Do we need a national Ban on Pit Bulls? Baby mauled by two pit bulls.

[Johnboy60]

MURRIETTA, Calif., April 8 (UPI) -- A 6-month-old baby was mauled by two pit bulls as he sat strapped in a carrier in an apartment his mother was visiting in California.

The dogs bit the boy in the scrotum, removing his testicles, the Riverside (Calif.) Press-Enterprise reported. Murrieta, Calif., Police Sgt. Bob Landwehr said the dogs -- a 5-year-old pit bull and an 8-month old pit bull mix, both females -- first ripped off the infant's diaper.

Baby mauled by two pit bulls - UPI.com

 

[Mr. Ripley]

I think we need to ban dogs. (Not really), but they're very annoying. Constantly barking just for walking on the side of the street..

 

[Scolfield]

My heart goes out to this kid and the family.

But as an owner of a pit, I'll put bullets in anyone that tries to hurt my dog, and I don't even care if they have a badge.

Also, just because someone in the media says these were pits, I'm not buying it. I want to see tests, I want to see papers. And even then, what kind of pit was it?

 

[mont974x4]

no, the answer is not to ban animals. The answer is to enforce animal cruelty laws or otherwise hold the owners accountable regarding any applicable existing laws if any were actually broken. If none were broken, it is simply a horribly sad accident with no one to blame.

 

[WadeWilson]

But as an owner of a pit, I'll put bullets in anyone that tries to hurt my dog, and I don't even care if they have a badge.

Thats seems a little... extreme. But anywho, my heart goes out for the kid. Without more information, it would be hard to determine if any humans were at fault.

 

[Cute Tink]

Without more information, we cannot determine whether the dogs are truly at fault or if they were simply poorly trained or even trained to be bad.

Banning the dogs is not the solution.

 

[keith99]

Breed means far less than many other things.

I used to have a Presa Canario, at laeast as best we could identify him. A great dog until he died of complications of cancer. 2 dogs of the same breed made headlines when they killed a woman in San Francisco. All he had in common with those dogs was power. He was strong. The only danger he posed to children was that he would lick them to the point of drowning.

But my dog had a large yard to play in. The 2 killer dogs were kept in an appartment.

Pits and pitlike dogs have a major problem because they seem to get picked by problem owners.

 

[DaisyDay]

Breed means far less than many other things.

I used to have a Presa Canario, at laeast as best we could identify him. A great dog until he died of complications of cancer. 2 dogs of the same breed made headlines when they killed a woman in San Francisco. All he had in common with those dogs was power. He was strong. The only danger he posed to children was that he would lick them to the point of drowning.

Those are powerful dogs. One comes to our dog park - he's really impressive.

Pits and pitlike dogs have a major problem because they seem to get picked by problem owners.

It sounds like these dogs weren't particularly vicious, but were trying to eat the baby's poop - it sounds like the testicles were an accident.

But what kind of parent leaves an infant alone in a room on the floor with two strange dogs of any breed? Especially one with a dirty diaper?

 

[pgp_protector]

Do we need a national Ban on Pit Bulls? No, we need a national ban on bad owners.

 

[Chajara]

Do we need a national Ban on Pit Bulls? No, we need a national ban on bad owners.

And bad parents.

Also, I take with a large grain of salt any media identification of a "pit bull". Very few people know what an actual pit bull looks like. Put it this way: If one of those massive, hippo-like, waddling, wheezing thug dogs was responsible then it wasn't a pit bull. It was a mastiff cross. But since those sorts of dogs are the ones who are popular with idiot owners right now they're considered pit bulls.

This is a pit bull:

This is not:

 

[CRAZY_CAT_WOMAN]

Where is the mothers instint here.When ever you have a baby or child,Common since would say not to leave your baby so close to the floor ,When there's animals present.I say most of this lay of the grownups for even allowing this to happen.

 

[EdwinWillers]

Deeply sorrowed for the baby - I don't know what they can do for him, but I hope something can be done.

Pit bull terriers - we often conveniently leave out the fact that these are in fact terriers, not some inherently "vicious" breed apart from their primary grouping.

Bull terriers are no more inherently vicious than any other dog - powerful, yes - but that doesn't set them apart either; nor does it make them "vicious" by default. They can in fact be some of the sweetest dogs to own - if trained and cared for properly - like ANY dog. Saw a story about some of the pit bulls Micheal Vick owned who'd been adopted out - just so sad these dogs had to endure what they did at his hands - but they are now assimilating so well in their new homes.

I echo the sentiments of others - if banning is the only solution here, what we need to "ban" are bad pet owners, and bad parents. Don't know how, or even if we can do that - but this wasn't the dog's fault - it was the corporate fault of the parent and the pet owner(s) who contributed to this sickeningly unfortunate situation.

We shouldn't let such an emotionally disheartening event dissuade the exercise of our reason and proper judgment or allow such events to get the better of either.

 

[lawtonfogle]

MURRIETTA, Calif., April 8 (UPI) -- A 6-month-old baby was mauled by two pit bulls as he sat strapped in a carrier in an apartment his mother was visiting in California.

The dogs bit the boy in the scrotum, removing his testicles, the Riverside (Calif.) Press-Enterprise reported. Murrieta, Calif., Police Sgt. Bob Landwehr said the dogs -- a 5-year-old pit bull and an 8-month old pit bull mix, both females -- first ripped off the infant's diaper.

Baby mauled by two pit bulls - UPI.com

Only if we ban everything else that hurts children that are not necessary for society. The issue here is the parent who left the child unattended on the floor with two dogs (even if they weren't pit bulls, you don't do this). This is stupidity on a criminal level.

 

[31sparrow]

That poor boy! The article doesn't mention the other part, but I can imagine that the testicles are right next to something else chewable. I have been attacked by dogs myself and I was quick enough to protect my privates. My attacker was also a friend's dog. My friend is a wonderful guy, but he took his dog's side saying that it must have "sensed some evil." !!! Needless to say I didn't visit his house anymore.

I would rather raise children in a place where large dogs of any kind are simply outlawed. It's the only kind of animal that can do this kind of damage that people tolerate.

 

[AmyGlen]

That poor child.

Around where I live it's popular to get dogs like this in order to look "cool" and "bad*ss". It is not popular however to learn how to actually train these dogs once you get them. A lot of people get these dogs because it makes them feel macho and tough but then they have no idea how to raise them. The dog is just a status symbol.

 

[Tenka]

I think the benefits of pet ownership (improved mental health, for example) outweigh these terrible but relatively rare incidents.
But all rights come with responsibility, a mistreated dog is like a weapon in the wrong hands and I do think that increased education would benefit a lot of people. No matter how trusted, Dogs should not be left alone with small kids.

 

[Apeleutheros]

yea, if they ban pitbulls someone will just find another dog to abuse.

I've been in a family that has had many very wonderful pitbulls. Some of the sweetest dogs I've ever seen.

My mom had one when I was a a baby and she would watch me like a nanny. I remember her following me around when I played in the yard. Very good dog.


I want to get a scanner. I have a picture of me and her when I was like 3, it's very cute.

You guys, will be like "awww"

 

[Johnboy60]

News Update,

Dog-attack victim mom had lost two other children

A 22-year-old mother, whose infant son's testicles were severed when two dogs attacked him as he lay unattended in a baby carrier at a Murrieta apartment last weekend, had lost custody of her other two children in 2008, authorities said.

Now, in light of the attack, San Diego County child protective services has obtained a court order to take the infant away from the mother, who is identified as Carrie McKinney, of Point Loma, said Murrieta police Sgt. Jim Ganley.

Reached by phone Thursday, McKinney declined to comment.

McKinney told police that she was at her friend's apartment on Arboretum Way about 10 a.m. Saturday getting dressed to go out when the attack happened. Her friend was in the shower upstairs and her 6-month-old son was downstairs on the floor.

According to McKinney, the baby was in the carrier for a total of 10 minutes before the attack, Ganley said. She checked on the baby once and he was fine, but about three minutes later heard screaming and rushed to the room to find that one or both of her friend's dogs -- a 5-year-old female pit bull and an 8-month-old pit bull mix -- had ripped off the baby's diaper and bitten him in the groin area.

The child was taken to Rancho Springs Medical Center in Murrieta, then transferred to Loma Linda University Medical Center, where he underwent surgery, Ganley said.

The dogs were seized and will be euthanized, animal control officials said.

No one has been arrested in connection with the incident, police said.

Although McKinney lives in San Diego County, Riverside County child protective services will play a role in the investigation because the attack occurred in Murrieta, said Sylvia Deporto, assistant director for the Children's Services Division in Riverside County.

"We're going to ask a lot of questions about what (the mother's) circumstances are, what her support systems are," she said.

While it is easy to say the parent should have known that animals can pose a risk to children and that an infant should not be left unattended, Deporto said, the total circumstances surrounding any injury to a child must be weighed.


Dog-attack victim mom had lost two other children | Local News | PE.com | Southern California News | News for Inland Southern California

 

[FreeSpirit74]

Funny you should post those two pictures, Chajara. Most people don't even know what a typical pit bull looks like. I was reading up on them today, and one site that I was on had a quiz called Find the Pit Bull. It was a page of 16 dogs and, when you click on each photo, it will tell you what kind of dog it is. Here's the site:

Pet Pitbull - Find the Pit Bull

FTR, I picked #'s 7, 13, 15, 22 and 24. And 99% of people out there would have picked those as well. I never would have picked the dog they indicate is the pit bull.

Here's another interesting site I found. There are, in fact, other breeds that are affected by Breed-Specific Legislation, so it's not just pit bulls. And I notice that a lot of the dogs on this list are what a lot of people (including myself) mistake for pit bulls because they supposedly "look like them."

http://www.understand-a-bull.com/BSL/BreedsaffectedbyBSL.htm

 

[The Penitent Man]

Somebody on my floor owns 2 pitbulls, which are required by law to be leashed and muzzled at all times. Ironically, these dogs are completely non-aggressive. They are "big sucks" as their owner calls them.

But the law is the law and in this case, it's a damned good law. It's a compromise that allows for no possibility of dog-mauling.