Dec 30, 2010 Seven Arrested at Maywood Dogfight in Progress



MAYWOOD - Seven people were arrested and two wounded pit bulls rescued by sheriff's police who raided a dogfight in progress in the west suburbs last week.

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Dec 29, 2010 Chicago Heights Police Blotter



 Dog Problem
Chicago Heights - A 38-year-old woman in the 800 block of Willow Drive told police there were two pit bull dogs running around the area and chasing people. The responding officer was chased by the dogs and yelled at them to get away before firing two shots and wounding one of the dogs, according to the police report. The dogs' owner, Raven Hayes, 33, was issued six citations in connection with the incident.

Chicago Heights Patch  Accessed: 2012-05-24. (Archived by WebCite® at http://www.webcitation.org/67uVuMf3W)

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Dec 23, 2010 Luciano: Not the breed, but the need for safety

Peoria – A recent - and ridiculous - hullabaloo over a Tazewell County pit bull shows why a lot of us get so put off by advocates for the breed.

Already, at just that first paragraph, pit bull apologists are plinking madly at their keyboards to bombard me and this newspaper with e-mails. Save it. I know the arguments.
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And it's worse when people such as Catherine Hedges just don't know when to draw the line at advocacy. You want to talk about the merits of pit bulls? OK. But when one goes bad, don't make excuses. Otherwise, we start to think you and your dogs are nothing but trouble.

By Phil Luciano
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Dec 16, 2010 Officer shoots dog during burglary call


ROCKFORD - A Rockford police officer shoots and kills a dog that came after him during a burglary call.
The incident happened Wednesday evening in the area of 4300 Red Coat Road. There were two calls to the area, one for a burglary and one for a pitbull that had people pinned into their car.
The officer was investigating the burglary when the dog charged at him and that's when he shot and killed the dog.

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Dec 03, 2010 Mt. Vernon Police - Aggressive pit bull


Mt. Vernon - Police responded to a report of a loose, aggressive pit bull on Wednesday in the 800 block of South 21st Street.

Mt. Vernon Register News  Accessed: 2012-07-16. (Archived by WebCite® at http://www.webcitation.org/69D0vXMC4)
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Dec 03, 2010 Veterinarian accused of covering up dogfighting


by Steve Schmadeke, Matthew Walberg and Jeremy Gorner

PARK FOREST - A Park Forest veterinarian whose troubled disciplinary past includes allegations of substandard care that left pets dead, "drooling into" a dog during surgery and watering down vaccines to boost profits has been criminally charged for allegedly failing to report dog fighting.

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Nov 25, 2010 Rockford alderman, daughter bitten in pit bull attack

Rockford – Several people have been attacked by three pit bulls outside a Rockford store, including city alderman Karen Elyea and her daughter.
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Nov 23, 2010 Teen Sentenced in Central Illinois Dog Attack

DECATUR — A central Illinois teenager has been sentenced to five years in prison for ordering his pit bull terrier to attack a 75-year-old man.

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Nov 21, 2010 Orland Park Woman Recovering From Pit Bull Attack


Be sure to click the link and read this account of what it feels like to have a pit bull come out of nowhere and attack you unprovoked.  These attacks damage people's bodies and damage their sense of safety and security as well. 

ORLAND PARK (STMW) – For a week now, Kathy Margetis’ frightened screams have startled her husband, Pete, from sleep. “Let me go,” she shouts.

In her nightmares, the 53-year-old mother of three from Orland Park is reliving the horrifying experience of being attacked by a pit bull.

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Nov 17, 2010 Carpentersville pit bull suit settled


Carpentersville – a Nov. 28, 2009, incident in which he was attacked by a pit bull as he filled bird feeders behind his home on the 300 block of Sedgewick Street.
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A Carpentersville police report said Cory “dragged himself on the ground with his arms” after the dog refused to let go. He eventually crawled up onto his deck, through a patio door and into his kitchen, where he could call for help.

Read more:
Daily Herald
Accessed: 2012-02-10. (Archived by WebCite® at http://www.webcitation.org/65LAX3iN7)


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Nov 16, 2010 Pit Bull Population Explosion in Kendall County


“I don’t understand the fascination with that breed”  
                                            Anne Vickery, Kendall County Board Chairman and chairman of the Animal Control Committee

Yorkville — Kendall County Animal Control has an overcrowding problem that could mean an unpopular operational change.
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That could mean a change in the shelter’s current “low-kill” operation.
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Vickery said (a part of the) problem is that many animals at the shelter are “unadoptable” because they are mean or cannot be around other animals.
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She singled out the breed of American pit bull terrier, or dogs with that in a mix, as a major culprit.
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She said 60 to 70 percent of the dogs in the facility are some kind of pit bull, and they keep coming in.

By Steve Lord
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Nov 16, 2010 Pit bull that inspired Machesney Park law faces euthanasia

Macheseny Park —  Rascal the pit bull is the dog that inspired village laws on dangerous canines and now after it killed two pets and attacked two people, it is necessary to put him down.

It’s a decision that is emotional and difficult for the owner, but neighbors say it’s necessary because the animal killed two pets and bit two people.

If a new home can’t be found, Rascal the pit bull will have to be put down, said Ryan Jones, the 25-year-old son of the dog’s owner, Kristie Jones. Ryan Jones said he spoke in his mother’s place Monday at the Village Board meeting because of the emotional nature of the issue.

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Nov 12, 2010 Mattoon Woman Shaken After Pit Bull Kills Daughter's Chihuahua


"We do have a history of violence with pit bulls in town,"
said Deputy Chief Jason Taylor of theMattoon Police Department




Mattoon - Emma Monson has nightmares about a dog attack Friday just a short distance from her home.

"I still see that pit bull clamping down on the Chihuahua and killing it," Monson said.

On Friday morning, Monson took the tiny dog, owned by her daughter, for a morning walk just
as she had done many times before. Then she looked to the north and saw a dog jump over a
wooden fence and come running toward her.

"I would take my daughter's dog over to the neighbor's and it and another neighbor's dog would
lick noses. I've been doing it for a long time," Monson said. "Then I looked Friday and a pit bull
was climbing the wooden fence. It came running over toward the Chihuahua and I tried to hold it
up to save it. I was kicking at the pit bull and it was jumping on me."

In moments, the pit bull caught the smaller dog in its jaws and quickly killed it. Larry Dennis, a
neighbor, heard Monson's screams for help and came running over.

"She was yelling, “It's killing my dog!' I ran over to her and noticed her bloody hand. The pit
bull was holding the little dog in its mouth like a toy," Dennis recalled. "When I approached the
pit bull it backed off but it wouldn't let go of the other dog. I pulled on the leash (Monson had for
the Chihuahua) but it snapped."

The pit bull retreated to a nearby tree and toyed with its dead prey, causing more horror for
Monson. Police were called, and Dennis and his wife treated Monson's wounds, including
multiple bruises and a claw puncture that opened a vein on her hand. She was later taken by her
husband to the emergency room of Sarah Bush Lincoln Health Center.

Police arrived and animal control personnel came to secure the pit bull dog, officials said; they
did so without difficulty, according to officials. They took the dog to the Coles County Animal
Rescue and Education Center, where it is quarantined for 10 days.

Police gave a citation to Bruce E. Wilson Jr., the dog's owner, for harboring a vicious animal. That
is a city ordinance violation that includes the possibility of a fine.

Wilson said he is sorry for the incident, but cannot understand how or why his pit bull jumped
the high security fence at his home.

"He had never been aggressive toward other dogs," Wilson said of the 2-year-old black and white
pit bull he will request be euthanized. "The reason I put up that fence is because I do have dogs
here. I would never put anyone in jeopardy over my dogs."

Unfortunately, this is not first go-around with this breed of dogs, according to Mattoon Police
Department.

"We do have a history of violence with pit bulls in town," said Deputy Chief Jason Taylor of the
Mattoon Police Department. "And officers have heard over and over from owners, รข€˜My dog
won't bite anyone.' The dog might be gentle toward them and their families, but not always with
people passing by."

Read more:
Journal Gazette & Times-Courier
http://bit.ly/2eCpeEk

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Nov 08, 2010 Pitbull Fatally Shot After Biting Chicago Cop

CHICAGO – A Chicago Police officer fatally shot a pitbull after it apparently attacked him Monday afternoon in the Far South Side Pullman neighborhood.

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Nov 05, 2010 Police Investigate Oct. 31 Pit Bull Attack

Freeport — Local police and animal control officials are investigating a dog attack on Oct. 31 that resulted in the injury of a 41-year-old Freeport woman and her pet Pomeranian.

The incident occurred between 1:40 p.m. and 1:50 p.m. on Oct. 31 in the 1200 block of South State Avenue in Freeport. The woman in question, who was not named by police, was walking her dog on the sidewalk at that location when a pit bull attacked them. The woman’s dog was on a leash.

By Travis Morse
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Oct 30, 2010 Woman Injured by Her Pit Bulls

Galesburg — Officers responded to 630 N. Cedar St. Friday in response to a woman who had been injured trying to separate her two fighting pit bulls.  The pit bulls were turned over to be euthanized.  The woman's injuries were serious and included a broken hand.

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Oct 25, 2010 Elgin considers community service to pay off dog fines


Backing away from BSL does not work.  A breed ban would render these problems moot.

By Harry Hitzeman

Elgin leaders are considering allowing people who violate local ordinances particularly the toughened animal control ordinance to work off fines through community service.
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“Those fines are pretty significant. People are just walking away from their dogs and not paying the fine,” City Manager Sean Stegall said. “We needed another avenue.”
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“We’re collecting a third of what’s being fined."
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Prigge pushed last spring for a law to declare all pit bulls in Elgin to be declared dangerous, which would have triggered a special set of laws applicable to that type of dog, but the city council backed off and strengthened its overall animal control ordinance.

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Oct 22, 2010 Police: Suspected Drug Dealer had 82 Grams of Packaged Cocaine in Home

By Dennis Sullivan Special to Tribune

Joliet –– A suspected drug dealer is being held in the Will County Adult Detention facility in lieu of $300,000 bail.
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Joliet Deputy Police Chief Trafton said Gutierrez and his wife cooperated with the arrest, but police “neutralized a pit bull” in the home that was preparing to attack them.

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Oct 06, 2010 Lawsuit: Alton man sues dog owner and neighbor over pit bull attack

Alton - An Alton man is suing his neighbor and her friend, claiming he was attacked by a pit bull while on a walk.

Antonio M. Brown Sr. filed the lawsuit against Megan Page and Ginger Stodgsdill Sept. 30 in Madison County Circuit Court.

Brown says he was walking down his street near his neighbor's house when he was allegedly attacked by the dog. Brown says the dog bit him, puncturing his right leg and injuring his ribs. Page lives in the house where the alleged attack happened. Stodgsdill owns the dog.

Brown seeks an unspecified amount of money for injuries, medical bills and court costs.

Read more:
The Madison St. Clair Record

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Oct 05, 2010 Daily Record - Cat killed and Dog attacked


The Animal Warden took possession of a pit bull dog after police received a report at 5:32 p.m. Saturday from the 400 block of North 16th Street that the animal was attacking another dog.

A resident in the 12300 block of East Oakton Road reported at 6:53 p.m. Saturday that a pit bull dog had attacked and killed a cat. The dog had been shot and wounded. Animal Control was notified.

Mt. Vernon Register-News

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Oct 01, 2010 Two Loose Pit Bulls Attack, Kill Yorkie in West Peoria

WEST PEORIA —Two loose pit bulls attacked a Yorkshire Terrier in its backyard Tuesday afternoon, according to a report by the Peoria County Sheriff's Department. The dog died from bite wounds later in the day at a veterinary clinic.  

The owners will not be charged criminally, as no state criminal law applies in the case, she said.


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Sep 27, 2010 South Roxana Officer Shoots Pit Bull to Death


South Roxana - A police officer shot and killed a pit bull during the weekend after it attacked him when he responded to a call reporting a dog running loose in the neighborhood.

Read more:
The Telegraph  Accessed: 2012-01-13. (Archived by WebCite® at http://www.webcitation.org/64ed2s3di)
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Sep 17, 2010 Board Declares Three Pit Bulls 'Dangerous, Vicious' Fines Owner

By Barry Cleveland

CROSSVILLE - Wayne Spicer, the village animal control officer, said the Richards Street resident in question has five pit bulls. He has received two signed complaints about the dogs running loose and threatening people, as well as a verbal complaint from a woman who found the dogs in her garage, eating her cat food, and ignored her efforts to shoo them away.


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Sep 17, 2010 Pit bulls attack each other and bite a man in separate incidents


Mt. Vernon - A resident in the 800 block of South 19th Street reported that a loose pit bull attacked another at 5:16 p.m. Wednesday.

A resident in the 16500 block of North Illinois Highway 37 reported a pit bull bit him after he tried to check its tags at 6:08 a.m. Thursday.

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Register News

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Sep 16, 2010 Evanston Man Charged with Having Unsterilized Pit Bulls

EVANSTON - Prompted by a resident's report of animal cruelty, police raided an Evanston Friday and charged the owner with possession of unsterilized dogs by a felon.
On June 3, an anonymous caller told police they'd seen a person wearing a padded bite suit in the 2100 block of Jackson Avenue, according to Evanston police.

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Sep 13, 2010 Dog Attack Prompts QPD to Shoot and Kill Pit Bull


The bit bull breed isn't aggressive by nature, but extremely loyal to owner
(original caption - be sure to read the entire story to find that this dog had
a history of loyalty before this extremely tenaciously loyal incident)

QUINCY – The owner of the dog that was killed told me the dog was like his son. And a nearby resident told me kids had played with the dog in the past without any problems. On the other hand, the another neighbor said the dog had broken off its leash before, and in some cases, the mail man could not deliver mail because of the dog.
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 The Quincy Police Department issued the following statement:
On 09-12-10 at about 11:44 Quincy Police Officers were dispatched to 706 So.14th St in regard to a Pit Bull that was attacking another dog.
Upon arrival, Officers found that the suspect dog was still in the complainant's backyard.
An Animal Control Officer was notified and dispatched to the scene to attempt to apprehend the dangerous dog.
Before the Animal Control Officer arrived on scene, the suspect dog attacked the victim dog once again.
Officers shot the suspect dog once to prevent it from further injuring or killing the victim dog.
Upon shooting the dog, it turned and began moving toward the Officers. At that point the Officer fired a second time, killing the dog.
An investigation was conducted and it was discovered that the suspect dog had broken off of a leash from 720 So. 14th.
It was also learned that the suspect dog had a history of aggressive behavior.
The dog's owner, Dennis Scott, of 720 So. 14th, was issued Notices of Violations for Dog Running at Large and Rabies Control Violation.
The deceased dog was taken into custody by a Quincy Animal Control Officer pending further investigation.
by Jarod Wells
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Sep 10, 2010 Arrest Made in Incident When Person was Bitten by Pit Bull

Quincy – An arrest has been made in connection to a Labor Day incident in which a person in the area of Seventh and Ohio was bitten by a pit bull dog.

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Sep 07, 2010 Girl Injured in Attack by Pit Bull

By Christy Hendricks
By Julia Bruck

WEST CITY - A nine-year-old girl was taken to the hospital with injuries after a pit bull attacked her Saturday evening in West City.

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Aug 25, 2010 LaSalle Pit bulls kill 7 year old Jason Walter


Varna - Three pit bulls owned by a tenant living in a trailer on the property killed Jason Walter, a seven year old boy, who was visiting the owner of the property.  The owner's mixed breed dog, Blondie, was outside at the time as well, and was euthanized with the three pit bulls.

"We've had dog bites, but we've never had anything like this, nothing fatal," said Sheriff Rob Russell.

Jason was just beginning second grade.

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Aug 18, 2010 Dogfight Busted by Sheriff's Police

Three Charged, Including Alleged Handler

CHICAGO - Police raided a dogfight in progress on the West Side on Monday, resulting in felony charges against three men.

by Matt Bartosik
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Aug 17, 2010 Thanks to ACO for putting his life in danger to protect people from vicious pit bull

Jacksonville - “I'd like to thank the young animal control officer who put his own life in danger to stop a vicious pit bull from attacking me and others around us. Thank you.”

Read more:
Jacksonville Journal Courier
Accessed: 2012-01-25. (Archived by WebCite® at http://www.webcitation.org/64xy1lPOy)

 http://cravendesires.blogspot.com/2012/01/pit-bull-service-dogs-theyre-too_23.html
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Aug 16, 2010 Galesburg Pit Bulls Jump Fence, Attack Girl and Pup

Galesburg - At just after 3 p.m., as the seventh-grader at Lombard Middle School and her puppy neared the corner of First and Academy streets, wild barking and a flurry of activity drew the attention of the girl and her dog.

“I heard barking and Ray-Ray just stopped. I saw three pit bulls come over the fence of the backyard across Academy,” Gutierrez said. “They were coming for Ray-Ray. I was very scared and I tried to get in between them and the dog.

It is believed all three pit bulls escaped from the backyard of 712 S. Academy St., located on the south corner of First and South Academy streets. The backyard is surrounded by 6-foot wood fence.

“I see pit bulls running around here quite a bit,” Lane said. “You just never know when they will come after you.”

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Aug 15, 2010 ELGIN: Two Bitten, Two Cited on Dog Ordinance Violations

Two Elgin residents were cited on dog ordinance violations Saturday after their pets, in separate incidents, reportedly bit Elgin children, according to police reports.
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A 15-year-old boy was treated for minor injuries at Provena Saint Josephs Hospital in Elgin after his neighbor's pet pit bull jumped a fence between the two yards and bit the boy's right leg, police said.
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The second incident involved a poodle and occurred in the 200 block of South Melrose Street, according to police reports. A boy visiting the home of a family member there was playing with the poodle when the dog apparently bit him, reports said. 

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Aug 12, 2010 Village declares dogs to be potentially dangerous

Hutsonville – ...[The board of trustees] declared the dogs located at 603 S. Pleasant to be potentially dangerous.
The dogs, believed to be pit bulls, have gotten loose from their enclosure several times. Police Officer Chad Weaver said the owners have been cited and warned repeatedly about the dogs being loose, and one of the dogs has tried to bite police officers when they have tried to capture the animals. Weaver said the owners are currently building a new enclosure.

By declaring the animals potentially dangerous, they now have to be kept in a more secure encloser or be removed from the village.

By Tom Compton
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Aug 07 2010 Pit Bulls Attack 5 Year Old Winston Bankston

Bush – Winston Bankston 5-year-old boy is clinging to life after being attacked by pit bull dogs while he played in the city park.
"I spoke with a member of the family this morning. And Winston is in ICU at Cardinal Glennon, he is in a medical induced coma and on a ventilator," Chief Harvel said.

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Aug 04, 2010 Dog Injured On 7/28 by Pit Bull Mix. Information needed.


Chicago – There was another incident at the dog beach where a dog injured another dog, and the owner left the beach without taking responsability for his dogs actions.

On Wednsday, July 28 at 10 am a small white Schnoodle was injured by another dog who tried to steal her tennis ball. The dog was playing fetch on the north end of the beach when the Pit mix aproached the small dog and tried to steal her pink tennis ball. When she wouldn't drop the ball, the Pit mix grabed her by the back and wouldn't release her until the owner pinched it's cheeks and forced it to let go. The Pit's owner responded by saying "Sorry, my dog usually only bites when he's bitten first". The Schnoodle was rushed to the vet, and the other owner left the beach, no information was exchanged.

The attacking dog was discribed as a "50# dog that was a mix between a pit bull and some kind of hound. It clearly had the face/jaw of a pit. It was the golden brown color of a Vizsla. The owner was a male, early thirties, short brown hair with a goatee. Tan caucasion but possibly Latino. About 6 foot tall and lean."  There were 50 or so people at the beach that morning who may have seen the attack. If anyone has any infomation about the owner or dog, please contact us.

by Beth Smith
Read more:
Mondog blog - Montrose Beach Dog Beach Blog
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Jul 29, 2010 Oswego Resident Urges Tougher Vicious Dog Law, Tells village board of problems with neighbors' pit bull, rotweiller


An Oswego resident urged the village board last week to toughen the village's animal control ordinance.

The resident told board members July 20 that she and her family and neighbors have become virtual prisoners in their own homes due to an ongoing problem with a neighbor's pit bull and rotweiller.

Read more:
Ledger-Sentinel

Accessed: 2012-01-16. (Archived by WebCite® at http://www.webcitation.org/64kWvv9FE)

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Jul 19, 2010 Elgin police shoot, kill attacking pit bull

Elgin – A veteran Elgin police officer over the weekend shot and killed a pit bull that police say jumped at him with its mouth wide open.

Saturday's incident marked the third Elgin police pit bull shooting of 2010.

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Jul 11, 2010 Pit Bull Declared Vicious

Police blotter

Chicago Heights – Tiffany M. Rowland, 42, 1424 Portland Ave., Apt. 2, Chicago Heights, was charged with keeping a vicious animal, not having a dog's rabies vaccination and not having a city dog license after her pit bull bit a woman on the arm and hand June 29 at her home, police said.

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Jul 07, 2010 La Salle Co Pit Bull Destroyed After Attack on Yorkie

La Salle Co - A pit bull mixed breed was destroyed by county authorities after it attacked a small Yorkshire terrier just before the Fourth of July parade Sunday in Sheridan.

La Salle County Animal Control Officer Gary Wind said the pit mix owners relinquished the animal to him after the attack because "they thought the dog was too big of a liability." Wind said it was the second documented attack by the animal.

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Jul 06, 2010 Wilmington IL Officials Attempting to Protect Citizens Battling 'Ridiculous' Dangerous Dog Laws


Though city attorney, mayor and town council all felt motivated to protect their citizenry, they were apparently stymied by the anti-BSL provision in Illinois state law that protects no children, no pets, not even a single pit bull, but protects only the freedoms of back yard breeders, dog fighters, and irresponsible pit bull owners.

Neighbors Ask for Help with 'Vicious' Dogs
Pam Monson
Editor

WILMINGTON - The residents of the neighborhood around Booth Central School asked the City Council Tuesday to take action to prevent a serious dog attack that’s been brewing for years.
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The residents asked for ordinances or higher penalties to better control the situation, or the reinstitution of a local department of animal control.
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“It seems ridiculous to me a dog has to bite somebody three times,” Alderman Russ Gilmour commented.
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“Trust me, we’ll ... rectify this problem,” Mayor Orr said. 

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Jun 3, 2010 Pit bull chased woman into her home


Mt. Vernon - A resident in the 2300 block of Herbert Street reported she was chased into her residence by a pit bull at 6:37 a.m. Wednesday.

Read more:
Register News

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Jun 30, 2010 Police Report: Pit Bull Bites Elgin Postal Worker

Elgin – Dog bites postal worker: A dog bit a postal worker as she delivered mail in the 400 block of Morgan Street Tuesday, police said. The dog’s owner, Terry A. Contreras-Vonahnen, 49, told police her male pit bull mix, Rosco, charged through her locked screen door after the mail was delivered. She called the dog, which didn’t respond until after biting the woman on the right forearm. Contreras-Vonahnen allowed police to take her dog to be euthanized, reports stated. The dog also had bitten a friend of her daughter earlier this month. 

The Courier-News

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Jun 28, 2010 No Jail in Dogfighting Case, but 3 Must Pay for Dogs' Care

CHICAGO - Three men arrested at a dog fight in 2008 have been sentenced to probation and ordered to pay for the care of the two dogs they pitted against each other, the Cook County Sheriff's office said today.
No Jail time for these fine gents because they had blood money
This case can be said to be a result of the "Vick effect." A precedent was set for the disposition of fighting dogs in the Vick case. Previously, fighting dogs from dogfighting busts, which are bred for fighting, conditioned and trained for fighting and abused in other ways, were humanely euthanized because they were rightly deemed too dangerous or mentally tortured to adopt out to the public. However, Best Friends Animal Sanctuary realized there's money in fighting dogs. Dogfighters, unlike most animal abusers, often have assets from gambling on dogfights, prostitution and drugs.

Michael Vick had a lot of money. So a deal was brokered that reduced his sentence in exchange for a forfeiture of assets for the lifetime care of the fighting dogs. Each Vick dog came with a $18,275 dowry. Best Friends received about $400,000 for the 22 dogs they took. Being a sanctuary, Best Friends can make money grabs for dogs that even the most irresponsible pit bull advocate must admit are far too violent, unstable or mentally broken to be adopted out. They have cages the dogs can live in for the rest of their lives.

Since the the Vick case, the "Vick effect" has been reported a few times. In each case, the dogfighter gets off with zero jail time, shelters walk off with some cash along with the dogs, and often, another ex-fighting dog is placed into a neighborhood with children. And the dogs that are too mentally broken get to spend years in perpetual torment and fear in an above ground coffin.

There are some corrections to the story. Best Friends did not take the dogs, Spirit Animal Sanctuary did. The defendants actually paid $10,872 to the Spirit Animal Sanctuary and $9,000 to CACC in lieu of jail time. Though Ledy VanKavage worked to create policies that kept these fine fellows out of jail, she disingenuously tells supporters that she wishes they had been jailed.

Of course the sane option would be to humanely euthanize the dogs and let these gentlemen have their well-deserved jail time.

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Jun 26, 2010 Luciano: Owner is free to get another killer dog


West Peoria – Corky the mutt enjoyed 15 happy-go-lucky years.

But her last few minutes were brutal.

Slowly and painfully, her life was ripped away Monday by a pit bull gnashing at Corky's throat. Corky's owner, Jeremy Kuhn, vainly fought to save his pet, only to watch in horror at the pit bull's relentless attack.

"I'm going to have to live with that the rest of my life," Kuhn says with a slow sadness.

Peoria Journal-Star
Accessed: 2012-01-19. (Archived by WebCite® at http://www.webcitation.org/64oRONiPN)


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Jun 13, 2010 Pit Bull Attacks Child in Father's Arms

JOLIET -- A 3-year-old boy was attacked Thursday night by a pit bull dog, Joliet police said.The child was with his father and in the yard of 1008 Helen Ave., Joliet police said. The black dog wearing a red collar bit the boy on the thigh while his father was holding him, police said.

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Jun 09, 2010 Centralia Police Officer Attacked by Pit Bull

Centralia – A Centralia Police officer was attacked and bitten by a pit bull dog Tuesday night when trying to gain entry to a home to make an arrest in a domestic battery case. Officer Billy White was able to draw his service revolver and shoot and kill the pit bull. 


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Jun 08, 2010 Luciano: Neighbors Dogged by Daily Fears

Peoria – Neighbors Bob Buchanan and Kristen Michaud say they live in fear for the same reason: pit bulls.

But they differ in their opinions about them.
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"Common sense would say that if I'm gonna mow (the grass), I'm gonna knock next door and say, 'I'll be out here,' " Michaud says.
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"I'm so tired of this man telling people I have a vicious dog," she says. "I feel harassed."

Meanwhile, Buchanan can't believe Michaud is allowed to keep the remaining pit bull. He thinks that if you are an irresponsible pet owner, you should not be allowed to keep animals.

by: Phil Luciano
Read more:

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Jun 06, 2010 Elgin mayor fights off pit bull attack

Elgin - Mayor Schock, who initially supported a pit bull ban, but was scared off  by paid lobbyists from Utah, gets attacked by pit bulls days after a law that fails to address the Elgin pit bull problem was passed.

Elgin Mayor Ed Schock fought off a pair of pit bulls he said tried to attack him and his German shepherd Thursday night.

The incident marks the second time in as many months that a pair of pit bulls have attacked an Elgin resident.


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May 30, 2010 Elgin: Officers kill two pit bulls after boy attacked in Elgin

You'll notice that then-mayor Schock backed down from BSL because he heard over and over again from pit bull owners: Make the owners responsible.

Pit bulls and pit bull owners are the problem. BSL regulates pit bull owners because pit bull owners refuse to regulate themselves. BSL will force pit bull owners to be responsible.


fountain at Festival Park

By Eric Peterson

ELGIN - Will Elgin leaders reconsider stricter laws for pit bulls and their owners?

That's one question that has been raised after a weekend incident in which officers shot and killed two loose pit bull dogs after one bit a 9-year-old boy in front of about 100 people at the fountain at Festival Park.

Councilman John Prigge, who pushed for a grandfathered pit bull ban earlier this year but later backed off, said he will meet with city officials and other council members to see what to do next.

"I knew we would be back here," Prigge said...

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May 25, 2010 Thanks to two men who stopped two pit bulls from attacking a mother

Jacksonville - “Thank you to the two guys that helped my mother when the two pitbulls came out to attack her the other day. Thanks for helping her and stopping them. You’re heroes in my book.”

Jacksonville Journal courier  Accessed: 2012-01-25. (Archived by WebCite® at http://www.webcitation.org/64y2jwWbd)

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May 23, 2010 Rockford Police Shoot Two Pit Bulls in Separate Incidents

Rockford – 47-year-old Rickie C. Brown was officially charged with unlawful use of a weapon criminal trespassing resisting arrest and obstructing justice. Brown was arrested last night. 
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When brown finally left his home, his pit bull ran out and tried to attack police. That's when an officer shot and killed the dog.
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This is actually the second pit bull to be killed by Rockford police today. Another one was shot at ten this morning in the 800 block of North Central. Authorities say moments after arresting a man on an unrelated incident, a pit bull charged after an officer and attacked. They say he had no choice but to kill it. The officer was not injured.


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May 18, 2010 Pit bull mauls 16 year old Springfield Girl

Springfield – A 16-year-old girl was mauled by what was described as a pit bull at a house in the 500 block of West Chenery Street Sunday night.

The leg wound was described as very serious but not life threatening.

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May 15, 2010 Kankakee Police blotter: May 15, 2010


Aggravated assault

* Tomarious Q. Riley, 18, of 1170 E. Court St., Kankakee, was arrested May 9 near Washington Park in Kankakee for aggravated assault, aggravated battery and resisting or obstructing a police officer, according to Kankakee police reports. He was arrested after a person called police at 9:47 p.m. May 9 from the 300 block of West Stone Street in Kankakee to report that Riley let his pit bull run loose in the park and encouraged the dog to attack the man.


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May 14, 2010 Four Pit Bulls Escape Joliet Yard, Kill Neighbor's Dog

JOLIET - Four pit bulls escaped from a Joliet man's yard earlier this week, injuring two neighborhood dogs –– one of them fatally –– before police arrived, police said.

Alberto Guzman, 37, had been keeping six adult pit bulls and six pit bull puppies at his residence in the 2500 block of Ruth Fitzgerald Drive and was cited for having too many dogs in violation of local ordinances. Guzman turned the dogs in the attack over to animal control, police said.

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May 11, 2010 Terrier Recovering After Pit Bull Attack



Spike shows off his cast. The terrier’s leg was broken when a pit bull bit him.

PEKIN — Spike The Man Jumping Bean (his full name) is a small terrier who was recently attacked and bitten by another dog, according to his master, David Brown.

“I just call him Spike for short. He’s my companion. I love him — we go everywhere together,” said the 49-year-old man who travels around town in a motorized chair. “Spike’s lovable.”

But Spike got bitten by a pit bull recently and now is wearing a cast on his leg.

“(The pit bull) was loose and out chasing dogs in the neighborhood. Some people saw it and called the police. I didn’t realize it until it was too late, but he started chasing Spike, so I grabbed Spike and (the pit bull) jumped up and started biting him like he was going to eat him. That’s why Spike’s leg is in a cast.”

By Valari Hyatt

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May 8, 2010 Pit Bull Kills Westie At Vet

MINOOKA - Usually you take your dog to the vet expecting it to get better, but a Minooka woman claims the opposite happened.

The Joliet Herald News reports that Cyndi Campbell filed a civil complaint this week against Minooka Animal Hospital after Tootsie -- her 12-year-old West Highland terrier -- was attacked and killed by a female pit bull at the facility.

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May 1, 2010 Woman wants pit bull that bit dog removed from dangerous dog list

Mazon –  A woman filed suit in circuit court, Thursday, April 29, seeking to have her dog removed from  the dangerous animal list.
Lynn Peterson of Mazon filed the suit against Grundy County Animal Control.
The complaint states Peterson’s dog Daisy was charged June 27, 2009, with biting another dog at 508 Seventh St., Mazon.

Read more:
Morris Daily Herald  Accessed: 2012-02-22. (Archived by WebCite® at http://www.webcitation.org/65ebQApSR)

Peterson was eventually successful in getting Daisy removed from the dangerous dog list with help from Ledy VanKavage, the very person who crafted Illinois' Dog laws.  VanKavage fights strenuously for the freedoms of the owners of biting pit bulls to the detriment of your children and crafted her legislation to afford great protection to dangerous dogs and their owners.  From Ledy's own  BFAS Pit Bull Initiatives news alerts:
“...I wasn't going to let a few judgmental neighbors send her (Daisy) to her death. She is a member of our family,” Lynn reflected on why she felt overturning Daisy’s designation was the right thing to do despite being legally challenging. Initially, Lynn could not find an attorney to take Daisy’s case. Through the grapevine, Best Friend’s own Ledy VanKavage put Lynn in touch with an attorney that was sure to fairly represent Daisy during this process..."
BFAS Pit Bull Initiatives Program heralds this as a first and claimed it was a victory that saved a life even though a dangerous dog designation does not allow euthanization in Illinois.  

 Neighbors were so outraged that their safety didn't merit the miniscule assurance of a muzzle on Daisy to protect them that Lynn Peterson felt the need to move to a more "accepting" neighborhood.  What do you want to bet Peterson didn't inform her "accepting neighbors" of Daisy's bite record and that "dupes" would be a better term than "accepting neighbors."
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Apr 30, 2010 Man charged with throwing pit bull at sister


Aurora - A west suburban man has been charged with domestic battery for throwing a pit bull at his sister during an argument Monday night.

Rey Jaquez, 47, of the 1000 block of East New York Street in Aurora, got into an argument with his sister about 9:40 p.m. Monday night and threw the dog at her, according to Aurora Police Sgt. Tom Kearbey.

The pit bull bit the woman in the ankle, Kearb ey said. She was taken to a local hospital, where she was treated and released for the bite, which was not serious, Kearbey said.

Jaquez has been charged with two counts of domestic battery, but was not charged with animal cruelty. Both Jaquez and his sister live at the New York Street residence, Kearbey said.

Sun-Times Media Wire and Beacon-News

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Apr 04, 2010 Reaction to the statewide ban on BSL in Streator, IL: This is Asinine

Pit bulls no longer singled out by Streator ordinance

Streator — The old ordinance was drawn up several years ago to combat reports of the breed attacking people. State law now prohibits breed-specific ordinances, City Attorney Steve Myers told the council.
The new ordinance allows the city to take action against any vicious dog, as long as there are several complaints and they are documented, Myers told the council.
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“This is asinine,” council member Bob “Willy” Williamson told the council. He said he knew of the mail not being delivered because of a vicious dog being tied outside.

By Greg Stanmar 

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Apr 18, 2010 Eight Gangsters Arrested for Dogfighting on the West Side

Chicago, IL
Incident Date: Sunday, Apr 18, 2010
County: Cook

Charges: Felony CTA
Disposition: Alleged

Alleged:
» Richard Bullock
» Jonol Morrow
» Demetris Wyatt
» Antonio Curry
» Pierre Dixon
» Larry Green
» Yarmell Ruffin
» Austin Shaffer

Eight gang members were arrested during a dog fight Sunday night on the West Side, Chicago police said.

Police responded to a residence in the 1000 block of North Kilbourn Avenue, where officers heard dogs barking and crying as they approached it, police said.


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Apr 17, 2010 Pit Bull Bites Min Pin in Two

GURNEE - A peaceful afternoon of fishing went terribly wrong Wednesday afternoon for Mike Pengilly, who saw his leashed, 8-pound miniature pinscher mauled to death by a loose pit bull in unincorporated Gurnee."He cut him in half. It was horrible," Pengilly said of the attack by the male pit bull, who belongs to a neighbor. "The cops couldn't do anything about it."

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Apr 10, 2010 Police Officer Takes Down Dog

By Sheila Shelton

Pontiac — Pontiac Police early Thursday evening were forced to kill a pit bull as it attacked another dog in the neighborhood.

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Apr 07, 2010 Pit bull and owner attack Springfield man

Springfield – Police are searching for a man whose pit bull dog attacked, bit and broke the hand of another man Tuesday morning.

Anyone with information about the dog owner can call the Springfield Police Department at 788-8325.

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Mar 22, 2010 Police probe report of aggressive dog, damage


CARLOCK – A Jeep and a pickup truck hood were damaged when a young man, avoiding a charging pit bull, jumped on them to avoid attack, said McLean County sheriff's police.
The dog was on the loose March 13 at Lockwood and Poston streets in Stonewall Gardens in Carlock.
The report was not filed until this weekend after the vehicle owners and the victim, who works for McLean County's YouthBuild-got together.
The canine aggressively charged

The Pantagraph

Accessed: 2012-01-04. (Archived by WebCite® at http://www.webcitation.org/64SGlGHFw)


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Mar 18, 2010 Joliet Pit Bull Shot After Attack

Joliet - Police shot and killed a dog that kept attacking another dog and its owner Wednesday.

The victim was walking the black dog around 3:35 p.m. near Catherine and Cleary streets when a loose tan pit bull ran up and started fighting with the other dog.

"When the owner and other witnesses attempted to separate the animals, the pit bull bit the man on his right hand," Deputy Chief Mike Trafton said.

The dogs were separated as officers arrived, but the loose dog reportedly tried attacking again when officers shot it.

Trafton said no citations had been issued, but police were planning to interview the pit bull's owner.

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Mar 17, 2010 Elgin councilman says pit bull laws inevitable

It's only a matter of time before Elgin leaders reconsider a package of laws that will require pit bull owners to register and muzzle their dogs, a city council member believes.

John Prigge, an Elgin councilman who pushed for a grandfathered pit bull ban but settled for a batch of laws with stiffer penalties for all dogs that attack humans and other pets, predicted a serious incident would occur this year.

And that, Prigge told the South West Area Neighbors group Monday night, would give himself and three other council members reason to revisit and pass pit bull-only laws.
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Prigge urged residents to call police at (847) 289-2700 if they see a dog running free or call 911 if the danger is immediate.

Read more:
Daily Herald
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Mar 11, 2010 Police Fatally Shoot Pit Bull After Attack on Cop

Alton - The 60-pound pit bull named Scrappy who attacked an Alton police officer Thursday morning still had his jaws clamped down over the policeman's boot minutes after being shot four times by police.

"After the dog was deceased, they had to pry his jaws off the boot," Alton police Capt. Scott Waldrup said Friday.

The officer, Jonathan Lukowski, went back to work Thursday to finish his shift after getting 10 stitches in his thigh. Lukowski will be assigned to light duty, primarily answering phones, until he gets his stitches removed.

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Mar 10, 2010 Pit Bull Shot by Police After Attacking Another Dog

Springfield – A Springfield police officer shot a pit bull dog Tuesday afternoon after he attacked another dog and aggressively approached a porch where a 1-year-old boy was playing.

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Mar 05, 2010 Four Year Old Child Scalped by Grandmother's Pit Bull

COUNTRY CLUB HILLS — A 4-year-old south suburban Country Club Hills girl is recovering from a violent attack by a pit bull at her great-grandmother’s home.

The dog “pulled her scalp off her head,” the girl’s mother, Consuela Dawson, said Thursday.

The girl was playing when the dog suddenly attacked, police said.“We don’t know why it happened. He’s been around her before and nothing happened,” Dawson said.

According to the police report, Lewis said the dog had never before attacked anyone.

ChicagoPress Release Services
Accessed: 2011-12-30. (Archived by WebCite® at http://www.webcitation.org/64JWbRs9x)
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Feb 25, 2010 Elgin city council puts a tight leash on pit bulls


By Harry Hitzeman

Elgin residents who own pit bulls are in for a whole new set of rules come this summer if a city council majority holds.
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"Something needs to be done," said Councilman John Prigge, who was joined by fellow council members Robert Gilliam, Mike Warren, and Mayor Ed Schock. "This is the best plan for Elgin and its safety. It treats the cause and effect. It targets the owner and punishes them for bad behavior."

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Feb 19, 2010 Elgin Home Raided: Pot Farm and 21 Vicious Pit Bulls Found Police Kill 6

Elgin – Raiding a home across the street from Ellis Middle School that reportedly was being used as an indoor marijuana farm, a task force of police also discovered 21 vicious pit bulls that apparently were being trained for dogfighting. Officers said that when the dogs began attacking them and each other, police shot six of them to death and trapped the other 15.


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Feb 18, 2010 Lawsuit: Elgin Preacher's Pit Bull Attacks Visting St. Charles Woman

Elgin - A St. Charles woman has filed suit against an Elgin preacher, claiming she and her daughter were mauled by his "vicious" pit bull.The unprovoked attack happened May 10, 2009, when the dog "slipped his collar" while plaintiff Kathleen Callahan and her daughter were visiting in a backyard on the 2000 block of Torino Street in Elgin, according to the lawsuit filed in Kane County on Wednesday.

The dog charged and attacked the plaintiff's adult daughter, scratching and biting her forearms, and then butted its head into Callahan's knee, causing injury to both women, the suit says.

The dog's owners are identified as Epworth United Methodist Church Pastor David Newhouse and his wife Christy, who are each named as defendants along with Epworth and the United Methodist Church.

David Newhouse, who was unaware of the suit, referred questions Thursday to church attorney Alfred Kirkland, who did not immediately respond to a message seeking comment.

The complaint says Newhouse and his wife, who live next door to the plaintiff's daughter, acquired the American Staffordshire terrier from a humane society or rescue shelter several years ago, and that it routinely escaped its leash and acted aggressively with people.

The suit, which seeks more than $50,000 in damages, claims both the Newhouses and the church, which owns the property where they live, ignored the animal's "viciousness and its prior contact when running free and unsupervised throughout the neighborhood."

As a result of the attack, Callahan says, she suffered "severe and permanent personal injuries, both internally and externally," which will affect her ability to lead a normal life and left her with medical bills.

The case goes to a judge May 6 at the courthouse in Geneva.

Read more:
Daily Herald

Related posts:
Elgin pit bull attacks (there are a LOT of them)
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Feb 02, 2010 Pit Bulls and Ignorance Equal "a Recipe for a Really Wicked Soup"

"Seventy percent of our calls are about pit bulls or pit bull mixes," he said. "We get calls about them every day - and it's not just one call a day either. It never stops. It's overwhelming."

The calls range from simple sightings of the dogs to bites to deadly attacks on other domestic animals.

"Because of the perception of pit bulls out there, when people see one running loose, they call us to come get it," he said. "But I'd rather them call than not because we've also gone out after they've killed a cat or another dog. We had a call not too long ago where a woman was walking her dog on a leash. She saw two pit bulls coming and pulled her dog into her arms, so they got her when they were trying to get at her dog."

The county animal shelter has also become home to several pit bulls in the past few months, thanks to owners who, after bringing the dogs into their families, decide the breed is "too aggressive," he said.

"A lot of times, they decide it's too aggressive and they stick it in a pen in the backyard and forget about it. That can make it even more aggressive. Then they are afraid of it and ask us to come get it," he said.

- Franklin County Animal Control Supervisor Jarrett Broy

Read More:
The Southern - What's the problem: People or pit bulls? Becky Malkovich
Accessed: 2011-12-30. (Archived by WebCite® at http://www.webcitation.org/64JW9kFZx)

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Feb 10, 2010 Vicious pit bull Abused pit bull


Mt. Vernon - Monday, police responded to a report of a vicious pit bull in the 700 block of Park Avenue.

Tuesday at 10:32 a.m., police responded to a report in the 900 block of South 19th Street that a pit bull that appeared to be abused was lying in the snow and possibly dead.

Register News

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Feb 06, 2010 Pot Belly Pig Victim of Pit Bull

Harvard – Rang said she takes in pigs from all over the United States. One potbelly was even flown in from Washington state. She’s taken in sad cases, too, such as the potbelly who was attacked by a pit bull and the pig who was abandoned in a shed without food when the owners moved.

For more information about Pig Tales, call Gregg and Claudia Rang at (815) 943-3580.

By Mary Wicoff
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Jan 18, 2010 Cops: Chicago Man Mauled to Death by Daughter's Pit Bulls

Chicago – A Chicago woman came home to find her father mauled to death by a pack of pit bulls she was raising, according to Chicago police.

Johnny Wilson, 56, was found Jan. 17 lying on the floor covered in blood. His ears were bitten off, one eye was mauled, and he had bite wounds on his chest, upper body and head, according to the Cook County medical examiner's office, who ruled Wilson's death an accident.

In the Chicago Breaking News Center report, Cherie Travis attempts to deny that the pit bulls are pit bulls.  She claims to know for certain they are a mix, but couldn't tell you a mix of what.

[UPDATE: Two years later, Cherie Travis referred to this mauling as a pit bull mauling.]

Read more:
CBS News  Accessed: 2012-01-28. (Archived by WebCite® at http://www.webcitation.org/652R0XlhX)
NBC Chicago   Accessed: 2012-01-28. (Archived by WebCite® at http://www.webcitation.org/652R4SaID)
ABC local
Chicago Breaking News Center 
Accessed: 2011-12-30. (Archived by WebCite® at http://www.webcitation.org/64JVcwDck)
Who runs CACC and why won't Chicago Punish Irresponsible Pit Bull Owners?

Comments from the Chicago Breaking News Center story

Becca on January 18, 2010 12:26 PM
In response to the comment by "Mark on January 18, 2010 11:31 AM". I, too, am an Animal Control Officer and firmly believe that it doesn't matter how you raise them, it is the breed itself that is the problem.
I have been out on calls where people's beloved pets have been shredded to pieces by pits in front of them. I have been on calls where people have been trapped in their home and the pit is outside trying to tear the door down to get to them. I have seen an elderly woman's bloody arms after a pit bull attacked and killed her beloved Corgi. She beat the pit with piece of wood and was attacked by it. I had to respond to a 19 year old kid who was attacked by his own pit bull. His hand was "de-gloved" of its skin! It is NOT just a coincidence that they're pit and pit mixes. And it is not just the media reporting on pit attacks as I am the Officer who responded to the calls.
Yes, all dogs can bite but the pit has been destroyed by bad breeding. In the meantime, the government has a responsibility to protect people from them. They need to enact breed specific legislation as most owners won't bother having a quarter million in liability insurance on their pit unless forced to do so.
James Cherokee on January 18, 2010 12:30 PM
Just because a pit bull is raised as a puppy in loving care does not mean that the breed itself is not a naturally aggressinve breed of canine. I'm a vet and have seen/heard stories like this many times. Case in point; a pit raised by a perfect caring family for 6 years sees a neighboring 4 year old girl running outside playing in HER yard, the dog busted through the screen and nearly killed her. I was treating a pit once and was great with people but almost tore my arm off as it tried to leap at a smaller dog. The fact is that these dogs despite some loving characteristics are VERY unpredictable regardless of upbringing or care. Poor bredding practices have also helped ruin this line of dogs. Those who challenge that German Shepards are equally as agressive are dead wrong. Shepards are a very intelligent and loyal dogs and upon proper care, will be as good and docile of a dog as a bassett. This is from an advice pamphlet in my office about choosing a dog; interesting how this is specific towards a specific breed of dog:
Unstable temperaments. American Pit Bull Terriers are a dime a dozen today, and most of them are bred and offered for sale by people who don't have the slightest idea of how to breed good-tempered dogs who can function in our society. Obedience instructors and behavioral consultants see LOTS of Pit Bulls with flat-out dangerous temperaments. It is difficult to find a responsible breeder when one has to sort through all the hype from macho breeders who boast about their dogs' "power" and "invincibility."
Extreme animal aggression. Most Pit Bull Terriers are aggressive toward other dogs. Many have strong instincts to chase and seize cats and other fleeing creatures, including deer and livestock. If anything goes wrong in the breeding, socializing, training, handling, or management of this breed, it is capable of seriously injuring or killing other animals.
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