2012 Dog Bite Fatality: Rescue Pit Bull Kills 2-Year Old Girl; Nearby Restrictions Lifted in 2010

Savannah Edwards, 2-years old, was killed by a rescue pit bull near Topeka. Past Law Clarification UPDATE 12/16/12: A Sunday article by the Topeka Capital-Journal clarifies the history of Shawnee County. The county has never had a breed-specific ordinance, though the City of Topeka, which is the county seat of Shawnee County, once did. Topeka repealed the ordinance in 2010 and now boasts a "behavior-based" ordinance rather than a "breed-based" one. Savannah Edwards was… [Read full blog post]

2012 Dog Bite Fatality: Fresno County Man Mauled to Death by Pack of Pit Bulls

Esteban Alavez, 34, and one of the four pit bulls that mauled him to death. Victim Identified UPDATE 12/14/12: The Fresno County Coroner's Office has identified the man who was mauled to death by four pit bulls on Tuesday. Esteban Alavez, 34-years old, of Selma, California died due to multiple dog bites, including a bite that punctured his jugular vein, according to Fresno County Coroner David Hadden. The Thomas-Robinson Funeral Home website obituary states that he was a Fa… [Read full blog post]

2012 Dog Bite Fatality: Pit Bull Kills 3-Week Old Girl in Detroit

Tarilyn Bowles, 3-weeks old, was mauled to death by a pit bull on Detroit's west side. Insights from Behaviorist The funeral for 3-week old Tarilyn Luciana Bowles, mauled to death by a family pit bull while strapped into a child safety seat, is scheduled for Wednesday. DogsBite.org along with commenters have been repelled by the statement by the owner of the dog blaming the deadly attack on the animal smelling "baby formula on the infant's clothes." The endless denialism by t… [Read full blog post]

2012 Dog Bite Fatality: Oklahoma Woman Killed by Pit Bull in Her Home

Nellie Davis, 61-years old, was killed by her granddaughter's pet pit bull. Insights from Behaviorists DogsBite.org along with commenters have become alarmed at the misleading rationale that a "normal" response by a "noise-sensitive" dog is to attack and kill a family member when under the duress of loud sounds, like the crack of thunder. It is even more disconcerting that a police captain is echoing this false rationale provided by the dog's owner. One wonders if the dog h… [Read full blog post]