Pit bull mauls infant girl to death
Published: September 29, 2009
An Orange County toddler has died after being mauled Sunday evening by her family’s pit bull.
The 23-month-old girl, whose name was not released Monday, was pronounced dead at the University of Virginia Medical Center several hours after she ventured out of her home and was attacked by the family dog, according to Orange County Sheriff Mark Amos.
“[An officer] responded to the call and found that the child was unresponsive and had multiple trauma injuries covering the body,” Amos said in a news release.
The dog, a pit bull that had been with the family for 10 years, was turned over to animal control officers and euthanized Sunday night. Sheriff’s officials had not received any previous complaints about the dog, Amos said.
Virginia Department of Health officials were not able to confirm Monday if this was the first dog mauling death in Virginia this year, but spokeswoman Maribeth Brewster said health officials were not familiar with any other recent case.
Sheriff’s officials were called at approximately 6:40 p.m. Sunday after the child was discovered gravely injured. Reports said the child’s mother was preoccupied and did not notice the child leave the house, in the Mountain Track Road area of Orange County.
Family members started searching for the girl when they discovered her missing, but Amos gave no estimate on how long the child was out of the mother’s sight. The sheriff declined to release additional details or say whether charges would be filed.
Jim Parrish, a Virginia lawyer who handles civil cases of dog attacks, said children are the most likely victims of dog attacks. He said his research has shown that many attacks are by dogs the victim knows.
“Most of the time it’s the first time the dog has ever attacked a person or other animal,” Parrish said.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, dogs bite 4.5 million Americans each year and one in five dog bites need medical attention.
A report released by the Virginia Department of Health in August 2008 said 4,346 dog bite-related injuries were seen in emergency rooms and urgent care centers across the state in 2007.
Statistics for 2008 have not been released.
DogsBite.org, a public education Web site on dangerous dogs, reported 23 people in the U.S. were killed in 2008 in dog attacks. Of those, 16 were children.
In those 23 cases, 15 child and adult victims were killed by pit bulls, the DogsBite.org study showed.
In Orange County, two dogs are listed on the Virginia Dangerous Dog Registry, a state database that tracks dogs deemed dangerous by the local court. Neither of those dogs was involved in the attack on the child Sunday, and neither is a pit bull.
There are 266 dogs on the statewide dangerous dog registry, said Elaine Lidholm, spokeswoman for the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, the office that oversees the registry.
If a dog kills a human being or a domesticated animal, then it is deemed vicious and is immediately euthanized, Lidholm said.
In 2005, a 4-year-old Orange County boy was fatally mauled by his family’s Rottweiler-shepherd mix. Left unsupervised for less than a minute, the boy wandered into the dog’s area in the family’s backyard. After hearing his screams, the boy’s mother managed to pull the dog off her son, but it was too late: His neck was already broken.
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Reader Reactions
Does anyone know of a subject the pretentious pedant (aka antiboyd) is unwilling to hold forth on?
“Posted by crzygrlz on September 30, 2009 at 12:13 pm
It is not the breed of dog that is to blame. If you do not know the pit bull breed or understand them you should not own one. I have been in the dog bussiness since i was 13 yrs old. The pit bull breed has a chemical imbalance in there brain.“
Are you kidding me? That is the most laughable thing I have ever heard. A chemical imbalance? Since you have been in the “dog bussiness (sic)“ I am sure that you can post some proof of this brain imbalance, right?
I am not going to argue the fact that all large breed dogs and most terrier breeds need an extra level of exercise, both physical and mental, and constant training, but to say that pit bulls have a chemical imbalance is not only WRONG, but it feeds into the hysteria.
“Posted by rjma on September 30, 2009 at 12:33 pm
... I only know what I read in the newspaper. ... What’s a person supposed to think? That it is just a coincidence?“
See, that is the root of the problem with regard to public opinion. If all you know is what you read in the papers you should take some time to do some personal investigation, and I do not mean “Googling” pit bulls. Go out and find a rescue organization and volunteer some time. Get a real understanding of what characteristics are prevalent in the breed before you get swept away in the media hype.
If you read my previous post about the number of fatal dog attacks in Virginia, not only will you see that the recent instances of pit bull attacks is not only abnormally high, but that there are always mitigating circumstances such as abuse, neglect, chaining or blatant mis-identification.
Here is a rescue organization in Virginia that I am sure would love to have you volunteer.
http://www.ascpbr.com/
Crzy- Once more. I only know what I read in the newspaper. In the last 6 months there have been three stories in the local media that I’ve seen about dog maulings. One in rapp. co., another (involving 2 victims) in Culp. and now this death in Orange. You can tell me all day long about the breed not being to blame but all three of these serious injuries and one death were due to pit bulls. What’s a person supposed to think? That it is just a coincidence?
It is not the breed of dog that is to blame. If you do not know the pit bull breed or understand them you should not own one. I have been in the dog bussiness since i was 13 yrs old. The pit bull breed has a chemical imbalance in there brain. they are Not to be chained up for a long period of time and they cannot be caged. This will make them flip out. Think about it how would you like to be caged or chained. I have owned pit bulls my entire life and they have been great family pets. they let have slept with any baby you lay down, they protect what is theirs. I’m not saying it was right what that dog did alls I’m saying is maybe the owners didn’t know what the breed is about. Yes they had the dog for 10 yrs. But did they understand the breed? I have heard about people that had to put there pits down because it killed a chicken or a neighbors cat, but i haven’t heard about the chihuaha’s that bite kids and kill chickens being put down. If you are going to make the pit bulls pay for this it should also be effective for the “cute little” chihuaha’s also. Don’t make it out to be the pit bull’s nature becaouse it is in all dogs nature to attack when hurt or threatened.
http://nationalcanineresearchcouncil.com/in-your-state/virginia/dog-bite-fatalities/
Dog Bite Fatalities
Over the past 44 years (1965 – present) there have been thirtenn (13) fatal dog attacks in Virginia, an average of one (1) fatality approximately every four (4) years.
At least five (5) different breeds/types of dogs have been identified in these attacks.
The victims were 5 adults and 8 children.
More than half the children (n=5) were killed by dogs maintained on chains.
All the dogs involved were intact (not spayed or neutered).
In 2000, a 6-year-old Cumberland boy was killed by a chained wolf dog. The boy had gone out to feed the animal and found the its chain entangled in a cow fence. Unfortunately, as he attempted to free the distressed animal, it attacked him.
Two other cases involved dog owners and/or parents whose extreme negligence resulted in manslaughter convictions:
In 2005, D. Large of Spotsylvania was sentenced to 3 years in prison after her loose roaming dogs killed her elderly neighbor.
View Image: http://nationalcanineresearchcouncil.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/12/fda-vaweb.jpg
Also in 2005, J. Martin and H. Frango of Suffolk were convicted of involuntary manslaughter and child abuse/neglect, after their 2-year-old son was attacked and killed by their two dogs. Both parents were sentenced to 3 years in prison. The dog pictured above was one of two mixed breed dogs involved in the attack. She was usually chained outside the residence, but was in the basement on the day of the attack because she had given birth to a litter of puppies. The media labeled her a “pit bull.”
In 2005, a 4-year-old Orange County boy wandered out into the backyard where a chained dog resided (pictured above). The dog, an intact male, identified as a “Rottweiler” in a number of media sources, attacked and killed the boy.
View Image: http://nationalcanineresearchcouncil.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/01/fda-rt2-241x375.jpg
In spite of the reckless, dangerous and abusive ownership practices of some dog owners, dogs still pose an incredibly low risk for causing a fatality in Virginia:
Virginia: Recognized Risks Year 2005
Tobacco-related fatalities 9,200
Total (alcohol & non) traffic deaths 947
Alcohol-related traffic fatalities 362
Persons drowned in tub or swimming pool 24
Bicycle-related fatalities 23
ATV-related fatalities 12
Death after contact w/bees, hornets, wasps 4
Persons killed by dogs 3
According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services:
In 2005, 26 Virginia children died as result of maltreatment (abuse, neglect).
In a single year, 2005, more than three times as many Virginia children died from maltreatment than the total of all children killed by dogs in the state over the past 44 years.
***
Fact is, people in Virginia routinely accept far greater risks from ATVs bicycles and swimming pools than any that are associated with companion animals.
If you view the images attached to this story and you still contend that information from sites like DogsBite is accurate then there is nothing that can help you.
To antiboyd:
Obviously you did not spend any significant time reading Dogsbite.org’s website (nor did the reporter who used them as a reference).
Because if you did spend more than 10 minutes on the site, you would have seen that when Animal Control calls a dog involved in an attack a mixed breed, DogsBites.org accuses them of being in league with dog fighters and/or dog breeds.
They also regularly accuse Animal control officers of being involved in “pit bull cover-ups” and lying to the public.
Dogsbite.org than goes on to “reclassify” the dog as a “pit bull” in their “statistics” - because they “know better” and “know” the dog is a pit bull despite what all the experts said.
This is the danger of using “blogs/websites” as sources without doing any work yourself to see if the person is trustworthy, honest or has manipulated information to suit their agenda.
Shame on you and shame on DP for being duped by this sham website.
In the past few months there have been 2 stories (rapp. co. and Culp.) about a total of 3 people (2 young) who were seriously injured by dogs described as “pit bulls”. Then this one in Orange where a toddler was killed also by a pit bull. What’s a person supposed to think?
But apparently this is not enough. How many pit bull attacks would be enough to discourage people from owning them. Are there not other breeds far less associated with maulings that can provide enjoyment for its owners. What is the great fascination with pits?
Antiboyd,
As far as making fun of victims of “runaway” trains, that’s bad taste. After all, they are crafty critters so cpabale of sneaking up alongside you and striking out, unexpectedly, from those iron rails
Take a gander at these:
http://www.dogsbite.org/blog/2009/06/pit-bull-drags-adult-owner-into.html
by Anonymous Anonymous 6/08/2009 2:30 AM | Flag as abusive
“Everywhere she went, the dog went”
Looks to me more like everywhere the dog went, she had to follow.
by Blogger bitbypit 6/09/2009 12:03 PM | Flag as abusive
We’ve been watching comments on this post and seeing how they unfold. We have now removed some as well. Ad hominem attacks, which include celebrating the death or illness of any person, are usually disallowed in comment sections.
There you have it. There were so many comments in poor taste that they were removed. Speaks volumes about the quality of the posters at DogsBite.
antiboyd,
Are you kidding me? Ok, let’s start with the FACT that nothing on DogsBite can even be considered “fact”. The only thing about that site that is a FACT is that the owner/designer/publisher is a woman named Colleen Lynn. She is a self-admitted paranoid psychotic that has to take medication to keep from overgeneralizing to the point where she cannot function in normal society. Next, her “research” consists of nothing more than counting news reports, a method that has been widely debunked because the majority of the people in the world cannot tell a pit bull from any other large breed with a smooth coat. To use DogsBite as a reference source simply shows that Google has replaced research in the journalism field.
Not only is DogsBite an anonymous platform with a very transparent agenda, but the members participate in calculated and organized cyber stalking and terrorism toward many pit bull owners. I know that you want to argue this fact so I have included the following links:
http://www.pitbull-chat.com/showthread.php?p=448382
DogsBite tried to organize members to get a teacher fired for using a pit bull as a therapy dog in school.
“COLLEEN LYNN, pitbull hater, removed defamatory false light statements against canine expert from her website, formerly alleging that American Canine Fdn was linked to dogfighting, and implicating canine expert in such conduct. Petdefense has personal knowledge of the subject matter and was informed that the lawsuit filed would be dismissed (since Lynn removed the defamatory statements.)“
Here is another tidbit that was actually written by Colleen Lynn.
“Before the medication, suddenly landing behind this truck would go something like this: I would have imagined that I was sitting in the cab next to him and that my door was missing a handle. I would have imagined that he squeezed my arm and said, “Don’t go trying nothing b**ch, or I’ll make you real sorry.” I knew then that my thoughts only existed in my head, but my body did not know.
The area between my abdomen and upper thighs would have released enough sweat to drench the seat. Both of my legs would have panicked into spasms, as if I were dancing on hot lava stones. The pump inside my chest would have (miraculously), exceeded my maximum, beating upwards of 190 times a minute.
It would have been a level four attack — five being disastrous — because of the suddenness of the event.
After a high-level attack, Disassociation sets in. This usually lasted for about two weeks. During this time, I was incapable of looking at anyone directly. Relating conversationally to people, even my close friends, was like the disorientation of going deaf. I watched their lips move, but only heard parts of sentences, and sometimes no sentences at all. I was a mild catatonic, dressed up as myself.
My boyfriend, who lived with me, got the worst of it. I would slingshot from a stupefied state into one of aggression, especially if he approached me from behind. “F*** YOU!” I would shriek. “Don’t you EVER come up behind me without announcing yourself.”
That last piece of behavior is called Generalizing, which went hand-in-hand with my periods of Disassociation. Generalizing means that you think the person next to you is the same person that caused you trauma. There are layers of Generalizing. For instance, the truck man was a stranger, an outer layer that triggered the memory of a past trauma. My boyfriend, who I have known intimately for two years, became a closer layer during these times. By taking certain actions, he too could trigger a painful memory. Generalizing is a frightening spiral to spin down.
One of the greatest fear’s I have now is: What if my medication stops working? But because I am on medication, I only have this thought once, then it floats away, like I have just let go of a balloon. There doesn’t seem to be a downside to taking the pills. And my boyfriend, without hesitation, says that I should keep taking them.“
Colleen Lynn is a real life crazy person. DogsBite is a dangerous organization that targets innocent pit bull owners. DogsBite is NOT a non-profit even though they actively solicit donations. There are ZERO news reports about DogsBite giving ONE THIN DIME to any dog bite victim.
Those are FACTS!
I am the grandmother of the little 4yr. old boy that was mauled by the dog. It was not a rottweiler or a shepherd. It was a bernese mountain dog that my grandson played with everyday. Also he did not scream. You did get one thing correct though, my daughter was only gone for a minute to get him something to drink. When she came out she got the dog off of him and scream for help. Not a single day goes by that I don’t think of him and miss him so terribly. He was my only grandchild. He was the apple of everyones eye. My deepest sympathy to this family. Your life like ours will be changed forever. God Bless you in your time of sorrow.
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