Pit Bull Attacks and Dogfighting in Illinois: May 8, 2012

RIP Mickey

Skokie – The sudden death of Mickey on March 13 has left mother and son grieving and heartbroken, all the more so because they never believed such a thing could happen.

Shyam, now 23, was walking the dog a few blocks from his home when a loose pit bull raced from his owner’s property and attacked Mickey, killing him at the scene.
–––––––
“I never imagined the dog would be completely loose and able to attack,” he said. “I never thought anyone would leave such a dog unattended and completely without a leash.”

He also thought the man standing in the driveway with the pit bull had the dog under control.

Within five seconds though, Mickey was dead, Shyam said.
–––––––
Mickey’s soft-spoken distraught owner walked the few blocks home in despair and without the best friend with whom he had left.

To Mickey with love...

Dear Mickey,

I miss you incredibly. I am so sorry I took you out for a walk that day. I wish I would have never taken you with me. Never in a million years would I have imagined this to happen. Words cannot describe how disturbed I am by the tragic nature of your passing.

You didn’t deserve to leave this way. You always exuded a sense of strength that inspired me to be more brave and gave me courage. It’s because of you that I was able to get through life’s toughest moments. You helped me in the awkward transition from adolescence to adulthood.

You brought joy into my life and you took away my pain. You never left my side. I will never forget you, along with each and every day that I have spent with you. I believe you were an angel that saved my life.

The nine years I spent with you were among the happiest of my life. Losing you has left a deep void in my heart, a void that can never be replaced. I’m sorry for any troubles you had to face because of me. I never intended to hurt you.

It was an honor to have been in your life amidst your gentle, compassionate presence. It’s an injustice that you had to endure an agonizing demise, and there was nothing I could do to protect or save you. I wish and pray that wherever you are, you are not suffering anymore and your soul is at peace.

Please remember me and all the blissful times that we shared. I hope to meet you in another life.

Love eternally,Shyam

Animal control in Skokie sees pit bulls being responsible for 14% of vicious dog attacks as a good thing.

Skokie – The Skokie Health Department is looking to strengthen its ordinance pertaining to “vicious animals” after two dog attacks in March. Both attacking dogs were pit bulls. One pit bull killed a small dog and the other pit bull injured the owner of the small dog he saved from an attack.

“We usually only have two a year out of 2,500 licensed dogs,” Skokie Health Director Dr. Catherine Counard said. “To have two attacks in a month is very unusual. They were two different dogs.”

14 percent of vicious animal attacks in Skokie over the years have involved pit bulls.

This is a first - animal control looking at 14% bite attack rate and touting that as a GOOD statistic. It is doubtful that pit bulls represent 14% of the dog population over the years. Pit bull advocates themselves generally say pit bulls represent 7% of the total dog population. With the pit bull population rate growing quickly in some areas, averaging the pit bull attack rate over "the last few years" is likely a tactic to hide a recent and sharp increase in pit bull attacks.

Read more:Skokie Review Accessed: 2013-05-23. (Archived by WebCite^® at http://www.webcitation.org/6Gq9qHZ8R)

Pit Bull Attacks and Dogfighting in Illinois

May 07, 2012 Pit bull attack takes precious pet from family

May 07, 2012 Pit bull attacks in Skokie lead to ordinance changes