No, they're not a violent breed at all...

[Rust]

Questions Linger After Pit Bull Attack

By KRISTEN GELINEAU Associated Press Writer

(AP) - PARTLOW, Va.-Dorothy Sullivan had been looking forward to St. Patrick's Day. The 82-year-old widow planned to whip up her family's favorite Irish soda bread, and her daughter made a festive green shirt decorated with shamrocks and a pot of gold for Sullivan's little dog, Buttons.

But the celebration never happened.

Three days before the holiday, Sullivan and Buttons, a Shih Tzu, were buried together in the same casket after they were mauled by three roaming pit bulls while Sullivan was out for a walk in her front yard.

Since the March 8 attack, a woman has been charged in Sullivan's death, a family has been ravaged by grief and community members who say they have been terrorized for years by wandering pit bulls want to know why more wasn't done to prevent the tragedy.

"I'm lost without her," Sullivan's 57-year-old daughter, Betty Greene, said softly. Her sister found Sullivan's body when she stopped by for a visit soon after the attack. "I used to always say, even when I was a kid, if there's a saint on earth, it's her."

Deanna Large, 36, who lives down the road from Sullivan, was charged with involuntary manslaughter and three misdemeanor counts of allowing a dangerous dog to run loose. If convicted on all charges, she faces up to 13 years in prison.

It's just the second time prosecutors in Virginia have sought involuntary manslaughter charges in a fatal dog mauling, but the case may reflect an emerging trend of prosecutors increasingly charging dog owners in attacks.

"It's almost routine now," said Karen Delise, a veterinarian who studied hundreds of such cases for her book, "Fatal Dog Attacks: The Stories Behind the Statistics," which found that the number of fatal dog attacks nationwide has held steady at an average of 20 a year.

"Law enforcement and the judicial system are realizing that, but for the negligence, but for the disregard (by owners), these things wouldn't have happened," Delise said.

One of the most infamous cases happened in San Francisco in 2001, when Diane Whipple was mauled in the hallway of her building and died later in a hospital. Two neighbors who had been taking care of two 120-pound presa canarios for a prison inmate were convicted of involuntary manslaughter and served two years.

Many of those who live in this rural, woodsy community between Washington and Richmond did not hesitate to blame Sullivan's death on the negligence of the dogs' owner - and that of authorities who they say largely ignored repeated complaints about pit bulls roaming the neighborhood.

Large, free on $10,000 bond, declined to comment when contacted by The Associated Press. Authorities killed the three dogs involved in the attack.

Sullivan family attorney Ed McNelis said Sullivan had called authorities before to complain that dogs had chased her into her house.

"What's this world coming to when you can't even walk in your own yard?" asked Sullivan's neighbor, Mary Adkins. A few years ago, she said, two unleashed dogs ripped open the throat of her terrier, Pepper, while he was playing in her front yard. Pepper eventually recovered.

Shane Owens, who sports a large tattoo of his Rottweiler, Leila, on his left arm and lives a few houses away from Sullivan's, said his pregnant girlfriend was once walking up their driveway when a pit bull charged at her. Owens grabbed his pistol and shot the dog dead. He said he repeatedly called authorities to complain.

Eulah Baker said she was working in her yard last summer when three pit bulls suddenly appeared before her. Weak from recent surgery, the 65-year-old stood helpless as the largest of the animals charged at her. As she screamed for help, the dogs abruptly ran off. Baker called the police.

"I told them they're gonna kill somebody," Baker said. "I could tell they were killers."

Baker, Owens and Adkins were not sure whether the dogs they encountered belonged to Large.

Spotsylvania County Animal Control Director William Tydings deferred comment to Commonwealth's Attorney William Neely, who did not return calls from the AP. But Tydings did say: "It's not all the way it seems." He would not elaborate.

Fatal dog maulings can be difficult to prosecute, said attorney Michael Rosenzweig, whose Pittsburgh law firm has handled hundreds of dog-bite cases.

"You have to prove that the violation of law goes beyond mere negligence," Rosenzweig said. "It has to rise to a level of recklessness."

The prosecutor has to prove the dog's owner had reason to believe the animal had a "dangerous or vicious propensity," he said. That could mean providing evidence of a previous attack or an incident in which the dog barked or lunged at a stranger.

John Booker, president of The All-American Pit Bull Association, said there is no such thing as an inherently bad dog.

"Any dog is capable of doing anything - it's just what kind of socialization and training the dog has had," he said.

---

On the Net:

Fatal Dog Attacks: http://www.fataldogattacks.com/

The All-American Pit Bull Association: http://www.aapba.com/
2005-04-15T05:53:28Z

[Diekan]

As I've said over and over - that breed needs to be let go extinct. They are a worthless animal who have one and only one purpose. They need to be made illegal.

[Martrae]

There was an article in the news last week about a lady that was saved from a chow by 2 pit bulls that jumped a fence to rescue her. It didn't say if they were her dogs or not tho.

[dammuzis]

once again this is owner not the dog...
if you actually read the website that you linked they even claim its absurd to link a certain breed with dog attacks

my best friend has two pit bulls and they are the sweetest things you ever saw.. great with kids and very friendly

[Diekan]

pit bulls are worthless, period.

If you really really need a dog for protection - get a friggen Dobby... you don't need a pit bull. They're a danger and shouldn't be allowed to breed further.

[Harrison]

"omg they are the [insert faggot crap here] things..."

UNTIL FOR NO REASON THEY BITE YOUR FUCKING FACE OFF

[Tuggan]

ignorance.

first off, the pitbull is not a guard dog. want to know why? because when theyre not trained to be viscious, theyre too damn friendly with strangers.

second, ANY FUCKING BREED CAN BE TRAINED TO ATTACK. its not that hard to understand.

[Darcler]

Jack ate Hailey's face off. We squirted him with a water bottle and said NO and he dropped the face flap and sat down.

[Lyion]

I keep reading about Pit Bulls killing people, and yet I also keep hearing Pit Bull Enthusiasts saying the dogs are extremely friendly.

Something doesnt add up.

[dammuzis]

Breeds Involved in fatal attacks
Pit Bull and Pit-bull-type dogs (21%), Mixed breed dogs (16%),
Rottweilers (13%), German Shepherd Dogs (9%), Wolf Dogs (5%),
Siberian Huskies (5%), Malamutes (4%), Great Danes (3%),
St. Bernards (3%), Chow Chows (3%), Doberman Pinschers (3%),
other breeds & non-specified breeds (15%).

[brinstar]

what about corgies

i think if i ever got a dog it would be a corgi

i'd name it zwei

[Narrock]

What you supporters of pitbulls fail to understand is that pitbulls are predispositioned to "snap" at any moment. They can be the kindest, sweetest, blah blah blah dog for x-amount of years, then all of a sudden one day bite a person's face without even having been provoked.

That scenario is played out every day across the country. It happens. Don't try to deny it. Pitbulls suck, and they are worthless creatures. They should be eradicated.

[DangerPaul]

There was an article in the news last week about a lady that was saved from a chow by 2 pit bulls that jumped a fence to rescue her. It didn't say if they were her dogs or not tho.

if its the same article, it was down the street from me

[KaiineTN]

My friend has a pitbull, he's young still, very playful, and never bites, but always looks really sad/depressed... Maybe pitbulls just need some Prozac, and everything will be fine.

[Diabolik]

what about corgies

i think if i ever got a dog it would be a corgi

i'd name it zwei

heehee... ein

Pit bulls are great dogs...... FOR ME TO POOP ON

[Gidan]

The largest problem is that most people wouldn;t know a pitbull if they saw one. There are dozens of breads that look very similar. Many cases where people claim to be attacked by a pitbul, they were actually attacked by a different bread but just didn't know the different. Pitbull is just the catchphrase for all dogs that look anything like the actual dog does.

Yes, pitbulls were bread to be fighting dogs, but what is always left out of that statment is that they were bread to fight OTHER DOGS. Any animal that bit a person was killed. They are extremely friendly toward people. They make the worst guard dogs in the world. If somone tried to rob your house, your putbul would go over a lick the robber not bit him.

Dogs in general are not visious. The closets breads to that would be siberians or alaskans being as they are so closely related to current day wolves. Any dog however can become mean and visious. There are alot of bad pitbulls out there, mostly due to reputation because people who want bad dogs or guard dogs get them and treat them like shit. Any dog put into a bad enviornemt will become visious.

[Diabolik]

Mmmmm... speaking of bread, a croissant would really hit the spot right about now.

[Gidan]

I cant spell, I admit I cant spell. I just dont feel like spending the extra 20minutes running everything I post through a spell checker.

[Narrock]

Actually, Pitbulls are very easy to identify. They always look like this, or very very close to these pictures:







Also, who deleted my response to Gidan? Martrae would be my best guess. It's nice to see that one cannot offer a rebuttal anymore.

[Martrae]

Shows WTF you know.

[Diabolik]

I've known dozens of pit bull terrier owners, and they all own them for the same reason: because they are DANGEROUS DOGS and it makes the owners look ruff 'n tuff because they own them.

Those dogs need to be wiped out. Not killed mind you, but at least all spayed or neutered.

ps - A spell checker isn't the end all.. it won't catch bread when you mean breed.

[Mop]

When I drive to work through the city, and not the freeway, I see about ten hoodrats with pitbulls every time.

[Darcler]

I'm sorry guys, he normally runs his posts by me to spell check, but I was asleep.

[Gidan]

Can you spot the pitbulls
<table><tr align=center><td><img src="http://mgmcomp.com/pics/pitbull/24.jpg" height="125" border="0"></td><td><img src="http://mgmcomp.com/pics/pitbull/21.jpg" height="125" border="0"></td><td><img src="http://mgmcomp.com/pics/pitbull/16.jpg" height="125" border="0"></td><td><img src="http://mgmcomp.com/pics/pitbull/7.jpg" height="125" border="0"></td><td><img src="http://mgmcomp.com/pics/pitbull/27.jpg" height="125" border="0"></td></tr><tr align=center><td><img src="http://mgmcomp.com/pics/pitbull/0.jpg" height="125" border="0"></td><td><img src="http://mgmcomp.com/pics/pitbull/20.jpg" height="125" border="0"></td><td><img src="http://mgmcomp.com/pics/pitbull/22.jpg" height="125" border="0"></td><td><img src="http://mgmcomp.com/pics/pitbull/9.jpg" height="125" border="0"></td><td><img src="http://mgmcomp.com/pics/pitbull/30.jpg" height="125" border="0"></td></tr><tr align=center><td><img src="http://mgmcomp.com/pics/pitbull/29.jpg" height="125" border="0"></td><td><img src="http://mgmcomp.com/pics/pitbull/28.jpg" height="125" border="0"></td><td><img src="http://mgmcomp.com/pics/pitbull/3.jpg" height="125" border="0"></td><td><img src="http://mgmcomp.com/pics/pitbull/11sm.jpg" height="125" border="0"></td><td><img src="http://mgmcomp.com/pics/pitbull/12.jpg" height="125" border="0"></td></tr><tr align=center><td><img src="http://mgmcomp.com/pics/pitbull/13.jpg" height="125" border="0"></td><td><img src="http://mgmcomp.com/pics/pitbull/17.jpg" height="125" border="0"></td><td><img src="http://mgmcomp.com/pics/pitbull/18.jpg" height="125" border="0"></td><td><img src="http://mgmcomp.com/pics/pitbull/192.jpg" height="125" border="0"></td><td><img src="http://mgmcomp.com/pics/pitbull/23.jpg" height="125" border="0"></td></tr><tr align=center><td><img src="http://mgmcomp.com/pics/pitbull/2.jpg" height="125" border="0"></td><td><img src="http://mgmcomp.com/pics/pitbull/33.jpg" height="125" border="0"></td><td><img src="http://mgmcomp.com/pics/pitbull/31.jpg" height="125" border="0"></td><td><img src="http://mgmcomp.com/pics/pitbull/32.jpg" height="125" border="0"></td><td><img src="http://mgmcomp.com/pics/pitbull/34.jpg" height="125" border="0"></td></tr></table>

[Jimmy Durante]

Don't forget Petey from the Little Rascals.