Pit Bulls

Pit bull mauls its ownerCounty Dog Warden Jack Szlempa said a Labrador that Galati also owns ate Capone's food, causing him to attack.

When Galati tried to pull them apart, he was mauled by Capone. Chernosky had to beat the animal with a baseball bat until it released its grip, the report said.

Szlempa said Capone is "massively strong" and tangled with an animal control officer for 20 minutes before he could be subdued and loaded on a truck bound for the county kennel.

Capone will be put down, he said. The Lab, meanwhile, was uninjured.

The police report said officers couldn't verify whether Galati has the $100,000 insurance Ohio law requires of pit bull owners.

Pit bulls have a deserved reputation for being ferocious, but that doesn't mean they should be banned altogether, county Animal Protective League humane officer Denise Willis said.

"When you're walking them, they should be muzzled. This is a dog that requires a lot of discipline. I don't think kids should be walking them down the street like I see all the time," she said. "They have a locking jaw on them, which makes their bite much harder than most dogs, so they can cause a lot of damage."

Whether a pit bull becomes dangerous depends on who raises them, who feeds them and how they are treated, she said. Willis said she believes people should be more cautious before purchasing pit bulls.

Szlempa said everyone should be taking protective steps when handling dogs. He said his department has seen a sudden rise in the number of reported of dog bites, but he couldn't pinpoint any one cause.

Cities across the country have taken steps to ban pit bulls with varying degrees of success.

Last year, the Ohio Supreme Court upheld Toledo's ban on pit bulls, which had been contested.

The case law set a precedent for other towns, though Lorain opted not to ban the breed last year after a debate sparked by an attack on 7-year-old Georgia Rice at her friend's East Avenue home.

Bella Dea wrote:

Don't even get me started on how ridiculous I think blaming a breed is.

The last thing I would want to do is get you started, Bella.

No problem, Diane and Rog.

In other news, from Elyria, Ohio ....

Quote:

Pit bull mauls its ownerCounty Dog Warden Jack Szlempa said a Labrador that Galati also owns ate Capone's food, causing him to attack.

When Galati tried to pull them apart, he was mauled by Capone. Chernosky had to beat the animal with a baseball bat until it released its grip, the report said.

Szlempa said Capone is "massively strong" and tangled with an animal control officer for 20 minutes before he could be subdued and loaded on a truck bound for the county kennel.

Capone will be put down, he said. The Lab, meanwhile, was uninjured.

The police report said officers couldn't verify whether Galati has the $100,000 insurance Ohio law requires of pit bull owners.

Pit bulls have a deserved reputation for being ferocious, but that doesn't mean they should be banned altogether, county Animal Protective League humane officer Denise Willis said.

"When you're walking them, they should be muzzled. This is a dog that requires a lot of discipline. I don't think kids should be walking them down the street like I see all the time," she said. "They have a locking jaw on them, which makes their bite much harder than most dogs, so they can cause a lot of damage."

Whether a pit bull becomes dangerous depends on who raises them, who feeds them and how they are treated, she said. Willis said she believes people should be more cautious before purchasing pit bulls.

Szlempa said everyone should be taking protective steps when handling dogs. He said his department has seen a sudden rise in the number of reported of dog bites, but he couldn't pinpoint any one cause.

Cities across the country have taken steps to ban pit bulls with varying degrees of success.

Last year, the Ohio Supreme Court upheld Toledo's ban on pit bulls, which had been contested.

The case law set a precedent for other towns, though Lorain opted not to ban the breed last year after a debate sparked by an attack on 7-year-old Georgia Rice at her friend's East Avenue home.

I'm not sure the "locking jaw" thing has been scientifically established, or if it's just urban myth at this point. In any case, these dogs are extremely dangerous.