UPDATE 04/10/09: Commissioner Elaine Renick continues to struggle in the wake of a vicious dog attack that left 22-year old Tracy Lindsey critically injured. Renick is especially troubled by the embarrassing $168 fine issued to the owners of the pit bulls, Jesica and Jessie Iaquinca, following the attack. Renick asked, "Is there something as a commission we can do so it's not just a fine?" Animal Services Director Marjorie Boyd is also quoted in the article:
"The penalty for an animal injuring someone is the same under our county ordinance as if the animal tears up your trash."
Boyd is shaping up to be a serious contender for the 2009 DogsBite.org Annual Awards. Through her practical and powerful wisdom, she has recently shined a light on two very important issues. The first -- an unprovoked, mauling that leaves a victim critically injured -- is not just a "dog bite." Secondly, she correctly compares how many existing dog laws treat victims of serious attacks. The treatment of these victims is equal to laws that protect "trash."
03/31/09: Pit Bulls Attack 22-Year Old Jogger
Eustis, FL - Tracy Lindsey, 22, of Zellwood, suffered severe wounds to her right shoulder and left leg when she was attacked by two pit bulls while out jogging on Saturday. She was flown to Orlando Regional Medical Center, where an updated report of her condition was not immediately available. The pit bulls, owned by sisters Jesica and Jessie Iaquinca have been quarantined at the Lake County Animal Control Shelter since the attack on Getford Road.
The two dogs will remain in the shelter's custody for the next 10 days -- unless the Lake County Health Department agrees to let the shelter euthanize the animals sooner. The owners signed over custody of the dogs to Animal Services. If they had not, animal-control officials would have asked a judge to declare the two pit bulls "dangerous" and let the county euthanize them. Animal Services Director Marjorie Boyd said, "These animals should not be out in our public."
"This is not just a bite," she said. "This is a mauling. This is an unprovoked mauling, and there's a big difference."
DogsBite.org calls your attention to the similar words of John Makus last summer. After his adopted mother, Huong Le was severely mauled by two pit bulls, he said: "This was not a dog bite, it was attempted dismemberment." Both statements powerfully describe why cities have chosen to regulate pit bulls and why many more must. The majority of pit bull "attempted" and "actual" dismemberment attacks inflict lifelong injury on innocent people and pets.
Stop the maulings -- regulate now!
Related articles:
04/02/09: Editorial: Pit Bull Owners "Too Vacuous" to Consider Consequences
03/04/09: 2003 Fatality: Anna Cieslewicz, Killed by Pit Bulls While Jogging
12/14/08: Jersey Jogger Severely Mauled by Unleashed Pit Bull, Owner Flees
09/10/08: 2 Pit Bulls Killed After Mauling 71-Year Old SeaTac Woman
The newspaper has a survey about euthanizing these dogs. Please go vote for “Euthanize!” At this time, “Euthanize” has the most votes, even though the available response choices for this survey seem to worded to curry favor for the dogs.
I started reading the comments on the article, and I was surprised. In the first few pages of comments, the anti-pit posters outnumber the pitnutters. There is still so much ignorance about these dogs, why they were “created” in the first place, the traits that were bred into them, and therefore their bite is far far worse than any bark.
Kudos to Marjorie Boyd!!! Lets all send her our support and gratitude. She seems to have a lot of support in her community.
Pit bulls lead attacks in Lake County
——-
“Pit bulls lead all breeds of dogs and cats in bite incidents the county has investigated in the past two years, Boyd said. They represented 12.7 percent of bite cases in 2007, 12.5 percent in 2008 and 18 percent of cases thus far this year.”
http://www.dailycommercial.com/localnews/story/033109dogbite