NEBRASKA ATTACKS SINCE 11/13/09

Nov. 17, 2009
http://www.wowt.com/news/headlines/70275377.html A 64-year-old man walking his Chihuahua saved the pet's life by stabbing another dog that was attacking. The other dog was a 94-pound bull mastiff. The dog-and-man melee happened while Joseph Slack was walking his 4-year-old Chihuahua, Killer. Slack told Lancaster County sheriff's deputies that the bull mastiff broke loose from a chain and attacked his tiny dog. ANOTHER PIT ON STERIODS BREAKS A CHAIN, CAN YOU IMAGINE A COCKER SPANIEL OR A POODLE CAPABLE OF BREAKING A CHAIN??

Jan 7, 2010 FATALITIES
http://www.nptelegraph.com/articles/2010/01/07/news/40000137.txt According to North Platte Deputy Chief Jim Agler, the police were called in to investigate an incident where two pit bulls had attacked, killed and were eating a sheep located on private property at 13th Street and Bryan. Agler said the officer parked his car and began an attempt to coax the dogs away from the carcass. Agler said the animal control officer let the dog go and both officers continued their attempts to settle the dogs down. The second pit bull joined the other dog near the officers and that's when things quickly spiraled out of control. "You can see it on the video that the dogs were growling and barking," said Agler. "Then they just looked at each other and one of the pit bulls charged the police officer. The officer backpedaled, drew his weapon and shot the dog in the chest. The dog walked into a nearby ditch and died and the gunshot scared off the second pit bull who went back to his house." The pit bulls are owned by two separate individuals. Both owners have been cited for loose dogs. Agler said there is a hearing today in order to determine if the surviving pit bull should be declared a potentially dangerous dog. Agler said there have been other incidents such as this one over the years. While other breeds have been involved in attacking officers after responding to calls, pit bull attacks have made up the majority of the incidents."We've run into aggressive dogs in the past," he said. "But these pit bull types of dogs who become vicious can be very dangerous and cause a lot of damage."According to a comprehensive study performed by journalist Merritt Clifton, editor of Animal People and charter member of the Society of Environmental Journalists, Pit Bull Terriers are the leading breed involved in fatal attacks on humans.However, Clifton singled out pit bulls to be much less inhibited about attacking humans compared to other breeds whose attacks have occurred for a variety of reasons, such as protecting territory or people ignoring aggressive warning signs. Of all the breeds, pit bulls are the only breed that are known to attack adults as frequently as they attack children. Most other aggressive breeds tend to limit their attacks to children or small adults. TRY AS NUTTERS MAY, YOU CANNOT DENY THE STATS.

March 17, 2010
http://www.columbustelegram.com/news/local/article_39b0fdbc-31cb-11df-b5c7-001cc4c03286.html COLUMBUS — Two Columbus Police officers shot and killed a pit bull Monday evening when it threatened them after attacking another dog at Pawnee Park East.The officers had unsuccessfully tried to separate the fighting dogs and had to destroy the pit bull when it started to come after them, Columbus Police Capt. Todd Thalken said.The incident began about 5:15 p.m. Monday when the victim dog, which was being walked by its owner and was on a leash, was attacked by the pit bull, the police captain said.Thalken said the pit bull, which was not licensed and was not wearing a collar, was running loose without its owner at the time of the incident. The owner of pit bull had not been identified by Tuesday afternoon.Columbus Animal Control officers and police officers responded to the 911 call at the park.Thalken said the victim dog was taken to a local veterinarian for treatment of its wounds. JUST AN INNOCENT WALK.

March 22, 2010 FATALITY
http://www.action3news.com/Global/story.asp?S=12185959 Omaha, NE - Tonight we uncover new details on a heartbreaking story. A family loses a beloved dog to a sudden attack in its own backyard. It happened at a home near 94th and Meadow. An 8 pound Yorkie mix is killed over the weekend by a pit bull, that according to witnesses.A little girl smiling next to her 3-year-old Yorkie mix Bridget, a family pet that's now gone after a vicious attack. "My daughter is devastated, we're all very devastated," says Dianne Misuinas. Dianne and her daughter are inside when they hear their puppy desperately yelping, they look outside and find Bridget's entire body locked in another dog's teeth.The pets owner horrified as are neighbors. Witnesses tell me, another man runs from next door to stop the dog. "I see the guy literally punching with all of his force the pit bull in the head like seven times and the next thing I know I see a little dog fall out of his mouth," says neighbor Tim Baker. Baker is shocked by what he sees and can't believe it all went down in the owner's fenced yard.You can see the Yorkie's toys still in the backyard, neighbors say the dog didn't stand a chance when a pit bull or pit bull mix jumped over this fence and several others in the neighborhood before attacking the dog. As police rush to the scene, Misuinas scoops up Bridget and rushes her to the vet, but it's too late. "You could tell where she was bitten because both ribs were fractured and she had a hole in her lung and in her bowel."Now the family's backyard sits empty as does a little girl's arms, with her puppy now gone.The Yorkie's owner wants to remind everyone to watch their kids and pets now that the weather is getting nice. Humane Society investigators believe they know who the dog's owner is and will be citing them. If it is a pit bull more charges will be tacked on as well. CITATIONS WON'T BRING THIS DOGGIE BACK TO THE LITTLE GIRL.

March 29, 2010
http://www.cass-news.com/articles/2010/03/29/news/local/doc4bb15ee90077d902005835.txt A 10-year-old boy who was bitten by his father’s pit bull Sunday is resting at his mother and step-father’s Plattsmouth home.Justin Neilsen was watching a movie while lying on the couch at his father’s residence, 2219 S. 15th St., when the 7-year-old, 80-pound pit bull suddenly turned on him and bit his face at 12:15 Sunday morning.Plattsmouth police, rescue squad and American Medical Response were dispatched to the scene. The dog, Cuz, bit a chunk out of his right cheek. Justin was taken to University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha where he was treated and released.Plattsmouth Animal Control officer Sue Baker was also called to the scene due to the severity of the wound. The dog was taken to the animal shelter, where he will be quarantined for 10 days then euthanized.The dog’s owner, Rick Nielsen, told Baker that Cuz had been acting more aggressive in the past two weeks.Baker said Cuz is an intact male, and that there was another pit bull in heat in the residence.“The dog was humping legs,” Baker said. “That’s a dominance thing. There was no alpha figure to this dog. The female in season in the house probably brought this all to a head. They can tell a female in season and right away they get very aggressive to get to that female.”Baker said Mr. Nielsen had an incident with a pit bull attacking his brother in 2007. “They had that dog quarantined and euthanized. The brother has quite a scar on his arm,” Baker said.Pit bulls are very popular among some dog owners. ‘They think they are cool looking and mean looking. It’s like a status symbol to a lot of guys. Sometimes they want them to be mean, although I’m not saying this is the case here,” Baker said.Cuz was kept in the basement, Baker said, and only let out to defecate and urinate.There were gates at the basement door and top of the stairs, she said.“What’s sad is even though the dog is aggressive, he wasn’t born aggressive. He was a cute little puppy at one time,” she said. “His environment and life has made him the way he is. Now a little boy has a disfigurement to his face and a dog has to die. We have to ask what could we have done to prevent it in the first place?”Justin’s mother, Sara Longton, hadn’t wanted Justin to visit his biological father due to the pit bulls in the house.“I knew he and his brother were into the pit bull thing,” she said. “Even with Justin going over there, he has his own p hone, so I could keep in contact with him.”Now, she knows she had a good reason for not wanting Mr. Nielsen to have even temporary custody of the boy.Justin is taking pain medication and antibiotics to help with the injury. “The doctor says it will take six to nine months for it to heal. We won’t know how bad the scaring is until the scab is gone,” Mrs. Longton said. “His summer is shot, because he can’t have any direct sunlight on that tissue. It could cause more scaring than necessary and Justin loves to be outside and he loves to swim.”Her husband and Justin’s stepfather, Bruce Longton, went to Nielsen’s residence as soon as he was notified of the attack.“I knew she didn’t need it,” Mr. Longton said.When he arrived, Justin had a dressing on the wood. “I didn’t see the extent of the wound. IL was in shock that that happened. I just feel bad for Justin. When I got there, he was still hysterical and very upset,” Mr. Longton said.Mrs. Longton said Justin might return to school on Monday if he is feeling well enough.The attack, however, has left him weary of pit bulls. “He said he’s not scared of dogs, he’s just scared of that kind of dog,” Mrs. Longton said.Baker said in the past one and a half years she has been the animal control officer in Plattsmouth, there have only been five or seven incidents with pit bulls.“The majority of incidents with pit bulls revolve around the neighbors calling because they are concerned about a dog,” she said. “Most of the animals running loose are not pit bulls. This is the second pit bull bite that I can recall in Plattsmouth.”Baker said she knows of many pit bulls that are friendly and non-aggressive. “I’m not so sure it’s the breed as much as the lack of socialization, lack of spaying and neutering and no obedience. Nothing has been taught to these dogs,” Baker explained.Pit bulls, however, do have a strong bite, she said.Baker is a strong promoter of having pets spayed and neutered. “It will help with their aggression level, their dominance level,” she said.If someone notices an aggressive animal in town, Baker urges them to contact her at the shelter.“Pick up the phone and let me know,” she said. “Maybe neutering or spaying a dog is enough to make it calm down. If you are afraid to let your kids go out and play, call me. There are always times when it’s not the case, but I can go out, get to know the dog, so we know if it’s going to be a problem.”Being a responsible pet owner is the first step, she said. “Owning a pit bull or bully breed is a unique responsibility for extreme pet ownership. Pit bulls are a strong, misunderstood breed,” Baker said. “They have to be socialized. They have to experience people. That makes them feel good to be loved and petted and have attention.”Baker added that the investigation is ongoing regarding Cuz biting the boy. Charges may be brought against the owner for harboring a dangerous animal. THESE PEOPLE WOULD BE STUPID EVEN IF THEY OWNED A POODLE.

April 10, 2010
http://www.omaha.com/article/20100410/NEWS01/704109750 Two boys were mauled by two pit bulls Friday evening in La Vista, suffering serious bites and resulting in hospital stays.The boys, ages 8 and 12, suffered wounds to their arms, legs and buttocks, and, in the 8-year-old’s case, possibly a broken wrist, said Mark Langan, vice president of field operations for the Nebraska Humane Society.The attacks happened about 7:30 p.m. in a residential neighborhood near 75th and Harrison Streets, where the boys were playing together.The boys were taken to separate hospitals one to Bergan Mercy Medical Center, the other to Midlands Hospital in Papillion and were still being treated Friday night.The dogs’ owner, whose name was not immediately released, was issued several citations by the La Vista Police. The most serious citation was two counts of harboring a dangerous animal.The dogs were impounded by the humane society. NANNY DOGS COULD BE AN ANSWER TO REDUCING PEOPLE POPULATION.