Posted on June 30, 2008 by Colleen Lynn

2007 Dog Bite Fatality: Mary Bernal Killed by In-Law's Pit Bull

Pit Bull Scalps Victim
Deltona, FL - A pit bull that often shared a bed with its owners viciously attacked and killed a 63-year-old woman that had been visiting the family. It almost tore off the thumb of one of its owners as she tried to get the dog off her sister. It wasn't until a deputy sheriff shot the dog with a stun gun that it released its grip on the victim.

In this time, the dog had pulled off the woman's entire scalp and bitten her severely about the face. Mary Bernal of Dallas, Texas, died at Halifax Medical Center in Daytona Beach, where she was airlifted after the attack in the backyard of her sister's home on Roble Lane. Her husband Rudy Bernal, was in a state of horrified shock.

"[The pit bull] was dragging her, and all her scalp was hanging by her side. He wouldn't turn her loose. He would let her go. I saw police shoot the dog with a stun gun. That's the only way they could cut him loose." - Rudy Bernal

The attack began when Mary went into the backyard and picked up the couple's pet dachshund. Estela Macias, who tried to get the dog away from her sister, was sent to Central Florida Regional Hospital in Sanford for her injuries. "My sister-in-law is dead," she later told reporters as he wiped away tears. "I don't know what happened."

Eliasar Macias, the husband of Estela and the dog's owner, said he was stunned that his sister-in-law was killed and his wife was injured by the dog. He said that his dog never had any problems and that "he was a real friendly dog until now." He also said that the dog often slept with the two. The dog had been in bed with his wife that morning.

Witnesses said Mary Bernal, 63, was visiting her sister, Estela Macias, 52, when she bent down to pick up another dog in the backyard. That was when the pit bull attacked. One of deputies used a taser on the dog to get it to stop attacking.

Bernal was flown by a sheriff's office helicopter to Halifax Medical Center in Daytona Beach with a critical head wound. She later died at the hospital.

Ealiasar Macias, the owner of the dog and husband of the victim's sister, said he had never seen their male pit bull snap before.

Estela Macias was taken to Florida Hospital Fish Memorial in Orange City by ambulance. She was bitten on the hand and arm. Macias also reported having chest pain. - Central Florida News 13, June 29, 2007

Animal Control found 3 adult dogs and 6 puppies in the house, including a pregnant pit bull. "Beware of Dog" signs hung on both sides of the house, but neighbors said neither Tas, the killer pit bull, nor the family's other pit bull was ever a problem. Animal Control took Tas and planned to destroy it after Marcias agreed to surrender the animal.

Posted on June 30, 2008 by Colleen Lynn

DogsBite.org Comment Policy

DogsBite.org is national dog bite victims' group. We do not post comments by pit bull advocates, pit bull breeders, dogfighters or related misguided animal groups. Victims of severe dog attacks -- and their family members and friends -- read our blog posts and comments. DogsBite.org will not subject these victims and family members to the onslaught of messages we receive that consistently blame victims for an attack and deny the genetic heritage of the pit bull breed.

DogsBite.org is not a platform for pit bull advocates. We are a platform for victims and people who care about these victims.

DogsBite.org will also sensor comments that are "off-topic," use excessive foul language, or include ad hominem attacks.

Posted on June 28, 2008 by Colleen Lynn

2008 Dog Bite Fatality: Great-Grandmother Killed by Her Two Family Dogs in Titusville

Victim Killed by Own Dogs
Titusville, FL - Police say a 74-year old Titusville woman was killed by her two family dogs. The woman suffered a dislocated shoulder and too many bite injuries on her body to count. "This poor woman endured a vicious attack," Lt. Todd Hutchinson, a Titusville police spokesman, said. Police think Lorraine May was breaking up a fight between the dogs. The dogs, which she had owned since puppies, had a history of fighting with each other, and were reportedly mother and son.

Police theorize that May was breaking up a fight between the dogs, who, according to a relative, are mother and son. The animals, which May had owned since they were puppies, had a history of fighting with each other, Hutchinson said.

The relative said the 11-year-old female golden-retriever mix is named Sammy, and the 6-year-old male Australian-shepherd mix is called Seth.

They are being held in separate cages at Brevard County Animal Services and Enforcement in Melbourne while workers there conduct an investigation, said the services' Capt. Bob Brown. They could be euthanized as early as next week. - Susan Jacobson, Orlando Sentinel, June 28, 2008

Autopsy results showed that May died of multiple "blunt-force trauma" caused by the dogs. According to a relative, an 11-year old female golden-retriever mix named Sammy, and a 6-year old male Australian-shepherd mix named Seth were involved in the attack. Both dogs were taken into custody and are being held in separate cages at Brevard County Animal Services while the investigation continues. Animal Services had received no prior complaints about the animals.

Posted on June 23, 2008 by Colleen Lynn

CHAKO vs. The City and County of San Francisco

Pit Bull Sterilization Law Victorious
San Francisco, CA - On June 3rd, 2008 the San Francisco Office of the City Attorney released a statement regarding the CHAKO case -- a pit bull advocacy group that sued San Francisco over its mandatory pit bull sterilization law. CHAKO challenged the validity of the ordinance, alleging that it violated numerous federal and state constitutional provisions, including the right to happiness.

US District Judge Maxine M. Chesney granted the City's motion to dismiss all claims with the exception of the federal Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) claim. Both parties have since settled the remaining claim, which resulted in dismissal of the lawsuit. Under the terms of the settlement, the City agreed not to enforce the sterilization ordinance against any person with a mobility-related disability who:

(i) owned an unsterilized pit bull service dog at the time the ordinance was enacted; (ii) uses that unsterilized pit bull service dog to accommodate his/her mobility-related disability; and (iii) had registered his/her unsterilized pit bull service dog with the San Francisco Department of Animal Care and Control by the time the ordinance was enacted. Any person who does not fall within this specific category remains subject to the ordinance.

City Attorney Dennis Herrera stated that although he continues to believe the ordinance is fully valid, the settlement is in San Francisco's best interest. "There is nothing about this ordinance that interferes with the ability of any disabled person to obtain assistance from service animals, and therefore it is fully consistent with the ADA," Herrera said.

CHAKO fits the bill of an egregious pit bull lobbying group. They stop at nothing when it comes to challenging the regulation of their breed, including misusing the rights of people with disabilities to prop up their goals. One can hardly stoop much further than this.

DogsBite blog ::