Bystander subdues rampaging pit bull

[Bill Glasheen]

I was most impressed with the gentleman referred to in this story. When stuff happens, most run in the opposite direction. It is a very few, special people who move towards danger to save others. These sheepdogs are a special breed.

I'm sad that I couldn't find the picture that was published in the paper. It showed the gentleman on the ground with the pit bull's neck and body pinned to the ground, but the dog still conscious. Picture an application of the double boshiken at the end of Sanchin kata, applied in a prone position with a bit of body thrown in.

The only thing restraining the dog before the trouble began was a rope that was completely inadequate in terms of keeping the dog under control. Undoubtedly this gentleman was forced to hold this dog like that for an extended period of time before the police arrived. Having been involved in such a scenario with a human, I can tell you that it isn't easy.

- Bill

Pit bull bites 5 at Monroe Park

One woman seriously hurt; bystander pinned dog, which police said was not provoked

BY KIRAN KRISHNAMURTHY
TIMES-DISPATCH STAFF WRITER Mar 13, 2006

A pit bull attacked its owner and four other people at Richmond's Monroe Park yesterday afternoon, seriously injuring a sleeping woman before a bystander subdued the animal, police said.

"He actually saved the woman's life," Cpl. Jody Atkins of Virginia Commonwealth University police said of the bystander, recounting how witnesses described the man's actions.

None of the victims' injuries was life-threatening, but the woman sustained what police described as serious wounds to her right arm and shoulder. She was being treated at VCU Medical Center.

Police said the dog's owner, who was among those bitten, was cooperating and had remained at the scene.

"He was very upset," Atkins said.

VCU police would not identify the owner, because no charges had been filed, or the other bite victims. Police are scheduled to meet today with the Richmond commonwealth's attorney's office to discuss possible charges.

Atkins described the victims as indigent and having no fixed address. She said police do not believe any of them had been sleeping overnight at Monroe Park because police have stepped up patrols there in recent months.

An officer had been patrolling the park five to 10 minutes before the 2:50 p.m. attack and had seen the owner walking the dog on a rope, not a leash, without any problems, Atkins said.

Witnesses told police the dog bit one man and then another. "The attacks were unprovoked," she said.

The dog then moved over to the woman, who was asleep on the ground. "He sniffed around her or something. She moved a little bit, and he lunged at her," Atkins said.

Atkins said the bystander, who was not bitten, wrestled the dog to the ground by the neck and then pinned it down until a VCU officer arrived. The officer restrained the dog and summoned animal-control officials.

Henrico County Division of Police animal-protection officials responded under a mutual-aid agreement with Richmond. Henrico officials took the dog, described as a 2½-year-old male pit bull, to Richmond's animal shelter. Atkins said the animal will be quarantined for 10 days to see whether it shows signs of being rabid. The dog will probably be euthanized after that, she added.

Atkins said police believe the dog was unlicensed and that the owner had acknowledged never having it vaccinated.

VCU police said one of the five people bitten had left the scene before an officer arrived. VCU Medical Center officials said later that five people were being treated as a result of the attack.

{snip}

[AAAhmed46]

THats a good thing too; props!

[benzocaine]

I'm sad that I couldn't find the picture that was published in the paper. It showed the gentleman on the ground with the pit bull's neck and body pinned to the ground, but the dog still conscious. Picture an application of the double boshiken at the end of Sanchin kata, applied in a prone position with a bit of body thrown in.

I tried searching google images.. came up with these... 6 pages of pitbull attack pictures. You describe the technique he used well ... brave guy!

http://tinyurl.com/qr6q3

I can't imagine having a pitbull or Rottweiller in my home.

I have a good natured mut and a bassett hound who my 18 month old climbs on, pulls her ears and wrinkly face.. and she just takes it http://tinyurl.com/lyw8q

[Bill Glasheen]

The problems with Pit Bull Terriers are strictly an issue of the breeders and owners.

Summonses have been issued to the owner of a pit bull that attacked four people in Richmond's Monroe Park on Sunday. Officials say they will seek to have the dog declared a vicious animal and euthanized.

Virginia Commonwealth University Police issued Rodney Frederick Douglas, 37, summonses for not having his dog licensed, vaccinated or restrained in the park, said VCU spokeswoman Pam DiSalvo Lepley.

- RTD


Many of the wrong kinds of people purchase and breed these dogs. I see the biggest problem being one of a lack of AKC recognition. If the breed was recognized by this organization, people would be able to form groups of responsible breeders who would work on issues such as temperament of lines and proper care of the animals. Instead we have backyard breeders, some of whom produce dogs to be used in dog fights.

George's dog Tia is an example of a good dog and good owners as well. Not all Pits deserve the brand of vicious dog.

- Bill

[benzocaine]

Fair enough Bill. Unfortunatley you can drive through the "wrong side of town" and see many unleshed pitts running loose.. and you have to wonder how many of those were bred to be mean.. or how many are in-bred. From what I understand inbreeding can cause schitzophrenia in people. Surely the same effect can be found in dogs.

[Bill Glasheen]

Contrary to popular belief, inbreeding isn't a bad practice per se. If you're dealing with 100% "perfect" DNA, then inbreeding assures that you maintain that perfect standard. So dog breeders who know what they are doing will do this on occasion.

Inbreeding will uncover hidden recessive alleles. For instance when you start doubling up on alleles associated with blood clotting disorders, you're going to create lines of people with blood clotting disorders.

Inbreeding by breeders who don't know what they are doing quite often results in disaster. Beneathe the phenotype (what you see) may be lurking a genotype (what may be recessive) that you don't really want expressed.

From a broader survival strategy for an entire species, the general rule of thumb is to maintain genetic diversity. This means it's good that we have all kinds of people, and we allow their genes to mix. It means that whenever there is a dramatic change in the environment, some bugger out there just might be carrying the trait that allows them to survive this potentially catastrophic change.

- Bill

[Chris Hess]

Hmmm, Pit bull terriers. I've raised them & been attacked by them. "Real" breeders of pit fighting dogs only breed game dogs. If a dog won't scratch or turns away during a roll, they're deemed "not game", usually destroyed and definitley not bred. Likewise "people mean" dogs are destroyed. Kinda makes it hard to handle em in a roll, if they'll bite you. Generally, inbreeding makes dogs smaller, stupid and less game, imagine that. Rolling is "generally" for breed testing purposes. Ever see that movie where Hanibal psyched out and befriended those Dobermans? Trust me, the best can do it. I know Pit people and war/police dog trainers there's a psychology to it. The animal senses who's in charge. Likewise, If your spirit ain't real they'll know it. Care to hear about the K-9 that would'nt search a house where witchcraft was practiced?

[Bill Glasheen]

Dogs most definitely have senses that humans don't. They "read" us in ways that we can't easily read each other. And I'm convinced that the communication can be quite complex.

It doesn't take a dog long to know I am "a dog person" and that I am an alpha type. It goes beyond what "dog experts" tell you is the way to handle dogs. Recently when visiting a dog that allegedly was "difficult", I was told I was doing the wrong thing by the way I presented myself to her. Nobody bothered to tell her she shouldn't come up to me and lean on me, wanting to be loved.

- Bill