Posted on May 22, 2024 by Colleen Lynn

2024 Dog Bite Fatality: Boy Killed by Dog Pack in Eagle Butte on the Cheyenne River Reservation

A 9-year old boy was killed by a dog pack on the Cheyenne River Reservation.

News Release from Tribe
Eagle Butte, SD - On Sunday, the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe issued a statement about a boy found dead on the reservation Saturday near his bike with injuries that may have contributed to his death. His death is being investigated by the Cheyenne River Tribal Police. "Officials have yet to determine the exact cause" of death. "There is a possibility it may have been the result of a feral canine attack, but the results will not be determined until the autopsy is conducted," states the news release.

In order to reduce the feral dog population in the Eagle Butte area, animal control officers began patrolling the region, picking up roaming dogs. If the dog is wearing a collar, it will be held for 72 hours at the Wakpa Waste Animal Shelter, states the release. Ordinances require dogs to be tied up, leashed, or fenced. The shelter's Facebook page indicates that a rescue group transports unwanted/stray dogs off the reservation. A reservation-wide "Gathering of the Dogs" event occurs once or twice a year.

Relatives. it is with a heavy heart I relay this message to the Oyate. Yesterday, on abnormally tragic incident occurred here in Eagle Butte that is still being investigated by the Cheyenne River Tribal Police. A deceased child was found near a bike with injuries that may have contributed to his death, but officials have yet to determine the exact cause. The family has been notified, and we send them our love, prayers, and condolences during this difficult time.

There is a possibility it may have been the result of a feral canine attack, but the results will not be determined until the autopsy is conducted. To ensure the safety of the community, today, Animal Control and other support programs will be patrolling and picking up animals not tied up, leashed, or in a fence as stated in the ordinance. If it has a collar, the animal will be held for 72 hours at Wakpa Waste Animal Shelter for its owner to claim, register, and pay the associated fines as stated in the law. - Ryman LeBeau, The Office of Chairman Le Beau

Dog Attack Death Confirmed

The West River Eagle identified the child as 9-year old Lester Peneaux. His mother died in 2021. Lester is part of the Iron Lighting family, under the guardianship of Dale Iron Lighting. On Tuesday, "Iron Lighting confirmed the results of an autopsy and investigation by the FBI concluded there was no foul play, and the death was the result of an attack by a pack of dogs." Concern about the number of loose dogs has grown over the last few years. Unofficial estimates go as high as 1,000 loose dogs.

The article confirms there were two "Gathering of the Dogs" events in 2022. The May event rounded up 41 dogs in Eagle Butte. Dogs not retrieved by their owners in 48 hours, were transported off the reservation to rescue organizations in conjunction with the Rural Area Veterinary Services (RAV) and the HSUS. Details about the animal shelter include that it was built in 2016, has room for 6-14 dogs and facilities for a veterinary office and surgery, but there is no full-time veterinarian in Eagle Butte.

The River Eagle also published relevant parts of the tribe's animal control ordinance. An interesting section pertains to liability when two or more dogs are acting together. "Section 12-1-7 states that owners are liable for the actions of two or more dogs acting together. 'Where any injury has been caused by two or more dogs acting together and such dogs are owned or kept by different persons, all such persons may be joined or kept by defendants in the same action to recover damages.'"

The Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe animal control code also has a provision for pit bulls. Section 12-1-8 Dangerous Animals states that pit bulls must always wear an adequate harness, owners must post a notice that a dangerous animal is kept on the premises, the dog must be microchipped, and confined in a secure enclosure. The owner must obtain $50,000 in liability insurance, and the dog must be registered with an annual payment of $100, along with providing two color photographs of the dog.

On Wednesday, KELO reported that tribal animal control officers collected 30 dogs during the first 24 hours of patrolling for loose dogs. Officials did not say if any of the dogs collected were involved in the fatal attack. Also on Wednesday, USA Today reported that Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe police Chief Charles L. Red Crow said that four dogs were involved. "We discovered that there were four dogs that attacked and killed him," Crow said. Tribal police have categorized the involved dogs as "feral."

South Dakota Reservations

From 2014 to 2015, there were two dog bite fatalities on the southern South Dakota reservations. Jayla Rodriguez, 8-years old, was killed by one or more loose dogs on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in November 2014. Four months later, Julia Charging Whirlwind, 49-years old, was killed by one or more loose dogs on the Rose Bud Indian Reservation. The Cheyenne River Indian Reservation is one of three northern South Dakota reservations. The population in the Eagle Butte area is approximately 1,239.

Cheyenne River reservation killed by dog pack

State map showing the Cheyenne River Reservation where a boy was killed by a dog pack.

Lester Peneaux, 9-years old, was killed by a dog pack on the Cheyenne River Reservation.

View the DogsBite.org Google Map: Fatal Dog Attacks on American Indian Reservations.

Learn about breed-specific laws on Indian reservations in our Breed Safety Laws section.

Baseline reporting requirements:
Law enforcement departments across the United States should release consistent "baseline" information to the media and the public after each fatal dog mauling, including these items

Posted on May 20, 2024 by Colleen Lynn

2024 Dog Bite Fatality: Man, 40, Killed by Family Pit Bull-Mix in Farmington Hills, Michigan

A 40-year old man was killed by a family pit bull-mix on Saturday in Farmington Hills.

Man Killed by Family Dog
Farmington Hills, MI - A 40-year old man is dead after being mauled by a family dog. Farmington Hills police officers responded to a home in the 22000 block of Elmgrove Street at about 8:00 pm Saturday for a report of a dog attack. A family member, who had not heard from the victim all day, went to his home to check on him, and found him unresponsive on the ground in the backyard. The dog was pulling on his body. He separated and contained the dog in the house prior to calling 911.

The victim was transported to Corewell Hospital Farmington Hills, where he was pronounced dead. No other people were inside the home. The dog, a pit bull-mix, was taken into custody by Oakland County Animal Control. The Oakland County Medical Examiner conducted an autopsy and ruled the cause of death as "K-9 mauling." The manner of death was an accident. The victim's name was not released. Police are speaking to family members to determine if the dog had a history of aggression.

On Saturday, May 18, 2024, at approximately 8:00 p.m., the Farmington Hills Police Department responded to a residence in the 22000 block of Elmgrove St. on a report of an injured man who had been attacked by a family dog.

A family member of the resident called 911 to report that he went to his relative’s home after not hearing from him all day, and upon arrival, the family member found the man unconscious, laying on the ground in the backyard of the home with the dog pulling at his body. The family member advised that he had separated and contained the dog in the house prior to calling 911. There were no other people in the house.

When officers arrived on scene, they found a 40-year-old man unconscious with significant wounds consistent with animal bites. Farmington Hills Fire Department firefighter/paramedics arrived on scene, provided aid, and transported the victim to Corewell Hospital Farmington Hills, where he ultimately succumbed to his wounds.

The Oakland County Medical Examiner performed an autopsy, which ruled the manner of death as accidental and the cause of death as K-9 mauling. The dog, which has been turned over to the Oakland County Animal Control, is believed to be a Pitbull mix.

Investigators are working with family members to determine if the dog had any previous history of aggression or could have been labeled as “dangerous or potentially dangerous” by Farmington Hills City Ordinance. - Farmington Hills Police Department, May 20, 2024

This is the second violent pit bull attack in Oakland County in less than a week. On May 15, a 1-year old girl and her grandparent were attacked by two family pit bulls at a home near Nissen Court and West Maple Road. The dogs belonged to the baby's grandparents. The child sustained severe lacerations to her face, forehead, lower back, and leg. The child was transported to Ascension Providence Hospital then transferred to Mott Children’s Hospital, where she was last listed in critical condition.

A 40-year man who lives at the home on Elmgrove Street owns a male pit bull-mix.

View the DogsBite.org Google State Map: Michigan Fatal Pit Bull Attacks.

Posted on May 17, 2024 by Colleen Lynn

Family Shares Account After Dog Survives Violent Pit Bull Attack; Layla is Currently Recovering

Layla is on the mend after surviving a violent pit bull attack on May 9, 2024.

DogsBite.org - On May 9, we received a request to help a family whose German shorthaired pointer, Layla, was attacked by an off-leash pit bull. The dog grabbed Layla by the chest and shook. She also sustained multiple injuries on her right back side, requiring stitches and draining tubes. She now wears an extra-large recovery cone. Layla turned 5-years old in April. The family set up a "comfy corner for her," and they all slept together on an air mattress to keep her from trying to jump on and off furniture.

Hi Colleen,

Our German Shorthaired Pointer was just attacked by a pit bull today. So many stitches, sutures, and three tubes draining her chest. My wife survived the attack because of her and managed to escape with a minor puncture wound and scratches on her hand.

All she was doing was walking at the front of our neighborhood, when she heard a woman scream, and to my wife's horror, she saw a pit bull charging at her as fast as it possibly could go.

There were several people that saw the entire thing and tried to help break the grip, but it wasn't until a much larger man came and forced his hands into the jaws to pry the mouth off our dog. If you're familiar with this pointer breed, they have very narrow chests. This pit bull grabbed my poor dog by its chest and shook it. My wife said that she won't ever be able to unhear the screams coming from my dog.

The owner, a woman living in a house by herself, unable to properly care for the animal, let her small-framed daughter walk this dog and risk the lives of the members in our community.

I know you've heard these stories before, but I just wanted to get ours out there. Not that our story is particularly unique, but I will say that it is alarming that we have been unable to get law enforcement or animal control to appear at our home to file a report. This happened at 1:00 pm Eastern time today, and it's likely that this dog will have to go on another walk. We're a little shocked that there isn't more urgency, considering the immediate risk that the animal poses to our neighborhood.

We noticed the email thread was much longer than just the recent attack. When we scrolled to the bottom, we saw that our last exchange was 11 years ago. That correspondence was about a Cesar Millan episode, where he helped "rehabilitate" problem pit bulls owned by reformed gang members. One was a "blue-nosed pit bull named Monster" that lived up to his name by jumping on guests and stealing food off the dinner table, according to the description of the show, "Homeboys and Hounds."

At that time, the father shared concerns about Millan advocating "complacency around pit bulls" to his followers, many of whom practiced his dog training advice like a religion. The father owned a pug then, who would not have survived the attack that Layla did. A pit bull shaking a small dog by its chest is nearly always fatal. We reminded the father then, "Cesar says whatever Cesar wants to say," and that he has also been honest about bull breeds in the past, as he was during a 2006 episode.

“Yeah, but this is a different breed … the power that comes behind the bulldog, pit bull, presa canario, the fighting breed. They have an extra boost. They can go into a zone, they don’t feel the pain anymore ... So if you are trying to create submission in a fighting breed, it’s not going to happen. They would rather die than surrender. If you add pain, it only infuriates them ... to them pain is that adrenaline rush, they are looking forward to that, they are addicted to it … That’s why they are such great fighters.” He goes on to say: “Especially with fighting breeds, you’re going to have these explosions over and over because there’s no limits in their brain.” - Season 3, episode 4, The Dog Whisperer

One decade later, he experienced a pit bull attack firsthand, or rather his wife did. "My wife said that she won't ever be able to unhear the screams coming from my dog." Several people witnessed the attack and fortunately, one intervened, "a much larger man came and forced his hands into the jaws to pry the mouth off our dog." One of the witnesses gave them a note: "My husband and I witnessed the off-leash pit bull attack your dog. Please call me if you need anything. I hope your dog is okay." ☹️

layla is recovering after violent pit bull attack

Layla is recovering after a violent pit bull attack that occurred on May 9, 2024.

Posted on May 14, 2024 by Colleen Lynn

2024 Dog Bite Fatality: 4-Day Old Newborn Dead After 'Apparent Dog Bite' from Husky in Greene County, Tennessee

A newborn is dead after an "apparent dog bite" in Greene County, Tennessee.

Infant Dies After Dog Bite
Greenville, TN - A 4-day old infant is dead after an “apparent dog bite,” the Greene County Sheriff's Office said. The infant was taken to Greeneville Community Hospital at about 10:30 am Monday. The newborn was then flown to the University of Tennessee Medical Center for treatment. The Regional Forensic Center said it could not confirm the cause of death pending the official autopsy results. The sheriff's department is investigating, along with the state's Department of Children's Services.

Scannerfood, a Facebook Page that reports findings from public safety scanner channels, wrote: "Greene Co, Tn - 4 day old baby dies after dog attack Monday Night. Child was flown by helicopter but succumbed to injuries. Incident reportedly occurred 3000 blk of Lonesome Pine Trail. The dog involved was reportedly a Husky." This kicked off an active thread with multiple local commenters. One person states, "My sister lives next door to these people and this dog has killed multiple animals of hers."

According to commenters, the dog previously killed a neighbor's rabbit, killed an animal inside the owner's home; attacked a neighbor's dog; and bit the owner's "step-child, and she failed to report it." Another states the baby's mother, "recently moved into the home." Finally, states another, "Other people are saying baby was left alone in bassinet!" While many scenarios are possible, we know that the last one is the most common when a husky fatally attacks a newborn, as discussed in February.

From 2005 to present day, we've recorded approximately 745 dog bite fatalities. Huskies have been involved in 17 of these deaths. Of these victims, 65% (11 of 17) were infants ≤11 months old and 88% (15) were ages ≤5 years old ... The two most recent wolf-dog hybrid attacks also involved biting an infant or newborn on the head ... Of the 11 husky-inflicted infant deaths, 9 have information about the victim's surroundings. 7 deaths, 78%, involved the infant lying in a bassinet, baby carrier, crib or inside a playpen at the time. 2 deaths, 22%, involved the baby "resting in a bedroom." - DogsBite.org, February 24, 2024

infant dead after apparent dog bite greene county

Rumors circulate on social media after a newborn died after an "apparent dog bite."

Damascus the Male Husky

After further investigation, comments on the Scannerfood page are starting to make more sense, particularly this one: "I know it was getting loose when [] and I were cleaning those nasty kennels." The suspected culprit is a male husky, "Damascus," belonging to the infant's paternal grandmother, who owns the home where the attack occurred. "The dog belonged to the homeowner," stated a commenter. The grandmother also breeds mini schnauzers and has a kennel system in her backyard.

The baby's father posted publicly, "Just wanna say leave my mom outta the shit that’s all I’ve got to say, yes it happen." The mother of newborn Amaya Rose Carmack isn't fairing well, "If my life can’t get any worse I swear," she wrote two days ago. According to comments on the Scannerfood post -- because police are not releasing information -- a neighbor who witnessed police arrive said that the adults left the infant alone with two huskies, a lab, and another dog to have a smoke outside.

The suspected infant-killing culprit is a male husky, named "Damascus."

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