Posted on May 11, 2020 by Colleen Lynn

2020 Dog Bite Fatality: Woman Found Mauled, Mutilated and Dead After Attack by Own Dogs in Lake County, Illinois

Lisa Urso, 52-years old, seen with her two Shorty bullies, Blue Bear (left) and Rocco.

Canine Mauling Death
UPDATE 05/12/20: The Lake County coroner confirmed Tuesday that a 52-year old woman "definitely died" due to injuries inflicted by one or more of her dogs. Lisa Urso was discovered mauled and mutilated outside her home in the 600 block of Knollwood Road. Dr. Howard Cooper, the Lake County Coroner, said it was difficult to determine which of her three dogs attacked her given the number of bites Urso sustained. Urso owned two Shorty bullies and another dog.

"It wasn’t the neck, most (bites) were on her legs and arms. Some on her torso as well. Just a lot of bites. A lot of scratching." - Dr. Howard Cooper

A Shorty bull is a short, squat, gargoyle variation of the American bully and is only recognized by the American Bully Kennel Club. One of Urso's Shorty bullies, named Blue Bear, attacked her boyfriend on April 13 and April 21. At least one of those bites was severe. The last bite resulted in Lake County Animal Care and Control placing the male Shorty bull into quarantine. Afterward, the dog was returned to Urso at her request. On May 9, Blue Bear likely initiated the fatal attack.

A Shorty bull is not a French bulldog. Many newspaper headlines are declaring that a "French bulldog" killed this able-bodied 52-year old female. These headlines are invalid. A Shorty bull is variation of the American bully, which "developed as a natural extension of the American pit bull terrier," according to the United Kennel Club. The Shorty bull "designer bull breed" was created by mixing 5 different types of bull breeds, including the French bulldog and American pit bull terrier.

The ridiculousness of a French bulldog perpetrating this attack could result in a Snopes article. Learn more about the Shorty bull standard, which the creator even calls a "working bulldog."

Late Wednesday afternoon, The Daily Herald published new details after speaking with Lake County Animal Care and Control (LCACC). "Blue," though Urso referred to her Shorty bull as "Blue Bear," was the main aggressor and had attacked Urso's boyfriend twice in April, causing serious injuries. The white Shorty bull had blood on its coat, but its level of participation in the attack is unknown. Urso's third dog, an elderly border collie-mix, was not involved in the deadly attack.

LCACC spokeswoman Hannah Goering also shut down the unfounded claims that Blue Bear had "been trained to fight" or endured any mistreatment. "Typically dogs which have been trained to fight, whether as the aggressor or the victim, have visible scars or chewed-up ears," Goering said. "This was a very healthy-looking dog; there were no signs of scarring. There is no reason to believe that." Blue Bear, now responsible for multiple attacks, will hopefully be euthanized.

A fatal dog mauling is not a "unique isolated incident," as Goering falsely claimed. These deaths occur about every 11 days in the United States.

Sadly, the breed of dog has not yet been corrected, but that soon may change. A Chicago-based French bulldog rescue group is trying to get the word out. To add to this confusion, Urso's older Facebook page shows that she did previously own a French bulldog. At some point in late 2018, Urso changed course and acquired two Shorty bulls, a brindle male, named Blue Bear, and a white male, named Rocco. The male border collie-mix, named Spike, was about 15-years old.

Lisa Urso owned two Shorty bullies and a border collie-mix when she was fatally attacked.

05/11/20: Woman Found Mauled and Dead
Lake County, IL - A 52-year old woman was discovered dead on her back patio after what police believe was a vicious attack by at least one of her three dogs. She was discovered Saturday at her home in the 600 block of Knollwood Road, according to Fox Lake Police Chief Jimmy Lee. Co-workers of Urso went to her home after Urso failed to meet them on Saturday as planned. When officers arrived at the residence, they encountered a "gruesome" scene, Chief Lee said.

Police believe Urso died on her back patio after she escaped from her home, fleeing the vicious attack. There were also signs of a struggle, police said. One of Urso's dog had a history of two recent separate biting incidents. It tore into Urso's boyfriend on April 13 and again on April 21. The latter bite resulted in Lake County Animal Care and Control housing the dog for quarantine. Urso requested the dog back from the agency afterward, which proved to be a "fatal mistake," Lee said.

An autopsy is scheduled for Tuesday to determine cause of death. Until this determination is made, we cannot rule out a post-mortem mauling.

In 2016, in this very same county, there was a suspected fatal dog attack. Police initially believed family dogs killed their 71-year old owner. "The bites were very extensive, there were multiple bites all over the 71-year-old's body from her head to her toes," detective Christopher Covelli said. Also in 2016, two family English bulldogs were suspected in killing their 61-year old owner. The coroner described that scene as "horrific." Both cases turned out to be post-mortem maulings.

A friend of Urso posted to Facebook after learning about her death. The post contains three photographs, each showing Urso with a different dog. The lower right image appears to show the third dog, though its breed is unclear to us. What is clear is that her Frenchies are oversized. In a December 2018 post, Urso called them Shorty bullies, which is a miniature American bully variation. For "stylization" reasons, Shorties often have cropped ears, not Frenchie bat ears.1

"Shorty bulls were created by mixing 5 different types of bull dog breed, some of which were the French Bulldogs and the American Pit Bull Terrier. Shorty Bulls can be American Bully Kennel Club (ABKC) registered and are found at the majority of the American Bully Shows." - Vitamins for Pit Bulls

"The American Bully breed developed as a natural extension of the American Pit Bull Terrier. The APBT has maintained a characteristic appearance and temperament for over 100 years. As with any long-standing breed, several types evolved from the parent breed, with one in particular taking on a specific build and structure that is so unique it was wise to recognize it as a different breed altogether." - United Kennel Club

Returning the Biter

In February, we wrote about Maria Crawford. She was brutally killed by her pit bull-mix last June after it previously attacked her facial region twice. We argued that Ventura County Animal Services, who returned the dog to the family a third time after the dog's escalating owner-directed aggression targeting the owner's face and head region, was a bad policy. We also argued that shelters are now in the position of having to protect family members from their own vicious dogs.

In the case of Urso, we do not know the severity or location of the injuries the dog inflicted on her unlucky boyfriend in April. We do know that both Shorty bullies were puppies in December 2018, thus both have reached sexual maturity (1.5 to 2-years old), the age when aggression often first manifests in pit bulls. The pattern is clear: April 13 bite, April 21 bite and May 9 fatality. As Chief Lee bluntly stated, "The lady wanted her dog back and it attacked her viciously and killed her."

Residence in Fox Lake where Lisa Urso was discovered dead with extensive dog bite injuries.

Lisa Urso, 52, seen with her Shorty bullies Blue Bear (left) and Rocco (right) before her death.

Comments indicate that the male brindle Shorty bull named "Blue Bear" is the previous biter.

1In the unregulated world of unrecognized "designer bull breeds" by open stud book kennel clubs like the American Bully Kennel Club (ABKC), mixing five different breeds to produce one will result in large variations. The ABKC states: "At this time the breed is still in its infancy and the studbooks will remain open for a few more years." That same message was on their website in 2013, according to Internet Archives. In an "open stud book" dogs may be registered even if their parents or earlier ancestors were not previously registered with that entity. Basically, an open stud book means they are still determining breed type. Here is an assortment of Shorty bull variations.

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 May 10, 2020 by Colleen Lynn

2020 Dog Bite Fatality: Doctor Found Dead in a Ditch was Killed by Roaming Dogs in Lyons, Georgia

Dr. Nancy Shaw, 62-years old, was killed by roaming dogs in Lyons, Georgia.

Dog Owner Charged
UPDATE 08/25/21: Over one year after a 62-year old doctor was mauled to death by four pit bull-mixes, a man has been arrested and charged in connection to her death. Gregory Van Mosley, 65, of Lyons has been charged with involuntary manslaughter after evidence recently obtained from the State Crime Lab allowed authorities to pursue prosecution in the case, according to Lyons Police Chief Wesley Walker. Dr. Nancy Shaw was found dead in a ditch on May 7, 2020.

Three of the four dogs believed to be responsible were located shortly after her body was discovered. Two of the dogs were wearing collars with their owner's name. The fourth dog was shot and killed by a resident after it attempted to break into a man's chicken pen. All three dogs are still being held at the Lyons Animal Shelter and are considered evidence in the case. Mosley was taken to the Toombs County Jail for processing, where he posted a $5,000 property bond.

10/23/20: The Suspected Dogs
On October 23, 2020 our nonprofit obtained confirmation about the dog breeds involved in the death of Dr. Nancy Shaw from a records request from the Lyons Police Department. The three dogs, which are still being held by police, are described in records as one brown and white pit bull-mix and two black pit bull-mixes. All of the dogs belong to the same owner. We also obtained three photographs of the dogs. The outcome of the dogs has not been determined at this time.

Two of the three pit bull-mixes being held by Lyons Police after the mauling death of Dr. Shaw.

05/10/20: Suspected Dogs Captured
Three of the four dogs suspected in the mauling death of a 62-year old doctor have been captured and are being held as evidence by police, Southeast Georgia Today reports. A fourth dog was shot and killed by a Lyons resident after it attempted to break into a man's chicken pen. The dogs are reportedly "bulldog-mixes," which is a generic term in much of the south, including Georgia and Florida, that refers to both American bulldogs and fighting bulldogs -- pit bull terriers.

A perfect example of this lies in an adoption listing for a Savannah "bulldog mix." That dog is as far removed from an English bulldog as imaginable. A generic "bulldog" in Georgia is a phenotype, perfectly represented by the adoption listing. In 2017, there was a large fight bust in Polk County, Georgia. 150 dogs were seized, "pit bull-based or bulldog-based breeds." All of these dogs are generic Georgia "bulldog-mixes." But what about Uga, the famous Georgia Bulldog mascot?

In 1894, a solid white female bull terrier, named Trilby, became the very first dog mascot for the college. During that time period, the names "bull terriers, pit dogs and pit bulls" were synonymous. In 1898, Chauncey Z. Bennett founded the United Kennel Club to bring formal recognition to the pit bull breed, under the official name, "American pit bull terrier." At that time, Bennett also drew up rules and regulations for dogfighting to bring "organization" to the now illegal blood sport.1

Dog Owner Located

The update from Southeast Georgia Today also reports that police have located the owner of the four loose dogs suspected in killing Dr. Nancy Shaw. Possible criminal charges depend upon the results of the investigation. Lyons Police Chief Wesley Walker speculated that Dr. Shaw may have seen the dogs by the road and stopped to feed them when a fight broke out between the dogs. However, it will never be known why Dr. Shaw suddenly stopped and got out of her vehicle.

The remaining dogs are currently being held at the Lyons Animal Shelter. Earlier today, the city of Lyons issued a press release about Dr. Shaw's death. The most important part is that the Georgia Bureau of Investigation is also involved in the multi-agency investigation. The city reminded residents that "the City has an adequate animal control ordinance and a competent Animal Control Division" and that they rely on "community policing to enforce its running at large regulations."

The City of Lyons Georgia
Press Release - May 12, 2020

The Mayor and City Council is saddened by the events that ultimately led to the Death of Dr. Nancy Shaw. Dr. Shaw was a friend to the City, Lyons Police department, and Lyons Animal shelter. The Lyons Police Department assisted by the Lyons Animal Control Division, Georgia Bureau of Investigation and Lyons Public Works Department actively searched for the dogs responsible for the incident.

On May 8, 2020, The Lyons Police identified and seized the dogs allegedly involved in the Thursday Morning death of Dr. Shaw. The incident is still under investigation. At this time, charges have not been brought on the owner of the dogs.

The City would like to assure the Citizens of Lyons that the City has an adequate animal control ordinance and a competent Animal Control Division. The City uses community policing to enforce its running at large regulations, and when compliance is not achieved, prosecutes offenders regularly. The Lyons Animal Control Division encourages Citizens to abide by the Cities leash law and keep your pets under the level of control required by the law.

05/10/20: Dogs Kill Local Doctor
Lyons, GA - A women was discovered dead in a ditch early Thursday morning. An autopsy later confirmed that Dr. Nancy Shaw, 62-years old, died from an animal attack. Police spotted her car on Skyline Boulevard about 3:00 am, pulled over on the wrong side of the road, car running and the door open. "Got out of the patrol car to investigate and found a female that was deceased in the ditch," Lyons Police Chief Wesley Walker said. Police suspect roaming dogs are the culprits.

Dr. Shaw lived on Skyline Boulevard under a half mile from where she was found. Depending upon how quiet the neighborhood was, her car could have been idling for hours. The estimated time of the attack was not released. Dr. Shaw practiced internal medicine at Meadows Regional Medical Center. She would often stop by the police station to check on the well-being of officers. “She was a friend of ours," Chief Walker said. "When I realized who it was, it was devastating."

The term "wild dogs" is often a product of the media. We have defined owned roaming dogs (that may or may not be collared), stray dogs, feral dogs and wild dogs in the past. Owned roaming dogs are virtually always the culprits in fatal attacks. On Thursday, Southeast Georgia Radio reported more details, including that police believe a couple of the suspected dogs were collared. "We feel like they did belong to someone, but haven’t had any luck yet," Chief Walker explained.

“Around 3 a.m. one of my officers was on routine patrol in the north end of town and came across a vehicle that was parked close to the shoulder of the road, running, with the door open. He got out to investigate and found a female in the ditch that was deceased. We identified that female as Dr. Nancy A. Shaw, 62 years of age with a Skyline Boulevard address,” said Walker.

Walker said, “The investigation is continuing but it appears from preliminary investigations that she was possibly attacked by an animal, probably some dogs that were seen in the area and caused the death of Dr. Shaw from those injuries.”

Walker added, “We are actively trying to locate some dogs that were seen running loose in the area around this same time to see if there is any evidence of that. We do believe that a couple of the dogs do have collars on so we feel like they did belong to someone but haven’t had any luck yet.” - Southeast Georgia Radio

Friends of Dr. Shaw began posting about her death on May 7. One of her co-workers, Brenda Moody, said she "was one of the kindest people I have ever met. She always trusted my judgment and never failed to tell me what a good job I was doing as Med-Surg charge nurse. She had a kind word for everyone and loved her cats. She was loved by all of us that worked night shift." This indicates Dr. Shaw had a routine of driving home late, even into the early morning hours.

Another friend stated that she "loved her cats beyond words." Friends speculated that Dr. Shaw might have gotten out of her car to help a cat. She "wouldn't have hesitated to stop and help," Moody said in a comment. Dr. Shaw is yet another victim of a violent dog mauling "found dead in a ditch" afterward. We had this discussion in December, commenting then, "It is a moral and societal failure" and a "collective lack of enforcement." Reckless dog owners are certainly to blame as well.

Despite being "devastated" over her death, Lyons Police did not post anything to their Facebook page about the death investigation. Instead, they posted twice about dogs. One post promoted Dog Food Distribution and the other promoted the Lyons Animal Shelter.2 "We are coming for shots, toys and free dog food... what are you waiting for?" The timing of this is unfortunate. This beloved, hardworking doctor was "found dead in a ditch" after being mauled by roaming dogs.

Dr. Nancy Shaw was mauled to death by suspected roaming dogs on Skyline Boulevard.

Friends and co-workers say that Dr. Nancy Shaw had a gentle soul and a heart of gold.

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

1American Pit Bull Terrier Handbook, by Joe Stahlkuppe, Barron's Educational Series, Inc., Page 55, 2000.
2According to the Lyons Animal Shelter, as of April 30, the shelter was still not fully operational due to Covid-19. Who knows if any entity is responding to calls of roaming dogs? Further, in early April (while most of the country was sheltering-in-place) the city passed an anti-chaining ordinance. While no one wants to see dogs chained, that was a terrible time to pass this ordinance. Requiring irresponsible dog owners to suddenly have to build a fence during Covid-19 is plain stupid. One commenter stated: "So I just let them outside now without any restrains."

Posted on May 7, 2020 by Colleen Lynn

2020 Dog Bite Fatality: Woman Dies After Suffering Life-Threatening Injuries in Vicious Dog Attack in Louisiana

Roxie Parker, 60-years old, died of her injuries after a vicious dog attack near Welsh.

UPDATE 05/15/20: We continue to wait on an incident report from the Jefferson Davis Parish Sheriff's Office. The investigation is still active. Once the case is closed, we will be able to obtain the report. We were, however, able to gain confirmation of several important aspects. The dog involved is a large white and brown male bull terrier. The sheriff's office did not have any prior bites or complaints on the dog. The owner put the dog down on the day of the attack at the residence.

Roxie Parker had raised the dog with the owner since it was a puppy, according to the sheriff's office. The suspected dog we located is an adult male bull terrier. Prior to the modern bull terrier, the breed's confirmation was vastly different. Some "working" bull terriers continue to be crossed with Staffordshire bull terriers in fighting lines, especially in Ireland (see: Ch Stormer and Ch Nellie).1,2 Up until 1965, the names bull terriers, pit bulls and pit dogs were interchangeable.

05/07/20: Roxie Parker Obituary
Welsh, LA - On April 20, a 60-year old woman was viciously attacked by a dog and died of her injuries four days later. This attack first came to our attention on May 5, when we were alerted to an April 24 post by RJ Hanks, who knows the victim's sister. "A sweet friend from high school just posted that her sister (who survived the tornados that ripped through their neighborhood on April 12th), was attacked by a pit bull on April 20th and was declared brain dead today," Hanks wrote.

Hanks did not name the victim in the April 24 post. Hanks is based in Baton Rouge, so we presumed he or she was referring to the April 12, 2020 Easter tornado that struck Monroe, Louisiana. On May 7, we were able to locate the victim's obituary along with her family members on Facebook. Roxie Wright Parker died "following a dog attack that left her with injuries too extensive for recovery," states her obituary. Parker had moved to Monroe sometime last year.

Parker's last public Facebook post states in part, "Survived the tornados that hit Monroe. Terrible destruction just blocks away from me. Heard it and saw tree limbs go by and no electric since 11:30 am." Prior to Hanks' post, the victim's daughter had already posted publicly about the dog attack. "She was viciously attacked by a dog and sustained several life threatening injuries. She's fighting for her life and needs all the prayers in the world," Jana wrote. Parker died the next day.

The Johnson Funeral Home obituary states she died at a Lafayette hospital on April 24. The obituary about her life was published in The News Star from May 2 to May 3. As of May 7, the newspaper has not reported the April 20 dog attack. We have discovered zero media reports at this time. Her obituary also states, "She also loved her little dog, Danny Boy, that she tried to save." On April 30, her daughter Jana began asking the public for help in locating the small dog.

Jana posted to the Facebook group, Stolen or Lost Pets in Jeff Davis Parish, that Danny Boy was last seen off Highway 99 near Martin Road, "when a terrible accident happened involving a dog attack and my mother passing away." Jana added, "Danny Boy was her beloved dog and he's gone missing since the day of, last Monday, April 20th." Accordingly, the attack occurred south of Welsh, which is about 200 miles away from Monroe, and it appears to be a rural, isolated area.

We do not know the time of day of the attack or any circumstances involved, only that Parker had tried to save Danny Boy from the vicious dog. The presumed location of the attack lies in the middle of three different fire department zones; any one of them could have responded to that call. So until we get information about the estimated time of the attack, we will not be able to locate the audio dispatch log files. Nor can we verify the breed of dog based upon what Hanks wrote alone.

"Roxie was known for her pretty face, her brilliant smile, and friendly personality, making friends wherever she went," states her obituary. "She was a devoted, loving mother to her two girls. She adored them and she loved to tell you about them." She raised her girls in Baton Rouge and in Fairhope. "Last year she moved to Monroe to be close to her dad and stepmom," states her obituary. A memorial service for Parker will be held in Baton Rouge at a later date, it states.

A Devastating Loss

Parker's mauling death is unimaginably tragic, devastating and cruel. From the location of the attack to her two beautiful daughters, her lost dog Danny Boy who she tried to save and to what must have been a horrific attack scene and injuries. We hope her daughters are able to locate Danny Boy. That Facebook post had a number of shares. We will attempt to obtain any public information that we can through a FOIA request to the Jefferson Davis Parish Sheriff's Office.

Parker's family is asking for help in locating Danny Boy; he has not been seen since the attack.

The last Facebook post by Roxie Parker states that she survived the tornado that hit Monroe.

1This author, Douglas Link, is a bull terrier (EBT) and Irish pit dog "enthusiast." In his paper, Indigenous pit dogs of the British Isles and Southern Ireland, he lists a string of dog fight matches where EBT bloodlines prevailed over American pit bull terrier bloodlines. Link also wrote a book about this, Pit Bull Garden: Evolution of the Pit Bull Terrier & other Game Dogs.
2The Great Book of Bulldogs, Bull Terrier and Molosser: Part I Bulldogs & Bull Terrier, by Marlene Zwettler, 2013.

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

Posted on May 5, 2020 by Colleen Lynn

Nonprofit Announces GoFundMe Charity Campaign on New Global Day of Giving - Staying the Course During Covid-19

Nonprofit announces first GoFundMe campaign: Staying the course during Covid-19.

Did You Know?
DogsBite.org - In response to the unprecedented need caused by Covid-19, the creators of Giving Tuesday, an annual day of giving that occurs in early December, have launched Giving Tuesday Now. This new global day of giving takes place today, on May 5, 2020. You can pin your story of giving -- whatever that may be, including volunteering and showing kindness -- to the global map. The Giving Tuesday Now website also offers a number of different giving ideas and themes.

We wanted to take this day to tell our readers about our new GoFundMe Charity page, where you can donate directly to DogsBite.org, but more importantly, you can start a GoFundMe Charity campaign for our nonprofit. GoFundMe has long been the leader in raising funds for individuals, families, small businesses and pets in need. However, these are not 501(c)(3) tax-exempt public charity organizations. Last October, GoFundMe launched this charity fundraising platform.

Our First Campaign

On May 5, DogsBite.org will be fundraising for "Staying the course during Covid-19," in our first GoFundMe Charity campaign. We need your help to ensure that our many research projects continue. We will primarily be sharing on social media. We are asking our supporters to help us reach our goal of $1,000 on this global giving day. No amount of giving is too little! Supporters can also simply share our campaign on social media, enabling our cause to reach new supporters.

The campaign reminds readers that our nonprofit was requested to provide comments to the Department of Transportation about pit bulls flying in the cabin by a major airline. Our data was also central to comments made by airlines. Despite Covid-19, between January and March 2020, our cause accomplished more big-ticket items than in multiple years combined: the DOT's about face on banning pit bulls and the mayor of Denver's veto of the pit bull ban repeal legislation.

Finally, the campaign reminds supporters that one public health crisis being interrupted by a much larger public health crisis does not remove the first crisis. It just adds to it! In mid-April, Denver reported a tripling of dog bites in March after the stay-at-home order went into affect. Minneapolis saw an 87% spike in dog bite reports compared to last year. "Emergency responders have been running from dog bite call to dog bite call during the Covid-19 crisis," reports Fox 9 News.

In late April, one of these attacks involved a family pit bull severely attacking its owner and her baby. The mother was attacked when she intervened to save her 8-month old child. Both victims were in critical condition when police arrived. Minneapolis police released very few details, but later stated they are investigating "child endangerment" and a dog bite. This likely indicates the dog had a history of aggression. This child remains on our Dog Bite Fatality Watch list.

It Takes a Village

Just like it often takes a village to stop a violent dog attack, right now it will take a village to uncover severe dog maulings that are not being reported by the media. If bites rose two and three times during shelter-in-place, then severe attacks rose too. Be sure to leave links in comments for serious dog maulings in the coming months. We have over 100 Google alerts set up to capture media reports, but attacks right now are more likely to be found on GoFundMe and social media.

Thank you to our dedicated readers and supporters during this time! We love you!

Staying the course during Covid-19. Our first fundraiser on the GoFundMe Charity platform.

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