Is the Media a Reliable Source of Information on DogAttacks?Can we believe breed identifications found in the media?
In November 2006, a young boy was killed by two stray dogs in HarrisCounty, Texas. All the media sources that covered this tragic storyidentified the dogs as “pit bulls” or “pit bull mixes”
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Two pit bulls kill boy, 4, near home
His mom is hurt trying to save him from mauling in east Harris CountyBy ANITA HASSAN and SALATHEIA BRYANT Copyright 2006 HoustonChronicleNov. 22, 2006, 12:32PMJames Nielsen Chronicle
The King Parkway mobile home community is the location where a 4-year-oldboy was mauled to death by two pit bulls on Tuesday.As his toddler brother scrambled to safety, a 4-year-old boy was mauled todeath by two pit bulls Tuesday afternoon in his east Harris Countyneighborhood.
The boy's mother heard her son's screams and ran outside to find him beingattacked by the pit bulls at the King Parkway mobile home community. Shesuffered minor injuries as she tried to fight them off, but the dogs refused to letgo of her son's body.The dogs released the child, Pedro Rios, only after being distracted by the lightsand sirens of the deputies' cars when they arrived minutes later.Deputies then opened fire, killing one dog and wounding the second. Thesurviving pit bull was taken into custody by Harris County Public Health andEnvironmental Services' Veterinary Public Health.The boy was flown to Memorial Hermann Hospital where he died a short timelater."This is a very sad day," said Sgt. Noel Araguz, a homicide investigator for theHarris County Sheriff's Office. "We never want to see children attacked bydogs."Although the county has a leash ordinance to protect the public from suchattacks, statistics from the Veterinary Public Health division show loose dogs inunincorporated areas are a persistent problem.Pedro was playing with his 2-year-old brother in a cul-de-sac near their home inthe 8900 block of C.E. King Parkway when the dogs approached about 1:30p.m., Araguz said.Pedro's brother ran away, but the boy, known as "Peachy" to family and friends,couldn't escape.
Deaths rare
Pedro's death was the first that officials can recall in more than 20 years inunincorporated Harris County involving loose dogs.Last year, a woman died in unincorporated Harris County after being attackedby a Rottweiler and a Rottweiler mix in the backyard of a home where she wasliving.More than 7,000 stray dogs were impounded last year by county field officers,who work seven days a week answering between eight to 15 loose or injuredanimals calls a day.About 70 percent of dog-bite cases are blamed on dogs that are running loose,said Colleen Hodges, a spokeswoman for the county's Veterinary Public Healthdivision. Loose dogs involved in bite cases typically have not been vaccinatedand are not registered, highlighting what officials call a pet ownership problem."The problem is dogs running loose. We have an irresponsible-owner problem,"said Hodges. "It always comes back to the owner."Many municipalities have tried to ban breeds such as pit bulls.
Dogs spotted earlier
George Cochran, 72, said he saw the two pit bulls a few hours before the boyswere attacked, but that the dogs didn't look mean. "But you never know whatsome dog's going to do," he said.
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/front/4353108.html
_____________________________________________________ And now that the media has told us these dogs are Pit bulls, therebecomes a need for a “task force” on pit bulls: _____________________________________________________
KHOU News
Harris County establishes Pit Bull dog task force
2:37 PM Tue, Dec 05, 2006TheHarris County Commissioner's Courtformed a Pit Bull task force today to study whether thecontroversial breed of dog should be banned.County officials have been under pressure to do something ever since 4 year old Pedro Rios wasmauled to death by pit bulls last month.Banning the breed in Harris county would require permission of state legislators who have, in thepast, been reluctant to single out specific breeds.
___________________________________________________ Only one problem: The dog “doesn’t have much pit bull in it, if any,” according to a veterinarian who observed the dog:
“Dawn Blackmar, a veterinarian and director of Harris County Veterinary Public HealthDepartment said she saw the surviving dog at the county animal shelter before it waseuthanized and concluded that it didn't have much pit bull in it, if any.” **(
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/front/4398328.html)
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Dog involved in the fatal attack in Harris CountyIdentified by the media as a “pit bull”
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Pit Bull Attack: Or are breed identifications found in the media reliable?
Is the media a reliable source of information on dog attacks and identification of breeds of dogs?
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