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Dog shot dead after biting child in Lancaster

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Around 4 p.m., deputies responded to a call about a dog attack on the 43000 block of 11th Street East in Lancaster, sheriff's officials said. [Photo by LUIS MEZA]
Around 4 p.m. Monday, Feb. 15, deputies responded to a call about a dog attack on the 43000 block of 11th Street East in Lancaster, sheriff’s officials said. [Photo by LUIS MEZA]
LANCASTER – A dog was shot and killed by deputies Monday after the dog attacked a 6-year-old boy in Lancaster, authorities said.

The call came in around 4 p.m. Monday, Feb. 15, from a home on the 43000 block of 11th Street East, according to Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Lt. Derrick Alfred.

“A woman called 911 and said a dog was attacking her child…” Alfred said, adding that deputies responded within minutes. “When deputies arrived they could hear screaming coming from the backyard of the house.”

[LUIS MEZA]
[LUIS MEZA]
Alfred said deputies ran toward the screaming and saw that the dog — a pit bull-mastiff mix — had the child by the upper arm.

“The dog was shaking him around like a rag doll,” Alfred said, adding that a man was trying to remove the child from the dog’s grasp.

Deputies ordered the man out of the way, the lieutenant said.

“Deputies saw that the kid was being actively mauled by a vicious dog and they had to make a split-second decision on how to handle it…” Alfred said. “They had to make the decision to shoot the dog to stop the attack that was occurring right in front of them.”

Once shot, the dog ran to the back of the yard and collapsed. Deputies administered first-aid to the child until emergency personnel arrived, according to Alfred.

The child was airlifted to a hospital with non-life threatening injuries, sheriff’s officials said.

An animal control officer arrived at about 5 p.m. to retrieve the dead animal from the property, according to witnesses at the scene.

The dog was a recent addition to the family, according to the lieutenant.

“They had acquired it that day and brought it home to be a family dog… When the child went to interact with dog, the dog attacked the child,” Alfred said.

No deputies were injured in the incident.

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Filed Under: Lancaster

157 comments for "Dog shot dead after biting child in Lancaster"

  1. I own small dogs, when my grandchildren are here I am an eagle watching the kids making sure they are not harmed, the youngest child is 3, I am teaching him not to put his hands and face in front of a dog, any dog, and to wait for mom or dad or I to tell him it is ok to pet a dog. I recently acquired a puppy, I did not want my kids around that puppy until I was sure it was secure with us and our other dogs who are all seniors. Now the puppy loves the kids and plays tug of war and chases. I am sorry this child was injured, I was bitten as a child. I hope he recovers, and the parents learn a lesson of introducing a dog to a child, children pull ears, tails and legs, dogs react. I am sorry for the child and the dog, and all concerned.

  2. Thank goodness Rex killed all those pit bulls and spent $10 million on the Eye in the Sky or else crime would’ve be going up. Em what? Crrime is going up? What?

  4. These people are idiots. Why would you adopt a large dog with children in the house without introducing the child before bring him home? They caused an injustice for this poor dog. He may have been perfectly fine in a home without children.

    • Ummm, seriously!!! If a dog would attack a child, it would attack anything! Who gives a crap about the damn dog!

      • Maybe the child provoked the dog. Dogs read body language and kids are one big walked, talking ball of energy and loud, fast movements. Kids are more prone to get a dog bite because of that and they don’t think before they act.

        • My 13 year old (2 yrs ago) was viciously attacked and did NOTHING to provoke that animal! So sick of people making excuses for a breed that should be extinct!

          • Why would you want a breed to be extinct? It’s another life, regardless of what it comes from, you ignorant prick. The child could have been at fault just as much as the dog, and either eay, it’s sad to see a life taken.

          • It’s not the breed, it’s the people or person that bring up the dog. I have that same breed and he is really great with my 2 kids. People need to stop accusing the “breed”. Plus there’s people who do worse to kids.

          • It’s not the breed, so tired if ignorant people blaming the pit bull breed! It’s the idiot owners that raise them to be violent or fighting dogs. Put the blame where it belongs, on the people the raise them to be vicious, not on pit bulls in general. I was attacked by a Standard Poodle when I was a toddler and wound up needed 100 stiches to put my face back together. I’ve had multiple pit bulls and all of them have been sweet and kind and NEVER attacked anyone

          • “Nothing in the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity.”
            ― Martin Luther King Jr.

  5. Man who cares about a dog i dont care if any dog is boting my kif u bet im taking that piece of crap out and for all u animal lovers i hope ur never parents.. Read it they barley brought it jome and as soon as the kid went to go interact eith it it got him where does it say the parents left him no where iddiots all you guys taljing about the kid did it that put down the dog doesnt matter the breed if it mauls a kid it should be killed on sight glad the dog is now dead

  6. I’m glad the deputies responded quickly and shot that POS mutt. That poor kid will be scared for life. You pot smoking hippies who are more concerned for a stupid animal than a child can piss off. I would’ve brought out my shotgun and smoked that mutt and thrown it in the trash where it belongs

    • One down, millions more to go. Very ugly unpredictable gang banger tough-guy drug dealer breed. No need for these ugly mongrels. If you want a tough dog, get a shepherd. They are good looking and nice when you want em to be. Great dogs, and about 1,000,000 better looking than some pumpkin head monster. I guess it’s like painting your house purple. .0000001% of people think it looks good…same ones who think pit bulls are cute.

      • Because you and Rex Paris should be the final arbiters of people’s choices of canine companions. I know Rex is just a super arrogant prig who thinks he should have his way in everything, but who are you? Can you give even the slightest shred of an idea why you think you merit such a position?

      • My pitbull devoured three sheperds so they are weak [removed] so I would highly recommend a pitbull instead a rat with a dog body ugly ass dog and bite infants as well or a rot

      • Millions of normal guys should be put down. They are unpredictable and dangerous. How many mass shootings need to occur before everyone realizes normal guys are the culprit and need to be stopped. They are ugly and just plain normal, most of the time. Its just a matter of time and they will just explode and at any time we could have a mass shooting. And yes, no one thinks normal guys are fun or cute, just dangerous.

        https://jaeah.cartodb.com/viz/47f984f8-1617-11e5-8cee-0e4fddd5de28/public_map

  7. I am shock at how crazy some of these comments are. The child may not have had life threatening injuries BUT was sever enough to be airlifted to a trauma center. The dog was just brought home and attacked the kid right off as the child was introduced to the “rescue” dog. Huge law suit on this one. If this was a shelter dog LA country will be paying the bills, if this was an independent rescue, which I found to be horrible jokes, that rescue can and will be paying the bills. It is shocking that you ppl value the life of the dog over the life of the child. READ the article ppl, the cops were called bc the father could not get the dog off the child. Question why was this dog in a rescue/shelter anyway? It was full grown so where did it come from? Who had it before? So many questions to be answered here. But in the end the dog was ATTACKING A CHILD! It should have been shot. You bleeding heart animal ppl have lost your freaking common sense Or should they have shot the child and let the dog play with the corpse.

    • U r absolutely right!!! All i see from other comments is maybe its the kids fault.. why would they have left the child with the new dog… kids are cruel … bottom line.. if ANY dog was attacking my child that way i would have shot the dog myself!!!! My kid comes before ANY animal!!

      • Agree completely with both of the above. Kids and dogs shouldn’t be left unattended in my opinion. We don’t know if that was the case here or not. Either way ifor a child is in the midst of an attack and nothing is working, if deadly force has to be used to stoplay the attack or prevent further injury to the child, then so beit! I actually have a pit bull mastiff mix whom I’ve loved for 12 years now. Our old boy is great with our 2 & 4 year olds. Still, we never leave them alone together, and our kids always come first.

    • Whatever happened to “personal responsibility”? Its the person who adopted the pets responsibility to ensure both the pet’s and the child’s safety. No one else’s! It not up to the shelter or the government or the neighbor. If one can’t handle responsibility, than one shouldn’t have any. Not a pet, or a child, a home or a gun. Now achild is hurt and a dog is dead, which was completely preventable, yet you want to blame everyone else for the problem. These people belong in jail, where they don’t have a chance to hurt anyone else.

  8. Who leaves a new dog alone with a young child PERIOD? Kids can be so cruel. Who calls the Police with animal issues ever? Has No one yet learned that they are they last people you want on your property when you have a dog? The Mother should be charged for this call and failing to protect both the dog and child.

    • Animal issues? WHF, 911, my child is being mauled by a dog. Anyone in an emergency situation calls the COPS. The stupidity of your post is mind boggling.

      • Thank u!! eye roll!!
        The stupidity of some people I swear!!!
        While my kids arm is being chewed off let me try to look up the number for animal control. Wtf!!!

    • Everyone that’s who! Today millions of kids will be in the house, alone with their pet dogs, or older kids will come home from school and play with their dogs, watch TV with their dogs until their parents get home. Millions of kids will walk their dogs, play in the backyard with their dogs, they have been doing it since time began. There is no need to worry unless the dog is a Pit Bull breed or Pit Bull Mix. perhaps Rottweilers too. If people would get safe dogs for their children we would not be seeing this happen every single day. 99% of the time the attacking dog is a Pit Bull type dog. there is no denying that this is a breed problem and the people who advocate this breed as safe family pets should be shot along with the entire breed. Enough already!!!

      • Shut up about the breeds. I agreed with you until you started saying certain dogs are bad. It doesn’t matter what type of dog it is, just like people. Sometimes a dog comes out messed up in the head just like us. Thank you to the Police for saving this child.

          • Thirty whole people! Just in the tiny United States of America! Dropping like flies! Flies I say!

            In other words, I generally don’t worry much about things tat are one in a million. I certainly don’t worry about things that are on in ten million.

          • Seriously? How many killed by cops?

            Most people don’t even know how to identify a “pit bull”. Like you for instance. The dog in this story was NOT a Pit Bull. Yet you read the story and still blame the “Pit Bull”.

            Pit Bulls were known as Nanny Dogs less than 100 years ago? And now people cry if they see one. LMAO

      • It’s not a breed problem. Like usual, it’s a people problem. Did you know pitfalls were originally bred to protect & play with children? Our society has turned them into this ugly thing. I used to think like you too, but I did my research. Idiots are out there treating these dogs like garbage & they train them to attack. They are the one of the most sought after breeds by people who want a tough looking dog & train them to be mean & aggressive. They get a bad rap. I know you’ll disagree with me, ,but any dog breed trained right, can be a good dog. Any dog breed trained to be aggressive will be aggressive. Judge not, unless you want to be judged.

        This situation was terrible & there’s no need for ANY of us to stick our noses in any of it. Just because we can all make comments, doesn’t mean we should. No one has the complete story here, so just give them family support if anyone insists on commenting. This situation is hard enough for the family, they don’t need anyone’s judgments or negative comments. Would any of you truly share these comments to their faces? Probably not (although some of you will say you would – no you wouldn’t). It’s easy to be “courageous” with your opinions while you share it from the anonymity of whatever device you’re posting from. Leave this family alone. They’ve been through enough.

        • Your right about the dog, wrong about the family. It is a “family” problem. If the family had just enough common sense, this whole tragedy would never have happened. Yes, I would share it with them. Absolutely. They should be facing child endangerment charges, willful neglect, and add to that, animal cruelty as well.

    • Animal control?! Sure, they will be out there in 5 to 9 business days. In the meantime, can I recommend getting a small blue coffin from the popular “In God’s Hands” line?

    • Exactly. Imagine all these whinging people, 200 years ago. I sincerely can’t imagine they’d survive a day. They are so reliant on everyone else. Truly land of the lost and clueless. Murica is a sad place.

  9. What a stupid stupid story. WTH did the child do to this dog??? And WTH was this dog brought into this environment??? Lots of unanswered questions here & too many killings of animals by cops in recent years. There’s much more to this story than being printed. You ppl are really clueless to what actually happened. Even to the point of a child being aggressively injured by a dog. Don’t believe everything you read.

  10. I have a pit bull and a pit mix….got them as puppies and they have grown with my children…which are are an 8 year old and a two year old…they have never shown signs of aggression….and not sure of the situation but no matter what you never leave animals and children unattended….Glad the child is OK …unfortunate for the dog but the situation was handled in the best way….but if it was me I would have found a different way to get the dog off….at least…they were probably in panic mode…I have seen many other breeds more vicious then pits…..chihuahuas, labs, rotties, min pins, daschunds, etc..those stories of course are untold or are not drawn to the media….but in conclusion I would have not brought a strange dog into the house hold and introduce it to my child right away…I would have waited…

    • You have a child being mauled and you would try to find a way so the dog doing that mauling isn’t hurt?????? And rolling the dice with your children by having the number one canine killer of children?????? WOW, I see the next headline with this commenter.

      Not one word of sympathy for this child, excuses that only victimize the victim again, and spewing the myth that other breeds are more aggressive than pit bulls. Sure, chihuahuas maul and kill daily – NOT. You won’t bring a strange dog into your house, but you will bring in a breed that has killed more people than any other breed or breeds combined. Yep, that makes sense.

      • Don’t argue with[removed] owners. They are inhumane sheeple who believe breeder propaganda like it’s the gospel of Matthew, and they don’t give a [removed] how many children are mauled or eaten alive. As long as the Pitbull Nutters get to say “blame the deed, not the breed” at the end of the day.

        The whole reason they troll news articles like this is to prevent, and deceitfully convince the public, to not become outraged enough as to pursue Breed Specific Legislation.

        At the end of the day, it’s all about protecting their “precious” Pitbulls from being banned.

      • Wow soiguess you hate pitvulls then..good for you…I work at a animal hospital and love every single creature I work with…and yes my ” vicious” pitbulls love my kids and never have showed any harm you idiot….get educated and stop being so narrow minded!!!!!! I have seen in the number of years that I have worked with this ” vicious ” breed , they are not the only animals that seem aggressive, I have worked with more small dogs that have to be muzzled to even just have vaccines!!!!! And the majority of aggressive animals are not even close to being a pit!!!!! So yes I know what I am talking about and clearly understand the breed, let alone a dog.How’s that even a myth, I am not talking dragons or fairies here…….

        • Here is what veterinary professionals and their professional group the AVMA can do if they want to speak out against BSL and for pit bulls as pets – they can share their records because they are sitting on and hiding a goldmine of data that would show whether keeping pit bulls is humane to other pet animals. They can share how many victims of of dog attacks they have either sewn up or put down each month. They can share what percentage of those victims were mauled by pit bulls. They can share how much money they rake in sewing up and putting down dog attack victims & share the percentage of that income that results from pit bull attacks. They can share how many sobbing people with bloody dog attack victims clutched in their arms they turn away because those people can’t pay up front for the cost of those attacks and they can share the percentage of those victims that were attacked by pit bulls. And then they can share how many pro bono hours they donate to save victims of pit bulls whose owners could not otherwise pay each year.

          That would be a valuable study that would instantly clear up whether pit bulls are “just like any other dog, but stronger” and whether they’re 100% trustworthy and whether it is humane to allow them in our communities. Otherwise, animal hospital workers advocating for pit bulls has an unhealthy whiff of monetary self-interest.

      • Never did I once say so the dog didn’t get hurt, I would have risked my life saving my child and fought the dog off by using any force( deadly or violent) possible, I would never just sit there and let it happen… Instead of taking my time calling the cops I would have shot it myself….people really need to pay attention and actually read what is here instead of hearing what they want to hear…

          • I don’t own one either, and people that own pitbulls should be responsible owners…it should be mandatory for anyone owning a dog to handle it properly..and this wasn’t even their dog…they just got it that day..I would never introduce a strange dog to my kid ..they know better not to try to pet or play with an unknown dog…” Hey kids…go play with your new dog!!!! He’s friendly and wants to play, good luck!!!!!”

      • And the more time they spend trying to get the child free from the dog the more time that dog has to continue doing damage to that child, Kill the dog! Go for the quickest way possible to end the attack, That usually means shooting the dog if you have a gun. The life life a dog, in this situation means nothing, the child is what”s important. The longer you wait, the higher the risk of death to the child or anyone else being attacked

      • I have an issue with the PARENTS. Who brings home a fully grown pit bull into a family with small children? Who knows what that dog went through in its early life!

    • You think the 6 year old child is ok after being shaken by a huge mastiff/pit bull mix? your insane!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! it’s good that the police shot that worthless demon dog to death.

      • The kid is OK..did you read article…. I am not taking sides..if that happened to my kid ..I would definitely get rid of the dog anyway possible… Whether it’s shooting it or taking to the pound …

        • I kno the child personally, and he has to go through extensive surgeries it’s going to take a while until he’ll be able to use his arm again.

    • So you would rather wait and try and figure out away to get a mauling dog off your child that wouldn’t involve killing/hurting the dog?!!That’s insane!Sorry but your child should always comes first!Screw the dog!Again nothing but victim blaming!Yes other dogs might bite more but there’s a big difference between a bandaid or a couple stitches and a toe tag & casket.

      • You said exactly what I was thinking! There was no other sensible way out of this situation. It’s always better to have your child grow up with a dog but if you can’t at least get some background.

        I just hope the child is alright.

    • Maybe we could just ask dogs nicely to stop mauling children? Again with the chihuahuas? How many people are killed by tiny dogs anyway? There is a huge difference between being bitten by a dog with bite-inhibition and one that, as described in the news report, grabs on and shakes.

      How likely is it that this child would have been shaking by a chihuahua or airlifted as a result of an attack. Please use common sense.

        • TM,

          I get where you’re coming from. Pit bull/mastiff mix owner and lover. I happen to love my kids(2&4) alot more than I love my 12 year old dog. I digress. I think some of these commenter are some what ignorant and phobic, others have some valid points.

          Pits are a strong breed with a barbaric history of origin. They never chose to be what they are, man bred them to be that way. They have so many other redeeming qualities. I don’t think they get a fair shake, but I also recognize the problems stacked against this breed are daunting. In my opinion it boils down to the breed appealing more so to a demographic who is socio economically challenged and in many ways uneducated and I’ll equipped to handle or responsible own this breed. I mean I grew up in the hood, and the homies, aren’t big on Golden Retrievers or Labradoodles, you feel me?! Just like upper middle class America isn’t big on pits. It is what it is, and it’s all very sad. That said anything with teeth can bite. It’s all about how the animals are raised. Dogs aren’t demons, they are products of their environments. They are what people have made them, or turned them into. It’s ignorant to think otherwise. Animals are animals.

    • You ha these attacks by chuhuahuas, labs minpins and dachsunds. That’s a lot of for one person to witness. The usually don’t publish attacks that only require a bandaid to fix

    • Did you ever see or hear of a chihuahua tossing a child around like a rag doll? It is fools like you that think this breed is salvageable. You are not smarter than the genetics that produced this breed. They were bred for one thing and perform that one thing well, unfortunately that one thing doesn’t always include playing well with others.

    • Seriously, why are cops are always, always, always in panic mode. They used to have command and control. Now its panic and shoot. Wtf?

      • We the people have let it happen. When shooting boards started saying “Oh he reached for his waistband? Okay, good shoot,” there were far too many people saying that it was all okay. Just look how many people here parrot the “oh their job is so dangerous” line right into the teeth of statistics and other facts.

        Hard to blame the cops for taking the leeway they have been freely given.

        • Yes Tim, why didn’t they reason with the pitbull mastiff that was mauling the child?

          Of course Super-Tim the dog whisperer could have stopped the attack by raising one eyebrow.

          But for lesser mortals who don’t posses your super powers, what should they have done in the situation?

          • LOL…so Mike, you are saying that if a dog is mauling a child in your back yard your solution is “call a cop” because you “don’t have super powers”?

            You sure talk a good fight at the keyboard, maybe you could post some nasty comments at the dog or something.

            To answer the question…I’ve broken up dog fights where BOTH sides had big teeth. A fight between a dog and a toddler seems like it would be about half as hard.

          • I don’t understand how someone who talks so tough on the internet couldn’t stand up to a dog, Mike.

            Oh, yeah, we already sorted that out, didn’t we?

          • It must be a real comfort to your kids to know that if they are ever in trouble you’ll man right up and get out there to flag down the patrol car.

    • Adopting a dog has become a life threatening situation these days, because of pit bulls. Anyone reading, do not adopt or purchase a pit bull. These dogs are too dangerous for our families and neighborhoods.

      • AMEN TO THAT go to national pitbull victim awareness dot org

        the coalition of 50 plus orgs is trying to address this public safety issue

      • i have adopted out 100″s without incident… Know what your talking about before you talk… PIT BULLS ARE # 2 FAMILY DOG… owner error here…

        • Hundreds? Then your a rescue not an individual and clearly HAVE seen the truth that these dogs can be dangerously aggressive, but will say whatever because of your affection for them.

          • I agree with you. I had a pitbull since birth and loved him. He would interact with my daughters. They would feed him, play with him and bathe him but just recently out of no where, he viciously attacked my daughter. I don’t know what would have happened had I not been there. He was the smartest lovable dog but he is a pitbull. At the end of the day, an animal is an animal and can turn no matter what.

          • Dear Tm,

            A 2009 report issued by DogsBite.org shows that 19 dog breeds contributed to 88 deaths in the 3-year period of 2006 to 2008. Pit bulls accounted for 59% followed by rottweilers with 14%.

            Of the 88 fatal dog attacks recorded by DogsBite.org, pit bull type dogs were responsible for 59% (52). This is equivalent to a pit bull killing a U.S. citizen every 21 days during this 3-year period.
            The data also shows that pit bulls commit the vast majority of off-property attacks that result in death. Only 18% (16) of the attacks occurred off owner property, yet pit bulls were responsible for 81% (13).

        • Duh, you do realize that you are talking about a breed specifically and selectively bred for one thing and only one thing – to kill, don’t you? The only error is that you are spewing myths that get people killed.

          • Actually, the one thing it was bred for is to protect. In the hands of someone who knows what they are doing that is a very useful trait.

          • They were never bred to protect. They were bred to hold animals for slaughter, and later bull and bear baiting. Then of course, because form follows function, dog fighters got in on the game.

            Why do you suppose that dog fighters love pit bulls over say, border collies, cocker spaniels, or australian shepherds?

  13. Where did this dog come from? Backyard breeder? Craigslist? Shelter? Someone needs to be held accountable. This kid could have been killed!

  14. Look people [removed] happens. Dogs attac all of the time .lots of breeds. Its not just pits. Im a firm believer that any dog, doesnt matter what breed , is capable of being viscous. I also think rule of thumb IF THE DOG WASN’T RAISED WITH CHILDREN THEN KEEP THEM AWAY FROM THEM. I would and have trusted pits with my life and my kids lives. But i would never let my kids around any dog that they dont know.

    • any dog can bite, but very few will ‘attack’ meaning the aggression continues beyond a bite. A chihuahua is a nasty tempered little dog as often as not, but if it ‘bites’ its going to leave a mark unworthy of an ER visit. If a pit bull decides to bite you may lose your life and the news reports clearly show your far more likely to be killed by a pit bull than any other breed including those just as large as pit bulls. Weird how ALL breeds of dogs are at times abused, but its only the pit bull who bites,mauls and kills often enough to need ‘abuse’ as an excuse for it hurting people. If a mauling or death has happened, 99% of the time its a pit bull ‘type’ dog (am staff, pit bull terrier, am bulldog ect) the other 1% is usually a rottie.

      • Because those are the only stories reported to media…..look up the most aggressive dog breeds ….they just need to be brought up on a good home and socialized…..chows can do as much harm..alot of big dogs can do harm..I wouldn’t think a chihuahua can ..compared to there size

        • The old lame media conspiracy excuse is alive and well. Sorry but at no time did all the reporters in the world come together with one thought, one goal, to get those pits. Ridiculous. Pit bull attacks make the news because they required a life flight to the hospital and not a band aid. And show me the stats for chows killing people, a few in the past, but four people have been killed by pits in the first six weeks of this year. Show me another breed with those numbers.

  15. Want a family dog for the kids? Get a Golden Retriever. Then save the ammo for the burglar he is licking.

    • Golden Retrievers and most any breed can be a deterrent to burglars and can act defenselessly. ten years ago every home on my block was hit and every home with a dog was skipped.. no one had pitbulls then either. Pitbulls lack the sixth sense other dogs have to determine what is a real threat and what is not. They attack and do great bodily harm to mail carriers, visitors, etc.

    • Now THAT is a true statement for the most part. I’ve had nothing but Goldens for almost 25 years. I currently have one male Golden who is dog aggressive, but you touched on a great point. Breeding. Goldens were bred to be bird dogs. They are smart, active, and love to please people due to their breeding. People ruined pit bulls by selecting and mating the more vicious of the puppies.

  16. Owner’s fault / dog’s fault, people are still dead from attacks from these dogs. They may be great pets for some owners, but don’t ever let your children visit homes where there is a pit bull mix or other potentially dangerous breed even if the owners swears the dog is really sweet. Don’t take chances with your children.

    Yappy little dogs may bite more ankles, but pit bulls kill more people.

    • First of all you’re ignorant. Second of all know nothing about the breed. Third of all no one but the previous owners know this dog’s training and upbringing.

      Pit Bulls don’t kill people. Owners who are horrible people who train these dogs to be vicious and mistreat them and abuse them are responsible for people dying.

      It’s the same as humans who are abused. If someone is brought up in an emotionally, verbally or physically abusive home it is only a matter of time until they become the abuser themselves unless they seek help, these dogs can not ask for help. If this story was about a lab everyone would be in an uproar about the police killing a lab, but with the same treatment I guarantee you any breed would act the same way.

      So before you leave your ignorant comments why don’t you educate yourself on facts.

      • Meagan – I certainly hope you’re being sarcastic right now. Because otherwise – you are bat sh*t crazy.

      • I call BS. Every time a well-treated, neutered, socialized “family pit bull” is triggered and goes to town on a victim, the pit freaks scream “abuse!” and start throwing out all sorts of horrible accusations – as if a pit bull somehow needs to be “abused” in order to do what centuries of breeding have given it the desire and drive to do. SMH

      • What? You are saying that people who were abused will go on to abuse? Not hardly, where you get that from is beyond sensibility. Now, pit bulls absolutely are killing people. They don’t have to be trained to do that, it is their genetic, what they were created specifically and selectively for, for one purpose and that is to kill.

        Believe it or not, there has never been a media conspiracy to ‘get those pits’. The pits earn the headlines. Pits are killing beloved pets daily. Four deaths by pits in the first six weeks of this year. And 55% of deaths by pits are being done by beloved pet pits on their own families. These pits sleep in the bed with their owner and then kill them. Imagine that.

      • Second of all, Meagan, YOU’RE ignorant. This has been bred into Pits and Pit types and crosses, for centuries. This dog, was not “trained” to be viscous. it was BRED to be viscous. Before you left Your ignorant statement, you should have availed your self of in depth, comprehensive study of the history of this breed and exactly WHAT they were bred for. Go to one of the sites that contain statistics. Ignorant, are the people that continue to promote this type of breed.

      • Meagan, that was a hilarious parody! I think you hit every single nutter misconception and lie! Wait, you forgot to mention that they are nanny dogs! And you forgot to misspell it “bread”. (You were joking, right?)

      • Do you think pits are the only abused and neglected breed of dog? Pit apologists love to say pits are just like other dogs, but given that pits and other breeds end up in shelters due to neglect and abuse, why is it that pits are the ones taking their past treatment out on new owners?
        You can’t have it both ways. Show me the last story of a shelter lab it GSD savaging it’s new owner. I can show you two instances of pits doing this in the last WEEK!

      • another child has been seriously mauled…. stand back folks here comes the pit bull isnt a breed its not their fault group to parade out any new excuses they can offer. Ignore the kid over there who is hurt, feel bad for the dog and the breed, not the kid. I feel bad for the parents who believed the lies that this kind of dog was just like any other, but I know they must be thankful their child is actually alive considering it took shooting the dog to make the attack stop. If a collie or lab had been what was biting all the kid would have had to do is yell ,,, but they dont generally hang on and not want to let go, its snap and they back off.

      • Meagan, I have to take issue with SOME of what you said. Dog breeds are bred selectively, meaning the dogs with the desirable characteristics out of the litter are kept for breeding. I would agree that at one time Pit Bulls were somewhat like other breeds, but we have had people selectively breeding these dogs for their viciousness for decades now. This means that the dogs that are bred are the ones who are the most aggressive.

        It takes only 3 generations of breeding to start seeing the characteristics of what you are breeding for, and in decades we are talking about hundreds of generations. How many pit bull owners buy from respected breeders? They generally get them from rescues and backyard breeders. The worst kind of crap shoot EVER. I would never have a pit bull around children EVER. It will take a lot of generations breeding for docility to get rid of the viciousness that exists in many of these dogs.

  17. When my 29 year old daughter was 20 months old my children and I came to California from Alaska, and were sleeping in my dad’s motorhome, which was parked close to his house, in his fenced backyard, where his two adult male dogs were kept…a 2 year old Akita, and an older Australian Shepherd. We had been there for at least 2 weeks, when one afternoon the Akita decided that my baby daughter (who was being held by my 9 year old son) was posing a threat to him. He grabbed her by her upper left thigh from my son, and started throwing her around like a ragdoll…up in the air, down on the ground, up, down, back, and forth. Over…and over…This is what I saw as I ran up behind the dog, who still had my baby in his mouth, on her upper thigh. She was on the ground. From behind, I grabbed the top jaw of that dog with my left hand, the bottom with my right, pried his mouth open and pushed him back from my girl. As I bent to pick her up, the dog lunged fo4 her, but at that point my dad, who was right behind me, grabbed his dog and drop-kicked him. There’s more to this story, but my point is, I didn’t stop for or need a weapon. And although I truly believe that dog deserved death, it was not necessary in order to rescue my innocent child from a life threatening situation (the artery in her thigh had been opened).

    • Lynette, I am so sorry the akita attacked your baby, 7 yrs ago I haf a shepard/akita mix, that was the mist gentle, child livingm protective member of my family, the onky time he attacked was to orotect me and my 16 yr old daughter, 10 yrs ago from domestic violence, I couldn’t of asked for a better dog

  18. Sad for all involved. The parents were apparently trying to do the right thing by rescuing a dog rather than buying one. Problem is that they were obviously not educated in how to properly indoctrinate a rescue pooch into the family, much less how to determine the safety of doing so. The poor kid is now traumatized for life, and of course, a frightened confused dog lost its life. The officers of course had no choice and thank God the boy wasn’t injured any worse than he was. Like I said, sad for all.

    • Those parents are just like any other parents. Who educates parents? Is it the pit advocates who tell parents that pits are nanny dogs? And what parent wouldn’t leave a child with the ‘nanny’ dog? It is the lies and myths surrounding this breed that is killing people. If you engaged in the spreading of those lies and myths, then you are just as guilty as the dog who kills that innocent child.

  19. I know this dog and he was a loving father and a really amazing dog. This doesn’t sound like killer at all. The police profiled killer and then murdered him. Isn’t it odd that the injuries are non life threatening? I’ll tell you why, because killer has a bad back and weighs only 70 pounds!

    • They were non life threatening because the police stopped the damn dog before he could make them that way. Humans stand up for the safety of other humans first, get it?

    • Only 70 pounds LOL
      Yes, these dogs are great – until they’re not. And it’s impossible to predict which will ‘go pit’.

  20. I have a rock wieler/weenie dog cross and I’ve never had any problem with him yet. Now my pick bull/chijuajua, that’s a different story. Bofe em great dogs doe.

  21. These dogs are always wonderful loving pets, ask any owner. Right up until they bite someone. Sure, lots of dogs bite people, the terorizing difference is, pit bulls often don’t let go. The article says “minutes” until help arrived. Unfortunately for these people, “Tim Scott” couldn’t be there with his perfect world, and a policeman/woman with the courage to do an ugly job had to come quickly and save the child.

    • You bring me up in this because…?

      By the way, yes, I do work with dogs and would guess that it wouldn’t have taken me minutes to get the dog to drop the kid…and since I don’t carry cold steel courage I’d have had to get it done without shooting the dog.

      • See, any dangerous situation, Tim is the one to call. Nut with an ax – no problem, Tim will just take the ax away. Pitbull-mastiff mauling a kid – Tim will do a Vulcan mind meld with the dog and have it think peaceful thoughts. Who needs the Sheriffs when we have a super hero like Tim around?

        • I’d try a vulcan mind meld with you Mike, if you had anything to work with. But for a dog, just using pressure points on their jaw is more efficient.

      • Since you work with dogs as my daughter, what would be the typical demeanor of a dog with these two different mixes.. I am sure she would say not a great blend of breeds and go over their nature… She works with mastiffs and other aggressive dogs and owns it… Just a thought… The responsibility started when a maid mattress with a pit… Responsible dog ownership, a serious decision and commitment.. @

        • Not something I would recommend as an adult dog to what was apparently a novice owner with a small child. It is a serious responsibility, having a dog. Adult dogs may have issues from their previous situations that a novice may not be able or willing to deal with and in the case of a powerfully built animal that can lead to problems…obviously.

          Anyone who is not knowledgeable, rather than going to the pound yourself, please contact a local rescue organization. They get dogs from the pound, mostly, and when you take one off their hands they will save another so you are doing just as much good that way…and you get a dog that has been examined by people who are with dogs all the time and can help to make sure you are getting something appropriate to your circumstances.

          • Right Tim easier said then done. I was turned down and listed as an unfit home for a dog by two rescues. Why you may ask, I asked too many questions and refused to have strangers in my home. I did however fill out all the forms and send video of my backyard, interior house, and other dog to the screener who asked me to do so. Yep unfit bc I refused to have unknown ppl in my house. It all worked out in the end bc I got a wonderful dog from county shelter. I seriously question all these rescues and their motives.

          • No doubt. Rescues take their “right dog to the right home” responsibilities very seriously. In some cases people think too seriously. I was once turned down myself by a local rescue because my lifestyle at the time was “too unstable” and had to get a dog from another rescue up in the bay area (a drive I didn’t really appreciate). That doesn’t change the fact that they do serve their purpose well, especially in regards to people who possibly don’t realize the responsibility they are taking on.

            I’m glad things worked out well for you and your dog.

  22. This was an unfortunate incident and bringing a new pet home is a big responsibility and new pets should have been kept an eye out for and made sure the dog was child friendly some dogs can be friendly but do not have patience for small children. Not blaming the parents or pointing fingers but should have done research and got history on this dog

  23. My mastiff bulldog mix is AMAZING!!! The difference here is that this was a grown dog from the pound where nobody knew its history. Unfortunately the shelter is so crowded that who knows what care and attention (if any) it got or what “REAL” behavioral tests were done. I feel horrible for the poor baby but put some blame on the parents for trusting what in all reality is still an animal with a stranger. Sad situation all around.

  24. Rex is trying to figure out how to sue the parents on behalf of themselves and wind up with everything they own.

    • What a hypocrite! Timmy has the nerve to whine when @The humanity! brought his name into the conversation above, yet Timmy turns right around and brings Rex into it? Wtf does Rex have to do with this? Next time a vicious dog goes nuts, make sure to call “Timmy the Dog Whisperer” instead of the cops. He’ll get there sooner and use his “wooshaw” skills to make the dog drop the kid without further injury. Just ask him.

      • By the way, don’t call me unless you are a close friend and nearby. Oh, wait, none of my close friends would be dumb enough to bring a dog home from the pound and turn it loose in the back yard with a six year old.

  25. People need to stop making a certain breed responsible. It’s the owners fault (not saying it in this case) but we have to be more responsible on how we raise our pets. We have 2 pitbulls, a 6 yr old and a 2 yr old. Not once have we had any problems!

    • I agree! I own an American bulldog and a lab pit mix. They have been with our family for nearly 6 years and love my 9 and 11 year old. We have never had a single problem with them!

  26. These breeds can be good family pets but you have to do your research. You can’t bring someone’s random dog home when you have a small child. Especially not a dog that is so commonly violent due to bad breeding and training. Ugh so irresponsible.

  27. Actually there really good dogs I dots just don’t know how to raise them any dog could do this at anytime I have one who’s amazing and he wouldn’t hurt any of my kids. So I can’t say it’s not the dogs fault but I will say you don’t know what that kid did to the dog either so don’t blame a breed for stupid ppl it’s just as bad as being racist.

  28. Ok, who is going to be the first to post “It wasn’t the dog’s fault!”?

    I will the first to post the parent’s should have also been shot to bring such a vicious dog home with a small child in it. Pit bull-mastiff mix are NOT family pets!

    • Yes it is completely the dogs fault because these parents made several very poor judgment decisions……..

    • I just want to say that pit bull mastiff mix can very well be a GREAT family pet! Like any dog it’s how they are raised! My girl is the sweetest baby!! You can’t generalize dogs anymore than you can people!

      • Yes I have two pit bull massive and they are precious and all depends on the person that raises them. I have a 1 year old niece and they protect her as if she was one of their litter they don’t let her get too close to the gate and they don’t let unfamiliar people walk up to her so it all depends on how you treat and raise your dogs. If you train them to be vicious they will be vicious if you train them as part of the family that’s where they’ll be a part of the family

        • just curious, how do your dog respond to strangers and do you ever have concern the dogs may bite? THanks just curious.

      • Pit bulls are great family pets if they are raised well. If families want to get one they should raise it from a puppy themselves.not expect to bring home an adult animal that is already set in its ways.

          • Got it, never adopt a pit bul, pit mix… Yet every day we hear how wonderful it is to rescue. I agree, just not a pit or mix pit. That is precisely why shelters are over run with pit bulls and their mixes. Thank you for clarifying this. But, on the other hand, how do you explain, the good, pit bull, family raised pets, that go on to kill family members? Please share with me this phenomenon. Thank you.

    • Pitt mastiffs raised right are actually the best family dogs. We have had a pitt mastiff for about 3 years, and it is nicer than any of our other more “family” dogs. Any dog can be violent if it is raised to be. It is the same with pitt mastiffs. You cannot blame the breed.

      • Jaclyn, I really want to agree with you, but I just can’t. My son also has a pit who is a giant baby, but you are forgetting about BREEDING. All dogs were once wolves. People chose the most docile pup to guard their home. This was done over and over until dogs became pets and the wildness/aggression of the wolves was bred out of them. Unfortunately, pits have been irresponsibly bred for generations now by backyard breeders and dog fighters where the most aggressive dog was kept for breeding (see Michael Vick for some of the blame). That makes for a real genetic wild card. You might get lucky and you might not. Stats seem to bear out that this is definitely not a breed for dog novices or for people with children. They are far and away the most dangerous dog around. That is simply a fact.

    • @here we go again!
      Because you have raised them in your home with your family you know that they are not family pets, or are you another media and internet educated professional on pit bulls and mastiffs?

    • Justified, yes. The dog was actively endangering a citizen.

      Necessary, not in my opinion. There are a lot of ways to get a dog to drop a kid without shooting the dog, but deputies do not need to be trained in them. Once the people let the dog start chewing on their kid and then called the cops the dog was dead anyway, so it really makes no difference.