Published Tuesday, July 29, 2008 6:05 AM
Judge: Euthanize dog that bit officer
By JANET PHELPS
Eagle Staff Writer
A municipal judge on Monday ordered that a pit bull who bit a College Station police officer earlier this month be euthanized as soon as possible.
Municipal Court Judge Ed Spillane said it was clear from testimony presented during a hearing Monday that the male dog, which also bit a 3-year-old girl in April, was dangerous.
"There wasn't any testimony that gave any hope that this dog wasn't dangerous or wouldn't attack again," Spillane said following the hearing.
The dog, named Polar Bear, was taken to the Brazos Animal Shelter to be euthanized Monday.
College Station police responded to barking dog complaint on Pine Ridge Drive at about 11 p.m. July 18, according to court documents. They found Polar Bear barking in the yard, but his owners were not at home, police said.
When they returned later to speak with the owners, reports state that the dog escaped from the house and attacked an officer, grabbing his boot, then attempting to jump up and bite his chest or neck. The dog bit the officer on the hand and chased another officer onto the roof of his car, police said.
The dog also bit a child's finger through a hole in a fence in April.
Spillane said an animal control officer testified during hearing.
"He said in his three years of experience, that this was the most vicious and frightening animal he had ever seen," Spillane said.
Brian Casarez, the dog's owner who said he kept him for protection, testified Monday that he would do anything to keep the dog, including buy insurance to prevent future injury.
But Spillane said buying insurance would only help after the dog had already hurt someone else.
"The owner didn't seem from his testimony very interested or able to control the dog," he said. "It's kind of sad, but it's the only choice I could make."
• Janet Phelps' e-mail address is janet.phelps@theeagle.com.
Comments
[comment]
19 comment(s) found!
Posted by:
On:
Thursday, July 31, 2008 7:23 AM
Comment Title: bad fish
I have a goldfish that is always attacking the other fish in my tank. Yesterday he killed one! Guess he should be Euthanized for murder 1.
Report Abuse
Posted by:
Hawkeye On:
Wednesday, July 30, 2008 12:28 PM
Comment Title:
To Nurse Goodbody: It is about probability and genetics. Your Pit is statistically more likely to be aggressive than your Lab. Ask Mike Vick who he would bet on in the ring in a Pit / Lab match.
Report Abuse
Posted by:
On:
Wednesday, July 30, 2008 12:21 PM
Comment Title: Overstepping your bounds
I didn't think that was within Judge Spillane's power. He doesn't even have contempt powers. Guess someone should let the Judicial Conduct board know.
Report Abuse
Posted by:
On:
Wednesday, July 30, 2008 8:47 AM
Comment Title: dogs alot like people
anyone ever consider that most dogs are just like people- it has to do a WHOLE lot with how you were raised. I don't especially care for the pit bull breed, but I don't like certain groups of people much either. Doesn't mean they are all bad...
Report Abuse
Posted by:
On:
Tuesday, July 29, 2008 10:04 PM
Comment Title:
Sorry about the comment below. I thought the article was about College Station women.
Report Abuse
Posted by:
On:
Tuesday, July 29, 2008 10:03 PM
Comment Title:
They're all dogs in College Station, but I've never been bitten by one. A hickie every now and then, but nothing like that.
Report Abuse
Posted by:
On:
Tuesday, July 29, 2008 7:14 PM
Comment Title:
It never ceases to amaze me at the hysterics once a pit bull gets in the news. A poor baby was killed up in Tulsa by the family Lab, and no one has raised the banner KILL ALL LABS. Bless this family, they need all the prayers they can get. I do own a so-called pit bull, she is a registered Staffordshire terrier. And I suppose I am not the stereotypical owner: I am a nurse, I am not on welfare, I have four children (who I feed, by the way!) She is our sweetie, our "Piggy". For anyone who would like to actually find out about the breed, look up American Staffordshire terrier on Wikipedia, you might be surprised: they are praised as wonderful family dogs.
Report Abuse
Posted by:
On:
Tuesday, July 29, 2008 3:29 PM
Comment Title:
The problem is obviously the dogs in College Station. We need a wall to protect us from the canine trash in College Station. All the want is a Milk Bone handout.
Report Abuse
Posted by:
Sabrina On:
Tuesday, July 29, 2008 2:55 PM
Comment Title: Same everytime
It amazes me when ever you hear a story about a Pit Bull.....I would never own a dog with the history (and I have heard both sides over and over again). If the dog does the crime he should do the time or punishment. Nothing personal against Pit bull owners because I can just hear the outcry....I agree that other dogs and it's usually a Chiahuaha and as the previous poster said...Outlaw Chiahuaha's....if "A DOG" I wasn't specific bites....fair is fair. About the owners who more than likely can't afford to feed their kids but feed and pamper their dogs (pits)....I have heard that before...even heard that if they can't get pet food on the Government (US) then they will purchase steaks and other types of meat. Now talk about another form of stupidity.
Report Abuse
Posted by:
Mike On:
Tuesday, July 29, 2008 11:15 AM
Comment Title:
Jog over behind Jane Long and you will come back with legs stripped like ribbons. There are Pits all over the place over there. Some are used at staged fights in the wooded areas nearby. Some of these folks cant feed their kids bu own a couple of Pits.....
Report Abuse
Posted by:
On:
Tuesday, July 29, 2008 10:45 AM
Comment Title:
Outlaw Chiahuahas! I say those are the only mean dogs I've ever encountered in my long life. They bite and will not let go or stop barking. The dog in the article was protecting property and its owner. People need to be educated about how to behave around dogs. No one should put their hand in a fence where there is a dog of any kind, or go onto propterty where there is a dog, until the owner has secured the dog. The officers should know better. Most reparimen won't even come into a house where there is a dog, until the dog has been put into a carrier or secured. People should watch their children better to make sure that they do not violate a dog's territory. I am no big fan of pit bulls, but I think this was a very cruel and uneducated decision.
Report Abuse
Posted by:
On:
Tuesday, July 29, 2008 10:29 AM
Comment Title: poor dog
The owner should be euthanized. The child should also not have put the finger in the yard the dog was in.
Report Abuse
Posted by:
On:
Tuesday, July 29, 2008 9:23 AM
Comment Title:
The officer should have shot the dog. Plain and simple. Or they should equip the officers with tasers and lit the dog's world up. Instead the City dropped some cash on holding a hearing, calling officers in to testify, to announce what everybody already knew. Could have saved some money.
Report Abuse
Posted by:
On:
Tuesday, July 29, 2008 9:12 AM
Comment Title:
And if you don't think any dog can be dangerous then you need to take a look at this sad story. http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/us/2008/07/29/dnt.ok.puppy.kills.baby.cnn
Report Abuse
Posted by:
On:
Tuesday, July 29, 2008 9:05 AM
Comment Title:
The first incident is ridiculous, my lab mutt would bite a kid that stuck their finger through a fence as well, since dog protect their home. Now after biting the officer, if the owner is not willing to make other arrangements, the animal should be taken away. It is amazing the kind of mob mentality these stories can bring. Before people go off and say, ban the pit bull, you need to look at so many other factors, including the fact that some people want to make stricter laws to own a pit than owning a tiger or lion. The judge made the right decision in this case since the owner is not willing to take responsibility for the animal but it doesn't need to turn into another media circus. This wouldn't even make the news if it was another breed.
Report Abuse
Posted by:
ginny On:
Tuesday, July 29, 2008 7:47 AM
Comment Title: relieved
finally a judge doing the right thing. sorry pit lovers but i've met several of these dogs and personally they scare the hell out of me. i've had many dogs in my life time and never had a vicious one even a doberman that wasn't clipped, no one knew it was doberman till i told them, but pits are something else you hear almost daily where one has attacked and seriously hurt or killed someone. pit owners say it's the way they are raised. well then maybe special precautions should be taken with these dogs i don't know a required muzzle unless it's only around it's owner? would that work? i just know i don't want me or my family around one even if the owner is right there. that should be our choice, just because pit owners love and want them does not mean the rest of us do.
Report Abuse
Posted by:
B. Wick On:
Tuesday, July 29, 2008 7:45 AM
Comment Title: Good Job
This is clearly a good call by Judge Spillane.
Report Abuse
Posted by:
On:
Tuesday, July 29, 2008 7:22 AM
Comment Title:
Very good decision Judge. Thank you! Should have been done after the first incident.
Report Abuse
Posted by:
Vicki On:
Tuesday, July 29, 2008 6:29 AM
Comment Title:
This breed of dog should be OUTLAWED!
Report Abuse
RSS
|
Mobile
|
Daily Emails
|
We Twitter
| Make us your home page
