Tonia Parks, 39-years old, died after being attacked by one of her pit bulls.
Pit Bull Blamed
UPDATE 12/07/11: The Star updated the original article clarifying several details. Tonia Parks was mauled to death by one of her two pit bulls, each 8-years old, as she underwent a seizure in her home November 18. Parks remained in critical care until she was pronounced dead Tuesday at Rockford Memorial Hospital. The other dog attacked the pit bull that was mauling Parks. Both dogs are scheduled to be euthanized tomorrow; no one came forward to claim the animals.1
12/07/11: Dog Owner Dies After Attack
Rockford, IL - In a developing story, the owner of two dogs died Tuesday following a combination of a serious dog attack and seizure that occurred in November. According to the coroner, 39-year old Tonia Parks suffered a seizure while trying to break up a fight between her dogs. She also sustained dog bite injuries to her head, neck and jugular vein. The dogs were initially described as pit bulls in the police report; some media outlets now are describing them as American bulldogs.
Interestingly, The Register Star quickly submitted a Freedom of Information Act request about Parks' death. The reason for this is unclear, but given that the newspaper seeks information about the "breed of the dogs," the "fate of the animals," and "details of the incident," it seems probable that the news group hopes to free the pit bull breed of yet another death attributed to them in 2011.2 Including the death of Parks, pit bulls are responsible for 68% of fatal dog attacks this year.
View the DogsBite.org Google Map: Illinois Fatal Pit Bull Maulings.2Conversely, The Star may be trying to wade through false claims made by pit bull advocates, such as false breed claims and potentially false causes of death. Who can forget Darla Napora, whose beloved pit bull killed her and her unborn child back in August? Quickly after her death, members of the pit bull community began spreading a rumor that Darla died due to falling from a ladder.
Related articles:
09/02/11: 2011 Dog Bite Fatality: Philadelphia Woman Killed by Husband's Pit Bulls
08/23/11: 2011 Dog Bite Fatality: Tucson Man Succumbs to Injuries After Attack by Pet Pit Bull
08/15/11: 2011 Dog Bite Fatality: Pregnant Pacifica Woman Killed by Family Pit Bull
06/14/11: 2011 Dog Bite Fatality: Spotsylvania County Man Killed by Pet Pit Bull
01/05/11: 2011 Dog Bite Fatality: Colusa Woman Possibly Mauled to Death by Pet Pit Bull-Mix
Illinois is starting to rack up the bully kills….
http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?oe=utf-8&client=firefox-a&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Welsh,+LA&gl=us&hl=en&msa=0&msid=204325558281052090423.00049c04a04f2c5c27a9b&ll=38.556757,-87.890625&spn=5.32585,8.4375&z=7
Meanwhile a 58 year old Indiana man is killed by his own pittie
http://www.jconline.com/article/20111207/NEWS/111207019/White-County-man-killed-by-pet-pit-bull?odyssey=tab%7Ctopnews%7Ctext%7CFRONTPAGE
i bet the percentage of people killed by their own dogs is even higher than 67% for pit bulls.
Pit Owners killed by their own dogs since last October:
November 2011, Burnettsville IN
Joseph D. Hines, 58 years old
fatal dog attack, Pit Bull
November 2011, Rockford IL
Tonia Parks, 39-years old
fatal dog attack, pit bulls
August 2011, Philadelphia PA
Carmen Ramos, 50-years old
fatal dog attack, pit bulls
August 2011, Pima County, AZ
Michael Cook, 61-years old
Fatal dog attack: pit bull
August 2011, San Mateo County, CA
Darla Napora, 32-years old
Fatal dog attack: pit bull
June 2011, Spotsylvania County, VA
David Quyon Haigler, 38
Fatal dog attack: pit bull
March 2011, San Bernardino County, CA, Jennie Erquiaga, 47
Fatal dog attack: pit bull
January 2011, Colusa County, CA
Linda Leal, 51
Fatal dog attack: pit bull
October 2010, Callaway County, MO
Rev. John Reynolds, 84
Fatal dog attack: pit bulls
Note: Pits are killing adults at rates not seen in other breeds. They are "different".