Posted on September 20, 2011 by Colleen Lynn

2011 Dog Bite Fatality: 71-Year Old Woman Killed by Protection Dog in Cooke County

Woman Killed by Own Dog archived
Valley View, TX - A Valley View woman was found dead Friday after being attacked by her dog. Cooke County Sheriff's Chief Deputy Jim Carter said that Donna Harmon Conrad, 71-years old, was in her backyard in the 500 block of Northshore Lane on the La Cantera Ranch Resort when she died. "It appears she was in the backyard watering and one of the pets -- a doberman pinscher -- is believed to have attacked her and, ultimately killed her," Carter said.

Pct. 4 Justice of the Peace Jason Brinkley ordered an autopsy to determine if Conrad’s death was caused by the attack, Carter noted.

No one apparently witnessed the incident.

“There were a couple of other ladies in the house at the time but they
weren’t aware what was going on in the backyard,” he said.

Cooke County Sheriff Mike Compton said he believes the Doberman pincher was imported from Hungary and had been trained to protect humans.

The woman’s injuries include deep head and throat lacerations, he said,
adding, “It was a brutal attack.”

Compton said the dog is being confined at a local veterinary clinic. - Gainesville Daily Register

At the time of the incident, several women were in the victim's home, but they were unaware of what was going on in the backyard. Cooke County Sheriff Mike Compton said he believes the doberman pinscher was imported from Hungary and had been trained to protect humans. The woman's injuries included deep head and throat lacerations. Compton added, "It was a brutal attack." The following Monday, the dog was put down and tested negative for rabies.

Posted on September 5, 2011 by Colleen Lynn

2011 Dog Bite Fatality: Two-Week Old Baby Killed by Family Pit Bull-Mix

Victim Identified
UPDATE 09/05/11: Authorities have identified the infant who died early Sunday after being mauled by a dog. Brayden McCollen was in a baby carrier on the floor in a room at his family's home in Cypress when the dog began sniffing the newborn then mauling him. A spokesman for the Harris County Sheriff's Office, Thomas Gilliland, said the baby's mother was outside at the time, watching him through a window. The dog pushed through a pair of French doors to reach the baby.

"The dog is a large pit bull. More than 100 pounds. It is unknown now how the dog got access to the child. It appears precautions were taken to prevent this, but it occurred anyway," said Harris County Sheriff's Deputy Dennis Wolfford.

The less than ten pound, 13-day-old baby was in a bouncing seat. Investigators say three people were at home at the time including at least one adult. My Fox Houston, Sept. 5, 2011

09/04/11: Another Baby Killed by a Dog
Cypress, TX - There has been another U.S. fatal dog mauling. The most recent death also involves a newborn. It was reported today that a 13-day old baby boy was mauled to death by the family's pit bull1 Saturday evening. The attack occurred in the 16500 block of Cypress Bridge Drive. Investigators said the pet attacked the baby as it laid in a baby swing on the living room floor. The Harris County District Attorney's Office is reviewing the case for possible charges.

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

1Animal control officials identified the dog as a pit bull. The Harris County Sheriff's Office report has the dog listed as a "lab-mix." Sheriff's investigators clarified later Monday the dog was a large pit bull.

Posted on September 2, 2011 by Colleen Lynn

2011 Dog Bite Fatality: Philadelphia Woman Killed by Husband's Pit Bulls

Memorial sign after Carmen Ramos was mauled to death by her husband's pit bulls.

Protocol Breakdown?
UPDATE 09/02/11: A week before the brutal attack that left Carmen Ramos dead, neighbor Dolores Estrella described how the same pit bulls had attacked and bitten her. Estrella was not the only person bitten in the August 19 incident, Gus Castro was as well. The PSCPA allegedly sent the dogs home three days later, which is a rabies protocol violation in many cities. The agency likely should have kept the dogs in quarantine for 10 days after the August 19 bites.1

When the dogs were returned, everybody on the block "was in shock," [Gus] Castro said.

Unfortunately, returning a dangerous, biting pit bull to its owner should not shock anyone, as many state laws allow for multiple bites prior to deeming a dog "dangerous" and long before a court ordered euthanization. What should shock all persons is when a rabies protocol violation occurs -- a disregard or error concerning the 10 day quarantine following a biting incident -- coupled with a person being mauled to death by the same dogs in a very close time span!

More Protocol Breakdowns?

Further review of early news reports shows more potential protocol violations by the PSPCA. One neighbor, Victor Viruet, claimed that Jose Alvarez had at least three previous run-ins with the agency. According to his brother Ariel, "He kept paying $200, $300 and they'd give the dogs back." Ariel added that the PSPCA removed 10 dogs from the Alvarez home last year and found dead dogs in his basement. The agency later returned the "living" pit bulls to him.

On September 1, City Managing Director Brian Abernathy launched an internal investigation into animal control -- the PSPCA -- to review if proper procedures were followed. It seems that many procedures were not. At the very least, the discretion of the investigating officers who continued to interact with Alvarez and his pit bulls was sorely lacking. The sufferers include the dead victim and her children, the bitten neighbors and the neighborhood as a whole.

09/01/11: Death Due to Canine Bites
Philadelphia, PA - A Hunting Park woman was mauled to death by her husband's pet pit bulls Tuesday night. Preliminary autopsy results show that 50-year old Carmen Ramos died from multiple canine bites. The manner of death was ruled accidental, according to the report. The victim's husband, 55-year old Jose Alvarez, told police he came home from work to discover his wife being attacked by five pit bulls in their living room in the 400 block of West Carey Street.

According to police, the victim suffered severe trauma to her head, face and legs. Neighbors said the dogs were vicious and that everyone was afraid of them. Neighbors also said the pit bulls were taken away August 19 by the Pennsylvania Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (PSPCA) after they attacked two residents, but were returned to the residence three days later. The victim's son, Pedro Ramos, now places part of the blame on the animal control agency.

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

1Some states, such as Pennsylvania (See: Pennsylvania Dangerous Dog Statute), allow for "home quarantine," where the owner of a biting dog is allowed to keep the animal secure for 10 days in his home. Cities within these states, however, often create stricter rules that disallow home quarantines. It is unknown what the protocol is for Philadelphia, but clearly, it was unwise to place the dogs back into the Alvarez household.

Posted on August 29, 2011 by Colleen Lynn

Victoria Signals End to Unregistered Pit Bulls After Fatal Attack

30 Days Amnesty
Melbourne, AU - In the wake of a little girl brutally killed by a pit bull-mix in a "home-invasion" attack, the Baillieu Government is rushing new laws through Parliament to arm council officers with the power to seize and destroy unregistered restricted dog breeds.1 Prior to this, crosses of restricted breeds could escape inclusion on the dangerous dogs register. Owners of pit bull crosses have one month to register their dogs or face the animal's seizure and destruction.

On August 17, Ayen Chol was ripped from her mother's grasp by a pit bull cross that entered into the home where her family was staying.

The Government also created a Dangerous Dog Hotline (operational seven days a week) so that members of the public can notify council officials about restricted dog breeds living in their neighborhoods. Officials are also considering stronger penalties for owners of restricted breeds who are not in compliance with state law. The new penalties would require jail time, instead of the $4500 fine that was issued to the owner of the pit bull cross that killed Ayen.

A new set of identification guidelines spelling out exactly what is regarded as a pit bull or pit bull cross will stop owners claiming their dogs belong to different breeds.

An amnesty allowing pit bull and restricted dog owners to notify authorities of their pets will end on September 30.

From that day, dog inspectors will have the authority to destroy any unregistered dog fitting the pit bull description.

From today members of the public can "dob in a dangerous dog" through a $100,000 hotline to help council officers identify potential dangers hidden in their neighbourhoods. (Grant McArthur and Amelia Harris, Herald Sun)

Kudos on the crackdown Baillieu Government!

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Separately, there has been another fatal pit bull mauling in the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago since the murder of Denise Rackal in May (See related articles below). Due to intense lobbying pressure by animal welfare groups it is anticipated that no actions will be taken by government officials.1Restricted dog breeds must be microchipped, sterilized, kept in a secure yard and muzzled and leashed when in public. Restricted breeds include: dogo argentina, japanese tosa, fila brasilia and pit bull terriers.

Photo: Daily Mail

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