Jul 16, 2009 Wolfhounds Attack Again

Same pair of dogs blamed in rash of maulings last year

East Alton - A pair of Russian wolfhounds that attacked and killed at least four animals last year struck again Thursday, injuring two dogs and an owner.

The wolfhounds, which also are known as borzoi, escaped from their back yard in the 300 block of Washington Avenue about 10:30 a.m., attacked a man walking his dog and mauled a dog in its home.

Sgt. Brent Wells with the East Alton Police Department said a 911 call was received from a woman at 10:33 a.m., stating her son was being attacked by two large white dogs.

Kevin Bartles, 46, suffered 13 puncture wounds to his arms while trying to defend his small mixed-breed dog from being attacked by the threatening hounds as he neared his home in the 500 block of Monroe Street.

Wells said a second call came in at 10:34 a.m. from another woman who said two dogs came into her house and attacked her small dog.

Wells said the pair ran into a house in the 100 block of Lakeside Avenue and attacked a rat terrier. He said the dog suffered severe injuries. Its owner, Laura Ward, took the canine to a veterinarian.

Public Works Superintendent Denny Weber, who also is in charge of the village's animal control, received a call about the attacks and responded the scene, where he was able to take the dogs into custody.

"The dogs are now at Madison County Animal Control, where they will be quarantined for the next 10 days," Weber said.

Police Chief Dwynn Isringhausen said he was disturbed by the incident because this time the dogs attacked a person who got in the way of their "prey."

"The dogs were violent in the past, but they had never attacked a person before now," Isringhausen said.

Residents were extremely upset last year after the pair of canines went on a killing spree between April 14 and July 11. The dogs escaped their yard, hunted down and killed three small dogs and mauled a fourth.

Records show that the owners of the wolfhounds - Cody Butry and Christopher Hinkle - were sent a letter from Madison County Animal Control following the incidents stating that the courts had deemed the animals as dangerous.

According to Illinois' Animal Control Act, a "dangerous dog" is an individual dog that is unmuzzled, unleashed or unattended by its owner or custodian and behaves in a manner that a reasonable person would believe poses a serious or unjustified threat of physical injury or death to a person or companion animal.

The Borzoi Club of America Inc. states that the animal originated in Russia and was bred to chase and catch small game. Even though the dogs are kept as pets, they still have the instinct to hunt, and small animals are believed to trigger their response.

Because the dogs are considers "dangerous," Weber said they're required to be muzzled and on a leash whenever they are outdoors. He said the county again would seek to declare the dogs dangerous.

Typically, after a dog is declared dangerous three times, authorities will seek to have it deemed vicioius, would could result in the animal being euthanized.

Isringhausen said that after last year's incidents, he heard the owners reportedly had moved the dogs out of town, but he didn't know that for sure. Because there had been no reported attacks since then, he said he had assumed the dogs were gone.

Isringhausen said the owners were not home when the dogs got out on Thursday. He said his department would seek charges for two counts of criminal damage to property and would issue them a citation for a leash law violation.

He said he's most afraid if the dogs are brought back to East Alton that they could escape again and possibly attack a child who may be playing with a small dog.

"We don't want this to happen to anyone or their pet again," he said. "The village will do whatever is within its power to take care of it."

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Jul 14, 2009 Villa Grove neighborhood nervous over two pit bulls


VILLA GROVE – A group of frightened neighbors took their concerns about two allegedly dangerous pit bulls roaming their Villa Grove neighborhood to the city council Monday night. About a dozen people that live near the dog owner's home on North Oak Street told story after story of run-ins with the loose dogs.

"We can't go out in our own yards and feel safe," said Julie Markel who lives next door. She said her sheltie dog was attacked in her yard by one of the pit bulls. Her dog was treated for multiple bite wounds as a result. Her son has also been threatened by the dogs and has required therapy to get over his fear.

The News Gazette


Jul 14, 2009 Lombard Man Gets Up to 18 Months in Prison for Dogfight

Lombard - A Lombard man was sentenced Tuesday to 18 months in prison after he admitted promoting a dogfight with two pit bulls, including his own pet, during an underage drinking party.



An apologetic Brian A. Moll, 22, of the 100 block of South Lombard Ave., said he knew dogfighting is a crime, and that it began when he and his co-defendant began debating whose dog was tougher.

The other man, Robert G. Kollman, 21, of the 300 block of North Grace, Lombard, where the party was held, has pleaded not guilty to similar felony charges. He is free on bond.

Prosecutor Mary K. Cronin said police were called to Kollman's home at 2:45 a.m. May 23 to sounds of dog fighting and discovered the two pit bulls attacking each other before a small crowd of people gathered in the back yard.

Rather than intervening, Cronin said, the defendants were egging on both dogs to keep fighting.

Officers subdued the two pit bulls - Rampage, who is owned by Kollman, and Ace, who belongs to Moll - with a Taser. The dogs were not seriously injured. They were treated at a 24-hour veterinarian's office, police said.

Daily Herald
http://prev.dailyherald.com/story/?id=306935

Jul 10, 2009 Mail carrier attacked by dog for third time


ROCKFORD - After letter carrier Marie McCollum was bit by a dog on her route for the third time Thursday, she is looking for owners to take more responsibility to prevent this from happening again.

McCollum has worked as a letter carrier for 17 years, and 15 years ago while on her route McCollum was attacked and bit on her face, arms, and legs by a pit bull.  The pit bull was put to sleep and McCollum later found out the dog had previously bitten two other people before her.
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McCollum said she hopes to see more legal ramifications taken against owners whose dogs bite other people, especially because she feels other are in danger as well, not just mail carriers.

By Michele C. Hollow
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WREX  Accessed: 2012-05-24. (Archived by WebCite® at http://www.webcitation.org/67uhA6vJe)


Related posts:
Nov 07, 2011 Elgin: Pit Bull owner prevents neighbors from receiving mail
Jun 30, 2010 Police Report: Pit Bull Bites Elgin Postal Worker
Apr 04, 2010 Reaction to Anna's Law Ban on BSL in Streator, IL: This is Asinine
Feb 02, 2007 Pit bulls to be put down for attack on carrier



Jul 03, 2009 Pit bull in attack on girl is shot

Aurora police had to shoot a pit bull that had attacked a 13-year-old Aurora girl and another dog that was being walked by her owner in the 400 block of Jackson Street at 7:20 a.m. June 29.

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Chicago Tribune
Accessed: 2012-01-17. (Archived by WebCite® at http://www.webcitation.org/64lcm7mtE)

Jul 01, 2009 Aurora police kill attacking pit bull


Aurora - An Aurora police officer shot a pit bull six times, eventually killing it, after it attacked a girl, mauled another dog and charged the officer, police said.

Police spokesman Dan Ferrelli said the pit bull bit and knocked down a 13-year-old girl just after 7 a.m. Monday in the 400 block of Jackson Street as she walked to Waldo Middle School. The teen was treated and released from Rush-Copley Medical Center with a bite to the back of her leg.

After it bit the girl, Ferrelli said the pit bull also attacked a golden retriever that was being walked on the east side of Jackson.

by Justin Kmitch
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Daily Herald