2023 Dog Bite Fatality: Pit Bull-Type Dog Kills its Unconscious Owner in Beckley, West Virginia

Robert Showalter, 71, was killed by his pit bull while undergoing a medical emergency. Man Killed by Own Dog Beckley, WV - On June 16, WVVA reported that a man was killed by his pit bull a week earlier, while undergoing a medical emergency. Robert Showalter, 71, had been sitting on his porch with a neighbor when he fell unconscious. The neighbor ran next door and called 911. When firefighters and EMS arrived, a pit bull breed dog belonging to Showalter was seen latched onto his thr… [Read full blog post]

2016 Dog Bite Fatality: 6-Year Old Boy Killed by Family Pit Bull in Huntington, West Virginia

Isaiah Jacob Franklin, 6-years old, was killed by a family pit bull in Huntington. Family Mourns UPDATE 12/06/16: The name of a 6-year old boy killed by a family pit bull was finally released last night. Isaiah Jacob Franklin was brutally attacked by a pit bull Friday evening at his home in the 2600 block of 9th Avenue. He later died of his injuries. The family said the dog attacked without provocation or warning. The boy's aunt, Jenni Messer, spoke to WSAZ news, but only through t… [Read full blog post]

2015 Dog Bite Fatality: 2-Year Old Boy Fatally Attacked by Pit Bull-Mix in West Virginia

Lamarkus Hicks, 2, was killed by a neighbor's chained pit bull-mix. Photographs of Dog UPDATE 11/30/15: The family of Lamarkus Hicks provided us photographs of the chained dog that killed Lamarkus taken by the Berkeley County Sheriff's Office after the attack. The dog, named Bubba, was previously described in news reports as a "boxer-mix" and a medium sized brown "mixed-breed." Our research indicates that Bubba was a buckskin pit bull-mix born on July 1, 2014 with three li… [Read full blog post]

2015 Dog Bite Fatality: Pit Bull Kills Man Trying to Save Heart Attack Victim in Wheeling

Sheba seen in quarantine at the Ohio County, WV, Animal Control facility. Dog Shipped Out-of-State UPDATE 03/19/15: Wheeling City Manager Robert Herron has agreed to allow the pit bull that killed a man to be shipped to an out-of-state pet sitting and rescue organization that was recently given verbal and written warnings for kennel maintenance violations. South Hills Pet Rescue and Rehabilitation Resort, located in Union Township, Pennsylvania,1 serves "all breeds,… [Read full blog post]