner had all the necessary proof of vaccinations.

Both the owner and dog were home by last night.

The dog will, however, be tested for rabies, cops said.

Results will be known in 45 days, although he previously had been vaccinated for rabies, the owner said.

"I will compensate her family in any way if she needs it," he said.

(NY Post - July 29, 2011)

Officer fatally shoots aggressive pit bull

ELYRIA, OH — An Elyria police officer shot and killed a pit bull Friday after it bit a person, according to a police report.

A woman reported that her daughter had been bitten by a pit bull at the 100 block of Tedman Court about 7:20 a.m.

According to the report, the victim was taking out her trash when the dog walked up to her. When she tried to pet it, the dog bit her forearm.

Officer Michael Darmstadt responded to the call. When he approached the dog, it seemed friendly, but when he let it sniff his hand, the dog tried to bite him, the report said. It then backed off.

Darmstadt was about 20 feet from the dog when it got up and tracked him. He wrote in his report that it was obvious the dog was not going to stop, so he shot it for officer and public safety.

 Last week in Lorain, another police officer also shot and killed a pit bull after it bit him in the leg.

(Chronicle-Telegram - July 30, 2011)

California: Two biting dogs sought on Ackley Place

CALIFORNIA -- The Yolo County Sheriff's Department, Animal Services Section is attempting to locate two biting dogs on Ackley Place in Woodland. The bite occurred on the evening of Monday, July 25, at around 8 p.m.

The dogs are identified as a brown/white Boxer mix and a brown Chihuahua mix dog, according to animal services officials.

The two dogs were off leash and ran across the cul-de-sac and started biting the victim and her poodle.

The victim is described as an adult, white woman. The victim stated that the owner of the attacking dogs came across the street and took them into a residence. The victim is unsure as to which residence the owner went into.

Information regarding this incident is important for rabies prevention measures. Rabies is a deadly disease. If the dogs are not located then the victim may have to undergo rabies vaccinations.

Anyone having any information regarding this incident or knows who owns this animal, please contact Yolo County Sheriff's Department, Animal Services Section 24 hours a day at 668-5287 or email animal.bite@yolocounty.org.

(Daily Democrat - July 30, 2011)

Man stabs pit bull during attack in Fort Worth park


FORT WORTH, TX -- A 24-year-old man walking with his pregnant wife and 6-month-old son near Lake Como Park on Thursday afternoon drove off two pit bulls, stabbing one as it gripped his arm.

Gary Latimer had to get five stitches to close the wound in his arm, said his wife, Alisa Latimer.

One of the dogs is believed to be Mimi, a pit bull that was in the news last year when a municipal court judge declared her dangerous after an attack on an 84-year-old man. Her owner, Steven Woods, complied with a court order that saved Mimi from being euthanized.

Animal control officers and police are investigating the attack on the Latimers, said Brandon Bennett, Fort Worth code compliance director.

The dog that was stabbed was taken to an animal hospital, and the other dog was taken to the city animal shelter, Bennett said.

Both will be observed for rabies, he said.

Woods told officials that both dogs were his, Bennett said.

"We believe that one of the dogs was Mimi," he said.

Woods could not be reached to comment Thursday evening.

Alisa Latimer said she and her husband were walking toward a bus stop in the 5000 block of Wellesley Avenue about 5 p.m., pushing their son in his stroller, when the dogs ran toward them.

The male pit bull seemed to be the most aggressive, Latimer said. They began circling the couple and snapping at them while Gary Latimer reached for a knife from the bottom of the stroller, Latimer said.

"My husband told me to run, but I didn't want to run because I was pregnant, so I walked real fast going one way and he ran the other way," she said.

Both dogs followed her husband, who turned toward the dogs and began swinging his knife wildly.

The female retreated, Alisa Latimer said. But the male dog attacked and locked onto her husband's arm between the shoulder and the elbow.

The dog let go after being stabbed, and both animals ran away, Latimer said.

"I'm just glad I wasn't by myself," she said.

Proven liar Steven Woods

Bennett said code compliance and police investigators will meet Friday and determine what the next steps in the investigation.

"If this turns out to be Mimi and it turns out she was involved in the attack, this could potentially be a felony," Bennett said. "But that does not matter. We will pursue all dog attacks to the fullest extent of the law."

From April to June 2010, Woods was cited three times because of his dogs, the city said. In one case, a 64-year-old woman was attacked and seriously injured by four pit bulls.

After the attack on the 84-year-old man in July, Woods was brought to trial. The judge ruled Mimi dangerous. With help from a Hurst attorney, Woods quickly raised more than $17,000 through appeals on the Internet, claiming that the animal was a therapy dog helping Woods overcome injuries suffered in Iraq.

Later it was learned that Woods misrepresented his military record. - YOU MEAN HE LIED!

The city received hundreds of e-mails and calls about the case.

(Star Telegram - July 28, 2011)

Earlier Story:

Owner fears for safety after Rottweiler attack

UNITED KINGDOM -- An owner who saved her dog from an rottweiler attack fears it may strike again.


Margaret Ackland of Chaucer Crescent grazed her nose as she dived to save her cocker spaniel, Tetley, who had suffered puncture wounds on his back and leg, from further harm.

The 58-year-old is worried about walking Tetley after the attack which took place just yards from her home on Thursday morning morning and is warning other dog owners to be vigilant.

She said: “This dog just spotted us and flew up the road.

“I thought it was going to kill us both."

(Braintree Times - July 28, 2011)

Four-year-old boy badly injured in sled dog attack

CANADA -- A four-year-old boy was in hospital with serious injuries on Tuesday after being attacked by a sled dog on a northern Saskatchewan reserve.

RCMP say the boy and a care-giver from the Peter Ballantyne Cree Nation were helping feed 14 musher dogs in the bush near Southend last Saturday.

The boy, identified by relatives as Kalvin Jobb, had been told to stay in a truck while his care-giver, also identified by relatives as the boy's grandfather Daniel Jobb, finished feeding the dogs.

Sgt. Paul Dawson said the boy got out of the vehicle and met one of the dogs that was off its leash.

"And that was the dog that did inflict some injuries on the youth before the care-giver was able to separate the dog from the child."

Dawson said community members in Southend acted quickly to help the little boy, who was taken to the medical clinic before being flown by air ambulance to Saskatoon.

"His injuries are serious but not life-threatening," said Dawson.

Kalvie's uncle Ronnie Jobb says his nephew has lost the use of an eye and is undergoing skin grafts to his face at Royal University Hospital in Saskatoon.

Dawson said the dog was struck by a motorist a short distance away and died. The dog's remains are being sent away for analysis.

The remaining 13 animals were destroyed by their owner.

(Calgary Herald - July 28, 2011)

Pair deny Dundee Rottweiler attack charges

UNITED KINGDOM -- Two people have appeared in court over a Rottweiler attack which left a 10-year-old girl severely injured.

Rhianna Kidd's jaw was broken in two places and she
had severe gashes all over her body after the attack.
She needed hundreds of stitches in her face, neck,
arms and legs - and to re-attach part of her left ear,
which was almost bitten off.

Sarah Kerr and Derek Adam are accused of a string of charges in connection with the incident in Dundee, which is alleged to have left the girl permanently disfigured.

It is also alleged that two of the dogs were the subject of a court order at the time of the attack.

Ms Kerr, 34, and Mr Adam, 38, both deny all charges.

The pair appeared for a brief pre-trial hearing at Dundee Sheriff Court - their first public court appearance since the alleged attack on 29 August 2010.

Ms Kerr, whose address was given as care of a firm of solicitors in Dundee, is alleged to have been in charge of the three Rottweilers - named Big Boy or Fat Boy, Pretty Girl and Rocky - at the time of the attack.

Control order - It is alleged that the dogs attacked another dog - before repeatedly biting and mauling the girl to her severe injury, impairment and permanent disfigurement in the city's Dryburgh Street.


Mr Adam, from Dundee, denies being the owner of the dog that attacked the girl.

He further denies failing to comply with an order made at Dundee's Justice of the Peace court on 3 March 2010 to keep two of the dogs under proper control.

Both entered pleas of not guilty to the charges, and will stand trial in August.

Sheriff Elizabeth Munro continued the case for one week for the Crown to ensure that witnesses have been cited to attend the trial.

(BBC News - July 26, 2011)

Earlier Stories:

Boy released from hospital after dog attack

BATTLE CREEK, MI -- A young boy has been released from the hospital after he was attacked by a neighbor's dog in Battle Creek.

Eight-year-old Logan Fletcher was outside playing when the Rottweiler - Shepherd mix got out and pounced on him.

It happened on Battle Creek Avenue around 10:00 yesterday morning.

Logan's family says they're shocked at what happened. They say the dog known as Bubba had always been friendly to them.

Bubba attacked Logan when the boy wanted to help get him back on a leash when he got out.

Some other neighbors we spoke with don't feel the same about the dog. They say he has a history of being out of control.

Matteson agreed to let authorities put the dog down. He says he feels bad about what happened and can't afford anymore tickets from Bubba getting out.

He's already paid 750 dollars in fines from two other incidents.

(WWMT - July 28, 2011)

Earlier Story:

8-year-old attacked by 'vicious' dog

BATTLE CREEK, MI -- A Battle Creek boy is recovering from injuries he sustained after an attack from what police are calling a vicious dog.

Around 10 a.m. Wednesday, the 8-year-old boy, who relatives identified as Logan Fletcher, was playing outside in the 200 block of Battle Creek Ave when the dog got out of his backyard fence.

According to police, the vicious dog was running loose in the neighborhood and attacked Logan.


Relatives of Logan Fletcher say the dog bit the child several times on the head

The uncle of the 8-year-old drove the boy to the hospital. Police say the child was in surgery and continues to be treated for his injuries, though his uncle tells 24 Hour News 8 Logan is doing OK.

The dog, a Rottweiler - Shepherd mix, was taken by Battle Creek Police's Animal Control and was put down. The dog has been sent to a lab for testing.

His aunt says "...I couldn't tell exactly how
many bite marks he had... there was blood all over..."

Police tell 24 Hour News 8 they have been called to that same area of Battle Creek Ave at least three times since November 2010 in reference to dog complaints.

In November, the complaint was about a loose dog chasing people. When police arrived, the owner of the dog was given a citation.

In March 2011, police were called to the same home in reference to the dog that was put down on Wednesday; however, there are no specifics on the complaint. The owner was given a citation again.

The owner of the dog, a 79-year-old Battle Creek man, says he's sorry for what happened. Charges against the dog's owner are pending, according to Battle Creek Police.

(WOOD - July 27, 2011)

Connecticut: Vickie Tkacz, owner of Newfoundlands that mauled and killed Black Labrador named Roxy has been arrested

CONNECTICUT -- The owner of four large Newfoundland dogs that mauled and killed a smaller Labrador Retriever at Jackson's Cove Park this week has been arrested.

Vickie Tkacz (pronounced Vicky Koch), 37, of 46 Jackson Cove Road, Oxford, turned herself in to the Oxford Resident Trooper's Office on Friday, police said.

RIP sweet Roxy

She was charged with two counts of failure to quarantine, obstruction of an investigation by an animal control officer, four counts of a roaming dog and four counts of a nuisance dog, police said.

Her four dogs were being walked by teenagers who had trouble controlling the dogs on Tuesday night, police said. Andrew Severson, 20, of Oxford, was walking his 11-year-old black Labrador Retriever, "Roxy," when at least two of the Newfoundland dogs attacked them, police said.

Severson said he has bruises on his hands from hitting the dogs, trying to make them stop mauling Roxy, and was bit by one of the dogs; he is taking rabies shots as a precaution.

Andrew Severson's father, Jim Severson, said the family had been upset that the dog owner was evading her responsibilities by not turning herself into police.

"We're pleased she is now doing the responsible thing, and whatever situation she has caused, she's going to have to deal with it now, and we're hopeful justice will be served," he said. "We're dealing with a personal loss here and this doesn't change that. But I'm glad she came to her senses and is taking care of the things she should have been taking care of all along."

Tkacz and her attorney
Ralph Crozier hooked up

All four of the Newfoundland dogs, which Tkacz breeds, have been quarantined and are being held at the Oxford Animal Control office.

Oxford Resident Trooper Sgt. Dan Semosky said the case is now closed. He gives credit not only to his office but also the Oxford and state animal control offices for their help.

He said the office has had other complaints about Tkacz and her dogs, but never one this extreme.

"This is a very sad case," he said.

Tkacz has been released on a $5,000 bond and is scheduled to be arraigned at Derby Superior Court on Aug. 18.

NOTE: Tkacz has been disavowed by the Newfoundland Club of America. 

“The behaviour of the Newfoundland dogs in this incident is absolutely not typical of the breed. In fact, ‘sweetness of temperament’ is the hallmark of the breed and its most important single characteristic,” president of the Newfoundland Club of America, Patrick Randall, said in a news release Monday.

“Also as owners and breeders it goes without saying that we are horrified that dogs of any breed, but especially Newfoundlands, would display this behavior and be so out of control that this could happen.

The breeders and owners of these dogs are not associated with the Newfoundland Club of America.”

(Oxford Patch - July 29, 2011)

Earlier Story:

Three Bayonne residents and two cops sent to hospital in dog attack incident

BAYONNE, NJ -- Five persons, including two Bayonne police officers, were injured tonight while attempting to break up a dog fight at 28th Street and Avenue E in Bayonne, police said.

A female resident was walking her three pit bulls on leashes when two of the dogs began to fight, police said.

When the woman attempted to break up the fight, one of the dogs turned on her and bit her leg, police said.

When a friend came to her aid, the dog bit her on the chest and arm, said Deputy Chief Ralph Scianni.

Then a male neighbor rushed over to help them and restrain the aggressive dog and it bit him on the left calf, his left tricep, and his forearm, Scianni said.

Officers arrived at 6:19 p.m. and tranquilized the aggressive dog, but two officers were injured in the process when a tranquilizer dart exploded, he said.

"One officer was got hit with the tranquilizer (chemicals) in his eyes and the second officer got hit with the spray ... in his mouth," Scianni said.

The three bite victims were taken by ambulance to Bayonne Medical Center for stitches while the officers were taken to the hospital by police car, he said.

Their conditions could not be updated tonight.

Bayonne Animal Control has taken custody of the aggressive dog and will conduct an investigation that will include quarantining the dog for 10 days, Scianni said.

The dog's owner said tonight that the name of the dog is Max. "He's a beautiful animal. I feel bad, but I'm afraid of him now." she said.

No charges were filed against the owner.

(The Jersey Journal - July 27, 2011)

Pit Bull Linked To Lakeside Dog Attack Captured

SAN DIEGO, CA -- A pit bull was captured Friday by San Diego County Animal Control after an attack earlier in the week where the dog may have mauled a smaller dog in a Lakeside neighborhood.

Brian Robinson told 10News he was on his front patio when he saw the pit bull dart across the street and into his driveway, where his two granddaughters and the little dog, Roxy, were playing.


"Next thing you know, I saw Roxy get thrown up in the air and the dog's mouth was on her and she was just shaking her like, 'Oh no!" said Robinson.

He and several neighbors and family members ran to Roxy's aid and she was rushed to a veterinary hospital. Eighteen stitches and $1,600 later, Roxy is recovering, and the pit bull is at a county animal shelter.



The owner of the pit bull, Maurice Belasco, said he wanted to apologize if his dog did attack the other dog.

"No, she wasn't chained or fenced, but I suppose she did get out," said Belasco.


Belasco will receive at least two citations and could be legally liable for the veterinary bills.

County Animal Control officer Darrell Hanson said that after the initial report, "We attempted to locate the dog and were unsuccessful. [We] received another complaint this morning about the dog running at-large. I located the dog a couple of blocks from here."

The agency reports an overwhelming number of calls this summer and that the staff is down almost 20 percent. The officers are then assigned on a priority basis.

The pit bull was hauled away to be evaluated, and Belasco said he will attempt to retrieve his pet.


The dog could be returned to him, it could be put up for adoption or it could be labeled as too dangerous and destroyed, according to animal control officials.

(10News - July 29, 2011)

Rottweiler goes on the attack at humane society

PITTSBURGH, PA -- Officials at the Western Pennsylvania Humane Society said two people were hurt after an aggressive dog attacked two other dogs in the parking lot of the Western Pa. Humane Society on Wednesday.

"An aggressive dog went after another dog in our parking lot, and some individuals tried to break up the fight. As the dog was being aggressive toward the other dog, it accidentally bit a couple of people," said executive director Lee Nesler.

Animal Control officers called to the scene said the Rottweiler mix was sitting in a car with one of its owners after visiting the humane society's medical clinic.

When another dog walked by, officers said the Rottweiler mix leaped out of the window and bit two other dogs that were being walked out of the building.

Two people who tried to separate the dogs were bitten in the struggle and were taken to Allegheny General Hospital to be treated for their wounds. The injured dogs were treated at the humane society.

Nesler said this was a bad situation and should serve as a lesson for anyone with an aggressive animal.

"If your dog is aggressive, the most important thing to do is keep your dog muzzled. Something can trigger a dog as simple as another dog walking by," Nesler said.

No charges have been filed against the dog's owner. The Humane Society continues to investigate.

(WPXI - July 27, 2011)

Couple and their beagle escape bloody dog attack

CANADA -- Two dogs will likely be put down after a bloody attack on a man and woman and another dog north of Calgary on Tuesday.

The couple was badly bitten while trying to feed the two Akita dogs, who were being kept in the garage adjacent to their rental suite at a house southwest of Didsbury.

The female Akita had had puppies four days earlier.

"It looked like a murder scene," said Mountainview County Protective Services officer Amanda Stuhl, adding that she had never seen such severe injuries in an animal attack incident


The attack began while the 27-year-old male victim was tending to the dogs. As his 28-year-old girlfriend entered the garage with her beagle, the female Akita immediately mauled her and her dog.

The male Akita joined in the attack and turned on the man, police said. "All three were bleeding badly from their wounds and had to fight their way out of the garage and shut the door on the dogs to keep them inside," police said in a release.
The male Akita.

The couple had left their cell phones inside the garage, but neighbours overheard the commotion and called 911, police said.

The victims were taken to Didsbury for medical attention and released the next morning. The man and woman suffered bites and tear wounds to their chests, forearms, hands, and thighs, police said.

The man received more than 600 stitches.

"It looks like someone took an ice cream scoop to her, there are huge chunks of flesh missing," said Terry Stewart, the father of the injured woman.

"It's going to take a long time for the physical and emotional wounds to heal."

The beagle sustained bites and tears to its entire back.


Officers from Mountainview County Protective Services have laid charges against Andrea Strang, 34, the owner of the Akitas, under bylaws governing dangerous dogs.

Strang has been cooperative and has offered to "do anything to rectify situation," said Stuhl.

Her first court appearance has been set for Sept 2.

The maximum penalty is $10,000 or six months in jail.

The dogs are being held in Calgary for a 10-day quarantine to check for rabies. Strang has tentatively agreed they should be euthanized after that.

(CBC News - July 29, 2011)

Read More:

Friday, July 29, 2011

Pennsylvania: Michele Ryan and Tim Weltmer facing animal cruelty charges after they abandoned their 21 cats to slowly die inside a filthy 100-degree apartment

PENNSYLVANIA -- Animal cruelty charges are expected to be filed next week against Timothy Michael Weltmer and his girlfriend Michele Lynn Ryan who allegedly left 20 cats inside a home and moved away without telling their landlord, leaving the animals to die, borough police said.

The cats were discovered on July 13 by the landlord, including the rotting carcasses of eight of the animals.

Investigators later learned the tenants, Michele Ryan and Tim Weltmer, had relocated less than 300 yards away to a home on West Big Spring Avenue, Chief Randy Finkey said.

“So much about this is troubling to me, but they were right around the corner and could have cared for these animals,” Finkey said. “The whole thing is just sickening.”

Police had to wear gas masks and hazardous material suits to enter the apartment, which was about 100-degrees with all the windows closed.

The remaining cats survived by cannibalizing the dead ones, Finkey said. Three unopened 15-pound bags of cat food were also found inside the home.

The surviving animals are being cared for by the Better Days Animal League in Shippensburg, Finkey said.

When criminal charges are filed, the organization is expected to petition the court for ownership so the cats can be put up for adoption, because legally they are still owned by the couple who abandoned them, Finkey said.

A total of 109 misdemeanor and summary charges are expected to be filed against the couple, Finkey said.

(PennLive - July 29, 2011)

Australia: Police use pepper spray on kangaroo after it attacked 94-year-old woman hanging her laundry

AUSTRALIA -- A 94-year-old grandmother told of her life-and-death battle with a giant kangaroo which bowled her over as she was hanging out her washing.

For the next terrifying five minutes Mrs Phyllis Johnson desperately shielded herself from the big red kangaroo's kicks, at one stage managing to reach a broom to try to beat it away.

'I thought it was going to kill me,' the old lady said as she recovered in hospital in Charleville, in outback Queensland.

'I grew up with boxing kangaroos being a part of everyday life because they were a feature in travelling circuses. But this fellah was a monster and for some reason took a dislike to me.'


Mrs Johnson had walked out from the small flat where she lives in Charleville to hang up the washing, a Sunday routine.

'Suddenly this 'roo came crashing through all the clothes and came straight for me.

'I happened to have a broom nearby and I just started swinging at it.

'I bashed it on the head but it kept going for me. Not even the dog would help - it was too frightened.'

Mrs Johnson told Brisbane's Courier Mail that bruised, scratched and bleeding she finally managed to escape by crawling like a commando across the back yard. She reached a post and used it to pull herself upright before retreating indoors.

There, she phoned her son to come to her rescue - because the kangaroo was still in the back yard.

Despite using a stick for protection, Mrs Johnson's son was unable to shoo the kangaroo away, so the couple called the police.

Two officers from the local police station turned up - and the kangaroo turned on them.

They were forced to use capsicum spray to subdue the animal, which was in 'panic mode,' said Senior Sergeant Stephen Perkins, officer in charge of Charleville police station.

'As it ran away from the officer who sprayed it, the kangaroo went for the other police officer and he also had to use his spray from getting hurt,' said Sergeant Perkins.

'You could say it's one of the many unusual calls we get out here.'

From her hospital bed, Mrs Johnson said: 'I wasn't planning to come here, but I was pretty bruised and scratched up.

'My son made me come here. I'm OK, although the 'roo took a chunk of flesh out of my leg and there's a chance they'll have to operate.

'I've always had a soft spot for 'roos. I used to feed them next door, give them some bread and they've always been so gentle.

'They weren't as big as that one, though, and they've never gone for me like that. This one seemed to target me. It was putting its feet into me and kicking.'

Wildlife rangers were later trying to trap the kangaroo and are hoping to find out how it came to be in the vicinity - they are usually much further away from houses.

(Daily Mail - July 28, 2011)

Girl, 4, attacked by dog recovering at home after surgery

UNITED KINGDOM -- Four year-old Hannah Salt could be scarred for life after she was attacked by a dog in a friend's living room.

The youngster was feeding two-year-old German Shepherd Rocky when the dog suddenly turned and bit her on the face, leaving her with multiple wounds.


The youngster and her mum, Vanessa Salt, were visiting a friend in Gilliat Place, Bentilee, on Sunday, at 4.35pm.

The dog bit her above her left eyebrow down to the bone and remained on top of the tot until being pulled off.

Vanessa, aged 36, of Dividy Road, Bentilee, said: "My friend and I were in the living room in the flat talking and my little girl was on the sofa. I gave the dog chews to Hannah and the next thing I knew the dog was on top of her biting her. Hannah was screaming that she wanted to go home."

Hannah spent Sunday night in hospital and underwent two-and-a-half hours of surgery.

The dog has since been destroyed on police orders.

Hannah, who will start at Eaton Park Primary School in September, suffered nerve damage above her eyebrow, but was lucky to escape any damage to her vision.

Vanessa said: "You don't expect a dog to just turn like that. It attacked Hannah and bit her on the eye right down to the bone. Her face is full of stitches now and swollen. I want to get a message out to parents that they need to watch their dogs closely. There's no damage to her eyes, so she's been very lucky."

Hannah was due to revisit the hospital today, so doctors can assess her rate of healing.

Vanessa said: "She might have to have further surgery later, depending on how she goes. I don't blame the owner, but parents need to keep a close eye on where little children are. Hannah says she doesn't like big dogs now. There's a chance the dog has scarred her for life."

Irene Shepherd, Hannah's grandmother, said Hannah had always got on well with her Staffordshire bull terrier, Tilly.

The 53-year-old, of Dividy Road, Bentilee, said: "When I got there, the wound on her forehead was wide open exposing the bone. It was frightening. Hannah has always got on with our dog. She seems happy enough in herself now, but her face is a mess. I couldn't blame the owner of the dog, he's feeling guilty and he's got grandchildren of his own."

Following the attack, the dog was taken by police to an approved kennel. He was put down on Tuesday.

A police spokesman said: "No charges will be brought against the owner of the dog."

(The Sentinel - July 29, 2011)

Thursday, July 28, 2011

Staten Island couple accused of dealing drugs while awaiting sentencing in pit bull attacks

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- So much for throwing themselves on the mercy of the court.

A Dongan Hills couple hoping for leniency after they pleaded guilty to felony assault after their pit bull mauled two women were, it turns out, dealing drugs out of their home in between their court appearances, police allege.

Elise Guzman, who’s 23 and seven months pregnant, was angling for a no-jail sentence after she and her boyfriend, John Chan, 22, pleaded guilty on July 22, said a law enforcement source familiar with the case. The source said she was trying to elicit sympathy in court because of her pregnancy.

Chan, meanwhile, would likely have gotten some jail time, but prosecutors say any sentencing recommendations are now out the window.

Police allege that Chan sold oxycodone, marijuana and cocaine to an undercover detective on four separate occasions this month, both before and after the day the duo pleaded guilty.

He made one of those sales inside their home on the 500 block of Buel Avenue, two of them just outside the home, and a fourth on the corner of Hylan Boulevard and Norway Avenue.

That fourth sale happened at about 3:30 p.m. yesterday, and police came to the couple’s doorstep about an hour later with a search warrant, court papers allege. Inside, detectives found more than 35 oxycodone pills and more than two ounces of marijuana.

Both Chan and Ms. Guzman had pleaded to the top count against them in the pit bull case, second-degree assault, and were slated to sentenced before state Supreme Court Justice Robert J. Collini.

"We worked very hard to work out a plea in the Supreme Court case, and we intend on fighting these new charges aggressively, and hopefully we’ll be able to maintain the original plea," said their lawyer, Mario Gallucci.

The dog attacks happened in May of 2010, when the couple’s 60-pound pit bull, Cash, who at the time was living with its owners on North Railroad Avenue, bit into a 45-year-old woman’s leg, ripping it to the bone, and two days later bit into a 19-year-old woman’s groin.

Cash mauled the first woman on May 24, ripping her calf to the bone.

A law enforcement source said Cash attacked after the vicitm and Ms. Guzman had argued. Ms. Guzman was holding Cash back during the argument, but when Ms. Guzman’s door swung open, Cash latched onto the woman’s leg and wouldn’t let go until Chan emerged from the shower and slammed the door on the dog’s head, the source said.

Two days later, Cash struck again. The dog lunged at a 19-year-old woman while Chan was walking him, bit her in the crotch, and wouldn’t let go until Chan slammed his head into a door, authorities said. She needed plastic surgery for her genital area after the attack, according to law enforcement officials.

Police took Cash after that, and the dog went to an Animal Care and Control facility in Manhattan, where he bit three trainers on separate occasions, authorities said. The city Department of Health and Mental Hygiene had Cash put down in July.

Chan is charged with four counts of third-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance, five counts of third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance with intent to sell, two counts of fourth-degree criminal sale of marijuana, and a single count of fourth-degree criminal possession of marijuana, said Peter N. Spencer, a spokesman for District Attorney Daniel Donovan.

Ms. Guzman faces a single count of third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance with intent to sell, as well as a single count of fourth-degree criminal possession of marijuana.

(SiLive - July 28, 2011)

Earlier Stories:

Woman's fury as attack dogs still at large

UNITED KINGDOM -- A WOMAN whose hand was mauled during a vicious attack by two dogs has said she is horrified they are still allowed to roam the streets.

Rachel Sparrow, 34, was walking her pug Lily on Saturday evening when she was attacked by two Staffordshire Bull Terriers next to the children’s play area in Queen Elizabeth Drive.

The mum-of-one was injured when she tried to prise the jaws of one of the larger dogs from the throat of the six-year-old pug. Now she could lose the ring finger on her right hand.

But while a 23-year-old man faces court action for allowing the dogs to get out of control in a public place, the pair have been returned to their owner on condition they wear a muzzle.

She described the moment the dogs struck and how bystanders rushed to her aid. “I was walking my dog by the play park at about 8.30pm on Saturday and was crossing the road when I saw these two Staffies not on leads. Their eyes were fixed on Lily,” she said.

“Within seconds one of them grabbed her on the right side of the throat and the other one grabbed her left side and they started shaking her like a rag doll or a piece of meat.

“I tried to prise one of the dog’s jaw and it clamped down on my hand. I was screaming and I could not get them off. People rushed to help and a man came from his home with a bucket of water, which he threw over them.

“I blacked out for a minute or two and when I came around I was being cradled by a lady. I was losing a lot of blood.

“Lily was taken to Drove Vets and her throat was ripped to pieces. She nearly didn’t make it.

“I had to go the hospital and am seeing a consultant about my right hand. They said I could even lose my ring finger.

“I have trouble sleeping and every time I close my eyes I picture the whole thing again.”

Mrs Sparrow, who works for the Metropolitan Police, said she was glad she was not with her three-year-old son when the attack happened. She fears the dogs could be free to harm again.

“The dogs have not been destroyed and it is absolutely horrifying that they might be on the loose,” she said.

“I have a little boy and I thank God he was not with me. What if this had happened to a child?

“It will be long time before I walk my dog around here again – I won’t go out on my own now.”

A police spokesman said the dogs had not been seized but officers would step up patrols of the area.

“The dogs are still with the owner under condition that they must be muzzled when they are in public,” she said.

“Our dog section is looking into seizure legislation but that is ongoing but the officers are very much concerned about the community impact this incident has had.”

(Swindon Advertiser - July 28, 2011)

Couple’s dog savaged to death by Doberman

UNITED KINGDOM -- “HOW many more times does this have to happen?”

Those are the words of a retired man from Bournemouth after his dog was savaged to death on its morning walk.

Michel Hiernaux, 62, and his wife Marie have described the devastation and shock they felt after the dog they saw as “our baby” was shaken to death “like a rag doll” after a doberman turned nasty.

Marie, 58, took their spaniel-collie cross, Jessie, 13, out for a walk around 9.30am last Wednesday through St Valerie Road, Bournemouth, towards the copse area of woodland.

She said: “Like I would on any other day, I walked past lots of dogs with their owners. I saw a lady on a mobile phone with three dogs, a doberman, a great dane and another dog, who looked reasonably docile.”

Marie, who volunteers at Poole Hospital’s cancer unit, added: “Now I wish that I had crossed the road.

“The Doberman came off the lead and just lunged at Jessie.

“He grabbed her by the neck and shook her like a rag doll.

“There was blood everywhere.

“I was in hysterics and felt totally helpless until a lady gave me and Jessie a lift to the nearest vet.

When we got there, Jessie was already dead. After the vet offered to do an x-ray, I found out she had a broken neck.

“My first thought was: ‘How am I going to tell Michel?’ I just couldn’t break the news to him.

“If I had gone a different route or at a different time this might not have happened.”

Michel added: “I know people always say this but there was no dog like her and we can’t get her back. She was a companion, part of the family and after our sons moved out, our baby.

“Next time it could be a child that’s hurt. The dog that attacked Jessie was there for the kill.”

Dean Shepherd, environmental protection officer for animal welfare at Bournemouth council, said in a statement: “We are obviously saddened to hear that a dog has been killed as a result of a dog on dog attack in Bournemouth.

“Our dog warden has taken action and has since been in contact with the owner of the dog who carried out the attack.

“In agreement with the owner, an undertaking has been signed which means that when out of the home, the owner’s great dane and doberman must be muzzled and kept on a lead at all times and all three dogs must not be walked together at the same time.”

(Daily Echo - July 25, 2011)

Connecticut: Man speaks on tragic mauling death of his dog by Vickie Tkacz's Newfoundlands

CONNECTICUT -- A man who's dog was mauled and killed by four big Newfoundland dogs in Oxford spoke with News 8 about his desperate attempt to save his pet.

Roxy, when she was younger

The attack happened on Monday at Jackson Cove Park, and it had been caught on video by surveillance cameras.

"I didn't' really think before I did anything, I just got in there," says Patrick Severson, dog owner.

Severson says he did his best to try saving his family's beloved, 11-year-old lab, Roxy.

Four Newfoundland dogs broke off their leashes while being walked by youngsters at the public park and viciously attacked Roxy.

RIP Roxy

"My dog had no idea what fighting was or anything," says Severson.

His first instinct was to jump in and fight for the life of his dog.

"I was just rolling around with all of them, and they were pulling her neck apart," says Severson.

The attack occurred right near a playground. Park employee, Katelyn Green says she saw the attack.

Green says that Severson did the best he could in trying to save Roxy.

Eventually Severson was able to get Roxy and himself away from the four large dogs, and to his car. Roxy later died at Vet's office.

"They performed CPR for about ten minutes, but there was no progress," says Severson.

The four Newfoundlands are owned by the Tkacz family, who are known breeders.


Tkacz hooked up with herattorney Ralph Crozier
A photo of Tkacz Newfoundlands
from their Facebook page, which is
currently offline.

Oxford Animal Control says it has four Newfoundlands in quarantine, but can't be sure if they are the same four animals involved in the attack, because it's unknown how many dogs are owned by the breeders.

News 8 checked at the Oxford Town Hall and found licenses for four Newfoundlands, but because of the uncertainty, Severson is undergoing treatment for rabies.

"My hand was swollen from hitting the dogs so much," says Severson.

While state and local officials investigate, Severson and his family grieves for their beloved Roxy.

(WTNH - July 28, 2011)