Pit Bull Attacks and Dogfighting in Illinois: 2015

Dec 30, 2015 Union Township Man Kills Pit Bull Mix to Defend His Wife

Union Township man shot and killed a pit bull he mistakenly thought was attacking his wife in their home Monday, police said. Instead, the pit bull mastiff mix was trying to kill their cat and the man's wife was trying to save the cat.

Deputies with the Porter County Sheriff's Department were called shortly after 7 p.m.

The man told police he and his wife had taken temporary ownership of a 135-pound pit bull-Mastiff mix for a family member who was trying to find another owner for the dog. T

He told police he and his wife heard a loud banging from their bedroom, where they had secured their cat, and his wife went to check when he heard her scream, followed by loud barking and growling.

He ran into the bedroom and saw his wife in the bathroom with Hunter, one of their dogs and the cat, and he believed Hunter was attacking his wife because of her screaming

He retrieved his pistol, a Smith and Wesson M&P .40 semi-automatic, and entered the bathroom behind Hunter, who was between the man and his wife, and fired three shots into the dog, the police report said.

The dog slumped to the ground and died, and the man checked his wife to make sure she didn't require medical attention before he called police.

Police initially believed the man held a valid handgun permit but later learned it was denied.

The sheriff's department forwarded its report to the Porter County Prosecutor's office and Porter County Animal Control.

Dec 19, 2015 Cicero Family Pit Bull Attacked Toddler

Cicero - A four-year-old female family pit bull suddenly attacked the 16-month-old son who had just learned to walk while being supervised by his mother, father, aunt, and a 7-year-old sister.

The boy was bitten on the right side of his face inflicting damage to his cheek near his ear, under his chin, inside his mouth, and part of his tongue. In surgery, he received 50 stitches for his wounds.

Aug 07, 2016 Springfield Pit Bull Attacks Owner's Son
Jul 22, 2015 Cicero Lawsuit: Pit bull allegedly attacks neighbor

Dec 05, 2015 Alton Police Called to Remove Pit Bull Threatening Children

Alton - Police were called when people believed a loose pit bull was acting aggressively towards students getting off a school bus nearby. The school bus driver reportedly said that some of the students had to jump onto a car to avoid the dog. Police surrounded the pit bull with their guns drawn.

The owner came to retrieve the dog and animal control was called.

Read more:
The Telegraph

Related posts:
Jul 17, 2015 East Alton Pit Bull Used As Weapon Maims Victim
Jul 09, 2014 Alton Police Forced To Shoot Loose Pit Bull
Apr 13, 2013 Bloody Pit bull Tries to Maul a County Circuit Judge

Nov 17, 2015 Chicago Pit Bull Owner Arrested and Charged with Dogfighting

Chicago — An Englewood man is facing felony dog fighting charges.
Cook County sheriff’s officers and Chicago Police executed a search warrant Friday at Larue Jackson’s home in the 6300 block of South Throop Street, where investigators had received tips about dog fights happening, according to sheriff’s office spokeswoman Sophia Ansari.

Chicago Dogfighter Larue Jackson

They found 13 dogs, 12 of them without food or water, Ansari said. Some of them had scars consistent with fighting, and blood spattered the basement floor.
Another dog was found dead in the backyard. Jackson, 57, also had “items indicative of dogfighting,” such as bite sticks, dog medications and fighting ledgers, Ansari said.

Read more:
CBS Local Chicago

Related posts:
Sep 05, 2015 Chicago Man charged with running dogfighting ring in Fuller Park neighborhood
Jun 09, 2015 Chicago: Juan Zamora Faces 21 Felony Charges for Dog Fighting and Cruelty
May 14, 2015 Freeport Man Arrested After Officers Discover Dog Fight

Nov 12, 2015 Chicago Family Pit Bull Attack Leaves Woman In Critical Condition

UPDATE: ABC 7 has updated their story. The woman who was mauled was physically disabled. Also, the pit bull had a litter of puppies and the blame is being put on the disabled woman "was cleaning the floor and apparently didn't see one of the puppies." That doesn't explain why she is in critical condition.

The pit bull has also been absolved because, "That dog just had puppies so who knows what was in its mind to attack her like that," said Maria Perea, a family friend.

Although the s ABC 7 story has been updated with info gathered from neighbors, they still will not share that the attacking dog is a pit bull, although two other outlets, Sun Times and Fox, have reported that the dog was a pit bull.

ABC 7 and the Tribune still have not reported that the dog was a pit bull.

Chicago - A 34 year-old Little Village woman is in critical condition after she was mauled by her family pit bull.

The woman was in her home when she was bitten on the arm, neck and face b the pit bull at about 11 am.

She was taken to Mount Sinai Hospital. The pit bull was picked up by Animal Control

Nov 6, 2015 Albany Pit Bulldog Mixes Kill A Dog in its Own Yard For Second Time

Albany - Two dogs described as an english bulldog and a bulldog rottweiler mix have escaped their enclosure for the second time for the express purpose of killing another dog. Both victims look like black labs.

RIP Thor

RIP Nitro

Almost always, when a news account says that an english bulldog was involved in an attack, it tures out to be an Olde English Bulldogge which is a designer mutt of english bulldog with pit bull and other bull breeds.

Commenters on the story are outraged to find that these dogs can go back to their owners after having two kills under their belt because Illinois law says dogs can kill three times before being declared vicious so they can be put down. Many want a change in the law.

However, if residents find out who the owners are and are watchful, they may be able to get another dangerous dog designation before the pit bulldog mixes can kill again. Also, watch to see if the owners are negligent. If they “knowingly” allow their pit bulldogs to roam again, they can get hit with a felony.

(510 ILCS 5/2.05a) Sec. 2.05a. "Dangerous dog" means (i) any individual dog anywhere other than upon the property of the owner or custodian of the dog and unmuzzled, unleashed, or unattended by its owner or custodian that behaves in a manner that a reasonable person would believe poses a serious and unjustified imminent threat of serious physical injury or death to a person or a companion animal or (ii) a dog that, without justification, bites a person and does not cause serious physical injury.
(Source: P.A. 93-548, eff. 8-19-03; 94-639, eff. 8-22-05.)
(c) If the owner of a dangerous dog knowingly fails to comply with any order regarding the dog and the dog inflicts serious physical injury on a person or a companion animal, the owner shall be guilty of a Class 4 felony. If the owner of a dangerous dog knowingly fails to comply with any order regarding the dog and the dog kills a person the owner shall be guilty of a Class 3 felony.
(Source: P.A. 93-548, eff. 8-19-03; 94-639, eff. 8-22-05; 94-819, eff. 5-31-06.)

Also, being armed and willing to shoot these things if they invade property and threaten any living thing isn’t a bad idea either.

Regardless, the state law needs to be changed. There is no excuse for Illinois essentially deeming the lives of the two victim companion animals - gentle normal dogs - Nitro and Thor - worthless.

KWQC TV-6 News

(510 ILCS 5/) Animal Control Act.

May 03, 2014 Sauk Valley Media Editorial "Let’s act to prevent future dog attacks"

Mar 23, 2011 Sterling Grandparents Rescue Boy Being Attacked by Pit Bull

Jan 27, 2005 Erie Pit Bull Attack Kills Lydia Chaplin, 14

May 03, 1988 City of Rock Falls Outlaws New Pit Bulldogs

Oct 31, 2015 Ongoing Conversation in Lake County about Pit Bulls

Lake County News Sun

Ongoing Conversation About Pit Bulls

Oct 30, 2015

Lives change after mauling

It is obvious that the people writing here that love their pit bulls haven't come in contact with a person who has been mauled by one. And, your point that it's the person raising the dog causes the dog to attack people. That doesn't erase the fact that once they do attack an innocent person, there usually is great harm done. So no matter who is bringing up a pit bull, a good person or a stupid one, it's the fact that they can be dangerous and, the poor kid who gets bitten and mauled doesn't care who raised the dog. All they know is that their lives could be changed forever depending on the damage done. So absorb this pit bull lovers: If you had another breed of dog as a pet and it decided to attack a child, at least the child might have a better chance of getting away without being mauled. So, stop commenting about your loving, caring pit bulls, don't want to hear it anymore.

Lake County News Sun

Oct 25, 2015

Don't blame the dog

Recently, I read in TOTC that pit bulls aren't lovable, and another said pit bulls will attack. To those people who wrote these negative perceptions, let me say how wrong you are. Listen, if you can raise a child to be a responsible adult, you can raise a puppy to be a loyal, intelligent, loving pet — be it a pit bull or a poodle. Remember, there aren't bad dogs, just bad people; and I can now see there are people who don't know how to raise dogs, or children. Don't blame your mistakes on your dog. Any dog that will attack comes from their upbringing, not their breed. Respect starts at home. These dogs are intelligent and loving. They are what you make them. -- Loving pit bull owner of over 13 years.

Pits give unconditional love

I own an American pit bull terrier and she is my very first dog. She is loving, gentle and such a big baby. She was trained at an early age to obey her masters and to socialize with other dogs. We can take her to the local dog parks and everyone is so surprised how well behaved she is. Pit bulls aren't born mean, their jaws don't lock and they aren't meant to protect. They are a product of their environment and if you mistreat and fight them, they will be aggressive. Train, socialize and love on them as if they are a member of your family and they will in return give you unconditional love. Please take the time to educate yourself on pit bulls before labeling them, ignorance only spews hate. No more BSL (Breed Specific Legislation).

Oct 13, 2015

Pit bulls attack

In response to the pit bull comment in the TOTC. The people who breed these dogs for fighting only perpetuates their wanting to attack. Even if these dogs weren't raised to attack, they still have that instinct because it's in their DNA.

Oct 08, 2015

Pit bulls are loving, intelligent

Reading that opinion of pit bull terriers made me sick to my stomach. This junk just feeds ignorance and myth. This is a wonderful breed ...They are loving, loyal and intelligent. Too bad they face so much discrimination. They are amazing big-hearted dogs.

Oct 06, 2015

Pit bulls are dangerous dogs

Oh boy, I can hardly wait for the second pit bull clinic. Why not have a third one for the most aggressive, dangerous dog in the U.S.? They are number one for fatalities of young children. The dog in second place is exactly that, a distant second. So why not encourage more people to have them as pets? Don't people know that they have an aggressive trait and, when they decide to attack, young children don't have a chance?

http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/lake-county-news-sun/opinion/talk/ct-lns-talk-of-the-county-st-1007-20151006-story.html

Oct 28, 2015 Zion Pit Bull Viciously Attacks, Shot By Police; Attack Not Reported

Zion - This attack happened several weeks ago. It was not reported at the time. It was included in this piece that attempts to show that pit bulls are no more dangerous than other dogs.

“In early October, an 8-year-old Zion girl was viciously attacked and bit on the face by her family's 18-month-old pit bull, Smokey. The dog was euthanized by police immediately after the attack with the owner's consent.
Zion police arrived at the Joanna Avenue home just after the Oct. 4 attack, according to a police report. An adult and several children were outside the home while three other children remained inside and barricaded in a bedroom, police said.

One officer checked on the girl, who was holding a towel to her face to stop the bleeding, while other officers and neighbors rescued three boys by helping them through a bedroom window.
According to authorities, there were six children — ranging from 2 to 13 years old — at the home before or during the unprovoked attack. One of the children, police said, told officers that Smokey had previously bitten three people and everyone was afraid of him. The mother, according to the police report, said the dog had become increasingly aggressive in recent weeks and had attacked another dog a month and a half prior, but had never bitten any people.’

The family declined to be interviewed, but the young girl is recovering at home.”

The rest of the article explains that pit bulls aren’t a danger and that labs bite more. How many labs had to be shot by police? How many people barricaded themselves in a bedroom and had to be rescued through a window because of a rampaging german shepherd?

Read more:
Chicago Tribune
Chicago Tribune Archive

Related posts:
Mar 16, 2015 Waukegan Pit Bull Attacks 5 Year Old Girl - also unreported

May 06, 2015 Alsip Pit Bull Seriously Mauled Boy- also unreported

Dec 05, 2013 Chicago Tribune: Pit bulls flood shelters, strain rescuers

Jul 29, 2013 Zion teen receives $1.125 million after bullmastiff attack

Oct 09, 2015 Ashton Woman Seriously Mauled by Her Own Pit Bulls

Ashton - On Thursday morning Lee County Sheriff’s Deputies responded to a call at 809 Main Street in Ashton, from a woman being attacked by her pit bull dogs.
Upon arrival, Deputies found 37 year old Denise Stephan in her home injured, due to bites from her 2 pit bull dogs. Deputies were able to secure the dogs and render aid to Stephan. She was eventually transported by the Ashton Fire Department to the Rochelle Hospital for treatment as the result of her injuries. She has since been released from the hospital.
The incident is also being investigated by the Lee County Animal Control Office, who took possession of the pit bulls.

Facebook comments indicated that the pit bull had adopted from Animal Control two months before the accident and that Stephan had serious injuries that required over 100 stitches.

Read more:
Rock River Radio

Oct 06, 2015 Chicago Pit Bull Seriously Mauls Girl and Woman in Gage Park

Chicago - Pit bull hauled away after it attacked its own family members. An 8-year-old girl and her 56 year-old grandmother were seriously mauled. The girl is in serious condition while the woman is in critical condition.

"I feel so nervous, so scared, sad because I know that lady. I see how she looked, and there was a lot of blood," said Martina Zabala, a neighbor. A pit bull was taken, and may have been new to the family. Reports did not mention if the other dogs were also pit bulls.

Read more:
ABC 7 Chicago
http://bit.ly/2nFWzQw

NBC 5 Chicago
http://bit.ly/2nJtRji

Sep 25, 2015 Chicago Pit Bull Attacks UPS Driver in West Side, Police Say

UPDATE: Right before the pit bull attacked Jesus Toledo, the owner said not to worry, it was a nice dog. Toledo asked three times for them to not open the door to get the package until he was gone and he tried to race away before the dog could get out, but the pit bull owner opened the door anyway and the pit bull attacked. Then, as the pit bull attacked, the pit bull owner did nothing to help. Toledo said he could not believe that this long time customer, whom he'd served for so long, just stood there and did nothing as her pit bull ripped him apart. Toledo lost his thumb and his ear and required surgery to put his hand back together again. Toledo thanked the postal worker who saved him.
And CACC, city workers who are paid by tax payers, refused to make any comment about whether they're even going to put the mauling pit bull down.

Hero mail carrier who saved Jesus Toledo's life

The pit bull bit through tough work boots

Chicago - “A UPS driver was rescued by a postal carrier after being attacked by a pit bull on his route Friday morning.

Jesus Toledo is a UPS worker Who Was Attacked
By A Pit Bull On the Job

The incident happened in the North Austin neighborhood, near North Cicero Avenue and West Cortland Street, in the city's West Side.

The UPS driver, Jesus Toledo, said the dog escaped through the front door when the woman opened it. A postal worker nearby heard Toledo yelling and ran to help pull the dog off the UPS driver and wrestled it to the ground.

Toledo is hospitalized with cuts on his head and ankle but is said to be doing OK.

The dog has been impounded by Animal Control and is currently undergoing a 10-day rabies observation.”

Read more:
CBS Local
http://bit.ly/1KQAdhK
ABC 7 Chicago
http://bit.ly/1iD4YQt

Related posts:
Sep 20, 2015 Chicago Pit Bull Seriously Attacks 8-year-old Boy And Rescuer
Jul 22, 2015 Chicago Dog Attack Victim Says Owners Not Punished Enough
UPDATE: May 26, 2015 Chicago Pit Bull Fatally Mauls 5 Year Old Boy

Sep 20, 2015 Chicago Pit Bull Seriously Attacks 8-year-old Boy And Rescuer

Chicago - An 8-year-old boy was severely mauled by a pit bull in the Chatham neighborhood and might have been killed had it not been for the intervention of 48 year-old man, Danell Nicholson, a former US Olympic team boxer.

Hero Olympic Athlete, Danell Nicholson

‘”When I turned around I saw the dog had a little kid on the ground on the street," Nicholson said.

Nicholson recognized the boy as a friend of his niece's. A former 1992 U.S. Olympic team boxer, he raced to help, but soon found himself being attacked as well.

"I'm trying to get the dog off him, so I finally got the dog, beating him off him, the dog attacks me," he said. "Luckily I had some kind of skill boxing. It really helped me out of that battle.”’

The pit bull escaped from its 73 year-old owner’s home, ran outside and mauled the 8 year-old boy’s leg and then mauled his rescuer’s face. Both victims were initially taken to the MetroSouth Medical Center in Blue Island, but the child was transported to Christ Hospital, which has a Level I trauma center, because of the severity of his injuries. He may have permanent damage to one of his legs.

The dog’s owner was cited for failure to restrain the dog and for not having a dog license. And get this - police don’t know if the animal was seized by Animal Care & Control.

Either the reporter was too lazy to call CACC or the public servants at Chicago Animal Care and Control are flat out refusing talk to reporters or police at all regarding a human health and safety issue they are legally responsible for.

Read more:
ABC 7 Chicago
CBS Chicago
NBC 5 Chicago

Related posts:
Chatham neighborhood attacks
Jul 24, 2015 Chicago Pit Bull Fatally Shot by Police Officer
Sep 19, 2014 Chicago Pit bulls attack 5 people and kill 1 cat in 5 months and NOTHING is done

Sep 18, 2015 Wood River Pit Bull Attacked A Dog and Rescuer

Wood River - “Police responded to the report of a dog attacking another dog and a bystander on Thursday morning. A responding police officer used his Taser to stop the dog from attacking a man, forcing the pit bull to release its hold and run away. The dog was later captured.

The incident began around 8am as a man was walking his dog on West Jennings. The pit bull reportedly jumped over a fence and started biting the other dog, a black lab. The owner of the lab yelled for help, and a neighbor called police. In the meantime, at least two other people tried to stop the pit bull, one using a broom handle and another a wooden chair. The man using the chair was then attacked by the pit bull when the dog bit his arm. The police officer arrived shortly after, and used the Taser on the animal. Madison County Animal Control is currently holding the pit bull as the investigation continues. “

Neighbors credit a thick leather collar the lab was wearing for saving the lab's life because the pit bulls was savagely attacking the lab.

Read more:
Alton Daily News
The Telegraph
http://bit.ly/1LnSgAX

Related Posts:
Jul 17, 2015 East Alton Pit Bull Used As Weapon Maims Victim
May 06, 2015 Wood River Boy Seriously Mauled by Family's Bullmastiff Jul 09, 2014 Alton Police Forced To Shoot Loose Pit Bull
Jun 06, 2014 Same Granite City Pit Bulls climb another fence and kill yet another dog

Historical post:
May 22, 1951 Fairfield Boy, 3, Killed By A Bulldog

Sep 13, 2015 Defining Provocation - A Chicago Bullmastiff Attack

Chicago - In 2013 NIKKI ZOLLAR’s 100 pound male bullmastiff escaped from its home and attacked Jib, a female 39 pound Portuguese water dog that was being walked on a leash in an alley.

File photo of a Bullmastiff

NIKKI ZOLLAR’s bullmastiff was declared dangerous and ZOLLAR appealed, contending that the bullmastiff was only playing, and that the attack didn’t occur until Jib’s owner kicked the bullmastiff in an effort to get it away from Jib which in turn provoked the bullmastiff to attack.

The “provocation” defense is used heavily by pit bull and dangerous dog owners in and out of court in Illinois and around the country as a defense and as an excuse for dangerous dog behavior. These excuses are accepted depressingly often by people who should know better.

For example, in 2013 in Eldorado Illinois, before people with common sense prevailed upon these two men, the head of animal control and the city attorney stated that when a pit bull dug out of its enclosure, charged across the street and disemboweled a small puppy at the feet of a young boy, the pit bull was provoked because people hit the pit bull trying to get it to stop the attack and because the puppy was not on a leash. They asserted the provoked pit bull could not therefore be labeled dangerous. This judgment was reversed eventually.

Luckily, NIKKI ZOLLAR’s argument that her bullmastiff must have been provoked (she was not present at the attack, and was merely guessing) did not prevail for one simple reason. The city of Chicago created a legal definition for the term “provocation” as it applies to exempting a dog from being labeled dangerous or vicious.

In the city of Chicago the only provocation that justifies a dog’s aggression are illegal actions by a person. Legally, a dog’s actions against another dog cannot justify a dog’s aggression.

From the city ordinance:
‘“Provocation” means that the threat, injury or damage caused by the animal was sustained by a person who, at the time, was committing a willful trespass or other tort upon the premises occupied by the owner of the animal, or was tormenting, abusing, or assaulting the animal, or was committing or attempting to commit a crime.’

Clearly, a person who hits an attacking dog in an attempt to protect another animal from attack does not justify any aggression against that person or the other dog.

All cities and counties should establish similar narrow legal definitions for the term “provocation” as it applies to their dangerous dog ordinances. Defense and protection against an attack should be clearly spelled out in the definition.

This gem of wisdom about pet aggression comes from the Peoria County Animal Services:

“Even if an attack can be explained (the pet was scared, the child stepped on the pet's tail, the pet is afraid of people in uniform), it can rarely be excused.”

Sep 10, 2015 McHenry County Pit bulls That Attacked Dog, 2 People Return to Owner

McHenry Co -
“Two pit bulls who attacked a (leashed) puppy last year — also injuring [the puppy's two owners] who intervened — were spared a death sentence Thursday and were ordered to be returned to their owner.

McHenry County Judge Michael Caldwell called pit bull breeds "ticking time bombs" who are trained to fight and said he doesn't understand why people would want to own such dogs.

But the judge said authorities failed to provide "clear and convincing evidence" that Molly and Sawyer, the dogs who attacked a 6-month-old golden retriever Sept. 9 of last year, should be legally deemed vicious and euthanized.

The judge's ruling came despite a recommendation from McHenry County Animal Control that the dogs be put down. The animals were removed from the owner's home in McHenry following the attack.”

Illinois legal definition of a “Vicious dog”:
(510 ILCS 5/2.19b)
Sec. 2.19b. "Vicious dog" means a dog that, without justification, attacks a person and causes serious physical injury or death or any individual dog that has been found to be a "dangerous dog" upon 3 separate occasions.
(Source: P.A. 93-548, eff. 8-19-03.)

Despite 13 additional complaints or statements, the pit bulls had evidently never been declared dangerous and so the judge’s hands were tied.

Illinois legal definition of a “Dangerous dog”:
(510 ILCS 5/2.05a)
Sec. 2.05a. "Dangerous dog" means (i) any individual dog anywhere other than upon the property of the owner or custodian of the dog and unmuzzled, unleashed, or unattended by its owner or custodian that behaves in a manner that a reasonable person would believe poses a serious and unjustified imminent threat of serious physical injury or death to a person or a companion animal or (ii) a dog that, without justification, bites a person and does not cause serious physical injury.
(Source: P.A. 93-548, eff. 8-19-03; 94-639, eff. 8-22-05.)

Notice that the law is so poorly worded that menacing behavior by a dog toward a pet while unattended or loose can trigger a dangerous dog designation, but an actual bite or killing of a pet by a leashed or attended dog will not trigger a dangerous dog designation. There also is no mandate that animal control officers must declare animals dangerous when complaints are received. Often the victims must press animal control to act, and then AC may not even keep track of dogs deemed dangerous so subsequent attacks don't trigger harsher penalties or help relieve a neighborhood of a vicious dog (see related posts).

Amazingly, the Tribune reporting did not mention whether the pit bulls had been declared dangerous even this time. The report only mentions that LARA COLER’s lawyer says that it could not be determined which dog had bitten the Cuders, the owners of the golden retriever that was attacked, suggesting that their bite injuries might have been inflicted by their own golden retriever puppy as it was being attacked.

The pit bull owner LARA COLER, who has since gotten a third pit bull, will get the two maulers back.

Illinois residents must press for dangerous dog designations for each and every instance they feel threatened by loose or dangerous acting dogs. Remember, calling in to complain does not automatically generate a formal complaint. You must specifically demand that a complaint be written and that you get a copy of it and that the dog be declared dangerous. Depending on the county, you must file a complaint with police, animal control or both agencies.

Read below in related links about a woman who did go the extra mile after her dog was killed by a loose pit bull. Authorities were going to do nothing until she, herself, dug up the history of the dog finding that it had previously been declared dangerous.

Read below in related links how a county commissioner whose dog was attacked got the county law changed so that bites and attacks on pets also lead to dangerous and vicious dog designations.

Read more:
Chicago Tribune
http://bit.ly/1Nm9m1S
MySuburbanLife
http://bit.ly/1OKERSc
Illinois Compiled Statutes

Related posts:
Sep 11, 2013 Owners of pit bull mauling victim Shibui want felony charge
Jan 30, 2013 Lake County defines "animal aggressive" as new category of dangerous dogs
Mar 2, 2008 Pit bull attacks on the rise, Ledy VanKavage thwarts all attempts to protect people and pets

Sep 10, 2015 Decatur Pit Bulls Attacking Pets And Nothing Being Done

Decatur – Pit bulls are holding an entire neighborhood hostage. They frequently get loose and they are attacking people and pets and have killed a cat on its own porch. “One had one paw and one had the other.”

Another 11 year old gentle dog was attacked in her owner’s arms. Other people just don’t let their dogs outside anymore.

Animal Control took statements for reports on Thursday morning. A Macon County Sheriff’s Deputy also talked with residents. But nothing is being done according to the news report.

Read more:
WAND 17
http://bit.ly/1Lngsik

Related posts:
Sep 19, 2014 Chicago Pit bulls attack 5 people and kill 1 cat in 5 months and NOTHING is done

Jun 06, 2014 Same Granite City Pit Bulls climb another fence and kill yet another dog
May 21, 2014 Granite City Pit Bulls Responsible for 11 Pet Attacks and Deaths

Jul 31, 2013 Eldorado city leaders refuse to protect neighborhood from vicious pit bull

Sep 05, 2015 Chicago Man charged with running dogfighting ring in Fuller Park neighborhood

Chicago - “A 43-year-old Fuller Park man was ordered held in Cook County Jail after he was charged with 10 felonies in connection with a dogfighting ring he's accused of running, according to police.

Chicago Man Accused of Dogfighting

Clifford McNeil, was charged with aggravated cruelty to animals, felony dogfighting, misdemeanor animal owner duty violations and eight misdemeanor counts of cruelty to animals.

Police obtained "credible intelligence of animal cruelty and dog fighting activity" and gained entry to the yard and garage of a home in the 4800 block of South Shields about 10 a.m. Friday.”

“Police found 16 pit bulls on the property, including seven pit bulls connected to heavy chains in the yard, one pit bull in a cage filled with feces and a pit bull in a cage inside the garage, which was with seven two-week old pit bull puppies with no access to food or water, prosecutors said.

One of the fighting dogs confiscated

The yard and the dog houses in the yard were littered with feces, prosecutors said. No people lived in the garage.

Inside the garage, Police also discovered a modified treadmill with a chain and wooden boards designed to narrow the dog’s path, a modification “commonly indicative of training dogs to fight,” prosecutors said.”

“Neighbors raised questions about the charges against McNeil Saturday, and several agreed that McNeil had a “heart of gold.”

They said McNeil was simply a dog lover, and someone who anchored the neighborhood with his generosity. He cut neighbors’ lawns, worked on landscaping and allowed the neighbors to park their cars at the garage he maintained as an alternative to street parking.”

Read more:
Chicago Tribune

Related posts:
Jun 09, 2015 Juan Zamora Faces 21 Felony Charges for Dog Fighting and Cruelty

May 14, 2015 Freeport Man Arrested After Officers Discover Dog Fight

Apr 18, 2015 Chicago South Side Woman Accused of Dogfighting and Animal Abuse

Apr 15, 2015 Safe Humane Chicago is Unsafe and Inhumane to Neighborhood Pets

2015 Elgin's Pit Bulls Still Attacking; Media Not Covering Them

Elgin has had documented problems with pit bulls and dangerous dogs attacking since at least 2002. There were at least three attempts to pass a pit bull ban to solve this problem. But each attempt was thwarted, the last by interference and intimidation by Best Friends Animal Society in 2010.

Instead, Elgin passed breed neutral ordinances that relied on extremely high fines and restrictions of dogs labeled dangerous or vicious. In an attempt to make their ordinance pro-active, officials have the power to deem dogs that exhibit menacing behaviors as dangerous. But, the result of not directly addressing the problem and not banning pit bulls and instead deeming dogs that bark and growl at people dangerous has created the usual absurd results.

Dakota attacked a neighbor's dog and was declared
dangerous. His owner takes him to see the elderly
as a therapy dog.

Elgin is home to a chihuahua that never bit anyone that has been put on the dangerous dog list for life. Among the requirements for keeping the chihuahua is a 6 foot fence to contain it. Elgin is also home to a supposed “therapy” pit bull that is also on the dangerous dog list. The pit bull attacked another dog, but the owner believes it has been rehabilitated and is safe and appropriate to bring around the elderly. Neither of these absurd results would have come about if Elgin had recognized breed differences, banned pit bulls, and acknowledged that an aggressive chihuahua might require different restrictions than an aggressive pit bull.

The dangerous therapy pit bull’s owner wanted to change the ordinance so that dogs could be removed from the dangerous dog list after a number of years of good behavior. Thankfully, though Elgin did modify the ordinance, only dogs that have never attacked or bitten are eligible for removal from the dangerous dog list. Now the chihuahua is off the dangerous dog list and in a year a German Shepherd that never bit or attacked can be take off if it behaves. The dangerous therapy pit bull will remain on the list. The dangerous therapy pit bull’s owner claims the therapy dog certification organization and the organization that allows her pit bull to hang out with the elderly know that the pit bull is dangerous.

Another pit bull will be added to the dangerous dog list
after attacking these dogs and their owner

Since 2012, after an excellent, in depth look at Elgin's dog bite problem by Mike Danahey, someone evidently had a little talk with news agencies because they no longer report on pit bull attacks in Elgin. Though there have been virtually no dog attacks reported in news outlets, pit bulls haven’t stopped attacking. In August of this year the Tribune reported a sampling of the 83 dangerous and 13 vicious dogs listed in Elgin. Six of the 8 dogs they sampled were pits or pit mixes including a pit bull that attacked a chihuahua while the chi was playing with two little girls, another pit bull that burst through a window screen to kill a poodle and another that busted through a fence and attacked two people. In addition, a 7th dog was called a “boxer mix.”

Daily Herald

Elgin Courier-News

Chicago Tribune

Jan 13, 2015 Elgin Cops Kill Pit Bull While Responding To Domestic Disturbance

It is Time, Elgin

Jun 25, 2012 Elgin police shoot 23 dogs, killing 19, since 2008

Jun 07, 2012 Cops Shoot Dog After One Attacks Elgin Firefighter, 2 Charge Firehouse

Apr 29, 2012 Recently Adopted Pit Bull Savagely Attacks Basset Hound

Feb 21, 2012 Elgin police kill pit bull after it attacked dog

Nov 23, 2011 Councilman: Almost all dogs shot by Elgin police are pit bulls

Nov 07, 2011 Elgin: Pit Bull owner prevents neighbors from receiving mail

Oct 31, 2011 ELGIN: Pit bull killed after attacks on woman, Elgin police officer

Aug 08, 2011 Elgin dog violence leaves a poodle and pit bull dead

May 05, 2011 Elgin police kill two pit bulls

Jan 13, 2011 ELGIN Police Shoot Attacking Pit Bull in Elgin Home

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

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

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

Jun 06, 2010 Elgin mayor fights off pit bull attack

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

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

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

Aug 12, 2008 Elgin officer shoots charging pit bull

Jan 29, 2008 Elgin Woman Hospitalized After Pit Bull Attack

May 27, 2007 Elgin: Cop shot by fellow officer in Elgin

Jun 09, 2002 Elgin: Working to prevent dog attacks

Aug 31, 2015 Leland Grove mayor removed from volunteer position at Sangamon County Animal Control Center

Leland Grove - Leland grove is a tiny town of 1,500 incorporated in the 1950s on the outskirts of Springfield. The town has the highest per capita income of any city outside of the Chicago metropolitan area. Leland Grove’s mayor, Jill Egizii, also volunteers at the Sangamon County Animal Control Center. Egizii has been suspended from her volunteer job for two months.

An incident with a kennel card occurred when a new volunteer, a 16-year-old girl, attempted to take a dog named Alpha for a walk. This occurred Aug. 24, a Monday, after the dog had been inside his kennel for a day-and-a-half and was excited to finally get outside.
In his excitement, Alpha scratched the girl, and the girl told staff members. Staff members then wrote on the kennel card that Alpha had scratched his walker.
“I told them that if you are going to put that on his kennel card, you might as well put him to sleep because nobody is going to look at this dog with that on there… I get scratched all the time because these dogs are excited,” Egizii said.

County officials said Egizii removed the kennel card that mentioned the scratching incident and replaced it with one that did not mention the scratching.

The new card had Alpha’s name and a note that said, “Good Boy.” In the section for “energy level,” the box for “high” was marked. “It’s a different way to say the same thing, really, but in a more positive light. It allows the dog to be pulled out so that somebody could look at him for a potential forever home,” Egizii said.

Aug 17, 2015 Lincolnwood Owner of Killer Pit Bull Appeals Euthanasia

Lincolnwood - Fifi, a ten-year-old Yorkshire terrier was killed by a pit bull named Capone, and the pit bull was ordered put down, and of course the owner, JEFFREY GOBY, is going to appeal so that he can keep the killer.

Read more:
Lincolnwood Review

Related posts:
Feb 09, 2016 Not One Lincolnwood Resident Opposed Removing BSL After Pit Bull Attacks
Aug 01, 2015 Lincolnwood Pit Bull Kills Yorkie in Front of Children Walking Their Pet

Aug 12, 2015 Park Ridge Pit Bull Attacks Three Dogs, Killing One

Park Ridge - A pit bull owned by SEAN C. ZULEY has been loose and has attacked dogs and their owners three times.

ZULEY’s pit bull bit a leashed dog on April 16. On April 25 ZULEY’s pit bull attacked another leashed dog on the neck while being walked by two women. One of the women walked ZULEY’s pit bull to the police station.

ZULEY was given three citations and ZULEY’s pit bull was impounded for a 10 day quarantine.

ZULEY failed to appear at two case review Animal Commission meetings in May and June. The owners of the victim dogs were upset that the owner had not shown up, and had not paid the veterinary bills for their dogs. The city replied that the police are not bill collectors. They added that there would be an adjudication process for the city to attempt to claim the unpaid fines, but that they wouldn’t help at all with getting the vet bills paid.

After attacking two leashed dogs unprovoked and off property causing damage that required veterinary aid, the city decided deem ZULEY’s pit bull “at-risk.” The victims did not believe that was strict enough. They also did not think that ZULEY would comply. The city said they thought maybe they could throw some more fines at ZULEY if he did not comply, but they weren’t sure.

The victims all stated that the dog was dangerous and that the Commission’s finding was not strong enough and questioned whether pit bulls were trainable.

The victims were right on all counts and ZULEY’s pit bull was at large again on August 6th and this time when it attacked a leashed dog, it ripped off the dog’s ear and then punctured his skull, killing him. The owner needed to go to the hospital for puncture wounds she received trying to save her dog.

It took two male passersby to beat the ZULEY’s pit bull until it let go. Then the men held the pit bull down until police came.

And still ZULEY gets to keep his dog. There are more restrictions that he will not comply with; ZULEY hasn’t even gotten his pit bull licensed yet.

Journal Topics

JUNE 15, 2015 ANIMAL COMMISSION MEETING MINUTES

Feb 25, 2016 Another Joliet Pit Bull Attack Reveals Weakness in Law

Feb 09, 2016 Not One Lincolnwood Resident Opposed Removing BSL After Pit Bull Attacks

Jul 17, 2012 Man ticketed in pit bull’s attack on relative in Park Ridge

Aug 06, 2015 Elgin Pit Bull Attacked a Leashed Dachshund

Elgin - "On Monday, August 3 my miniature dachshund, Bella, got attacked by a Pit Bull that was off of its property and not on a leash at 766 Wing street in Elgin around 1:30 pm in the afternoon. The dog rushed us on the sidewalk as we were walking toward it, with both of mine on leashes.

I reached to scoop up both my dogs and I could only get to one of them, Dori, before the pit went for Bella. I tried blocking with my body and wrestling the dog to keep it away. The pit bull grabbed Bella by the lower torso and had her in its jaws, up in the air.

I screamed for help. the dog owner was no where in sight. A woman stopped her car in the middle of Wing street to help. She is the real hero here and I am so thankful for her bravery in punching this animal down until it released my Bel.

Bella was treated at the ER for extensive bruising, puncture wounds, and pain. Thankfully no broken bones or internal damage. She is recovering and getting better by the day. I pressed criminal charges against the dog owner residing at 766 Wing St.

If anyone witnessed this or if the brave woman who helped me wishes to offer testimony, I would surely appreciate it and like to thank her again. Either way, I'm seeking justice to protect this from happening again to another animal or child.

Aug 01, 2015 Lincolnwood Pit Bull Kills Yorkie in Front of Children Walking Their Pet

Lincolnwood - NBC news reported on a pit bull attack on air and got right to the point. However, their online story has careful wording the headline and calls the pit bull "a large breed dog" until the very end of the article to placate pit bull advocates who control media in Illinois. Watch the video.

An owned pit bull launched a "vicious" and "horrifying" attack on a beloved yorkshire terrier named Fifi. Fifi was being walked by her 11 year-old owner and her friends in a park at the time. The pit bull came out of nowhere to launch an unprovoked, off property, predatory attack on Fifi. Eleven year old Klaudia Zarebski heroically tried to save Fifi when she saw the pit bull coming for her, but the pit bull literally ripped Fifi out of Klaudia's arms to shake Fifi as if she were nothing but a toy.

Fifi at the vet, paralyzed by the pit bull

The owner got nothing but a slap on the wrist - a ticket for having a dog off a leash. Nothing for allowing his dog to kill.

Fifi was paralyzed and had to be put down at the vet. No word on how much the vet made off of this pit bull's attack. We hope that if the veterinarian is pro-pit bull and anti-BSL that s/he has a strict policy to only receive compensation for her work by the pit bull owner and do this pro bono if the victims have to pay so it doesn't seem as if s/he's taking a position that will benefit her/him financially at the expense of many victims and their families.

Family says good bye to Fifi before she is put to sleep

The family should dig into the past of the dog and not count on authorities to find past attacks by this pit bull and owner. If there are past attacks, more can be done to get rid of the menace to the neighborhood if the owner is unwilling to do the right thing.

This 11 year old girl and her friends also watched a pit bull attack
her beloved Daisy in Villa Park exactly 3 years ago.

See related posts for other attacks on yorkies and attacks that children are forced to witness fighting dogs killing their pets and on forcing authorities to do their job.

Read more:
NBC Chicago

Related posts:
6 other fatal attacks on Illinois Yorkshire terriers
Villa Park Pit bull kills small beloved dog in front of her 11 year old owner and her friends
Pit bull attack victim's owner does her own research and sets precedent in getting pit bull owner convicted.

Jul 26, 2015 Chicago Pit Bulls Kill Yorkie At Park

Chicago - An owner wants everyone to be aware and to be responsible and leash their pets after two pit bulls killed his little yorkie named Jim.

RIP Sweet Jim

The pit bulls’ owner left without leaving his contact information and the owner was bitten by the pit bulls when he tried to save his pup.

Read more:
Everyblock Chicago

Related posts:
Aug 01, 2015 Lincolnwood Pit Bull Kills Yorkie in Front of Children Walking Their Pet
Jul 21, 2015 Woodstock Pit Bulls Launch Serial Attacks on Dogs

Jul 16, 2015 Midlothian Pit Bull Kills Yorkie Mix

Jun 01, 2015 Arthur Pit Bulls Invade Yard to Kill Small Beloved Maltese, Fluffy May 18, 2015 Chicago Pit Bull Kills Two Little Dogs in Lakeview

Apr 16, 2015 Wataga Pit Bull Killed Small Dog

Apr 03, 2015 Chicago: Leashed Pit Bull Kills Leashed Pekingese

Apr 01, 2015 Chicago: Leashed Out of Control Pit Bull Attacks Small Dog

Jul 24, 2015 Chicago Pit Bull Fatally Shot by Police Officer

Chicago - A “Police officer fatally shot a pit bull Friday evening in the Chatham neighborhood on the South Side. About 8:30 p.m., the [aggressive pit bull] charged at the officer in the 8200 block of South Maryland, police said. The officer then shot the dog and killed it, police said. The officer was not injured. Additional details were not immediately available.”

Chicago Sun-Times

Jul 23, 2015 Animal Protection League Adopting out Pit Bull that Launched Severe Unprovoked Attack

Sangamon Co - An Animal Protection League volunteer was severely bitten by Stewart, a pit bull puppy, in an unprovoked attack after enjoying a walk and a game of catch with a volunteer.

That pit bull is still advertised as available for adoption on the Animal Protection League’s website even while it is in quarantine for biting. And the Animal Protection League didn’t even bother to put Stewart the attacking pit bull in quarantine until TWO DAYS after the attack. Despite this, Sangamon County Animal Control called the APL a reptutable facility. Really? And it doesn’t even follow rabies quarantine health code laws?

The volunteer has decided to sue to get a judge to order the pit bull put down.

First, the volunteer should get an injunction preventing the adoption of the pit bull before the hearing.

Jun 27, 2014 Animal Care League Adopting Out Dangerous Dogs Former Staff Say

Jun 25, 2014 West Chicago Dog Rescuer Allows Her Own Pit Bulls to Kill for the Second Time

Jun 02, 2014 Tinley Park Family wants to save Pit Bull That Caused a Bloodbath at Vet Clinic

Aug 27, 2013 Bolingbrook police shoot recently adopted pit bull that attacked puggle
Apr 29, 2012 Recently Adopted Pit Bull Savagely Attacks Basset Hound

Jul 22, 2015 Chicago Dog Attack Victim Says Owners Not Punished Enough

Chicago - Marilyn Grimes sought media help get the word out that not enough is being done for the victims of severe pit bull attacks.

Marilyn Grimes was severely attacked by three pit bulls that got out because their irresponsible owner didn’t make sure the gate was latched to keep people safe from her maulers. Her little dog was killed in the attack and she almost lost both her legs.

Reporter Mai Martinez dug up some background information on dog bites in Cook County and Chicago:

“A review of city and county records from 2012-2014 shows more than 5,700 dog bites were reported in Chicago, and another 8,600 in Cook County.

The city deemed only 280 of those dogs dangerous, the county, just 27. A small number were euthanized and most owners faced maximum fines of just $500.”

And there were no consequences for the irresponsible owner, Katesha Curtiss. Marilyn Grimes wants that to change.

CBS Local