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!

View Related video

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

Posted on August 23, 2011 by Colleen Lynn

2011 Dog Bite Fatality: Tucson Man Succumbs to Injuries After Attack by Pet Pit Bull

Michael Cook, 61-years old, died after being attacked by his pet pit bull.

Dog Attack Victim Dies
UPDATE 08/23/11: Twenty days after suffering catastrophic injuries from his pet pit bull, Michael Cook succumbed to his condition this morning and died. Since the August 3 mauling, Cook required over 100 pints of blood and doctors removed both of his arms. The amount of blood Cook needed depleted area blood banks causing his family to issue a plea to the public to "replenish the blood site for the City of Tucson." The family provided a vintage photo of Cook.

08/15/11: Doctors Amputate Both Arms
Over the past few days, doctors have amputated both arms of Michael Cook. Thus far, the victim has required over 100 pints of blood. His sister Toni Sweet told reporters that the bleeding has finally stopped. Cook is still in critical condition, suffering from liver failure and kidney problems in addition to the catastrophic injuries inflicted by his pit bull. Cook is the third pit bull owner we have recorded who has become a double arm amputee after an attack.

Others include: Annette Williams of Greensburg, Indiana, and Vicky Jeffries of Abilene, Texas.

08/06/11: Mauling Victim Identified
The victim who was nearly killed by his pet pit bull, named Butch, has been identified as Michael Cook. As expected, his family is calling the horrific attack a freak accident and blaming the dog’s actions on a bad dose of medicine given to it after it was neutered. Cook’s son Nicholas admitted that Butch, who he called a big baby, had fought with other dogs in the past and that in this case, "He just happened to flip at the wrong time, you know?"

Thus far the victim has required over 60 pints of blood depleting area blood banks. The victim's family is calling on community members for blood donations to the Red Cross to help replenish area blood banks. The victim's sister Toni Sweet said, "donate what you can when you can to replenish the blood site for the City of Tucson because if another situation arise or God forbid another type of trauma, they won't have enough blood so we as a family are asking."

Dangerous dog breeds, primarily pit bulls, are a threat to public health for many reasons. This is why DogsBite.org -- a resource of over 2,000 pages -- was created. We can now add to this threat the "depletion of area blood banks" after a serious mauling. Lawmakers, media members and citizens of Tucson cannot ignore the seriousness of this issue. Area residents can contact Red Cross Blood Drives by visiting their website or calling 1-800-RED CROSS.

08/05/11: Victim Left "Unrecognizable"
Tucson, AZ – A 61-year old man who was violently attacked by his pet pit bull1 Wednesday remains in critical care. The incident happened at the victim's home on Paseo De Las Aguilas, near Valencia and Camino De La Tierra. Initial reports indicated that the victim suffered "very serious" injuries, specifically bite injuries to his neck. According to Drexel Heights Fire, the man went outside to break up a fight between his two dogs when the pit bull turned on him.

Mauling threads with local voices have sprung up questioning if an improper dose of medicine by a veterinarian – the pit bull had been neutered that morning – caused the animal's ferocious attack. In one thread, user maghair wrote, "The family has spent every waking moment at the hospital since this tragedy and … We don't think he will make it ... the dog chewed thru every artery in his body, legs arms, hands, torso, neck and face and he is unrecognizable."2

Neighbor Fernando Lozano, 21, and his stepfather where doing yard work when they heard screams from a nearby home. They ran down the alley and looked over the fence. "It literally looked like he was eating him," Lozano said. "I just felt helpless." Lozano then described degloving injury commonly carried out by pit bulls. "You could actually see where the skin had peeled back on his arms," Lozano said. "You could kind of see the muscles coming out.”

Jayne Cundy of Pima Animal Care Center was quick to point out, "Every situation is unique ... we don't know what triggered it"3 and "[The pit bull] can't express itself like a human,4 so let's find out what happened. It's not just another pit bull attack," Cundy said. DogsBite.org and many witnesses to these attacks disagree. There is not a thing about Lozano’s account that differs in anyway from countless deadly attacks carried out by pit bulls over the past 30-years.

1Pit bull owners recently killed by their pet include: David Haigler, 38-years old (Spotsylvania County, VA), Justin Lane, 25-years old (Latta, SC) and Carter Delaney, 20 years old (Leesburg, VA). This does not include mothers and fathers killed by their adult child's pit bull or an adult killed by a parent's pit bull or the many instances in which pet pit bulls horrifically maul their owners who live to tell about it.
2The term "unrecognizable" and pit bull attack have been operating in unison for decades. "The attack rendered the child 'unrecognizable as a human being,'" ("The Pit Bull Friend And Killer," Sports Illustrated, 1987).
3The trigger required for a pit bull to launch an attack can be as simple as dropping a glass, or holding a stuffed animal. Expect to see professional whitewasher James Crosby show up on scene soon.
4The egregious anthropomorphism by pro-pit bull groups in defense of the breed -- all dogs are individuals, canine profiling and more -- typically snap back "Cundy style" after a serious or fatal mauling to, "Your animal is an animal. It's not human ... it doesn't have human values," Cundy said.

Posted on August 18, 2011 by Colleen Lynn

After $2.2 Million Award, Dog Bite Victim Sue Gorman Says System is Still Flawed

Safety Issues Persist
Gig Harbor, WA - On August 21, 2007, two pit bulls entered a residential home through a side sliding door and attacked a disabled woman while she slept. The victim, 59-year-old Sue Gorman, suffered serious injuries to her face, forearms and hands. Prior to the incident, animal control had made over a dozen visits to the home of the dogs' owners due to complaints by area residents. Gorman alone had called 911 at least ten times leading up to the attack.

There were four specific times Pierce County officials could have declared the pit bulls "potentially dangerous." That never happened.

Victim Successfully Sues County

Last week, a Pierce County jury awarded Gorman $2.2 million in damages. Jurors assigned 52% of the blame to the dogs' owners and 42% to Pierce County, leaving the county on the hook for $924,000. Gorman's attorneys -- Michael McKasy and Shelly Speir -- successfully argued that county animal control was negligent for not taking action against the dogs' owners despite numerous complaints about their pit bulls "running loose and terrorizing people."

In the King 5 video,1 Gorman said she believes safety issues still persist in the county. She said the crux of the problem in her case was a failure of communication between the Pierce County Auditor, who handles animal control issues, but does not share these complaints with the Sheriff's Department (and vise versa). Four years after her ordeal, Gorman believes little has been done to change the system that allowed the dangerous dogs to nearly kill her.2

"It's just real scary that it could happen again to anyone in any neighborhood," Gorman said.

Gorman's victory against Pierce County is yet another victory won by a dog bite victim against a county. Local governments who continue to sweep dangerous dog complaints under the rug and/or fail to properly penalize owners of these dogs must take notice. As recently as June, a potential lawsuit against a Florida county arose after the fatal mauling of Roy McSweeney. In that case, the pit bulls had viciously attacked two people prior to killing McSweeney.

Reflections on the Sue Gorman Attack

In the founder's recent piece about her own attack, she mentions the Sue Gorman attack, "This horrifying attack rocked the Puget Sound and left me nearly fully debilitated for three days."3 Many community members and groups were also greatly affected by what happened and mobilized to help. One of these efforts was carried out by Need-A-Break Services, who did an "extreme make over" of Gorman's home before she returned home from the hospital.

View Sue Gorman Project Video

A special thanks goes out to the outstanding lawyering by Michael McKasy and Shelly Speir and to all community members and groups who helped Gorman in the weeks, months and years following the attack. Sue Gorman is an unforgettable pit bull attack survivor who also became a leader. DogsBite.org will always hold Sue Gorman's courage, perseverance and loveliness close to our hearts.1Note the computer generated graphics that show Gorman being attacked by the pit bulls in her bedroom -- highly effective materials to place in front of a jury.
2At the time of the attack, Gorman had a therapy dog, named Misty, and had been caring for a neighbor's Jack Russell. The Jack Russell was killed during the attack.
3In 2007, the founder of DogsBite.org was living in King County, adjacent to Pierce County. This website launched two months after the attack upon Sue Gorman.

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