Canine Attack Victims' Group Releases Public Service Announcement: Won’t Back Down

Launches First Ever Canine Victims Awareness Week

avoka won't back down
Won't Back Down
East Troy, WI - Today a national ad hoc coalition, Awareness for Victims of Canine Attack (AVOCA), releases its first Public Service Announcement to kick off the very first Canine Victims Awareness Week, November 9-15, 2014. The PSA titled, "Won’t Back Down," was conceived as part of an ongoing campaign to help prevent fatal and disfiguring dog attacks, according to their news release. The video is located on the AVOCA website: www.VoicesoftheVictims.org.

The short film features the Tom Petty music track, "Won't Back Down," performed by Jimmy Solesky. His brother, Dominic Solesky, survived a near fatal pit bull attack in Towson, Maryland in April 2007. Dominic's attack was the basis of the landmark appellate decision, Tracey v. Solesky (2012), that declared pit bulls "inherently dangerous" and attached strict liability when a pit bull attacks a person. In April 2014, the Maryland legislature muted the Court of Appeals ruling.1

The emotional PSA features dozens of photos of family members, dog attack survivors and community safety advocates holding signs with the hashtag #WontBackDown. Grieving family members, survivors and advocates appearing in the PSA come from 16 different states including, Alabama, California, Florida, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and Wisconsin.

Readers will recognize some of these survivors and advocates from serious and fatal dog attack stories published on the DogsBite blog.

The filmmaker, MJ Maly, works in the advocacy movement under a pseudonym. Maly was moved to help victims raise awareness about this public safety threat after friends lost their child in a violent pit bull attack. The filmmaker has chosen to stay anonymous, according to the news release, to avoid being targeted and harassed by pit bull promoters, as has happened to other advocates who have spoken out against the dangers of keeping fighting breeds as family pets.

Read full new release: Canine Attack Victims Release Public Service Announcement

Why Do They Target and Harass?

This harassment is not limited to advocates either. The same abuse is unleashed on television news stations, national and local news publications and the individual reporters themselves who report the alarming number of fatalities, maulings and "bite" statistics attributed to pit bulls. The abuse is also directed at animal behaviorists, expert trainers, shelter workers and animal publications that speak frankly about the "well earned" dangerous reputation of the pit bull breed.

Since the launch of DogsBite.org in October 2007, we have seen this harassment escalate and grow more venomous in social media attacks. It has grown from infantile emails to DogsBite, "We've reported you to the FBI," to damaging professional reputations. Why do the pit bull promoters do it? To silence people and organizations about the dangerous breed issue. Such practices have been delivering good results for the promoters for 30-years. Why stop now?

Especially since it is easier than ever today to harm personal and professional reputations due to the Internet and social media.

The title of the PSA, "Won't Back Down," is a very apt title for today's era, as new victims' groups form, formerly quiet advocates speak out and a growing body of evidence proves to many media members that -- "Good dragons under the control of bad people do bad things"2 -- is nonsense and serves only to inflict more preventable, horrific injuries on innocent victims. Today's era should strike fear into the hearts of the promoters: There are many of us now and We Won't Back Down.

This blog post is part of a special series DogsBite.org is running for the first ever Canine Victims Awareness Week, November 9-15, 2014. Learn more by visiting the AVOCA website.

Suggested hashtags:  #WontBackDown    #CanineVictimsAwarenessWeek    #VoicesoftheVictims

my daughter was mauled by a pit bull, I won't back down

1New law reigns in Maryland, but the value of the Solesky decision in 49 other states is not lost. Learn more.
2The quoted phrase is from the "rebuttal" to the June 2014 Time article by Charlotte Alter (The Problem With Pit Bulls). The rebuttal is so packed with 1980s and 1990s pit bull fallacies, that we are not even linking to it.

Related articles:
07/24/14: Nonprofits Urge CDC to Resume Tracking Richer Data Set for Children and Adults...
06/02/14: Maryland Legislature Mutes Landmark Ruling, Tracey v. Solesky, During 2014...
03/19/14: 30-Year Anniversary of Historic Pit Bull Attack Victim and The Village of Tijeras...
04/17/13: Maryland High Court Ruling Stands: Pit Bulls are 'Inherently Dangerous'
08/21/12: Maryland Court of Appeals Narrows Decision to Pit Bulls; Removes Cross...
04/30/12: Maryland Court of Appeals Holds Pit Bull Owners and Landlords Accountable

Woman and Her Dog Attacked by a Pit Bull While Camping at Michigan State Park Campground

Asks: If States and Cities Can Have BSL, Why Not State Parks?

Woman and dog attacked by pit bull while camping at Michigan state parkWoman and dog attacked by pit bull while camping at Michigan state park
Woman and dog attacked by pit bull while camping at Michigan state parkWoman and dog attacked by pit bull while camping at Michigan state parkWoman and dog attacked by pit bull while camping at Michigan state park

Click an image to see a larger version and description on the DogsBite.org Facebook Page.

Michigan - A woman recently emailed us parts of her attack story, both she and her Goldendoodle were viciously attacked by a
pit bull while visiting a state park. She was with her husband and friends sitting around her fire pit at her campsite when the pit bull suddenly appeared. She said she would have posted her
photos to her own Facebook page, but "Amazingly," she wrote, "my friends
and family have already been cruel enough in defending the
'friendliness' of pit bulls."

We were sitting around OUR fire pit on OUR lot at a state park when the pit bull quietly came onto our lot. He walked between all of us and the fire pit, passed my dog, turned around, stood in front of him for a second then attacked him. It was HORRIFIC. He brought him down and my dog went submissive, got several wounds on his stomach. Then the pit bull dragged him by his head. When I tried to save my dog, he came after me.

Afterward, I tried to find out why they weren't banned from such a family friendly place (A STATE PARK CAMPGROUND!!!) and they said they could not ban a specific breed. People can't believe a little 35-40 pound pit bull could bring down my 110 pound Goldendoodle. They certainly can, instantly!

My attack never made the news because the police weren't called. I wish it had made the news, people should know that these monsters are allowed in campgrounds filled with children! If it were an hour earlier, there would have been 2 year olds sitting in little chairs around the fire ... it could have been THEM in the jaws. - Goldendoodle owner

Her writing is so immediate and jarring -- exactly how these attack occur -- that we asked if she would share more with DogsBite readers. What follows is an extended account of what happened based on a series of follow up questions that we asked. Like most people, until that night at the state park campsite, she could not have imagined what such an attack entails. Underlined text portions (our emphasis) indicate that these areas are discussed at the bottom of this blog post.

What happened after the attack?

After the dog let go of me, I felt the blood gushing in my jacket and took it off. I had no idea how badly I was hurt. Everyone started scrambling for a towel because the blood was just gushing out. I, however, was trying to get my dog into the camper because I did NOT KNOW if the pit bull was secure, I only knew he let go of me. My husband managed to secure the dog by looping MY dog's leash around its neck and holding it between its legs. There was blood all over the camper door from me trying to take care of my dog. Everyone was telling me not to worry about my dog and that I had to go to the hospital NOW! My husband grabbed me and put me in the car before I even knew how badly my dog was hurt. I had him call about 6 times from the hospital to check on his injuries.

The owners showed up after we got in the car and headed to the hospital. That was about 10:30 pm. All they said was: "That's my dog, I'll take him." They NEVER asked WHAT HAPPENED or if anyone was hurt!!!! - Goldendoodle owner

What happened at the vet?

I don't get out of the hospital until after midnight. We brought our dog into the local vet the next day, which was a NIGHTMARE. The desk clerk was really nice when we got there and asked what happened. We waited forever to get in. They shaved him, cleaned out the wounds, and gave him some antibiotic pills. We didn't realize how bad it was until he was shaved. Our vet bills total over $400. My husband had gone to run an errand and while I was waiting for him in the waiting room, a lot of other dog owners coming in SAW my dog and of course asked "WHAT HAPPENED?"

At the time I was trying to be discrete and only said "He was attacked by another dog". And EVERY SINGLE PERSON asked "What kind of dog?" So I told them. None were surprised and most said "of course." As I was re-telling the events to about the 3rd person, the desk clerk, who had been SO friendly when no one was there, told me "You can go wait in that room over there!" I got the feeling she was upset that I was telling people about this HORRIBLE PIT BULL!!! I had to go sit in a separate room so that people coming in wouldn't see me and hear what happened!

Luckily, my husband pulled up right after she said that, so I just glared at her and headed out the door. I wasn't educated about pit bulls at the time. I had watched Cesar Millan and heard how "it's all how you raise them" until my attack. After almost witnessing the death of my dog to the pit bull, I educated myself and have been trying to educate others. Getting a lot of backlash from friends and even FAMILY members. - Goldendoodle owner

Reaction to the incident report?

The incident report states that their dog had some "bite marks" on the top of its head. Those are not bite marks. That dog was being kicked and hit in the head with a camp chair. My dog never got a bite in! He rolled over in submission almost immediately and the pit bull bit him in the stomach!!

Also, "(the owner) stated that (the pit bull) likes people but doesn't like new dogs." So, bring him to a state park which is known for having a lot of dogs and kids and then don't keep your eye on it? Let it wander off your site at 10:30 pm and not even notice, even when blood-curdling screams are coming from a few streets over? By the way, I don't think this dog should be around people either!
- Goldendoodle owner

How is your world and life today?

I have started writing a letter to the Department of National Resources headquarters about banning dangerous dogs from the state park. They said it can't be done, but if countries, states, and counties can have BSL, so can state parks!

MY PTSD is so bad, I can't go for walks, I practically RUN in and out of my house to get me and my kids into my car, and EVERY. SINGLE. TIME. I am outside, I am looking everywhere for a pit bull. I don't let my kids play outside because I saw someone walking a white and black pit bull down our country road. Scenarios run through my head about them coming after me, my children and my dog. I have nightmares EVERY NIGHT about them coming after my kids. The emotional damage from this attack far outweighs the physical damage done to me and our family pet! - Goldendoodle owner

Discussion Notes

  • The difficulty of both human and animal injuries (Everyone was telling me not to worry about my dog and that I had to go to the hospital NOW!) The most common pit bull attack involves the dog attacking a pet dog -- pit bulls were selectively bred to attack and kill dogs in a fighting pit. In many cases, one or more persons are injured trying to save their dog from certain death. Without immediate human intervention these attacks usually result in the death of the pet dog. Injured humans and animals are treated at different facilities -- two different types of hospitals. Immediate medical attention is often required; so both victims may be gone from the scene by the time police arrive. This often adds to the difficulty of identifying the owner of the attacking pit bull. Fortunately, her friends were on scene when park officials arrived.
  • Predictable pit bull owners (They NEVER asked WHAT HAPPENED or if anyone was hurt!!!!) This always comes as a complete shock to victims. They cannot understand the mindset of pit bull owners. This mindset, however, is a dime-a-dozen amongst pit bull owners and is termed "narcipitism." Maul Talk Manual - Narcipitism was coined to describe the classic pit bull owner who does not apologize or even solicit information about the welfare of a person who was seriously injured by their dog. Narcipitism initially comes as a shock to pit bull attack victims, who can’t imagine this psychological condition. Most often, people who chose to own pit bulls are not normal dog owners. Readers must recognize this truth before an attack. Having to "see it to believe it" is the most painful way to reach this realization.
  • A question victims can always count on (And EVERY SINGLE PERSON asked "What kind of dog?") We commonly tell victims that there is no need to include "breed" when recounting your attack to friends, relatives, co-workers, hospital workers and others. As the Goldendoodle owner expresses, "every single person" will ask you, "What kind of dog?" For feisty victims who want to pursue this debate with others, we tell them to fire back: "What kind of dog do you think it was?" We promise this will result in an unforgettable expression by the initial questioner. This is all rhetorical, as the person who asked "What kind of dog?" already knows the answer to the question. But, allowing a person to fully conclude this answer on their own helps he or she validate what they already suspected was true!
  • The myth that gets children killed and leads to an obscene number of serious injuries (I had watched Cesar Millan and heard how "it's all how you raise them" until my attack.) As we describe in Essay of a Fatal Pit Bull Mauling: "However, when one looks at the situation in this light -- which groups are spreading the false myths, which groups fail to refute these myths and how many entertainment and news organizations broadcast these myths -- one must also ask: Where can a person go to receive reliable information about this dog breed? Usually, a person only finds DogsBite.org when it's too late." Currently, a death row pit bull from Texas that was "saved" and rehabilitated at Cesar Millan's Dog Psychology Center after attacking a woman is now on death row in California for attacking two more people.
  • Painful and real backlash (Getting a lot of backlash from friends and even FAMILY members). Unfortunately, the dangerous myth, "it's all how you raise them," propagated by veterinarians, animal welfare organizations, megastar Cesar Millan, a host of cable TV shows and print media is a tough myth to dispel. As addressed in the essay: "From a psychological standpoint, the simplest form of the myth, "It's the owner," answers all of the questions to an average person about the dangerous breed issue. Challenging this belief disrupts and threatens the beholder's world." Add to this that since the conviction of Michael Vick (post 2007), there has been a growing backlash about saying anything negative about pit bulls at all, despite the fact that they kill more human beings than all other dog breeds combined.
  • Pit bulls often ignore dog signals (He rolled over in submission almost immediately and the pit bit him in the stomach!!) Randall Lockwood, PhD: "Likewise, [pit bulls] are disrespectful of the traditional signs of submission and appeasement … most dogs are hardwired to respond to a display of submission by cutting off aggression because it means you have won. But if you are a fighting dog and the object is to inflict the most damage possible, a submissive gesture is just a new opening. In the early 80's, I started hearing from the Humane Society ... They would put that dog into a pen with a German Shepherd, and the German Shepherd speaks "dog," ... and the German Shepherd would go belly up, and the pit bull would just disembowel him. They don't speak that language. They ignore that signal."
  • Known dog aggression is unacceptable in the 21st Century (Also, "(the owner) stated that (the pit bull) likes people but doesn't like new dogs.") Pit bull owners, rescuers and advocates, along with a countless number of animal welfare groups, no-kill groups and shelters, adopt out dogs, primarily pit bulls, with known dog aggression. While misguided or wishful thinking may be behind their actions, such actions lead to a public safety nightmare, which is another reason why these groups have zero business operating in or influencing the area of public safety. There is no neighborhood or public place where a known "dog-aggressive" dog is safe. Humans error, a door is opened, out bolts the pit bull that destroys a dog being walked on its leash and sends that pet dog's owner to the nearest emergency room.
  • Emotional injury is underreported and underemphasized (The emotional damage from this attack far outweighs the physical damage done to me and our family pet!) Readers must understand how painfully significant, yet under researched, emotional injury is following a violent dog attack. The description by the Goldendoodle owner is 100% on mark. Part of this trauma stems from the sudden and uncontrollable nature of these violent attacks. They can happen at anytime and just about anywhere. For most of us, unless a policeman is within yelling distance, you are Shit Out of Luck. Some of this trauma will fade for the Goldendoodle over time, but it never fully goes away. You can never go back to the person you were before the violent dog attack. We are sorry to be the bearer of this bad news.

We thank this Goldendoodle owner so much for sharing her important story! Our hearts go out to her and her dog. Her sharing this story will prevent new attacks and inspire new advocates. Thank you so much! Below is a photo of her dear Goldendoodle before being mauled by a pit bull.

woman and dog mauled by pit bull at Michigan state park campground

Related articles:
05/07/14: Letter: After Pit Bull Kills Dog and Maims Man, Victims Seek to Advance Public...
08/29/13: East Texas Woman Severely Mauled by Pit Bull at 'Dog Friendly' Private RV Park
05/31/13: DogsBite.org Featured as Guest Columnist in Support of Pit Bull Bans

2014 Dog Bite Fatality: Woman Dies After Violent Pit Bull Attack in Robeson County

Robeson County woman mauled by granddaughter's pit bulls
Alemeaner Dial, 83, died after being attacked by her granddaughter's pit bulls.

Dog Mauling Victim Dies archived
Rowland, NC - On October 25, 83-year old Alemeaner Dial suffered catastrophic injuries inflicted by four pit bulls belonging to her granddaughter. She had been sitting on her front porch when the dogs pulled her off and mauled her. She was taken to New Hanover Medical Center then airlifted to UNC Hospitals in Chapel Hill. Six days later, it was reported that Dial was taken off life support and near death. Family members confirmed today that she passed away late Sunday night.

The attacking pit bulls were two adults, a 3-year old male and 2-year old female, and two puppies, according to Robeson County Health Director Bill Smith. The attack occurred at Dial's home on Gaddy’s Mill Road last Saturday evening. She had been sitting on her porch when the dogs attacked her, Smith said. One of her grandson's was alerted to the attack and shot and killed one pit bull, the three others fled, but were later caught by animal control and euthanized, Smith said.

The pit bulls belonged to Dial's granddaughter. She and her dogs moved into Dial's home over the summer, according to Dial's daughter-in-law, Linda Dial. A neighbor called Linda and alerted her to the attack, she said. Linda's family rushed over to Dial's home, about a quarter of a mile away from their own. She said her son, Johnathan Dial, kicked the dogs off Dial and shot and killed one. Linda said the dogs ripped off her ears, tore out her hair and mutilated her arms and legs.

These are well thought of people. She doesn’t deserve this. Nobody deserves to be mutilated by dogs. - Linda Dial, Robesonian.com, October 30, 2014

The Robesonian.com reported additional details last week. Linda said that a nurse at New Hanover Medical Center, where Dial was initially transported, said that she'd never seen a patient in such condition. "She said they were not equipped to handle such a severe patient," Linda said. Alemeaner Dial was then airlifted to UNC Hospitals in Chapel Hill and placed on life support. "They’re telling us that if she survives she may lose all or some of her extremities," Linda said.

Linda had been concerned enough about these dogs to contact police and the Department of Social Services. Her mother-in-law had dementia and used a walker, according to Linda. "Nobody foresaw this, but everybody knew it was a dangerous situation," Linda said. After deputies and animal control arrived on scene, Linda confronted them, saying, "We’ve been trying to get you guys to do something for months." All county officials could say was, "We know, we’re so sorry."

pit bullAccording to Linda Dial, family members and neighbors had repeatedly asked that the dogs, which she said roamed in a large fenced in area, be restrained. She said the dogs were known to be vicious and had caused trouble in the neighborhood before.
pit bull“Nobody foresaw this, but everybody knew it was a dangerous situation,” Linda Dial said. “Everybody said ‘something has got to happen, we just hope they don’t bother Miss Dial.’” According to Linda, her mother-in-law has dementia and uses a walker.
pit bullLinda said the family had called police and the Department of Social Services trying to get someone to intervene. She brought this up when sheriff’s deputies and animal control officers arrived.
pit bull“We told them we’ve been trying to get you guys to do something for months and they said ‘we know, we’re so sorry, we’re so sorry,” she said. - Robesonian.com, October 30, 2014

"We're So Sorry" Is Not Good Enough

In yet another animal control and county policy fail resulting in a preventable fatal dog attack, one has to wonder how many more people have to suffer a barbaric "mutilation" dog mauling death before "reasonable" change is implemented? This is the 21st Century, not the Medieval period. Considerable blame must be pinned on the victim's granddaughter as well, who did not just own a couple of pit bulls, but was running a homespun pit bull breeding operation out of Dial's home.

In 2012, there was another fatal pit bull attack in Robeson County. 53-year old Mary Jo Hunt was mauled to death by seven rescued pit bulls at a home she shared with her sister on Sharon Lane. At the time of the attack, Hunt worked for Robeson County
Claws and Paws Rescue. All of the pit bulls involved in the fatal attack had been up for adoption through the rescue. Sheriff's authorities said the victim was trying to break up a dog fight when the dogs turned on her and attacked.

Recent North Carolina Dog Bite Fatalities:

map iconView the DogsBite.org Google Map: North Carolina Fatal Pit Bull Maulings.

One of four pit bulls owned by Lydia Hoyes that horrifically attacked and killed Alemeaner Dial.

attacked and killed Alemeaner Dial
Related articles:
06/11/14: 2014 Dog Bite Fatality: Comal County Woman, 75, Dies After Pit Bull Attack 
06/03/14: 2014 Dog Bite Fatality: Connecticut Woman, 93, Dies after Vicious Attack...
04/25/14: 2014 Dog Bite Fatality: San Antonio Woman, 83, Dies After Pit Bull Attack

Photo: FayObserver.com

2014 Dog Bite Fatality: 7-Year Old Boy Killed by Trained Protection Dog in Dodge County, Wisconsin

Personal and Family Protection Dogs with a "Switch"

dodge county boy killed by prorection rottweilerdodge county boy killed by protection trained rottweiler
dodge county boy killed by protection trained rottweilerpersonal protection trained dogs with a switchsocial protection trained dogs with a switch

Dutch Behaviorist Responds
UPDATE 11/19/14: Dutch animal behaviorist and author, Alexandra Semyonova responds to protection dogs with a "switch" after a 7-year old boy was killed by a protection trained rottweiler living at his family's home. She discusses why bringing an attack bred and trained dog into a home and hoping it will be a reliable family pet is a mistake. Enclosed below is Semyonova's short response. Semyonova also provided a long response that discusses many additional details.

Alexandra Semyonova (short version)

Perhaps the most important thing this case should force us to realize is that you can’t take an attack bred and trained dog into a home and hope that it will be a reliable family pet. Both the breeding and the training that go into these dogs prohibit this. The dogs are bred in the first place for heightened reactivity, poor impulse control, low bite threshold, and unwillingness to back down in a conflict. The training they’re then subjected to amplifies these traits. The dogs are taught to attack on command, but also to make the decision to attack independent of any handler command. In attacking, the dogs are taught to bite with all their jaw strength, to grip and hold on no matter what the target does, and to release only when so commanded by their handler. This doesn’t mean that titled dogs can be relied on to release at the first command. Even at level 3 (the highest level), the IPO rules allow the handler to repeat the command three times. Only if the dog ignores the command a third time does the dog fail the trial.

The idea that the dogs will limit their attack behavior to the training field isn’t realistic. They are being trained to exhibit this behavior anywhere they’re accompanying their handler. If someone buys the dog as a ‘personal protection’ dog for in the home, the home becomes one of the places where the dog is expected to show the attack behavior – but of course only if a burglar comes in. However, many of the cues these dogs learn as a sign that it’s time for an independent, non-commanded attack are human actions the dogs will frequently encounter in the home with welcome guests and family members. Dogs can’t read our minds. There’s no magical way for the dog to understand who is welcome, who is not, or that the attack chain must never be initiated even if a family member does give one of the cues (for example, a child running at the dog with a stick in the child’s raised hand, or one spouse shouting at the other in a marital argument). Unless each and every one of the home’s occupants and every guest who is ever invited in is an experienced dog trainer, who also knows exactly what actions will trigger the dog to attack, and who never makes a mistake or has a moment of not paying attention, there will always be the risk that the dog does what it was trained to do.

There is no such thing as a ‘switch’ that will turn this off. Yes, you can ‘switch’ your IPO trained dog from tracking to attacking and back again if you know how and have the skills to do so, but you can’t flip a switch and turn the training off altogether. The video Vohne Liche so proudly posted of Ozzy behaving normally with strangers demonstrates, in my opinion, that Vohne Liche must know this. First of all there’s the very fact that a short episode of normal interaction with a few selected strangers is presented as an achievement to be proud of. This implies to me that Vohne Liche knows there are often problems with these dogs in family and neighborhood situations. Secondly, there’s the clear nervousness of Ozzy’s handler during this short video, the constant praising of the Rottweiler in a soothing voice, which strongly suggests the handler knew (or at least feared) that this Rottweiler had a not completely predictable or controllable hair trigger.

Dogs that have been bred and trained to attack may have a function in certain contexts. Some of us would question whether it’s fair to exploit dogs this way at all, but that is a question for another time and place. What this case makes clear is that clear boundaries should be imposed on commercial traffic in these dogs. A trained protection dog can command a price up to $15,000 or more on the international market. It seems foolish to allow the people who exploit these dogs for commercial reasons to work on expanding their market regardless of whether there is a reasonable or urgent need, and regardless of how much danger that puts families in.

On a final note, the following. The Dutch government’s Council on Animal Affairs acknowledges that this trade is becoming a serious problem. On August 15, 2014, it published a policy development paper, advising the government to take measures to prevent both failed and retired police dogs from being transferred into private hands as family pets. How sad that any such policy will now be too late to save the life of an American child who fell victim to this trade.

The Long Response

Semyonova's long response explains many aspects to readers more deeply including, bite threshold and bite inhibition, IPO bite training and protection dogs with a "switch." It also discusses several of the Alpha Dogs episodes featuring Vohne Liche Kennels and their clumsy training techniques. The long response addresses breeding and the international "protection dog industry" and offers insights into the Dutch rottweiler and Netherlands, Semyonova's native country.

Meanwhile, Platinum K9 Protection and their owners, Jessie and Tiffany Smith, are carrying on with business. The entity's Facebook page touts many new 5-star reviews for "expert" training since their own protection dog killed Tiffany's son, Logan Meyer, four weeks ago. Tiffany later told police, "Ozzy was Logan's favorite dog." The two might instead do well to read what behaviorist Semyonova has to say first. If they do not, then any prospective customers certainly should.


Alexandra Semyonova is an internationally acclaimed animal behaviorist and author of The 100 Silliest Things People Say About Dogs. Academically educated in behavioral science and specialized in animal behavior, she provided a major breakthrough for the field in her paper, The Social Organization of the Domestic Dog. She has worked with dogs and their owners on a daily basis for more than 30 years. Visit her website at Nonlinear Dogs. View additional DogsBite.org posts that Semyonova has provided commentary for in the past.


11/01/14: Protection Rottweiler Euthanized
The rottweiler that attacked and killed a 7-year old boy in Dodge County last Friday has been euthanized. Police reports gained by FDLreporter.com through an open records request show that Ozzy attacked Logan Meyer when he took the dog outside to go to the bathroom. The reports indicate that the dog was 3.5-years old, however, the March 2014 video states that the dog was 3.5-years old then, so presumably the rottweiler was 4-years old when it killed Logan last week.

The Reporter points out that although early press releases by the Dodge County Sheriff's Office stated that the dog had severely "bitten" the boy, the police report refers to the incident as an "attack." This is an important difference in language.1 Officers also noted in the report that the boy had severe head and facial injuries. The boy's mother, Tiffany Smith, told investigators that Ozzy had been living with the family for 3-months and that the dog was trained in "personal property."

One can get much more specific than that. A December 6, 2013 post on the Vohne Liche Kennels Executive and Family Protection Facebook page -- the branch of Vohne Liche Kennels that Jessie Smith directed -- states: "If you have been searching for a Rottweiler for Personal Protection then your search is over...... Say Hello to Ozzy a three year old IPO2........ Yes thats a 2 and it's not a typo." We presume this means that Ozzy had received the Level 2 Schutzhund title, IPO 2.2

This video shows an unrelated rottweiler being evaluated on the IPO 2 Protection test.3 Additional examples from a variety of dog breeds include: IPO 2 Protection and Obedience test compilation 2013 (rottweiler), IPO 2 Champion Protection test 2012 (American bulldog) and IPO 2 Champion Protection test 2011 (cane corso). We have provided multiple video examples because some, if not all, of these Schutzhund trial videos may be removed or privatized by their "fearless" owners.

Smith told investigators she was in the kennel building preparing food dishes when Logan took Ozzy outside to go to the bathroom. She said Logan had been in the yard less than five minutes when Ozzy attacked him. Smith does not know what happened before the attack. "Ozzy was Logan's favorite dog and ... there had been no previous incidents or safety concerns regarding Ozzy with Logan or anyone else," Smith told investigators, according to the sheriff's report.

Additional Updates

Vohne Liche Kennels has removed Jessie Smith's profile from their Personnel page on their corporate website. The Vohne Liche Kennels Executive and Family Protection Facebook page continues to stay online with Smith's contact information in the About section. There is also a VLK Executive and Family Protection Facebook page that appears to be abandoned. Lastly, in 2013, Vohne Liche Kennels announced the opening of their European kennel; it is located in Holland.

10/28/14: Watch the Video: Ozzy Meeting People
In the past 24-hours, news reports from Wisconsin media have surfaced stating that Ozzy, the "bite" trained rottweiler that fatally attacked a 7-year old boy, was being trained as a service dog. We have no other choice but to post the video removed by trainer Jessie Smith yesterday from his YouTube channel clearly indicating that Ozzy had done bite work. In other damning news, it appears that Ozzy was technically trained under the hood of megastar Vohne Liche Kennels.

If true, we are no longer talking about Smith's new business, Platinum K9 Protection, we are talking about a major industry leader in police dogs.

In a September 3 Facebook post from Vohne Liche Kennels Executive and Family Protection -- the branch of Vohne Liche Kennels that Jessie Smith directed -- it states, "****** are some more photos of Ozzy the beautiful Rottweiler. For those of you that were interested in the videos I posted last week, please take a minute to tell Ozzy goodbye as he has found his forever home and his delivery will be set up over the coming days." The post displays multiple photos of Ozzy.4

This type of post is exceedingly bad for business, considering what has happened since, which is likely why it was removed from the Vohne Liche Kennels Executive and Family Protection Facebook page. We found it in Google Cache on Monday. Trainer extraordinaire Jessie Smith has been on constant "clean up" duty removing damning photographs and videos of Ozzy since his "bite" trained rottweiler suddenly "switched" and attacked Logan's face and neck killing him.

"We received a call from the mother who stated that he was bitten by the dog and when we arrived on scene it was a horrific scene,” said Dodge County Sheriff Patricia Ninmann.
--- snip ---

[First responders] arrived on scene and he was in the pen wagging his tail being a nice dog -- allowed us to go up and pet him did not appear to be aggressive at all,” said Ninmann. - Fox 6 Now, October 27, 2014

Service Dog and Sheriff's Chaplain Decoys

We first noticed the "service dog" language from Fox 6 Now on Monday afternoon. We had thought it was a misunderstanding. We were wrong. Late Monday, WISN aired their segment propped up by the Dodge County Sheriff's Office Chaplain, who specifically stated: "I do know [the dog] was trained to be a service dog. He was not trained to be an attack dog or any of that stuff." The segment added that the dog also had a background in both military and police training.

Sounds a little confusing doesn't it? First off, Ozzy was indeed trained in bite and protection work -- aka attack dog training. The "Ozzy Meeting People" video clearly depicts this. Second, why is the chaplain of the Dodge County Sheriff's Office the spokesperson delivering this confusing message? From the get-go the Dodge County Sheriff's Department has placed a silencer on this fatal dog attack case or as the FDLreporter.com states, has erected "information roadblocks."

Protection and Attack Dogs as Service Dogs

Protection trained and bred dogs are poor service dog candidates (See paper by psychologist pertaining to PTSD: Disaster is not what a trauma victim needs). While the ADA does not explicitly forbid a person from doing protection training with their service dog, "it also does not protect their choice to do so, and businesses may legally exclude a protection trained dog from their premises even if it is also trained as a service dog, as a direct threat," according to Service Dog Central.

What we are talking about is a dog that has been trained by deliberately stimulating his prey drive to elicit aggressive behavior for guard or protection purposes. Some call it "attack training," others refer to it as "protection training." Such a dog is likely to do what it was selected and trained to do when he feels or perceives threat. The experience of threat is innate in all creatures. However, individuals with PTSD have a pervasive heightened arousal and exaggerated perception of threat. They also have problems with anger control and are more likely than others to become engaged in interpersonal conflicts. How will these emotions impact the protection dog? I believe it will increase the likelihood of aggression towards innocent people or other dogs. The use of protection dogs by individuals with PTSD places the general population at risk for harm.

- Disaster is not what a trauma victim needs: Risks and negative consequences of protection dogs for individuals with post traumatic stress disorder by Natalie Sachs-Ericsson, PhD

October Surprise at the Sheriff's Office?

After the Dodge County Sheriff's Department placed a "silencer" on this case, we immediately looked at the most obvious public office to see if there was a cantankerous election race at hand. Indeed there is in Dodge County (You can read about the nastiness here). Sitting Dodge County Sheriff Pat Ninmann was appointed by Governor Scott Walker in 2013. She lost the primary election by a modest number of votes to Sgt. Dale Schmidt. Ninmann is now a write-in candidate.

The Monday news report by FDLreporter.com goes deeper into the political ramifications of a fatal dog mauling in this jurisdiction -- specifically involving a police and military K9 trainer from a celebrity kennel and a "bite" trained dog -- just before the November 4 election. Sheriff Ninmann is vilified for erecting "information roadblocks" to the media in this case, which she is dutifully guilty of doing. But would Schmidt have behaved differently as the sheriff, given the parties involved?

While Sgt. Dale Schmidt would not comment on the dog bite incident, the sheriff-elect said roadblocks with the media will be lifted when he officially takes office in January. Schmidt defeated Ninmann by a margin of 300 votes in the Republican primary election in August. However, Ninmann has launched a write-in campaign for Nov. 4.

"The employees here are aware of (Ninmann's withholding of information)," said Schmidt. "(Former Sheriff Todd Nehls) had a very good relationship in working with the media, and I plan to go back to doing some of the same things he did when he ran the sheriff's office." - A politician just days before an election

Social Protection Dogs with a Switch

At the end of the day, social protection dogs with a switch have their drawbacks don't they? This is why DogsBite.org continues to write about this case. It is misguided to believe that expert training in protection and bite work can produce a "switch" in certain dog breeds from a gentle babysitter of children to the instant attack of a stranger. In the business of "switching" aggression on and off at whim, a rottweiler is a terrible choice. In this area, breed is an excellent predictor of danger.

10/27/14: Mauling Victim Identified
The 7-year old boy who was mauled to death by a dog Friday has been identified. Logan Thomas Meyer was pronounced dead at the scene after a rottweiler owned by his family viciously attacked him, according to Sheriff Patricia Ninmann. Media outlets continue to stay mute about the overwhelmingly important background of the dog's owner. Meet Ozzy, the professionally "bite" trained rottweiler from Holland "being social and friendly," seven months before killing the child.

But you can't meet Ozzy can you? Jessie Smith removed this video from his YouTube channel just today. We made a copy last night just in case.

The March 2014 video talks about Ozzy possibly going to a doctor in Arizona that has three small children. This screenshot, however, taken on October 25 of the Platinum K9 Protection Facebook page, indicates that Ozzy was going to a military officer. All images of Ozzy were removed from the Platinum K9 Protection Facebook page sometime after the night of October 25. It was the only rottweiler in the group's photo album. Currently, Ozzy is apparently still being held in quarantine.

Video Transcript Excerpts: "Ozzy Meeting People"

Handler: Going inside the building to meet some people. Good boy. Good boy Oz.
[Approaches one man sitting at a desk, the man starts to pet him.]
Handler: Good boy. Good boy.
Handler: Come on, let's go meet some more people.
[Approaches different man who kneels down, the man starts to pet him.]
Man: How old?
Handler: He is 3-and-a-half. Here Oz!
Handler: Sit!
Man: Where are you from? [Asks the man looking at the dog]
Handler: He's from Holland.
Man: Nice and heavy on the bite?
Handler: Yeah, he bites really nice ... [can't decipher language]5 ... Making a little short video of how social he is and just real friendly. There is a doctor in Arizona looking at him and he's got three small kids. He wants to make sure he is going to be a good fit for his family...

In short, this rottweiler was trained in obedience and bite work and it has a "good bite."

10/26/14: Trainer at Celebrity Kennel
In the wake of uncovering Platinum K9 Protection as the new owner of Country Kennels Bed & Biscuit business Saturday night, more bad news follows. To start, the motto of Platinum K9 Protection is, "Social Protection Dogs with a Switch." Go ahead and consider how unrealistic this goal is? According to the public Facebook pages of the owners of Platinum K9 Protection, the family arrived in Wisconsin with five dogs, presumably four malinois' and one rottweiler.

Jessie Smith, the owner and trainer of Platinum K9 Protection, was formerly the Director of Executive and Family Protection at Vohne Liche Kennels. The kennel gained national attention in 2013 for starring in Alpha Dogs, a National Geographic Wild television series (See: related March, 2013 USA Today article). Five months after the USA Today article, Vohne Liche Kennels was not featured so prominently in the news after 10 dogs died while being transported to El Paso.

Ten dogs arrived in El Paso already dead, according to Maj. Joe Buccino, a Fort Bliss spokesman. The Canine Center is on post.

Vohne Liche owner, Ken Licklider said the air conditioner in the vehicle carrying the dogs malfunctioned. He said the kennel driver is supposed to check on the dogs during the 22-hour drive. - December 2013, KVIA.com

Though not reported by KVIA until December, Jessie Smith posted a video to YouTube on August 23, 2013, which depicts Vohne Liche owner, Ken Licklider, commenting on the "horrible event in Texas." Licklider said that the dogs did not die on the road; they died at the hotel early in the morning. There were seven surviving dogs. "We are sickened over what happened, please understand," Licklider states. Both trainers that made the bad judgment call were fired.

Alpha Dogs was canceled at the end of its 2013 season, according to the Futon Critic website.

10/25/14: Critical New Information6
It was confirmed Saturday evening (in the video only) that the fatal dog attack occurred at Country Kennels Bed & Biscuit, a dog boarding facility, which is actually located in Iron Ridge. Neither family nor friends would speak to CBS 58 on camera. They did learn, however, that the family had just moved into the property with a kennel facility only a week or two ago. The family bought the home and kennel with plans of running the same type of business, according to neighbors.

Dodge County Sheriff's deputies still will not confirm the name of the deceased child or whether it was a family dog or name the breed of dog involved in the attack that killed a 7-year old boy. Lieutenant Brian Loos did say, "It was not just some dog that was running loose, I can confirm that, but I cannot confirm whether or not it was the family's dog." Dodge County Sheriff's investigators do not anticipate filing criminal charges. That is as far as the CBS 58 report went Saturday night.

Our own subsequent investigation showed that the arriving family renamed the business to, "Platinum K9 Protection, LLC."

State of Wisconsin business filings and a Facebook page chock full of images from Platinum K9 Protection, showing the same property address and kennel facility as Country Kennels Bed & Biscuit, was uncovered Saturday night by DogsBite.org and our vital researchers. The Facebook page shows the logo of the entity -- note the parents and child in the logo -- along with two K9 protection dogs, a malinois and rottweiler, the latter described as "all muscle" by one commenter.7

Seems pretty clear now why the Dodge County Sheriff's Department has been so tight lipped.8

10/24/14: Child Mauled to Death by Dog
Hustisford, WI - In a developing story, a 7-year old child was attacked and killed by a dog Friday evening. The Dodge County Sheriff's Office said the attack occurred in the Town of Hustisford. Sheriff's deputies responded to a 911 call at about 5:20 pm reporting the boy was bleeding profusely. "Numerous first-responding agencies responded," Dodge County Sheriff's Office Lt. Brian Loos said. Despite the many emergency responders, they were unable to save the boy's life.

"Paramedics were trying for several hours to save the boy." - WISN.com

Loos said the dog was known to the family, but would not confirm if it was a family pet or the dog's breed. Few other details are being released at this time. The animal was seized and transported to the local humane society to be placed into quarantine. Loos said the boy's death is devastating to the emergency responders who worked so hard to save his life. "Children are always the worst ones for our first responders to deal with. It's very difficult for them to deal with this," he said.9

Responding agencies included: Dodge County Sheriff's Dept. and chaplain, Dodge County Medical Examiner, Neosho/Rubicon/Ashippun Police Depts., Hustisford Fire and First Responders, Hartford EMS, Lebanon EMS, Iron Ridge Fire Dept. and Woodland Fire Dept.

2010 Dog Bite Fatality

In 2010, 4-year old Taylor Becker of Hustisford (population 1,380) was mauled to death by a dog while visiting family friends in Hubbard Township (population 1,640), also located in Dodge County. The two towns are about 7-miles apart. The little girl's parents had been visiting the home of Steven and Stefanie Beauprey when the lethal attack occurred. The 5-year old dog had only been with the Beaupreys for 3 to 4 months before killing Taylor. The Beaupreys were breeding the dog.

map iconView the DogsBite.org Google Map: U.S. Fatal Rottweiler Attacks By State
1But sadly, "bite" and "bitten" are not uncommon language used when authorities describe a vicious dog attack. Often it is the other way around too. Police told Steve -- who was rushing Jeff Borchardt to the hospital -- that there had been a "dog bite." This was after two pit bulls savagely mauled Jeff's son for up to 15-minutes. "Dog bite" and "dog bite incident" are deeply rooted terms in the system and in no way properly identify mauling or fatal injuries.
2Level 3 is the highest. We really wanted to link readers to a basic, general web page about the three Schutzhund levels, but could not locate one that does not also promote a trainer or kennel. Even the Wikipedia page gave up.
3There are 3 phases that must be passed to gain the IPO 2 title. This technical document explains them in detail. Also, you can see the same unrelated rottweiler performing tests in IPO 2 Obedience and IPO 2 Tracking.
4The most recent post of Ozzy that we could locate was posted to the Platinum K9 Protection Facebook page on October 20. At that time, a commenter states: "He looks great. Looking forward to getting him with his new partner." We previously posted this image on our October 27 update. While we do not know the significance of the name "Ozzy," or even if there is one, we do know from the March 2013 USA Today article that it was Jack Osbourne, the son of heavy-metal rocker Ozzy Osbourne, that convinced Vohne Liche Kennels to do the reality TV show. Jack Osbourne was the show's executive producer.
5After learning more about this case in subsequent updates, this language is clear now. Smith states, "Yeah, he bites really nice, he is IPO 2."
6The original CBS 58 video, posted on 10/25, was removed and combined with a 10/27 update.
7Links with images appearing on a black background indicate that Platinum K9 Protection removed these images from their Facebook page sometime after 10:45pm October 25, 2014. These images have been replaced with screenshots taken by DogsBite.org prior to publishing this update at 10:45 pm on October 25.
8It is never "acceptable" when a trained K9 kills an innocent child.
9Fox6 News initially reported that the attack occurred at Country Kennels Bed and Biscuit then later removed this information.

Related articles:
05/04/14: Fatal Rottweiler Attacks - The Archival Record
07/26/13: Beyond the Interview: Essay of a Fatal Pit Bull Mauling
12/05/12: 2012 Dog Bite Fatality: Yadkin County Infant Mauled to Death by Family Dog
02/11/12: 2012 Dog Bite Fatality: 'Visiting' Child Killed by PTSD Service Dog in Kentucky
08/27/10: 2010 Dog Bite Fatality: Dog Kills Visiting 4-Year Old Girl in Dodge County