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LEE COUNTY, South Carolina – Authorities said Ethel Mae Horton, 65, was killed in a dog attack on Thursday morning in the town of Lucknow in Lee County.

The coroner confirmed that the victim died Thursday from injuries she sustained in the attack.

According to Maj. Daniel Simon with the Lee County Sheriff’s Office, the attack took place at around 11:45 a.m. in the backyard of the victim’s home located on West Stokes Bridge Road.

Simon said that the woman’s husband named Jerry, was also injured and brought to a hospital in Hartsville. He would have to undergo surgery to treat his injuries.

The coroner said that Brutus, a 10-year-old dog was tied up, and that the couple may have been trying to feed the dog when the attack occurred.

According to investigators, the victims kept several dogs in a backyard pen of their residence. Apparently, the dog in question belonged to the couple’s nephew and it is uncertain if he would face any charges. Authorities said Brutus has been quarantined and will be euthanized prior to a rabies test.

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SVENSEN, Ore. – The 4-year-old granddaughter of Jay Browning and step-daughter of Jesse Browning from The History Channel’s series “Ax Men” has died after family said she was attacked by their pet Rottweiler.

Around 1 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 28, deputies responded with fire and medical personnel to the home of Jesse and D’ette Browning at 42921 Hillcrest Loop Road, Svensen, Ore., just east of Astoria.

Jesse Browning called 9-1-1 with the frantic news that his 4-year-old daughter, Ashlynn Anderson, had been attacked by one of the two family Rottweilers. Paramedics tried to save the girl’s life and a LifeFlight helicopter landed in a nearby field to transport Ashlynn to Oregon Health and Science University hospital in Portland. The girl was pronounced dead on arrival.

Though Clatsop County Sheriff Tom Bergin said only one of the two family dogs mauled the girl, both were taken from the home at the request of the family. The couple also has another child living in the home, a 1 year old.

Deputies transported the dogs to the Clatsop County animal shelter where they are quarantined.

KATU has uncovered reports that the family contacted the Clatsop County Sheriff’s Office about four months ago to report a third dog “showing aggressive signs” who, according to the Associated Press, bit an adult family member. That dog was reportedly destroyed.

Clatsop County Medical Examiner Dr. Joanne Stefanelli will be involved with the autopsy to determine the exact cause of death.

Clatsop county detectives will conduct a follow-up investigation “after the family has time to grieve,” said Tom Bergin, Clatsop County Sheriff, in a prepared statement Monday. At this time, no criminal charges are being issued.

“This was a sad set of circumstances,” Bergin said, “and a very unfortunate death.”

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OCALA, Fla. – A 3-year-old girl who was attacked by a bulldog outside her Ocala-area home has died.

According to a Marion County Sheriff’s Office spokeswoman, the girl was playing outside while her mother cleaned a dog pen Saturday. She got tangled in a dog chain when her mother went inside the home.

That’s when a male dog attacked the girl, whose name wasn’t immediately released.

The Ocala Star-Banner reports that four dogs were outside the home at the time of the attack, but investigators believe just one of the animals was involved. All the dogs were taken by county animal services officials.

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In what is believed to be the first fatal dog attack in Philadelphia in more than a quarter-century, a pit bull sank her teeth into the neck of a 38-year-old Fishtown woman and killed her yesterday.

The victim, Christine Staab, had been arguing with her mother in their Oxford Street rowhouse and fell backward. At that point, the dog leaped on Staab, said her mother, Barbara Erb.

Erb, 59, said she tried frantically to pull off the dog, Jade, but could not get the pit bull to relax her grip on Staab’s throat.

The dog “was in some kind of protection mode,” Erb said.

After struggling with the dog, Erb let go and darted to confine her other dogs and call police. Arriving about 7 a.m., officers shot and killed Jade. They then shot and killed Bear, a second pit bull that lunged at them after he jumped over a barrier that had penned him and four other pit bulls in the kitchen.

The four surviving dogs were taken to the SPCA’s Animal Care and Control Team shelter on Hunting Park Avenue and quarantined.

Erb said she would like them back. “It was just a horrible, horrible incident,” she said.

Detectives in the East Division are investigating.

Erb said no one had suggested to her that she might face arrest.

A spokesman for the Philadelphia Medical Examiner’s Office said the death was being investigated as a fatal dog attack. An autopsy is to take place today.

Despite about 70 million dogs in the United States, fatal attacks are relatively rare.

According to the organization Dogsbite.org, dogs killed an average of about 30 people a year nationwide over the last three years. According to a review of Inquirer archives, the previous fatal attack in Philadelphia occurred in 1981, when Mary Logan, 81, was killed by several of the mongrel pets she kept in her house in Northern Liberties.

Dogsbite.org advocates breed-specific legislative action to control violent dogs. According to the group, pit bulls make up only 5 percent of the dog population in this country, but account for more than 40 percent of deadly attacks.

Erb spoke with an Inquirer reporter yesterday as she stood on her street moments after police gave her clearance to return to her home.

According to Erb, her daughter – the mother of a teenage son who lives with his father – had long fought a battle with drugs, shaking her addiction only to succumb again. Staab came into their house about 6:30 a.m. and appeared to be high, Erb said.

“I said to her, ‘I can’t deal with that anymore. You have to go,’ ” Erb recounted. “She was telling me where was she supposed to go?”

She said the dispute had not escalated into a physical fight and that their voices had not been raised.

As they argued, Erb said, her daughter took a step back and tripped over a mirror on the floor. She fell back, taking a lamp down with her. Erb said she was clutching at Staab’s sleeve as she fell.

This enraged Jade, who went “nuts” and attacked, Erb said. “I couldn’t get her off.”

At some point, Erb said, she rounded up the other five dogs and put them in the kitchen, blocking the doorway with a three-foot-high barrier. She called police.

Erb said she found the attack hard to explain because Jade, 6, knew her daughter well.

“I never had a problem with a dog,” she said, describing the six pit bulls as “house dogs” that were well cared for and even had microchips installed for identification.

“They were spoiled rotten,” Erb said. “They were not neglected in any way.”

A neighbor agreed, saying, “The dogs were very sweet. They never had a problem with them.”

The door of the house had one sign that read “Beware of dog,” and another saying that in the case of fire, rescuers should save the six dogs inside. It listed their names: Paige, Peaches, Maggie, Satan, Bear, and Jade.

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A Far South Side woman came home to find her father covered in blood, apparently killed by a pack of dogs she was raising in their home, police said.

After evaluating the pets on Monday, animal control officials said four adult dogs found at the scene would most likely be euthanized. But they were uncertain what would happen to two puppies that were also there.

“Dogs don’t normally attack people in their own homes, so there’s a lot to investigate,” said Cherie Travis, animal care and control commissioner.

Johnny Wilson, 56, was found late Sunday with numerous bite marks on his body in the living room of his home in the 10200 block of South Aberdeen Street, according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office. Other sources said he suffered extensive head, chest and upper body injuries.

The medical examiner’s office on Monday ruled that Wilson died of hemorrhaging from injuries from a dog attack. The examiner concluded that Wilson’s death was accidental.

Police said the dogs were pit bulls. Travis said they’re mixed-breed, but she couldn’t name the breeds until further evaluation.

Animal behaviorist Suzanne Hetts said fatal dog attacks are typically caused by factors such as the personality of each dog involved, how they interact with one another, whether the dogs were spayed or neutered, and their relationship with people in the home.

Dogs in a group can act differently than each would individually. When one dog acts, the others tend to “jump in and do the same thing,” said Hetts, an expert with Animal Behavior Associates Inc. in Littleton, Colo.

She added that a dog’s breed isn’t the most important factor.

“Usually it’s a perfect-storm situation, with a lot of things that lead up to the attack,” Hetts said.

Avantis Smith, 31, a neighbor, said he found it hard to believe that the dogs had attacked Wilson.

“She had them under control,” said Smith, who has lived next door for 20 years. He said the daughter and her family stayed in his home Sunday night. Smith said she was stunned and couldn’t explain what had happened.

Smith added that he had seen Wilson walking the dogs in the past.

“They always obeyed him. I don’t see any reason for them to attack him,” said Ruffin Davis, 62, another neighbor.

A niece of Wilson’s said he worked for the post office and his wife died within about the past year.

Tracy Wilson, 38, who lives in Virginia, said she came to visit Chicago relatives around Christmas but couldn’t see her uncle because he was working too much.

“And I never gave him a hug. I’m just heartbroken right now,” Wilson said.

She described him as caring and generous. “He’d give the shirt off his back, that’s just how he was,” she said.

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Authorities say a 3-year-old boy has died after his family’s pit bull attacked him at a home in San Bernardino County.
The county’s Sheriff-Coroner Department said in a statement Sunday that 3-year-old Omar Martinez was declared dead at Saint Mary Medical Center in Apple Valley.

Authorities answered a 911 call Saturday afternoon, saying a boy was not breathing after a dog attack.

Paramedics found the boy unresponsive and took him to the hospital, where he was declared dead about two hours later.

Authorities say the dog was aggressive toward firefighters when they arrived at the Apple Valley home, and a sheriff’s deputy shot and killed the animal.

The coroner’s office says an autopsy will be conducted on the boy, and sheriff’s deputies and animal control officials are investigating the attack.

Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2010/01/10/state/n175715S56.DTL&tsp=1#ixzz0dEyDpMfm

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UNION, W.VA. — Monroe County police plan to file more charges in a dog attack case now that the 70-year-old victim has died from his injuries.

Sheriff Michael Gravely says Lindside resident Lowell Bowden died in a Roanoke, Va. hospital on Friday.

Bowden was attacked by four or five pit bulls near his home last month. Four of the dogs have been euthanized, while police are determining if a fifth animal was part of the attack.

Four people were charged with misdemeanors stemming from the attack last week.

Gravely says Bowden’s death means police will soon file additional charges.

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KSDK — An elderly Flora, Illinois woman died Monday as a result of injuries sustained in a dog attack earlier in the day.

The incident took place just before 2:20 p.m. on Austin Avenue. The victim, identified as 85-year-old Rosie L. Humphries, was walking her dog when she was attacked by a pit bull.  The attacking dog mauled Humphries and her dog, a poodle.

Authorities said the pit bull broke free from its collar and attacked.  They had not received any complaints about the dog prior to the attack.

Police officers and residents administered first aid to Humphries until paramedics arrived.  Humphries was pronounced dead at the scene.  It was earlier reported she died at a hospital.  Humphries’ dog was also killed.

The attacking dog’s owner and police were able to contain the animal until Clay County Animal Control arrived to take the dog away.  The dog was later euthenized.

The owner of the pit bull could face charges.

Flora, Illinois is located about 100 miles east of St. Louis.

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Killer dog was banned pitbull breed

The dog that savaged John-Paul Massey to death was an illegally-held pitbull-type dog banned for being too dangerous to keep, it has been revealed.

The four-year-old boy was attacked by the dog in the early hours of Monday morning at the home of his grandmother, Helen Foulkes, 63, in Liverpool.

The animal, called Uno, also savaged her as she tried to protect the boy she was babysitting at her home on Ash Grove in the city’s Wavertree area.

Merseyside Police admitted they were told months ago that a banned pitbull-type dog had been seen at the house.

A forensic examination was carried out on the animal and the dog was confirmed as being an illegal breed, said the force.

Deputy Chief Constable Patricia Gallan, of Merseyside Police, said on Tuesday: “Following extensive examinations and a post-mortem, an independent expert has confirmed that, in his opinion, the dog involved in the incident in Ash Grove, Wavertree, yesterday is a pitbull terrier-type dog which is classified as a dangerous dog under the Dangerous Dogs Act (1991).

“Our thoughts remain with John-Paul’s family at this time following his tragic death. A child’s life has been lost and it is essential that we determine the exact circumstances surrounding the attack. Investigations into the incident are continuing.

“Ascertaining the type of dog involved in this attack has been a complex issue. It has taken some time to complete the examinations and post-mortem before we have been able to confirm that it is an illegal type of dog. We are conducting a criminal investigation.

“On behalf of Merseyside Police, I am deeply concerned and very disappointed that our policy was not followed in February when we received a call alerting us to the possible breeding of pitbull terriers at the house where the attack took place.

“This is clearly unacceptable and we are sorry that Merseyside Police did not take the appropriate course of action at that time. Given the seriousness of this situation, and our failure to follow our own procedure, we have referred this case to the Independent Police Complaints Commission, who will be carrying out an independent investigation.”

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A 2-year-old Prescott boy dies after being mauled by a pit bull. It happened Wednesday morning just after 9 a.m. off Bemis Road. The city of Prescott is Southwest of Little Rock.

Family and friends wouldn’t go on camera, but say the toddler saw a puppy and chased it to a backyard where the larger pit bull was. They know this because his 3-year-old brother followed him and than rushed home to alert the family.

Families, police and emergency personnel are distraught over the events that occurred Wednesday morning. Neighbor Bridgette Monroe recalls, “A lady came running from this way screaming, my baby, my baby.”

Monroe was in the process of moving and ran with the woman. She continues, “I was down there with the baby rubbing his arms and legs telling the baby it’s going to be ok.”

Monroe says the chained pit bulls hid in their dog houses. Her account of the scene is disturbing. “The babies’ jugular, throat was bitten and from his mouth up to his eye was bitten.”

Chief Brian Russell says, “It’s a 2-year-old baby and each of us have our own children; it destroys you and he’s not here because of something like this.”

Chief Russell says police and emergency crews arrived within minutes and he was airlifted to St. Michael’s where he was pronounced dead.

“There very well could be charges either way. We’ll just have to see where the investigation goes from here,” Chief Russell adds.

Richard Ray Smith points, “The dog attacked the kid right there.”

Smiths’ mother owns the dog; she was home when the incident happened. He says, “She stood over the baby until the ambulance got here.”

Smith continues, “The dog has been raised with us and all the kids have played with the dog. It’s not a violent dog, we don’t know what happened. I have grief for the family.”

But two doors down where the kids were staying, Kevin Taylor and Christy Godwin say they were afraid of the dogs and told the owners they were vicious.

Smith concludes, “We don’t want the family to be mad at us, it’s just an accident that happened.”

After our interview with Bridgette Monore, she found out she’s related to the toddler.

Animal Control is holding two adult pit bulls until the investigation is over; the puppy has not been caught.

Chief Russell says the owners were in compliance with the dog ordinance and the State Police is involved.

The sibling’s age 8-months, two and three-years-old stayed with Kevin Taylor and Christy Godwin while their mom worked. Godwin says they are like family.