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That they euthanized this Mountain Lion seems crazy to me. First, if a crowd of people had gathered to watch it, it probably was not a real threat to any people (certainly no more than your random Pit Bull!). And second, according to comments on the original article, apparently a Mountain Lion Sanctuary was actively trying to get the Mountain Lion to live with them. This does not seem like a good decision.

Without Home in Zoo, Mountain Lion is Killed

By Myers Reece , 04-22-09

Officials for Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks were unable to find a suitable home for a mountain lion captured in Columbia Falls over the weekend and were forced to euthanize the animal, according to a press release from regional FWP spokesman John Fraley. Here’s the full press release:  

A 120-pound adult male mountain lion that was captured Saturday evening in Columbia Falls was euthanized Tuesday night after it became clear that no accredited zoo could receive the animal. A local veterinarian assisted in euthanizing the cat.

According to FWP Wildlife Manager Jim Williams, mountain lions in urban areas potentially pose a significant threat to public safety, so FWP policy prohibits relocating captured lions into occupied lion habitat. Lions caught in urban areas are normally killed for reasons of public safety. In this case, FWP personnel in Helena conducted a search to locate an accredited zoo but none could take the animal.

The mountain lion was captured over the weekend. On Saturday evening, April 17, the lion was reported in a tree within the city limits of Columbia Falls at the intersection of 5th Avenue West and 12th Street. FWP Wildlife Conflict Specialist Erik Wenum received a call on the incident at 5:20 p.m. and responded. When Wenum arrived, a crowd had gathered to see the lion, which was about 30 feet up a tree. The Columbia Falls Fire Department arrived with a lift bucket to assist. FWP officials used a tranquilizer dart to capture the animal and the Columbia Falls Fire Department brought the tranquilized lion to the ground.

Wenum then transported the lion to a holding facility. The lion probably entered Columbia Falls via the nearby Flathead River corridor, ending up high in a tree in the middle of the residential area.

Link

Girl Recovering From Dog Attack

By GABE WELLS

The rottweiler that mauled a 5-year-old girl Saturday in Bethesda was not on a leash, according to village Police Chief Tim Zdanski, who will interview attack witnesses today.

Zdanski said the Barnesville girl who suffered lacerations and bruising to the head, left shoulder and wrist in the attack Saturday afternoon on Judson Street in Bethesda has been released from the hospital. She initially was taken to Barnesville Hospital before being transported to Children’s Hospital in Columbus.

The dog was taken to New Horizon Animal Hospital before it was euthanized. Zdanski said no one else was injured in the attack, but the dog’s owner also sought treatment at Barnesville Hospital for unspecified reasons.

Zdanski said there is a potential for charges against the dog’s owner, but that determination will be made by a Belmont County prosecutor. He said investigators also are working to determine whether the dog had previously attacked people. Zdanski said he does not believe the rottweiler was on a leash at the time of the attack, though law requires dog owners to “have control” of their animals at all times.

“We have to find out if the dog has been vicious before or if this is the first instance,” Zdanski said. “It (a potential charge) may simply be not having the animal under control. This week we will meet with everyone involved for details. Once we have those facts, we will present them to the prosecutor for evaluation.”

According to Zdanski, the attack was not provoked by the girl. He said he suspects the dog attacked the girl because the animal believed her to be a threat to its owner.

Link

Hog wild: stampeding sow on the attack

> Posted by Barbara Hijek on April 21, 2009 07:50 AM

It was a hog, it was angry, and Cassandra Frank, 26, hadn’t even had her morning coffee yet, reports the St. Petersburg Times.

The 200-pound sow came charging at her. Frank tried to get out of the way, but the hog barreled into her.

Its white tusks pierced the skin on her left calf, and its weight pushed her against a tree.

The wild hog stampeded on. Someone called 911.

The hog bolted up the street, cut across a grassy lot, went through some more back yards and doubled back on the dead-end street.

Nine men — Robinson, other rescue officials and animal control officers —cornered the hog.

She charged again.

St. Petersburg Fire Rescue Lt. Dan Robinson had hunted wild hogs in north Florida as a boy.

But this 15-year veteran jumped over a six-foot wooden fence to get out of the way — cutting his forearm in the process.

Finally a pole with a lasso was used to capture the hog, which was later euthanized.

After the ordeal, Frank had a tetanus shot — and her coffee.

Link

Pit Bull Attacks Boy

By 

Jon Lewis 

@ April 21, 2009 6:52 AM Permalink | Comments (13)

(WSB Radio)  A four year old Rockdale County boy is recovering after undergoing surgery following an attack by a pit bull.

Nathaniel Stafford’s stepfather says the 4 year old is an animal lover. 

A friend left the dog, named Chaos, chained in the backyard.  When the boy wandered by, the dog went after him.

“I’ve never seen anything like it in my entire life,” says the stepfather, Brian Caron.  The dog ripped off the boy’s scalp and parts of his face.

“Right now they don’t if they’re going to be able to save his ear or not,” Caron says.  “They said if they can’t save it they’ll put an ear on for him.  Whether it’s fake or not, he’ll still have an ear.”

No charges will be filed against the dog’s owner.  The pit bull will be euthanized.

Link

Follow the link to see video footage of the coverage.

Woman gives up pork after being attacked by pig in her own yard

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (NBC NEWS) – Cassandra Frank was at home Monday morning when her boyfriend told her he thought he saw a pig on the lawn.

When Frank went outside she was stunned. An enormous sow was staring her down.

“This one was pretty large,” Frank said. “I guess it wanted to be in charge of somebody.”

The 200-pound pig charged her. Frank ran across the yard, but the sow caught up with her.

The animal used its tusks, striking her in the back of the leg. After awhile, the pig ran off.

Frank, who got a cut and bruises during the attack, called 911, worried that the animal would attack children in her neighborhood.

St. Petersburg Fire and Rescue Lt. Dan Robinson along with Pinellas County Animal Control officers, found the pig in a nearby yard.

It was still ornery as the officers approached.

“At one point during the capture, the hog had me running for cover up a six-foot wooden fence,” Robinson said. “They’ll shred you up if you’re not careful.”

Robinson said this was the first time in his 15-year career that he’s responded to a wild pig call.

Frank said her friends gave her a some grief today for running from the pig and seeing authorities and reporters at her home.

“What was going through my mind was ‘get the hell away from it’,” she said. “I’ve never seen a pig that big.”

Animal control officers were able to lasso the sow, which suffered a broken leg during its capture. It was later euthanized.

Frank said she was saddened when she learned of the sow’s death, although she expects to have a phobia of pigs from now on.

“I don’t want to be anywhere around pork,” she said.

Link

These stories really seem to emerge with disturbing frequency.

Pit bull attacks, bites Woodburn woman in the face

by Stuart Tomlinson, The Oregonian

Friday April 17, 2009, 3:31 PM

A 62-year-old Woodburn woman was bitten in the face and seriously injured today by a pit bull that attacked her while she was walking her dog, police said.

Sgt. Jason Tlusty, a spokesman for the Woodburn Police Department, said the woman was walking her dog in the 2300 block of Miller Farm Road just after noon when her dog was attacked by a pit bull.

When the woman attempted to stop the attack, the pit bull turned on her and bit her in the face.

Tlusty said the wounds were not life-threatening, but they were serious. The woman, whose name was not released, was taken by ambulance to Meridian Park Hospital for treatment.

Police and code enforcement officers for Woodburn located the dog — a gray, juvenile pit bull — and its owner a short time later not far from where the attack occurred.

The 50-year-old owner told officers that the dog had gotten away from her. The dog was taken to the Marion County Animal Shelter where it will stay in quarantine for at least 10 days, said Officer Josh Rains.

After that, a municipal court judge will determine whether the dog’s behavior is classified as a level 3 or level 4 behavior.

Under Woodburn ordinances, the judge can decide to either order that the city euthanize the dog; have it sent to a secure animal shelter at the owner’s expense; or order the dog to be removed from the city limits.

Anyone with information on this case is asked to call Officer Josh Rains of the Woodburn Police Department at 503-982-2345.

Link

Poor guy was attacked by two Pit Bulls while leaving his apartment. Follow the link for video coverage.

BILLINGS – A Billings man is in the hospital after facing his second pit bull attack in just six weeks. Westley Fuchs, 35, is listed in fair condition at St. Vincent Healthcare.
On Friday afternoon he was attacked by two pit bulls as he tried to leave his basement apartment at 1103 Sunnyside Lane. A neighbor called 9-1-1and soon a whole slew of city officials crowded the small street. 
“This is probably the worst pit bull attack that I’ve seen,” said Animal Control Officer Nancy Lindstrom. “We found two pit bulls loose in the front yard and a third inside the house.”
The dogs were stained with blood from the man they had just attacked, and continued to show signs of aggression.
“They were barking, when we approached they were lunging at the fence, jumping up on it,” Lindstrom said. 
Just to be safe, animal control officers called for backup from the Billings Police Department. If the dogs got too close, officers were prepared to act.
“If the dogs got too close to an officer, we asked that they shoot the dogs because we all want to go home at the end of the day too.”
Police said this was a particularly tense situation as the victim was basically trapped in the basement of the house as the dogs that just attacked him were loose in the front yard.
Officers were finally able to catch the dogs and Fuchs was able to get out of his home and on his way to the hospital. Lindstrom said the owner gave them permission to put the dogs down and they were euthanized Friday afternoon. She wanted to add that not all pit bulls are this aggressive. 
Animal control officers said Justin Lingle, the owner of the dogs, was cited for two counts of dangerous behavior and one count of an animal at large. Each count could come with six months of jail time or a fine of $500. Lingle could also have to pay restitution to the victim.

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Stories like this are so sad.

Woman critically injured in Great Dane attack

 

12:42 PM CDT on Wednesday, April 15, 2009

 

By ASHLEIGH REUTER / The Dallas Morning News 

A 59-year-old woman is hospitalized after she was attacked last weekend by her prize-winning Great Dane in her yard.

Barbara Chambers was in her backyard in the 500 block of Cranbrook Park with her two show dogs – her Great Dane, “Lemonade,” and a poodle – when Lemonade lunged and attacked her late Saturday night, Garland police spokesman Joe Harn said.

Chambers was listed in critical condition at Baylor University Medical Center in Dallas, the hospital said.

A neighbor witnessed the attack and said there was no apparent reason for the dog’s sudden rage, police said. Police subdued the Great Dane with a Taser, and the dog was later euthanized by Garland Animal Control. The poodle is in quarantine at a veterinary hospital.

According to From the Heart Kennel’s Web site, Lemonade was a prize-winning male brindle show dog.

Diana Oats of Garland Animal Control said Great Danes are tame and that it was unusual, especially for a show dog, to be aggressive.

Jason Chessher, a director of health at Garland Animal Control Director, said there are not many reports of Great Dane attacks, but that that may due to the scarcity of the dogs in the area.

Link

Coyote Still Roaming East End Neighbourhood

Tuesday April 14, 2009

CityNews.ca Staff

A clever coyote continues to prowl an east end neighbourhood, though city officials have been trying for weeks to capture it.

The coyote was first spotted last February when it jumped a fence in the Neville Park Blvd. and Queen St. East area. It attacked and killed a chihuahua, Zoe, after jumping into the yard of a residence backing out onto a ravine.

The pet’s owners said they spotted the predator back in their yard over the weekend, and they’re not the only ones. Residents have been taking photos of and even painting the coyote, who some have taken to calling Neville.

“I would be happy to co-exist with him,” one local artist suggested. “I love having him in my back garden.”Officials warn homeowners who’ve taken a shine to the creature that he does pose a threat, as evidenced by what happened to Zoe. They say the coyote is too tame and must be moved.

Though there was talk that the coyote might have to be euthanized, the city is now reportedly trying to capture the animal in a box trap so it can be moved to a zoo or wildlife refuge.

“We’re focused on the box traps, because the best thing about the box trap is you not only catch it but it’s movable,” noted Rob Andrusevich with the City of Toronto. “That’s our number one option.”

If you see a coyote near your home, give Toronto Animal Services a call at 416-338-7297.

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Here’s a thoughtful defense of the breed. 

Here is what responsible owners have to say!

It is time to ban this breed?

The Province April 14, 2009

There is no doubt there are many wonderful pit bulls in the world. People familiar with the breed often talk about how social they are, that they love to play, and that they make great family pets.

Unfortunately, pit bulls have three strikes against them:

1.When they bite, they don’t easily let go and the damage to their victim is almost always severe.
2. They scare the hell out of people. Yellow Lab walks down the street with its owner and people smile. Pit bull walks down the street with its owner and people cross the street.
3. They don’t attract quality owners. That’s not to say all pit bull owners are questionable pet owners, just that an inordinate number of questionable pet owners are attracted to pit bulls.
On Friday, a pit bull savagely attacked a three-year- old in Surrey. No doubt the family is devastated by the incident. The father of the injured boy has accepted responsibility for not keeping a better eye on his son.”I can’t say it’s the dog’s fault,” the dad told Global TV.

However, in the end, it was the dog that did the biting and it was the dog that was euthanized.
There is no doubt there are many wonderful pit bulls in the world, but the time has come for jurisdictions like British Columbia to ban ownership of this breed for the safety of all.

What do you think? E-mail a brief comment, including your name and town to: provletters@theprovince.com

This is what we think:

NO it is not time to “ban this breed” it is time to stand up and hold the irresponsible OWNERS accountable for thier failer to house, train and socialize their dogs. Banning a breed doesn’t do anything but make the public FEEL safe, do you actually think that people who cant even follow a simple leash law are going to be able to follow a breed ban or the rules that would be implimented with BSL legislation.

WAKE UP, if only all provinces would follow in Alberta’s foot steps, Calgary has some of the best dog legislation in the WORLD and NO breeds are banned !

Proud owner and rescuer of the American Pit Bull Terrier