Boy, 12, suffers minor injuries in pit bull attack
A pit bull attacked a child at a home in Ypsilanti Township Friday night, causing minor injuries, the Washtenaw County sheriff’s department said.
A 12-year-old boy suffered minor scratches and a bite to his arm when the dog, a 3-year-old pit bull, attacked him as he entered the home in the 1200 block of Hull Avenue to visit a 16-year-old friend who lives there, sheriff’s department spokesman Derrick Jackson said in an e-mailed statement.
The boy ran up the stairs and he and his friend locked himself in a bedroom, where they called 911. Sheriff’s deputies who came to investigate also discovered the dog had chased an 11-year-old who lives at the home and his 8-year-old friend. They shut themselves in a basement bathroom to get away from the dog.
Deputies contacted the dog’s owner, the 23-year-old sister of the children who live in the home, and brought her to the house. She caught the dog and it was taken to the Humane Society of Huron Valley.
The boy’s injuries were minor and no stitches were required. Jackson said the humane society would determine whether the dog was up to date on vaccinations.
Comments
kay
Mon, Jul 22, 2013 : 9:34 p.m.
Shame on you AnnArbor.com for headlining---Pit Bull attack---and then say the boy received "minor injuries" ==stop the media frenzy over pit bulls-----the rest of the state is already doing that----you are not supporting all the work the Humane Society of Huron Valley is doing in trying to educate the public regarding pit bulls------no one wants the child hurt----just so inappropriate to sensationalize this story!!!!!!!
kay
Mon, Jul 22, 2013 : 1:49 p.m.
The majority of the people in this discussion could not point out a pit bull if they saw one. Any dog that looks a certain type is considered a pit bull----and that is why it sounds as if there are so many pit bull attacks. I personally was involved in a Detroit case where I was called for jury duty regarding a "pit bull" attack. DNA tests had to be given---and there was not one trace of pit bill on the dog at all----------it is so much media hype---so sad as these dogs are euthanized because of public ignorance. Those of you saying "euthanize all the pit bulls" -----didn't they also say this for all the Jews, Christians, Blacks, etc. Really scary to think there is so much ignorance, prejudice, and ignorance regarding the is breed. An interesting fact I read recently---the "collie" used to be considered a vicious dog-----we sure are intelligent people, aren't we? Believe everything we hear.
Laura Prowicz
Tue, Sep 13, 2011 : 10:53 p.m.
who cares what kind of DOG IT IS? it has bitten several children, it needs to be removed from the home and either placed with someone more responsible or PTS. I don't care if it was a cocker spaniel or a beagle (yes, I have been bitten by both) dogs that bite humans should not be left in the situation to bite again.
A2default
Mon, Sep 12, 2011 : 3:06 p.m.
So we have a neighbor who has moved in with TWO pitbulls. There are no fences. I have seen the frolicking around during their potty time with no leash. Sure, there is an ordinance, but the police don't seem to be aware of it. What am I to do. Legit suggestions please. I just don't want trouble.
Marilyn Wilkie
Mon, Sep 12, 2011 : 3:20 p.m.
Have you introduced yourself and your family to the neighbor and their dogs? That is a start. That puts you on a friendly footing with your new neighbors and opens the door for future communications. You should be able to expect the neighbor will be monitoring the dogs at all times when they are outside. You also should be able to expect that the dogs will remain in their own yard. If things turn bad, then you are able to 1.) talk to them about the dogs, and 2.)lacking cooperation from them, go to the authorities. Your responsibility is to make sure that you and your family stay aware. Please don't assume that all dogs want to bite people..they don't. At least, that would be my advice.
YpsiVeteran
Mon, Sep 12, 2011 : 3:08 a.m.
I, too, am now very hesitant to walk in my western Wayne County neighborhood because of these dogs. While it's true that any dog can bite, pits are much more dangerous when they bite, and are much more unpredictable, than other dogs. It's unfortunate, but the only way to get many people's attention is through their wallets. Civil suits need to be filed, often, against the owners of these dogs by neighbors who are threatened, attacked, or who loose the free use of their property because of the potential for pit attacks. Irresponsible pit owners need to be sued to the wall as frequently as possible. I own dogs. I've been attacked by a stranger's dog before, and I did not sue, but I'm to the point now where it seems like there's no alternative, other than becoming a prisoner in my own home.
Laura Prowicz
Tue, Sep 13, 2011 : 10:57 p.m.
you mean the TYPE OF PEOPLE that gravitate to pit bulls are dangerous and their dogs made more so by the situation they put them into. and yes I'd be scared too if some irresponsible jerk was walking his big dog down the sidewalk to show everyone what a MAN he was and couldn't control him sufficiently to stop it from biting someone! anyone who is attacked or bitten by a dog, any dog, should report that incident and ensure the dog owner is made to pay the price for his negligence. call the police EVERY TIME and make sure the animals are SEIZED. P.S. the situation has nothing to do with "pit bulls" - it has to do with bad owners and lack of enforcement of vicious dog ordinances.
obviouscomment
Sun, Sep 11, 2011 : 8:01 p.m.
i don't understand why so many claim that they don't disclose information on dog bites/attacks if the dog is not considered a "dangerous breed". i can't remember ever reading a news story about a dog attack that did not include the breed, and i have heard stories of dog attacks by "unlikely breeds". from my observations, though, it seems there are more news stories about attacks from "dangerous breeds" but couldn't it be possible that people who are "attacked" by an unlikely breed are not reporting it because it was minor...or that the attacks reported in the news from "dangerous breeds" are reported because they could've been deadly? let's not always call bias...and just for the record, i consider all dogs to be "dangerous breeds" because they are animals with unpredictable animal instincts.
Life in Ypsi
Sun, Sep 11, 2011 : 2:47 p.m.
I too tire of hearing it's the owner, not the dog. I don't care who's fault it is when I can no longer safely go in my yard or walk in my neighborhood because of these dogs. Once again my neighbor's dog was halfway over the fence growling at my child walking to the bus stop recently. Another pit bull in my area is chained to the fence so it frequently jumps the fence and hangs out on the sidewalk. Ypsilanti Township I wish you would ban these dogs once and for all! It just boggles my mind in they tread so lightly on this issue. Yes, I make the calls to the township, police and Humane Society... Too bad I can't upload photos here. I would have plenty to post of the "gentle" dogs.
Laura Prowicz
Tue, Sep 13, 2011 : 11:03 p.m.
"Once again my neighbor's dog was halfway over the fence growling at my child walking to the bus stop recently." Your neighbors dog threatened your child? What did you do? DID YOU CALL THE POLICE? If you don't call the police do you think they will just magically realize there is a problem and show up? You need to CALL THE POLICE and have them send animal control. All this WHINING about "pit bulls, make them stop, make them stop" - for God's sake DO SOMETHING. Do you want the government to do everything FOR YOU? Ban the pit bulls? Ban ATVs (they kill kids, too)? Ban riding without helmets (more dead kids)? or do you want to be a Responsible Citizen and CALL THE POLICE?? Banning PIT BULLS will make no difference to your stupid neighbors. They will just get another dog to abuse and neglect and then it too will threaten and bark at your kid. Animal Control needs to take their dogs away, that will STOP the problem. Banning pit bulls does nothing, punishing the bad owners SOLVES the problem.
JB
Sun, Sep 11, 2011 : 8:09 p.m.
"I too tire of hearing it's the owner, not the dog" Do you ever tire of the sun rising in the East? It's a fact too. In your own post, you mention that your neighbor leaves his dog chained to a fence and, as a result, the dog behaves poorly. I know it's shocking but that's the fault of the owner, not the dog. Lather, rinse, repeat as necessary.
stevek
Sun, Sep 11, 2011 : 2:21 p.m.
Turtle--thanks for proving what many people have said! Your child "only" has a 14% chance of being maimed or killed by a pitbull. Kinda high I'd say...
Laura Prowicz
Tue, Sep 13, 2011 : 11:20 p.m.
actually if you read the temperament test (which you won't because you're only interested in your interpretation of it ... ) there were over 380 pit bulls tested and of that number >85% received a passing grade on their tests, which are designed to shake the dog up and precipitate bad behavior. a similar number of some of the most popular family dogs were also tested and the overall results showed that pit bulls are more stable behavior wise in strange situations than most other breeds of dog normally kept as family pets. your child, statistically, has a higher change of getting hit by a hockey puck at a Hawks game or a baseball at a Sox game and dying than he does of getting bit by a pit bull or by any OTHER kind of dog. just think about whether you want the Government legislating everything out of your life that poses a risk to you. I think we can all agree that would make for a pretty restrictive life, one I certainly didn't sign up for nor do I believe anyone in our society has signed up for. calls for breed bans do just that, they legislate my choices in life based on YOUR opinions.
JB
Sun, Sep 11, 2011 : 8:01 p.m.
@turtle -- You can't shed light into a closed mind but thanks for trying.
turtle
Sun, Sep 11, 2011 : 3:09 p.m.
golden retrievers have a lower pass rate than pit bulls. as do dachsunds, chihuahuas, collies, spaniels, greyhounds and a number of other dogs that are known to be great family dogs.
turtle
Sun, Sep 11, 2011 : 2:30 p.m.
it's not a test on how likely the dog is to attack a child. <a href="http://atts.org/about-temperament/" rel='nofollow'>http://atts.org/about-temperament/</a>
turtle
Sun, Sep 11, 2011 : 2:08 p.m.
ok, i agree that aggressive dogs need to be dealt with but seriously, not all pit bulls are evil. i've met a lot of very sweet, loving pit bulls. irresponsible owners have more to do with aggressive dogs than the breed. my dog was attacked and bitten by an aggressive beagle, twice. should all beagles be banned because one bad owner was too lazy to train her dog? check this out: <a href="http://atts.org/" rel='nofollow'>http://atts.org/</a> american pit bull terriers have an 86% pass rate on the temperament test. and this: <a href="http://www.pitbulls.org/" rel='nofollow'>http://www.pitbulls.org/</a> for more information about pit bulls.
JB
Sun, Sep 11, 2011 : 7:59 p.m.
"How many stories have u heard about beagles attacking people and disfiguring them or even killing them?? Personally I have heard 0!!" Your anecdotal evidence notwithstanding, plenty of dog bites occur by typical family pets and any bite by a dog that someone may rightly or wrongly classify as a "pit bull" is guaranteed to make headlines. The fact is that dozens of breeds of dogs are routinely misidentified as "pit bulls" and this contributes to the stereotype.
obviouscomment
Sun, Sep 11, 2011 : 7:59 p.m.
@cincodemayo i don't understand why so many claim that they don't disclose information on dog bites/attacks if the dog is not considered a "dangerous breed". i can't remember ever reading a news story about a dog attack that did not include the breed, and i have heard stories of dog attacks by "unlikely breeds". from my observations, though, it seems there are more news stories about attacks from "dangerous breeds" but couldn't it be possible that people who are "attacked" by an unlikely breed are not reporting it because it was minor...or that the attacks reported in the news from "dangerous breeds" are reported because they could've been deadly? let's not always call bias...and just for the record, i consider all dogs to be "dangerous breeds" because they are animals with unpredictable animal instincts.
CincoDeMayo
Sun, Sep 11, 2011 : 4:25 p.m.
The breed of dog only seems to be mentioned if it is in the "dangerous" category - pit bull, doberman, rottweiler, etc. So you wouldn't hear about it (or maybe remember) if it was a beagle.
Tonya Mccune-kilburn
Sun, Sep 11, 2011 : 3:49 p.m.
How many stories have u heard about beagles attacking people and disfiguring them or even killing them?? Personally I have heard 0!!
Life in Ypsi
Sun, Sep 11, 2011 : 2:40 p.m.
I'd rather take my chances being bit by a beagle than a pit bull.
momof2ina2
Sun, Sep 11, 2011 : 1:45 p.m.
@ Marilyn: it's very likely the boy just walked in the door and was attacked. My son, who was 5 at the time, opened the door to his friend's house and was immediately attacked and bitten in the face by their dog. Thank goodness my husband was standing right behind him to fend the dog off or the injuries would have been much worse. My point is, many dogs don't need an excuse, they just attack.
Heather Konars
Sun, Sep 11, 2011 : 3:19 a.m.
For 2 years my family (neighbors of these dogs, Sugar and Trouble at the time) avoided these pitbulsl that frequently were loose, both on the street and even in our back yard and on our deck. I photographed them running loose on the street and called the police after one chased several innocent dog walkers and moms with strollers, unprovoked. The police were called about the dogs by many others on several occasions. It is very upsetting, but not surprising that this has happened. I wish the authorities would not give so many chances to dog owners who clearly can neither control nor contain their animals properly. I am so glad we moved away from these irresponsible people and their dangerous animals.
Cash
Mon, Sep 12, 2011 : 12:48 p.m.
I'm glad you were able to move away from it all....I hope this dog is euthanized. A biter will bite again.
Tonya Mccune-kilburn
Sat, Sep 10, 2011 : 11:38 p.m.
I cannot wait for the day that these dogs are banned! People always say its not the dog its the owner but I have read many many stories of pitts who have been raised in a non abusive home killing or injuring children and sometimes even their owners. They are dangerous animals! I know some that are good dogs, but the majority are not. My sister was nearly killed by hers years ago and she was good to the dog! She had several surgeries and wore a full arm cast for months and shes missing bone in her wrist. She was protecting her throat! Hopefully some day soon they will be banned!
Marilyn Wilkie
Mon, Sep 12, 2011 : 1:51 p.m.
" I would NEVER worry about her turning on anyone!" Tonya, you said the above statement in a reply to me above. Please see my reply to you.
JB
Sun, Sep 11, 2011 : 7:53 p.m.
" know some that are good dogs, but the majority are not" Really? You can support that statement empirically? Yeah, I thought not. Want to cut down on dog bites, raise the requirements for dog ownership. Any dog can attack and if the dog is untrained, problems are more likely to occur. Your wish for a "ban" is a gross overreaction to a traumatic event.
Tonya Mccune-kilburn
Sun, Sep 11, 2011 : 3:45 p.m.
I agree! The dog should have been gone after it went after the 11 yr old! I'm sure the owner was not afraid of her dog and probably thought it wouldnt hurt anyone. Its those owners who arent responsible dog owners! Therefore if they were banned then they wouldnt be in the care of irresponsible owners and couldnt go after, attack or kill innocent kids and adults!
obviouscomment
Sun, Sep 11, 2011 : 2:28 a.m.
honestly i think it's both the dogs and the owners...what kind of person owns a dog that they themselves or members of their family are afraid of? and yes, there are people out there that are afraid of their own dogs, i've personally met them.
FredMax
Sat, Sep 10, 2011 : 11:18 p.m.
I carry mace and a heavy duty pump on my mountain bike, because riding down a street is often been interpreted by loose dogs as "teasing and abusive".
stevek
Sat, Sep 10, 2011 : 10:10 p.m.
Marilyn---I am sure you arei right. Blame the kid for being bitten. That kind of thought process is what separates humans from animals
Marilyn Wilkie
Mon, Sep 12, 2011 : 12:15 p.m.
I did not "blame the kid" as you stated. I simply said that none of us knows what was going on before this happened. No one can always blame the dog either, as most (if not all) of these commenters have done. Also, you seem to imply that I am an animal. Hey, you're right!
Marilyn Wilkie
Sat, Sep 10, 2011 : 9:31 p.m.
My dogs might bite someone if they were being teased or abused incessently. We do not know what went on before this. Unfortunately the dog can't speak and tell what happened.
Marilyn Wilkie
Mon, Sep 12, 2011 : 1:48 p.m.
Tonya Mccune-kilburn , you said " I would NEVER worry about her turning on anyone! " This is a very dangerous attitude to have. Never trust your dog, or any dog with children, or unfamiliar adults for that matter. Do not let people just walk into your dog's territory, including your home. Change your attitude on this before it is too late. We love our animals but must respect their natural instincts also. We are responsible for what they are allowed to do.
Tonya Mccune-kilburn
Sun, Sep 11, 2011 : 4 p.m.
I own a Doberman pinscher and have a 3 yr old and a 3 month old and many kids in my family. My 3 yr old can climb, smack, tease, etc and my dog wouldnt even growl at him! Why? Because she has been properly trained! Many kids have been to my house and she plays with them! I would NEVER worry about her turning on anyone! Especially a kid! I'm sure though if someone were to break into my house or was hurting anyone in my family then she may bite!
Macabre Sunset
Sun, Sep 11, 2011 : 4:18 a.m.
I would hope you'd never let them out of your sight, then. Kids do stupid things sometimes. Especially kids who aren't familiar with dangerous animals. If you want to own a dangerous wild animal, you need to ensure it's under control at all times.
dading dont delete me bro
Sat, Sep 10, 2011 : 8:14 p.m.
thank goodness there's a pit bull ordinance in place...
nicole
Sat, Sep 10, 2011 : 8 p.m.
Get rid of this dog. The attacks will only escalate until some little kid is dead.
eyeonthenews
Sat, Sep 10, 2011 : 7:37 p.m.
Where in Ypsilanti Township did this occur?
dading dont delete me bro
Sat, Sep 10, 2011 : 8:15 p.m.
@eyeonthenews, google/mapquest can be your friend.
Cindy Heflin
Sat, Sep 10, 2011 : 7:43 p.m.
It was on Hull Avenue. That information has been added to the story.
FredMax
Sat, Sep 10, 2011 : 7:35 p.m.
>> Jackson said the humane society would determine whether the dog was up to date on vaccinations hopefully during it's autopsy.