My hamper floweth over

The Keith Family News

Saturday, August 11, 2007

Animal rights activist, apparently, not so much.

I will warn you now that There are disturbing pictures at the bottom of this post.

Yesterday was a happy day for my almost seven year old fish of a son. He was picked up around 11:00, went swimming with his friend at a club, had lunch, and went swimming again in his friend's backyard pool. He came home about 4:00. We left about 5:00 to go swimming at a friend of the family's. We came home about 6:45.

My husband was already home. Ashton went outside to walk the dog, and Pierce went with her.

Ashton came back inside, and Pierce stayed outside to ride his bike on the sidewalk in front of our house.

I remember hearing him come in the door. "I was bit by a dog" he was saying fairly calmly, though fear and shock were obviously present in his voice.

There were puncture marks on his arm, right under his sleeve. We knew there would be a trip to the emergency room, but my husband went to look for the dogs.

"There were two of them. They bit me a lot. They bit me a lot."

Then I saw the blood on his swim trunks. When I raised them, I saw that there were chunks of flesh, pieces of my son, missing.

I yelled to my husband that they had to leave now. He told me that he saw the dogs heading towards our park, only a block away.

I called 911 with a description of the dogs and dropped the other kids off at a friends.

We are lucky. We are blessed.

His wounds though many, and deep, are on his arms, legs, back, and bottom. Not on his face, not on his torso.

We didn't hear him call out as the dogs attacked. He told us he was trying to stay calm, that he knew if he panicked, it would be worse.

Across the street, several men were working on a roof. One jumped off the roof and beat the dogs off with a stick as they were dragging my son to the road.

It took over eighty stitches and several hours for his thirteen lacerations to be closed. My brave little man barely cried.

The officer from animal control came to take my statement at the hospital. They had both dogs (thanks to our neighbor who hunted them down) and they were both going to be euthanized immediately. Then I am told about how the poor owner turned the dogs over immediately, he was just given the dogs a few weeks ago by a friend and had no idea they were capable of such a thing. And I was told how one of the dogs had very recently given birth to ten puppies that, although the owner was going to try to bottle feed, would probably not make it. I was told this in a very "isn't that sad" tone.

I was told how the dogs seemed very "sweet" and went straight to the officer when he called them.

I was asked what my son was doing when they attacked him. I was asked in a very accusatory tone.

I was told they were both pit bulls.

I was told that I could file a complaint, but that the most the owner would receive would be a $500 fine per dog, and that my son would "be dragged into court to testify".

He recommended that I sign a paper saying I would not file this complaint, it just wasn't wort it. I signed.

I was in a bit of shock myself. They had just started to sew up my son. He was lying naked on a table, covered in Betadine, while two doctors went to work on repairing his many injuries.

Today, after reading a bit about pit bull attacks, I changed my mind. I called animal control, and they said I had already signed the paper. Why would I change my mind? When I brought up the fact that this owner had ten puppies still in his care, I was told "ma'am, those puppies didn't do this to your child." I was asked to have sympathy for the owner, whose dogs had been euthanized, and whose heads had been put in a box and mailed to a lab to be tested for rabies. Not that he meant to minimize my sons injuries in any way. I mentioned, okay, just short of yelled, That my son had numerous holes in his body, that the dogs had to be beaten off of him, and was told that a call would be made to the officer who handled the case.

He showed up at my door an hour later. He never meant to insinuate that I not file charges. HE had thought of filing the charges himself...Yada yada yada.

I believe that having a dog notorious for fatal and near fatal attacks and letting it roam free is the same as playing Russian roulette on a playground full of kids. I mean, there's only a one in six chance the gun will go off, and then what are the odds that bullet actually hits a kid?

I believe that, without the quick intervention of the man who witnessed the attack, they wouldn't have stopped until my son was dead.

I have no sympathy for the dogs, and less every minute for the owner.






There are other injuries, but mostly around his hiney, and I will spare him the embarrassment of posting those.

By the way, as to the question of what my son did to provoke the attack? He saw the dogs running towards him, barking at what he thought was each other, and tried to get out of their way and into our house.
Keithclan, 10:34 PM

7 Comments:

Oh my god jamie. That is horrible. Really horrible. I'm proud that Pierce is brave and didn't cry during the stiches. I can't even imagine.

Glad they caught the dogs. Did they let you change your mind about signing the paper? There are pit bull bans in most of the suburbs around Denver. Makes me glad, but hey, I'm moving back to OKC in a month!

Glad Pierce is Ok.
Blogger lifeinsuburbia, at 8:05 AM  
The hubs and I both read this with our mouths hanging open and our hearts racing. Jamie! I am so glad he's okay!!!!! Thank God for good neighbors and your brave, clear thinking son. Bless his heart. I hope he heals quickly. I also hope that those puppies get taken. Call me cruel, but I do.
Blogger Unknown, at 9:06 PM  
Wow - I've been thinking about you and Pierce all weekend. Seeing the pictures I see that it was both better and worse than I had imagined! I am so sorry that he had to go through that and so thankful for the "man on the roof" - what a hero! And what a brave little boy. It's amazing how much they hold on to of what we try to teach them and how they are able to use that information in a time of emergency.

I too hold no sympathy for owners of pit bulls. That man knew what he was getting himself into when he accepted those dogs into his care - whether a week ago or a year ago. Anyone who choses to own one does so knowing that these dogs are born attackers - nothing you can do can take that base instinct away from them.

Too bad they aren't illegal here! Yet...
Anonymous Anonymous, at 9:00 AM  
I'm so glad your son is alright. He is a very smart young man to have reactted the way he did.
Anonymous Anonymous, at 9:02 AM  
Holy crap! My husband tells me there are no bad dogs, just bad dog owners... but I don't know. There used to be this couple living next door to my parents with their pit bull puppies tied to a concrete stump. I was terrified of them, luckily they moved. Personally, I don't believe a cocker spaniel should be allowed loose to roam a neighborhood. I'm glad to hear Pierce is okay, too. I would file a compaint, maybe $1000 would hit the guy where it hurt... to bad the money wouldn't come directly to you. Is he even required to pay your hospital bills? He should... Elena
Anonymous Anonymous, at 9:52 AM  
They asked what Pierce was doing to provoke the dogs? Did the dogs have chunks of their skin missing? Did they require a trip to the ER from what HE did to THEM? Give me a break!!! Although I know he is suffering, probably psychologically and physically I am so greatful he was not hurt worse. It makes me cry to think how much worse this could have been. Did you meet the roofer that helped him?

Lizzee
Anonymous Anonymous, at 9:36 PM  
Sounds like you have quite an amazing little guy there. I am so happy he is ok. My heart raced as I read about what happened, I can only imagine what you must have been feeling. I hope he is on the mend and I hope you are doing better as well.

They should take the dogs - take ALL the dogs, even the pups. A dog that attacks like - whether provoked or not, doesn't get a second chance.

I hope he is totally healed up in no time:)
Blogger Pam, at 2:44 PM  

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