Another victim of doctor's dogs
http://www.philly.com/philly/news/20091223_Another_dog_attack_again_puts_N_J__doctor_in_spotlight__this_time__ear_of_3-year-old_was_severed.html
This time, ear of 3-year-old was severed
By JASON NARK
Philadelphia Daily News
narkj@phillynews.com
856-779-3231
You can apparently teach an orthopedic surgeon how to become a goat farmer, but you can't teach his old dogs new tricks.
A few months after a Camden County Superior Court judge ruled that one of Dr. Robert Taffet's Rhodesian Ridgebacks, Rocky, was "defending itself" when it bit a cardiologist in the affluent borough of Haddonfield, Taffet bought a farm for $829,400 in Alloway Township, Salem County.
Rocky's case wasn't the first time that Taffet's Ridgebacks - bred to hunt lions in Africa - had landed him in court, but he and wife, Michele, hoped it was the last.
"We're looking forward to going on with our lives, hopefully peacefully," Taffet told the Daily News in February, after leaving the courthouse.
Taffet told a Salem County newspaper that he planned to raise goats for their meat on his 143-acre farm.
But a peaceful life on the farm ended for Taffet on Nov. 18, when he found himself holding a little girl's bloody, severed ear.
Cindi McVeigh, of Pennsville, Salem County, said that she had no idea that any of the Ridgebacks had ever bitten anyone when she visited the Taffets' farm that evening.
She said that her 3-year-old daughter, Claire, and her 4-year-old son, Patrick, were in a barn there with Taffet and his daughter. Then she heard screaming.
"Claire fell on the ground in the barn and, as she was getting up, made eye contact with Duke. The dog then attacked her, ripping her ear off completely," McVeigh said in an e-mail.
According to McVeigh, Taffet handed the ear to EMTs when they arrived at the home. It took several surgeries and a week in the Alfred I. duPont Hospital for Children near Wilmington, Del., to reattach the ear, McVeigh said, and Claire will require more operations as she grows older.
New Jersey State Police said that no charges had been filed. A local animal-control officer said that he was awaiting word from the McVeighs before he took action against Duke, one of several adult Ridgebacks that McVeigh said were at the farm.
Taffet and his attorney declined to comment about the incident. McVeigh's attorney, John Brinkmann, said that the doctor had declined to disclose his dogs' history to McVeigh.
"It just seems odd that for whatever reason, the owner felt confident enough to say, 'Don't worry, the dog is friendly,' " he said. "If [McVeigh] had an idea about the dogs, she never would have put the child down."
Susanne LaFrankie Principato, a neighbor of the Taffets in Haddonfield, and who claims that her family was terrorized by the dogs, said that she was not surprised by the attack but only that the culprit wasn't Rocky.
"I'm outraged," the former 6ABC reporter said. "This is exactly what I wanted to prevent - another child from getting bitten."
Before Nov. 18, Rocky had been the Taffet's most notorious Ridgeback. Taffet owns at least three others.
In 2002, Dr. Michael Harkins said that Rocky and another Ridgeback, the late Pluto, pinned down his golden retriever in a Haddonfield park. When Harkins tried to intervene, he was bitten so badly he required 30 stitches. In 2004, Rocky allegedly left puncture wounds in the shoulder of a 14-year-old girl who had been in the Taffet home.
There were also reports that Rocky had bitten one of the Taffets' own children and a boy at a Haddonfield Little League game in 2003, said Mario Iavicoli, Haddonfield's solicitor.
The stream of complaints led a Haddonfield municipal judge to label Rocky as "potentially dangerous," which meant that the dog would have to wear a muzzle in public. The Taffets appealed and in February, Superior Court Judge John T. McNeil reversed the initial "potentially dangerous" decision, claiming that Harkins had "overreacted" and provoked the Ridgebacks.
The ruling baffled Haddonfield officials, and the borough immediately filed an appeal that will be heard in Trenton next month.
"He should be doing these things voluntarily, not fighting them," Iavicoli said. "He has to protect the public from his animals."
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
Complaints against Joe Namath's Shepherd, Labrador and Weimeraner
Flags down on Namath dogs
http://www.nypost.com/p/pagesix/flags_down_on_namath_dogs_RMnltfkDINzMQ104dcI0KP
Last Updated: 11:09 AM, December 23, 2009
Posted: 1:18 AM, December 23, 2009
Jets Super Bowl legend Joe Namath is getting blitzed by a former UPS driver who claims he was attacked by the grid great's three dogs while making a delivery to Namath's Florida home.
David Gunter, in a lawsuit filed in West Palm Beach, says Broadway Joe's German shepherd, Weimaraner and Labrador retriever caused him to suffer "vicious and serious personal injuries" during the 2007 attack in Tequesta.
Gunter's lawyers say that he hasn't been able to work since then and that he needs four operations to repair his neck, back and a knee, The Post's Rich Calder reports.
Namath's lawyer didn't respond to e-mails and telephone messages.
Namath's dogs have caused trouble before. Other complaints were previously filed against two of them, and one, Leo the Labrador, was ordered last month to be muzzled and leashed full-time.
Before filing his suit, Gunter went before a special magistrate last month. "I was basically in fear of my life," the ex-delivery man said.
At the hearing, Namath, 66, tried to claim that his dogs aren't dangerous. "I have pictures at home of them with children," he said. But WPBF-TV in Florida reported Namath also conceded, "They may be aggressive at times," since "they're dogs."
Namath -- who famously led the Jets to a 16-7 victory over the heavily favored Baltimore Colts in 1969 at Super Bowl III -- defended his pooches:
"You're talking about people aggressively attacking . . . I've had people come up to my kitchen window, up to my front door, and I don't know who they are," he said. "I say 'Go away.' I get fired up. My dogs infer that fired-up [attitude.]"
http://www.nypost.com/p/pagesix/flags_down_on_namath_dogs_RMnltfkDINzMQ104dcI0KP
Last Updated: 11:09 AM, December 23, 2009
Posted: 1:18 AM, December 23, 2009
Jets Super Bowl legend Joe Namath is getting blitzed by a former UPS driver who claims he was attacked by the grid great's three dogs while making a delivery to Namath's Florida home.
David Gunter, in a lawsuit filed in West Palm Beach, says Broadway Joe's German shepherd, Weimaraner and Labrador retriever caused him to suffer "vicious and serious personal injuries" during the 2007 attack in Tequesta.
Gunter's lawyers say that he hasn't been able to work since then and that he needs four operations to repair his neck, back and a knee, The Post's Rich Calder reports.
Namath's lawyer didn't respond to e-mails and telephone messages.
Namath's dogs have caused trouble before. Other complaints were previously filed against two of them, and one, Leo the Labrador, was ordered last month to be muzzled and leashed full-time.
Before filing his suit, Gunter went before a special magistrate last month. "I was basically in fear of my life," the ex-delivery man said.
At the hearing, Namath, 66, tried to claim that his dogs aren't dangerous. "I have pictures at home of them with children," he said. But WPBF-TV in Florida reported Namath also conceded, "They may be aggressive at times," since "they're dogs."
Namath -- who famously led the Jets to a 16-7 victory over the heavily favored Baltimore Colts in 1969 at Super Bowl III -- defended his pooches:
"You're talking about people aggressively attacking . . . I've had people come up to my kitchen window, up to my front door, and I don't know who they are," he said. "I say 'Go away.' I get fired up. My dogs infer that fired-up [attitude.]"
Fatal Weimeraner attack on young boy (Cape Coral, FL)
Two year old boy dead from dog attack in Cape Coral, FL
http://btoellner.typepad.com/kcdogblog/2009/12/two-year-old-boy-dead-from-dog-attack-in-cape-coral-fl.html
A two year old boy, Liam Perk, died yesterday after being attacked by one of the family's two pet Weimaraners. The eight year old male, which by all reports was well cared for and an indoor dog, bit the young boy in the neck -- the boy died less than an hour later.
The AP Wire story, which unfortunately is what most newspapers ran, says the dog attacked the boy "without any apparent provocation". But that's really not how dogs work -- they almost never "just snap" and or bite for no reason.
The Cape Coral Daily Breeze at least provides a more rational explanation:
"Something apparently, obviously, startled the dog when the child walked by and the dog immediately snapped at the child and bit him in the neck area," said police spokesperson Connie Barron.
The Fort Myers News Press also has a valid look:
"Animals will react in a fight or flight response depending on the circumstances," said Adam Leath, Chief of Lee County Animal Services.
"Kids play with dogs and pull tails and ears and dogs don't like it," said Dr. Robert South, epidemiologist with the Lee County Health Department. "It really comes down to the ability of the owners to have a well-trained dog and to teach children to be appropriately cautious around animals."
If more information becomes available on this story I will certainly post it....although the family has understandably requested privacy during their time of mourning.
My heart goes out to the family of Liam Perk -- and I hope others may be able to eventually learn from their tragedy.
http://btoellner.typepad.com/kcdogblog/2009/12/two-year-old-boy-dead-from-dog-attack-in-cape-coral-fl.html
A two year old boy, Liam Perk, died yesterday after being attacked by one of the family's two pet Weimaraners. The eight year old male, which by all reports was well cared for and an indoor dog, bit the young boy in the neck -- the boy died less than an hour later.
The AP Wire story, which unfortunately is what most newspapers ran, says the dog attacked the boy "without any apparent provocation". But that's really not how dogs work -- they almost never "just snap" and or bite for no reason.
The Cape Coral Daily Breeze at least provides a more rational explanation:
"Something apparently, obviously, startled the dog when the child walked by and the dog immediately snapped at the child and bit him in the neck area," said police spokesperson Connie Barron.
The Fort Myers News Press also has a valid look:
"Animals will react in a fight or flight response depending on the circumstances," said Adam Leath, Chief of Lee County Animal Services.
"Kids play with dogs and pull tails and ears and dogs don't like it," said Dr. Robert South, epidemiologist with the Lee County Health Department. "It really comes down to the ability of the owners to have a well-trained dog and to teach children to be appropriately cautious around animals."
If more information becomes available on this story I will certainly post it....although the family has understandably requested privacy during their time of mourning.
My heart goes out to the family of Liam Perk -- and I hope others may be able to eventually learn from their tragedy.
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
Belgian Malinois attacks girl (San Antonio, TX)
Little girl bitten on the face by stray dog family had tried to rescue
http://www.woai.com/news/local/story/Little-girl-bitten-on-the-face-by-stray-dog/XCd6d2UyhUq3QjHxisvRmw.cspx
Reported by: Demond Fernandez
Email: DemondFernandez@woaitv.com
Last Update: 11/19 6:08 pm
Little girl attacked and bitten by dog
Related Links
Follow up: Girl faces additional surgery after mauling by dog
SAN ANTONIO – Emergency workers rushed to a house on Irongate Oak to treat a 10-year-old girl who was bitten by a large dog Wednesday night. Deputies say the injured child was attacked while playing video games with her brother.
“The dog came up and started nudging the controller that the young man had in his hand,” said Lt. Phillip Dreyer. “The young lady reached up to shoo the dog away.”
Investigators say it was a Belgian Malinois that attacked the child. The dog bit the girl several times in the face.
“She’ll probably have to have a little bit of reconstructive or plastic surgery on some of the marks,” said Lt. Dreyer about the injured child.
Deputies say the 3-year-old dog is a stray the little girl’s family took in a few days ago. Animal Care Services has now placed the dog under quarantine and rabies observation.
The child was rushed to University Hospital. Emergency workers say they believe she will recover from her injuries.
http://www.woai.com/news/local/story/Little-girl-bitten-on-the-face-by-stray-dog/XCd6d2UyhUq3QjHxisvRmw.cspx
Reported by: Demond Fernandez
Email: DemondFernandez@woaitv.com
Last Update: 11/19 6:08 pm
Little girl attacked and bitten by dog
Related Links
Follow up: Girl faces additional surgery after mauling by dog
SAN ANTONIO – Emergency workers rushed to a house on Irongate Oak to treat a 10-year-old girl who was bitten by a large dog Wednesday night. Deputies say the injured child was attacked while playing video games with her brother.
“The dog came up and started nudging the controller that the young man had in his hand,” said Lt. Phillip Dreyer. “The young lady reached up to shoo the dog away.”
Investigators say it was a Belgian Malinois that attacked the child. The dog bit the girl several times in the face.
“She’ll probably have to have a little bit of reconstructive or plastic surgery on some of the marks,” said Lt. Dreyer about the injured child.
Deputies say the 3-year-old dog is a stray the little girl’s family took in a few days ago. Animal Care Services has now placed the dog under quarantine and rabies observation.
The child was rushed to University Hospital. Emergency workers say they believe she will recover from her injuries.
Rottweiler bites man (Santa Cruz, California)
Santa Cruz Man Severely Injured in Dog Bite
http://www.robertreeveslaw.com/injuryblog/2009/12/21/santa-cruz-man-severely-injured-in-dog-bite/
December 21st, 2009
A Live Oak man has been seriously injured in a dog bite attack involving a large and aggressive dog in Santa Cruz. The man suffered serious injuries with portions of his mouth ripped out. What’s worse, is that animal service officers are warning that the dog has not been found, and that there is a possibility of another attack.
According to Mercury News, the man was walking on a deserted street in the late evening when the dog attacked him and knocked him to the ground. The man says he did nothing to provoke the dog. He was severely mauled on his face, including his left eye and nose. His lips were torn off, and had to be sewn back on. According to the animal control officers, they often deal with minor dog bite attacks, but don’t frequently come across unprovoked attacks by aggressive dogs, where the dog severally injured a person before running off.
According to Mercury News, the owner of this particular dog, if it is found, is likely to face misdemeanor charges for his or her negligence in allowing a vicious dog to roam around. However, it’s most important right now for animal control officers to find the dog. They have determined that the dog is a Rottwellier-type breed weighing between 80 to 100 pounds, with black and brown fur. Animal control officers are asking anyone who has seen such a dog, or might have witnessed the attack to call them. Officers are especially worried because they have no information about the dog’s vaccination history or if it has a history of dog bite attacks.
California dog bite lawyers are familiar with the kind of fear that dog bite victims can be left with for a long time after the attack. In case of an animal attack or a dog bite, as serious as the physical scars are, they are always accompanied by severe emotional trauma. Victims who have had a ferocious dog pouncing on them, biting and mauling at them for even a few seconds, can be left with severe trauma that they may take months to recover from.
Besides, there is the substantial physical toll that such attacks take on a victim. Facial injuries are very common in dog bite attacks. Besides these, there may be bite marks to the hands, arms, legs, scalp and neck. These injuries can be extremely serious. In Virginia last week, a 42-year-old woman died when she was bitten on the neck by a friend’s dog. All accounts say that the dog did not maul the woman, but bit her at least once on the neck. Within an hour, the woman was experiencing breathing difficulties. She was rushed to the hospital where she died. Such incidents although not common, simply highlight the fact that dog bites can be much more serious than we know.
California dog bite attorneys will be hoping that animal control officers in Santa Cruz are able to find this aggressive dog before there are other serious attacks.
The Reeves Law Group is a law firm with offices throughout California dedicated exclusively to the representation of personal injury victims, including victims of dog bites. Please visit our website at trlglaw.com. If you desire a free consultation on a personal injury matter, please call us at (800) 644-8000 or email us.
The Reeves Law Group is not acting as legal counsel for any party in the matters discussed in this posting.
http://www.robertreeveslaw.com/injuryblog/2009/12/21/santa-cruz-man-severely-injured-in-dog-bite/
December 21st, 2009
A Live Oak man has been seriously injured in a dog bite attack involving a large and aggressive dog in Santa Cruz. The man suffered serious injuries with portions of his mouth ripped out. What’s worse, is that animal service officers are warning that the dog has not been found, and that there is a possibility of another attack.
According to Mercury News, the man was walking on a deserted street in the late evening when the dog attacked him and knocked him to the ground. The man says he did nothing to provoke the dog. He was severely mauled on his face, including his left eye and nose. His lips were torn off, and had to be sewn back on. According to the animal control officers, they often deal with minor dog bite attacks, but don’t frequently come across unprovoked attacks by aggressive dogs, where the dog severally injured a person before running off.
According to Mercury News, the owner of this particular dog, if it is found, is likely to face misdemeanor charges for his or her negligence in allowing a vicious dog to roam around. However, it’s most important right now for animal control officers to find the dog. They have determined that the dog is a Rottwellier-type breed weighing between 80 to 100 pounds, with black and brown fur. Animal control officers are asking anyone who has seen such a dog, or might have witnessed the attack to call them. Officers are especially worried because they have no information about the dog’s vaccination history or if it has a history of dog bite attacks.
California dog bite lawyers are familiar with the kind of fear that dog bite victims can be left with for a long time after the attack. In case of an animal attack or a dog bite, as serious as the physical scars are, they are always accompanied by severe emotional trauma. Victims who have had a ferocious dog pouncing on them, biting and mauling at them for even a few seconds, can be left with severe trauma that they may take months to recover from.
Besides, there is the substantial physical toll that such attacks take on a victim. Facial injuries are very common in dog bite attacks. Besides these, there may be bite marks to the hands, arms, legs, scalp and neck. These injuries can be extremely serious. In Virginia last week, a 42-year-old woman died when she was bitten on the neck by a friend’s dog. All accounts say that the dog did not maul the woman, but bit her at least once on the neck. Within an hour, the woman was experiencing breathing difficulties. She was rushed to the hospital where she died. Such incidents although not common, simply highlight the fact that dog bites can be much more serious than we know.
California dog bite attorneys will be hoping that animal control officers in Santa Cruz are able to find this aggressive dog before there are other serious attacks.
The Reeves Law Group is a law firm with offices throughout California dedicated exclusively to the representation of personal injury victims, including victims of dog bites. Please visit our website at trlglaw.com. If you desire a free consultation on a personal injury matter, please call us at (800) 644-8000 or email us.
The Reeves Law Group is not acting as legal counsel for any party in the matters discussed in this posting.
Celebrity German Shepherd bites (Los Angeles, CA)
Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony settle dog attack lawsuit.
http://rpulse.com/jennifer-lopez-and-marc-anthony-settle-dog-attack-lawsuit/#utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=jennifer-lopez-and-marc-anthony-settle-dog-attack-lawsuit
By rPulse, December 22, 2009, 10:25 am
Jennifer Lopez and her husband Marc Anthony have settled the court case with the woman who alleges she was injured by their dog.
The stars were sued last month by flight attendant Lisa Wilson, who claims she suffered serious back problems after the couple’s German Shepherd, Floyd, knocked her over on the pair’s private jet in 2006. They reached a confidential statement on Monday, after Wilson’s lawyer presented testimonies from two of the couple’s former employees who were also allegedly attacked.
A year after Wilson’s incident, Floyd is said to have bitten the arm of the couple’s personal assistant and bruised a housekeeper by headbutting her.
Wilson’s attorney William Cafaro maintains both unnamed workers were forced to seek medical help after the incidents.
“Both employees testified (in depositions) that the attacks were not reported to authorities.”
The personal assistant alleged the couple got rid of the canine after the attack, although Marc Anthony testified he got rid of the dog because it was “high maintenance”.
http://rpulse.com/jennifer-lopez-and-marc-anthony-settle-dog-attack-lawsuit/#utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=jennifer-lopez-and-marc-anthony-settle-dog-attack-lawsuit
By rPulse, December 22, 2009, 10:25 am
Jennifer Lopez and her husband Marc Anthony have settled the court case with the woman who alleges she was injured by their dog.
The stars were sued last month by flight attendant Lisa Wilson, who claims she suffered serious back problems after the couple’s German Shepherd, Floyd, knocked her over on the pair’s private jet in 2006. They reached a confidential statement on Monday, after Wilson’s lawyer presented testimonies from two of the couple’s former employees who were also allegedly attacked.
A year after Wilson’s incident, Floyd is said to have bitten the arm of the couple’s personal assistant and bruised a housekeeper by headbutting her.
Wilson’s attorney William Cafaro maintains both unnamed workers were forced to seek medical help after the incidents.
“Both employees testified (in depositions) that the attacks were not reported to authorities.”
The personal assistant alleged the couple got rid of the canine after the attack, although Marc Anthony testified he got rid of the dog because it was “high maintenance”.
Friday, December 18, 2009
Abused and neglected pit bull mom and puppies (Nanaimo, BC)
http://www2.canada.com/nanaimodailynews/news/story.html?id=b3dbc98b-7a6d-401c-8cc9-851975b1dbdc&k=47758
Backyard breeders busted with ailing Christmas pups
Investigators seize puppies that were 'hours from death'
Danielle Bell, The Daily News
Published: Friday, December 18, 2009
An emaciated pitbull and her eight neglected puppies, whose teenage owners advertised them for sale on craigslist.org, are recovering at the Nanaimo SPCA.
Some of the underweight, dirty and dehydrated six-week-old pups were only hours from death when they were surrendered to cruelty investigator Julie Hitchcock this week. The smallest was nearly comatose and not expected to survive. All of the puppies suffered from massive parasite infections and required emergency veterinary care, with two needing IV fluids to treat their dehydration.
The two-year-old adult female dog, also severely underweight and with parasites, was to undergo emergency surgery last night.
SPCA officials say it is a classic case of the backyard breeder, referring to people who often lack the knowledge and finances to properly care for the dogs they breed and instead are on a mission to make money.
It is the third case in two weeks for Nanaimo SPCA officials and an alarmingly common problem that has for years had B.C. SPCA officials lobbying to force breeders to register.
In the latest incident, an anonymous couple complained to the Nanaimo SPCA on Saturday about the poor condition of the animals they visited after seeing an advertisement on craigslist for $600 Christmas pitbull pups.
Hitchcock visited the Cedar house on Tuesday, where the homeowner allowed her to view five of the puppies. The teenage owners, an 18-year-old man and his 16-year-old girlfriend, did not live in the house.
The five puppies were surrendered and Hitchcock returned the next day to track down the owners. The 18-year-old called Hitchcock late Wednesday, becoming "very emotional" on the phone and stating he did not know he was doing anything wrong. The remaining pups and the mother were surrendered that night.
"They were doing this as a moneymaking venture," said Hitchcock on Thursday. "When you are breeding dogs and you have no knowledge of how to do it properly, you end up with a sick mom and sick puppies."
The teenagers will not face animal cruelty charges, said Hitchcock, since they were co-operative and remorseful.
A veterinary examination suggested it may have been only the first litter for the mother pitbull. She and the puppies are on special diets and medication as they recover at the shelter. It will likely be more than a month before the animals will be healthy enough to be considered for adoption.
In the past two weeks, Nanaimo SPCA officials have taken over care of another pitbull and her 10 puppies and a lab/shepherd cross-breed and her six puppies, which were all surrendered in poor condition from similar situations.
SPCA officials encourage people to report suspicious conditions of any animals they see and insist on viewing the parents of dogs bred to ensure their healthy condition. Breeders who suggest meeting in parking lots or other areas not at a home can be also be a red flag, say shelter staff.
Backyard breeders busted with ailing Christmas pups
Investigators seize puppies that were 'hours from death'
Danielle Bell, The Daily News
Published: Friday, December 18, 2009
An emaciated pitbull and her eight neglected puppies, whose teenage owners advertised them for sale on craigslist.org, are recovering at the Nanaimo SPCA.
Some of the underweight, dirty and dehydrated six-week-old pups were only hours from death when they were surrendered to cruelty investigator Julie Hitchcock this week. The smallest was nearly comatose and not expected to survive. All of the puppies suffered from massive parasite infections and required emergency veterinary care, with two needing IV fluids to treat their dehydration.
The two-year-old adult female dog, also severely underweight and with parasites, was to undergo emergency surgery last night.
SPCA officials say it is a classic case of the backyard breeder, referring to people who often lack the knowledge and finances to properly care for the dogs they breed and instead are on a mission to make money.
It is the third case in two weeks for Nanaimo SPCA officials and an alarmingly common problem that has for years had B.C. SPCA officials lobbying to force breeders to register.
In the latest incident, an anonymous couple complained to the Nanaimo SPCA on Saturday about the poor condition of the animals they visited after seeing an advertisement on craigslist for $600 Christmas pitbull pups.
Hitchcock visited the Cedar house on Tuesday, where the homeowner allowed her to view five of the puppies. The teenage owners, an 18-year-old man and his 16-year-old girlfriend, did not live in the house.
The five puppies were surrendered and Hitchcock returned the next day to track down the owners. The 18-year-old called Hitchcock late Wednesday, becoming "very emotional" on the phone and stating he did not know he was doing anything wrong. The remaining pups and the mother were surrendered that night.
"They were doing this as a moneymaking venture," said Hitchcock on Thursday. "When you are breeding dogs and you have no knowledge of how to do it properly, you end up with a sick mom and sick puppies."
The teenagers will not face animal cruelty charges, said Hitchcock, since they were co-operative and remorseful.
A veterinary examination suggested it may have been only the first litter for the mother pitbull. She and the puppies are on special diets and medication as they recover at the shelter. It will likely be more than a month before the animals will be healthy enough to be considered for adoption.
In the past two weeks, Nanaimo SPCA officials have taken over care of another pitbull and her 10 puppies and a lab/shepherd cross-breed and her six puppies, which were all surrendered in poor condition from similar situations.
SPCA officials encourage people to report suspicious conditions of any animals they see and insist on viewing the parents of dogs bred to ensure their healthy condition. Breeders who suggest meeting in parking lots or other areas not at a home can be also be a red flag, say shelter staff.
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
Malamute kills woman (Norfolk, VA)
http://ow.ly/MseL
Death of woman bitten by dog ruled accidental
Posted to: News Norfolk
By Meghan Hoyer
The Virginian-Pilot
© December 15, 2009
NORFOLK
A woman bitten by a dog early Saturday died of the injuries she received, medical examiners said Monday.
The death was ruled accidental, said Donna Price, administrator of the Tidewater district office of the chief medical examiner.
Theresa Ann Ellerman, 49, of Jacksonville, N.C., was visiting friends in Norfolk when she was bitten by the dog, an Alaskan malamute, Saturday morning.
When paramedics arrived at the 8200 block of Tabor Court, they found Ellerman having difficulty breathing. She was taken to a hospital, where she died about 3:45 a.m. The cause of death was ruled to be a dog bite to the neck, Price said. Police said the animal did not maul Ellerman.
The dog was quarantined by Animal Control, and city officials late Monday could not say what its fate would be.
Officers did not identify the dog's owner.
"We're not looking to charge the owners with anything," police spokesman Chris Amos said. "It's just an accidental, freak incident."
An estimated 4.7 million Americans are bitten by dogs each year, according to the American Veterinary Medical Association.
Most of them are children. About a dozen deaths are attributed to dog attacks annually, the association says.
Meghan Hoyer, (757) 446-2293, meghan.hoyer@pilotonline.com
Death of woman bitten by dog ruled accidental
Posted to: News Norfolk
By Meghan Hoyer
The Virginian-Pilot
© December 15, 2009
NORFOLK
A woman bitten by a dog early Saturday died of the injuries she received, medical examiners said Monday.
The death was ruled accidental, said Donna Price, administrator of the Tidewater district office of the chief medical examiner.
Theresa Ann Ellerman, 49, of Jacksonville, N.C., was visiting friends in Norfolk when she was bitten by the dog, an Alaskan malamute, Saturday morning.
When paramedics arrived at the 8200 block of Tabor Court, they found Ellerman having difficulty breathing. She was taken to a hospital, where she died about 3:45 a.m. The cause of death was ruled to be a dog bite to the neck, Price said. Police said the animal did not maul Ellerman.
The dog was quarantined by Animal Control, and city officials late Monday could not say what its fate would be.
Officers did not identify the dog's owner.
"We're not looking to charge the owners with anything," police spokesman Chris Amos said. "It's just an accidental, freak incident."
An estimated 4.7 million Americans are bitten by dogs each year, according to the American Veterinary Medical Association.
Most of them are children. About a dozen deaths are attributed to dog attacks annually, the association says.
Meghan Hoyer, (757) 446-2293, meghan.hoyer@pilotonline.com
The trouble with visual breed IDs - Denver, CO
http://www.denverpost.com/news/ci_14005785#ixzz0ZrV7pBJI
Johnson: If experts cannot ID dog breeds, how can cities?
By Bill Johnson
Denver Post Columnist
Posted: 12/16/2009 01:00:00 AM MST
Updated: 12/16/2009 02:22:00 AM MST
So you think you know about dogs?
Sorry, you do not.
I break this news to you only because I got put to such a test Tuesday, along with about two dozen animal-shelter directors, volunteers, dog trainers and others who make a dog-related living.
The task was simple: View 20 dogs on a videotape and identify each one. Is it purebred or mixed? If believed a mix, what is the mixture of each?
How hard could it be?
All I know about dogs, I quickly learned, is that one lives with me. Of the 20 dogs shown, I got the breed correct one time, but only because it looked like Lupe, my mutt.
I did only slightly worse than the professionals.
"I was completely wrong. I probably got three to four out of the 20," claimed Laurie Buffington, a Berthoud dog trainer, as we left a classroom at the Longmont Humane Society.
"Think you can tell just by looking?" was the teaser for the breed identification study we participated in. It was run by Victoria L. Voith, a professor of animal behavior in the College of Veterinary Medicine at Western University in Pomona, Calif.
What I and the others ultimately learned is you cannot simply look at a dog and know what it is.
Shelter workers, she explained, are generally 75 percent wrong when they list or tell you the breed of a dog. The only sure-fire way of knowing, she said, is DNA testing.
"I started this study," Voith said, "because I am a lover of German shepherds and was appalled that every short-haired breed with brown hair was called a German shepherd. It simply isn't so."
Outside of the Lupe-looking Chihuahua-mix, I thought every dog looked like a pit bull or a shepherd-mix.
"So what in the hell is Lupe?" I jotted in frustration in my notebook about halfway through the session. I was not getting even remotely close.
My favorite of all was the 20th dog, a three-legged cutie that had been thrown from a car. She was not the English sheepdog I suspected, but a shih-tzu. Everyone else misidentified her too.
Through her work, Voith hopes to put to the lie two things: studies on which dogs bite the most, and the wisdom of municipal breed-specific bans, such as Denver's, where hundreds of suspected pit bulls have been put to death.
"Visual identification simply is not in high agreement with DNA analysis," she said when I protested that a dog I had falsely, dead-to-rights identified as a pit bull turned out through DNA testing to be mostly Dalmatian. "Dogs in Denver may be dying needlessly," she said.
She hopes that her work, which she expects to be published in a year, will better inform cities and statistics gatherers on breeds most likely to bite.
"We really don't know yet. I don't think we have ever really known," she said.
The professionals all walked out scratching their heads, each mumbling something akin to "that was very informative!"
"I always thought I was really good at identifying breeds," a chastened Shantel Southwick, another Berthoud trainer, moaned. "And cities are killing dogs based on uninformed visual identification? That's pretty scary. It's heartbreaking, really."
Bill Johnson writes Mondays, Wednes- days and Fridays. Reach him at 303- 954-2763 or wjohnson@denverpost.com
Read more: http://www.denverpost.com/news/ci_14005785#ixzz0ZsXI7pIm
Johnson: If experts cannot ID dog breeds, how can cities?
By Bill Johnson
Denver Post Columnist
Posted: 12/16/2009 01:00:00 AM MST
Updated: 12/16/2009 02:22:00 AM MST
So you think you know about dogs?
Sorry, you do not.
I break this news to you only because I got put to such a test Tuesday, along with about two dozen animal-shelter directors, volunteers, dog trainers and others who make a dog-related living.
The task was simple: View 20 dogs on a videotape and identify each one. Is it purebred or mixed? If believed a mix, what is the mixture of each?
How hard could it be?
All I know about dogs, I quickly learned, is that one lives with me. Of the 20 dogs shown, I got the breed correct one time, but only because it looked like Lupe, my mutt.
I did only slightly worse than the professionals.
"I was completely wrong. I probably got three to four out of the 20," claimed Laurie Buffington, a Berthoud dog trainer, as we left a classroom at the Longmont Humane Society.
"Think you can tell just by looking?" was the teaser for the breed identification study we participated in. It was run by Victoria L. Voith, a professor of animal behavior in the College of Veterinary Medicine at Western University in Pomona, Calif.
What I and the others ultimately learned is you cannot simply look at a dog and know what it is.
Shelter workers, she explained, are generally 75 percent wrong when they list or tell you the breed of a dog. The only sure-fire way of knowing, she said, is DNA testing.
"I started this study," Voith said, "because I am a lover of German shepherds and was appalled that every short-haired breed with brown hair was called a German shepherd. It simply isn't so."
Outside of the Lupe-looking Chihuahua-mix, I thought every dog looked like a pit bull or a shepherd-mix.
"So what in the hell is Lupe?" I jotted in frustration in my notebook about halfway through the session. I was not getting even remotely close.
My favorite of all was the 20th dog, a three-legged cutie that had been thrown from a car. She was not the English sheepdog I suspected, but a shih-tzu. Everyone else misidentified her too.
Through her work, Voith hopes to put to the lie two things: studies on which dogs bite the most, and the wisdom of municipal breed-specific bans, such as Denver's, where hundreds of suspected pit bulls have been put to death.
"Visual identification simply is not in high agreement with DNA analysis," she said when I protested that a dog I had falsely, dead-to-rights identified as a pit bull turned out through DNA testing to be mostly Dalmatian. "Dogs in Denver may be dying needlessly," she said.
She hopes that her work, which she expects to be published in a year, will better inform cities and statistics gatherers on breeds most likely to bite.
"We really don't know yet. I don't think we have ever really known," she said.
The professionals all walked out scratching their heads, each mumbling something akin to "that was very informative!"
"I always thought I was really good at identifying breeds," a chastened Shantel Southwick, another Berthoud trainer, moaned. "And cities are killing dogs based on uninformed visual identification? That's pretty scary. It's heartbreaking, really."
Bill Johnson writes Mondays, Wednes- days and Fridays. Reach him at 303- 954-2763 or wjohnson@denverpost.com
Read more: http://www.denverpost.com/news/ci_14005785#ixzz0ZsXI7pIm
Saturday, November 21, 2009
Chesapeake Retriever attacks teenage girl (Windsor, ON)
http://www.windsorstar.com/Dangerous+sought+after+vicious+attack/1981160/story.html
'Dangerous' tag sought after vicious dog attack
By Dalson Chen
The Windsor Star
September 10, 2009
WINDSOR, Ont. -- A dog that was responsible for a vicious attack on a teenage girl in east Windsor last weekend is being designated by the Humane Society as “dangerous.”
“It had her by the arm,” said William Green, a neighbourhood resident who witnessed the attack. “The bone was visible.... She had chunks of her own flesh on her clothes. She was in shock.”
The incident happened around 4 p.m. on Saturday in the 2600 block of Jos St. Louis Avenue.
Windsor police said the dog — a six-year-old Chesapeake Bay retriever — bit the victim deeply on her right forearm. The severity of the injury required her to be rushed to hospital by ambulance.
Nancy McCabe, manager of field operations for the Windsor and Essex County Humane Society, said on Thursday that her agency is in the process of deeming the dog “dangerous” under city bylaws.
“What will happen is there will be restrictions put on the dog,” McCabe said.
The restrictions include: having the dog microchipped; having $1 million liability insurance on the dog; and keeping the dog muzzled whenever it is off the owner’s property.
McCabe said the dog remains under the owner’s care.
On Thursday night, the dog was visible on a chain in the backyard where the attack occurred.
An unidentified man sitting in the backyard said the family did not want to comment about the situation.
According to police, the 16-year-old female victim does not live at the address. She was visiting the teenaged son of the family.
“They were in the backyard,” said Sgt. Brett Corey, reading from the responding officer’s report on the incident. “She went to retrieve a purse or something and hand it to (her boyfriend), and that’s when the dog locked onto her arm.
Green said he was in his backyard when he heard the girl’s screams. “I thought maybe it was a domestic dispute,” Green said. “It went on and on.” Green said that when he realized there was more to the commotion, he climbed over the fence dividing the properties and saw the dog with its jaws around the girl’s arm.
He said he kicked at the dog to make it let go. “It came at me.”
Green said the animal’s owners managed to get hold of it at that point, so he called 911 while caring for the female victim.
Green said he feels the dog is a problem in the neighbourhood. He said he’s called police and the Humane Society about it previously.
“I’ve complained to every agency in the city about this dog.... If anybody took any action before, this might not have happened,” Green said. “The dog runs loose.”
Another neighbourhood resident, who didn’t want his name published, agreed with Green. He said he also saw the girl’s injury. “It was pretty bad. I looked away because it kind of grossed me out,” he said. “Her arm was ripped.”
“It’s a bad dog.”
McCabe said she doesn’t know if the Humane Society has been called about the dog before.
McCabe said she thinks the dog’s behaviour was “odd for that breed, because they’re usually pretty good dogs.”
McCabe didn’t have details about the girl’s condition.
© Copyright (c) The Windsor Star
Lab/Husky cross kills toy poodle (Saanich, BC)
http://www.bclocalnews.com/news/69302802.html?c=y&curSection=/vancouver_island_south/victorianews&curTitle=BC%20News
Dog identified in attack on poodle
By Kyle Slavin - Saanich News
Published: November 05, 2009 11:00 AM
Updated: November 05, 2009 11:55 AM
The dog that killed a five-month-old toy poodle Tuesday morning has been identified by Saanich pound officers.
The a labrador/husky cross was identified Wednesday afternoon. The owners have been fined $150 and the animal was deemed dangerous.
Sgt. Julie Fast with the Saanich police said a group of two or three men who were believed to be with the dog at the time of the attack were completely unrelated to the incident, and the animal had escaped from the backyard of a home in the 800 block of Darwin Avenue.
The owners unintentionally left their back gate open and their two dogs escaped. Before the owners could get home to close the gate, the animals had already returned.
"(The owners) were completely unaware that one: the dogs had escaped, and two: that their lab/husky cross had been involved in an attack," said Fast.
The owners were issued a $150 ticket under the animal control bylaw for having their dogs at large.
As part of the conditions of the labrador/husky being deemed a dangerous dog, it must be muzzled and leashed whenever it is out in public, warning signs must be displayed on the property, and the owners must ensure the animal is kept either inside the home or in a fully enclosed pen.
"We won't be seeking a destruction order for this dog," said Fast.
Saanich pound officer Susan Ryan said officers would only seek a destruction order for the animal if there had been any aggression or attacks in its past.
Edith Dixon, whose toy poodle Kiki was attacked twice around 9 a.m. on Tuesday, said based on the unprovoked aggression displayed by the dog, she feels it may attack again.
Fast said police received an influx of calls from witnesses who helped identify the two dogs who were running along the Galloping Goose trail off leash.
Commuters on the trail spotted the dogs near Saanich Road half an hour before the attacks, and they documented the dog licence numbers, which helped greatly in identifying the animals, Fast said.
Apart from monitoring the owners follow the conditions of the dangerous dog bylaw, no further action will be pursued by police or the pound.
Dog identified in attack on poodle
By Kyle Slavin - Saanich News
Published: November 05, 2009 11:00 AM
Updated: November 05, 2009 11:55 AM
The dog that killed a five-month-old toy poodle Tuesday morning has been identified by Saanich pound officers.
The a labrador/husky cross was identified Wednesday afternoon. The owners have been fined $150 and the animal was deemed dangerous.
Sgt. Julie Fast with the Saanich police said a group of two or three men who were believed to be with the dog at the time of the attack were completely unrelated to the incident, and the animal had escaped from the backyard of a home in the 800 block of Darwin Avenue.
The owners unintentionally left their back gate open and their two dogs escaped. Before the owners could get home to close the gate, the animals had already returned.
"(The owners) were completely unaware that one: the dogs had escaped, and two: that their lab/husky cross had been involved in an attack," said Fast.
The owners were issued a $150 ticket under the animal control bylaw for having their dogs at large.
As part of the conditions of the labrador/husky being deemed a dangerous dog, it must be muzzled and leashed whenever it is out in public, warning signs must be displayed on the property, and the owners must ensure the animal is kept either inside the home or in a fully enclosed pen.
"We won't be seeking a destruction order for this dog," said Fast.
Saanich pound officer Susan Ryan said officers would only seek a destruction order for the animal if there had been any aggression or attacks in its past.
Edith Dixon, whose toy poodle Kiki was attacked twice around 9 a.m. on Tuesday, said based on the unprovoked aggression displayed by the dog, she feels it may attack again.
Fast said police received an influx of calls from witnesses who helped identify the two dogs who were running along the Galloping Goose trail off leash.
Commuters on the trail spotted the dogs near Saanich Road half an hour before the attacks, and they documented the dog licence numbers, which helped greatly in identifying the animals, Fast said.
Apart from monitoring the owners follow the conditions of the dangerous dog bylaw, no further action will be pursued by police or the pound.
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Bull Mastiff/Great Dane mix (Portland, OR)
Bull Mastiff/Great Dane mix attacks woman - FedEx employee saves the day
FedEx honoured staff with humanitarian awards on November 11, 2009.
http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2009/nov/13/fedex-honors-25-who-cared/
Humanitarian award recipient Tammie Michels, 38, a world sales shipping agent in Portland, said her maternal instinct took over when she helped stop a dog attack.
"I heard a scream that I knew was a life-or-death situation," she said.
A bull mastiff/Great Dane mix had savagely bitten a woman on the shoulder and was about to bite her head. After Michels smacked the dog with a rock, it momentarily turned on Michels and other bystanders before they subdued it.
"I was proud to be able to help her, and at the same time, incredibly lucky and fortunate to walk away," Michels said. "FedEx is often a first responder to fires, floods and other situations. I think a lot of FedEx employees have that spirit. If somebody's in need, we want to be there."
Thursday, November 5, 2009
Mastiff attacks boy (Chillwack, BC)
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/british-columbia/story/2009/07/01/bc-dog-attack.html
No charges laid in dog attack against Chilliwack tot
Last Updated: Wednesday, July 1, 2009
A toddler is recovering in hospital in an Abbotsford hospital after a vicious attack by a relative's dog, but no charges will be laid in the incident, Chilliwack RCMP said Wednesday.
Kim Demeter said she and her son, Austin, 3, were visiting her sister on Monday when the family dog, a Neapolitan mastiff, attacked.
"He lunged over and grabbed my son by his head," she said. "I myself had to grab my son and pry his head out of it. My son was bleeding severely."
Demeter said she rushed her son to hospital, where he received about 100 stitches to close a deep gash above his right eyebrow and at least three cuts to his right cheek during three hours of plastic surgery. The boy is expected to remain in hospital a few more days.
Demeter said she wants the dog destroyed.
"I just want the dog put down for what he did to my son, and I would hate to see anyone else go through what I'm going through right now," she said.
In a news release issued Wednesday, RCMP Const. Angelina Bowen said investigators had determined there was no criminal intent, nor any record of prior bites involving the dog, so charges would not be laid. The dog's rabies vaccination was up to date, Bowen said.
It was confirmed that because the attack occurred on the owner's property, there was no bylaw to enforce, Bowen said. The dog has been permanently removed from the home, and its owner is co-operating with investigators, she said.
Canada's Naughtiest Dog - Another Biting Dog Awarded
http://www.lfpress.com/news/london/2009/10/14/11393271-sun.html
This dog's bite worse than its bark
Falcor's behaviour earns Dorchester pooch title of Canada's naughtiest
By RANDY RICHMOND
Last Updated: 14th October 2009, 5:13am
A Dorchester dog that bites, snaps and even ripped half its owner's thumbnail off has been named Canada's naughtiest dog.
Falcor the American Eskimo is so nasty its owners, Andrew and Sarah Trudgeon, have delayed having a family -- the thought of a child in the house is chilling.
Adults, even family members, refuse to come calling.
"He has bitten numerous people," Andrew Trudgeon said yesterday, listing the following injuries: his thumbnail, bite marks on his arm, several toes of others nipped, and a scar on his sister's leg.
"If you get into his space and he doesn't want you there, he will do serious damage."
Falcor beat out 170 other dogs from across Canada in a contest run by Bark Busters, an international canine-training franchise.
The three-year-old dog made a list of 25 finalists chosen by online voting, then got the top prize from a panel of judges.
Falcor will get free training, at home, and it can't come a moment too soon for the Trudgeons.
They bought Falcor as a pup when they moved in together three years ago.
"We wanted a cute little dog for our family," Trudgeon said.
Falcor started out like any puppy, taking the odd little nip at people.
But, as it grew older, it didn't grow out of it. Instead, it grew more aggressive.
"He doesn't know his place in the pack. He wants to protect his world and everything in the house is his," Trudgeon said.
Trudgeon once reached down to clean up some spilled pop on the floor and Falcor, hoping to drink it himself, bit his thumb. Half the thumbnail came off.
Friends and family members told the couple they had to get rid of the dog. A video posted on www.canadasnaughtiestdog.ca shows Falcor madly barking at a visitor.
What people don't see is Falcor alone on the couch at home with his owners.
"He's cuddly. He just wants to be loved," Trudgeon said.
The couple thought of getting Falcor obedience training, but worried how the dog would react to other canines.
The couple just got married Oct. 3 and returned home from their honeymoon on Sunday, ready to get start a family.
Sarah "loves him as well. But she has been attacked a few times. She has wanted to put him down," Trudgeon said.
Training started yesterday, Trudgeon said.
"This is our one hope."
Randy Richmond is a Free Press reporter.
randy.richmond@sunmedia.ca
This dog's bite worse than its bark
Falcor's behaviour earns Dorchester pooch title of Canada's naughtiest
By RANDY RICHMOND
Last Updated: 14th October 2009, 5:13am
A Dorchester dog that bites, snaps and even ripped half its owner's thumbnail off has been named Canada's naughtiest dog.
Falcor the American Eskimo is so nasty its owners, Andrew and Sarah Trudgeon, have delayed having a family -- the thought of a child in the house is chilling.
Adults, even family members, refuse to come calling.
"He has bitten numerous people," Andrew Trudgeon said yesterday, listing the following injuries: his thumbnail, bite marks on his arm, several toes of others nipped, and a scar on his sister's leg.
"If you get into his space and he doesn't want you there, he will do serious damage."
Falcor beat out 170 other dogs from across Canada in a contest run by Bark Busters, an international canine-training franchise.
The three-year-old dog made a list of 25 finalists chosen by online voting, then got the top prize from a panel of judges.
Falcor will get free training, at home, and it can't come a moment too soon for the Trudgeons.
They bought Falcor as a pup when they moved in together three years ago.
"We wanted a cute little dog for our family," Trudgeon said.
Falcor started out like any puppy, taking the odd little nip at people.
But, as it grew older, it didn't grow out of it. Instead, it grew more aggressive.
"He doesn't know his place in the pack. He wants to protect his world and everything in the house is his," Trudgeon said.
Trudgeon once reached down to clean up some spilled pop on the floor and Falcor, hoping to drink it himself, bit his thumb. Half the thumbnail came off.
Friends and family members told the couple they had to get rid of the dog. A video posted on www.canadasnaughtiestdog.ca shows Falcor madly barking at a visitor.
What people don't see is Falcor alone on the couch at home with his owners.
"He's cuddly. He just wants to be loved," Trudgeon said.
The couple thought of getting Falcor obedience training, but worried how the dog would react to other canines.
The couple just got married Oct. 3 and returned home from their honeymoon on Sunday, ready to get start a family.
Sarah "loves him as well. But she has been attacked a few times. She has wanted to put him down," Trudgeon said.
Training started yesterday, Trudgeon said.
"This is our one hope."
Randy Richmond is a Free Press reporter.
randy.richmond@sunmedia.ca
Dog bites Seal (Victoria, BC)
http://www.calgaryherald.com/health/bites+seal+Victoria/1786692/story.html
Dog bites seal in Victoria, B.C.
July 13, 2009
A seal pup was injured Sunday afternoon after being attacked by a dog near Clover Point.
The seal pup was alone near the water when a large dog that was off leash came across it, said senior animal control officer Ian Fraser.
“[The dog] grabbed hold of it, bit onto it and shook it, shook it, shook it,” he said.
The dog and its owner disappeared but witnesses called Victoria Animal Control to help the injured seal.
Fraser said the seal appeared okay at first but they discovered at least one puncture wound from which part of its intestine was poking out.
The pup was flown to the Vancouver Aquarium’s Marine Mammal Rescue Centre where it will be cared for until it is healthy enough to return to the wild.
The mother likely left the pup while it gathered food, Fraser said.
“It is the owner’s responsibility to make sure they watch their dog,” Fraser said.
He said if he is able to find the dog’s owner, the dog will be declared a dangerous dog. Animal control will also pass the information on to the Department of Fisheries and Oceans or conversation officers who could fine the owner.
It is the second time within a week a seal has been flown to the Vancouver rescue centre.
On Thursday, Saanich police said a woman picked up a seal pup she thought was abandoned and put it in her car. The pup had to be taken to the rescue centre and again her mother likely lost her baby.
Two officers from Saanich animal control took the pup and sent it to the resuce centre. It will be cared for there until it can be returned to the wild.
© Copyright (c) The Calgary Herald
Dog bites seal in Victoria, B.C.
July 13, 2009
A seal pup was injured Sunday afternoon after being attacked by a dog near Clover Point.
The seal pup was alone near the water when a large dog that was off leash came across it, said senior animal control officer Ian Fraser.
“[The dog] grabbed hold of it, bit onto it and shook it, shook it, shook it,” he said.
The dog and its owner disappeared but witnesses called Victoria Animal Control to help the injured seal.
Fraser said the seal appeared okay at first but they discovered at least one puncture wound from which part of its intestine was poking out.
The pup was flown to the Vancouver Aquarium’s Marine Mammal Rescue Centre where it will be cared for until it is healthy enough to return to the wild.
The mother likely left the pup while it gathered food, Fraser said.
“It is the owner’s responsibility to make sure they watch their dog,” Fraser said.
He said if he is able to find the dog’s owner, the dog will be declared a dangerous dog. Animal control will also pass the information on to the Department of Fisheries and Oceans or conversation officers who could fine the owner.
It is the second time within a week a seal has been flown to the Vancouver rescue centre.
On Thursday, Saanich police said a woman picked up a seal pup she thought was abandoned and put it in her car. The pup had to be taken to the rescue centre and again her mother likely lost her baby.
Two officers from Saanich animal control took the pup and sent it to the resuce centre. It will be cared for there until it can be returned to the wild.
© Copyright (c) The Calgary Herald
Mixed breed dog bites boy (Langley, BC)
http://www.theprovince.com/health/bites+year+elbow+Langley/1988710/story.html
Dog bites 12-year-old boy's elbow in Langley
By Staff Reporter, The Province
September 13, 2009
A 12-year-old Langley boy is recovering after he was bitten by a dog on Saturday.
The boy was collecting bottles for a school fundraising drive when he entered a home in Walnut Grove.
He had opened the front gate to ring the doorbell when a mixed-breed dog ran from the rear of the home and bit him on the elbow.
The boy was going to have his injuries looked at by a doctor.
Langley Animal Protection Society attended but the dog was not seized. The organization will be investigating to determine what level of enforcement is required.
© Copyright (c) The Province
Small Dog Receives Prize, News Story for Biting
http://www.theprovince.com/life/Kobi+wins+dubious+prize+Naughtiest/2104851/story.html
Kobi wins dubious prize as B.C.'s Naughtiest Dog
'He has little-man syndrome real bad'
By Ian Austin, The Province
It's official: Kobi is B.C.'s Naughtiest Dog.
The tiny terror beat out all comers to take the dubious honour in Bark Buster's search for Canada's most cantankerous canines.
"He's pretty sucky, but when it comes to food, don't get your hands in the way," sort-of-proud owner Lesley Johnson says of her nine-year-old Shih Tzu-Lhasa Apso cross.
"He has little-man syndrome real bad." Yes, Kobi's attitude is far greater than his altitude, and he thinks nothing of taking on taller, tougher dogs. Kobi learned the hard way — duelling with Kacey, the Johnsons' much larger, much tougher Rottweiler-Labrador cross and landing in pet hospital for his troubles.
The common expression is good things come in small packages — in Kobi's case bad things come in small packages.
"Kobi has bitten almost everyone," laments Johnson, 32, a Langley materials manager.
"He's so cute, but he can be a devil in disguise.
"My sister loves the dog, so I decided to turn a negative into a positive." So, by his bad behaviour, little Kobi has earned some dog-discipline training from Bark Busters, which received 170 naughty-dog entries from across the country.
The international dog-training firm will send out master trainer Rob Scheel to try to turn naughty Kobi into a nice dog.
Scheel says that, in some ways, it's the owner that needs the training, not the dog.
"A person who puts a human spin on the dog doesn't get it, because the human world is confusing to dogs," said Scheel.
"Often the dog think it's the pack leader, but in the human world that doesn't work." Scheel says dog owners have to learn to look bigger and more dominant, and the "no" command simply doesn't cut it in dog language.
"I get the dog to see that we're in charge," says Scheel.
"There's a growl that means 'no' in dog language.
"I will growl to tell the dog that the behaviour isn't right. We're connecting in their language." So Johnson is hopeful that Bark Busters can mend Kobi's naughty ways.
"Kobi is a very good dog — as long as you don't don't taunt him or have food near him," she said.
"His bark's definitely bigger than his bite — he doesn't have much of a nip."
E-mail: iaustin@theprovince.com
Kobi wins dubious prize as B.C.'s Naughtiest Dog
'He has little-man syndrome real bad'
By Ian Austin, The Province
It's official: Kobi is B.C.'s Naughtiest Dog.
The tiny terror beat out all comers to take the dubious honour in Bark Buster's search for Canada's most cantankerous canines.
"He's pretty sucky, but when it comes to food, don't get your hands in the way," sort-of-proud owner Lesley Johnson says of her nine-year-old Shih Tzu-Lhasa Apso cross.
"He has little-man syndrome real bad." Yes, Kobi's attitude is far greater than his altitude, and he thinks nothing of taking on taller, tougher dogs. Kobi learned the hard way — duelling with Kacey, the Johnsons' much larger, much tougher Rottweiler-Labrador cross and landing in pet hospital for his troubles.
The common expression is good things come in small packages — in Kobi's case bad things come in small packages.
"Kobi has bitten almost everyone," laments Johnson, 32, a Langley materials manager.
"He's so cute, but he can be a devil in disguise.
"My sister loves the dog, so I decided to turn a negative into a positive." So, by his bad behaviour, little Kobi has earned some dog-discipline training from Bark Busters, which received 170 naughty-dog entries from across the country.
The international dog-training firm will send out master trainer Rob Scheel to try to turn naughty Kobi into a nice dog.
Scheel says that, in some ways, it's the owner that needs the training, not the dog.
"A person who puts a human spin on the dog doesn't get it, because the human world is confusing to dogs," said Scheel.
"Often the dog think it's the pack leader, but in the human world that doesn't work." Scheel says dog owners have to learn to look bigger and more dominant, and the "no" command simply doesn't cut it in dog language.
"I get the dog to see that we're in charge," says Scheel.
"There's a growl that means 'no' in dog language.
"I will growl to tell the dog that the behaviour isn't right. We're connecting in their language." So Johnson is hopeful that Bark Busters can mend Kobi's naughty ways.
"Kobi is a very good dog — as long as you don't don't taunt him or have food near him," she said.
"His bark's definitely bigger than his bite — he doesn't have much of a nip."
E-mail: iaustin@theprovince.com
Study Shows Which Breeds Bite the Most
http://veterinarynews.dvm360.com/dvm/Working+with+patients+-+technicians/Study-Chihuahuas-bite-vets-most-Lhaso-Apsos-inflic/ArticleStandard/Article/detail/613820
Study: Chihuahuas bite vets most; Lhaso Apsos inflict worst injuries
By Rachael Whitcomb
Lakewood, Colo. — Chihuahuas are most likely to bite veterinarians, Lhaso Apsos deliver one of the most severe bites, and about 40 percent of all dog bites are delivered by mixed breeds.
These and other dog-bite truths are unveiled in a new study two years in the making that analyzes what kind of dogs bite and why.
The Coalition for Living Safely with Dogs and the Colorado Veterinary Medical Association released their study in May during National Dog Bite Prevention Week, and the results shed light on how likely a dog is to bite, a factor that may be pertinent to breed-specific legislation in some states and cities.
The study concludes that all dogs will bite, and that circumstances under which the bite occurred are more indicative than the breed.
Running at large was the leading circumstance under which dog bites occurred, but about half of bites happened while a dog was running at large during dog-to-dog aggression, aggression while protecting property and fear-based aggression.
Grooming and veterinarian care or kennel incidents only made up about 2 percent of reported bites.
Most happened at the dog's home, too, but dog-to-dog aggression also frequently occurred in public places.
The majority of home bites were attributed to aggression while protecting property, with owners and family members frequently bitten while the dog was protecting food or toys, compared to non-family members being bitten when a dog was protecting its property. This made up 31 percent of all non-relative bites in the home.
Breakdown by breed
Of the 188 different breeds in the survey, bites were reported from 129, including "gentle" breeds like Golden Retrievers. At least 38 percent came from mixed-breed dogs, the study notes.
The five top breeds involved in bite incidents in the study, which aims to challenge breed bans for dogs like Pit Bulls, were Labrador Retrievers (13 percent), Pit Bulls (8.4 percent), German Shepherds (7.8 percent), Rottweilers (3.9 percent) and Chow-Chows (3.5 percent).
Bites involving children brought similar results, with Labrador Retrievers responsible for 15.6 percent, Pit Bulls for 7.5 percent, German Shepherds for 6.8 percent, Smooth-Coated Chihuahuas for 4.2 percent and Rottweilers for 4.1 percent.
The severity of injuries by breed differs greatly, however, with American Bulldogs, Dalmatians, Standard Dachshunds, English Bulldogs and Lhasa Apsos delivering the most severe injuries.
The reasons for attacks also varied by breeds, with Labrador Retrievers most likely to bite when running at large or during possessive aggression. Pit Bulls were most likely to bite while running at large or during dog-on-dog aggression, and German Shepherds bit most often while running at large or protecting their property.
Other breeds, like Golden Retrievers and Border Collies, were more likely to bite while protecting property, play biting or being left unsupervised with the victim. But Smooth-Coated Chihuahuas were by far the most likely to bite during a grooming, kennel or veterinary visit, followed by Australian Shepherds and Siberian Huskies.
Whether the dogs were spayed or neutered had little effect on the study findings, except that intact dogs at large are more likely to bite, and play biting also is more frequent. But younger dogs and male dogs are more likely to bite overall, and their bites are usually more severe than a female's bite.
Other age-specific revelations were that puppies bite most when playing, adolescent dogs while running at large and older dogs while protecting property.
On the human end, dogs are more likely to bite human males than females, and bites in children usually are less severe than adult bites.
Children are most often bitten while left unsupervised with a dog, provoking a dog or as a result of play bites, while adults are more often bitten by an at-large dog, a dog protecting its property, dog-to-dog aggression or dominance-based aggression.
The study compiled the results of more than 2,000 surveys from 17 of Colorado's 134 animal-control organizations from June 2007 to June 2008.
Of the estimated 226,152 dogs in the jurisdictions, about 2,000, or 0.28 percent, of the dogs were reported to have bitten someone. Assuming data from a 1997 study of dog bites in Pittsburgh that found only 6.2 percent of bites were reported to animal control, and considering the Colorado human population of nearly 5 million, the study estimates that there are about 74,000 overall bites in Colorado during the study year.
Informed speculation
The coalition notes that, without a statewide census of the number and breed types of dogs in Colorado, as well as participation from every animal-control group in the state, some of the results don't offer true data but only enough information for informed speculation.
For instance, there may be some disparity in reports regarding breed types in the study since it indicates it's very likely that bites from large dogs are more often reported than bites from small dogs, according to the coalition.
"Because of this, the percentages of bites from large breeds will be overestimated and the percentages of bites from small breeds will be underestimated," according to the study.
Along with the study, the coalition offers advice for preventing dog bites, saying that dog owners need to be responsible for their pets and that children should be taught to interact with dogs and not be left unattended with them.
The study showed that certain breeds are more likely to bite under certain circumstances, but emphasized that any dog will bite in certain situations, though most often because of factors determined or caused by the victim.
The full study can be viewed online at www.livingsafelywithdogs.org.
Study: Chihuahuas bite vets most; Lhaso Apsos inflict worst injuries
By Rachael Whitcomb
Lakewood, Colo. — Chihuahuas are most likely to bite veterinarians, Lhaso Apsos deliver one of the most severe bites, and about 40 percent of all dog bites are delivered by mixed breeds.
These and other dog-bite truths are unveiled in a new study two years in the making that analyzes what kind of dogs bite and why.
The Coalition for Living Safely with Dogs and the Colorado Veterinary Medical Association released their study in May during National Dog Bite Prevention Week, and the results shed light on how likely a dog is to bite, a factor that may be pertinent to breed-specific legislation in some states and cities.
The study concludes that all dogs will bite, and that circumstances under which the bite occurred are more indicative than the breed.
Running at large was the leading circumstance under which dog bites occurred, but about half of bites happened while a dog was running at large during dog-to-dog aggression, aggression while protecting property and fear-based aggression.
Grooming and veterinarian care or kennel incidents only made up about 2 percent of reported bites.
Most happened at the dog's home, too, but dog-to-dog aggression also frequently occurred in public places.
The majority of home bites were attributed to aggression while protecting property, with owners and family members frequently bitten while the dog was protecting food or toys, compared to non-family members being bitten when a dog was protecting its property. This made up 31 percent of all non-relative bites in the home.
Breakdown by breed
Of the 188 different breeds in the survey, bites were reported from 129, including "gentle" breeds like Golden Retrievers. At least 38 percent came from mixed-breed dogs, the study notes.
The five top breeds involved in bite incidents in the study, which aims to challenge breed bans for dogs like Pit Bulls, were Labrador Retrievers (13 percent), Pit Bulls (8.4 percent), German Shepherds (7.8 percent), Rottweilers (3.9 percent) and Chow-Chows (3.5 percent).
Bites involving children brought similar results, with Labrador Retrievers responsible for 15.6 percent, Pit Bulls for 7.5 percent, German Shepherds for 6.8 percent, Smooth-Coated Chihuahuas for 4.2 percent and Rottweilers for 4.1 percent.
The severity of injuries by breed differs greatly, however, with American Bulldogs, Dalmatians, Standard Dachshunds, English Bulldogs and Lhasa Apsos delivering the most severe injuries.
The reasons for attacks also varied by breeds, with Labrador Retrievers most likely to bite when running at large or during possessive aggression. Pit Bulls were most likely to bite while running at large or during dog-on-dog aggression, and German Shepherds bit most often while running at large or protecting their property.
Other breeds, like Golden Retrievers and Border Collies, were more likely to bite while protecting property, play biting or being left unsupervised with the victim. But Smooth-Coated Chihuahuas were by far the most likely to bite during a grooming, kennel or veterinary visit, followed by Australian Shepherds and Siberian Huskies.
Whether the dogs were spayed or neutered had little effect on the study findings, except that intact dogs at large are more likely to bite, and play biting also is more frequent. But younger dogs and male dogs are more likely to bite overall, and their bites are usually more severe than a female's bite.
Other age-specific revelations were that puppies bite most when playing, adolescent dogs while running at large and older dogs while protecting property.
On the human end, dogs are more likely to bite human males than females, and bites in children usually are less severe than adult bites.
Children are most often bitten while left unsupervised with a dog, provoking a dog or as a result of play bites, while adults are more often bitten by an at-large dog, a dog protecting its property, dog-to-dog aggression or dominance-based aggression.
The study compiled the results of more than 2,000 surveys from 17 of Colorado's 134 animal-control organizations from June 2007 to June 2008.
Of the estimated 226,152 dogs in the jurisdictions, about 2,000, or 0.28 percent, of the dogs were reported to have bitten someone. Assuming data from a 1997 study of dog bites in Pittsburgh that found only 6.2 percent of bites were reported to animal control, and considering the Colorado human population of nearly 5 million, the study estimates that there are about 74,000 overall bites in Colorado during the study year.
Informed speculation
The coalition notes that, without a statewide census of the number and breed types of dogs in Colorado, as well as participation from every animal-control group in the state, some of the results don't offer true data but only enough information for informed speculation.
For instance, there may be some disparity in reports regarding breed types in the study since it indicates it's very likely that bites from large dogs are more often reported than bites from small dogs, according to the coalition.
"Because of this, the percentages of bites from large breeds will be overestimated and the percentages of bites from small breeds will be underestimated," according to the study.
Along with the study, the coalition offers advice for preventing dog bites, saying that dog owners need to be responsible for their pets and that children should be taught to interact with dogs and not be left unattended with them.
The study showed that certain breeds are more likely to bite under certain circumstances, but emphasized that any dog will bite in certain situations, though most often because of factors determined or caused by the victim.
The full study can be viewed online at www.livingsafelywithdogs.org.
Non-Breed Specific Legislation in Calgary - It Works!
http://www.calgarysun.com/news/columnists/michael_platt/2009/07/12/10104761-sun.html
Time for a reality bite
Despite hysteria surrounding dog attacks, Calgary has nipped problem in the bud
By MICHAEL PLATT
Last Updated: 12th July 2009, 2:28am
When it comes to banning the most vicious dog breed in Calgary, I'd be all for it -- except I'd really miss my yellow Lab and his sad brown eyes, which never stop pleading for food.
Sure, the most vicious thing our Lab has ever done was eviscerate a garbage bag for the table scraps inside, but according to the statistics, my family could easily be next.
According to animal control officer Greg Steinraths, retrievers far outnumber pitbulls as Calgary's most bite-prone breed in Calgary.
Pitbulls, you'd assume, would come a close second -- it seems there's a pitbull in the news every few weeks, running wild, chewing on people and other pets as it goes.
But nope. The silver medal for unwanted mandible-on-mankind contact goes to the shepherd, with pitbulls barely making third place.
Despite the panic and horror, pitbulls rank first only in the amount of ink they earn.
"You're more likely to be bitten by retriever or shepherd than a pitbull," said Steinraths.
"We suspect it's because working dogs like retrievers are often not getting the exercise and mental stimulation they need."
Given the cold facts about bites, why do we as a society snarl and growl over pitbulls, with cries for a ban every time a paw goes out of line?
It happened again after two girls were bitten on June 24 by a pair of pitbulls in Taradale, with the same dogs linked to an attack on a man in May.
One dog has been caught and the other is still being sought by bylaw officers -- meanwhile, pitbulls are again taking a serious slagging.
Perhaps it's because we expect the worst out of the pitbulls that the breed makes the news so often.
Perhaps it's because the breed has the misfortune to attract immature owners who demand a dog that's bred to fight, simply because it impresses others with the same puerile mentality.
Perhaps because, like every breed of dog, pitbulls too often fall into the hands of people who shouldn't own a pet at all.
The latter, at least, is the one constant in all bad dog stories -- find a pitbull in the news, and chances are high you'll find an irresponsible owner who can be blamed for it running loose or playing unsupervised with kids.
So pitbulls get an unfair rap, and end up dominating the news.
But unfair publicity aside, there's a better reason Calgary shouldn't be talking about banning the breed.
We don't need to.
Those who pay attention to municipal trivia will remember a report released a few weeks back, containing the latest dog bites statistics for Calgary.
Once again, dog bites are down, from 200 in 2004, to 145 in 2008.
It's reached a point where bites are statistically non-existent in Calgary -- just 0.14% of the city's 100,000 dogs are culprits, by far the lowest bite-per-dog ratio in Canada.
That's small comfort for the parents of the three and four-year-old bitten in Saddle Ridge, but the truth is, kids in Calgary are way more likely to be hurt on a bicycle, or while playing sports.
It's an incredible achievement, given that in 1985, Calgary was recording 1,938 bites a year, with far fewer dogs and less people for them to chew on.
Calgary's bylaw and animal control department has been asked for advice from cities across North America, who'd love to know the formula for reducing bites and other vicious dog incidents.
According to Calgary Bylaw and Animal Control, it's a case of worrying less about the dog, and more about the human responsible for training and control.
"It's about regulating the right end of the leash," said Steinraths.
It means always having control of your dog, not leaving it unattended, and not letting it roam free.
As well, there's a zero-tolerance policy on aggression -- the slightest sign of anti-social dog behaviour results in a visit and a warning from bylaw officers.
An ample supply of off leash areas help too, because well-socialized dogs are less prone to fear bites.
For those who don't own pitbulls, it's difficult to see the charm of a dog that's essentially a ball of quivering muscle and unspent energy.
They're not cute, they're not cuddly -- but some owners swear they're the greatest creature to ever wear a collar.
So long as those owners are responsible for their pitbulls, there's no need for a ban.
MICHAEL.PLATT@SUNMEDIA.CA
Boxers bite woman (Yuma, AZ)
http://www.yumasun.com/news/dogs-53072-attacked-vaccinated.html
Dogs that attacked woman found
September 26, 2009 5:06 PM
BY JOYCE LOBECK, SUN STAFF WRITER
The two dogs that attacked a woman while waiting at a school bus stop earlier this week have been picked up, a Humane Society of Yuma spokeswoman said Saturday afternoon.
"The dogs have been found and they were tagged and fully vaccinated," said Cookie Wagter, HSOY director of business administration and a media spokeswoman.
She said the dogs, both boxers, were found at large at Norma Avenue and 26th Place, not far from where they attacked Karen DeFranco Tuesday afternoon while she waited for her daughter. DeFranco suffered a dog bite to her leg, but is OK, according to her husband.
Wagter said after the dogs were found, they were picked up and taken to the victim, who identified them as the animals that attacked her. Because the dogs were tagged, HSOY then was able to contact the owner.
The dogs are now under 10 days house quarantine, she said. That's required by state law as a precaution even though they've been vaccinated, she said.
Wagter said the case has been turned over to the court system, but she didn't know if any charges will be filed.
"The big thing that helped us, is that the dogs were tagged so we were able to identify the owner, as required by law, and they were vaccinated," she said.
She also reminded dog owners that their pets are to be restrained, either in the yard or on a lease if outside the yard.
Small dog killed at doggie daycare (Massachusetts)
http://www.examiner.com/x-1028-Pet-News-Examiner~y2009m11d2-Small-dog-killed-at-doggy-daycare-by-bigger-dogs?cid=exrss-Pet-News-Examiner
Small dog killed at doggy day care by bigger dogs
November 2, 12:15 PM
Pet News Examiner
Helena Sung
Harley, a one year-old Shih Tzu, was going to dress a pumpkin and go trick-or-treating this past Saturday for Halloween. Instead, he was found dead on Friday at a doggy daycare center -- apparently mauled to death by a pack of bigger of dogs, reports the Patriot Ledger.
The doggy day care center is Tails-in-Motion, a business operated by Bill and Karen Powers out of their home in Stoughton, Massachusetts, reports the Boston Herald. On Friday, it appears that little 20-pound Harley was left alone -- without human supervision -- in the backyard of home with a "golden retriever, two greyhounds and the Powers’ mixed-breed mutt for an unknown amount of time," reports the Boston Herald. Harley was rushed to an animal hospital, but was pronounced dead from multiple puncture wounds. "It was unclear which of the dogs attacked him," reports the Boston Herald.
Harley's owners are, understandably, devastated.
“We wanted him to be outside and have fun. Now we just can’t get over the guilt of how he died,” Harley’s owner, Margaret Milne, told the Boston Herald. “He was the most precious thing."
Small dog killed at doggy day care by bigger dogs
November 2, 12:15 PM
Pet News Examiner
Helena Sung
Harley, a one year-old Shih Tzu, was going to dress a pumpkin and go trick-or-treating this past Saturday for Halloween. Instead, he was found dead on Friday at a doggy daycare center -- apparently mauled to death by a pack of bigger of dogs, reports the Patriot Ledger.
The doggy day care center is Tails-in-Motion, a business operated by Bill and Karen Powers out of their home in Stoughton, Massachusetts, reports the Boston Herald. On Friday, it appears that little 20-pound Harley was left alone -- without human supervision -- in the backyard of home with a "golden retriever, two greyhounds and the Powers’ mixed-breed mutt for an unknown amount of time," reports the Boston Herald. Harley was rushed to an animal hospital, but was pronounced dead from multiple puncture wounds. "It was unclear which of the dogs attacked him," reports the Boston Herald.
Harley's owners are, understandably, devastated.
“We wanted him to be outside and have fun. Now we just can’t get over the guilt of how he died,” Harley’s owner, Margaret Milne, told the Boston Herald. “He was the most precious thing."
Labrador-like and Collie-like dogs kill puppy (Saanich, BC)
http://www.timescolonist.com/life/Elderly+Saanich+couple+says+large+leash+killed+their+poodle/2180031/story.html
Elderly Saanich couple says large, off-leash dog killed their pet poodle
By Joanne Hatherly, Times Colonist
November 3, 2009
An elderly Saanich couple are in shock after their five-month old puppy was killed by what they described as a larger dog on the Galloping Goose trail this morning.
Edith Dixon, 81, was walking her toy poodle puppy Kiki on the trail between the Saanich Municipal Hall and Saanich Road at 9 a.m. when she saw several men approaching accompanied by what she described as two large, off-leash dogs.
She said one of the dogs lunged at the puppy.
Dixon was too upset to speak about what happened next, but her husband, Arthur Dixon, 85, conveyed her story.
Arthur said the dog seized the puppy and shook it. Edith believes one of the men tried to pull the dog off her puppy her husband said, but when the dog released Kiki, it lunged a second time and delivered a severe bite to the puppy’s abdomen.
“It bit at her and bit her in two practically,” Arthur said. “There wasn’t much to her, she’s just a toy poodle.”
Edith said the men quickly grabbed the large dogs and fled.
The puppy died before Edith was able to make it home.
“They didn’t provide any assistance to the lady, nor to the puppy,” said Sgt. Julie Fast, spokeswoman for Saanich police.
It’s the type of situation that plays out repeatedly, said Saanich pound investigator Susan Ryan.
“In my experience, dog owners just want to get their dog out of there and never be seen,” Ryan said. She said the unprovoked attack may indicate the dog is aggressive.
Fast said that Edith was focused on protecting her puppy, and so was unable to provide a detailed description of the men or the dogs. Ryan said that a witness has come forward and they are working to get a better description, but they still need help from the public.
The dog that was involved with the puppy was described as a large white dog with short fur, resembling a Labrador retriever. The other dog with the men was a large black dog with white markings and slightly longer fur with a collie appearance.
The attack occurred in an area of the trail where off-leash dogs are prohibited.
Police ask that anyone with information on this incident or who recognize the dogs by this description, contact Saanich pound at 250-475-4321 local 4360
jhatherly@tc.canwest.com
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