Pit bulls hurt 3, one critically, in Indy

Three pit bulls running loose attacked and injured three men, one critically, in Independence about 6 p.m. Thursday, police said. Police found the dogs and shot them.
Responding to a call, police found the victims at 23rd and Kingshighway, just west of Lee's Summit Road. They had all been attacked within a block of each other:

• Man attacked while walking. Witness drives dogs off with a tire iron. Victim taken to Independence Regional Hospital in serious condition.
• Man attacked just southeast of 23rd and Kingshighway while mowing grass in a field. Taken to Liberty Hospital in critical condition with extensive bites to the arms, upper body, face and head.
• Man attacked at South and Haden while mowing his lawn. Drives himself to the Medical Center of Independence in serious condition.

Police said they found the animals in the 1300 block of East Sea.
"The dogs were still running loose and appeared to be aggressive when confronted by the officers," Sgt. John Passiglia of the traffic unit wrote.
The dogs' owners are unknown. Independence Animal Control has the carcasses.

News release

Previous posts:
Guilty: Another pit bull owner
Was pit bull attack child abuse?

National Dog-Bite Prevention Week  - third week in May, sponsored by CDC's National Center for Injury Prevention and Control

Dog-bite ER stats from CDC, 2001
CDC Bibliography of Dog Bites

Some well-received new rules for commenting.
1. Comments must be signed. Unsigned comments will be deleted.
2. Comments signed as someone other than the writer will be deleted.
3. No profanity or vulgarity, racially or sexually offensive speech.
4. THINK before you comment and please stay on topic.

Comments

[Sid Vicious]

Damn! How'd they get out! My meth lab is unprotected!

[lr]

Pet ownership is a privilege, not a right, and it appears once again there were terribly irresponsible idiot owners who probably used the dogs for fighting and protecting their drug manufacturing. The dogs must've gotten out when they were bringing in fresh meth making supplies. I doubt if anyone will fess up to ownership of course. And these poor victims were totally minding their own business and doing nothing wrong. Hope the owners are found--wonder how'd they like a few bites taken out of them?

[G]

If i saw a gang of pitbulls charging towards me, while I was mowing the lawn......I can't think of a better weapon to be standing behind!

CHOP! Puppy parts all over the lawn!

[Theresa M]

Not just drug dealers own pit bulls. Yes, they were probably fighting dogs. I know of several pit bulls who wouldn't harm anything. It's all in the upbringing of these animals and whoever owned them did not raise them properly.

[Ian Yeager]

And this is how Pit's get their bad name, which is extremely unfortunate.

[John]

It's sad to see these kinds of stories - I consider them to be the final result of a series of bad decisions. Irresponsible breeders producing puppies from poor stock without having responsible, qualified owners waiting before the litter is born.

It happens to "flavor of the month" dogs - a certain breed will become popular, attracting bad breeders and bad owners, with an eventual bad outcome.

Doberman Pinschers, Chows, Rottweilers, Pit Bull Terriers, Bull Terriers, Shar Pei and American Bulldogs have all gone through the phase. I'm just naming a few.

The best thing that can happen to a breed is that it remains relatively unknown and only popular among responsible owners and breeders willing to invest the time and money into doing things correctly.

One of the worst things that can happen is for a breed to attract breeders who try to make money from puppy sales without bothering to show and finish their breeding stock, and who are willing to sell intact animals to the general public.

The poor victims have to live with this trauma now, and the perpetrating morons will continue to abuse their animals, each other and the ususpecting public.

Say NO to backyard breeders, puppy mills and pet shops. If a breeder isn't nosey about your and your intentions, something is wrong.

[Mike]

Greg, there was an incident a few months ago, in the Northland, where a little boy was killed by the family pit bull. Do you have any follow-up info on the story? Perhaps you could reprint the original story.
When I moved back to this area a couple of years ago, I was surprised to learn KC has very little regulating pit bulls. Many of the surrounding towns do. Almost everywhere I have lived has regulations in regards to pit bulls.
I know pit bull owners will jump up and tell me how mean and wrong I am, but it seems to me pit bulls are different than other dogs. They have been bred for generations for their aggressiveness, it may be in their genes. Most dogs are very patient with little children, amazingly so. If they bite, they nip at a leg or arm to scare the person off. Pit bulls go for the neck and groin, they clamp down and try to hang on. Anyone who has seen a dog kill a rabbit knows they clamp down on the rabbit's neck and choke the rabbit, hold down until they feel the rabbit's life leave. Pit bulls attack children much the same. They know when their attack is lethal. At the very least, KC and Independence need to catch up with the rest of the country and regulate pit bulls.
And Ir, your rant, your unjustified use of a story of a serious issue to jump into a rant about meth users, is completely counter-productive to anything constructive.

[SG]

I had to have a Labrador Retriever put down because it bit a neighbor. The dog had been socialized and until this incident a loving pet. Labrador's have a wonderful reputation and I will never understand what went wrong. The neighbor was a good friend and often visited the house and dog before the incident. Dogs that travel in packs I've heard behave differently (wilder) than when they are alone. And unfortunately, Pit Bulls have a reputation for unprovoked attacks. I'm glad no one was hurt more seriously than has already been reported. My sympathies to those victims.

[Vibiana]

My best friend is a professional dog breeder. She breeds only small dogs, and I tend to agree with her that "killer" breeds such as Pit Bulls, Presa Canarios, and Rottweilers should require a special license to breed, and should be very difficult for an average citizen to get. It wouldn't matter, because then a black market for the dogs would spring up; but at least there might be fewer of them.

[Crime Scene KC]

Mike,
Searching...haven't found it yet...are you sure this is a Kansas City area case?

Greg Reeves

[lr]

Mike, sorry if I offended you, but I wasn't "ranting" per se. That is the bad side of blogs,emails,etc.--more emotion can be read into them than was intended.

[kathy gragg]

This is just another in a long series of unfortunate situations. Dogs of any breed are not inheirently vicious. It is the owners of the dogs in question. Because of irresponsible and criminal minds who choose to fight dogs; beloved family pets are threatened. I do not approve of the shooting of the dogs in the most recent attacks. I feel Law enforcement and Aminal control officers need to be adequetly trained. To shoot a dog is inhumane. As one who has ownd a pitbuill and never had an issue I feel there needs to be stronger efforts to bust the dog fighters. The police seem to sit on these situations knowing who the fighters are for longer than is needed, it is the same with drug dealers. The police know who they are but want to get stronger charges so they "investigate" forever. If a citizen sees any supicious behavior related to dogs they should call and keep calling until the police act. How many animals must die or live in the horrible conditions these fighting dogs do before this is stopped? If your neighborhood is missing small pets on a regualer basis ie. cats, you can be sure a fighter lives near you, pick up the phone, silence is consent and innocent animals are sufering as a result.

[lr]

As a footnote, sad situation last year. Two streets over from me--an 81 year old friend of mine was walking his dog and two Pit Bulls charged at him and attacked his dog and my buddy. Put him in the hospital for a week. Later investigations found the two dogs are owned by two 21 year old guys who were training them for dog fights and they also deal drugs on the side. This is normally a very safe, calm neighborhood. Mike, this incident that happened right in my own neighborhood might better explain why my original posting.

[Steve]

I am a survivor of being attacked by a canary island mastiff when I was FIVE! I had 3 feet of stitches in my head, lost 30% of my blood, and the dog missed the major veins in my neck...so in short...it's a miracle I'm alive. People who live around or with children have no business owning these dogs. If one got loose in my neighborhood and was within viewing distance of my home, I'd be happy to put a 30.30 slug between its eyes. Owning a breed such as pit bulls, mastiff's, rotweiler, etc is just plain stupid. It's not a matter of IF they'll hurt someone, but WHEN.

Lock and load - Denny Crane

[Reminder Tim]

I wish a dog would attack me I would whop his asterisk!!! I is a shame people raise pit bulls this way because it does give the breed a bad name

(Tim: In the future, please sign your comments. Thanks, Greg Reeves)

[Sid Vicious]

Pit Bulls are bad dogs. Every pit bull in america should be put down.

When is the last time you heard of a border collie mauling? The closest headline you'll see is something like "roaving gang of wild border collies steals frisbee at local park!" oh the horror.

[Tim]

forgot to sign the above comment I'll do it on this one

(repost)
I wish a dog would attack me I would whoop his asterisk!!! I is a shame people raise pit bulls this way because it does give the breed a bad name

(np Tim :) Greg Reeves)

[Vibiana]

Okay, Tim, we get the message! lol

[Jason]

This happend in the area I grew up in which is about 4 blocks from were I live now.
I am a responsible pit bull owner! People who can turn such a wonderful breed into what these dogs became should be taken out and shot!! If all of the pit bull haters would take the time to read the history of pit bull the only domesticated American dog we have they would learn that these are family dogs!!
I was not until morons were allowed to own them did we start having these problems.
PUNISH THE CRIME NOT THE BREED
Jason

[Juls]

Jason - I agree whole heartedly with your comment. Amazes me how you hear "oh I love animals except Pits, Rots, etc". I had a boxer/pit mix and was too pregnant to keep the puppy. As I was going through it by myself. I wish on everything I had Mak back with me and my son. He went to a good home and I know is loved dearly. Saying the pit breed is all bad is stereotyping. Just like lumping all whites, blacks or hispanics as bad.

[Joe]

Listen to the police scanner audio clip of the incident here:

http://www.indepmo.com

Joe

[John]

I think statistics tell an interesting story.

The dog breed responsible for the most bites in America today is.... Labrador Retriever. The most popular breed in America today is... Labrador Retriever. Second most bites is.... Golden Retriever. Second most popular is... Golden Retriever. This trend is pretty consistent.

I don't agree that Pit Bulls ( or any other dog breed ) are inherently "bad" as one poster mentions. I would say that there are large numbers of very badly bred Pit Bulls, though, with correspondingly negligent owners and breeders.

Speaking in generalities, Pit Bulls can attract a certain type of owner that should NEVER be allowed to own a dog. There is a sociopathic class of society that is willing to provide these owners with Pit Bull puppies, the irresponsible breeder who is breeding dogs for all the wrong reasons. These breeders are the same type of people that would sell drugs to school children, nuclear arms to rogue states and anything else to make a buck regardless of the social consequences.

These same scum are completely willing to breed dozens of litters to sires and dams of known poor temperament and health, until the poor dogs literally die from overbreeding. They produce lines of dogs that have problems, should never have been produced and should never be allowed to reproduce. Then they breed these poor specimens to each other. This line breeding is normally done to select for desirable behavioral and health traits.

Bad breeders and puppy mills do it without regard for the consequences, or even worse select for aggresiveness or what normal people consider to be bad traits.

Missouri and Pennsylvania are well-known nests of puppy mill operations and bad dog breeding, and the influence of this business on our lawmakers is strong. I doubt we'll ever see any constructive action taken to require responsible breeding practices that take the social aspects into account.

[Biggin]

People that choose to purchase a dog need to understand that proper breeding is an important factor. This proper breeding is more expensive than just getting a dog here there or anywhere. Proper breeding helps to have a healty dog both mentally & physically. Stop buying dogs in such a casual manner. Do the research & pay up.

[Proud Owner]

From the sounds of it, MOST of you have never been around a Pit Bull. I OWN one, she is the sweetest thing on 4 legs. The problem is the good ones don't get any press. Only the bad. Mine sleeps with my children and gets beaten up by our cat. And I trust her 1000% around children and other animals. It is in how you raise the dog. My mother in law has a jack russel terror(yes i meant that on purpose) that I wouldn't let around ANYONE.
The problem is people do not take responsibily for how they raise them. Unfortunately they(drug dealers) do use them as "status" and fighting. I rescued one recently that was going to the dog ring-she was 4 months old when I got her. It's not the breed, it's the idiots breeding them.
Don't ban the breed, Ban the owner.

[Vibiana]

Proud Owner: my best friend, the dog breeder, calls Jack Russell Terriers and Miniature Pinschers "lawsuits waiting to happen." LOL

I don't mean to imply that I think all pit bulls are bad. My brother had one once, many years ago, and it was a very lovable, family friendly dog. But as others have pointed out, haphazard breeding and the ignorance -- or deliberate malice -- of owners have perverted the breed.

In my comment above, I only meant to state that access to dogs with aggressive natures such as Pit Bulls, Presa Canarios, and Rottweilers should be restricted, and permission to breed these dogs should be much more strictly regulated.

[Big Bad John]

What a joke----Its not always the breeders---sometimes its the breed---and by the way, for those of you who always blame it on the owners...why don't you read some stories about pit bulls who have been completely doesticized attacking children? They are all over the internet...Only scum who feel small raise this kind of animal..I wish the cities in our area would indiscriminately go around and send them to Dog/Killer heaven

[Big Bad John]

I got $100 bucks that says Champion of Stupidity and Biggin both breeed pit bulls and rotweilers

[Pam Orr]

We have a similar situation going on here. Since the moose population has dropped the Feds decided it was the wolfs fault. Just because more moose are killed by trains and cars than wolves, it's still the wolf's fault. So now they are sterilizing all of the wolves to control the wolves. At the same time they reduced the amount of wolves trappers could take. (Hmm if they let the trappers do their thing then there would be less wolves not NO wolves). Maybe in Kansas City they could sterilize the pitbull owners.

[sasquach]

While I agree that the majority of dog attacks start with stupid owners, there are situations where the "family pet" gets loose and mauls some kid. Sometimes it just happens, and when it does, the dog needs to be destroyed. If the dog just snapped, who's to say it won't happen again.

BTW, I could have sworn the "Life by the Numbers" in the FYI section of the star listed German Shepherds as the dogs statistically most likely to bite people.

[Juls]

BBJ - why not do away with all animals period. An earlier post stated stats that most dog bites come from retrievers.

[AC]

Labs and Goldens are the most popular pets in this country and bite more than any other breed? That stands to reason since there are more of them as pets. However, biting and mauling/killing are two totally different things! If labs and goldens were injuring people to the extent and frequency that pit bulls do, it would be in the media. Just doesn't happen!

The thing I have a hard time understanding is this: with so many breeds available, why take a chance with one that has a reputation for being vicious? There are many, many gentle breeds out there.

[Joe]

Pit Bulls are worthless, they shouldn't be in existance. You can cry all the proper breeding and all that other crap that you want, I don't buy it. Worthless, shoot 'em all.

[loving dog owner]

C'MON, everybody knows that chiwawas are the meanest most fierce dogs on the planet!And not because they are mexican [but that would explain a lot] bred, but because they are so small, that they get away with a lot.
I would not want a ninety pound chiwawa chasing me with a hungry eye!

[sasquach]

Joe, unless you're a sheep herder or have a beer wagon, all pets are worthless (outside of the fact that we wuv dem sooo much), so should we kill them all? Hell, I have a couple of worthless neighbors. Can I kill them too?

[Vibiana]

Screaming "yo quiero loving dog owner?" lmao

[Joe]

Look at it like this:

Responsible pet owners..............

Is the dog loose? Who's fault is that?
How did it get loose?

If the dog got loose on his own, you should be responsible. If the owner(s) let the animal out, you should be responsible.

As far as Independence having pit bulls?
They should ban them.

At least I know the pistol I have in my lockbox isn't going to run out the door, jump the fence and run down the road and start critically injuring people or killing innocent kids. If it had the ability to do so, I wouldn't own it.

What do you wanna bet the city puts this issue under a microscope now?

[joel]

dogs stink anyway. cats rule!!!

[Big Bad John]

put down the Pit Bulls, Rotweilers and the scum who own them

[KD]

I have only been around a pit bull once. The owner had trained him to climb a tree, bite a branch, and holds itself (eight feet off the ground) until commanded to stop. I was scared of the dog - the owner was pretty freaky too.

[DW]

This is crap about it being the breed. It's the owners fault. I live less than a block where this happened. Saw the cops, heard the shots, all that stuff.

In this neighborhood there are several people that get a dog and tie it up to a tree. After it's there, it's never walked, never played with, nothing. Just a circle of dirt where the dog runs around and around till the grass dies. There are also a few people who have 5 or 6 dogs in their yard that go crazy when people walk by their house. What kind of dog do you think that will make?

I have been around a lot of pit bulls in my life and they were all friendly. Those dogs were well socialized with people and other animals all the time and it was because they were treated well, excercised regularly, got to greet and play with visitors, just the stuff that most people who own a dog would do with one.

I have personally been bit by a dog, a german sheperd who walked up to me wagging it's tail and I ended up in the hospital with bites all up and down my arms. My son was bit by a dog, a cocker spaniel that was his grandma's dog. That bite came within an inch of his eye. My dad was a mailman for 30 some odd years and was bitten by several dogs, none of them pit bulls. You don't hear about any of those types of dog bites do ya? It's because people hear pit bull and think oh crap, it's a killer dog.

Independence should look into this, but not from a dog breed point of view, but from a dog ownership point of view. All those people who let their dogs roam free (and a lot do in this neighborhood including a not so friendly chow), keep their dogs chained up to a tree outside, or have too many dogs.

The state should look into the puppy millers which Missouri leads the nation in. Those kind of people breed dogs not for temperament or anything else, just to make a buck. Then they sell them to your local petstore who can't tell you the name of the breeder, how many litters a year that breeder does, or what kinds of things that breeder was looking for when they bred those two particular dogs.

Again, I have to say it's the responsibility of the breeder who breeds ANY kind of dog and goes right on down to the owner of ANY kind of dog.

[SteelBlues]

You can take the dog out of the jungle, but your can't take the jungle out of the dog. Called instinct.

[Proud Owner]

For all you Jerks and I mean it, who say Pits are useless, put them all down. Explain that to my children.......
It would break their hearts. The instance of the family pets attacking the children. Well the little boy recently that died in the rottie attack, it was supposedly the family pet. It was kept tied up in a garage. Not much of a pet. Again I state, it's how you raise them, treat them, SOCIALIZE them.
Like I said before, unless you have actually come into contact one. SHUT UP! Because it is another case of not knowing what you are talking about. I guess I am going to have to start taking mine door to door in all of the KC metro area to get some people to realize they are not all MEAN!

[Anonymous]

I work for a local Animal Control,

I feel that stronger enforcement laws are needed as well as education to the public. All breeds bite, all bites hurt. All it takes is a call to the proper authorities to put out a fire. Don't be scared to help out the authorities either, sign the forms and go to court. Get the bad out of the neighborhood. People need to take care of the animals and respect the nature of God's life.

Bless the victims and may the owners live in regret.

[dg]

While looking for a house we found a very nice one. Then we go out into the backyard and all you could hear was barking from the pit bull dog in a small pen, chained up a few houses down. No matter how much we loved the house and the price it wasn't worth living close enought to something that would kill my children on a Sunday afternoon. Yes I think there should be a ban on Pit Bull dogs. I can't walk around with my loaded guns so what's the difference owning something that's gonna kill.
DG

[DW]

Any dog kept in a small pen chained up would end up terrorizing the neighborhood if they got loose, not just pit bulls.

[K]

DW...this is true, but the damage is on a different level. A Pit has the potential to KILL a grown man mowing his lawn, a schnauzer doesn't.

[yo]

Pit bulls deserve their reputation. They do what they have been bread to do.

Pit bulls are one of the breeds that are still just wild animals. Roy (of Siegfried and Roy) thought that his 7 year old white tiger was docile too, until it nearly killed him.

[DGT]

The dog owners need to serve 10 years in prison for keeping dangerous animals and allowing dangerous animals to attack and injure others.

[SM]

Responsible dog breeders don't breed pit bulls to attack people. Responsible dog breeders recognize when one of the dogs that they are breeding has temperament issues and doesn't breed it. Responsible dog breeders socialize their puppies so that this doesn't happen and recognize when one of their puppies has issues and doesn't place that puppy.

Irresponsible dog breeders could care less what kind of dog is being bred as long as it looks somewhat kind of like the dog that they wanna sell. Irresponsible dog breeders don't do anything with a puppy other than keep it in a cage until the paycheck arrives.

Responsible dog owners socialize their animals and treat them humanely.

Irresonsible dog owners want that dog because people are afraid of it and do even more to that dog so that it acts just like people think it will.

The Roy example was a bad example. I'm pretty sure that they don't breed tigers for temperament and other such issues. I'm pretty sure that they breed those tigers so that they don't go extinct.

[Larry]

Uncontrolled dogs are a problem anywhere.

My new neighbor chained a few large dogs in his yard. They'd bark constantly. A few times they'd get loose and run through the neighborhood.

After a few months and many complaints, two of us shot the damn dogs.

The guy bought another dog and we killed it that day.

He moved out. Guess he didn't like his neighbors.

[Paul]

CATS RULE!!!!! Seriously I'm sorry for the victoms of Pit Bull attacks, and understand the feelings of people who don't like them and wants them banned.Historicaly Pit Bulls were bred to be fighters..

[yo]

Responsible breeders don't breed pit bulls.

[Big Bad John]

Hey proud owner---How ignorant can you be? please go to google and puch in "pit bull attacks"---you will find 81 pages on this issue. To call us "mean" because we think they are dangerous is sad. The facts speak for themselves...wise-up--the boy you mentioned is only ONE incident

[Rodney King]

Can't you dog freaks just all get along?

[DD]

Hey Larry, Bet you felt like a real man when you did that. Did it get you excited when you shot the other dog the day your neighbor got it. Pretty cool. Bet you put on your camo gear and painted you face too. I can see it now, Larry, his camo gear and painted face crawling through the back yard, just out of reach of the chain. Calmly, with extreme confidence pulling the trigger. What a Man.... WOW...... In the face of such danger. I mean, a barking dog after all. Hey, there are some kids in your neighborhood too. They make alot of noise. Maybe you could..... Nah, they arent chained up so they would run around and you would have to chase them to get a good shot. Rock on Hunter Man Larry. You are the bomb.

[sasquach]

Shouldn’t we ban german shepherds, rotts, chows, pinchers, labs, boxers, retrievers, great danes, mastiffs, st. bernards, and any other dog that gets over 50 lbs. Any one of them can kill someone. Cats can cause toxoplasmosis, so we should ban them too. Lizards and turtles should be banned to because they can cause salmonella. Horses can kill people with a single kick, so they should be banned. Squirrels are one of the largest carriers of rabies so they should be banned. Anyone in kansas city that has a dog without a license is breaking the law, so their dogs should be killed. Along with anyone's children, if their parents ever hurt someone.

[lr]

yeah, Larry, I'm really impressed with the heroics described there. Hope you got a big rush. You sure sound proud for the dog killing and killing a new one on the same day. Hope nobody mistakes your talking for barking and shoots you by accident.

[Proud Owner]

Hey YO.

Have you looked up the instances in OTHER breeds? Yes, Pits have a harder bite, they have a stronger jaw.

A few Quotes for you:
Pethelp.net
Dog bites from larger breeds are more severe than bites from smaller dogs because of the size of the injuries and the dog's ability to knock a person down during an attack. However, large dogs DO NOT ATTACK MORE OFTEN THAN SMALL DOGS. A large dog attack is just more injurious.

From dogbitelaw.com
However, while banning the pit bull might lower the number of human deaths, such a ban would probably not reduce dog bites in any significant manner. After the United Kingdom banned pit bulls in the 1990s, a study showed that the number of dog bites remained the same even though the number of pit bulls had steeply declined. (Study cited in B. Heady and P. Krause, "Health Benefits and Potential Public Savings Due to Pets: Australian and German Survey Results," Australian Social Monitor, Vol.2, No.2, May 1999.)
The most horrifying example of the lack of breed predictability is the October 2000 death of a 6-week-old baby, which was killed by her family's Pomeranian dog. The average weight of a Pomeranian is about 4 pounds, and they are not thought of as a dangerous breed. Note, however, that they were bred to be watchdogs! The baby's uncle left the infant and the dog on a bed while the uncle prepared her bottle in the kitchen. Upon his return, the dog was mauling the baby, who died shortly afterwards. ("Baby Girl Killed by Family Dog," Los Angeles Times, Monday, October 9, 2000, Home Edition, Metro Section, Page B-5.)

Do some research then comment!

[Big Bad John]

I have done the research and it tells me that Pit Bulls are dangerous and their owners are scum

[Juls]

"Any dog, regardless of breed, is only as dangerous as his/her owner allows it to be."

http://www.fataldogattacks.com/

DG - you could take a class and carry a gun, unless you are a felon. Comparison null & void.

The irresponsible pet owners should face stiffer fines & penalities. If you see a dog roped up to a tree call them in. Unless you are a breeder your animal should be spayed or neutered. There are so many unwanted animals now. We need birth control for dogs.

[Juls]

Big Bad John - why don't you write something of interest instead of showing your own ingnorance by doing 5th grade name calling.

[JB n KC]

First posting, so bear with me...

The ignorance that is being posted about "vicious, attack dogs" is just that, ignorant. If you are afraid of big dogs, don't have one. If you don't like big dogs, don't have one. But don't just make comments about how your cousins neighbors kids best friends dads brother was attacked by a *insert big dog breed here* and they should all be shot and killed. If you are truly a concerned citizen, learn more about the breeds your condemning to death before you open your mouth.

It is very sad what happens to innocent people when ignorant people don't take care of their animals. Don't trust a dog farther than you can throw it's owner. If you don't know the owner, don't trust it, period. Regardless of the breed.

[Juls]

Well said JB.

[OldMan]

I admit, I know nothing about pit bulls other than what I see on TV and read in the papers/internet. I still think it's how the dogs are raised that make them likely to attack/bite.

I have two German Sheperds and two Shetland Sheperds (Shelties). And yes, I have city permits allowing me to have four dogs. All four are neutered so no unwanted puppies will be born. The dogs have all been to obiedence school.

Would they bite my grandchildren? I doubt it, but it's possible. Would they bite anyone? If me or my family wasn't around, probably. If an intruder were attacking a member of the family, the dogs would attack the intruder.

When the young grandkids come over, the dogs and the grandkids are never left alone. Especially if the grandkids have any type of food or drink. Usually, after being in the same room with kids for 10 minutes, I and the dogs, retreat to the bedroom for some peace and quiet.

BBJ,

Why is it that you are so quick to condemn? Soon that skeleton will come out of your closet. But then I forget, you are more educated and open minded than I am.

If you're open minded, I'd hate to see the close minded!

[htgirl]

I can't believe we have a human dog encyclopedia in here (ie: proud owner) that is freakin hilarious. exact pages/volumes/whatever. i have never had anyone get down with the nitty gritty like that before. oh, i needed a great chuckle.

i have heard that dogs like pits and rots got crazy because their brains are too small for their heads....so they go crazy and start attacking. true or false?

i would type that in google, but it might be faster to ask encyclopedia joe.

[OldMan]

I forgot to mention...

My dogs are never tied up to trees. They run loos in the back yard, do their business and come back into the house.

Twice a week, the wonderful peeople from the pet waste company come and clean up the back yard so the neighbors can enjoy their yards, too.

If you're going to own a dog (or four) they have to be part of the family, one of the kids.

You can't own a pet and leave it tied up with no socialization and not expect it to remain docile.

[Juls]

htgirl - actually I heard the doberman pinchers were cross breed so much that they got to where their head was too small for the brain.

[Big Bad John]

I wonder what percentage of pit bull owners are college-educated? I don't know but I'll venture a guess: Very darn few

[htgirl]

seriously though, i don't know much about pits, unother than the one my friends have. when they had their daughter, they bought one and raised it. she protects the family and their close friends. when someone comes over that she isn't familiar with, she will be very alert. you can tell she's watching their every move. BUT, you can train any dog to protect.
i think it's all in how you raise your pet.
i'm not for or against this pit biggot, especially since i have only been around this one pit.
my friend in high school did have a husky and he attacked a little girl who was walking and they had to put him down.

[Proud Owner]

Thank you JB well put!

[htgirl]

Juls: i believe it too! their heads are soooo small anyway. LOL.
i have heard that they do snap too.

[lr]

BBJ, You seem so certain already of the answer to your question. However, why don't you create a big survey involving your question,, tabulate the results, and then share them w/everyone.

[Owners - Not Dogs]

Seems to me that most people who own these animals are either black, Mexican or white trash. And it also seems they're left alone in cages or chained up outside. Why have an animal if you can't play with it or love it? A symbol of status? Well, it's not.

[Big Bad John]

How did you interpret that because i ventured a guess I was so certain? Thats your conclusion---and not from anything I wrote in that comment

[lr]

Your last sentence in your paragraph shows in what direction you are leaning.

[Big Bad John]

Most pit bulls are in trailer parks---the last time I checked you won't find too many college degrees there. However, If you take the time to drag a $100 bill through there you will probably find some meth, angry dogs,stupid people and some incestous activity

[Big Bad John]

where did you go to school? 2 sentences hardly qualifies as a paragraph

[lr]

Have to admit, in my area, the trailer parks contain a high degree of what you describe. Doesn't mean all of them do. I've never lived in a trailer park and don't plan on doing so.

[lr]

JJB, try convincing Catholic nuns that two sentences cannot be considered a paragraph.

[Big Bad John]

Let me say this--the trailer parks in California are pretty nice--housing costs so much there that many people feel it is the way to go....Also its obvious that some very good people come FROM trailer parks...but its true that not many feel the need to continue to live there

[Big Bad John]

IR---try to convince a Jesuit priest with a doctorate that it does

[AC]

Old Man: you are one wise man.

JB: as far as your comment that, if you don't like or are afraid of big dogs, don't have one. Tell that to the 3 men in Independence who were attacked by the pit bull. They were minding their own business when they were attacked.

Proud Owner: The info. you quoted hurt rather than helped your cause. "Large dogs don't attack more often but are JUST more injurious." JUST? That is really downplaying a very serious situation. "Banning pit bulls lowered the rate of deaths but did not significantly reduce dog bites." Would you rather be killed or bitten by a dog? Would you rather a loved one be killed or bitten? Would you rather be run over by a bicycle or semi?

You have absolutely no common sense!

[lr]

Better yet BBJ, have the Jesuit priest and the Catholic school nun teachers meet and debate the rules of paragraph and sentence structure. Keep the yardstick rulers away from them.

[OldMan]

From dogs to trailer parks and the scholarly ways of those that live there....

Let's see BBJ berates pit bulls, trailer parks, Biggin, COJ, lr & myself along with Catholics AND the education level of people that live in trailer parks.

And I'm the one that's closed minded?

Excellent post JB, I couldn't agree more.

[Big Bad John]

Please tell me when I berated Catholics? I'd sure appreciate it cause I am a practicing Catholic and proud of it

[lr]

Do you go to confession every week???

[JB n KC]

Hey Greg,
Did I miss the update that said that the owners of the three pit bulls that started all this chit chat were drug dealers that live in a trailer park selling meth?

Should I just assume that everyone posting today are pillars of society with hefty bank accounts, educated at Pembrook and PhD's from an Ivy league school? I'm certainly not, as can be ascertained by my spelling and grammer. However, I have owned a Doberman and I can assure you his brain was not so small that he went crazy. He did enjoy barking at leaves though and saving the world from those pesky parked cars. *shrug* Good thing I don't live next to Larry... Would that be justifiable homicide?

[lr]

I'm thankful too that Larry is not my neighbor as he might mistake my cat's meow for a small dog and shoot it.

[Big Bad John]

I don't go to confession every week---should I? I'm expressing my views regarding pit bulls and trailer trash--is that a sin?

[Proud Owner]

Big Bad John-

For one, I do not live in a trailer park. I happen to be a home owner, and it's not on wheels. My husband and I make a very comfortable living. You apparently didn't pull up the websites listed and read the rest of the info posted.It goes on to discuss greman shepards, mastiffs, rotts and other terrier dogs. I just grabbed a clip. Look at the Missouri Pit Bull rescue page. It's full of all kinds of information.
I am very passonate about this issue. Like I said I have one, I have been around them for quite sometime and to have everyone in KC it seems automatically be against them hurts me. I see my kids play with ours. She wouldn't hurt anything if she had to. So for someone say kill all of them yes makes me mad, more so it makes me sad that people in this country would rather break the hearts of so many families that have one and are a productive and delight to the family sets me on the defensive.
You stated that you had a friend of a friend type situation with a pit. Well my husband was raised with them. We have one, my brother has one. I think I am experienced. And that is what it boils down to is EXPERIENCED owners. Not everyone can just have a Pit, you have to know their ups and downs. We learned that Barbie dolls are apparently quite tasty!
And it's I guess in my case not common sense but passion that drives my comments, what is your reason?

[jason]

Why is most everyone one here so angry at the dogs they did what their owner TRAINED them to do!!! Why don't we go door to door and find the owners of those dogs and punish him.
let me through out a name "Sergeant Stubby"
How many of you can tell me who this is with out looikng it up on the net?
Pit bulls history show them to be family dogs.
Jason

[lr]

Now BBJ, the design of my question was not for you to feel defensive. You simply stated you were a practicing Catholic, and confession is a part of being a practicing Catholic. Therefore, merely curious as to whether you make confession a weekly ritual.

[JB n KC]

Nope, BBJ... I belive it's called ignorance.

[Big Bad John]

Proud Owner----why don't you actually read the posts before you choose to comment? I didn't speak of a friend of a friend situation...in fact, I didn't speak of a situation at all

[Big Bad John]

No I don't attend confession weekly---but I would if I owned a pit Bull

[Big Bad John]

No I don't attend confession weekly---but I would if I owned a pit Bull

[lr]

JJB, in making that assumption, I would hazard to guess you have opened a can of worms with the pit bull owners.

[Vibiana]

Let's put this in proper perspective. As others have said, this problem can exist with any breed. There are certain things pet owners should NOT do:

Let animals run loose (THIS IS A MAJOR PROBLEM WITH BOTH DOG AND CAT OWNERS!)

Keep dogs tied up (increases aggression and frustrates the animal)

Make pets stay outside in all kinds of weather with no shelter

Fail to provide easily available fresh food, clean water, medical attention and preventive care INCLUDING spaying/neutering to prevent the creation of homeless puppies and kittens

I think if more pet owners were responsible, it would be better for everyone, no matter what breeds were chosen.

[John]

JB:

I have never considered Pit Bulls to be big dogs. Size-wise, the ones I've met aren't big. Do most people consider Pit Bulls to be big dogs?

htgirl:

The skull/brain size thing is something I'd heard a long time ago regarding "killer" Doberman Pinschers. I have no idea if it's true or not, but would seem to be a physical defect, something good breeders would eliminate.

Oldman:

Dogs as part of the family - absolutely true. Dogs should be socialized with people and understand that they are beneath people in the pack. Dogs have to be part of a pack and follow a pack leader. If a dog is not part of a pack and doesn't know its place it uses confrontational behaviour to the best of its ability until it *finds* its place.

[lr]

Right on, Vib. Luckily in my area, aside from the one bad pit pull incident last year (loser owners as previously described long before), most owners keep their cats in, take good care of their dogs and cats, no chaining, AND they get their animals spayed/neutered. My friend w/Animal Constrol (not surprisingly) said my neighborhood is one of their least patrolled as a result.

[JB n KC]

Well, that is what I'm here for. *grin* I do enjoy being the worm can opener.

[JB n KC]

I guess I was just lumping Pits in with all the other dog breeds that get mentioned with them. You're right, size wise they are not big dogs. My mistake, sorry.

[Proud Owner]

Oh Sorry, like I said Passionate. What are you discussing them for anyway? You clearly know nothing about them.
As for size no not all of them are this big massive thing people think. Mine hardly weight 50lbs. And is 4 yrs old. And eats TONS!

Vib- Thank you. Like I said responsible and experienced owners!

BBJ,

My apologies, I read a post of yours incorrectly. Here's that post from another blog:

Greg thanks-----perhaps Biggin and Champion of Stupity are not the same person...but they certainly do have the same mentality ( that of right wing small thinking fundamentalists who spend most of their lives blaming minorities, catholics,the unemployed, the dis-enfranchised,the poor and those less fortunate for all of their own personal failings) The ignorant are certainly entitled to their opinions and I'm constantly reminded of such whenever I read their posts.

Posted by: Big Bad John | Thursday, May 04, 2006 at 05:22 PM

And you also made this statement on that blog:

oldMan----i read their posts---please don't try and interpret for me----I can assure you that I'm more educated and open-minded than the 3 of you together
Posted by: Big Bad John | Thursday, May 04, 2006 at 06:45 PM

Now let's talk credibility.

Your claim of been more open minded than I appears to be false.

As for berating Catholics, the above post shows you berated me, a Catholic. This you do berate Catholics.

Since your credibility seems to lack in these areas, where else might it be lacking?

Vib...It's all in the way you treat the dogs. Sorta like people, too!

[Juls]

BBJ - are you still in school? Your comments make you seem like you might still be in junior high. Very few trailers anymore, now they are modular homes.

Profess to be a practicing catholic but so close minded. Are they teaching you that in CCD class?

Any animal is only as good as the owner. If I was tied to a tree everyday and had to fend for my own food - I would tear something up. Higher fines & punishment. Bet if/when the owner if found he could get more then 8 years in prison and nobody was murdered. I can't believe nobody knows where the dogs belonged. There is one mutt (not a pit) in my neighborhood and I know who owns it.

[Big Bad John]

Where was it you indentified yourself as a Catholic? How would I have possibly known that moron?

[Big bad John]

Now wheres your credabilty?

[Jeanita Ives]

Jan.15 our 4 yr Old English Sheepdog was attacked in his own fenced yard by 2 pit bulls my husband and I had spotted running loose 2 blocks from our home on our way to church. I wanted to call and report them so no children would be harmed but Animal Control doesn't pick up dogs on Sunday. We discovered our own dog was the victim 2 hours later. He lived long enough to run up a $1200 vet bill and suffer much trama. Fortunately for my husband he took a gun down the hill when he went to see about our pet. One pit was standing over his prey and attacked my husband. The other was hinding in wait. After the first was killed, the other lunged also at my husband and was shot but only injured. 4 patrols calls answered my call for help but no one took a report or even asked to see my injured dog who had somehow walked 200 feet to the house before collapsing. I am thankful that no unarmed person tried to rescue our dog as they would have been seriously injured.
The owner of the dogs chained the injured dog up in its dog house where animal control and my husband found it bleeding to death 6 hours later. It was taken to Animal Control where it was put down(they do answer calls on injuries on weekends but because the City Council cut their budget the cannot provide full services all week.)
The owner was served with 4 violations and in court was advised by the judge to get an attorney as 2 of the charges were punishable by jail time. The court date is in June. When we sat in the court room the first time, it was dog day...and most of the dogs involved in violations were pit bulls. In Kansas you cannot even own a pit bull as they are regarded too dangerous. There are still at least 2 pit bulls that live in this neighborhood I know about. I agree that much of the temperment of a dog depends on how it is raised. But people who chain dogs up for hours at a time with thick heavy collars and chains and locks that way 5 pounds or more around the neck ar not raising pets. I think if owners of dogs that are known to have a high track record of violence toward other animals and humans should be required to post a hefty bond to keep them. People may think twice about picking up that "cute little puppy" that never harms anyone in the family. That cute little puppy has genes bred into it to kill...that is what the breed was designed to do and they tend to turn on their owners at the most unexpected time. They are not very far from the "call of the wild". Think twice before you own such a dog.
Animal Control will check out such dogs to determine whether or not they are "deemed dangerous" and if they are a bond must then be posted to keep the dog. If we don't call then we may be the next victim.

[Champion of Justice]

Big Bad John (Toilet Blog Poster). Here I am and if you want to attack me...deal with my pitbull.

[Sasquach]

The real problem here is that it is impossible to regulate all the owners of potentially dangerous dogs. That is why cities end up passing general bans. If there was an enforced leash law in KC it might take care of the problem, but take a look at the effectiveness of the dog license law.

No good way to fix the situation. (unless we kill them all, but that's just mean)

[Champion of Justice]

If you ask me...ex-spouses are a lot like a dog of any breed...(female dogs that is). They are vicious and nasty and need to be put down.

[Champion of Justice]

Why do people need dogs anyway? All these animals do is urinate, defecate, regurgitate, and shed all over one's abode. Who needs that?

[OldMan]

Here's the post also from another blog:

I apologize for bringing this into this blog, but since my credibility has been questioned by BBJ, I believe I have the right to defend

BBJ -

So, you are more educated and open-minded than the 3 of us together. How about each of us separately?

You don't know me or my background. I doubt that your statement about us is true.

I usually disagree with COJ and Biggin. Sometimes if you really comprehend the jist of their posts, there is a glimmer of truth in what they say.

So, BBJ, jump off that high horse. You're really no better that what you claim them (us) to be.

I dislike the far left just as much as I dislike the far right. Both are maniacs that require close monitoring.

I gotta hand it to you, though. It's the first time that I, a card carrying member of the ALCU, have been called a right wing small thinking fundamentalist.

Oh yeah, I am Catholic. Thank you very much for knowing so much about me.

Lori -

I'm confused. You state you are c) under 30 but also state you are twice Esmie's age. Must be the new math.

You are correct about the age of 16. It takes nine months to make a body. It takes 25 years to make a mind.

Biggin,

I'm SO old...
I taught Moses how to part water.

To all...

Prior to this post, I have expressed my thoughts on Esmie's sentence. It was a plea agreement to which all parties agreed. I doubt that the prosecution would have won a conviction of 1st degree murder. Maybe second degree, as with most crimes of passion. Unless there was way more evidence than what's been shared with the public, voluntary manslaughter is about what they'd win.

Do I think she'll get the help she needs in prison? I sure hope so. I pray that when she gets out of jail she can re-establish a relationship with her father, put the past behind her and try to recover her life. But, as Lori points out, being of Italian/Irish heritage gives me no perception into Asian family values.

It is a shame that the potential of the next 70 years of her life were taken in a few minutes of rage. And I'm well aware that this happens every minute of every day to someone else.

Posted by: OldMan | Friday, May 05, 2006 at 11:39 AM

It's not my fault, you don't read everything.

I am obviously not a moron. Your credibility keeps shrinking.

[Juls]

BBJ - you stated "Please tell me when I berated Catholics? I'd sure appreciate it cause I am a practicing Catholic and proud of it"

Posted by: Big Bad John | Friday, May 05, 2006 at 01:49 PM

This is my last post to you because you just want to do name calling.

Champ, I hope your pit has a bad case of rabies when he bites Big Bad John. Missed you the past few days!

[John]

Jeanita, really sorry to hear about your dog, I know if it were one of mine I would react that same way your husband did.

[Champion of Justice]

I have no dog. But I am rabid. Rabid with a sense of truth, light, justice, and the American Way!

[lr]

Whew, after reading COJ's posting listed above, I am sure glad I am not an ex-spouse!

[Champion of Justice]

The most sincerest form of flattery....there can be only one Champion of Justice!

[Glenn aka Bad Boy as Champion of Justice]

They cant be more than one true champion of justice ??? Awwwwwwwww

(Pick a nick, BadBoy, Manic Depressive, Goober, John Boy and Glenn. More spoofing and you go away. Thanks, Greg Reeves)

[Champion of Justice]

Often imitated, never equaled.

[capitan]

Proud Owner: "From dogbitelaw.com
However, while banning the pit bull might lower the number of human deaths, ..."

duh... that's the point.

[JB n KC]

Are we done with the vicious pit bull topic?

[lr]

COJ, it sounds like you need to create a comic book--Champion of Justice sounds like a good comic book figure. I don't read comics, so maybe there already is a Champion of Justice in existence in that realm.

[lr]

Down boy,down boy!!!

[AC]

Jeanita, I too am sorry about your dog. If that had happened to one of my pets, my letter would have sounded much angrier than yours does. I agree that the genes are bred into these dogs to kill. It was very fortunate that no person was hurt badly on the day your dear dog was attacked. Pit bulls have a bad reputation for a reason!

[sup]

Don't forget that arguing on the Internet is like running in the Special Olympics. Even if you win, you're still retarded.

[KerrDaddy]

LOL

[Kelly]

sup...that was completely uncalled for and extremely tacky. I'm hoping Greg will erase that comment.

[BF]

OK, whether you like pit bulls or not, whether you think they're dangerous or not - with their history of mauling and killing humans, and a history of the owners going to jail for such, and a history of owners being sued for such maulings and killings, WHY IN THE WORLD WOULD YOU WANT TO TAKE THAT KIND OF RISK?

Yes, I do believe that most pit bulls are wonderful pets and that it's probably their upbringing that makes them dangerous around children, but I would never take a chance on a bread that has such a horrible history. I just wouldn't ever do it.

[Juls]

Wonder makes a good loaf of BREAD!

[OldMan]

Okay,

Back to vicious pit bulls or simply vicious dogs.

I think most of us agree that if you treat/raise your dog right, the possibilty of it becoming vicious decreases.

COJ,

Why have a dog? Because unlike my wife, my dogs are happy to see me every evening when I come home.

There is something to be said about seeing four dogs, wagging their tails like there's no tomorrow, each awaiting its turn to be shown affection. Each knowing the pack order and waiting their turn.

The female German Shepherd is the boss dog. When I was in the rehab hospital she learned to become a service dog so while I recovered from my stay in ICU and re-learned how to do everything that used to come naturally, she could help me. My wife, who suffers from MS, has enough trouble wothout worrying about me.

I wouldn't trade my dogs for anything. When all seems lost, it's nice to know that there's at least one living creature that's glad you're alive.

[Champion of Justice]

I had a weinur dog. Loved it like a person. She died on me after 15 yrs. Pets! God you gotta love 'em!

[Kelly]

Wow, after reading that last post of yours Champion, I guess you can't be all bad. My dog of 11 years died in January and it truly felt like I lost a family member. I still get sad when I think of him and look at pictures.

[John Boy]

Do these owners, if found, qualify for jail time?

[Champion of Justice]

Remember everyone....All Dogs go to Heaven.

[OldMan]

Too bad Larry, the dog shooter, won't be in heaven. Sounds like there's a few dogs waiting for him already!

[sasquach]

Typically if a dog kills someone, the owner gets charged with manslaughter. If they only maim they will often only get criminal negligence, unless they intentionally had the dog attack someone.

[Joyce S]

I was attacked by a rooster as a child - still have scars on my legs and arm. My mom fried him!

I have lived with rott mixes for 15 years - I don't say I own a dog because it was a mutual decision. My current dog - Dora the explora - is a rott-pit mix from the pound who doesn't really like to be out after dark but she's fierce when we pack up :-)

If you die with dogs in the house - they will wait with you until you're found and then will probably guard you. If you die with the cat in the house - you better have planned ahead and left lots of cat food cans open. Cats will snack while they await the next litterbox cleaner.

Let it be known the cat runs our house.

[John Boy]

True..dogs are loyal to their owners..cats are true to themselves..to thine own self be true...

[Champion of Justice]

True justice would be letting the owners of vicious dogs be their next victims.

[John Boy]

Yea, if they can find them...loose dogs, probably didnt have tags...

[Champion of Justice]

Then true justice for those dog would be: not to be shot and killed. No. They should be bitten by three vicious humans. Sasquah, Openmind and Big Bad John!

[Singing Bryan]

My wife’s family operates a not-for-profit that rescues dogs. They have just about every kind of dog you can imagine. You simply would not believe the cruel, inhumane things people do to animals. Personally, I don't believe there’s a breed of dog that is inherently mean or dangerous. Like someone posted earlier, if you chain it to a tree and never pay any attention to it, an animal is much more likely to be dangerous to others.

What's worse are the stories we hear about drug dealers and dog fighters who feed their animals gun powder to make them mean and aggressive. While I believe an animal that seriously injures someone should be put down, I also believe that authorities should be more vigilant in responding to reports of animal cruelty and neglect. Have you ever tried to get a law enforcement agency to respond to reports of cruelty? Good luck! They act like you should just let the animal suffer and mind your own business. What kind of monster gets a dog just to abuse it and make it suffer?

I don't claim to be an expert, but I'd be willing to bet that 95% of all attacks by pit bulls, rottweilers, dobermans, german shepards, et al., are the result of horrible owners who want mean guard dogs (or fighting dogs) and condition the animals to have aggressive dispositions.

I love dogs more than I do most of the people I know, but I don't have much regard for pit bulls or rottweilers. Still, I would venture to say that the vast majority of pit bull owners get pit bulls because they WANT them to be mean, and raise them accordingly. Give me a pit bull puppy and let me raise it - I'll bet you it ends up being the sweetest beast you'd ever meet.

Much like children, a dog's behavior can tell you all you need to know about the owner.

Take good care of them. They will love you for it.

Bryan

[Joyce S]

God should've rested on the 6th day and played golf on the 7th :-) The planet would've been the better for it!

[John Boy]

But then you wouldnt be here

[Joyce S]

I'd have come as a cat

[stildreamn]

Real Simple:

Outlaw the Pit-Bull = People who want viscous dogs will find the dog that has been most reported as a viscous dog, get one and instill in it the same discipline. More stories will ensue about what a great attack dog the SnitzerSnouzer or whatever they get is and more idiots who want a human attacking dog will buy them... Outlaw them... they just return to the Vicious dog list and pick the next and so on, and so on, and so on....

This is about people, this is about people watching out for people, this is about caring what goes on in your world and doing something positive to impact it. Its about getting out on your porch every now and then and listening to your neighborhood. It's about taking a walk and meeting the neighbors and building communities.

We are workaholics, gameaholics, tv-aholics, depraved, depressed and undersocialized and thus... whatever goes on in our neighborhoods happens and we only pray that we don't find out. If we do find out we pray that no one knows we know because that would make us responsible.

How old were these Pitbulls??? I live in that neighborhood and I have 5 kids and I feel damn guilty because I don't know where those dogs came from. How do 3 viscous animals get raised right under our noses and treated the way they obviously were and no one knows... oh wait.. yea they do.

Because if you step into the local convenience store and wait a while, listen to the conversations, you'll here what I heard, Names.... names of people who live there under our noses who own dogs that they neglect, beat, starve, or in some cases TRAIN to kill, and lots of people know lots of people that they just KNEW ... this was BOUND to happen some day... SO WHO IS RESPONSIBLE?

EVERY ONE OF US IS RESPONSIBLE.

I WON’T BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS AGAIN.

[Peace loving man]

COJ, what happened in your childhood to make you such a despicable human being? I suppose instead of slapping you as a newborn the doctor slapped your mother because he could already tell how ignorant you were. I can't think of another explanation except that perhaps you are Hitler's last spawn

[Mike]

Sorry Greg. Just getting back to the site. The Star reported it just a few weeks ago. As I remember, a man in the Northland had a pit bull as a pet, and for some reason the dog got aggravated and killed his little boy. I never saw any follow-up to the story, so maybe, for some reason, the initial story was inaccurate or, heaven forbid, I read it wrong.

[Mike]

And to Ir, understand your slant; however, prefer objectivity over emotion. What can almost certainly be said is there are some irresponsible dog owners.
Pit bulls are heavily regulated if not outright prohibited in most of our suburban towns, as they are in most parts of the country. KC really needs to catch up. If Jackson County would require microchipping of all dogs and cats either sold or adopted it would make it much easier to track down irresponsible owners. Microchipping is something Wayside Waifs and most pet shelters already do, it's safe, simple, economical, and painless, and it works. Most of these towns use a microchip to track down the owner when their pet gets loose, helping the owner recover their pet instead of destroying it.

[K]

Stildreamn....who are you kidding? You live in that neighborhood and can't believe someone treated their dogs like that? Come on! Take a drive around the block - that neighborhood is FULL of people who have their dogs tied out back with a bowl of dirty water somewhere near by and consider that taking care of their animal. That neighborhood is about one notch up from a trailer park. Sorry....

Oh come on K, this neighborhood isn't bad. There are people here who don't take care of their animals just like there are people in every neighborhood that doesn't take care of their animals. It's definitely not FULL of people like that.

I don't need to take a drive around the block to figure that out either since I'm walking out in the neighborhood several times a week.

Blanket judgements like what you made just show what you really