Posted on August 21, 2010 by Colleen Lynn

2010 Dog Bite Fatality: Tracey Payne, 46, Killed by Pack of Pit Bulls in South Macon

The house and alley where Tracy Payne was killed by three pit bulls.

Previous Attack by Dogs
UPDATE 08/21/10: Authorities report the same pit bulls that killed Tracy Payne attacked a man walking past the house the night before. Kerry Whisby, 31, said he was cutting through the alley to go to the nearby Flash Foods convenience store at about 11:30 pm when one of the dogs ran up to him and started biting his arm. "The dog tore me up and kept biting even as I was trying to run away," he said. "Eventually, I was able to climb on the roof of someone’s car and ride away."

Unlike the Memphis attack (See: Pit Bulls Kill Man, Injure Four Others in Memphis) that killed William Parker and injured four others in July, police did not know about the incident involving Whisby. The "badly injured" victim did not file a police report after being taken to the hospital in the predawn hours of Thursday.Payne was killed between 6-8 am Thursday morning. The attacking pit bulls belonged to the house's previous resident who left the animals behind after moving out.

In a separate incident Wednesday night at the same location, Kerry Whisby, who lives on Carling Avenue, was bitten and badly injured by one of the pit bulls while walking past the house.

Whisby, 31, said he was cutting through the alley to go to the nearby Flash Foods convenience store at about 11:30 p.m. when one of the dogs ran up to him and started biting his arm.

“The dog tore me up and kept biting even as I was trying to run away,” he said. “Eventually, I was able to climb on the roof of someone’s car and ride away.”

Whisby said the dogs belonged to the house’s previous tenant, who he said had left the dogs behind after moving out.

Whisby did not file a police report about the dog attack after being taken to the hospital for his injuries Wednesday night. - Carl Lewis, The Telegraph/Macon.com, August 21, 2010

08/20/10: Fatal Dog Mauling Suspected
Macon, GA - In a developing story, an autopsy conducted Friday confirmed that a woman died of blunt force trauma and lacerations by a pack of pit bulls. She had been dead for about six to eight hours prior to being discovered. Tracey Brazzell Payne, 46, was discovered Thursday in the backyard of a vacant south Macon home with severe lacerations that appeared to be inflicted by dogs. Bibb County Coroner Leon Jones said a pack of pit bulls was found in the same yard.

A woman whose body was discovered in the backyard of a south Macon home Thursday afternoon died after being attacked by a pack of pit bulls, an autopsy conducted Friday has found.

Tracey Brazzell Payne, 46, was attacked by dogs that were roaming in the yard at 1284 Glendale Ave., near Houston Avenue. Police found her body lying in the bushes in the backyard of the house about 2 p.m. Coroner Leon Jones said Payne died of blunt force trauma and lacerations from the dog attack. She had been dead for about six to eight hours.

Macon police spokeswoman Jami Gaudet said police are waiting to see the full autopsy report before making any decisions about exactly how the death occurred. - Carl Lewis, The Telegraph/Macon.com, August 20, 2010

Posted on August 18, 2010 by Colleen Lynn

New Blog Dispels 'Nanny Dog' Myth Invented by Pit Bull Fanciers

The Nanny Dog Myth
DogsBite.org - A new blog, "The Truth About Pit Bulls," launched Tuesday with contributors CKing and Craven Desires. The first myth they address, the Nanny Dog myth, is widely disseminated by pit bull advocates and pro-pit bull groups. According to the authors, the first mention of "nanny dog" with regards to any breed did not occur until 1904 when the first stage production of Peter Pan opened featuring a nursemaid dog that was never portrayed as a Staffordshire bull terrier.1

The first known reference of a Stafford likened to a nursemaid dog appeared in a 1971 New York Times article. Lillian Rant, President and magazine editor of the Staffordshire Bull Terrier Club of America, states in the piece that the breed formerly had "an unsavory reputation for fighting and violence and his name became associated with ruffians." Rant adds, "The Stafford we know today quickly becomes a member of the family circle. He loves children and is often referred to as a nursemaid dog."

To learn more about the Nanny Dog myth, please read the complete post.

The Authors Promise:

"This blog has one goal: to expose the lies created by pit bull advocates and repeated to such an extent that they become regarded as truth. This propaganda strategy is known as Proof of Assertion and it is a favored tactic employed by the well organized pit bull apologia as it requires no critical thinking skills, only strength in numbers. The pit bull apologia's measure of success is even more simple. The Machiavellian like army of pit nutters need only drown out the opposition, regardless of the fact that their arguments completely lack any substance or merit. The pit bulls' army is made up of a handful of elite pit bull advocates like the sinister Jane Berkey, Ledy Vankavage, Cydney Cross, Karen Delise, Donna Reynolds, Dawn Capp and Diane Jessup2 who orchestrate the campaign for thousands of dedicated gullible drones that perform the grunt work; infecting the internet with the rote memorization of fabricated talking points. As their insane and baseless rantings begin to leach outside of the cult like bubble they live in and infect normal citizens, humane societies and law makers, it is critical that their lies be exposed."

1Note the invisibility of references in Google News Archive from 1870 to 1984 for the term "nanny dog." 1984 marks the year when municipalities began enacting pit bull laws, which started in the Village of Tijeras.
2In brief: Jane Berkey owns and operates Animal Farm Foundation and the National Canine Research Council, both of which disseminate mass pit bull propaganda. Berkey's group donates tens of thousands of dollars to Bad Rap, a pit bull rescue group run by Donna Reynolds. Cydney Cross operates "Out of the Pits," another pit bull rescue group, who adopted out a pit bull that nearly killed Frankie Flora last year. Cross formerly worked for Berkey and was allegedly mauled by a pit bull on her property between 2002-2004. Karen Delise formerly operated the National Canine Research Council until it was purchased by Berkey in 2007. Diane Jessup operates the Working Pit Bull website and authored the book, "The Dog who Spoke with Gods." She was represented by Berkey's agency, the Jane Rotrosen Agency who uses a creepy Tim Racer (husband to Donna Reynolds) pit bull carving as it's mascot. Ledy Vankavage is a hired gun for Best Friends and formerly worked for the ASPCA. Dawn Capp operates Chako the pit bull rescue, which was formerly Chako the lobbying group.

Photo: The Truth About Pit Bulls

Posted on August 1, 2010 by Colleen Lynn

Department of Justice Axes Monkeys, Other Creatures From Service Animals

A variety of animals no longer accepted as service animals.

DOJ Issues FAQ - July 2015
UPDATE 07/20/15: On July 20, 2015, the Department of Justice issued an FAQ about service animals and the ADA. To our dismay, the DOJ essentially ignored the massive amount of press that has accumulated since 2010 regarding service dog fraud and failed to take any action against the online sellers of fake service dog identification. Moreover, to the delight of the many abusing the ADA, the DOJ clarified that individuals with disabilities may use more than one service dog.

Enjoy a future bus or subway ride with two fake service pit bulls in the seat behind you!

07/23/10: ADA Revisions Signed
Washington D.C. - On July 23, 2010, Attorney General Eric Holder signed the final regulations revising the Department’s American with Disabilities Act (ADA). These revisions began during the Bush administration. Persons who continue to insist that a monkey, iguana or other creature is a "service animal" may only do so for about another year-and-a-half. Under the revised rules, a service animal only applies to dogs and qualifying miniature horses (See: Section (i) of § 35.136).

Definition of a Service Animal

§ 35.104 Definitions
"Service animal means any dog that is individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of an individual with a disability, including a physical, sensory, psychiatric, intellectual, or other mental disability. Other species of animals, whether wild or domestic, trained or untrained, are not service animals for the purposes of this definition."
--snip--

"The crime deterrent effects of an animal's presence and the provision of emotional support, well-being, comfort, or companionship do not constitute work or tasks for the purposes of this definition."

The failure of the new ADA revisions is that no certified training or licensing (documentation) for a service dog is required. Despite this, and/or in light of this, non-government funded websites, such as, Bring Your Dog Anywhere and the National Service Animal Registry exist to provide such documentation for a fee.1 In true Internet "shopping cart" style, via a few mouse clicks and a payment, a dog owner can register his pet as a service dog and receive an identification kit.

"Skirters" of the Law Benefit

The lack of certified training or licensing will continue to cause confusion amongst public and private entities regarding, "What is an authentic service animal?" As recently demonstrated by pet iguana owner Wayne Short, who registered his iguana with the National Service Animal Registry after authorities banned the animal, city officials are confused. The revised ADA regulations will at least clarify that iguanas cannot be service animals. But what about dogs who supposedly qualify?

Removal of a Service Animal

While it is possible for the owner of any dog to call it's pet a service animal due to the lack of requiring certified training and licensing, there are some exclusion factors. Exceptions (1) and (2) will eventually snag non-legitimate service animal owners. Our concern at DogsBite.org is the "confusion loophole" left in the revised ADA regulations and that owners of pit bulls and other potentially dangerous dogs will take advantage of it by flashing an ID card purchased online.2

§ 35.136 Service Animals
(a) General. Generally, a public entity shall modify its policies, practices, or procedures to permit the use of a service animal by an individual with a disability.
(b) Exceptions. A public entity may ask an individual with a disability to remove a service animal from the premises if:

(1) The animal is out of control and the animal's handler does not take effective action to control it; or

(2) The animal is not housebroken.
--snip--

(f) Inquiries. A public entity shall not ask about the nature or extent of a person's disability, but may make two inquiries to determine whether an animal qualifies as a service animal. A public entity may ask if the animal is required because of a disability and what work or task the animal has been trained to perform. A public entity shall not require documentation, such as proof that the animal has been certified, trained, or licensed as a service animal. Generally, a public entity may not make these inquiries about a service animal when it is readily apparent that an animal is trained to do work or perform tasks for an individual with a disability (e.g., the dog is observed guiding an individual who is blind or has low vision, pulling a person's wheelchair, or providing assistance with stability or balance to an individual with an observable mobility disability)."

1The cost of a service animal identification package at BringYourDogAnywhere.com is $365. The cost at the National Service Animal Registry is $64.95.
2In August 2009, Isaiah Kalebu, showed up in a King County courtroom with his pit bull service animal. Officials allowed the dog because they believed they had to under the ADA.

Posted on July 31, 2010 by Colleen Lynn

Mother of Child Killed by Dog Sentenced to Probation by Judge

Valerie Grace Carlson, 30-years old, sentenced after the mauling death of her son.

Mother Sentenced archived
UPDATE 09/29/11: The mother of a 2-year old boy mauled to death by a dog while she was in a "drunken stupor" in her Tierrasanta home was sentenced to 5-years probation. Valerie Grace Carlson, 30, was also ordered by Judge Laura Halgren to complete a one-year jail term. Since her arrest back in April, combined with good behavior credits, she has already spent the equivalent of 313 days behind bars, leaving her with only a month more to of jail time to serve, reports 10 News.

Judge Halgren said that if she fails to complete probation, Carlson will be imprisoned for eight years for her "inexcusable conduct" on July 31, 2010. In June, Calson -- who has three other children -- pleaded guilty to four counts of child endangerment. One of those counts was in connection to the mauling death of her son, 2-year old Aaron Carlson. While the mother was drunk on a couch downstairs, Aaron was left alone to deal the dog that was "hyper" around children.

04/28/11: Mother Arrested archived
In an unusual development, authorities have arrested Valerie Carlson, 29, the mother of a toddler who was mauled to death by the family dog last July. At the time of the attack, the family had been living in Tierrasanta, a military housing area. The mother had been asleep on a couch downstairs, when the dog attacked Aaron Carlson in front of his three siblings upstairs. Carlson is facing five felony counts of cruelty to a child with possible injury or death and a prison sentence of 19 years.

San Diego police Detective Cindy Brady wrote in the declaration that the left side of the boy's face had been torn off and he had no skin in the middle of his face. The child's nose and cartilage were gone, the detective wrote.

The victim's three siblings were in the home at the time and their father was away on deployment, according to the detective.

According to the declaration, Valerie Carlson told detectives she had a friend visit her home the night before and drank four to five Jim Beam bourbon and Coke drinks, starting about 9:30 p.m.

Carlson said she normally put the dog, a German shepherd named Zeus, in a crate at night, but on that night didn't feel like it, according to the declaration. - CBS 8, May 5, 2011

08/01/10: Death Ruled an Accident archived
The San Diego County Medical Examiner's Office ruled the death of Aaron Carlson an accident. Police said the family dog, named Zeus, fatally attacked the young boy Saturday in a military housing complex while his three siblings were in the same room. According to police Lt. Rick O’Hanlon, no criminal charges are pending against the mother who was home during the event. An autopsy showed the boy died of bite injuries to his head and neck. The dog was put down.

It is important to point out that when fatal dog attacks occur on military base housing, the military greatly limits U.S. media access. In the most recent incident involving Aaron Carlson, reporter Doug Kolk states in an early video, "Because this occurred inside military housing, this is as far as we can get to the crime scene." The media has even less access when the incident actually occurs on base, such as the deaths of Julian Slack (2008) and Dandre Fisher (2007).

Despite this truth, pit bull defenders are already clamoring to call the mauling death of Aaron Carlson another "media conspiracy" against pit bulls by under reporting this fatal dog attack.

07/31/10: Child Killed by Family Dog
San Diego, CA - In a developing story, a 2-year old boy was mauled to death by a family dog in Tierrasanta, a military housing area within the City of San Diego. According to Police Department Sgt. Ray Battrick, the incident happened at 11:33 am at a home on Lofberg Street. The boy was attacked in front of his siblings in an upstairs bedroom, while the mother was sleeping on a couch downstairs. The father is an active serviceman and currently deployed overseas, Battrick said.

The family has owned the dog, a 1.5-year old German shepherd-mix, for about 6 months.

DogsBite blog ::

2010 Dog Bite Fatality: Tracey Payne, 46, Killed by Pack of Pit Bulls in South Macon

New Blog Dispels 'Nanny Dog' Myth Invented by Pit Bull Fanciers

Department of Justice Axes Monkeys, Other Creatures From Service Animals

2010 Dog Bite Fatality: Military Family Dog Kills 2-Year Old Boy in Tierrasanta

Mother of Child Killed by Dog Sentenced to Probation by Judge