Michelle Wilcox and one of her favorite small dogs, on horseback.
(Facebook photo)
Victim was 500th fatality of molosser-breed dogs since 1982
NEWINGTON, Georgia––Georgia Department of Agriculture meat inspector Michelle Wilcox, 30, on August 2, 2016 “died when her boyfriend’s pit bull mauled her at his home, near Newington,” in rural Screven County, Georgia, reported Dal Cannady of WTOC News.
Michelle Wilcox. (Facebook photo)
Wilcox, an equestrian who had studied pre-veterinary medicine at Gainesville State College and animal science at the University of Georgia, thereby became the 500th person to be killed by a dog in the molosser or “bully” breed category since ANIMALS 24-7 editor Merritt Clifton began logging fatal and disfiguring dog attacks in the U.S. and Canada since 1982.
The molosser breed category includes pit bulls, Rottweilers, Presa Canarios, Cane Corsos, mastiffs, Dogo Argentinos, Fila Brasieros, Sharpeis, boxers, and their mixes.
“May never know why”
“We may never know why [Wilcox was killed,” Screven County sheriff Mike Kile told Cannady. “The dog was raised from a puppy in the house. Always inside. She came home and let it out and seemed to be doing the normal routine. The dog just attacked. Not sure we’ll ever know why.”
Added Cannady, “Investigators say none of the dogs in the home had any known history of viciousness or aggression. The dog,” a male pit bull according to Kile, “was put down by the owner immediately following the discovery of the attack.”
The boyfriend, identified to ANIMALS 24-7 as Davin Bannon, whose Facebook page confirmed the relationship, had several pit bulls.
Devin Bannon at lower right, with eight pit bull photos from his Facebook page.
Wrote Holly Deal Saxon of the Statesboro Herald Record, “Wilcox was familiar with the pets at that residence and had handled them safely on numerous occasions in the past.”
9% of the dogs, 77% of the deaths
Altogether, 648 people have been killed by dogs in the U.S. and Canada since the ANIMALS 24-7 attack log started: 104 in the 18 years 1982-1999, 237 in the 10 years 2000-2009, and 307 in the less than seven years 2010-present.
The molosser breed category, making up about 9% of the U.S. and Canadian dog population, has accounted for 77% of the fatalities.
Pit bulls alone, making up about 5% of the U.S. and Canadian dog population, have accounted for 358 fatalities: 55%. Rottweilers, about 1% of the U.S. and Canadian dog population, have accounted for 91 fatalities: 14%. Bull mastiffs, less than 1% of the U.S. dog population, have accounted for 20 fatalities: 3%.
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Pits as pets is a contradiction in terms. This lady’s death, while sad, is not surprising to those who are aware of the unpredictability and ability to inflict severe and deadly damages to human flesh of pit bulls. Attempting to keep pit bulls as pets is most definitely barking up the wrong DOG.
How many innocent lives have to be taken before this mayhem is stopped, once and for all, legally?
No way I love my pitbulls they’re my best friends. Though it’s very sad and upsetting what happened there’s a reason for everything and like they said we’ll never know.
Allowing your love for pit bulls to blind you to the reality of what they are is precisely why they are now killing more than 30 Americans per year, along with about 30,000 other dogs, 13,000 cats and 2,000 hoofed animals.
Well said.
YOU’LL never know. WE who advocate on behalf of victims of deadly and maiming pit bull attacks know very well. We know that pit bulls were bred originally a couple of centuries ago for the EXPRESS purpose of killing each other for the bloodsport amusement of the vile dogmen who created this dastardly breed. We know that pit bulls maim and kill more people, pets and livestock animals than all other dog breeds COMBINED. We know that pit bulls are uniquely qualified by means of their huge, powerful shoulders, neck and jaws to inflict MAXIMUM DAMAGE in MINIMUM TIME. Why? It’s how they were bred. It’s what they were bred FOR. So, while YOU may never know, those of us who are pit bull savvy DO know.
Excellent comment Mary Ann, and very accurate!
Thank you!
Lisa Ricchetti,
If this attacking pit bull would have been a beagle or I could name 300 dog breeds, this person would be alive today. Breed Choice Matters for keeping the community safe.
Why are you here?
If the dog which killed was Kahos (a.k.a Kaos a.k.a Khaos, spelled differently on Devins’ Facebook page more than once), given to Dev by “Troy Johnson,” this dog did have a history of aggression. Kahos is number two in the picture.
Even if Kahos was not the killer, if this is the dog given to Dev by Troy, and Troy is breeding these dogs, then Troy is breeding aggressive dogs with a history.
Pit apologists’ excuses include that manbiters are culled, and also pits bred for pets are not aggressive unless taught to be so.
It seems aggressive dogs are being proliferated, not culled at all.
In fact, Kahos, if it is the same Kahos (and they resemble each other closely) also has a son named Krunchy.
Troy Johnson would know the whereabouts of this potentially deadly dog.
Her boyfriend should go to prison. Anyone who owns a dog that unlawfully kills another human being should face manslaughter charges and serve time. I would make it a mandatory 10 years no chance of parole. The breeder should get life imprisonment. The owner, manager and employees of rescue shelters who home dogs who eventually kill should get 5 years each.