Four legged friends (and enemies)

California: Woman's Dachshund mauled by Pit Bulls; she refuses to get vet care for the injured dog named Buddy

2018-05-13T05:40:00.000-04:00

CALIFORNIA -- June Crawford posted on Facebook May 3, 2018 ·

On Monday poor buddy got attacked by three pit bulls

GOFUNDME: Please do not donate
Created May 2, 2018
Elizabeth Lee
Medical
TWENTYNINE PALMS, CA

Please do not donate as the owner of the little dog Buddy has refused to get the medical services he was in need for.

We are sadly not able to help him since the owner removed her dog from the veterinarian hospital.

If we are able to recover him now it sound like it's to late as he took a turn for the worst.

However we are still praying that the owner works with law enforcement and we can help Buddy, if we are able to we will definitely keep you posted on Facebook as well as our sanctuary website.
Again thank you.

Update 1
Okay, here is an update on Buddy. The situation has turned dire. His lacerations on his abdomen are now infected. He is at the Veterinary Specialty Hospital in San Marcos, California. If you can please share this and get more people involved we can get him the treatment and care that he needs before it's to late, he cannot wait that much longer without treatment. Right now he is suffering, if the surgery is not performed euthanization maybe his last resort.

*The vet will Not accept donations directly.*

Phone:(760) 466-0600
Address: 2055 Montel rd, San marcos ca 92069
Owners name : Jean Roberts

Update 2
To all the donors!

Jean Roberts has not helped her dog in twentynine palms and has let him down, due to this situation and us trying to reach out and help and her not wanting to care for Buddy we will be asking GoFundMe to return all fees from the donors.

We appreciate your support and we are so sad and heartbroken that Jean has not wanted to work with the Sheriff's department and veterinarian services as well as our sanctuary to help Buddy.

Again we thank you for your support and please make sure GoFundMe has returned all payments as we are now asking GoFundMe to return all donations.

Update 3
All donations are being sent back to all donors, please make sure you got your refund within 7 days GoFundMe has stated it could take up to that time, unfortunately the owner of Buddy took him from the veterinarian hospital and is not going to treat her dog, we are saddened by this and its unfortunate as Buddy is going to die.

We have worked with the Sheriff's department on a recovery mission however that didn't end well as now animal welfare is going to be taken over and law as we can not help as a sanctuary home now as its 100% out of our hands.

Its Buddy who needs help and it is him who is the victim that unfortunately we reached out to help but the owner is mentally unstable and isn't capable of being a responsible pet owner.

The owner needs to be charged with Animal Cruelty and Buddy needs to be taken for the needed vet care immediately. No, the owner will NOT go to jail. They will likely make her surrender Buddy, find a better home for him, and hopefully ban her from having animals for her unsupervised probation time - which won't be more than a year. That's hardly any punishment at all - but to leave Buddy suffering these horrifically painful injuries is outrageous.

Again we thank you and your support.
If the situation changes we will post it on our website and Facebook.

Thanks again
https://eandjrescuesandshortstories.simdif.com

Indiana: After Pit Bull attacks elderly woman and mauls to death her beloved Poodle named Baby, authorities hand the mauler back to its owner

2018-05-11T07:06:00.001-04:00

INDIANA -- Paula Herrig is feeling sad. Posted on Facebook May 3, 2018 ·

Need to vent!! Please Share. Maybe we can get this to the public and news in Indiana. Monday, my moms dog was viciously attached by a neighbors dog. (Mom is in Indiana with my sister, Peggy. That is where this took place)

Mom, 82 yrs old, fought to save her dog, Baby, not once, but twice. As the first time she got Baby, the pit bull attacked again, ripping Baby from her arms. She again fought the pit bull for her Baby.

Baby was in critical condition, until this morning, when she passed away. Mom was bit in the "fight". The pit bull was returned to it's owner!!!!!Where it still is!!!!!

The owner admitted to fault, stating they knew the dog was getting out, but they couldn't afford a "better" fence. But the dog is still returned to that home!?!?

Are you kidding me???? What has to happen for a dog to be removed??? Killing a pet and biting the pets owner isn't enough?? INDIANA, WTF!?!? JUST SOOO WRONG!!!!

My heart aches for you mom!! LOVE YOU!!

Oregon: Woman's dog attacked by homeless couple's Pit Bull. Even though they refused to give her any information about their mauler, she says not to judge them -- and says she still likes Pit Bulls SMH

2018-05-11T06:54:00.001-04:00

OREGON -- Susan Doll posted on Facebook May 1, 2018 ·

Brody got attacked by an off-leash pit bull tonight while we were out for our bike ride.

The owners were very shocked and apologetic, but also homeless and not forthcoming with much information.

"Not forthcoming"... you mean they refused to tell you anything.

I'm not looking for judgments on the homeless population, or on pit bulls, thanks, just worried about a big bill later if an unseen puncture abscesses.

Brody is current on his shots. He seemed ok when we left the couple, but I found a small puncture on his neck when we got home. Rinsed it with saline per the phone vet tech's instructions & will keep an eye on it. Still looking for any others, but haven't found them yet.

Brody has really thick fur and thinks wiggling is helpful, which makes the search & rinse difficult. He seems to have bounced back alright attitude wise, but I'm still keeping a worried mom eye on him.

Please, even if you think your dog is the friendliest pooch in the world, use a leash when out in the general population, you don't know what is going to be THAT factor for your dog. I was so paranoid about making sure Brody was well contained that I didn't consider that another dog could be the aggressor. I wonder if I could make him some leather plate armor. Or just wrap him in a really big bubble...

Homeless people with their vicious dogs is a growing problem, though mostly occurring on the West Coast whose liberal states have encouraged and permitted homeless encampments and in the case of San Francisco, homeless drug addicts urinating and defecating on the streets of San Francisco, used needles lying everywhere including playgrounds and dangerous gauntlets of homeless, vicious dogs, trash and human waste lining the greenways and bike paths in larger cities.

If you or your dog is attacked by a homeless person's dog, you might as well assume a few things: 1- the dog is NOT vaccinated against rabies 2- the homeless person will not cooperate and wait for authorities to arrive to quarantine their dog 3- they may attack you if you persist in them "doing the right thing" and waiting for authorities to arrive 4- you will NEVER be reimbursed from anyone for your bills.

California: Two Pit Bulls belonging to homeless people decide to try to kill three people

California: Homeless man's Pit Bull shot inside famous Ghirardelli Ice Cream and Chocolate Shop by off-duty LAPD officer after attacking two people

Oregon: Homeless guy's pit bull mauls small dog and attacks its owner near the Springwater Trail in Southeast Portland

Oregon: Update on the little dog named Beowulf, which was attacked by homeless guy's pit bull

California: Cyclist Attacked by Homeless Guy's Pit Bull Along American River Parkway

California: When homeless people with vicious pit bulls have more rights than working taxpayers

California: Miniature Pinscher being walked by his owner is attacked by homeless guy's pit bull

New York: Man and his dog attacked by pit bulls - Today I had one of the toughest fights that I've ever been in

Washington: Shih Tzu named Mocha has to have his leg amputated after it's ripped apart in pit bull attack at homeless camp

California: Woman raising money after being attacked by homeless guy's pit bull and she's stuck with the bills

Florida: Homeless man's pit bull attacks deputy, who shoots and kills it

Oregon: Take one nasty pit bull, its 'model citizen' owner and one pittie whackadoo and you've got all sorts of crazy going on up in Portland

Georgia: No criminal charges in horrific Athens Pit Bull mauling, which left victim with more than 60 bite wounds

Arizona: Elderly Tucson woman and her small dog mauled by pit bull; owner grabbed dog and fled

2018-05-08T06:40:00.000-04:00

ARIZONA -- Eighty-two-year-old Rose Ellis and her little pooch Daizie are recovering and searching for answers after being attacked by a pit bull earlier this week on the east side.

Ellis was walking Daizie along Olympic Club Drive near Pebble Beach Avenue on Tuesday morning.

It turned deadly when a pit bull jumped over a brick wall and darted toward Rose and Daizie from behind.

“This dog comes and grabs her from behind us and shook her like a rag doll,” Rose said.

The pit bull proceeded to bite and knock over Rose but not without a fight.

“I got up and I was screaming and yelling and kept kicking some more and then a bunch of the neighbors come out and help me,” Rose said.

She couldn’t bear to lose another loved one.

"I lost my husband in December before Christmas and I didn't want to lose somebody else,” Rose said.

Rose’s son Steve is bewildered and frustrated by the whole ordeal, especially with the pit bull’s owner.

"PIT AND RUN" - OWNER FLED WITH PIT BULL

“She didn't [bother to check and] see how my mom was doing or just stick around to kind of give information she just basically left and disappeared with the dog,” Steve said.

The pit bull owner is nowhere to be found.

She happens to live in a camper trailer in the backyard of a man named David Snodgrass who allows her to live there as long as she pays utilities. This is the same backyard where the pit bull jumped over the brick wall.

"Animal control did show up. They gave me this notice to give to her. I can't give it to her because she's not here. I don't know where she is,” Snodgrass claims.

"Because we don't have the vaccination information for that dog, that puts my mom at risk because she's going to have to go through those rabies shots,” Steve said.

While Pima County animal control officers are investigating, Rose and Daizie are recovering.

"I don't want to go through that rabies treatment because at my age, that's not good,” Steve said.

To help Rose and Daizie:

GOFUNDME: Help for Rosie and Daizie
Created May 4, 2018
Steven Ellis
Emergencies
TUCSON, AZ

On the morning of May 1st my mom, Rosie, was walking her dog, Daizie, when both were attacked and mauled by a pit bull. The dog savagely attacked Daizie then turned on my mom when she tried to save her dog. My mom was knocked to the ground, bitten and scratched up before the pit bull turned and attacked Daizie again.

Neighbors and people nearby heard my mom screaming. People screened my mom and Daizie from the pit bull which continued to try to attack them.

The owner of the pit bull ran out, grabbed the pit bull and drove off. The owner of the pit bull did NOT stop to assist my mom in any way or even leave information regarding her pit bull's vaccinations and shots. The woman and her dog drove off and disappeared.

Tucson Police and Pima County Animal Control were immediately notified of the attack. Attempts to contact the pit bull owner have gone unanswered or ignored.

Daizie was rushed to the nearest Veterinarian ER where she was stabilized. I took my mom to the nearest ER where her bite and scratch wounds were treated. After having a CAT scan and x-rays, doctors found that my mom's tail bone was broken during the attack.

Since the pit bull and its owner fled the scene of the attack and have refused to contact us with information on the pit bull's vaccinations, my mom will have to undergo rabies shots since we cannot verify if the pit bull is up to date on its vaccinations.

The owner and her Pit Bull were living in this camper in

David Snodgrass's backyard. He claims not to know

where she ran off to or where she's hiding her vicious dog

Mom is 82 years old and going through those shots will add additional suffering and trauma- not mentioning the potential side effects of the treatment which could be severe given her age and health.

My mom is on fixed income and cannot afford the increasing cost of treatment for herself and Daizie. We are asking for assistance in covering these expenses.

Update 1
This shows the amount of damage done to Daizie that needed emergency vet attention from the attack. Mom has bites and scratches on her arms and legs.

As of today, the owner still refuses to contact us with the vaccination information for the pit bull and ignoring repeated phone and text request to simply give us the name of her pit bull's vet.

Pima County Animal Care have been working with us to locate the owner and the dog. The owner is apparently sleeping in her car somewhere in town and avoiding to return to her camper.

Update 2
Zack Briggs from KVOA Channel 4 News came out this morning to interview mom regarding the attack. The owner and the dog is still missing. You can watch the interview tonight during the 6pm news.

(KVOA - May 4, 2018)

(April 2018) Pennsylvania: Owner complains after her Pit Bull is shot while attacking another dog; sets up GoFundMe to sue the victim

2018-05-07T08:04:00.002-04:00

WILKES-BARRE, PENNSYLVANIA -- Owners of the pit bull that was shot and killed after attacking another dog in Wilkes-Barre are grieving the loss of their pet.

The pit bull's owner says he tried to stop the attack and feels lucky that he wasn't shot.

"I had to bury him myself. I couldn't stop crying. I teared up."

Alejandro Loria still can't believe that he had to bury his pit bull named Batman in his backyard.

Sunday morning, Loria was taking Batman for a morning walk around his neighborhood in south Wilkes-Barre. Batman broke away from his leash and started attacking a couple's dog.

"I'm trying to pull my dog away from their dog and I hear the woman saying 'Shoot the dog!' I'm screaming 'No! No!' My girlfriend comes out the house because she hears me screaming. The guy shoots the gun. I'm maybe three feet away. I can't even hear what happens afterwards," Loria recalled.

Wilkes-Barre police report that a woman fired two shots, but Loria says it was her boyfriend who had the gun and shot Batman. Loria's girlfriend initially thought he got hit.

"I heard my boyfriend screaming, 'No, don't shoot, don't shoot!' and I heard a gunshot and I went outside. I thought they shot my boyfriend and I saw my dog and my dog was bleeding pretty bad," said Courtney Rivera.

BLAMING THE VICTIM

"They acted too quick. Right there, what I did as soon as I saw my dog's leash and collar broke, I ran after him and I got on top of him. I attacked my dog just so he could stop attacking their dog. He was just standing there in shock. He should've jumped on his dog as well," Loria added.

Batman was taken to a veterinarian but did not survive.

Loria says he will also have to pay a fine for letting Batman get loose.

Alejandro's girlfriend Courtney Rivera set up a GoFundMe saying:

my dog was shot and killed by a neighbor. And my boyfriend is the only one being charged please help us raise money to take the people to court for shooting my dog.

Courtney had a previous GoFundMe page listed, trying to raise money to "get my baby back". I'm assuming the state either took him or placed him with a relative until she got her s*** together... SMH

COMMENTS FROM THE NEWS ARTICLE:

(WNEP - April 24, 2018)

Earlier:

Pennsylvania: Woman shoots pit bull to stop dog attack on her dog

Florida: Child in ICU after pit bull attack; owner pulled a "Pit And Run" and fled with dog

2018-05-06T12:13:00.001-04:00

FLORIDA -- Three-year-old Payton Church is recovering at Tampa General Hospital after his mom says he was attacked by a pit bull in Clearwater last week.

Mersadis Tuttle, Payton's mother, tells News Channel 8 her son was with his grandmother last Wednesday when it happened. The two were sitting on a bench, eating lunch near the RCS Food Bank on South Myrtle Avenue and Druid Road.

The child went to throw away trash when the grandmother said a medium-sized pit bull came up to the child, licked his face and then attacked him.

The dog's owner did not have the dog on a leash.

The grandmother asked a witness to dial 911 while she rushed the child to the nearest hospital - Morton Plant ER. Payton received 11 stitches.

According to Tuttle, the witness never called police and the dog and owner disappeared. She filed a police report Saturday after leaving the hospital.

Unfortunately, Payton had to return to the emergency room after his wounds became infected. He is currently in the ICU at Tampa General Hospital.

Tuttle is asking anyone with any information on the dog and it's owner to contact authorities.

She has created a GoFundMe page to help with his care.

GOFUNDME: Paytons Dog Bite Recovery
Created April 28, 2018
Mersadis Tuttle
Emergencies
TAMPA, FL

Hello everyone. I have been very over whelmed as this is the most traumatizing thing as a parent I have ever dealt with. There are no words to describe truly the mental agony this has put on our family.

On April 25th, Payton was bitten by a Pit bull on his face. The Pit bull was on a leash, however the leash was not being held on to as it should. The Pit bull licked Payton and then snapped him in the face at the same instance.

"PIT AND RUN"
The owner and the dog left when Payton was taken to the hospital and have not been found. Clearwater Animal Control and Clearwater Police Department are doing what they can to locate them. Unfortunately the odds of finding them is extremely low.

Payton is expected to recover but has since been put back in the hospital due to an infection in the tissue around his eyelids and in one of the lacerations.

Unfortunately with dog bites, infection is very common. Hopefully we will have answers as soon as tomorrow rather plastic surgery is needed. We have quite a lot ahead of us in the coming weeks. This has put a huge unexpected financial strain on our family. I have had so many people reach out asking if there is anything they can do to help.

Previously I have declined any help however the circumstances have continually changed. All I ask of anyone and everyone is too please not harm your own family's financial well being to help mine. We appreciate anything. Pictures following the attack.

Update 1
I want to say thank you to everyone. It is a blessing to have people we have never met, help us. It really means a lot to our family.

It has almost been a week since Payton was bit by a dog. Unfortunately we still have absolutely no idea who the owner is or where the dog may be.

A Clearwater Police Department Officer has said, "The chances of finding them are extremely low."

We really hope someone takes responsibility for what their pet has done to our son.

Payton has been such a brave and strong kiddo through all of this. It has taken a couple different antibiotics to get the infection under control. This has been our upmost concern. Infections from dog bites can potentially be fatal. There will also be no more procedures which is a huge relief!

The swelling in his face continues to go down along with the bruising. I am so thankful his grandmother was holding his hand when this happened and reacted in the manner she did as it could have been so much worse.

Payton is such a lucky kid to have only abstained the injuries he did. It is common for dog bites to take 6 months to 1 year to fully heal and we do still have a long road ahead of us to full recovery. We ask that everyone please continue to pray for our family and again, your help means so much to us.

(WKRG - April 30, 2018)

Washington: Pit bull mauled man in a car, then jumped out car's open window to continue attack

2018-05-06T12:13:00.000-04:00

PUYALLUP, WASHINGTON -- A man is recovering from a brutal dog attack in Pierce County.

Pierce County Sheriff deputies said the victim had several deep bite marks on his face, arms, and legs.

The department said on Wednesday, a deputy responded to a 911 call reporting a dog attack in progress in the 15500 block of 119th Ave. Ct. E. in Puyallup's South Hill neighborhood.

When the deputy arrived on scene, deputies said the victim was on the ground covered in blood and neighbors, like Jon Zemanek, were trying to help the victim.

Zemanek said he heard screams for help and ran outside thinking it was his dog thatwas loose, but he saw the pit bull attacking the man by his front yard and he didn't hesitate to help.

"The first thing I could think of was to grab his jaw and try to pull,” said Zemanek.

Zemanek still has the punctures from the pit bull's teeth sinking into his fingers.

He tried to pry the dog's jaw off a man's arm before grabbing a metal pry bar.

“Lot of shaking myself,” said Zemanek. “I couldn’t believe I did what I did."

Deputies said the victim and a woman had been "playfully" arguing in a car when the dog lunged at the man and bit him in the face.

They pulled over by Zemanek’s yard, the man ran out but the dog went after him.

At one point neighbors said they helped the woman get the dog back into her car, but it jumped out of an open window, ran after the man again, caught him and began mauling him a second time.

"There was a lot of blood, there was a lot of blood all over,” said Zemanek.

A responding deputy finally fired shots at the dog, killing it after it let go then started circling the man, ready to attack again.

Neighbors said the whole situation was so frantic and uncontrollable; they don't think there was any other way to stop the dog.

“I never like to see an animal get put down unless it absolutely has too,” said Zemanek.

(KOMO News - May 4, 2018)

California: Hungry bear breaks into a house to snack on bread and fruit before being chased away by deputies

2018-05-06T12:12:00.000-04:00

LAKE TAHOE, CALIFORNIA -- A hungry bear broke into a California home and snacked on bread and fruit before deputies were able to chase it away.

Footage from inside the house in Northstar, North Lake Tahoe, shows the bear rifling through bags of groceries on a kitchen island.

It was posted to Facebook on Thursday by the Placer County Sheriff's Office, which branded the animal 'hungry and fearless'.

Bears are coming out of hibernation and deputies say this particular bear broke into the house specifically to look for food.

Fortunately the bear was chased away without causing any injuries or property damage.

The Sheriff's Office wrote online: 'This afternoon, this hungry and fearless bear broke into a home at Northstar, North Lake Tahoe, to get some groceries.

'The homeowners called us, and our deputies were able to chase him out of the house, after he snacked on some fruit and bread!

'As bears are coming out of hibernation, please use utmost caution if you encounter them.

'In this case, the homeowners were very grateful to the deputies who got the bear out of their house with no injuries and no property damage.'

FACEBOOK POST
Placer County Sheriff's Office is at Northstar California Resort.

This afternoon, this hungry and fearless bear broke into a home at Northstar, North Lake Tahoe, to get some groceries. The homeowners called us, and our deputies were able to chase him out of the house, after he snacked on some fruit and bread!

As bears are coming out of hibernation, please use utmost caution if you encounter them. In this case, the homeowners were very grateful to the deputies who got the bear out of their house with no injuries and no property damage.

(Daily Mail - May 5, 2018)

(April 2018) Pennsylvania: Woman shoots pit bull to stop dog attack on her dog

2018-05-05T15:50:00.003-04:00

WILKES-BARRE, PENNSYLVANIA -- A woman shot a pit bull that attacked her dog as they walked in South Wilkes-Barre on Sunday morning, according to police.

Officers responded to a report of gunshots in the area of Regent and Brook streets at about 8 a.m. Sunday, police said in a news release.

A woman told police that as she and her boyfriend walked their dog, it was attacked by a pit bull that broke free of its owner, Alejandro Loria.

After unsuccessful attempts to stop the attack, the woman fired two shots from her firearm, striking the pit bull, police said.

The woman legally possessed the firearm, according to police. The injured pit bull was taken for treatment, police said.

Alejandro Loria, 27, the owner of the pit bull, was cited by an animal enforcement officer, police said.

* * * * * *

Meanwhile, here's the sob story article from WNEP:

Pit Bull Shot, Later Dies
A pet dog was shot and killed on a city street, and neighbors now question why it had to happen.

Neighbors in Wilkes-Barre are trying to wrap their heads around what happened early Sunday morning. A massive pit bull that was known in the neighborhood for giving sweet kisses was shot and later died.

Seriously, in the video, the newscaster says, "A massive pit bull that was known in the neighborhood for giving sweet kisses was shot and later died". What kind of ridiculous one-sided reporting is that? GIVING SWEET KISSES???!

Morons.

That pit bull went by the name Batman, and he's now buried behind his owner's house a day after being shot for allegedly attacking a couple and their dog. The woman who shot Batman tells police she feared for her safety.

Blood stains remain at the intersection of Brook and Regent Streets in Wilkes-Barre. Nearby, a freshly dug grave sits in the backyard of an apartment building with a grave marker that reads: "Batman."

It should say, "Here lies a vicious dog that was shot

while trying to kill another dog and its owners"

Batman is the large, gray pit bull that police say was shot around 8 a.m. Sunday.

A woman told police that while she and her boyfriend were walking their dog, Batman got away from one of its owners and started attacking. The victim, who legally owned her gun, fired two shots, hitting Batman once.

People say Batman was well known in the neighborhood.

"Very friendly dog, but it was a big dog, so people were afraid of it. I had seen it in this area a couple of times and it was friendly, but because of the size, people were afraid of it," Greg Winslow said.

Batman is now buried behind the apartment. His leashes are on top of the marker. Originally, animal enforcement responded to the incident and brought Batman to a local animal hospital.

"When we got there, they said the dog lost so much blood that it's best that we just put it down," Winslow said. "Stuff like this should never happen in this area. We have enough problems with people just dumping animals and not wanting to take care of them, let alone killing them."

Animal enforcement tells Newswatch 16 the owner of the dog faces a citation for the dog not being under control. Police say there was no violation of the law when the woman fired shots.

(Citizens Voice - April 23, 2018)

Wisconsin: "Prayers needed, Shadow attacked by pit bull, here at the Emergency Vet"

2018-05-05T14:51:00.000-04:00

WISCONSIN -- Elsa Sauceda is feeling heartbroken. Posted on Facebook May 4, 2018 ·

Prayers needed, Shadow attacked by pit bull, here at the Emergency Vet...

North Carolina: Amanda Davis charged with Animal Cruelty after leaving her pet squirrel to cook inside hot car

2018-05-05T13:58:00.000-04:00

CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA -- A woman was arrested after leaving her pet squirrel in a hot car that reached temperatures over 100°F, according to Charlotte Mecklenburg Animal Care and Control.

The owner of the "Sugar Glider" flying squirrel, Amanda Davis, has been charged with ill treatment of animals.

Around 2:30 p.m. on Tuesday, May 1, Animal Care and Control responded to a call regarding an animal locked inside of a car at 302 Aiken Avenue. The Animal Care and Control officer was alerted to the animal being in the car around 1:15 p.m., and says that his office may have been notified as early as 12:00 p.m. that same day.

Police said Davis' roommate became concerned and called police after she saw Davis put the animal in her blue Honda Accord before leaving the house.

When officers arrived they found the a window cracked slightly and a cage covered in blankets in the backseat.

The temperature inside the car was 114°F at the time, according to Animal Care and Control. No food or water were left with the animal.

Authorities removed the squirrel from the car just after 3:00 p.m. Davis arrived on scene about five minutes after the animal was taken out of the car. She told officers she had put it in the car around 1:00 p.m. and left.

She was arrested and charged, and Animal Care and Control took custody of the animal, telling Davis she could pick it up at a later date.

What?! She shouldn't get this poor squirrel back!

(Fox5 - May 3, 2018)

Michigan: Service dog attacked, seriously mauled by a Pit Bull; four hours of surgery to repair damage to leg

2018-05-05T12:48:00.000-04:00

MICHIGAN -- Appleridge German Shepherds posted on Facebook May 3, 2018 ·

Sad sad news.

Nick's service dog Troy attacked by a pit bull. So so sad this extremely well trained loving Service Dog assaulted and hurt badly.

Everyone at Appleridge German Shepherd Dogs pray and send out good vibes for Troys quick and full recovery.

This is such a horrible horrible experience for both of them.

Texas: Giant alligator nearly run over by a semi-truck is rescued and relocated

2018-05-05T12:47:00.004-04:00

CLEVELAND, TEXAS -- A giant alligator nearly the length of a small family car was captured in Cleveland, Texas, early Monday morning as it attempted to cross Highway 59, near a Whataburger restaurant.

The gator, which measured in at 11 feet, 6 inches, was first spotted and reported to the local authorities after it was clipped by an 18-wheeler as it tried to cross the highway, according to the Houston Chronicle.

Chance Ward reported the incident to authorities and said the unusual reptilian traffic hazard was only something you'd see in Texas.

"The Gator measured 11' 6" and will be relocated alive to a safe place out of harm's way," Ward wrote in a Facebook post. "We safely placed the Gator on the flat bed of my truck and strapped him for the ride. Only in Texas will you get a Gator and Whataburger in the same picture."

Speaking to the Chronicle, Ward said he thought that the alligator would've moved by the time he had gotten to the scene, but it was still impeding traffic, causing the road to be blocked and "would rise up and hiss at them anytime someone would get close."

For comparison purposes, the average length of a small family car is between 169 inches (14-feet, 1 inch) and 185 inches (15-feet, 5 inches), depending on the model.

As firefighters shut southbound traffic on the highway, Ward eventually grabbed rope from his truck, lassoed the gator and then handed it to over animal control. It took six men to wrestle the gator onto Ward's pickup truck.

Nicknamed George by Ward, the alligator was relocated Monday morning and Ward praised a job well done by local law enforcement.

"Sergeant Edwards was very helpful with helping me untie the Gator in my stock trailer until relocation in the morning," Ward wrote in the Facebook post. "If you get a chance, thank our local law enforcement and firemen as they not only pull the criminals off the streets, they help keep the wildlife and livestock safe."

* * * * * *

Just after noon Monday, Ward was filming George again, this time as he opened the stock trailer and released the gator into a pond in Liberty County, under the guidance of the local game warden.

It took about 20 minutes to get the gator to calm down, tie him on both sides and load him onto the truck Monday morning, but the pond was apparently a welcome sight. George slid out relatively willingly and immediately went for a dip in his new home.

"This is not something we see every day in Cleveland," said Cleveland Police Chief Darrel Brousard. "I think with the recent floods and Harvey, some of these animals are on the move. I encourage anyone who has water around their place, whether it's a creek, river or stream, to be vigilant. Watch your step, especially at dark."

(Charlotte Observer - May 2, 2018)

(April 2018) Virginia: Mail carrier reassigned after pepper spraying dogs: ‘Our kids are afraid of the mailman’

2018-05-05T12:35:00.000-04:00

HENRICO COUNTY, VIRGINIA -- Some Henrico residents say they have a new postal carrier thanks to a CBS 6 Problem Solvers investigation into their dogs being pepper sprayed.

The alleged incidents happened in the Westham neighborhood.

Melissa Banta says her dog Willow was sprayed in her yard April 2, when she was outside playing with her kids.

“The mailman sort of walked up behind us and when the dog saw the mailman over my shoulder she ran towards him barking and as soon as I saw what was happening and I got up and ran up with her and said, ‘it’s okay, it’s okay she’s nice’ and I saw him get out his pepper spray. I asked him don’t spray her, please don’t spray her, she won’t hurt you and then he sprayed her anyway,” Banta said.

“I asked him why he did that, and just sort of said I don’t think I got her too bad and walked away across the street to keep delivering mail.”

Banta immediately went inside to get her husband while she washed Willow’s eyes out, so her children did not come in contact with the repellant.

“He ran after him to find out what his name was, and the mailman covered his badge and would not let him know his name,” said Banta.

A week prior, Banta’s neighbor Bonnie Edwards says her dog Odis was sprayed by the same carrier after her nine-year-old son accidentally let the dog out while he was delivering their mail.

“I thought he was going to help me catch Odis,” said nine-year-old Reid Edwards. “He seemed really nice with the safari hat and everything I thought he was going to be nice. He just pulled out the pepper spray from his pocket,” he added. “In my mind, I’m like oh no and then he sprayed it. Odis took one step back, eyes closed shut and then sprayed it again. I feel really bad for Odis. I was crying.”

“My dog looked pathetic, my son was wandering hysterically through the house locking himself in the room thinking that it was his fault,” Reid’s mother Bonnie said. “When we were washing the dog, the fumes were getting up into our face and making me gag. It could have easily been him if he’d been a couple of feet closer.”

Statistics show that Richmond had the most dog attacks on carriers than any Virginia city, with 22 attacks last year. The USPS policy states that carriers can use repellents to defend themselves against attacks, but not when there is a danger of spraying people.

“It’s good to know the mailmen have a way to protect themselves, but at the same time we want to make sure the people are protected and that our dogs are treated fairly,” said Banta.

The neighbors reached out to their local post office.

“We tried to call and form a complaint,” said Banta. “We called the direct supervisor first and he wasn’t very receptive to us. He yelled at us and still wouldn’t give us the mailman’s name.”

Banta then called his supervisor.

“She felt like the mailman did what he was trained to do,” she said.

“We were very discouraged,” said Banta. “We felt like there was nothing we could really do to prevent this from happening again and were worried because the mailman comes every single day and we’re out here with our kids a lot. We’re concerned that it’s going to happen again, and our kids are really afraid of the mailman now.”

When she says they didn’t get answers, they wrote the USPS headquarters in Washington, DC. CBS 6 also made an inquiry.

“Once you all got involved we’ve gotten a very kind call from the postmaster saying what can we do? And has decided to give us a new mail carrier starting immediately. That’s what we were hoping for and we’re excited for the change,” said Edwards.

A USPS spokesperson said they were unable to reach anyone in the Richmond office on this case but released the following statement.

“The Postal Service takes the issue of dog bite prevention very seriously.

We ask that you share dog bite prevention tips with customers – it helps:

While the number of dog attacks in the city of Richmond remained about the same in 2017 as with the previous year, the number of postal employees attacked by dogs nationwide decreased in the same timeframe. The decline is linked to safety measures that the Postal Service introduced in recent years, including Package Pickup and Mobile Delivery Device features that alert letter carriers to dogs on their routes. We are encouraged by the progress and are grateful to pet owners for their support.

Dog bites can be reduced by following these tips:

If a carrier delivers mail or packages to your front door, place your dog in a separate room and close that door before opening the front door. Some dogs burst through screen doors or plate-glass windows to attack visitors. Dog owners should keep the family pet secured.
Parents should remind their children and other family members not to take mail directly from carriers in the presence of the family pet, as the dog may view the person handing mail to a family member as a threatening gesture.
The Postal Service places the safety of its employees as a top priority. If a carrier feels threatened by a dog, or if a dog is loose or unleashed, the owner may be asked to pick up mail at a Post Office until the carrier is assured the pet has been restrained. If a dog is roaming the neighborhood, the pet owner’s neighbors also may be asked to pick up their mail at the area’s Post Office.
Additional tips are available on the Postal Service’s YouTube channel.

National Dog Bite Prevention Week runs through Saturday. The number of postal employees attacked by dogs nationwide reached 6,244 in 2017 — more than 500 fewer than 2016.

(WTVR - April 11, 2018)

Washington: A’Kinyelle Thomas-Lewis, 21, and Forrest Smith, 22, shot their 5-month-old Labradoodle puppy named Aubrey in the stomach then abandoned her because they didn't want her any longer, say police

2018-05-04T17:55:00.001-04:00

Note: They're saying on the Kitsap Humane Society's Facebook page that both of these men are in the United States Navy.

PORT ORCHARD, WASHINGTON -- Two men were charged Tuesday with animal cruelty for shooting a high-maintenance puppy and leaving it in the bushes in a Port Orchard park.

The 5-month-old Labradoodle named Aubrey was found Monday near 1800 Sidney Avenue, which is part of Vanzee Memorial Park, after a neighbor heard the gunshot before 2 p.m. and then heard a dog whimpering and yelping.

Officers found the dog and a detective drove it to Kitsap Veterinary Hospital on Bethel Avenue, where it was stabilized and x-rayed. It was ultimately taken to the Kitsap Humane Society in Silverdale for emergency surgery.

A Facebook post Monday night from the Humane Society said the dog had been shot in the abdomen.

“We are optimistic about the dog's prognosis but would love if our followers could keep him in their thoughts tonight,” the post said.

Port Orchard Police Deputy Chief Dale Schuster said officers were lining up to adopt the puppy.

“It’s disturbing,” he said, adding that if the owner had taken the dog to the Humane Society it would have likely been re-adopted in short period of time.

As officers were canvassing the neighborhood, one found a folded-up traffic ticket for a 22-year-old man, Forrest Christian Smith, who lived nearby. His vehicle matched the description of a vehicle witnesses saw at the scene, according to court documents.

Officers went to the address and interviewed a roommate, who said Smith bought the dog about two months earlier and that since then the puppy had been “troublesome.”

Smith had not bothered to potty train (housebreak) Aubrey so she was having accidents inside the residence. Smith also wasn't bothering to take into consideration that she is a puppy and was allowing her to chew on furniture and other items.

Another roommate, A’Kinyelle Donald Thomas-Lewis, 21, said Smith was “unwilling to put up with the dog any longer” and admitted he and Smith had gone to the wooded area together and Smith shot the dog.

Officers noted Thomas-Lewis appeared confused by the investigation and behaved as though police were overreacting about the horrific animal cruelty, saying, “All this for a dog.”

Officers seized a 9 mm Glock handgun from the residence.

Smith was charged in Kitsap County Superior Court with first-degree animal cruelty; Thomas-Lewis was charged with accomplice to first-degree animal cruelty.

Kitsap Humane Society
April 30 at 10:38pm ·
Tonight our amazing veterinary team is staying late finishing up a long emergency surgery to save a dog that was shot this afternoon. The bullet had entered his abdomen and Animal Control Officers rushed him to KHS so he could get the lifesaving care he needed. This is what being on the front lines of animal welfare looks like- late nights, a dedication to lifesaving, and sometimes, a whole lot of blood. We are optimistic about the dog's prognosis but would love if our followers could keep him in their thoughts tonight.

(Kitsap Sun - May 1, 2018)

Alabama: Woman searching for her pet Serval after it escaped from her home

2018-05-04T17:54:00.001-04:00

PELHAM, ALABAMA -- The owner of a domesticated African Serval, an exotic cat from sub-Saharran countries, has been looking for her pet since his escape on April 24th from the Chandalar area of Pelham.

In a Facebook post, Felicia Wilson, of Pelham, says the eight-month-old cat named Juno escaped out of her front door as her daughter was heading off to school.

Wilson says the cat "is not a wild animal" and is urging anyone who spots him to refrain from shooting.

It is legal to own African Servals in the state of Alabama.

"The police said if push comes to shove they will have no choice but to shoot him if they can't catch him," she wrote in a post, which has since been deleted.

Wilson says Juno will not hurt other animals or people, but he will run away if approached. Wilson believes a tranquilizer might need to be used to catch him, as Servals can run at speeds up to 45 miles per hour.

According to Pelham Police, Pelham Animal Control, Shelby Animal Control, and the Birmingham Zoo have been consulted in this case. Officers have extensively searched the area and placed devices throughout to safely capture Juno, but he has not yet been spotted.

Anyone who sees Juno is asked to contact Pelham Police at (205) 620-6550.

(abc3340 - May 3, 2018)

Missouri: Stuck 8 days in a Taney County pipe, Jack the Labrador catches a break

2018-05-04T17:50:00.002-04:00

MISSOURI -- No one's sure why Jack crawled into a Taney County culvert.

But the hefty pooch somehow got himself stuck about eight feet into the 15-foot underground pipe — and may have been there for as many as eight days before his owners found him.

With no way to get Jack out, his owners called for help.

The cavalry — a Central Taney County Fire Rescue crew — was quick to arrive Wednesday afternoon.

Volunteer firefighter Jeff Romines photographed Jack's ordeal, which involved one fire truck, one service truck, a backhoe and six human rescuers.

Romines, the department's training officer, said Jack's owners said the dog had been missing for more than a week.

When the owner went to check the mail, he heard whimpering and called for help.

"Jack's a pretty good-sized Labrador, and he's a little chubby," Romines said. "One end of the culvert was blocked, so when he tried to turn around, he got stuck."

Romines said the dog's hind legs had fallen asleep, exacerbating the problem.

Jack was lucky in another way, too. Taney County had some significant rain while Jack was in the pipe.

"He's lucky the ditch didn't fill up while he was in there," he said.

According to the fire department, Jack was lodged so far into the pipe that firefighters had to dig out part of the homeowner's driveway to access the pipe.

Then they used a special saw to cut through the metal culvert, made a bigger hole with the Jaws of Life, and pulled the weakened pup to safety.

Jack was so weak that rescuers had to help him out of the hole.

After some water and a brief rest, Jack was taken home to rest on his favorite bed. Firefighters said it appears Jack will be fine.

Assisting with Jack's rescue were Taney County Animal Control and Taney County Road & Bridge, which responded with a backhoe.

(Springfield News-Leader - May 2, 2018)

North Carolina: Four-year-old nearly loses eye after family's newly adopted Pit Bull attacks

2018-05-04T10:23:00.000-04:00

LENOIR, NORTH CAROLINA -- A 4-year-old Caldwell County girl was attacked inside her home by the family pet Wednesday.

Family members said they had just recently adopted the Pit Bull from the Humane Society in Catawba County.

Justina Turner, the child's mother, said she and her daughter were in the living room of her home south of Lenoir when the three-year-old 60-pound Pit Bull suddenly attacked the child, biting her face.

She said the dog bit down so hard on her daughter that she wasn't sure at first how she was going to get the animal off her.

Turner said the dog nearly ripped her daughter's right eye out, and the girl had to get several stitches around her eye.

"I was in such shock,” Turner said. “I didn't know what was going on. Once I got the dog away from my daughter and saw the blood, it was the most terrifying thing I've ever seen in my life."

The dog is in quarantine for 10 days to be checked for rabies at the Caldwell County Animal Shelter.

Turner said she didn’t know the dog posed a threat because it seemed friendly when she adopted it.

"They really didn't tell us much about the dog,” Turner said. “They just told us to pick out a dog and to take it to the play yard to play with it. The dog seemed kid-friendly."

The humane society handles all adoptions in Catawba County from the intake to temperament screening prior to adoption.

SUPPOSED 'RANDOM VISITOR' WITH PIT BULL INTERVIEWED

"They're around these animals every day,” said Paris Wright, a visitor at the Catawba County Humane Society (who just happened to be walking a Pit Bull). “They see their temperament. They see how they carry themselves. So, I figured that's what they would be able to give me insight and they did."

Humane society officials said an adopted dog can act differently once it's in a home and around children.

Turner said people need to be careful adopting older dogs.

"I just wanted him out of the house,” she said.

The Catawba County Humane Society adopts more than 1,000 dogs each year and has not had an issue like this.

The dog had been in the humane society for more than two months prior to being adopted.

Notice the Catawba County Humane Society didn't say they would euthanize the dog. That's because after its quarantine period, they'll send him home with some other unsuspecting family or put him into the "shelter shuffle" - where they ship vicious dogs to rescues or other shelters in other counties and states, hiding the dog's history so someone else can end up taking it home without knowing it likes to attack children.

(WSOC - May 4, 2018)

Texas: Three Pit Bulls euthanized after gruesome attack of San Angelo man leaves skull exposed

2018-04-19T21:03:00.001-04:00

TEXAS -- Three dogs have been euthanized after a gruesome attack that left a San Angelo man with serious injuries, according to a news release from the San Angelo Police Department.

About 9:45 p.m. Saturday, April 14, 2018, police responded to the 300 block of East 11th Street for the report of a vicious animal attack after a caller said three dogs, described as pit bulls according to the news release, were "on top of a man, attacking him."

After officers arrived at the residence, they saw three dogs retreat through a hole in a nearby fence. They next found a Carlos "Ricky" Garces, 56, lying in the driveway of the residence, covered in blood from multiple injuries.

"The man’s skull was exposed, and a large portion of his scalp was missing," according to the news release.

San Angelo Fire Department personnel transported Garces to a nearby hospital for treatment of serious injuries, according to the release.

Family members reached out to the Standard-Times to give an update on his condition.

"If it hadn't been for his neighbor, those dogs would have killed him," said his sister, Nellie Garces. "He's critical but stable."

Nellie Garces, who lives in Brady, Texas, said she traveled to Fort Worth, where her brother is heavily sedated and undergoing treatment.

"The damage is severe," she said. "So far, the doctors are having to go in and clean his skull. His main surgery will be Thursday, which will be about 15 hours, give or take."

She said her brother had been out for a walk after supper when he was attacked.

"I just want to thank the neighbor who helped save my brother's life," Nellie Garces said. "Right now, from here, we're just praying to God he gets better, and we will seek more information on what we need to do to seek justice."

Police said the Pit Bulls’ owner, a 23-year-old San Angelo resident, surrendered the three dogs to Animal Control.

An official with Animal Control Services said they were familiar with the dogs and their owner after a March incident, when the dogs were impounded and temporarily quarantined for observation after an attack on a stray dog. All reportedly showed no signs of rabies after the March incident.

"The dogs, all three pit bull mixes, were destroyed as of this morning as a direct result of the attack," said Morgan Chegwidden, assistant director of Neighborhood and Family Services. "And because the owner surrendered them, we were able to take immediate action."

Chegwidden was unable to comment on any legal ramifications the dog's owner may face as the incident is under investigation, but she said "the state health code provides for a legal procedure where a pet owner can be fined, per animal, in the event of an attack."

(San Angelo Standard-Times - April 17, 2018)

Georgia: Lawsuit filed against Rosa Garcia after her Pit Bulls nearly tore off this man's leg

2018-04-19T21:03:00.000-04:00

GEORGIA -- The owner of a pair of pit bulls that attacked three people in the Five Forks Trickum Road area near Lawrenceville earlier this month is now facing a lawsuit from one of the victims.

Personal injury law firm Zagoria Law announced Thursday that it filed the lawsuit against Rosa Garcia on behalf of Zhongkai Mao, 77. The suit says Mao was attacked because Garcia did not keep the dogs restrained so they wouldn’t leave her property.

The attack left Mao with deep wounds on his leg and his family previously told the Daily Post that he, at one point, faced the possibility of having his leg amputated.

“Mr. Mao is suffering severely and, according to doctors, will possibly need years of rehabilitation,” attorney Brooks Neely said in a statement. “At Zagoria Law, our priority in every dog bite case is to ensure that dog owners are held responsible for the actions of their pets when those actions cause injury to others.”

The filing of the lawsuit came as Mao began vacuum therapy on his leg. His son-in-law, Robert Davis, posted an update on a GoFundMe page Tuesday, in which he said Mao began the therapy at the hospital this week.

“If successful, he will continue long term vacuum treatment at home, which according to the social worker he will be on his own to pay for,” Davis wrote in the update. “After several weeks of treatment, skin grafts may be necessary.”

Mao’s family has been raising funds for his recovery through their GoFundMe page. He immigrated to Georgia from China earlier this year, and did not have a job or insurance to help cover his medical costs. So far, $4,255 has been raised, with a goal to raise $300,000.

In his update, Davis said the family is limited to going after Garcia’s homeowners insurance liability coverage and they expect that will be split between Mao and the other two victims in the attack.

Zagoria officials said they were not aware of any lawsuits being filed yet by the other victims.

The dogs attacked a 16-year old girl near the intersection of Five Forks Trickum Road and Emerald Forest Court on April 2. After a passerby pulled her into their car to get her away from the pit bulls, the dogs attacked Mao.

His leg was bleeding uncontrollably afterward and a tourniquet had to be applied, according to a Gwinnett Animal Welfare and Enforcement report.

The dogs then wandered into a neighborhood and severely attacked another man in his backyard.

All three victims had to be taken to local hospitals. The Animal Welfare and Enforcement report also said a car crashed on Five Forks Trickum because of the attack on the first victim.

Garcia surrendered the dogs to Animal Welfare and Enforcement officers once they discovered who the pit bulls belonged to. County officials said the dogs were later euthanized and their bodies were sent off to a lab for rabies tests, which came back negative.

(Gwinnett Daily Post - Apr 12, 2018)

Earlier:

Georgia: Pit Bulls maul 16 year-old girl, a man in his backyard and a 77-year-old man who may lose his leg

Colorado: Police rescue bear which broke into car, locked himself in, then honked horn for help

2018-04-19T21:02:00.000-04:00

COLORADO -- Boulder County Sheriff's Office posted on Facebook April 17 at 5:56am ·

Our deputies responded to a vehicle trespass with an....usual suspect. A bear broke into a car and locked himself in.

Car 0. Bear 1.

They were able to open the car door and safely let the bear out without anyone, including the bear, being harmed.

This is a good reminder that wildlife is out and about this time of year looking for food. Here are tips for living with bears. Trust us, you don’t want to have to deal with a “hangry” bear.

1) Don’t feed birds while bears are active. Attract birds with water feeders, plantings and nest boxes instead.
2) Store garbage in bear-resistant containers, enclosures or buildings.
3) Put trash out the morning of pick up, not the night before.
4) Keep bear-accessible windows and doors closed and locked at night.
5) Keep garage doors closed. Lock the door between the house and the garage.
6) Don’t leave anything inside your vehicle that could attract a bear. That includes sun tan lotion, hand crème and air fresheners, along with empty food wrappers and packaging.
7) Don’t leave pet food or empty pet food dishes outside. Store pet food in a secure enclosure.
8)Put chickens and small livestock in a secure pen at night or electric fence their enclosure.
9) Pick fruit and produce as soon as, or just before, it ripens.
10) Unwelcome mats and electric fencing are proven ways to keep bears out.

Arkansas: "I still have his cowboy boots that have pieces of my son's face on them that fell off when I picked him up" says father whose little boy, 4, was mauled by two Pit Bulls

2018-04-19T18:25:00.001-04:00

ARKANSAS -- A toddler is in the hospital fighting to recover after a neighbor's two pit bulls mauled his face on Thursday morning.

Four-year-old Matthew Guess was outside his Arkansas home when the two adult dogs leapt on him and viciously started attacking him right in front of his father.

Now, Dustin Guess is sharing the horrific details of his son's dog attack in the hopes that this will never happen to any other parent or child again.

According to Dustin Guess, both dogs attacked the child simultaneously while he was walking between his house and the neighbor's home.

One dog started dragging Matthew away by his leg as the other attacked his face. Guess was also outside at the time and the horrified dad sprinted to the child's side as he tried to separate his boy from the brutal dogs.

"He said 'Daddy, they had my face,'" he recalled to NWA. "I couldn't win."

Matthew was rushed to Washington Regional Medical Center with severe injuries to his face and leg.

After having surgery, he was transferred to Children's Hospital for an additional operation before reconstruction can begin on his face, according to a Go Fund Me page that was set up to help with the child's medical expenses. "He is still fighting a fever and [in] a lot of pain," Elizabeth Champion, a family friend, wrote.

Matthew still needs multiple surgeries, and in the meantime, his dad is raising awareness.

"I still have his cowboy boots that have pieces of my son's face on them that fell off when I picked him up," Guess told NWA. " .... I don't know how to describe the darkness, the loneliness, the pair and the fear and the anger. I mean it's every emotion at the highest level."

However, he's finding strength from his child. "He still has that grin," Guess said. "It's not gone and it still works."

According to police, only one one of the pit bulls had the required rabies shot and both have been deemed "dangerous." The neighbor has received a citation for violating the state's Rabies Control Act and both dogs were quarantined until one was euthanized.

But that isn't enough for Guess.

"My reality and my understanding to this point now is that there has to be, there has to be, something put in place to protect our children when parents fail, because I was a failed parent myself," Guess said.

Currently in Arkansas, 40 cities have breed-specific legislation that prohibits pit bulls, only allowing them under strict and specific exceptions. However where Guess lives, there aren't any laws restricting ownership of the breed. Washington County Attorney Brian Lester told NWA that Matthew's situation could be what it takes to change that.

"I've already received talk from one of the Justices of the Peace, a member of the Quorum Court, here who questioned this specifically," Lester said. He added, "Any dog in any home, whether it's in a good home or abused could potentially attack somebody .... It's unfortunate because right now there is no fail-proof way to keep this from happening again."

Other parents are sharing similar experiences, and it's unsurprisingly sparking a heated online debate.

"My heart goes out to Matthew and his family. My son was also the victim of a dog attack," one mom wrote on GoFundMe. "It's the most helpless I've ever felt as I was not with him when it happened."

However, others on Facebook are blaming Matthew's parents. "Maybe if people actually did their jobs as parents and watch their kids these kind of things wouldn't happen," one user commented. "Or maybe if they didn't let their kids climb all over the dogs and terrorize them these kind of things wouldn't happen but people don't like taking care of their kids these days, they let video games or cell phones or anything else raise their kids except doing the job themselves."

But others agree with Guess and think action should be taken. "People are more important than pets -- PERIOD! Especially children!!!!! Makes me furious how people can feel no sympathy for a child's needs over an animals!" one person wrote. "We have several pets, and I promise if a child was harmed by one of ours, and I don't care what the situation is, that pet is GONE!!!"

It's safe to say that this issue isn't going to be settled anytime soon, but let's hope that everyone can agree on one thing: This child didn't deserve the violent attack, and nothing but compassion should be sent his way.

* * * * * *

GOFUNDME: Fundraiser for Krista Guess
Created April 7, 2018
by Elizabeth Champion on behalf of Krista Guess
Medical
WEST FORK, AR

Matthew is a 4 year old boy from West Fork Ar. He was brutally attacked Thursday morning by their landlord's two pit bulls. He has already had one surgery at Washington Regional. Last night he was transferred to Children's Hospital in Little Rock Ar. He will be under going another surgery this morning and many more after that to reconstruct his face. He is still fighting a fever and a lot of pain. I am a close family friend of Krista and Dustin. Our boys are the same age and best friends. She is linked to this account and has full access to the funds and able to see and able to update.

UPDATE
A message from our little buddy's Dad Dustin Guess.
"Yall look out, there's a new deputy in town!!! Sworn in and official! Thank you to the Washington County sheriff's office for making the long trip here to see and check on our baby boy! He's a proud officer of the law and means business!!"

UPDATE
Matthew is doing very well! His spirits are so high and is one of the strongest little boys ever. He has surgery Friday morning on his face again. Prayers that everything goes smoothly! Thank yall so much for the donations. The family greatly appreciates it so very much and so does Matthew! #Matthewsfight

(Cafe Mom - April 11, 2018)

Texas: Four months later, San Angelo boy mauled by pit bull hasn't received money from GoFundMe

2018-04-19T18:25:00.000-04:00

TEXAS -- Four months after donors raised over $1,600 in support of a San Angelo boy who was mauled by a pit bull, neither he nor the family have received the money.

Forty-one donors in January gave a total of $1,666 with a goal of reaching $10,000 to benefit a Israel Costilla, according to a screenshot taken of the page before the account was deactivated.

The GoFundMe campaign for Israel was created by Shannon Jolene Carpenter on Jan. 6.

Carpenter, who did not know the Costilla family personally, launched the campaign after seeing the extent of Israel's injuries in a photo provided by Rayetta Trigg, whose pit bull attacked Israel.

"When (Trigg) let me see the picture I literally almost fell off of my stool. I showed the picture to my husband and friend Adam and they were shocked as well," Carpenter said.

Israel needed more than 300 stitches, surgery and physical therapy.

In a statement on the GoFundMe page, Carpenter noted donations would go "directly to (Israel's) well being and help the parents with any extra costs they may have due to this tragic event."

On Jan. 13, Andreana Costilla — Israel's mother — contacted GoFundMe and requested the campaign be deactivated after reaching out to Carperter via text message. Costilla wanted the page deleted for personal reasons.

"I shut the page down immediately once I got that text," Carpenter said.

Four months later, the funds remain held by GoFundMe.

"A lot of the donors have reached out to us," said Ana Costilla — Israel's grandmother, "and I explained the situation to them, and they were very understanding — upset, but understanding."

GoFundMe said Tuesday a payment processor would "continue working with both (Carpenter) and the family to ensure a safe transfer of funds."

Emails between the Costilla family from GoFundMe, however, suggest the funds may never reach the family.

No one in the Costilla family was established as a beneficiary on the campaign, emails between the Costilla family and GoFundMe note. The company urged Costilla to reach out to Carpenter to privately settle the matter.

Multiple attempts of reaching out to Carpenter went unanswered, the family says.

Carpenter thought the issue was settled.

"I assume(d) (GoFundMe) gave the family the money," Carpenter said Tuesday.

Carpenter stated she would contact GoFundMe soon to get the issue worked out.

"I will give (GoFundMe) a call for sure because this situation needs to be resolved immediately," she said.

(San Angelo Standard Times - April 19, 2018)

Earlier:

New York: Girl, 7, mauled by Pit Bull that belongs to a "family member's friend"

2018-04-19T18:16:00.000-04:00

NEW YORK -- The fate of a pit bull that attacked a 7-year-old girl in her Bellport home Wednesday will be decided after the Brookhaven Animal Shelter keeps it for 10 days, a town spokesman said.

According to Suffolk police the child was seriously injured after the dog attacked her shortly after 5 p.m. and had to be fended off with a shovel.

The girl’s mother and a man dog-sitting the male dog were also injured when they tried to stop the attack, police said.

Police said the victim was playing with the dog in her Bieselin Road home when she was bitten on her right arm, causing several lacerations.

When the mother tried to get the dog off her daughter, the dog bit the woman on her hand, police said.

Then the man hit the pit bull over the head with the shovel, police said, but he was bitten on the hand before the dog ran out to the yard.

The child, seriously wounded, and her mother, who had non-life-threatening injuries, were airlifted to Stony Brook University Hospital, while the man was taken to a hospital to be treated for non-life-threatening injuries to his hand, police said.

Police emergency service officers put the dog in a cage and the Brookhaven Town dog warden took it to the town animal shelter, police said.

No official information was available Thursday about the latest condition of the girl and the others injured.

Town spokesman Jack Krieger said the pit bull was being kept on a 10-day “bite hold” for safekeeping and that after that several options can be considered.

Krieger said that if the shelter decides the dog is “too violent” then it can decide to put the animal down or keep it.

If the dog is not determined to be a danger and the owner does not claim it, then the shelter has the same options of putting it down or keeping it, Krieger said.

Krieger said that if the owner wants the dog back after the 10 days but the shelter believes it’s still dangerous, then the town would have to make a court bid to put the animal down.

A person who answered the phone at the house Thursday identified himself as the owner’s son and would not give his name.

The dog belongs to “a family member’s friend,” he said. He would not reveal the names of the friend any of the injured.

When asked how the girl is doing, he said, “She’s projected to make a full recovery.”

(Newsday - April 12, 2018)

Pennsylvania: Woman claims man stabbed her Pit Bull mix for no reason; doesn't mention the dog was loose and tried to attack man

2018-04-13T14:22:00.004-04:00

PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA -- When I read the GoFundMe page, I immediately suspected the owner, Jesse Mortimer, wasn't being 100% truthful. She says:

"A man was passing by our home while Clark was outside, on his leash, to go potty. The man suddenly stabbed Clark when Clark went up onto the sidewalk to greet him. He showed no aggression towards the man, as he is a very sweet boy. The man then immediately took off, leaving our poor boy bleeding out on the street. He was stabbed in the lower abdomen, close the lungs and stomach."

If this dog is leashed he wouldn't have had an opportunity to get to the sidewalk. If a person has a reasonable fear of being attacked, they are legally allowed to protect themselves.

When we get to the news story, which is one-sided on her part, we get the truth:

Wednesday night, Clark was outside on a leash when a man walked toward Fretts' home on Burrows Street. Clark started barking.

"He said, 'Girl, get your dogs in,' so I was like, all right, I'm going to make sure they're all contained," Fretts said.

In the process of getting Clark inside, the dog slipped out of his collar and ran toward the man.

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Clark is a friendly dog, claims its owners.

"When we adopted him, he had no record of aggressive behavior," owner Greta Fretts said.

Wednesday night, Clark was outside on a leash when a man walked toward Fretts' home on Burrows Street. Clark started barking.

"He said, 'Girl, get your dogs in,' so I was like, all right, I'm going to make sure they're all contained," Fretts said.

In the process of getting Clark inside, the dog slipped out of his collar and ran toward the man.

Fretts is adamant that Clark wasn't attacking the man, but said that as the dog ran toward the passerby, Clark was stabbed by the man, who then ran away.

"Not real aggressive or anything," Fretts said. "He was just trying to run and greet him like he usually would anyone else, and the guy had a knife already and stabbed him in the said."

Immediately, Fretts applied pressure to the wound. She and her roommate got Clark to a veterinarian at Pittsburgh Veterinary Specialty & Emergency Center in the North Hills.

"It penetrated his chest cavity and caused an injury to the lung, so it was a very deep wound," Dr. Kelsey Sutcliffe said. "He's a young, otherwise healthy dog. I think his prognosis is excellent, as long as he continues to do as well as he has."

Pittsburgh police are investigating the incident.

(WTAE - April 11, 2018)