Tuesday, August 18, 2015

There have been 3 big dog attacks in the East Village this month


[Reader photo from Aug. 1]

On Aug. 1, Roberta Bailey was taking her pug, Sidney, to Washington Square Park. Outside her apartment on St. Mark's Place between Second Avenue and Third Avenue, a pit bull with a crusty/traveler who was asleep, lunged at Sidney.

Here's The Villager with the narrative:

“People were bashing the dog on his head with a stick,” she said. “Someone screamed to me, ‘Grab the balls!’ and I squeezed that dog’s balls as hard as I could. He didn’t let go. I tried to pick up his legs, which I was told you’re supposed to do.

Sidney, who was 14, did not survive the attack. You can read the full story here at The Villager, who first reported on the incident. (An EVG reader came across the aftermath of the attack on Aug. 1 and shared the above photo. At the time, the reader was unsure of what happened except for that it was a dog attack.)

In the early morning hours of Aug. 5, Michael Puzzo says he was walking his girlfriend's dog Bobito, a 10-year-old, 9-pound Havanese-Maltese mix, on East Sixth Street near Second Avenue. He spotted a man and his brindle-brown pit bull asleep in the middle of the sidewalk, as Gothamist reported yesterday.

Puzzo says that he started to walk around the "situation" as slowly as possible, but that the dog opened its eyes as soon as Puzzo and his dog came close ("like when you come across a sleeping vampire," Puzzo analogized). "I yanked my dog's harness up like a fuzzy yo-yo and blocked the pit's mouth with my arm," Puzzo said. "It … was pretty fucking bloody and painful. To be bitten by a dog is a very strange feeling. It felt like someone had lit my arm on fire."

Puzzo told Gothamist that he wasn't sure how long the dog had his right arm. The pit bull's owner immediately woke up and eventually got the dog away from Puzzo. Read the whole article here.

Later on Aug. 5, Ed Vassilev was taking Misha, his Vizsla — a Hungarian midsize-breed dog — for a walk on Second Avenue between East Fourth Street and East Fifth Street "when a male pit bull down the block — next to two crusties slumped on the sidewalk, possibly nodding out — set its sights on the smaller dog. The black-and-white pit suddenly took off on a dead run down the empty pavement. It didn’t bark or growl — it just came silently speeding like a missile straight toward them."

As The Villager reported last Thursday:

“It was like from 50 feet away,” Vassilev told The Villager. “That dog saw my dog. He wasn’t on a leash. I picked up my dog. When he jumped up and bit me, it was like it was in slow motion. He got a chunk of my arm. It was brutal. It wasn’t a nip — he bit through my arm,” Vassilev said.

Vassilev, who had to spend several nights at Beth Israel, likely has permanent nerve damage in his left arm.

Read the full article here.

Four days after The Villager reported on this attack, the Post had a story on it yesterday… even stamping the article as an exclusive.



In this version of the story:

All of it could have been avoided if de Blasio were addressing the city’s rising homeless problem, he said.

“A couple of years back, there were homeless people, but I would see the same faces,” Vassilev said.

There wasn't any mention of the mayor in The Villager's version.

As for a dog biting a person, The Villager reports that it is not considered a criminal offense — it's a civil offense.

Updated the headline after multiple readers questioned whether these were actually pit bulls involved in the attacks. The Villager, Gothamist and the Post all identified the dogs as pit bulls.

63 comments:

  1. I hate to say this but I think there should be an NYC law requiring pitbulls to wear muzzles and the sad thing is (I know) it's not the pitbulls, it's the scumbag owners who train the pitbulls to attack, be vicious, or who don't train the dog to not bite if the dog is inherently a biter as there are naturally aggressive dogs. Unfortunately the owners are not the ones biting dogs and humans and killing dogs like Sidney (RIP) so something has to be done. Let's face it: almost every dog on dog or dog on human attack in NYC is by a pitbull. When trained to be vicious or not trained to not bite pitbulls are the most dangerous of all dogs. They need to be muzzled. Muzzle every pitbull and pitbull attacks end and spare me "it won't prevent attacks by other types of dogs" oh please. Name me the last attack by a Rottweiler, a Doberman Pincher, or a German Shepard (to me the next line of dangerous dogs.) It's pitbulls doing most of the damage. Unfair to owners of pitbulls who don't attack? Too bad - too many pitbull attacks for chances to be taken. Enough is enough.

    MUZZLE ALL PITBULLS.

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    1. No. It is the owner. I have a dog people would call a pit. She loves everyone.... i mean everyone. It is the owner not the dog. But these dogs are used by a certain type of owner.

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  2. "Pit bulls are the sweetest dogs. If they attack or kill you or your dog that's obviously not the pit bull's fault, it's the owner's fault for not training it better. There are no bad pit bulls, just bad owners." -- Said every single pit bull owner after every single horrific pit bull attack.

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  3. IF THIS HAPPEND TO JESSIE JANE I AM PREPEARED TO KILL BOTH THE DOG <AFTER I HAVE KILLED THE OWNER OF THE DOG wake up mother dogers....D E A D .......im not angry or up set ..this is business......do bozo invited the world to cum to nyc......what a joke.....no money dont come to n y c.....viglanti me in nyc..

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  4. Pit bulls may be loving dogs with good owners... However, crusties are not good owners! They routinely overdose and pass out next to their unleashed dogs. Unfortunately, their dogs then become protective over their passed out owners and attack people use the sidewalk.

    We need to kick these assholes out of the area! If we can not do this, we need to remove these loaded handgun type dogs from these irresponsible drug addicts!

    I saw a passed out crusty with a pit bull in from of a middle school again... This is not right.

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  5. He blocked the pitbull's mouth with his arm? It's strange that this is only happening here. False bravado is no solution.

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  6. I predict a lot of horrible comments about killing dogs. I'm so sorry this happened to Ms. Bailry, and Misters Puzzo and Vassilev, and their pups, and I had a dear friend survive a pit bull attack--and she has the horrific scars to show for it--but these conversations always get so ugly, and make me grateful to have cats. We stay inside and mind our business. Please lets not call for killing dogs. All of Michael Vick's 47 pitties, raised for fighting, were rehabilitated. It can happen.

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  7. Right on to Mosaic Man et al. re: getting rid of the Crusties and their walking time bombs. In a civilized state such as Texas (where there is a working death penalty) these people and their TBs would be told to leave, and kicked out of the area if they didn't go.

    Bill

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  8. Some pits could be rehabilitated, but it seems that the danger to people and other animals in these particular situations does call for some kind of constructive action that would prevent further tragedies.

    So what's that entail?

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  9. This is the year 2015, you cannot legally kick anyone out of NYC or any other town in this country so please stop suggesting that one. You can however ban a dog breed. I often wonder why people choose a pit bull over all the other breeds and mutts in the world. It says something about the owner either thetpy are foolish and think hugs, petting and sweet talk will wipe away a century of breeding for aggression, or the owner hopes to look cool or intimidate other while walking down the street. All of those possibilities are foolish and only put other people and their dogs lives at risk for no good reason.

    To defenders of the breed, just because your pittbull is sweet and calm it does not let the breed of the hook. Crusties may actually have the most justifable reason to have an aggressive guard dog rather than a person living in a safe, low crime neighborhood. The crusties like them or not are human beings like yourself and have the same rights. T
    Legally fake away the right for everyone to own a pittbull and you take away these attacks. If you don't want laws that ban these dogs then don't moan and complain the next time one of these stories appears and some gets injured or killed.

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  10. Mosaic Man for president!

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  11. we are living in a world where solutions are arrived at by those in power throwing darts at a board.
    there is absolutely no thinking going on.
    something happens - make a new rule - have "the law" enforce it - don't care how.
    doesn't work, get out the dart board.
    there are consequences to everything we do.
    we've fucked up our food, our schools, our housing, our city, our country.
    folks are just glad to pretend to work, to read their papers, go on-line - take their checks home so they can go to some swell party or club and party on.
    money rules!
    those poor dogs that don't even have a say in any of it.

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  12. The dogs were most likely NOT pitbulls. This is a common mistake in dog attack reporting and very damaging. The last thing we need is a "breed ban" because often times, dogs are misidentified as pitbulls. Please read this article. http://www.pickthepit.com

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  13. These conversations always turn into endless debates about dog breeds. That should not be the focus here. That is a side issue here. The main issue should be the crusties and their mistreatment of animals. Where is PETA? Where is the ASPCA? Where are the cops? While one commenter noted you cannot legally kick people out of town you can create conditions that would lead crusties to self deport. That should be the goal. Arrest them for drug possession, animal cruelty. Isnt sleeping on and blocking a sidewalk a ticketable offense at minimum? These degenerates need to go. Its become a public safety issue. Where are all the pro homeless pro crusty people now? Get these mutants out of here and give them good reason to not return next spring/summer. Did you see the pic of the guys arm? He has permanent nerve damage and is lucky he didnt lose an arm. Go see the pic. Ban crusties not dogs.

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  14. Why did EV Grieve seemingly ignore this story? You got scooped by the Villager and the Post. Whats up with that?

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  15. "those poor dogs that don't even have a say in any of it."
    Dogs as a species has been breed and experienced with for centuries. Until recently all dogs were breed to either show off special decorative traits like fur, body length, height, pushed in noses, or bred as working dogs, a ratter, a herder, a guard dog. Pitt bulls were bred to be fought and waged on. This for some reason is lost on some people that supposedly love dogs and should have some knowledge of the pet they have chosen. To deny that this breed has a deadly bite and jaws unlike any other dog breed on earth is ridiculous.

    If you truly love animals you should not be in favor of keeping this breed legal. The rate of vicious attacks is too high compared to other dog attacks. In NYC there are just too many dogs on the sidewalks that could be preyed upon by pitt bulls. Most people I have know which have dogs tell me they cross the street when they see a person walking one, it simple is not worth the chance to pass too closely. A breeding ban would not eliminate pitt bulls immediately but in a few years as as they die out, the streets will be safer for other dogs and their owners.

    If we were discussing a prescription drug, a shoddy made car, a cell phone which one in a million caught fire and harmed someone most people would demand a ban or recall. How many people must be injured until we pass a law to ban this breed?

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  16. "The dogs were most likely NOT bitbulls." Of course not, all dogs have oversized jaws which lock onto their prey and no amount of persuasion will unlock them. The people which were attacked did not dream this up, these are dog owners, people that have an interest in dogs, see other dogs every day on the sidewalks and dog runs. Deny if it makes you feel better.

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  17. Why isn't anyone asking the right question? The right question is where do these dogs come from? How is that every street urchin seems to have a dirty looking junkyard type of pitbull mix? How are these dogs so well fed? They are not skinny dogs. You know what it costs to feed a dog? Dogs like this need 3-4 cups of food a day. Who is feeding them? So the street urchins don't need your money since they seem to have plenty of food for their dogs and for their cell phones...yes they have cell phones....we've all seen it first hand.
    The dogs need to be checked by the City Health Board...are they in good health? Do they have dog licenses? Oh yes...you do need to have a dog license in NYC...it is the law. A simple law to apply to inspect the dogs and their legality of ownership. Is this mistreatment for a dog to be kept on a leash in the outdoors 24/7? Weather wise? Sanitataion wise? I think not.

    So if you want to solve this problem...don't blame the dogs. Blame whoever is allowing these people to have these dogs. Blame the city for letting them keep the dogs..unlicensed. Get with it NYC. It's an easy solution to apply here and make things right and proper for everyone....but especially for the dogs who are not the villains..they are the true victims.

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  18. Krusties see to be pretty hardy, tough to kill. about 8 years ago my suggestion was to lure them into vans with promises of stuff they like, then drop them in a super remote part of NYS, preferably near the canadian border... I figured some would manage to cross into Canada and find the condtitions for leeching off govt better up there, and the rest might take at least a few weeks if not more to make it back down to the LES. Its win/win really- buys us some time and puts a dent in the population, and the Krusties get a free nature road trip/adventure with the prospect of settling in some bucolic little town somewhere, or for catching a job at the legal pot farms in Canada!!!

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  19. Crusties should have their dogs taken away from them. period. End of story.

    I don't even walk my dog near Tompkins or that area anymore. And I used to spend my weekends walking around the neighborhood and spend money in the shops. Now because of this horrific situation, I don't go and spend money there. Therefore, the shops lose. And speaking to my neighbors, they feel the same way.

    Its a shame these dogs are being called out and that these poor excuses for humans continue to abuse them.

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  20. This will not be solved until the NYPost does a cover story.

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  21. Crusties often keep dogs as an insurance policy against getting arrested. If a cop takes someone with a dog into custody, they can't just leave the dog on the street, they have to call in Animal Control or the ASPCA. Which, of course, is a big hassle for the officer, so they take the path of least resistance and let things slide...

    True, you can't legally ban anyone from living on NYC streets. But you can discourage them by making it very, very difficult. Anyone found nodding off on the sidewalk should be treated to a free night in jail, and their dogs should be put in the pound. I'll bet half their "owners" won't even bother to claim them...

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  22. There should be criminal laws backing the leash laws and unmuzzled pits should be seized. For pit bulls, first strike with an unleashed or unmuzzled pit, you have to pay $500 to get them out of the pound. Second strike, they get put to sleep and you pay $1000.

    Most of the idiots would lose their pits pretty damn quick.

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  23. @10:10 am

    The crusties need to go get jobs, and ditto for beggars outside McDonalds on 1st Ave. With hundreds of bodegas in NYC, they could find work.

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  24. "Crusty" isnt a race or group of people, so no worries there.

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  25. @10:10 AM
    But replace the word "crusty" with "murderers" and they become even more correct and justified! Replace "crusty" with "college kids" and they become half the old folks in the East Village! What a fun game!

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  26. Not really mentioned in the comments is that this it was Roberta Bayley's dog that was attacked and killed. Roberta's photography captured what was arguably the most important cultural moment for our neighborhood (in the last 100 years). I'm definitely not saying that important artists' pets are more important than everyone else's pets.

    What I do see is that this whole thing is a sad symbol of the decline of our neighborhood. Some parasitic crusty (who we foolishly indulge) brings pain and sadness to one of the great chroniclers of our neighborhood's former glory.

    And on the ironic side maybe it is the glory/genius captured in Roberta's photography that may have even attracted the crusties (although I suspect that they aren't even conscious of the fact).

    I'm not sure where I'm going with this, but given a choice I'll take the junkies pictured in Roberta's photos over the crusties any day.

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  27. Ever notice that you never hear about these pit bulls attacking a Crusty? Either the dogs are just as afraid of Crusties as most people are, or they think the Crusties are pit bulls too.

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  28. Regardless of the breed, dogs need to be on a leash. I see people all the time letting their dogs wander all over the park and sidewalks off the leash. Your dog may be well-behaved, but you can quickly lose it if an aggressive dog attacks, or any other sudden danger occurs.

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  29. I'm not someone that throws words like "facist" but it appears that a lot of people posting here are ready to start a lynch mob against beggars, homeless people and the seasonal and drug addicted crusties.

    I wonder how many people here consider themselves open minded, back personal freedoms, against abuse of power, hate the rate of gentrification happening in the EV, and thought the big sleep in to protest the police tower in TSP recently was a good thing?

    If you think someone's pet has more rights than a human, even one that is fucked up and a pain in the ass to just about everyone, you are wrong. Right now I am ashamed of what people are saying here and to think they might be my neighbors.

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  30. @10:08 AM
    Really? Not funny if it was a joke, kind of reminiscent of something one group did to another group in Europe about 75 years ago.

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  31. "He blocked the pitbull's mouth with his arm? It's strange that this is only happening here. False bravado is no solution."

    Hope you get the chance to prove what you would do in such a situation, perhaps "true cowardliness" and let the pit chew your dogs head off?

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  32. The crusties and their dogs have taken over 2nd Ave, St Marks, 9th Street. It's getting harder and harder to avoid them and their don't-say-pitt-bulls when I walk my dog. I'm neither afraid of crusties or don't-say-pitt-bulls when they are kept on a leash but more often than not, they aren't. How many more people and dogs have to be attacked before De Blasio and Bratton do something?

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  33. Ken from Ken's KitchenAugust 18, 2015 at 12:11 PM

    August 18, 2015 at 11:45 AM

    You lose. I'm invoking Godwin's Law on you.

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  34. Sooner or later, it is going to be a dog going after a small kid rather than a small dog. The NYPD better not wait until that happens to do something.

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  35. Anonymous 11:47 - I was referring to threats to kill the owners. False bravado, especially coming from a guy in a golf cart.

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  36. For once I am glad to have left the EV for Styetown. Sounds like a zoo out there.

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  37. A few weeks ago this happened to me and my wee shih-tzu. We were walking along St Marks between 2nd and 3rd and there was a crusty asleep on the sidewalk with his pit bull . The pit bull woke and saw my dog and went for her. It was so fast. At the last second crusty woke and gabbed it's leash. I believe my wee one would probably have been killed if he hasn't caught it in time. Terrifying.

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  38. I was walking pass the pizza shop scene of dog attack and death of beloved pug. Although I walked there numerous times living in the neighborhood for 30+ years it is for me different. It just does not make sense that 5 humans and one dog are allowed sitting there just hanging out. . I looked each one in the face and looked at heir dog to check character (nice dog) but if he was not too nice well let's say I am glad the dog was chill. They glared at me back like they own the sidewalk. I realized something needs to change it is a narrow part of sidewalk with the shop, and the apt bldg with gate. How can we pass and with a dog. I then choose to walk in street which is also a danger but I will take cars over a pitbulls anyday.. Concerned and confused.

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  39. plus miss kita the wonder dog's attacker was a shar-pei (sp?) terrier mix. xo, jg

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  40. This is Michael Puzzo — one of the guys who was seriously chomped on by a pit bull at the beginning of the month.

    I am angered and confused by your decision to change your headline from what actually happened to a generalization to appease a fringe lobby group.

    Three victims and 4 different articles, identified the dogs as a pit bull, so why would you report anything less than....uhm, the truth?

    To obscure the actual events to pacify even one individual(who was not there) is irresponsible journalism and could put our entire beloved neighborhood in danger.

    Three Innocent people were brutally attacked and in one tragic case a beloved pet was lost.....and now it's starting to feel like we are being attacked all over again by Pit lobby (who seem to take their arguments straight from the NRA rule-book) or homeless activists.....

    Personally, I have no bias against either.....(although c'mon guys we all know the Crusty's are not homeless in the traditional sense, but more homeless as a lifestyle choice.)and even if I was, it's beside the point.

    I feel to make this political to further some pet cause (yeah, bad pun sorry...) is beyond despicable.

    How about these same activists trying to come up with suggestions for a solution to this obviously pressing situation, before one of these Crusty's dogs attack a child?

    This is a health and safety issue....anything else is ego.

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  41. To 9:44 who asked why Grieve "seemingly ignored" this story... can you blame him? Any time there's a story about a dog that may or may not be a Pitt Bull, the crazies come out on both sides for an all day long comment battle royale, where in the end, no one is happy. Especially the poor guy who has to moderate this insanity all day long.

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  42. Pitbull is an American rapper born Armando Christian PĂ©rez on January 15, 1981.

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  43. If a dog (any dog) attacks, get a plastic bottle of water and shoot it into the attacking dog's nose. The dog will release it's hold on whatever it has. Good luck.

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  44. On August 18, 2015 at 9:28 AM, Rheannone said...

    The dogs were most likely NOT pitbulls. This is a common mistake in dog attack reporting and very damaging. The last thing we need is a "breed ban" because often times, dogs are misidentified as pitbulls. Please read this article. www.pickthepit.com

    I am fond of reminding people that pitties are often misidentified—and also that Helen Keller's service dog was a pit bull. The dog shouldn't be demonized just because of a poor handler.

    Also, both times I've been bitten seriously by a dog, they were [separate] springer spaniels. Any dog can bite and do damage.

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  45. 2.35PM here

    I am 99% sure it was a pit bull or pit bull mix that went for my dog. It does sounds like the same Crusty/Pit bull combo that fatally attacked the wee pug. The other people attacked seem certain of the breed too. You weren't there!

    Ever since a pure bred unaltered male put bull attacked and nearly killed my shih-tzu last August in a Brooklyn dog run I am very aware of the breed.

    Yes smaller dogs sometimes bite but its not going to result in the horrific consequences that we've seen here. No one's arm is getting torn open by a cranky Pomeranian.

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  46. Of course Helen Keller's service dog was a pit bull: she was blind!

    Do you know what Helen Keller's favorite color was? Neither did she.

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  47. Thanks Scuba Diva!
    Also: http://www.fight4them.org/war-dogs-pit-bulls-in-the-military/

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  48. I have a question for pit lovers. Where do most of these dogs come from? Not the breed necessary because I know that breeder are highly specialized in certain breeds, I mean the pits we see on the streets of the EV?

    My guess is shelters. When you get a dog from a shelter rather than a breeder you do not have the history of that dogs parents, grandparents, etc... You have no way of knowing if that dog's father actually worked as a fighter and was a champion killer.

    I saw a documentary about the domestication of wild animals and only animals with favorable traits like less aggressive demeanor were bred. The process was repeated in within a few generations a very domesticated animal was created. This principle works the other way and if you are someone that provides pit bulls for fighting you breed killers.

    So where did your pit bull come from, who where its parents and grandparents?

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  49. The crusty punks pass out & their dogs go into protection mode. They should not be living on the crowded streets, especially unleashed!

    Also, most dogs are misidentified as pitbulls. Please read this article.

    http://www.pickthepit.com

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  50. Last summer, one of these "disputed pitbulls" that was with a group of 4 or 5 hobos in front of the costume store on University went after my 18 pound shiba inu. The dog was unleashed. I saw it coming from 15 feet away, yelled at the hobos, and the morons did nothing to restrain it. The crusty dog went straight for my dog -- no barking, growling or hesitation. Fortunately my dog wears a harness, I picked her off the ground from her leash, and then put her on the roof of a parked car.

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  51. Shelters? No. Crusties either steal the dogs or trade drugs for them. How many of these pits were bartered from dogfighting rings? Did the crutsties 'train' these dogs to guard/fight? These dogs are abused. Where is PETA or the ASPCA? Where?

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  52. What an absolutely absurd question!

    Even NYC ACC, high kill HELLter requires an address with proof from the landlord that it's ok to adopt a dog. You honestly think a filthy crusty junkie can adopt a dog from a shelter? Are you really that slow?

    Yes ..they DO abuse their dogs! I recently witnessed a POS Crusty hitting her dog Repeatedly in the head at Tompkins square park. I'll never forget how that poor dog was cowering in fear!

    Hopefully she succumbed to an OD!

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  53. An interesting perspective from the ASPCA, which perhaps also explains the "loving" side of pitbulls put forth by defenders of the breed. For centuries, while cultivating their aggressive stance toward other animals, pitbulls that did not obey humans or acted hostile toward a human were killed to avoid developing that trait. So, people purposely evolved the breed to by loyal to humans and aggressive to animals. Darwinism, directed by humans, is to blame.

    https://www.aspca.org/about-us/aspca-policy-and-position-statements/position-statement-pit-bulls

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  54. Ms. Thrope, You might have called the police to get help for the dog...or the ASPCA. Wishing someone dead of an OD is really sad.

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  55. DeBlasio & Cuomo are WAY too busy attempting to create a new bureau that will oversee/leech $ from the painted ladies of Times Square to bother with this.

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  56. The police/ASPCA wouldn't have done shit!

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  57. Are you sure about that. You sound so so so so sure about that, Ms. Thorpe.

    Absolutism doesn't really work when it comes to problem solving.

    You don't present any solutions. What are you suggestions for solving the issue...

    which is doing something to help dogs that may be starving and/or may be socialized to attack before the next tragedy.

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  58. UGH. So much misinformation! Seriously guys, emotions are not what is called for, logic and intelligence is. ANY big dog is dangerous, no matter the breed. Having a dog off the leash is the first problem, this can be a crusty, business man or child, the problem starts with a dog that can get to you and your dog without a restraint. Breed specific laws don't work, they are idiotic and anyone that thinks they work are not reading anything that has anything to do with logic and reason. Try reading this for ACTUAL info:

    http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2006/02/06/troublemakers-2

    Pit bulls, just so you know, are terriers, as in pit bull terrier. Like jack russel terrier, like bull terrier, like a ton of dogs in that family. Terrier mix dogs, which is what 99% of the "pit bulls" are here in NYC are, happen to be as stable as any other dog. They are mixed with labs, retrievers, dogos, poodles, and tons of other dogs. I knew one that was mixed with a chihuahua, if you can imagine that. These dogs are basically mutts. If a dog bites your dog, there is a simple way to get the dog off. Do NOT grab it's balls, grab its tail, try to break the tail, or punch it in the head. If it is a terrier mix you may as well go punch the wall of the building near you, these dogs have thick skulls.

    THIS is what you should do:

    http://thewoofblog.thewoofpack.com/2009/02/25/how-to-force-your-dogs-mouth-open-to-get-an-unwanted-object-out/

    My girlfriend and I have both stopped a larger dog that had a hold of a smaller dog in this manner.

    Keep this in mind. The dog is in fight mode, once you get the dog's mouth open, do not let go immediately. It may just turn and bite you at that point. Pits and other larger dogs like this are generally not trained to bite people, and won't, once they get a clear head. Give the dogs a few seconds to calm down, like you would any normal drunk person or angry person. They will realize you are a human and probably not bite you when you let go.

    Of course, if the other dogs owner is there they should be able to take the dog from you once you have it subdued. You do risk getting bitten, but obviously since two of these people got bit already at least you have some control over the situation.

    Keep in mind that any dog that travels with their owner, an owner who is generally treated with contempt, will be more protective than your average dog. Most crusties are spat at, cursed at, have things thrown at them or are beat up. Some of the crusties are on drugs, and believe it or not, the dogs know and will protect them when they are high. This is not a negative trait for the dog, this is a problem created by the crusty. All they have to do is keep their dogs on a leash and tie them to something sturdy when sleeping or getting high. Then it is only the person who doesn't notice or doesn't care that could possibly be bit.

    Many a pit bull, terrier mix, or other large dogs have great personalities, love most if not all humans, and work as service dogs around the world. Spuds McKenzie was a bull terrier, Petey from the Little Rascals was a pit bull, and the RCA Victor dog (also known in England as the HMV dog) was a pit bull. As someone else said, Helen Keller had a pit bull, though I am not sure they are right about that.

    Helen Keller had many dogs over the years, and she was known for introducing the Akita to America. That dog is another maligned breed, often thrown in with the "dangerous" breeds lists. There are pictures of Helen Keller with different types of dogs, one of them being a pit bull, sp she may have owned one.

    Enough with the preaching, two quick things for those not easily offended.

    1. Helen Keller's favorite color was corduroy @Giovanni

    2. Q: Why was Helen Keller's leg yellow?
    A: Her dog was blind too.

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  59. how about the obnoxious woman who lives on 5th street between 2ND ave and bowery with her equally obnoxious tiny dog that bites other dogs everytime they walk by? she has a ground floor apartment and lets her dog out while she sits inside. Saw a young lady get into a fight with her after crazy lady's dog bit hers. The girl actually told her to leash her dog for HIS own protection, and that as an animal owner, she was doing a major disservice to HER dog. All true. It doesn't have to be a pitbull, but dog owners must recognize when their dogs are aggressive towards other dogs. If you know your dog is going to bite another and has shown that behavior before, do something to change it.

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  60. UPDATE: Crusty punk whose pit bull terrorized East Village is dead

    Via The Villager:
    .
    Sept 3, 2015
    BY LINCOLN ANDERSON | Natas, the crusty traveler whose aggressive pit bull, Jax, went on a bloody rampage in the East Village early last month — viciously attacking both a pug, which later died, and a man — has himself died, according to sources.

    Jordy Trachtenberg lives in the same St. Mark’s Place building as Roberta Bayley, whose pug, Sidney, was attacked by Jax on Aug. 1 and died the next day at the vet after undergoing surgery. Trachtenberg told The Villager that on Thurs., Aug. 27, he saw a Facebook post at around 11 that morning by a young woman he knows who does outreach to the crusties and travelers.

    “I am very sorry to say that Natas (David McKee) passed early this morning,” the woman wrote, in part.

    In response to The Villager’s query, Julie Bolcer, a spokesperson for the Chief Medical Examiner’s Office, responded, “We are investigating the death of someone identified with the name you provided. The cause and manner of death are pending further studies at this time.”

    The Police Department’s Deputy Commissioner of Public Information did not have a record of David McKee’s death or an OD in Tompkins Square by him in August.

    A few days after attacking Bayley’s pug, and just a few blocks away from there, Jax attacked Michael Puzzo, an East Village man who was walking his girlfriend’s dog, Bobito, on E. Sixth St.

    In each of Jax’s attacks, Natas had been sleeping or passed out on substances, with the brown pit bull beside him, when the dog — reportedly unleashed each time — suddenly lunged for the smaller dogs. Puzzo managed to shield Bobito from Jax’s jaws, but got chomped on his arm.

    http://thevillager.com/2015/09/03/crusty-punk-whose-pit-bull-terrorized-east-village-is-dead/

    ReplyDelete
  61. This proves that crusties cannot control their pit bulls while passed out on drugs. The article in the Villager says there are three unleashed pit bulls in a crusty camp at P.S. 63 and McKinley Playground, on E. Third St. between 1st Ave and Ave A. . Use caution in that area or just avoid it if you can.

    ReplyDelete

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