Months in Hospital
UPDATE 04/21/09: Gabe Cooper, 4-years old, remains in critical condition at Akron Children’s Hospital since being severely mauled by a pit bull April 10. He suffered extensive facial injuries in the attack. Jim Bond, Gabe’s maternal grandfather, said Gabe, who recently was taken off of a ventilator, starts a new round of facial reconstructive procedures today. His grandfather estimates Gabe will remain in the hospital for another couple of months.
Gabe's mother Allison, has since had the staples removed from her arms. She reportedly spends each day at Gabe's bedside.
Gabriel Cooper
The Gabriel Cooper Family Fund has been set up at Mechanics Savings Bank. Donations can be sent to or dropped off at any Mechanics Savings Bank.
04/14/09: Boy Undergoes Surgery
Mansfield, OH - It was reported over the weekend that 4-year old Gabe Cooper, 4, and his mother, Allison Cooper, 28, were mauled by a male pit bull at a home in Mansfield. The boy suffered severe facial trauma in the attack. The child, his mother and grandmother, Julie Bond, had been at the home feeding the two pit bulls for a friend when the dog named Boomer attacked. The dog went after the boy and when his mother intervened, the dog attacked her, too.
During the attack, the dog was tasered 15 to 20 times with no effect. The warden had to jump on the dog to stop the attack.
Both victims were taken to MedCentral/Mansfield Hospital. Gabe was later airlifted to Akron Children's Hospital. He had two reconstructive surgeries on Saturday. His mother was treated and released from the hospital after receiving numerous stitches to injuries on her hands and arms. As of Monday, it was reported that Gabe Cooper remained in critical condition at Akron Children's. A hospital spokeswoman said she couldn’t release any more information.
Also reported on Monday, the dog owner, Erin Fields, 26, was issued summonses for having vicious dogs in city limits, failing to have liability insurance and failing to have a current license for both of her dogs. (Mansfield, Ohio bans pit bull type dogs.) The first two offenses are first-degree misdemeanors, punishable by up to six months in jail. Police Detective Bill Bushong has contacted the Richland County Prosecutor’s Office about possible felony charges.
According to Captain Michele Webb, the felony charges may hinge on what happens to the condition of the little boy.
Dog Warden Dave Jordan said Fields has owned the pit bulls since they were puppies. He said that of the two dogs, 2-year old Boomer was the attacker. Jordan met with Fields on Monday. He said Fields knew she was not allowed to have pit bulls in the city. "She sat here in tears most of the time," Jordan said. He said that pit bulls can be wonderful dogs; but, when they bite, it’s always significant. He said pit bulls have the strongest bite per square inch of any dog.
He added that, "This whole thing could have been prevented if they had just followed the law of no pit bulls in the city limits."
Related articles:
03/17/09: 10 Shots Stop Pit Bull Attack on Pregnant Woman and Officer
12/13/08: Pit Bull that Takes Three Bullets for Family is Anecdotal Evidence
Crying the whole time, eh? I don’t trust the tears of pitbull owners to ever be shed for the victims. I’m sure she was bawling like a baby because a.) she knew she was breaking the law and was trying to use the tears to get out of trouble; b.) she was crying for her pits, knowing that they would probably be deemed vicious and put down. And when are people going to wise up and NEVER EVER EVER bring their children around pits?
I’m really sorry this little boy had to undergo 2 surgeries already but these two women were aiding and abetting a criminal by agreeing to care for these banned pit bulls. No sympathy for them.
Erin Fields should serve life in prison. The victim will certainly have life time consequences; the pit bull owner should as well.
The City of Mansfield had done everything possible to avoid such an incident, but yet another rank and file moron decided they knew better, broke the law and brought pit bulls into the city.
Prison! And make the punishment fit the crime with a life sentence!
What if they did not know Felony? They were only feeding the dogs while Fields was away…they may not have known the type of situation they were walking into. Furthermore, I’m sure Fields told them the dogs where “staffies” and not pit bulls, or something to the tune of “nobody knows how to identify a pit bull and these are NOT pit bulls…”
I’m sorry, but you’d have to have grown up in a bubble not to recognize both of those dogs as pit bulls. I agree. The mother and grandmother were aiding a criminal. Don’t think for a second they weren’t given “special” instructions in case of emergency, so the lawbreaking pit owner could cover her own butt. They ought to investigate to find out which, if any, vets were responsible for treating these dogs and yank their license. I’m just sorry that an innocent child got caught up in the whole sordid mess.
The dogs are legally declared vicous in Ohio…Exposing a child to them should cause reckless endangerment of a child charges to flow…
dumb! dumb! dumb!
Not knowing they were pits? Technically, possible but improbable.
What kind of an idiot agrees to care for someone else’s dogs when they know absolutely nothing about dogs?
You got me there!
I imagine the conversation went something like this….
Erin: Hi Allison, I have a favor to ask. Can you please stop by and feed my fur babies and let them out for bathroom breaks this weekend? You know, this Mansfield pit bull ban makes it difficult to use kennels. I am afraid they will report me. I have to drive to the next county for vet services. But that’s not really a problem, cuz I love my vet. Dr Perry is awesome, she has been practicing veterinary medicine since she was in the womb and she loves and understands my little wiggle butts.
Allison: Sure Erin. I understand. I just don’t why people are such ignorant racists. My mom is in town visiting, can I bring her along?
Erin: PLEASE DO! You know Boomer is a therapy dog. We take him to nursing homes once a week. They just love him!
Jimmy O, you nailed it. And that is exactly why I think Erin was NOT crying for the victims of this attack. It is sickening that so many commenters (pitnutters) are saying the child must have provoked the dog. Why do I keep looking at their inane and fanatical comments? Clearly, their screws are loose and they have nothing rational to add to the pitbull debate.
BitbyPit, I’m just curious — do you get a lot of posts from pitnutters that never see the light of day? Sometimes I think they just copy and paste their comments from one article to another.
Benefit set for boy mauled by pit bull
—-
MAY 19, 2009 – A benefit for a 4-year-old boy mauled by a pit bull last month will be at 6 p.m. Friday at Good Fellows Pizzeria & Pub, 1349 Park Avenue West.
The benefit for Gabe Cooper will have a beach party theme. Other features will include live entertainment, a hog roast and a dunk tank.
Gabe has been at Akron Children's Hospital since the April 10 attack. He is continuing to progress, according to his grandfather Jim Bond, and is scheduled for his final preliminary plastic surgery Thursday. Bond said Gabe should be able to come home in the next couple of weeks.
http://www.mansfieldnewsjournal.com/article/20090519/NEWS01/905190314
Ohio keeps bringing up it’s pit bull bans, but in reality, the AC slides by on the ‘mix’ theory- if they find a cat hair on the pit, they call it Fluffy and suggest a bowl of milk before flying off in their van, cowering and thanking their stars they didn’t see another vicious dog.