Milan police repeatedly taser pit bull that attacked small dog
A Milan man could be cited for violating the city's animal ordinance after police say his pit bull got loose and mauled a neighbor’s dog, which later died.
Officers were called to the 600 block of Allen Road on May 12 when a neighbor saw the pit bull roaming free at about 2 p.m., reports said. Police arrived just as Marilyn Gilson let out her black Cairn Terrier and saw the pit bull bolt toward them across the street.
The pit bull bit Gilson’s dog, “Tyler,” on the back and violently shook the 14-pound animal back and forth as Gilson tried to separate them.
Gilson’s husband, Michael, was checking e-mail and said he heard screams outside.
“That dog charged right over, grabbed hold of his neck and shook side to side. The police were there but it was just too late,” he said.
An officer ordered Marilyn Gilson back and fired his taser gun, but one probe missed, reports said. He reloaded and fired again, subduing the pit bull long enough for Gilson to pick Tyler up.
Reports said the officer fired his taser two more times as the dog tried to go after Gilson and her pet on the porch. The dog eventually ran behind a home across the street.
Tyler was bleeding from wounds on his back and mouth and was rushed to the nearest veterinarian, Gilson said. The dog was bandaged and stabilized, but his wounds were so severe he was taken to the Animal Emergency Clinic in Ann Arbor.
Veterinarians said he suffered a collapsed lung, three broken ribs, and lost his canine teeth, according to reports. After exploratory surgery, Gilson said veterinarians gave them a bleak prognosis and Tyler, 10, was euthanized.
Gilson said his two 6-year-old grandchildren were with them during the incident, and one witnessed the attack.
Police spoke with the pit bull’s owner, who said he let “Hooch” out to urinate and must have fallen asleep, reports said. The owner - identified as Terry Bell - said it was the third time his dog bit another dog, but was the first incident in five years.
He could not explain how the dog got out of the back yard and was informed that city ordinance requires dogs to be leashed outdoors. An animal control officer with the Monroe County Sheriff’s Department was called, and Bell signed over his rights. Hooch was euthanized.
Bell could not be reached for comment.
Milan police forwarded the report to the city prosecutor for review, and a decision is pending.
Gilson said the neighbor apologized in person, which they appreciated - but he and his wife are left with a $1,700 veterinarian bill and the pain of losing their pet.
“It’s just like losing a family member,” Gilson said. “We grew really close to him and it’s just quiet around here now.”
Art Aisner is a freelance writer for AnnArbor.com. Reach the news desk at news@annarbor.com or 734-623-2530.
Comments
Ricebrnr
Tue, Jun 8, 2010 : 4:45 p.m.
@bunnyabbot, I believe you can since they are treated differently and have a specific statute to their protection. Michigan Compiled Laws Annotated Currentness. Chapter 750. Michigan Penal Code. The Michigan Penal Code. Chapter IX. Animals. 750.50c. Intentionally killing, causing physical harm to, harassing, or interfering with police dog, police horse, or search and rescue dog Sec. 50c. (1) As used in this section: (a) "Dog handler" means a peace officer who has successfully completed training in the handling of a police dog pursuant to a policy of the law enforcement agency that employs that peace officer. (b) "Physical harm" means any injury to a dog's or horse's physical condition. (c) "Police dog" means a dog used by a law enforcement agency of this state or of a local unit of government of this state that is trained for law enforcement work and subject to the control of a dog handler. (d) "Police horse" means a horse used by a law enforcement agency of this state or of a local unit of government of this state for law enforcement work. (e) "Search and rescue dog" means a dog that is trained for, being trained for, or engaged in a search and rescue operation. (f) "Search and rescue operation" means an effort conducted at the direction of an agency of this state or of a political subdivision of this state to locate or rescue a lost, injured, or deceased individual. (g) "Serious physical harm" means any injury to a dog's or horse's physical condition or welfare that is not necessarily permanent but that constitutes substantial body disfigurement, or that seriously impairs the function of a body organ or limb. (2) A person shall not intentionally kill or cause serious physical harm to a police dog or police horse or a search and rescue dog. (3) A person shall not intentionally cause physical harm to a police dog or police horse or a search and rescue dog. (4) A person shall not intentionally harass or interfere with a police dog or police horse or search and rescue dog lawfully performing its duties. (5) A person who violates subsection (2) is guilty of a felony punishable by imprisonment for not more than 5 years or a fine of not more than $10,000.00, or both. (6) Except as provided in subsection (7), a person who violates subsection (3) or (4) is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for not more than 1 year or a fine of not more than $5,000.00, or both. (7) A person who violates subsection (3) or (4) while committing a crime is guilty of a felony punishable by imprisonment for not more than 2 years or a fine of not more than $15,000.00, or both. (8) This section does not prohibit an individual from being charged with, convicted of, or punished for any other violation of law committed by that individual while violating this section. The above being stated though, who's going to arrest an officer shooting to protect his partner/fellow officer?
bunnyabbot
Mon, Jun 7, 2010 : 10:30 p.m.
@Ricebrnr, would it be different to shoot a dog attacking a service dog? (a police dog being considered an officer and all, but I mean a service dog of some other sorts)...perhaps the loop hole would be to say I shot the dog b/c it was attacking my dog and also lunged at me when I tried to intervene.
emu2009
Mon, Jun 7, 2010 : 12:02 p.m.
@a2ete "I can see no useful reason for this breed to continue." There are other breeds who are also known for aggressive behavior (chow chows, rotts...etc) does that mean those breeds shouldn't continue as well? Its not about the breed as much as it is about the owners and the owner taking responsibility for the training and socializing of their pet. I was just as skeptical about the pit bull breed until I researched them and adopted one as our family pet. He is the biggest, 103 lb baby you will find. Will he defend his family? Yes, but what dog doesn't when it feels threatened. In the case of this dog however it seems there is some history of the owner not being as involved as he should be with the dog. Owners who know they have an aggressive dog need to be extra vigilant with their animals.
a2ete
Sat, Jun 5, 2010 : 11:12 p.m.
@knighteyess... Just wanted to let you know I live "out in the country" and a nearby home had one pit bull. The owner(s) did not train it, play with it, or otherwise pay attention to it. They did tie it on a long rope where it would bark continously and disrupt my otherwise "right to peaceful enjoyment". When it would get loose, it would run away from home and be difficult to recapture. That would be bad enough by itself but then these nice folks got another pit bull, a pup, and have never put this second dog on any kind of leash or tie out. They have never bothered to train it. The second dog would run and charge my dogs, bark and otherwise display a fierce behavior. Now, I always go out with my dogs... rain, shine, snow, etc. My dogs are always supervised and never leave my sight or fenced yard. The neighbors dog crosses my fence and has charged my wife when her back was turned. Just because I'm out in a country setting, makes me no less a victim where unattended and untrained pit bulls are concerned. I have no doubt some pit bull dogs when trained and attended while outside, can be fine pets. However, if my experience with this neighbors dogs is all I have on which to form my opinion, then I can see no useful reason for this breed to continue.
Ricebrnr
Sat, Jun 5, 2010 : 12:47 p.m.
That may be but then again Detroi PD is not necessarily a good example of correct police procedures. racewire.org/archives/2010/05/detroit_police_departments_long_troubled_history.html
Ricebrnr
Sat, Jun 5, 2010 : 10:22 a.m.
For those commenting on shooting the dog. Regular people are not allowed to use deadly force (under which simply drawing a firearm is considered, let alone discharging it) in defense of property, which your dog is considered. So shooting a dog attacking; your chair, your car or your pet = bad shoot, be prepared for charges. Shooting a dog for attacking a person = ok. I'd be surprised if this was different for the police as well and may explain the use of less than lethal force. So this story is a good reminder that 2 legged predators aren't the only ones to worry about out there. Look at what you are comfortable with and prepare ahead of time for your self defense. Hope that helps. Cheers and be safe out there.
Peacemaker
Sat, Jun 5, 2010 : 9:15 a.m.
There appear to be plenty of people WHO ARE NOT "capable of owning and raising pit [bulls] who are sociable and sociable animals." The breed was developed with a propensity to attack, for goodness sake. They should simply be outlawed in civilized areas.
emu2009
Sat, Jun 5, 2010 : 8:57 a.m.
@knighteyess---- What is the reasoning behind your comment? There are plenty of people capable of owning and raising pits who are sociable animals. To say that we should have to pay huge fees to own them is asinine, this owner obviously had issues in the past with this animal and this circumstance required other action. He was an irresponsible owner by the accounts of this article. However, that does not mean all pit owners are that way. I am sure you can research dog bite statistics and you will find that pits do not lead the pack in dog bite cases. We own a pit/shepherd mix and he is a sweet dog with small animals and out 6 children. We have properly trained and socialized him. Pits require a lot of energy and exercise or they become frustrated.
townie54
Sat, Jun 5, 2010 : 7:20 a.m.
right on knighteyes about people getting this kind of dog to show their machismo.Not saying everyone does but I would bet a lot of them do and they are to lazy to train them
knighteyess
Sat, Jun 5, 2010 : 12:10 a.m.
Its not the dogs fault. I think there are way too many people getting pit bulls who shouldn't. People who think its cool to get these dogs to show what a big man they are. They got a tough pit bull. I think in order to own these dogs in town you should have to pay a large license fee. Or move out of the city limits in the country where its not as many chances of people and dogs being attacked. I am not saying poor people shouldn't have dogs, but there are other less agressive breeds to choose from. There are over 40,000 labs/mixes needing homes in the US. I wish the officer would have just shot this dog, it would have to be put down anyway.
robyn
Fri, Jun 4, 2010 : 6:19 p.m.
Too bad they didn't TASER the pit's owner.... Apparently this was not the first incident that his dog has been aggressive toward other animals in the neighborhood - that he would even allow the dog out in the yard without monitoring him was irresponsible. Dogs and climb and jump fences, they can get under fences; especially if they want to! I feel very bad for the family that lost their dog, it is like losing a member of the family - for many people, their dog, cat or even bird is an important and loved member of the household. To lose a pet like THAT is just horrific. There are many good, well behaved and well trained Pitbull or American Bull Terriers - but just like ALL dogs - they need to be owned by responsible people who know how to handle that particular breed. All breeds have some specific character traits and a good owner will research a breed to understand what those are and if that dog is a good match for not only their family, but if it requires more training, exercise or socialization than another breed.
bunnyabbot
Fri, Jun 4, 2010 : 3:46 p.m.
I wouldn't have been outraged or thought a second about it had the article simply read that the responding officer shot the pitbull instead of tasering it. He witnessed the attack and I can assume he could have used his sidearm had he chose to and I hope he doesn't dwell on his decision. I can only assume he used the taser due to the danger of shooting the victim dog or proximaty of the woman or perhaps the house? This is horrible. I have a large backyard with a privacy fence and luckily a friendly dog, my large dog has been socialized with many tiny dogs on a weekly basis, I have never let him out and then fallen asleep. Day or night, good weather or not if I let him out I always look over to make sure the gate is latched which requires exiting the door 5 steps. I also don't play any agressive games with him. some may think pitbulls get a bad rap, so what, idiot pitbull owners outnumber the good by quite a few. Sorry they lost there beloved terrier, luckily the woman didn't lose her face, must have been one of the scariest moments of her life. One of the four times I ever saw my dad cry was when he had been out walking our family toy dog and they were both attacked by a golden retriever, turns out the dog lived with four boys (who I had babysat for once and then refused to again, they were the BAD) and the dog had been raised with rottweilers, needless to say they nervously paid all the medical/vet bills and the dog went to live somewhere else. Our little dog needed stitches, ended up having a full life, my dad had to sit in a meeting/presentation the next day with his hand and forearm in a bucket of ice water that someones secretary kept running in to refresh for him because it swelled up from being bitten up when my dad kicked the dog to free ours and it turned on him. oh, and the golden, the owner admitted that the dog had bitten another dog previously.
Ricebrnr
Fri, Jun 4, 2010 : 2:52 p.m.
@TaxPayer ummm...if you had read but a few comments higher you might have noticed my sarcastic response was to Faith B's call for increasing the costs of dog ownership. I'm all for people rich or poor enjoying animal companionship responsibly.
Anonymous Due to Bigotry
Fri, Jun 4, 2010 : 1:07 p.m.
Oh noes! Taser a cute little doggie?? The inhumanity!
jmyler
Fri, Jun 4, 2010 : 12:22 p.m.
"He could not explain how the dog got out of the back yard and was informed that city ordinance requires dogs to be leashed outdoors." The city of Milan has an ordinance that says you have to have your dog on a leash, even when in a fenced yard? If the owner didn't have a fenced yard, I think I can explain how he got out.
Rasputin
Fri, Jun 4, 2010 : 11:58 a.m.
Since A2.com went online, this must be the 10th or 11th story on vicious dogs mauling people and other pets? That's over 10k of fines and other costs that could go into road repair, beautifying the city, or buying a bigger incinerator!
Rasputin
Fri, Jun 4, 2010 : 11:53 a.m.
Hey City Officials, are you or your municipality in need of cash? Well, raise the fines for these types of incidents to over 2000 USD, not including court costs or disposal of the attacking dog. I bet this would teach dog owners a thing or two not to mention close a few budget holes!?
TaxPayer
Fri, Jun 4, 2010 : 11:50 a.m.
ricebrnr: you are making a huge assumption by stating "poor people don't deserve and shouldn't be wasting money on animals" Investing in your animal does not have to be monetary: training takes time--a huge amount of time. If somebody is going to be a dog owner (I have a mixed breed rescued from a shelter) they should invest in the training. Milan public library offers books to check out (FREE) on the topic of dog training. The only investment (MONEY) would be a dedication to train your dog so things like this news report do not happen. Let's not make this about something it is not.
Woman in Ypsilanti
Fri, Jun 4, 2010 : 11:46 a.m.
@atticus I did not know that about pit bulls that they have been bred to be especially loyal and loving to their owners. I would never own one because I know that *any* dog can become aggressive in the right circumstances so I wouldn't feel comfortable owning such a powerful dog. I also know that they are much more aggressive towards other dogs.
Ricebrnr
Fri, Jun 4, 2010 : 11:32 a.m.
'If people had to pay over $1000 to own or buy a dog they would be more willing to invest in the training of the animal.' I guess poor people don't deserve and shouldn't be wasting money on animals anyway...
mannyredline
Fri, Jun 4, 2010 : 11:24 a.m.
There was controversy in Milan several years ago when Officer William Szentmiklosi shot a family pet at someone's home, a golden retriever. The animal lost at least one leg.
Atticus F.
Fri, Jun 4, 2010 : 9:46 a.m.
Pit Bulls can be sweet loving dogs. But one must also remember they were selectivly bred to be agressive towards other animals, including other dogs. They were also bred to be feircely loyal and loving to their owners, hence the reason Pit Bull owners often think their dogs would never hurt a fly.
Faith Bulemore
Fri, Jun 4, 2010 : 9:40 a.m.
If people had to pay over $1000 to own or buy a dog they would be more willing to invest in the training of the animal. A well train dog is a good dog. An untrained dog is dangerous.
djm12652
Fri, Jun 4, 2010 : 9:28 a.m.
The domestication of animals can only go so far. Socializing your dog to be non agressive is just part of the training. I feel bad for the Gilson's loss as well as Mr. Bell's loss. However, this could have been avoided had Hooch been properly trained. I too had a pit rescue that grew up with my pack of Dobermans and he, along with my other dogs got along well as a pack. It's all about training folks.
Atticus F.
Fri, Jun 4, 2010 : 9:25 a.m.
Sad story. Something similar happened in our neighborhood as a child, very disturbing to watch, especially as a dog lover. Some people seem to have this attitude that "my dog would never do that". I really wish people would be more responsible with their pets.
Ricebrnr
Fri, Jun 4, 2010 : 9:19 a.m.
I'm surprised that the officers chose the Taser as a primary tool in this case. I thought it was well known that Tasers are designed to be effective against most humans not animals. If one does choose to deploy against dogs it's best to use it in the "drive-stun" mode. ie not use the darts but hold the unit directly against the dog's body. OC or chemical sprays are better against most domestic animals if you prefer to stand off especially considering how fast the animals usually move and as above the chances of a taser probe missing.