Posted on December 13, 2021 by Colleen Lynn

2021 Dog Bite Fatality: Pack of Dogs Kill Lame Deer Man on the Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservation

Duke Little Whirlwind, 58-years old, was killed by a pack of dogs in Lame Deer.

Death by Dogs Confirmed
UPDATE 12/16/21: On Tuesday, the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) confirmed that a 58-year old Lame Deer man was killed by a pack of dogs on Tribal land. "BIA officers responded to a call about a man being attacked by dogs, but when they arrived there were no dogs present," the BIA said in a press release. Duke Little Whirlwind, 58, was found dead on a dirt road Sunday. The Rosebud County Sheriff and coroner also responded to the scene, reports the MT Standard.

"Following a preliminary autopsy, it was determined the cause of death was an attack by canines, with drugs and alcohol as contributing factors."

On Thursday, The Missoulian provided more details about Avalee Little Whirlwind's account, Duke's niece, who arrived at the scene with a .22 caliber rifle ready to kill the dogs that took her uncle's life. Her uncle lay lifeless under a tarp on the dirt road. She yelled at the BIA officers, demanding to know why they had done nothing about the dogs circling her uncle's body. At that point, the situation intensified and resulted in BIA officers placing Little Whirlwind in handcuffs.

The officers did nothing about the dogs, according to Little Whirlwind, something members of the Northern Cheyenne Tribal Council confirm. Hours later, when Duke Little Whirlwind’s body was removed by the coroner and the officers left the scene, the dogs were left behind to prowl the blood-soaked street.

"They just ran around there all night," Little Whirlwind said.

The next day, the dogs’ owners took four of the dogs out of town and shot them. Little Whirlwind said a female pit bull had recently birthed puppies and was the instigator in the attack. She demanded to go see the dogs’ bodies and she photographed them. - The Missoulian, AJ Etherington, December 16, 2021

The BIA officers later told Little Whirlwind they understood she was upset and they let her go but confiscated her gun, reports The Missoulian. Little Whirlwind identified the instigator in the attack as a female pit bull that had recently birthed puppies. She photographed the four dogs suspected in the attack that were shot and killed by their owners the next day, including the female pit bull. The BIA continues to assert "there were no dogs present" when they arrived at the scene.

The 2019 Ordinance

Previously, we reported on the 2019 ordinance that the Northern Cheyenne Tribal Council passed authorizing "law enforcement authorities (primarily BIA law enforcement) to eliminate dangerous dogs from the Reservation." The BIA had initially asked for the ordinance as an opportunity to take care of the dog problem, then recanted and "told the Council they could not comply with the ordinance due to federal rules governing the use of their firearms," reports The Missoulian.

Tribal Council member Lane Spotted Elk said the BIA police chief told the Council that any discharge of their service weapons would lead to an internal investigation by the agency and that officers did not want to undergo that, reports The Missoulian. So, the ordinance went unenforced until mid-2021. At that time the Tribe invested in traps and hired personnel to capture the dogs to either take them to shelters or euthanize them. That process is quite slow, Spotted Elk explained.

Ancient Dog Breed Lost

Diane Spotted Elk, also a council member and Spotted Elk's cousin, noted that the long-standing and sacred relationship the Northern Cheyenne people have with dogs was based on a specific, functional dog type that the "Cheyenne people travelled the prairies and mountains with generations earlier." That dog breed or type has been extinct for over a hundred years. Pit bulls, chihuahuas, yorkies, German shepherds and blue heelers are not the sacred dogs, she explained.

12/13/21: Man Found Dead in Lame Deer
Lame Deer, MT - On Sunday, Duke Little Whirlwind, 58, was found dead on a dirt road in Lame Deer. His family believes he was killed by a pack of roaming dogs. "My brother George saw him lying there, all of his clothes ripped off, naked," Avalee Little Whirlwind, Duke's niece, told KTVQ. "He was face down, and those dogs were still running around." Whirlwind had stopped a few blocks away to pick up a bicycle, Avalee said. He was found dead by a neighbor shortly thereafter.

Little Whirlwind's body was transported by the Rosebud County coroner to Forsyth late Sunday, then transported to the state crime lab in Billings. An autopsy was scheduled for Monday. Tom MexicanCheyenne, who has lived in Lame Deer for over 40 years, said that despite a Northern Cheyenne tribal ordinance enacted in 2019, law enforcement has not done enough to curb the issue. Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) officers, according to him, say it's not their responsibility.

The 2019 ordinance states, "WHEREAS, the Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservation is currently overpopulated with dogs, some of which roam uncontrolled and are dangerous and have attacked people on the Reservation without provocation ... WHEREAS, the Tribe currently does not have adequate funds to administer an animal control program; and WHEREAS, until funds are secured for such a program, the Tribal Council wishes to adopt an ordinance which authorizes law enforcement authorities (primarily BIA law enforcement) to eliminate dangerous dogs from the Reservation." - Ordinance No. DOI-014 (2019)

Avalee said the owners of four dogs, allegedly involved in the fatal attack, shot and killed the animals early Monday morning. Instead of waiting on officials to take action, "They decided to do that themselves this morning, around 6:00-7:00 am," Avalee said. "They showed me the spot, and I took pictures of the dogs they killed. They took them out of town and shot them, four of them, because those dogs had blood on them and they knew those dogs had a part in it," Avalee said.

Perpetual Problem

Back in May, Lyssa Rose Upshaw, 13, was killed by a pack of dogs on the Navajo Nation. Lyssa was found curled up in a fetal position, "her clothes and pieces of flesh scattered around," reported the Navajo Times. Her death came a month after the Associated Press reported that Covid-19 had hindered animal control services on the Navajo Nation, which spans 27,000 square miles. During 2020, the pandemic forced Navajo authorities to shut down three of their four animal shelters.

Roaming packs of dogs -- owned uncollared dogs and abandoned dogs -- are a perpetual problem on many reservations. Cultural beliefs and a lack of resources, such as animal control officers and functional shelters, are often to blame. The lack of spay/neuter services and mobile spay/neuter units to service remote areas are also to blame. As soon as a dent is made in lowering the population of roaming dogs, many new puppies are born and the problem starts all over again.

Dog Owner's Post

One of the dog owners, Limberhand Nolan, posted to Facebook claiming that his dogs are the heroes. Alleging that Duke "got jumped, beat to death and left on side of the road." He continued, "We would of never knew he was there or how long he would of been there. If it wasn't for are dogs who found him and started licking the blood off him. Duke had bruises, he was hit with a weapon. The police report will tell you the same. Just wanted to get the true story out there." [sic].

As if severe dog bite injuries do not leave bruises? Nolan's theory also cannot explain why the man was stripped naked -- a routine occurrence in a fatal pack attack. NorthernCheyenne Elders replied, "Hey dummy take this post down your ignorant for saying this you don't know that I just seen this post the autopsy hasn't been complete yet & those were your dog's. Have some fucking respect !!! They attacked him!!! Licking ?!!! Why does he have to have a closed casket than?" [sic].

Dog ordinance Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservation

In June 2019, the Northern Cheyenne Tribal Council passed a dangerous dog ordinance.

The Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservation is located about 110 miles east of Billings.

View the DogsBite.org Google Map: Fatal Dog Attacks on American Indian Reservations.

Learn about breed-specific laws on Indian reservations in our Breed Safety Laws section.

Baseline reporting requirements:
Law enforcement departments across the United States should release consistent "baseline" information to the media and the public after each fatal dog mauling, including these items.

Posted on December 10, 2021 by Colleen Lynn

2021 Dog Bite Fatality: Woman Visiting from Alaska, Killed by Dog Pack Inside Sumter County, South Carolina Home

A woman visiting from Alaska was killed by a dog pack inside a South Carolina Home.

Woman Killed by Dog Pack
Sumter County, SC - A woman was discovered dead Thursday inside a home on South Lake Cherryvale Drive. The Sumter County Sheriff's Office believes she died of a dog attack. Lori Martin, 60, was visiting from Alaska when a family member found her dead just before noon. While Martin was in the home, a family dog pack -- including three boxers and one pit bull -- began fighting. Martin and the dogs all had lacerations consistent with dog bites and claw scratches.

All four dogs were seized and quarantined by the sheriff's office. Two other dogs were also in the household, but apparently, were not involved in the dog pack/dog aggression fighting event that resulted in Martin's death. Deputies said the dogs will be examined, along with their temperament, to determine if they should be declared dangerous. An autopsy is scheduled for Wednesday at the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston, Sumter County Coroner Robbie Baker said.

"This incident is still under investigation and we’re looking into every angle to determine the factors of this case, so far, we have determined that the dogs’ owner does not have a criminal record and there are no prior calls for service to that residence," Sheriff Anthony Dennis said. "We also do not have record of dogfighting in that immediate area. We have not seen anything of this nature in a very long time and this is such a tragic thing to take place just before the holidays," Dennis said.

No Fatalities on Record

From January 1, 2005 to present day, Martin's death is the only dog bite fatality our nonprofit has recorded in Sumter County, South Carolina. Furthermore, our Fatal Pit Bull Attack Archives, which date back to 1833, have no recorded fatal pit bull maulings in this county either, nor do our Fatal Rottweiler Attack Archives, which date back to 1978. When Sheriff Anthony Dennis stated earlier today, "We have not seen anything of this nature in a very long time," he certainly was correct.

"Determining the Factors"

Sheriff Dennis also stated, "we’re looking into every angle to determine the factors of this case." These factors may or may not include a dog pack of medium to large-sized "rescued" dogs, which demanded a "crate-and-rotate" routine, due to one or more of these dogs having severe dog aggression, that perhaps Martin was unfamiliar with. Recent cases involving a similar scenario includes the deaths of Tanner Kinnamon, 2, in Florida and Mitchelle Segerdahl, 53, in Oregon.

The Four Dogs Involved

Over the weekend, we located three of the dogs involved in Martin's death on family members' Facebook pages. The victim's maiden name is Borem. Her son lives in the 4100 block of South Lake Cherryvale Drive, where the attack occurred. The pit bull was adopted from Abandoned Love Animal Rescue in January 2019. It is unknown if the three boxers are rescues as well. The son's wife works for Johnston County EMS in North Carolina, according to her Facebook page.

Back in May, 10-month old Malia Winberry was killed by her family's rottweilers in Johnston County. That baby's mother also works for Johnston County EMS. A second dog bite fatality occurred in Johnston County in November. An 8-day old infant was killed by a pit bull. Two dog bite fatalities inflicted in Johnston County in one year is already improbable. That employees of Johnston County EMS were the dog owners in two of these three nearby deaths is even rarer.

Three of the dogs involved in the death of Lori Martin were located on social media pages. The pages include the January and February 2019 posts about the litter containing the white pit bull and who adopted it (in comments), and a November 2019 post, where the white pit bull's owner shows how the dog looked less than a year after being adopted (in comments).

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

Posted on December 8, 2021 by Colleen Lynn

2021 Dog Bite Fatality: 61-Year Old Missouri Woman Killed by Daughter's Familiar Pit Bulls and Pit Bull 'Mixed-Breed'

Leann Gratzer, 61, was killed by familiar pit bulls while approaching her daughter's home.

Dog Owners Confirmed
UPDATE 12/08/21: Two male pit bulls and one female pit bull-mix that killed a woman have been euthanized. Previously, the female dog was reported to be a "mixed-breed." That dog, however, was identified by its owner, the victim's daughter, as a "red/brown pit" that bolted from her property in September. That any officials are still calling this dog a "mixed-breed" is inaccurate. The dog's characteristics are predominantly pit bull, and it was in a household with two other pit bulls.

Leann Gratzer, 61, was mauled to death Monday outside of her daughter's home, reports the St. Louis-Dispatch, confirming details in our original post. The pit bulls were in a yard that had an underground invisible electric fence, Franklin County Sheriff Steve Pelton said in an interview Wednesday. The same yard with an invisible electric fence that the daughter's female pit bull-mix bolted from in September. At that time, her dog, "my baby girl," did not have the electric collar on.

No one witnessed the attack, Sheriff Pelton said. The daughter lives next door to Gratzer in the 2400 block of Highway TT. No records of previous complaints that the dogs behaved aggressively were reported to county officials, Sheriff Pelton said. "It's such a sad situation," Sheriff Pelton said. "She'd [Gratzer] been around the dogs numerous times. I don't have an answer as to why the dogs attacked her." Gratzer's daughter and her daughter's roommate owned all three pit bulls.

"A Sad Situation"

"Intra-family" dog attacks resulting in death, specifically when the dogs mutilate and kill the parent of the dogs' owner, are horrible. In this case, as well as the September case of two pet rottweilers killing the elderly mother of the dogs' owner, at least resulted in the dog's being put down. That was not true after Loretta Moore, 84, was killed by her son's dog pack, also in September. James Moore fought county officials, and four of the dogs that killed his mother were returned to him.

12/08/21: Woman Killed by Familiar Pit Bulls
St. Clair, MO - On Monday, Franklin County sheriff's deputies responded to a report of a female found deceased in the 2400 block of Highway TT, states a press release. "During the course of the investigation, it was learned that the female had gone to a relative's residence, as she approached the house she was attacked by dogs that were on the property. During the attack, the victim received a fatal injury from the dogs and succumbed to her injuries," states the release.

Authorities identified the woman as Leann Gratzer, 61, who lived in an area that contains multiple properties where family members also reside, including where her daughter resides, according to online searches. Gratzer was a neighbor and relative of the dogs’ owner, reports the eMissourian. The dogs and the victim were reportedly familiar with one another and hadn’t had any issues in the past. The sheriff's office confiscated three dogs, two pit bulls and a mixed-breed.

"The victim was walking down to the residence, which is known to them, a relative of the animal owners. And the victim was attacked by the animals." - Sheriff Steven Pelton

In early September, her daughter's female pit bull-mix "took off" after a storm. "She is usually on an invisible fence but she did not have her collar on!" states the September 2 Facebook post. Her dog was later located. Franklin County Sheriff Steve Pelton also stated that the dogs involved in the attack were two males and one female. Pelton did not confirm the relationship between the dog’s owner and the victim, only that everyone involved was cooperating with the investigation.

In a highly disturbing "pit bull glorification" meme posted by Gratzer's husband in December 2018 to his Facebook page, one sees a bloody, gruesome scene after a person allegedly broken into a home through a window. The post states, "To the person who broke into my house last night. I hope you liked the dog." A pit bull is also seen in the meme. Ironically and more appropriately, the caption could read: "To the relative who walked to my house last night. I hope you liked the dog."

It wasn't that long ago when media outlets across the country highly glorified two pit bulls that killed a man, who was dubbed a "possible intruder" by police. Typical comments left on social media at the time included, "The dogs were just doing their job!" and "Even if it was an intruder, trespassing is not a death penalty crime." The truth is, the majority of people that pit bulls fatally attack are well known to the dogs, specifically, 53%, over the 16-year period of 2005 to 2020.

A female pit bull-mix owned by the victim's daughter bolted after a storm in early September.

Posted on November 29, 2021 by Colleen Lynn

DogsBite's Giving Tuesday Challenge 2021 - Help us Turn the Wheels of Justice Forward

Join us on Facebook for DogsBite's Giving Tuesday Challenge 2021.

Giving Tuesday Challenge 2021
DogsBite.org - Giving Tuesday, November 30, is already here. This year we are fundraising on how DogsBite.org and our supporters help turn the Wheels of Justice. These wheels turn slowly, but they do turn. Never doubt that raising your voice doesn't make an impact. This year's campaign highlights how DogsBite and our supporters find their own approach to advocating. The more of us contributing, even in our own small way, helps turn the mighty Wheels of Justice.

We highlight over two dozen examples, including two deep investigations by DogsBite.org after serious criminal charges were brought against two pit bull activists in Ohio for fraud and animal abuse; sobering comments from a former open intake shelter whistleblower; letters to city council members and candidates; editorials to local papers; and advocacy on social media platforms by advocates Anita Child, Bonny Lee, Carol Miller, Julie Wall, Lucy Muir, Tina Pounds and others.

Our campaign also reminds supporters that we are here to help you with your advocacy efforts. "Do you need help writing your letter to legislators? We are here to help! Do you need statistical information for your letter or Facebook post? We are here to help! Do you need help writing a victim's impact statement? We can help!" You can also advocate by making a donation to DogsBite on Tuesday so that we can continue to help turn, ever so slightly, the Wheels of Justice.

Finally, it is also important to call out the second part of the statement, the Wheels of Justice turn slowly, "but grind exceedingly fine." So, even though justice may not be done quickly, when it finally happens the punishment is grim. Remember Luke Westerman - The Great Con? After nearly three years, he finally pleaded guilty to 19 felonies. For the rest of Westerman's natural life he will have to make monthly payments to pay off the $1.1 million dollar restitution amount.

How Does the Match Work?

This year, Facebook is matching $8 million. The first $2 million is matched 100% and will last less than a minute. For the remaining $6 million, Facebook will match 10%, ensuring that the match lasts longer. If you donate within the first 30 minutes, your gift could be matched by 10%. The speed is part of the challenge! Thousands of nonprofits are competing for these match dollars. Facebook donations all day long on GivingTuesday are FREE of transaction fees as well.

Ways to Participate

You can donate directly to our Facebook campaign. Facebook also encourages people to start their own fundraiser for a nonprofit. On Monday evening or Tuesday morning, you can start a fundraiser for DogsBite.org by using one of our campaign graphics. You can also create a campaign "In Memory" of a special person or pet or use one of our graphics to create a theme. Then share it on your Timeline and tell your friends why it is important to act on GivingTuesday.

Ways to Give

Many of our blog readers are already monthly or annual donors. Thank you so much to all of you! Giving Tuesday is always a giving day to attract new people to our cause and to invite casual readers of the blog to support our cause on this global giving day. There are also many ways to give to DogsBite. You can give a one-time gift or a re-occurring gift through PayPal, you can give to our ongoing GoFundMe charity page and you can give to our PayPal Giving Fund page.

Help us reach our goal of $8,000 for DogsBite's Giving Tuesday Challenge 2021!

DogsBite's Giving Tuesday Challenge 2021 - Help us Turn the Wheels of Justice Forward

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