Congo the German shepherd attacked again -- this time a member of his owners' family in Princeton Township, according to a report in the Times of Trenton.
As a result, the local couple who fought a successful high-profile campaign to spare their beloved Congo from a death sentence after he mauled a landscaper on their property last year had Congo and three of their other dogs euthanized this morning after the dogs attacked a relative visiting their home Tuesday, authorities said.
The four dogs attacked 75-year-old Constance Ladd, the mother of one of the dogs' owners, Elizabeth James, police Detective Sgt. Ernie Silagyi said today.
Congo gained national attention last year as he faced a death sentence after mauling a landscaper on his owners' property.
From the Times of Trenton report:
Although police said it wasn't immediately clear what sparked the attack or which of the dogs owned by Guy James and his wife Elizabeth actually bit Ladd, the Princetons' Regional Health Officer David Henry said all four apparently inflicted bite wounds.
Despite the severity of the incident and the family's decision to euthanize the dogs, the victim's son-in-law, Guy James, strongly objected to its characterization by police as an attack by his dogs.
"I don't want people who were supportive of Congo (after last year's landscaper mauling) to think they were supporting a bad dog," Guy James said in an interview. He said Tuesday's unfortunate encounter between the dogs and his mother-in-law "wasn't an attack at all. It was dogs jumping."
The 75-year-old victim remains hospitalized. In-depth coverage here, in the Times.
Er, make that one pit bull. A female pit bull. No, a male. Wait a minute -- it was a boxer mix. Or not. OK, we think it was a male pit bull/boxer mix, but the reporters are all so PC these days, and anyway, according to a county administrator, "The more dominant breed is pit bull." Whatever the hell that's supposed to mean [and yes, I'm being facetious. We all know exactly what it means: it's the canine version of the One Drop Rule].
When it comes to pit bulls, nothing says "high standard of journalism" quite like the San Francisco Comical Chronicle and the San Jose Murky Mercury News. What a shame the original article and 10+ pages of comments were deleted from SFGate after the dog became a boxer. "I have a gun, and if some filthy pit bull sets foot in my yard, it's head will be hamburger!" Right, pal, unless the grammar police bust a cap in your apostrophe first. [I think filthy pit bulls are kind of adorable: see right sidebar.] On the Murky News the comments have taken a predictable turn:
All pitbulls and their owners should be put down. They are both stupid and vicious
To Truthful, You have a lot in common with the vicious pit bull who attacked that defenseless child, you're both halfbreed uncontrollable (mixed) animals who should be euthanized. Be not so proud of your uncivilized race because you will never be a proud American. Either deport all Mexicans or euthanize them!!
Blah blah blah eyeroll. The Murky News is trying to delete the most rude, off-topic comments as soon as they're flagged --- don't do it, Murky drones! This is thesis material!! [Honestly, issues of race and class play a huge role in the pit bull debate: a largely unspoken role, no thanks to politicians and most reporters.]
One poor soul asks,
WHY, when this breed is so clearly prone to be unreliable and when their physique makes an attack so serious, does the Silicon Valley Human Society continue to adopdt them out? Why aren't any pit bulls and pit bull mixes put humanely to sleep when turned in to the humane society?
Gee, I dunno --- could it be because many pit bulls are, in fact, more reliable than anything, and make wonderful companions?
Greg Van Wassenhove, director of animal care and control in the county, said an investigation into the attack is ongoing. However, in cases like this one, where dogs are present at family gatherings, animals can view small children as "threatening their territories."
"That is the most likely scenario," Van Wassenhove said. "We don't expect a 20-month old child to provoke a dog."
Of course not, Greg! A twenty-month old child couldn't possibly do anything to upset a dog! [/sarcasm]
Feeding frenzy:
This morning four dogs circled the [family's] three-story main house [...] The property has a private easement snaking up to the house, which is nestled in the foothills. The dogs came charging out of the property, snarling and barking at members of the media in their vehicles.
OMG, "charging," for real? Do you mean these dogs actually barked at strangers on their property? And growled and snarled? (Congo, is that you?) I need to sit down.
So the Old Year fades away with more evidence than ever that people are forgetting what dogs are and how they behave, while groups like PETA and the HSUS bankroll spay/neuter laws and do their best to eradicate the domestic dog "for its own good, poor thing." Big dogs: too threatening. Medium-sized dogs: too boisterous. Small dogs: too, um, small liable to spread germs, ick.
Yes, dogs chase cats and "charge" at things. Some hate to be bothered when they're eating. Most bark at strangers. [The filthy pit bull in the sidebar is no watchdog -- she'd be delighted to let the axe-murderer into my home at midnight. Then my quiet collies would kill him. I'm joking, homeowner insurance people.]
[Sheep fed -- check. Dogs all inside -- check. Calming herbs for Gray -- check. Emergency IDs -- check. For years I've been a huge fan of Boomerang CollarTags, and each dog has two: "REWARD! LOOSE = LOST," cell phone, home phone, vet's phone, "MICROCHIPPED." We're ready for 2008. Bring it on.]
This New Year's Eve I'm hoping for peace [I'm a hopeful type]; for the health, safety and happiness of everyone I know and pretty much everyone I don't; for leaders who do justly and love mercy; for mild, contented sheep and tired, happy dogs; and for firecrackers so far away, tonight, that none of my collies can hear them. Also: for the stick-to-it-ive-ness to write often about real dogs and real dog behavior -- and link often to many of the fine blogs dedicated to nature, the environment, and, of course, real dogs.
Happy New Year!
ETA: More here, with a video showing one of the dogs involved.
Seems to be working in New Jersey, so Colorado "animal activists" are following suit, so to speak: the owner of Rolo, a German shepherd condemned to death after attacking a neighbor, is staging rallies in his defense.
An Arvada woman who was bitten by a German shepherd has been getting hate mail and threatening messages from animal lovers.
After Kathy Hardin was bitten July 1, a judge ordered the dog be put down following statements from neighbors who claimed the dog acted aggressively.
But since then, Rolo's owner and animal activists have been protesting, saying he's not dangerous and that this was the first time he's bitten anyone.
Hardin's attorney said she's been harassed so much that she and her family are moving out of the neighborhood.
Weren't all those Colorado pit bull bans supposed to prevent dog bites...? [Seriously, the cretins behind the Denver ban have killed more dogs than Michael Vick: killed them not for dangerous behavior or poor temperaments, but because of the way they look. Heartbreaking -- and very scary.]
The curious case of Congo, an 85-pound German shepherd sentenced to die for attacking a Honduran landscaper, is making its way through New Jersey’s courts. Protesters have packed the courtrooms here and have staged rallies waving signs that say “Free Congo!” And the landscaper, Giovanni Rivera, who suffered a six-inch bite wound and other injuries, has been vilified by some of the dog’s supporters in this well-to-do Ivy League town, who have been sending newspapers and blogs angry anti-immigrant slurs.
State Assemblyman Neil M. Cohen, a Democrat from Union, has introduced legislation, which he calls Congo’s Law, that could spare the life of Congo and other dogs in similar situations by giving judges more discretion in meting out punishment.
And now, thousands of people from Princeton and elsewhere are petitioning the governor for a pardon. (There is precedent for such things in New Jersey.)
So shoot me, but the whole "Save Congo" outpouring of public sympathy reminds me more and more of the efforts a few years ago to "Save Max."
NEARLY six months after he was sentenced to death by the Watertown animal control officer for biting a child, Max the golden retriever was lying on his back like a baby in the arms of Audrey McKay, the animal control officer in New Milford, luxuriating between belly rubs and doggy treats.
''He's ferocious, let me tell you,'' Ms. McKay said facetiously as the 16-month-old dog looked up and licked her chin.
The pending execution of Max has Watertown in an uproar, with his family and their supporters from several states signing a petition to save the dog. Earlier this month, there was a rally for Max on the town green of neighboring Litchfield and the head of the national animal rights organization, Last Chance for Animals, came in from California on Monday to assist the family. Even the governor has written a letter of support (he doesn't have the power to commute the sentence).
Thousands of letters and e-mail messages poured in supporting the return of Max to his family, especially after he passed several animal behavior tests proving him to be a safe and gentle pet. ''Save Max'' signs were posted in pet stores, on front lawns and on vehicles around the state, and rallies for the dog were held on various village greens.
For months, the town remained firm in its stance to euthanize the dog, but pleas for mercy from Gov. John Rowland and the national animal rights organization Last Chance for Animals, helped change the course. After a formal hearing by the State Department of Agriculture, Richard Blumenthal, the state attorney general, mediated an agreement on June 17 between the town and the Pyons to spare the dog's life and have him returned home.
WHEN Max, a 2-year-old golden retriever who lived in Watertown, was happy, his whole body would wiggle when his tail wagged. Like many dogs, he was a face licker and a ball chaser, and it was his gentle, joyful demeanor that persuaded so many people, including the attorney general and the former governor, to come to his defense when the town's animal control officer said the dog was dangerous and must be destroyed after seriously biting a boy in 2003.
I'd be less worried about Congo biting again if his owners had a better record of keeping their dogs on their property, and if they had bothered to have their dogs vaccinated for rabies, and if they hadn't bred Congo at... what, a year of age? He was 18 months old at the time of the attack, with six-month-old pups, oy.
Years ago I owned a German shepherd that looked quite a bit like Congo. Mine was a dark sable with a great heart and a bold, fearless temperament: she was a Bodo vom Lierberg granddaughter, bred by Margaret Pooley of the old Rocky Reach Kennels. I'd give a lot to have another GSD like her. That may be one reason Congo's owners offend me so much: I think he deserves better. To me, Congo and his owners reflect what the ASPCA's Randall Lockwood calls "a perfect storm of bad human-canine interactions -- the wrong dog, the wrong background, the wrong history in the hands of the wrong person in the wrong environmental situation."
Congo is innocent! Cue sobbing children. Cue death threats. Cue barf bag, because I think I'm going to hurl.
"God makes them, they find each other," my dad used to say about folks like the Congo supporters in the photo above. Actually, what he used to say was, "Dios los cría, ellos se juntan," which is an adage I'm reasonably sure Guy James has never heard in his life. Guy James owns Congo, the Iggydu jour, and I suspect James "speaks Spanish" the way George Bush "speaks Spanish," which is to say that I suspect he doesn't speak much Spanish at all.
But I'm getting ahead of myself.
This week's top story: A fast-moving variant of mad cow disease has incapacitated many of the internet's dog bloggers and pet lovers. According to a CDC spokesperson, the disease " temporarily disables areas in the front of the brain known as 'managerial knowledge units,'" sometimes called the "sense God gave a goose" region. Symptoms include severe anxiety, nativism, repetitive email-forwarding and a strong aversion to the behavior that journalists, back in the day, used to call "verification."
For what it's worth, here are the first news articles published in The Times of Trenton about Congo's severe mauling of a landscaper. All were written by Debra Friedman:
Man attacked by pack of dogs in Princeton Township Posted by The Times of Trenton June 05, 2007 4:54PM Categories: Crime, News PRINCETON TOWNSHIP -- A man is in serious condition after being attacked by five dogs early Tuesday morning, officials said.
Giovanni Rivera, 42, arrived at a residence on Stuart Road West at about 7:05 a.m. with a landscaping company to begin work when he encountered six German shepherds roaming free within the fenced back yard of the home, police said.
According to the township's animal control officer, Mark Johnson, Rivera became startled when the dogs began to growl and he ran toward the house in order to get the homeowner's attention. The dogs pursued Rivera and five attacked him, police reported. The home owner eventually contained the dogs and called 911, according to police.
When police arrived, Rivera was found with his shirt and pants ripped off and was bleeding heavily. He was treated by paramedics for multiple dog bites and taken to the University Medical Center at Princeton.
His condition was unknown Tuesday evening.
Johnson said he issued three summonses to the dogs' owner for failure to license and vaccinate the animals. The dogs did not have a history of aggressive behavior, but as a result of the attack, they will be declared dangerous and are being quarantined for the next 10 days while the investigation continues, he said.
5 dogs in custody after attack Posted by The Times of Trenton June 06, 2007 9:28PM Categories: News PRINCETON TOWNSHIP -- Five German shepherds that attacked a landscaper Tuesday morning have been taken into custody by Princeton's Office of Animal Control, animal control officer Mark Johnson said Wednesday.
The animals, which belong to Elizabeth and Guy James, badly mauled Giovanni Rivera after he and four co-workers arrived at the James' home on Stuart Road West to work on a patio.
A sixth German shepherd owned by the Jameses did not take part in the attack and was not impounded.
Johnson said all six dogs were unlicensed and four were not vaccinated. He said the animal control office has issued three summonses to the dogs' owners for failure to license and vaccinate the animals.
Rivera, 42, of Trenton underwent three hours of surgery Tuesday afternoon to repair the damage caused by the numerous dog bites he received during the attack to his abdomen, legs, back and right arm.
He is recovering from his injuries at the University Medical Center at Princeton.
Landscaper back in hospital with infection Posted by The Times of Trenton June 19, 2007 4:36PM Categories: News PRINCETON TOWNSHIP -- The landscaper who was attacked by five German shepherds nearly two weeks ago at a residence on Stuart Road West is back in the hospital because of an infection that has developed from serious wounds received during the incident, according to his attorney, Kevin S. Riechelson.
"He has scars all over his body, from his ankles to the top of his head," Riechelson said.
Giovanni Rivera, 42, of Trenton was severely mauled by the dogs when he arrived at the residence of Elizabeth and Guy James with a landscaping crew to work on a patio. Upon arrival, the dogs allegedly began to chase the landscaping crew, catching up with Rivera and biting him all over his body.
"The only part of him that was not bitten were his feet, face and throat," Riechelson said.
Yesterday, the fate of the dogs was supposed to be decided in Municipal Court. However, due to new evidence in the form of photographs of the victim's wounds, the judge postponed the hearing in order for the James' attorney to examine the evidence before the case proceeded.
Yet even with the evidence, the timing of events appears to be the most central element of the case.
According the initial police report, the attack took place just after 7 a.m. on June 5.
The James' told police that the landscaping crew was not scheduled to arrive until 8 a.m., which is why the dogs were allowed outside.
But in an interview on the night of the attack, Rivera said his landscaping crew had confirmed with the James' the previous day to come an hour earlier, in order to make up for lost time caused by rain at the start of the week.
So, five months after the mauling [which lasted some three minutes, according to court documents] Guy James says that when the landscapers "arrived an hour early," he leaned out the window and shouted to them in Spanish to wait in the car until he finished taking his shower.
Does Guy James speak fluent Spanish? Dunno, but one vowel makes the difference between "wait in the car" and "they're waiting in the car," and darned if Mrs. James and her son didn't show up in her car fifteen minutes after the landscape crew arrived: one of the dogs had escaped the yard, and they'd been out looking for it. I suppose it's possible that Guy James leaned out the window and shouted [in Spanish], "I'm about to take a shower. My German shepherds are loose --- stay in your truck until I come downstairs and lock them up," but I doubt it. If he shouted anything, I imagine it was more along the lines of "Wait fifteen minutes in the car."
Or "They're waiting fifteen minutes in the car," depending on that vowel.
Mr. Johnson, did confirm, however, Mr. James’ charge that Mr. Rivera changed his account — of exactly where he was when he was attacked — immediately following the incident.
However, Mr. Johnson said the different details came from three different nurses who were interpreting for Mr. Rivera at the hospital.
Were any of those nurses fluent Spanish speakers, I wonder.
Others have pointed out that Guy James seems to be a textbook backyard breeder. [Neuter Congo!] And it's good to know that not everyone believes the victim was a "scam artist" who deserved his injuries for "beating" Mrs. James. How predictable, though, that the victim's ethnicity brought the bigots out of the woodwork.
Tears fell down Elizabeth Rhay’s face and she gasped as she listened to the judge’s words.
Rhay’s fiancé had just gotten a 180-day jail term (which was suspended) and was ordered to do 100 hours of community service and pay a $100 fine.
When it was Rhay’s turn to stand before Municipal Court Judge Mary Falvey, she got a similar punishment with 50 hours of community service work.
Their crime?
Walking their dogs down a city street.
“I’ve never been in trouble before. I didn’t mean to do anything wrong,” Rhay told Falvey, who paused while the 27-year-old regained her composure. “I was trying to be a responsible dog owner.”
What kind of people own pit bulls, anyway?
It would be pretty indeed if the Ohio insanity triggered just half the public outrage of the Congo "jailing," but I'm not holding my breath.
Onyx, Lab/pit bull mix. Onyx has never bitten anybody.
Yeah, that Congo.
