Tasered dog died of suffocation

By Nancy Raskauskas, Gazette-Times According to police, necropsy results showed that it wasn’t the effects of an officer’s Taser that killed a dog in a northwest Corvallis neighborhood on Monday. Rather, the animal suffocated after it was muzzled for transport to the Heartland Humane Society.
A police spokesman said Friday the dog had a previous injury that caused swelling in its throat, and the jolt from an officer’s stun gun played no role in the dog’s death.
The incident happened when two Corvallis police officers responded to a report of two dogs at large near Linus Pauling Middle School that were attempting to bite people. After the larger dog bit one of the officers, he discharged his Taser into the animal. The owners were located and cited, and the dog was taken to the shelter in the back of the Benton County Sheriff’s Office animal control truck.
“When the muzzle was put on the dog, it closed the airway. The dog suffocated,” said Capt. John Sassman, a spokesman for the Corvallis Police Department.
“When animals have an illness or injury they can be aggressive, even if they are a great dog otherwise,” he added. “I would categorize this under one of those really unfortunate situations.”
The dog, named Deuce, was initially identified as a pit bull mix in police reports. According to Lt. Cord Wood, public information officer for the Corvallis Police Department, owners Mable and Keith Akina say Deuce was actually a Neapolitan mastiff.
Wood said Corvallis officers have used Tasers to subdue other aggressive dogs in the past.
“It usually has the desired effect,” he said.
Wood said the officer who used the Taser after being bitten in the arm is doing fine. The dog’s teeth did not actually break the skin.
Wood called the dog’s sudden death during transport “very unfortunate.”
“We were all very surprised,” he said.

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Twitter controversy swoops through Shelby County Commission

By Kontji Anthonty, WMC

A Twitter controversy swooped through the Shelby County Commission Wednesday after someone about a comment made a commissioner that was disparaging to a Shelby County city.

Twitter is an Internet micro-blog where people post quick messages, known as Tweets, about what's going on in their world.  During a Shelby County Commission Wednesday morning, as usual, Commissioner Mike Carpenter was Tweeting about commission business.

"I get comments all the time about the Tweets," Carpenter said. "People appreciate being kept informed. Unfortunately, you can't all the time give all the detail."

During Wednesday's meeting, Carpenter Tweeted about an exchange between Commissioners Wyatt Bunker and Terry Roland.  It said "Comm Roland discussing situation in Millington where person selling pit bulls. Comm Bunker: "Don't they eat those in Millington?"

That Tweet was not only broadcast to Commissioner Carpenter's 570 followers, but anyone in the world who looked up Carpenter's public profile on Twitter had access to the comment.  FlagCityNews is just one of the Twitter users who re-Tweeted the post to his followers.

"It was only meant as a joke," Bunker said later. "Never to offend anyone."

Bunker said he was just poking fun at his fellow commissioner.

"It's just me picking at Commissioner Roland, knowing that he lives in the area of Millington," he said.

Roland, who was on the receiving end of the exchange, said Bunker's comments were taken out of context on Twitter.

"It was a joke by Wyatt. I objected to it, but I didn't take him seriously," he said.

Commissioners said they never lost sight of the ordinance at hand.

"What this would do is ban the sale of roadside animals," Carpenter said.

"They're having a huge problem with these puppy mills in Missouri and they're bringing them down to our area," Roland added. "I agree with the ordinance. I think we need to stop this."

The ordinance, which passed unanimously, will go through two more readings before it goes to the full commission.

Meanwhile, Carpenter said Wednesday's exchange this showed him the power of social media, and he'll work harder to point out when a comment is made in jest.

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Vicious animal crackdown in Verona

By Kalisha Whitman, WTVA Lots of residents report seeing dangerous animals roaming neighborhoods, but that should not be a problem anymore. The Verona Police Department is picking the animals up and taking them off the streets.

A pit bull - that was picked up in Verona and taken to the Tupelo-Lee Humane Society - was barking and showing aggression towards the pit bull in the adjacent cage.

That same barking and aggression is the reason Jean Shumpert, a resident of Verona, was scared to simply sit on her porch and relax or take a walk with her husband.

"It's dangerous. [The dogs are] just loose running around. A small child or somebody just running around they would just attack them," Shumpert said. "We need to be aware that these dogs are running around loose."

Shumpert is not the only concerned resident. Latia Smith noticed it too. Smith said she does not want the animals to come near her toddler.

"If I see a dog that I don't know anything about, I try to wait until it goes away. I wouldn't want to get attacked with the baby," Smith said. "It'll be hard to fight 'em off and try to keep the baby safe."

Now, Shumpert does not have to worry, and Smith will not have to fight. The vicious dogs are making their way out of Verona and to the humane society.

WTVA News went to the humane society to check on the dogs. One room housed 10 of the almost 20 dogs the Verona police Department picked up. Leo Mask, Verona's police chief, said he expects to bring more dogs to the humane society in the coming days.

"We don't want to see any one get bit by a pit or any other dog. Pits are not the only dogs that we're focusing on," Mask said.

Shumpert said she is glad the city is enforcing the ordinance.

"It is a great thing that they have picked up as many as they have," she said. "I am proud that they are watching out for the dogs around here."

Any animal that attacks carries the vicious label. To have an animal of that nature, it must be in an enclosed area with four feet of fencing, a solid foundation and a lock to keep in the animal. You can also keep it inside the home. In order for the animal to roam, it must be muzzled and on a leash.

Verona adopted the vicious dog ordinance in 2006.

Video

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Woman and pets attacked by pit bulls

From CTV News

Surrey, B.C., resident Patti Agnew is calling for tougher vicious dog bylaws after she and her seven-year-old cockapoo Molly were suddenly attacked by two pit bulls on Saturday morning.
Agnew says she was walking Molly and her other dog Max past a local corner market at around 10 a.m. when the pit bulls escaped from a parked car and charged at them.
"We didn't do anything to provoke these dogs," she said. "I can't even imagine if it had been a small child. We're very lucky that she's going to be okay."
Molly sustained several puncture wounds on her hind leg and a gaping wound on the inside of her thigh that required several stitches. Agnew was bit on the hand.
Agnew was left covered in blood, but says when the dogs' owner ran out of the corner store to retrieve her pets, she did not offer any help.
"She went to leave and I yelled to somebody to get her licence plate," she said. "I just couldn't believe it."
She took Molly to the vet and called police, who told her there was nothing they could do. Surrey's animal control officers are investigating, and Agnew has been told the pit bulls were not licenced.
She says it's time Surrey's dangerous dog laws are given more bite.
"It's probably the most violent, traumatic experience I think anybody could go through, knowing that you have two dogs charging you like that," she said. "In seconds they were on us."

Video

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Woman attacked by pit bull

From KTNV A woman has been attacked by a pit bull mix in her backyard.
The attack happened Saturday at a residence located on the 8100 block of Hydra Lane, near N. Durango Dr. and W. Vegas Dr., just after 10am.
The dog bit the woman on the arms and legs when she went into the backyard. She was able to pull herself back into the home, leaving the dog locked in the backyard.
It is unclear whether the animal belonged to the woman's daughter or if the daughter had been dog sitting for someone else.
The victim was transported to UMC with non-life threatening injuries.
Metro officers stood watch on the dog until Animal Control could pick it up.

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Woman Tries To Save Yorkie Poo From Pitbull Attack

From WTAE

A Swissvale woman talked to Channel 4 Action News after her yorkie poo was attacked and killed by two pitbulls on Wednesday morning.
Georgine Saccamango said she brought her puppy, Lily, with her when she took out her trash and tied her to her chain, when suddenly two large pitbulls came dodging towards them.
"The minute I opened the gate they were just right there. They just chewed my dog up, that's all, and he was so little. He wasn't even 4 pounds," said Saccamango.
Saccamango said Lily got caught on her chain and she tried to let her loose but one of the pitbulls grabbed Lily by the stomach and pulled.
Saccamango tried to fight back, but the pitbull dragged her away until Lily hardly had a breath left in her tiny body.
Police said they were aware that the two pitbulls broke loose that morning and were already at the scene at this point.
"Police had their guns drawn but, what could they do. It was too late then," said Saccramango.
Lily was still breathing when Saccamango took her to the hospital but she didn't make it much longer.
Police told Saccamango that the dogs would be quarantined for ten days and the owners would be fined for letting them off their leashes.
Saccamango said she is still decided whether or not to press charges.

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