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ANIMAL WATCH - Police in Gunnison, Colorado, say no criminal charges will be filed in the fatal attack by an 89-pound Pit Bull with “a known history of violent aggression” that killed 7-year old Leelan Lokie, according to a Trust Project Independent news report on March 10. The dog was reportedly placed in the home as a “foster.”
The tragedy occurred after a 7-year-old boy was fatally attacked by the Pit Bull Terrier-mix that a rescue group placed in his Gunnison home, just days after an animal shelter planned to euthanize the dog due to its aggressive behavior, a police spokesman announced.
“The conclusion reached is that “Leelan Lokie’s death is non-criminal and the department is not sending the report to the district attorney’s office,” he concluded.
HISTORY OF PIT BULLS IN COLORADO
Comparing the above announcement to how the federal government is poised and ready to jump into action and heavily fine the manufacturer and any sales outlet if a child’s car seat is linked to, or responsible for, the death of even one child during an auto accident, but seemingly has little concern about dog attacks, we can question whether the depth of concern about child safety is related more to the monetary return from a large corporation, rather than specific acts of endangerment, and we can also obtain insight into why dog bites in the U.S. are increasing with no major steps taken to curtail the source.
Colorado at one time had some of the toughest Pit Bull restrictions in the country. For decades, Denver, Colorado, maintained a strict ban on pit bulls, enacted in 1989 following severe attacks, prohibiting the breed within city limits, and allowing for immediate impoundment if the dog seemed in any way to pose a threat to public safety.
DID THE FAMILY UNDERSTAND THE RISKS?
In the case of Lelan Lokie, it seemed that an act of compassion to save a dog did not receive enough honest feedback before the animal was taken to his new temporary home.
The Breed Club of Montrose, a non-profit group which advocates for Pit Bull-type dogs, reportedly had assured the boy’s parents that the dog was safe to be around their family, “ignoring numerous warnings and violent past behavior, reportedly pervasive in Boaz’s known history,” according to the Sun.
However, posts on the club’s Facebook page reportedly show “requests for help with the dog’s training and rehabilitation after it lashed out at another dog, but did not cause injury.”
And, on the Montrose Animal Shelter’s web page, where Boaz was held prior to being placed in the foster home, his aggression toward other dogs was described as “resource guarding behavior” but indicated it could be addressed by “feeding him separately from other dogs,” according to the report.
PIT BULL, BOAZ, FOSTERED” BY FAMILY WITH TWO CHILDREN AND A DOG
It is unclear what specific details about the dog’s history were shared with the mother prior to Boaz being placed in her home.
In an interview with police, the vice president of the club explained the dog’s past behavioral issues as Boaz showing “assertive dog reactivity” toward dogs and cats, but “not attacks,” according to the report.
She told police that if he had shown any aggressive behavior toward humans, the club would not have taken Boaz back for future adoption and he would have been euthanized.
While in the shelter, Boaz became aggressive toward other animals and “was having a difficult time in the kennel facility,” employees at the shelter told police. But they said they were not aware of Boaz showing aggressive behavior toward people.
A veterinarian at West Elk Veterinary, in Montrose, also said she wasn’t aware of Boaz behaving aggressively toward people, but knew of an incident in which he had shown aggression toward a neighbor’s dog. This resulted in another veterinarian prescribing “anxiety medication” for the dog, the police report said.
BULLY BREED CLUB DISBANDS
Days after the fatal attack, the Montrose Bully Breed Club announced on its website that it had relinquished its state license and “would no longer offer assistance with fostering or adopting.”
A State spokesperson reportedly said that Colorado’s licensing and inspection program is investigating the matter.
FOSTERING A PIT BULL IS A SERIOUS DECISION
The foregoing tragedy that cost a little boy his life is not the result of loving animals but, rather, believing that innate behavior can be changed by “love.” Pit Bulls that attack and kill are merely carrying out instinctive behavior and it “feels good” at that moment.
We sometimes forget that dogs cannot analyze why they act in any particular way and whether it is right or wrong. This is why we must choose our pets carefully and study the nature of the breed
Whether engaged in a staged dog fight or the brutal, bloody activities of “catch dogs” in hog hunting, it is apparent that the behavioral characteristics for killing are innate in Pit Bulls, without training.
Sadly, it is too late for a little boy named Lelan, who had no input nor could he gauge or influence the actions of adults—including his own mother not knowing she was risking his safety and his life by taking in a dog needing a home.
But it is not too late to speak up about the responsibility of dog ownership, demanding more enforcement of dog-safety laws and stricter penalties for those who endanger the lives of humans or animals.
(Phyllis M. Daugherty is a former Los Angeles City employee and a long-time animal welfare advocate. A contributor to CityWatchLA, she is known for her investigative reporting on animal shelter operations, misuse of public funds, and the dangers of poorly regulated pet adoption policies. She is a strong proponent of public safety in animal control, advocating for stricter oversight of aggressive dog breeds, especially pit bulls, and for breed-specific legislation.)
