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Tuesday, July 7, 2009


8-Year Old May Lose Arm After Trying to Save Dog from Pit Bull Attack


From left: Faith at T.C. Thompson Children's Hospital and now back at home.

Faith Returns Home
UPDATE 07/07/09: Faith's mother, Heather Keehn, said the bone in her shoulder will "not stay in it's socket" and her "growth bone is broken" which means her arm might not grow anymore. (This likely refers to a "growth plate" injury). As other mothers have told us, Keehn added, "I thought it would be a lot easier when she got home but actually it's kind of harder." Faith has so far undergone seven surgeries. We pray that future surgeries will fully heal her injured arm.

Related ZUPF video

06/18/09: Young Girl Suffers "Redirected" Attack
Lookout Mountain, GA - An 8-year old girl continues to fight for her life and may suffer an arm amputation after being attacked by a pit bull. So far, 8-year old Faith Guelde has endured 40 hours of surgery and more is expected. On Friday, June 12, Faith's dog escaped her property. When she found her dog, it was fighting with a pit bull in her neighbor's yard. When Faith tried to pick up her dog, the pit bull launched a violent "redirected" attack onto the young girl.
In 2007, Mary Bernal picked up her dachshund to stop a scuffle with her sister's pit bull. The pit bull attacked Mary, ripping off her entire scalp killing her.
Faith sustained critical injuries and had to be flown by LifeForce helicopter to T.C. Thompson Children's Hospital in Chattanooga. Her grandmother, Jodi Copus, says she's conscious but "very, very critical." She says right now they're just hoping to save her right arm and then plan for a long recovery. A fund has been set up to help pay Faith's costly medical bills. Donations can be made at any SunTrust Bank in the Tennessee Valley under the "Faith Guelde Benefit Fund."

It was also reported that there is no leash law in Lookout Mountain, GA. Just across state lines and only two miles away, Lookout Mountain, TN, has a strict, breed-specific ordinance. Pit bull owners in this neighboring town are required to register their animals as "vicious," carry a $500,000 liability insurance policy, and adhere to special confinement rules. Each of these requirements would have gone a long way in preventing this attack upon Faith Guelde.

Related ZUPF video

Faith Guelde Benefit Fund
To make a donation, please visit any SunTrust Bank in the Tennessee Valley and donate under the name, "Faith Guelde Benefit Fund."

Related articles:
03/06/09: Dog Aggression Equals Human Injury, Bullets and Dead Family Dogs
02/19/09: Elkhart Pit Bull Owner May Suffer Amputation After "Redirected" Attack
07/29/08: 10-Year Old's Arm Amputated After Family Pit Bull Attack
07/14/08: Comment: The Anatomy of a Whitewash, James Crosby
06/14/08: 2007 Fatality: Mary Diana Bernal Killed by In-Law's Pit Bull

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6 comments:

Anonymous Trigger  |  6/18/2009 8:33 PM  |  Flag  
There are some background articles here:
http://tinyurl.com/m2dwlg

Anonymous Anonymous  |  6/18/2009 9:38 PM  |  Flag  
Personal injury lawyers, let's face it, get so much negative word. To the point they have jokes made about them.

But this is an area where personal injury lawyers could rehabilitate their reputations and actually do some good in the world- take on the pit bull industry on behalf of these victims!

Challenge the pit bull business lobby. Hold pit bull breeders and "rescuers" accountable for the vicious dogs they breed and sell. Hold all these pit bull advocates accountable, like Best Friends, when they tell people that pit bulls are good with children or just like other dogs or just need love to make them ok.

Personal injury lawyers could be seen as heroes when it comes to pit bull maulings.

Anonymous Anonymous  |  6/18/2009 10:42 PM  |  Flag  
I'm going broke giving donations to offset all these medical bills. When are pit bull rescue groups going to pitch in? I guess they are saving all their cash so they can rehab the next mauler.

Anonymous Anonymous  |  6/19/2009 12:50 AM  |  Flag  
Here's yet another example that directly contradicts the lie that dog aggression does not equal danger to human life. Pit nutters will throw this girl under the bus and say she was stupid for trying to save her dog in a dog fight. The fact is that most people who actually love their pets and don't view them as just ego extensions will go to great lengths to save their lives, including tangling with a pit bull. Dog aggression equals human danger. Prevent the deed. Ban the breed.

Anonymous Anonymous  |  6/19/2009 1:06 AM  |  Flag  
Personal injury lawyers are the way to go, especially in these clear cut cases where the pit was adopted out by a rescue group or shelter. Build "understanding" through liability and this crap will stop!

And this just in and right on time... A man was bitten by a pit bull adopted out by a shelter within 24 hours of the adoption. The dog has 15 pages of documents supporting his adoptability status. (So much for the viability of screening pit bulls!)
http://www.kxly.com/Global/story.asp?S=10559206

Anonymous Anonymous  |  6/19/2009 5:21 AM  |  Flag  
I wonder if this was Jere Alexander's "Beast" which was trafficked through the bowels of the Pit Bull community?

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