STAMFORD, Connecticut––A fatal attack on a Dachshund named Dulce by a pit bull named Banks on June 4, 2014 reminded Stamford, Connecticut that the Stamford Animal Shelter has operated on a restricted basis for nearly six weeks while three city agencies investigate allegations that it improperly adopted out dangerous dogs. Laurie Hollywood, the Stamford […]
Women convicted for British dog attack fatality
LIVERPOOL, U.K.––Liverpool Crown Court Judge Mark Brown on June 3, 2014 sentenced female housemates Hayley Sulley, 30, and Della Woods, 29, to serve 12 months in jail apiece for violations of the Dangerous Dogs Act that led to the May 25, 2013 live dismemberment of retired hospital porter Clifford Clarke, 79, by a rampaging Presa […]
U.K. amends Dangerous Dogs Act, but fails to close “Staffordshire” loophole
Bull mastiff mauling came two days before amendments took effect MANCHESTER, U.K.––Amendments to the Dangerous Dogs Act that permit prosecuting people whose dogs attack other people on private property took effect two days too late to satisfy Paula Kudray, 33, of Moston, a district of Manchester. The amendments took effect on a Tuesday, explained Dan […]
“Service pit bull” who attacked three people & dog is re-impounded
Pit bull was returned before dangerous dog hearing YAKIMA, Washington––Yakima Animal Control and the Humane Society of Central Washington on May 14, 2014 re-impounded an alleged “service pit bull” who had mistakenly been returned to owner Kali Katzenberg after completing a 10-day quarantine, but before a hearing scheduled to determine whether the pit bull […]
Shelters sued for attacks by rehomed pit bulls
Seven-year-old mauled KNOXVILLE, Tennessee––Much praised for steeply reducing shelter killing in recent years, the Blount County Animal Shelter is now facing a lawsuit alleging that incautious behavioral assessment and adoption promotion led to a seven-year-old boy suffering a severe mauling by a pit bull the shelter had recently rehomed. The victim, Sport Kim, of […]
How many other animals did pit bulls kill in 2013?
An attempt to find out How many other dogs, cats, and domestic hoofed animals do dogs kill or injure each year in the U.S.? How many are killed or seriously injured by pit bulls? Often asked, these questions have eluded answer because no agency systematically tracks dog attacks on other animals, and even if any […]
Weak dog laws blamed for deaths in Ohio & U.K.
Montgomery County Animal Resource Center and Royal SPCA of England & Wales each ignored repeated complaints DAYTON, Ohio; BLACKBURN, Lancashire, U.K.––Animal control officials blamed weaknesses in the dog laws of Ohio and the United Kingdom for the early February 2014 deaths of Klonda Richey, 57, and Ava-Jane […]
Fire marshall demoted for Facebook remarks about killing pit bulls
Internal affairs investigation TORRINGTON, Connecticut––Torrington deputy fire marshall Richard Prince was demoted to firefighter in December 2013 and his pay was cut from $69,700 a year to $59,000 after an internal affairs investigation of comments about how to kill pit bulls that Prince posted to Facebook on November 10, 2013. […]
New adoption center gives Fresno humane community a point of pride
A rare “good news for animals” event in a city which has had little to celebrate FRESNO, California––Celebrating a rare “good news for animals” event in a city which has had little to celebrate, the Cat House on the Kings and the Petco Foundation on February 15, 2013 together opened a new 1,500-square-foot adoption center […]
Texas fatal dog attacks bring proposed life sentence & new breed-specific injury data
AUSTIN, SAN ANTONIO–The Texas House of Representatives on May 4, 2011 approved by a vote of 123 to 7 a bill which could send the keepers of a dog who kills a child or a senior citizen to prison for life. Assigned to the Texas Senate criminal justice committee on May 5, the bill appeared to be unlikely […]