No Charges Expected
02/05/09: WVEC reports that no charges will be filed in the Newport News mauling. The little boy was in critical condition Monday suffering from facial and neck injuries. The family has requested that no further information about the baby's condition be released. No information was provided regarding the adoption agency, the Peninsula SPCA, or if the babysitter plans on keeping their other dog, a rottweiler, which is reportedly poorly fenced.
02/04/09: Baby is Expected to Survive
The infant who was mauled by a pit bull remains in critical condition but is expected to survive. Doctors believe the toddler will recover from the severe facial injuries he suffered when he was attacked by his babysitter's pit bull. The dog, which had been adopted from the Peninsula SPCA, has been euthanized. The agency said the dog was "carefully vetted and the puppy showed no signs of aggression when it was adopted more than a year ago."
Pit bull puppies are always sweet. It's when they reach the age of 1.5-2 years old that aggression begins to show, the very age of this pit bull.
The article goes on to talk about the high rate of pit bull attacks nationwide, which has led cities and the state of Ohio to regulate pit bulls. But Denise Waters, a spokeswoman for the Peninsula SPCA, said her group avoids labeling breeds. "We try not to profile by breed," she said. Waters added that extensive consultations take place with adopters to make sure dogs are a "good fit" and the animals are rigorously assessed and trained (see Tori Whitehurst).
We don't think either journalists bought Waters story.
02/03/09: Baby's Parents in the Military
A recent Zupf video reports that the baby's parents are both in the military. This tragic news falls on the heels of Isis Krieger, who was killed by her family's pit bull in August while her father was serving in Iraq. At the time of the attack, a babysitter was watching Isis. In May of last year, a babysitter was also watching Julian Slack when he was killed by a pit bull at Camp Lejeune. In that instance, a civilian had brought the dog over to Slack's home.
A Daily Press news article reveals that aside from the pit bull, the Newport News babysitter had a second dog in the household -- a rottweiler.
02/02/09: Neutered Male Pit Bull; 1.5 Years Old
Newport News, WV - In a developing story, a 7-month-old baby was taken to a hospital after being attacked this morning by a pit bull. The boy suffered severe facial and neck injuries, was flown to Sentara Norfolk General Hospital and was listed in critical condition, according to a news release from Newport News police. At the time of the attack, the child was at a babysitter’s home. The babysitter struggled to separate the dog from the baby, the news release said.
The dog, which belonged to the babysitter, was surrendered to animal control and euthanized, according to Kim Lee, city spokeswoman. The dog was a neutered male and not quite two years old. The animal will be tested for rabies though the dog's vaccination was current and the dog had no previous history with Animal Services, the police news release said. Detectives are investigating this as a possible case of child neglect, but no one has been charged.
Related articles:
12/23/08: Toddler Attacked by Family Pit Bull-Mix in Ironton
05/15/08: 2008 Fatality: Child Dies In Pit Bull Attack At Camp Lejeune
WHY on earth would a parent leave their child with a babysitter who owns a pit bull?
I have to wonder if they even knew about it.
Excellent point.
Where did this dog come from?
It is vitally important that this information be collected and documented by authorities?
Is a breeder selling dangerous dogs? A rescue group handing out dangerous dogs? Was this dog “shuffled” from some other area where the dog attacked to this babysitter?
18-24 month old pit bull – CHECK!
Exacto-timo to start doing what they were bred to do. Wonder if it was a pound pit? Wonder who talked the babysitter into the dog (“As long as you raise it right, it will be okay!”)
The dog is neutered so I doubt she is a breeder.
Sounds like she has been brainwashed into the pit nutter cult of its all how you raise nanny dogs.
The baby sitter will break down in tears when interviewed by the media and insist that “he never showed aggression before” and swear she will never have another dog again.
Another pit bull attack makes national news
(I know it says American bulldog. Pit bull. Bulldog. Whatever.)
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,486884,00.html
Good Samaritan thankfully had penknife and was able to kill attacking dog
Pit was going after her dog, she got attacked too.
Perfect example of why these nuts that say dog-aggressive dogs are ok are out of their minds
Or was the baby sitter an ethereal Pit activist who assured the mother not to worry about the misunderstood wigglebutt?
“The baby sitter will break down in tears when interviewed by the media and insist that “he never showed aggression before” and swear she will never have another dog again.”
Classic. (and so, so sad)
“The baby sitter will break down in tears when interviewed by the media and insist that “he never showed aggression before” and swear she will never have another dog again.”
AND THEN GO OUT AND GET ANOTHER PIT BULL IN SIX MONTHS EXACTLY LIKE THAT SCUMBAG CHARLES SMALLWOOD IN TENNESSEE DID.
Two unlucky VA Beach Dogs killed by loose Pits:
http://hamptonroads.com/node/496745
Ain’t VA Beach were Mike Vick got his start with the breed?
PREVENT THE DEED…REGULATE THE BREED.
I agree with the above poster…its important for the media to start asking where the dogs came from; the public needs to know if a local shelter is adopting out dangerous pit bulls to inexperienced owners and telling them that all they need is love and kisses and they will be just great with kids.
If the next door neighbor is breeding aggressive pit bulls and selling them around the neighborhood, the press needs to interview him, get his name and address in the paper; let the IRS, his insurance company, and the town AC department know what he is doing.
The baby sitter also owned a Rottwieler…So “Liontamer Daycare” had specimens from two breeds responsible for 70 american deaths over the past three years.
People need to start thinking about predictable outcomes. Prayers to the little tyke.
Wonder who talked the babysitter into the dog.
Lion Tamer Unlicensed Discount Daycare!
Cheap lifeflights!
Unlimited maulings!
Uninsured!
Dog Safety Experts On Call!
I think the SPCA should receive some angry letters regarding their adoption policies……
If the SPCA “passed” it and gave the dog their seal of approval, they are legally responsible
“We try not to profile by breed,” said Denise Waters
Altogether Now…..
Kumbaya my lord, kumbaya
Kumbaya my lord, kumbaya
Kumbaya my lord, kumbaya
Oh lord, kumbaya
Someones singing lord, kumbaya
Someones singing lord, kumbaya
Someones singing lord, kumbaya
Oh lord, kumbayah
Someones laughing, lord, kumbaya
Someones laughing, lord, kumbaya
Someones laughing, lord, kumbaya
Oh lord, kumbaya
Someones crying, lord, kumbaya
Someones crying, lord, kumbaya
Someones crying, lord, kumbaya
Oh lord, kumbaya
Someones praying, lord, kumbaya
Someones praying, lord, kumbaya
Someones praying, lord, kumbaya
Oh lord, kumbaya
Someones sleeping, lord, kumbaya
Someones sleeping, lord, kumbaya
Someones sleeping, lord, kumbaya
Oh lord, kumbaya
Oh lord, kumbaya
UPDATE!: Turns out this Mauler was adopted from the local SPCA after passin a worthless temperment test!
http://www.dailypress.com/news/dp-local__dogfollo0204feb04,0,7589530.story
Note the guilty A/C Director still has the balls to spew the usual Pit Bullshit!
I hope these parents sue this woman and the the SPCA –no mercy.
This child will have surgery after surgery. In Indianapolis little Amaya Hess mauled when she was two has just completed her 48th surgery! Now she’s a big girl four years old.
This idiot SPCA doesn’t even know or care about the basic safety ethics about pit bull adoption. They adopted out a pup of unknown background before sexual maturity. I’m sure the animal activists were thrilled that a little pit bull was going to a nice home. What is a human life worth? What is an infant worth? They were ready to risk and deny facts for an adoption. Now this SPCA and everyone connected with it should be sued so it hurts.
The SPCA Director who sent this infant on a lifeflight should be updating his/her resume…not spewing pit bull breeder talking points. Only in the A/C “profession” can an individual charged with public safety responsibilities be above such earthly concepts such as accountability.
TRICARE military health insurance will require the dual military couple to sue and attempt to recover the astronomical medical costs. Methinks Lion Tamer discount daycare most likely didn’t have liability insurance since it maintained a Pit Bull/Rottir petting zoo.
They will probably need to go after the SPCA.
One thing that rescues and shelters seem to be excusing is the “poor little pit bull puppy.”
I have noticed that in fighting dog seizures, the rescues will try to get the puppies at least to place, under this false notion that if they haven’t been “trained to fight” they will be ok
WRONG! It’s called genetics. These dogs are bred to be aggressive, and as as they mature, nature overcomes nurture.
Hopefully this SPCA will stop the pit bull adoptions, and instead focus on the real problem- reducing the numbers being bred and born in their community
Total Public Safety Breakdown all the way around:
1. The SPCA for adopting out the Level 5 Mauler.
2. It is now revealed that Lion Tamer Daycare had 1 pit bull, 2 Rotts and a Chow in it’s “petting zoo”. The three breeds which combined for 72 American Deaths over the past three years!
You would have to be living under a rock not to know the risk! The blind spot in the dog laws let people ge away with murder.
Did you notice this in the comments of the latest article?
“First of all, I adopted a puppy 2 years ago from the SPCA that was a lab mix. We now know she was a lab pit mix because she looks just like a pit and the vet has confirmed”
Penisula SPCA is lying about the breeds.
Calling pit mixes lab mixes, and hiding the pit bull from adopters.
Whi is in charge of this place? Does anyone have particular information about this shelter?
Virginia has a Pre-emptive BSL prohibition in place. The Pit Lobby, hellbent for more maulings, has been sueing counties to force them into adopting out Pit Bulls:
DBO did a story on it last year:
https://blog.dogsbite.org/2008/05/loudon-county-no-adopt-out-pit-bull.html