DogsBite Blog

Posted on July 15, 2014 by Colleen Lynn

Help For Harmony Fundraiser

Violent Pit Bull Mauling
New Brunswick, NJ - On July 3, a young girl was viciously attacked by two pit bulls while under the care of her babysitter at a home on Lufberry Avenue. Her younger brother was also at the home. Police officers responded to the scene and fired an "undisclosed number" of shots inside the home killing both dogs. Harmony Halyer, 4-years old, was transported to Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in critical condition where doctors placed her into a medically induced coma.

Last week we learned more about this attack on a Chasing New Jersey segment. Quadirah Banks, Harmony's mother, said the two pit bulls were owned by her daughter's aunt who lives at the home where the attacked occurred. There had never been a problem with the dogs before, but on July 3, the babysitter ignored the aunt's "specific instructions" to keep the dogs outside and away from the children (according to the video, the babysitter let the dogs inside because it had started raining).

As soon as she let the dogs in, they brutally attacked Harmony. Banks now wants to share with others how dangerous these dogs are. Even in the best of circumstances pit bulls can attack without provocation, Banks said. She does not want any more children or parents to experience what her family is enduring. "It doesn't matter how long you know them or whether you are comfortable with them, or if they're family dogs," Banks said. "They can just snap at any time."

Banks questions in the video, "Does it matter if it is the fault of the owner of the dog? Does it matter if it is the fault of the dog, when pit bulls themselves are disproportionately responsible for serious and fatal attacks?" The news team discusses these questions in the video; one strongly blames the babysitter. His poor logic presumes that the imperfect act by the babysitter, of letting the two family dogs inside the home, would "knowingly" result in a life-threatening attack.

Requiring three police officers to enter the home and fire an "undisclosed number" of shots in front of all persons present in order to end the attack.

Zero Margin of Error Rule

Last year, we wrote about the "zero margin of error" rule for pit bull owners in Beyond the Interview - Essay of a Fatal Pit Bull Mauling. If only the babysitter had "exactly" followed the rules set forth by Daxton's parents, he would still be alive. On that day, the babysitter broke the zero margin of error rule by carrying Daxton outside while letting her dogs into the run. Without provocation her two pit bulls attacked her and then Daxton in a prolonged vicious assault that ended his life.

In the instance of Harmony, we don't know the relationship the babysitter had to the dogs (long term or short term or otherwise). We just know that the aunt's two pit bulls had been around children before and that the babysitter had "specific instructions" to keep the dogs outside, away from the children. How would the babysitter have known that letting the family pit bulls in from the rain would result in a life or death situation requiring police intervention and multiple gunshots?

Babysitting and Pit Bulls

Harmony's attack falls into two tracking categories at DogsBite.org, both of which are elevated risks. She was visiting the dog owner's home at the time of the attack. In 2013, 38% (12) of all dog bite fatalities involved this scenario, which also includes temporarily living at the dog owner's home. Within this subset, 58% (7) involved a babysitter, including a relative or friend under the directive to watch a child 7-years or younger. All 7 of these child deaths were inflicted by pit bulls.

Help For Harmony Fundraiser

We learned today that friends have helped Harmony's mother create a YouCaring page for her daughter. The page provides more details about her medical condition. She has received multiple blood transfusions and surgical procedures since the attack and continues to require a breathing machine and feeding tube, according to the page. Doctors are "taking it one day at a time because of the extensive damage." Doctors have no estimation about when Harmony might be released.

Donations can also be sent to Rutgers Federal Credit Union and made out to account #27155007.

Posted on July 2, 2014 by Colleen Lynn

Dr. David A. Billmire, MD: "There is no need for Pit Bulls"

Dr. Billmire shares experience of treating pit bull injuries over the last 30 years.

Doctor Speaks Out
Cincinnati, OH - After 6-year old Zainabou Drame suffered "unimaginable" injuries inflicted by two pit bulls last month, leaving some veteran police officers struggling to speak, Dr. David Billmire, MD, penned an editorial not many other doctors could. For 30-years Dr. Billmire has witnessed, examined and reconstructed the faces and body parts of children coming into Cincinnati Children's Hospital and Shriners Hospital for Children after devastating and life-threatening pit bull maulings.

"When I started my career, the most common dog-bite injuries were from German shepherds and occasionally retrievers. These injuries were almost always provoked, such as food-related or stepping on the dog, and in almost every instance, the dog reacted with a single snap and release – essentially a warning shot. There were no pack attacks.

Starting about 25 years ago, my colleagues and I started to see disturbingly different types of injuries. Instead of a warning bite, we saw wounds where the flesh was torn from the victim. There were multiple bite wounds covering many different anatomical sites. The attacks were generally unprovoked, persistent and often involved more than one dog. In every instance the dog involved was a pit bull or a pit bull mix." - Dr. Billmire, professor and director of the Division of Craniofacial and Pediatric Plastic Surgery at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center.

The pit bull problem erupted in the late 1970s and was in full swing by 1987, when Dr. Billmire began seeing these injuries. It was in 1987 that Ohio adopted a state-level pit bull law. It was dismantled by out-of-state animal lobbying groups in 2012. Cincinnati also repealed its longstanding pit bull ban in 2012. Zainabou now lies at Cincinnati Children's Hospital after one pit bull "grabbed her face and literally tore it off," according to her grandfather, and the other one "pulled her mouth off."

Dr. Billmire states that he recently gave a talk summarizing his 30-years of practice. One part of it, he noted, was titled, "Why I Hate Pit Bulls." Dr. Billmire states that he "watched a child bleed to death one night in our operating room because a pit bull had torn his throat out." And that he has had to "rebuild the skull of a child who had his ears and entire scalp torn off." Currently, Dr. Billmire is "reconstructing the face of a child, half of whose face has been torn off down to the bone" by one of these dogs.

"Based on my extensive experience, I believe that the risk posed by pit bulls is equivalent to placing a loaded gun with the safety off on the coffee table. In my opinion, these dogs should be banned. I know this is an unpopular stand in some circles, but how many mauled children do we have to see before we realize the folly of allowing these dogs to exist? ... There are plenty of breeds available that peacefully coexist with human society. There is no need for pit bulls." - Dr. Billmire

There are over 175 recognized breeds by the AKC alone. We know why the drug trafficking owner of the two pit bulls that nearly killed Zainabou chose that breed, along with many other deviant, anti-social types who flock toward pit bulls. We know why dogfighters choose pit bulls too. For the rest of the owners of these dogs, such as rescue "angels" and breed-enthusiasts, we only know one thing: They choose a dog breed that kills more human beings than all other dog breeds combined.

Some of these owners pay with their own lives as well, not to mention their children's lives.

Safety Before Pit Bulldogs

Dr. Billmire is not alone in his expert assessment. The Safety Before Pit Bulldogs blog maintains a collection of quotes by medical professional experts who treat victims of pit bulls. The list is long readers. Some point to medical studies and others point to news articles and editorials like Dr. Billmire's letter. We thank all of them so much for their continued research and for those who come forward in the wake of a horrifying attack to combat the pit bull propaganda machine response.1

1A week before Dr. Billmire's editorial was published, an editorial co-authored by Dr. Cinnamon Dixon, also at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, was published. "We agree with the American Veterinary Medical Association’s assertion that 'a well-planned proactive community approach can make a substantial impact.' This approach does not include breed-specific legislation," it states in part. Three weeks earlier, on May 31, 2014, Dr. Dixon penned a letter, on Cincinnati Children's Hospital letterhead no less, to the mayor of Ft. Thomas, Kentucky. "My name is Cinnamon Dixon," she starts out. "I am writing you today to urge your repeal of Forth Thomas' current breed-specific legislation." This was six days before Zainabou was brutally attacked. Scorched Earth, the Politics of Pit Bulls, examines this issue further.

Posted on June 25, 2014 by Colleen Lynn

Pit Bulls Attack Husband, Wife and Their Two Golden Labradors

The West family and their two dogs were attacked by loose pit bulls inside a gated community.

Valley Couple Attacked
Las Vegas, NV - On May 9, 2014, Skip and Marie West were returning from exercising with their two senior dogs, when total chaos erupted. Two loose pit bulls attacked all four of them, sending Skip to the emergency room and his dog, Viper, to the emergency vet clinic. Skip provides a blow-by-blow account of the harrowing attack. KTNV News reported the attack back in May and has a video that shows additional images and the gated community where the attack occurred.

Readers need to realize that this is exactly how it happens -- mass chaos unleashes. The degree of injury you and your pet dog will suffer is Luck of the Draw. Whether passersby will help is also Luck of the Draw, as Skip and Marie learned. Along with sharing serious injuries, many victims of pit bull attacks also share the confrontation with a "Classic Pit Bull" owner, such as Darnell. This Narcipitism often shocks and appalls them, having never imagined this psychological condition.

Our lives have changed forever

Back in November, both my wife and I decided it was time to lose some weight and that we needed an exercise routine. After the holidays, now into 2014, we both started programs and exercising with our two older Golden Labs, Viper and Charlotte. After 5 months of tough work, my wife lost 30lbs and I lost 37lbs.

On May 9, 2014, after my wife came home from work, we started our routine and got our dogs with their leashes to run. We live in a gated, surveillance and patrolled housing HOA development area. As we were finishing our run, we approached the exterior gates. Now walking, we saw two pit bulls inside our development chasing a little girl. She ran into an unlocked door (we later found out, that was not her home). Soon, the two pit bulls turned their attention on us. They were still a good distance away and began running towards us. With my wife, myself and two dogs still outside of the gates, we were safe. That is until a car drove up to the automatic gates and opened them.

"The other had his whole head inside his mouth. That pit bull was trying to rip Viper's head off. He was clamped down, pulling it from side to side." - Skip West

The two dogs are now running directly at all four of us with nothing in place to stop them. We did not run or look directly at the two pit bulls (both were neutered males we found out later). One was tan and the other was black and white, about 80lbs each. As the dogs ran up to us, the tan one jumped up and clamped down on my right forearm. The other one bit into my left ankle. Simultaneously, my wife is trying to get though the pedestrian gate. I manage to grab one pit bull and throw it about 6 feet -- this was hard as neither pit bulls had a collar on. The other pit bull went after Charlotte, my 10-year old female Lab. I got Charlotte and that pit bull apart and tried to get her into the gated area. Then another car drove through the gates, opening them, allowing the two pit bulls to come back into the locked area we had just managed to reach. The fighting, of course, starts all over again.

Viper, my male Lab, is 12-years old and tries to protect my wife from being attacked. The two pit bulls tag team my wife to the ground and bite her finger. Viper tries to help me free my wife from their attack. There were about 20 people watching this unfold and only two older ladies came out to help us. All the men that were out that day did nothing! As I help my wife, my wife tries to help Viper. Then the two pit bulls tag team Viper.

At some point during the struggle, Charlotte got out of her collar. She takes off toward home as both pit bulls take Viper to the ground. One was ripping his leg and scrotum area and the other had his whole head inside his mouth. That pit bull was trying to rip Viper's head off. He was clamped down, pulling it from side to side. My wife was able to pry that pit bull off of Viper, but the other one got Viper's ear and tried to tear it off.

The black and white pit bull then takes off after Charlotte and the tan one chases after Viper, who had started running down the street the other way. Both of my dogs ran in opposite directions; I ran after Charlotte and my wife ran after Viper. While running down the street, I do not see any dogs, not ours or the pit bulls. By now, it has been 20 minutes since the attack began.

Then some kid drives up to me -- I am bleeding all over the ground and out of breath. He asks me, "Have you seen my pit bulls?" The kid, who we later learn is 24-years old and named Darnell, then tells me to stop taking pictures of his car (I wanted them for police! Fortunately, I had my cell phone with me). Then he tells me "It’s a rental," so it does not matter. He exits his car and leaves his door open. One pit bull runs up to Darnell. He puts the dog in his car. The dog however, jumps the seat, escapes and charges off after another child!

Darnell says "Don’t worry, they don’t bite."

In the chaos, I start looking for Charlotte again. I reach the end of the street and can’t go on. Then a lady comes up to me and asks if I want some water. I say, “Please.” She brings me out some water and I drink some. That's when police, animal control, fire trucks and paramedics arrive. My wife shows up about 30 seconds later with a woman who had picked up Viper. She put him into her truck (inside her quad cab, he was bleeding badly). She also found my wife and brought her to me before they took me to the hospital.

I want to interrupt here because this did not have to happen. Darnell claims to the police and on the reports that he lives 22 miles from the attack, even though Darnell has been in our gated area for the past few months (must have a code to get into the area). Why is he here and how did he know that his dogs were 22 miles from home?

After I was released from the hospital, my family came over. Viper was in bad shape with his many injuries and there was blood all over my home. Charlotte was in a little better shape with only some bites, but could not walk. Both of our Labs were taken to an ER veterinarian. Due to the cost of damage to Viper, we had to apply for financial assistance and be put on a payment plan with the veterinarian. At that time, the Vet was advising us to remove the ear at a cost of over $2,500 (that was just the ear cost). Viper had to stay with the Vet that night.

My wife did not go to the hospital, but did have to see her personal physician. She received medical care and medications. At the same time, I went to my physician to receive more shots and medications. One item that I had to be put on is for treating angina and hypertension, due to having chest pain from fighting with two 80lb pit bulls.

This attack has taken a part of our life away from us, which we will never get back!!!

It is now the end of June and the owner has not once said, "sorry" or tried to get a hold of us to see how we or our dogs are doing. It’s like he does not care if we lived or died. In the state of Nevada, a dog has to bite twice before they will be put down. I understand that Darnell called animal control after the 10-day quarantine and requested that both of his dogs be euthanized. This was his request, though I do not disagree with this decision.

This is still on going.

Skip West | Las Vegas, Nevada

Posted on June 19, 2014 by Colleen Lynn

The Facial and Spiritual Reconstruction of Collage Warner

Mauled by a Pit Bull
Chicago, IL - Collage Warner recently sat down with Dr. Garrard McClendon of the McClendon Report to share the life-altering attack she endured in 2001, and her struggle to cope with the damaging injuries. Collage Warner's video is part of a webisodic series by the McClendon Report that gives advice and insights on the "hard topics and difficult questions we all contemplate," according to the video's description.1 The video was published on YouTube on June 14, 2014.

At the time of the attack, Warner was a junior in college. She had gone to visit a young man she was dating. While standing at his door, she rang the doorbell. As soon as he opened the door, the dog inside attacked, trying to latch onto her throat. "I had turned my head in the knick of time," Warner said. So the dog clamped down on her lower face and nose instead. Her friend had to "literally pry [the dog's] mouth open," Warner said. "Because those dogs, they do not let go."

"When I saw my face, this whole part of my lip was peeled back and all you could see were my front teeth." - Collage Warner

Warner said that one of the arriving paramedics was in shock at her injuries. "I remember her reaction. Just, 'Oh my God,' and this was a paramedic," Warner said. "For her to say that to me, I knew it was bad." After arriving at the hospital and being wheeled into the OR, her friend, who also came to the hospital, asked the nurse if he could come in and pray with her and the surgeon before the operation. The nurse allowed it. "It was an awesome experience," Warner said.

When Warner awoke from the first surgery, she was in a hyperbaric chamber. "My mother was right there," she said. "I remember putting my hand on the hyperbaric chamber. She was standing on the other side and put her hand there. At that moment, I knew I was going to be okay," Warner said. Her facial reconstruction required four more surgical procedures. Her surgeon reconstructed her nose, lip, cheek and philtrum. "He did what he needed to do to reconstruct me," she said.

"People are being mauled and killed by pit bulls and rottweilers. I know for me to have survived ... God was on my side that day." - Collage Warner

Warner said she has been truly humbled by the experience. She added powerfully that, "From the day that pit bull jumped on me, until … today, I did not have any control over anything. My healing process -- I could not speed up the healing process. As you know it had to take its course," she said. "That's humbling. To have to wait to heal." Warner believes that the power of prayer is the only thing that kept her from losing herself to total despair during her long recovery process.

Warner said that her prayers focused on moving forward in life. "To not be so insecure and so self-conscious. To not be afraid to continue to live," she said. "There were points when I did not want to live honestly." Warner explained, "I stayed home a lot. I did not want to socialize -- my social life was just totally cut. I did not date for a very, very, very long time." Warner said it has taken years to get to where she is today, to have the courage to share her story with others.

When asked about her dreams, Collage Warner said she believes that God has given her a heart for single mothers. She has been working on a talk show that is for and about single mothers.

1Could there be a better space for this difficult issue? We are so thankful that McClendon provided this space.

DogsBite blog ::

New Brunswick Pit Bull Attack: Babysitting, the Zero Margin of Error Rule and a Young Girl Who Needs Help

Help For Harmony Fundraiser

Director of the Division of Craniofacial and Pediatric Plastic Surgery at Cincinnati Children's Talks 'Pit Bulls'

Dr. David A. Billmire, MD: "There is no need for Pit Bulls"

Total Chaos: Husband Recounts Violent Pit Bull Attack Inside Patrolled, Gated Community

Pit Bulls Attack Husband, Wife and Their Two Golden Labradors

Video: Pit Bull Attack Survivor Shares How the Violent Attack Altered Her Life and Graphic Injury Photos

The Facial and Spiritual Reconstruction of Collage Warner