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Wednesday, December 12, 2007


New York City to Pay Huge Damages to Pit Bull Attack Victim

City Liable For Mauling By a Pit Bull
The day before toddler Makailah Barnett was mauled, the mother had received a pit bull from a police officer. Last week a Bronx jury placed the injury blame squarely on the pit bull and the city of New York. The verdict may pave the way for the family to receive millions of dollars in damages.

Peculiar circumstances surround the officer's decision to give the dog to the toddler's mother, Shannon Smith. That day, the police had found the dog abandoned near the police station and took it into the precinct office. Ms. Smith was there at the same time. She and the officer struck up a conversation about the dog and she ended up taking it home.

The officer violated multiple laws by his actions including: not holding the dog for at least 5 days to give owners a chance to recover their pet and not taking the dog to city animal control. Ms. Smith's legal complaint asks for 10 million dollars. The jury has yet to fix damages.

In a Different Civil Suit
A Virginia family is suing Spotsylvania County for 5 million dollars after Dorothy Sullivan, 86, was mauled to death by pit bulls. Apparently the county's animal control knew the dogs were dangerous and did not take proper action.

What About Jennifer Lowe?
Last month in Knox County Tennessee, Jennifer Lowe was attacked and killed by a friend's two pit bulls while she was in his home. Prior to the mauling, animal control officers had visited the home 5 times, and both dogs had been deemed "dangerous." The owner, Charles Smallwood, was required to have the dogs muzzled if the dogs were "off-property." Because Jennifer was on-property at the time of the attack, Smallwood faces no criminal penalty.

Visit Jennifer's MySpace Page
Give to the Jennifer Lowe Foundation Fund

posted by bitbypit  |  permalink  |  7 comments  |iconemail  |iconsubscribe  |iconcomment rss 
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7 comments:

Anonymous Aunt Sue  |  12/15/2007 3:10 PM  |  Flag  
NO CHARGES....That is exactly what we've been told....Sorry for your loss have a good day. said one Knox County Employee...

The neighborhood is es tactic they are getting the outdoors returned to them....Charles Smallwood is MOVING.

I wonder who's neighborhood he's moving to next.? It could be any ones. It could be yours or mine.

At the last ANIMAL CONTROL MEETING only 2 citizens showed up. The next meeting is DECEMBER 17th....CAN YOU GO?

If there is NOT a PUBLIC OUTCRY...It will just be washed away. Please GO! Please Speak out!

And...please pray for Jennifer's Mother and our family.

Please visit Jennifer's MYSPACE at www.myspace.com/JenniferLowefoundation

This has got to stop!
Have a SAFE HOLIDAY SEASON

Blogger bitbypit  |  12/16/2007 12:09 PM  |  Flag  
I'll see you at her Myspace page Aunt Sue. Thank you for leaving a comment. We are enormously outraged at the injustice of this case at DogsBite.org. Someone is responsible for this terrible crime and that someone is either the Knox county animal control or the state of Tennessee.

Anonymous Karen  |  12/17/2007 11:48 PM  |  Flag  
Ever notice how quickly law enforcement charges out to kill a cougar, coyote or bear that attacks or even attempts to attack humans? Even if the cougar is not threatening, at the very least, it is trapped and relocated.
Why are dogs treated differently? Why are these idiot humans AND their dogs, given another chance?
THIS IS WRONG!
I hope the family of Jennifer Lowe files a huge lawsuit against Knox County Animal Control. This is the only way to get the authorities to take this issue seriously.

Anonymous Dee  |  12/18/2007 5:02 AM  |  Flag  
It doesn't help that Tennessee law is a THROW BACK into ancient times. And what's up with the community? TWO people showed up at the AC meeting? I can hardly digest the tragedy of this. I can only say that there are far too many people are unwilling to see dangerous dogs as a monumental, serious threat.

Police officers don't tackle these animals -- they shoot and kill them. What can citizens do to stop them? Do we need to walk down our streets armed with guns because that is the only thing that STOPS these breeds?

I pray for Jennifer's family. I pray for the people of Tennessee.

Anonymous Karen  |  12/19/2007 11:07 AM  |  Flag  
Yes, the poor vulnerable people of Tennessee. I saw that Tennessee was over represented in fatal dog attacks this year. I wonder if the state is over represented in non-fatal attacks as well?

Anonymous Dee  |  12/19/2007 1:58 PM  |  Flag  
COUNT ON IT

Blogger sanfrangirlio  |  12/20/2008 8:52 PM  |  Flag  
i was mauled in Santa Barbara. I was left with my right arm disfigured, paralyzed and a spinal injury.
No charges or civil penalties. In fact while I was in surgery the owner of the dog told animal control that I was the owner. He gave them his mother's address as mine and that was that.
I'm trying to get the Santa Barbara District attorney to file mayhem charges against the owner because he took those dogs off the property. he knew they were dangerous. They had bitten before. He couldn't even get his mail delivered at his house. He breed then without a license.
But not one charge. It is not just tennesee, it's the whole country. They tell me I'm lucky, a few more seconds, I would have lost my arm.

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