From: davids@c3.lanl.gov (David Simmons)
Subject: New Vicious Dog Story (LONG)
Organization: Los Alamos National Laboratory
Date: Thu, 16 Apr 1992 15:29:17 GMT

This is reprinted without permission from the Santa Fe New Mexican.
All typos are mine.

I am not sending this to start any flame war, but there has been an
ongoing discussion of viscious dog stories and breed-specific laws.
While Santa Fe currently has no breed-specific laws, and no intention 
that I am aware of of passing any, this story is still upsetting.

CHILD LOSES EYE IN ATTACK BY DOG  TIED IN HER YARD
A 3-year-old Santa Fe County girl lost an eye and suffered other serious 
injuries in a dog attack at her home in the Valle Vista Mobil Home
Park, Sheriff Benjie Montanyo said Wednesday.

Katie Duran, who was mauled by a pet Chow chained in her back yard
Tuesday night, underwent more than five hour of surgery at St. Vincent 
Hospital.  She was listed in satisfactory condition in the pediatric
intensive care unit Wedneday night.

The attack on Katie is the most serious in a rash of recent dog-bite
cases that has caused a record number of dogs to be impounded, the director 
of the Santa Fe Animal Shelter said.

The dog that bit Katie had been impounded last month for biting a woman who approached him when he was stuck under a fence in Santa Fe, the little girl's
father [name deleted] said in an interview Wednesday.  The dog, Sampson, 
is owned by {name deleted}'s Aunt and was being kept at his home.

"I should have realized it was a mean dog," he said. "I feel so bad for
my little girl."

Besides losing her right eye, Katie's cheekbone was dislocated, MOntanyo said.

The parents said their daughter had wandered into the back yard where
Samson was chained.  He started biting the girl, the bit [name of mohter
deleted], the couple told the officers.

The father said his wife's skin was not broken.

Officers found two Chows at the {name deleted} home south of the city.
There was a female dog in heat running loose with blood on her muzzle,
officials said.

Samson was in the back yard.  He also had blood on him.

Montanyo said he did not know where the blood on th efemale came from.

[name deleted] said the femal dog, a long-time family pet, probably had
blood on her because she was bleeding from being in heat,

Montanyo said he wants the county to destroy Samson.

County Attorney Terry Brennan said Wednesday the animal control 
ordinance allows the county to kill vicious aninals that have
bitten people without being provoked.

[father's name deleted] says he favors Samson being put down,
but does not want the female dog destroyed.

"My little girl grew up with her," he said.

Neither of [name deleted] dogs had current rabies tags, said
JoAnn Sieker, director of hte Santa Fe Animal Shelter.

"Samson is one of seven dogs impounded in the past two days for
biting people," Sieker said.  "Six of those are Chows," she said.

"Ben Torres, the kennel manager, said that he has been employed at the 
shelter for five years and has never seen more than four bite cases
at one time," Sieker said.

"I don't know if it's the spring, or if all the dogs are in heat or
the full moon or what," she said.

"Pet owners should be aware of hte terrible tragedy that a vicious 
animal can cause," she said. "Pet owners are liable for their pets
and should act responsibly."

In Santa Fe county, the maximum penalty for housing a vicious
animal is a $200 fine and 120 days in jail, Brennan said.

END OF ARTICLE.

They have not mis-idnetified the breed in this case, as there was
a photo of Samson of the front page, and it is definitely a picture
of a Chow. (Whether it is *actually* Samson is another matter.)


-- 


David G. Simmons
davids@lanl.gov

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*	All I'm asking for is a chance to prove		   *
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