Posted on October 15, 2011 by Colleen Lynn

DogsBite.org Turns Four Years Old

DogsBite.org - October 15, 2011 marks the fourth year that DogsBite.org has been operating on the World Wide Web, documenting statistics and providing resources to help prevent serious dog attacks. Later today, the founder will be talking to a journalist in Australia about recent events in that country. DogsBite.org is the only resource of its kind in America and possibly throughout the world. The pit bull problem is a world problem and over 30 countries regulate this dog breed.

Four years ago today, DogsBite.org made its awareness known to the world in the month of October, near simultaneous to the initiation of an annual Pit Bull Awareness Day. None of us have the luxury of choosing our birthday; we didn't either. But our birth date is appropriate. DogsBite.org has greatly helped journalists, doctors, lawyers, lawmakers and the public become more "aware" of pit bulls and the danger presented by their selectively bred traits for illegal dogfighting.

Gratitude from Readers

From time-to-time, readers send us powerful letters about the positive and even life-saving impact DogsBite.org has had upon their lives. Over the course of the next few weeks, we will gather as many as possible and place them onto a web page. Some letters will be blogged to gain wider readership. Persons who would like to submit a letter of thanks can email [email protected] or write to our mailing address. We ask that submitters allow us to publish their first name and state along with their words. Letters can address DogsBite.org or its founder, Colleen Lynn.

Recent Letter of Thanks

You can't imagine how glad I am that I stumbled across your web site. A couple of friends of mine have pit bulls and I had been considering getting one. I have been researching the breed for a couple of years and most of the things I have read have been on the sites of advocates. I began to buy into the notion that "it's all in how you raise them". After hearing this from a number of sources I figured I ought to get as much information as possible before getting a pit bull. I wanted to be sure I was knowledgeable enough to properly "socialize" the dog. The only thing that held me back was the fact that despite the proper socialization and training by pit bull owners, some dogs still attacked people. I just could not reconcile what the advocates were saying with the facts. As I was researching the breed looking for the right formula to understand this issue I came across your web site. What an eye opener. I realized that what my intuition was telling me was right. There is something wrong with what these people are saying. Your web site provided the information I needed to set my thinking straight. Thank you for what you are doing. It must be difficult to preserver in the face of such illogical and persistent opposition. I am firmly in your camp and will do all I can to prevent the tragic events these awful animals cause.

Charles, Indiana
October 2011

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Posted on October 5, 2011 by Colleen Lynn

2011 Dog Bite Fatality: Amarillo Newborn Killed by Family Pit Bull-Mix

Family Makes Plea
UPDATE 10/05/11: The infant in the most recent fatality has been identified as Mya Maria Maeda. Susan Glenn, Mya's aunt, complains to News Channel 10 that the family has now been victimized too. Glenn is asking the public (presumably pit bull advocates who have left mean spirited comments in mauling threads) to stop attacking the baby's mother, Monique Hernandez, and to realize Mya's death was an accident. Glen says they are also asking officials to be understanding.

10/03/11: 11-Day Old Infant Dies
Amarillo, TX - In a developing story, an 11-day old baby was killed early Monday by the family pit bull-mix. Amarillo Police officers were dispatched to a local hospital at about 3:20 am to investigate the biting incident that occurred at a home in the southeast part of town. The newborn later died at the hospital from the injuries. An investigation has been launched by the Crimes Against Persons Unit, Animal Control and Special Crimes. An autopsy will be performed tomorrow.

View the DogsBite.org Google Map: Texas Fatal Pit Bull Maulings.

Posted on September 30, 2011 by Colleen Lynn

2011 Dog Bite Fatality: 20-Month Old Child Killed by Aunt's Pit Bulls in West Haven

Pit Bull Owner Charged
UPDATE 12/22/11: The Hartford Courant reports that the owner of three pit bulls that mauled to death Nevaeh Bryant has been charged with criminally negligent homicide, first-degree reckless endangerment and risk of injury to a minor, according to police. Erica Hobdy, 30, of 127 Leete Street, was the baby's aunt. Hobdy left the child in a room away from her pit bulls then walked to a nearby store. In this time, the pit bulls "somehow" got out and attacked and killed the little girl.

View Related video

10/06/11: Pit Bull Owner Being Sued
Erica Hobdy, the owner of three pit bulls that fatally mauled her niece last week, is being sued by a postal worker for injuries inflicted by a different pit bull. Ronald Diotalevi filed a civil complaint against Hobdy in 2009 after a pit bull allegedly owned by her bit and injured Diotalevi’s arm and leg while on the job, according to the filing. At the time of the dog biting incident, Diotalevi was delivering mail to an Ansonia address where Hobdy previously lived and also kept pit bulls.

Diotalevi's attorney, Alphonse Balzano Jr. of New Haven, said yesterday, "My heart goes out to the family" affected by last week's attack. He added that Hobdy has not attended court meetings and that another hearing is scheduled for October 12. The lawsuit seeks $15,000 in damages. Also named in the complaint is Marylin Primrose who leased the apartment to Hobdy. The veteran owner of "biting pit bulls," Erica Hobdy, did not return a message for comment Wednesday.

10/04/11: Child's Family Devastated
According to the child's great grandmother, Dolores Leonard, the baby's mother, Samantha Leonard, 20, left the child with her aunt at the home on Leete Street. "She was put down for a nap and for some reason, the aunt left her and was going out when she realized she left her pocketbook in her bedroom." The aunt sent her 10-year old son to get the pocketbook. "He went into the room where his mother had put the pit bulls, but didn't shut the door behind him," she said.

"It was just a horrific act. It was so careless to leave her alone that way," Leonard said.

It was not the aunt, Erica Hobdy, who found the toddler on the floor after the fatal dog attack either; it was a downstairs neighbor. In a pitiful video by the New Haven Register, Hobdy tells viewers, "Something just happened. We don't know what happened." The medical examiner's office ruled the child's death an accident, but authorities continue to check records to see if police or the city's animal control officer had previously received complaints about Hobdy's dogs.

The child's name, Nevaeh, is heaven spelled backward.

10/02/11: Claim: No Prior Aggression
New details about the fatal pit bull mauling in West Haven were released over the weekend. Nevaeh Bryant had been visiting her aunt when the fatal attack occurred. The aunt, who did not provide her name, is the owner of the three pit bulls. The aunt was asked if her dogs had ever shown aggression before and she shook her head "no." The New Haven Register, however, reports that neighbors have told police that the dogs have behaved aggressively in the past.

Page two of the article sums up the likelihood of the Aunt's story. Police officers had to use catch poles to remove the pit bulls from the home and taser guns in order to subdue them. Sgt. Angelo Moscato said that officers did a "professional job in capturing the three aggressive dogs." Furthermore, due to the severity of the attack and "aggression" of the dogs, the animals were euthanized that night. Police continue to investigate. More information is expected in a few days.

09/30/11: Dogs Humanely Euthanized
West Haven, CT - In a developing story, police have confirmed that a 20-month old child was killed after being attacked by pit bulls in an apartment on Leete Street. According to Sgt. Angelo Moscato, a call came in just after 6:00 pm reporting that a toddler had been bitten by a dog. Paramedics arrived to an unconscious child, who was pronounced dead at Yale New Haven Hospital. The pit bulls involved were euthanized immediately due to the "severity of the case."

The New Haven Register offers more details, including that the toddler "was visiting" the third floor apartment on Leete Street when the pit bulls attacked. During the visit, three dogs were placed into another room, but "somehow" got out and found the child laying on a blanket on the floor in another room. Police confirmed that the tenants owned the dogs, but their relationship to the child was unclear. Police continue to investigate; autopsy results are expected in a few days.

View the DogsBite.org Google Map: Connecticut Fatal Pit Bull Maulings.

Posted on September 21, 2011 by Colleen Lynn

2011 Dog Bite Fatality: 9-Day Old Infant Mauled to Death by Family Dogs

Second Arrest
UPDATE 09/21/11: A second arrest has been made in connection to the death of a 9-day old baby mauled to death by family dogs. The grandfather of the infant, Nelson Ernest Camerino, 49-years old, was arrested Tuesday and charged with involuntary manslaughter. According to the Bladen County Sheriff's Office, he is in Bladen County Jail under a $150,000 secured bond. Addyson Camerino died after being attacked by a group of family dogs August 30.

09/19/11: D.A. Issues Statement
Bladen County District Attorney Jon David issued a statement to the media today regarding the death of 9-day old Addyson Camerino (See: Full statement here). "Everyone who worked on the investigation was impacted by the gruesome nature of the death," David stated in the release. After law enforcement slowly and deliberately pieced together what led to the infant's death August 30, David called for a special session of the Blade County Grand Jury.

The young mother of the deceased child was arrested shortly thereafter.

The group of dogs seized from the family home, each of which presumably participated in the fatal mauling, include a pit bull, bulldog, Alaskan malamute, German shepherd and a mixed breed. It was also noted that the dogs lived in the same home as Addyson, along with her mother, grandparents, uncles and an "upstairs tenant." Because the case is pending, David said that prosecutors and law enforcement cannot say much else about the investigation.

09/18/11: Mother of Child Arrested
On Friday, Bladen County Sheriff's deputies arrested the mother of a 9-day old baby who was mauled to death by family dogs last month. 18-year old Chelsea Lynn Brigman (also identified as Chelsea Lynn Bridman), was arrested and charged with involuntary manslaughter. She was later released from jail under $50,000 bond. Animal control continues to hold the five family dogs. Earlier reports stated that up to four dogs were involved in the infant's death.

09/02/11: Victim: Addyson Camerino
Clarkton, NC - A 9-day old baby was killed by family dogs inside a Clarkton home Tuesday. Few details regarding the death have been revealed by the Bladen County Sheriff's Office. A newspaper obituary revealed that the baby was buried on Thursday in Lumberton. A baby shower for for the newborn was listed on Facebook for Wednesday, but it was cancelled. Five dogs were removed from the Bladen County home, including a pit bull and a bulldog.1

Court records show that the baby's father, 21-year old Charles Nelson Camerino, was in jail at the time of the deadly attack. Information from FayObserver.com shows that the newborn was at the home of her grandparents -- Nelson and Linda Camerino -- when it was killed by the dogs. The child's parents, Chelsea Lynn Brigman, 18, and Charles, also live at the residence. A 911 tape released Thursday revealed that at least three dogs were involved in the attack.

North Carolina Statistics

Of the six recorded fatal dog maulings in North Carolina since 2006, two have led to charges: Charles Dalton, 52-years old (Davie County) 2006 and Makalya Woodard, 5-years old (Union County) 2011. Other victims include: Julius Graham, 2-years old (Greene County), Karson Gilroy, 2-years old (Lincoln County) and Julian Slack, 3-years old (Onslow County). This is a 33% average in bringing charges, as opposed to the national average of about 20%.

1A separate article listed the breeds as a pit bull, bulldog, Alaskan malamute, German shepherd and German shepherd-bulldog mix.

Photos: Bladen County Sheriff's Office

DogsBite blog ::

Announcement: Happy Birthday DogsBite.org and Gratitude from a Reader

DogsBite.org Turns Four Years Old

2011 Dog Bite Fatality: Amarillo Newborn Killed by Family Pit Bull-Mix

2011 Dog Bite Fatality: 20-Month Old Child Killed by Aunt's Pit Bulls in West Haven

2011 Dog Bite Fatality: 9-Day Old Infant Mauled to Death by Family Dogs