Pantagraph.com | News | Pit bulls break into house, kill family cat

Note: All views and opinions expressed in reader comments are solely those of the individual submitting the comment, and not those of the Pantagraph or its staff.

Anton wrote on Oct 31, 2007 11:26 AM:

" I hope to gawd that those dogs have been KILLED by now. If they are returned to the owner alive I think the cat owners(or at least Someone)should blow those dogs brains out. Im not condemning the breed, but when ANY dog does something like this it should be an automatic death sentence for the dog. "

Okay here we go wrote on Oct 20, 2007 4:41 PM:

" I have something to say. Stop hatin on pitbulls. Stop stereotyping pitbulls. All breeds can be taught to be mean and all breeds can be taught to be the best dog you will own. All pets must be supervised. Cats don't need to run loose and either do dogs. Give each owner a fine and call it a day. I'm sorry for what happen to the cat, but the owners should have never brought spray dogs into their property. Get over this. How about some position stories on this breed for once. "

Robert Camacho wrote on Oct 17, 2007 7:51 PM:

" When I read the story, it was dreadful.I didn't like it at all. I felt bad how the old cat died. "

Danielle wrote on Oct 9, 2007 1:27 PM:

" all animals should get 2 live but if they are hurting someone the need 2 be shot put 2 sleep or something but other and that they diserved 2 have a chance 2 live also "

it is so stupid wrote on Oct 9, 2007 8:02 AM:

" that one of the dogs was put down. They Both should have been returned for to their owner! and we already KNOW one of them was NOT pit bull! so get off it!! ppl are making way too big of a deal out of this, its their nature to chase cats for gods sake let it die!!! "

i heard today wrote on Oct 8, 2007 7:07 PM:

" that 1 mutt was returned to the owner for a $50 fine & the other mutt was destroyed. poor old cat........ "

To The Difference wrote on Oct 8, 2007 1:38 PM:

" Anyone with half of a brain would realize that dogs don't view other animals the same way they view people. A dog killing a cat has absolutely no bearing on how it will behave toward humans (as is obvious in this story from the way the dogs let the children walk them on leashes without acting aggressively.) Dogs have been chasing and killing cats forever, just as cats have been chasing and killing birds. "

loving pits/loving pets wrote on Oct 7, 2007 11:21 AM:

" why is it that people are so attracked to "BAD NEW's" Why can't the pantagraph find some positive things to write about pit bulls? Our pit is 1yr old, we rescued him not knowing what life he was heading for, he is loving and very good natured. Just the other day at a function he was given a plate of food from a child, a lab came by and our pit moved over to share yet the lab went right in for the attack. our pit moved back more and us growled and snapped back yet never went in for an attack. Later our pit still wanted to play with the lab yet the lab wouldn't have anything to do with it. Dogs are dogs and all will bite no one can control that, we train and teach what behavior we expect out of them. Please stop using pits in negative comments only. Many pits do some GOOD and help others. A pit was actually the first hearing assistant dog for a deaf person try telling that deaf person that his/her pit was bad in anyway! "

The Difference wrote on Oct 7, 2007 12:03 AM:

" What difference does it make if the dog killed a cat? It could just as easily been a baby or toddler! Unruly dogs on the loose is wrong now, and it has always been wrong! If that dog had killed a child, the owner would be charged with murder so people better stop thinking in terms of cats and remember, dogs can kill people too if they aren't trained properly. I don't feel sorry for the owner but I do feel sorry for the poor people who had to witness their pet be killed in front of their eyes. "

Thyra wrote on Oct 6, 2007 10:18 PM:

" Why were the dogs running around loose??? Again, IRRESPONSIBLE dog owners!!! "

found a bloody glove wrote on Oct 6, 2007 8:01 AM:

" i also just found a bloody glove in the room where the dog sleeps iam worried "

in need of help wrote on Oct 6, 2007 7:49 AM:

" well i just woke up and my dog is here well he snuck out last night and broke into someones house iam guessing because of the large amount of loot that is in my house there is a big screen tv and jewlry and even some cash. by the looks of it he made a great haul . iam at my wits end where do i turn .i love him should i call the police and turn him .he s a pit bull i dont want him to go to dog jail and i think hes useing drugs because he doesnt sleep much like he did when he was a pup. "

in need of help wrote on Oct 5, 2007 7:22 PM:

" i just caught my dog with some bolt cutters and other tools of use to do break ins .can someone tell me what i should do "

Animal Lover wrote on Oct 5, 2007 3:11 PM:

" Okay, there's been a lot about this breed, that breed, this species etc. These are animals, just as people are animals. Sometimes bad things happen. Cats chase birds, dogs chase cats, men chase women, mothers chase children. Now you can substitute kill for chase in all these scenarios, life happens. FYI - chows are more prone to turn on their owners than any other breed, Dalmations have the highest incident reporting of dog bites per insurance reports, cats are more likely to transmit diseases to humans than dogs, humans are more dangerous to animals than animals are to humans, so let's kill all the humans. Wait a minute..... "

15 cats wrote on Oct 5, 2007 12:01 PM:

" Wheres the humane society at if 3 animals is all u can have then why in the hell is this lady gettin by with having 15 ,time for the police ,humane society or someone to step in. "

catlover??? wrote on Oct 5, 2007 10:23 AM:

" This story would be tragic, if it were not for the fact that we are talking about cats! Is it possible to rent these pit bulls? "

to the dog owner wrote on Oct 5, 2007 8:40 AM:

" thank you for this side of the story .ive tried to defend you and was brow beaten for spelling . i read that the other dog was a american bull dog .i hope i was right in saying so .thank you so much and keep loving your pets its a very hard thing to do to put one down even if you have them only a week .my heart goes out to you .i thought that they had sevral cats .i had heard 9 .but all in all they need to be responsible also thank you once agian "

awesome wrote on Oct 5, 2007 8:38 AM:

" i am so glad the dog owner finally comments!!! yes accidents happen all the time, she'll have another litter of stray cats soon, and its so sad to know you had to put one of the dogs down of something so trivial as a person having 15 out side cats and leaving a door open! and i am also very glad that we finally know for sure that at least ONE of the dogs was NOT a pit... Pit bashers beware, you should not always believe what you read! i wonder what kind of dogs the owner in Florida had!?! most likely not pits considering the only reason a FL story is in OUR news is because of the words PIT BULL!!! how ashamed you must all be!!! fools "

As the owner of the dogs wrote on Oct 5, 2007 7:50 AM:

" This seems to be a big deal in the news, so here is the owners side of the story. My dogs, one who i only had a week and did not know were off my property. That is a true fact of the story, they should haven't been off my property. Alot of comments have been made that I was just irresponsible. Come on people do you really think I would just let my dogs off my property? That was a mistake that should havent ever happend. I have put the one dog, who by the way wasn't a pit at all to sleep. I have had the pit for it's entire life, he is a great dog that was trained and brought up around kids and cats, how else would strangers leash him? As far as the cat, the lady now has 15 of them, only 4 that she can pet, sounds like wild cats to me. The door was a sliding door that was left open 6 to 8 inches for her cats, so as far as breaking in the door was open. "

anybody wrote on Oct 4, 2007 7:26 PM:

" hear about the person in Florida that was attacked by own pit. dogs in own backyard (2) for unknown (!) reasons? you can hear the screaming on the 911 call. they ended up shot, dont know if the person was killed or just hurting REAL bad. I just can not imagine..... "

Murfreesborotn wrote on Oct 4, 2007 9:56 AM:

" That pit bull could have mauled to death some of these peoples grandmothers or new born babies and they'd still look you in the eye and defend the dog. They have no credibility whatsoever. "

chances are wrote on Oct 3, 2007 11:37 AM:

" these pit bulls were bred and trained specifically for the purpose of aggression, either home security or outright weaponry and dog-fighting. Otherwise, they very likely wouldn't have done this at all, and in fact would've ran away from anyone approaching them, until cornered. So, all this article says is that someone used dogs as killing machines, and then they got loose. What does this say? DONT BREED AND TRAIN DOGS AS KILLING MACHINES, AND EXPECT THEM NOT TO KILL. Pretty simple, right? A "family dog" simply wouldn't have done this, regardless of the breed. I guarantee, this is a problem not of breed but of the owner's obsession with violence and feeling like a big bad street thug. "

TO; Why wrote on Oct 3, 2007 11:13 AM:

" I'm not sure, it did that for the smoking ban post to. I don't know if it only counts post in the last 14 days or what. But the smoking ban article had over 800 posts and ended by saying 70 some. "

why wrote on Oct 3, 2007 10:55 AM:

" do the coments count keep droping off it says 285 now "

Again, To: in this world today wrote on Oct 2, 2007 4:56 PM:

" Actually, other than my first post to you, I posted only one other time. My opinion was basically the same as yours, surprisingly. However, isn't it a little oxymoronic to comment on an article for the sole purpose of condescending people for commenting on the article? "

To: Another Pit Bull Owner wrote on Oct 2, 2007 4:54 PM:

" You are right - to an extent. It is actually not normal and IS surprising for a dog to maul a cat to the point of death. Do you realize what it takes for that to happen? That dog literally ripped in that cat. And it is certainly NOT okay, nor normal, to charge into another person's house and proceed to maul a cat to death. No matter what breed of dog, that is NOT okay. There were obviously some disciplinary problems in this situation. Most owners who take the time needed to care for a pit bull, or any dog, don't need to worry about episodes such as this happening because they are happy to instill domesticity in their new family member. When something like this happens, I tend to feel sorry for the dog itself as it will probably have to be put down - but is it the dog's fault that their owner didn't teach it right from wrong? And so now there will be more than just the needless death of the cat which was also like a family member. "

in this world today wrote on Oct 2, 2007 4:00 PM:

" It was just shocking that out of all the topics this one was the most commented. Over 400, so of course, I felt I had an opinion! (thats what these lil blogs are for you know) :) The largest of my opinion was on the fact that this artical had so much bickering when there are bigger issues to fry. However I did also have an opinion about the issue at hand and I stated so in my post. My question to you now is why do you have such a huge problem with other ppl having an opinion? Maybe since your "that" type you should not be checking out these blogs? ummm! And your welcome sweetie, any time! feel free to keep repeating your self over and over, until the evil pit bull owners agree with you! LOL or maybe your on the other side? I think myself I am going to have to side with the the animals. It was 100% the owners fault! Sorry but this artical (nor the comments that come from it) make a pitbull a "bad" dog. Owners make dogs bad! enuf said! "

Easy Solution wrote on Oct 2, 2007 3:36 PM:

" Change the name of the breed. Then when people say ban Pit Bulls, you could say that you have no idea what they are talking about as "Pit Bulls" are now known as "Bull Pits" "

another pit bull owner wrote on Oct 2, 2007 3:14 PM:

" While I completely agree it is all about the owner and not the dog, I do have to state that a dog chasing a cat is really not surprising is it? If the dog running loose had been a Labrador and it killed a cat nothing would have ever been said about it but because it was a pit it is a big deal. My 5yr old pit is a great dog. He can't be trusted loose outside with cats because he thinks they're dinner. Can anyone say rabbits, squirrels? I have 3 cats as well who live quite happily in the house with him. In the house he recognizes them as part of my household. Outside he doesn't. It's really very simple. Outside he is always carefully supervised and on a chain. Hence no cats are harmed. It's sad that these people's dog escaped and killed a cat but personally I wouldn't have put the dog to sleep. The dog wasn't less trustworthy with humans because it killed a cat. "

To: In this world today wrote on Oct 2, 2007 12:57 PM:

" And yet, here you are posting on a Pit Bull article rather than one about wars and other important matters. So I guess that makes you just as bad as the rest of us then, huh? Thank you for contributing to the high number of posts for this oh-so-not-important article. "

in this world today wrote on Oct 2, 2007 9:39 AM:

" I would have to say that things like war and our country's budget SHOULD be so much more important, then a subject such as this! Everyone has had thier opinions on this matter, many times over. It almost seems as though the post just keep repeating themselves. Everyone has sympathy for the cat and the owners. The dog lovers are going to continue to love dogs, the cat lovers will continue to love cats, and the constant busy bodies will keep correcting spelling and insulting others over inteligence. Bottom line is you ppl need to get over it. No one is going to change anyone else's minds on the matter, the facts of the story are not changing any time soon. Basically MANY loose cats ( that no doubt stray from property) and two loose dogs, that sadly did not stay on thier property. The story is sad! Who ever said this was both parties faults was a wise person! Get over it! There are so many more important things to talk about! The cat died, now one of the dogs has died as well. Its over. Its sad! Find a new issue to bicker about! "

To: Must Be wrote on Oct 2, 2007 8:40 AM:

" At first I wasn't even going to comment to a post so riddled with errors that the person writing must be incredibly uneducated. However, ignorance breeds ignorance, so I figured I would set you straight on this one. The cats were on their (spelled t-h-e-i-r, you use it when referencing a set of people; t-h-e-r-e is a place) owner's property. Nobody is disputing letting wild dogs run around on their own property. However these dogs were running wild, and even after these children tried to help, they are paid back with a sight they will never forget: 2 mangy, wild beasts that forced their way past them to get into their home and maul their family cat to death. Now that someone has educated you a bit, and brought some facts to light for you (even though they have been brought to light many times, many so-called pit bull lovers seem to ignore them), perhaps your future posts will make more sense and actually contribute to the discussion. Good day. "

fact wrote on Oct 2, 2007 8:22 AM:

" there is a leash law for all animals dogs or cats and thats why this happened . i had a yellow nape killed by a cat that came onto my patio where my bird was it wasnt my cat . "

400 wrote on Oct 1, 2007 10:11 PM:

" Post 400! Now The Pantagraph can get rid of this story! "

399 wrote on Oct 1, 2007 10:10 PM:

" woo "

to beasts & must be wrote on Oct 1, 2007 9:36 PM:

" must you be reminded that the poor old cat was ON ITS OWN PROPERTY WHEN KILLED? "

must be wrote on Oct 1, 2007 6:46 PM:

" ok .IF someone lets there cat and cats run free but not dogs. "

beasts wrote on Oct 1, 2007 6:43 PM:

" what a joke that the dogs were beasts.the back door of the porch was open and there was no break in.if the dogs were such beasts then why was the girls ok with walking them around on a leash. "

To: the cats were wrote on Oct 1, 2007 9:51 AM:

" First of all, when you have a comment to make, how about making it readable? Second of all, these mutts charged their way into someone ELSE'S house! It doesn't matter that the cats were outside at one time. It was INSIDE the house where those BEASTS mauled a cat to death that couldn't even do anything to defend itself. Next time you comment, perhaps read it over to make sure it can be read before clicking the "Post Comment" button. Thank you in advance. "

To: Carin wrote on Oct 1, 2007 9:49 AM:

" The Pantagraph was merely doing it's job, which was reporting the story. Obviously it was a major public interest piece, or else there wouldn't be so many posts. Don't be mad at the Pantagraph for doing their job, be mad at the Pit Bulls that mauled that cat to death after charging it's way past two kids and adult into someone ELSE'S house. Be mad at the horrible pit bulls that are giving the rest of the breed a bad name. However, it is completely moronic to be mad at a newspaper for reporting on a story. Everything they reported did happen. I'm sure if the pit bulls got down and gave the cat mouth to mouth to save it's life they would have reported that too. But the sad truth is, there are very rarely "good" stories with which to report when it comes to this breed and several others. When pit bulls and rots, and cocker spaniels, and German shepherds stop mauling other animals and people, then the stories will stop. "

to Commentors wrote on Oct 1, 2007 9:28 AM:

" I wish that some of you would care more about the troops and our future than cats and dogs! "

the cats were wrote on Oct 1, 2007 7:46 AM:

" loose running in and out to use the yard as a litter box is what jas been told in a nother comment place that was in .the opion section of the panatgraph so yes they were both loose "

Nnette wrote on Oct 1, 2007 6:33 AM:

" If the kids could put the dogs on a leash, the dogs couldn't of been too bad. there are alot of dogs that would chase a cat, or squirl or rabbit and if they cought it would harm or kill it. The mother should of done a better job of teaching the kids about dogs. looked like they had more cats then they could afford . "

almost at 400 wrote on Sep 30, 2007 10:17 PM:

" come on people we have almost got up to our 400 comments "

to carin wrote on Sep 30, 2007 8:57 PM:

" I believe you missed the point altogether: the poor old cat was in his own home, on his own property, did nothing to provoke the killer dogs, & was killed in the most horrible way. what about that can you not get? "

I wrote on Sep 30, 2007 5:39 PM:

" feel sorry for the cat "

Carin wrote on Sep 30, 2007 3:24 PM:

" Okay going on 2 weeks of talk. The pantagraph can't do good stories about pit bulls just the bad ones. I don't give a hoot what anyone says about pitubulls. I own them and I always will. If you don't like them then I guess you will never know how different these dogs can be. Would there be this much talk if it was a lab that did the killing?? All dogs can be mean. It's a part of nature for dogs not to like cats. the dogs must of been nice since the humans were able to put a lease on them to walk them door to door. Maybe it was the people's fault that brought them into their yard not knowing what kind of dogs they were. I beleive it's both of their faults. The dogs were loose and the cats were loose, something was going to happen. So give each owner a fine and leave it alone already. I'm so sick of hearing about pit bulls and what they have done wrong. Pitbulls are here to stay, just face it. "

to almost there wrote on Sep 30, 2007 1:57 PM:

" you obviously have no emphathy for the poor old cat that was mauled to death & did NOTHING to deserve such "

also known wrote on Sep 30, 2007 1:13 PM:

" as nurse maid dogs years ago they were referred to as they were great with kids .also sevral movies with kids have had pit bulls in them its the owners not the dog .love my pit bull.on the other hand ive had cats that hated dogs and would attack them . "

Almost there... wrote on Sep 29, 2007 6:19 PM:

" We're almost at 400 posts! You think we would have found something better to talk about, jeez. "

nothing wrote on Sep 29, 2007 4:04 PM:

" sweet about killer mutts "

you should wrote on Sep 28, 2007 8:54 PM:

" you should see just how sweet they are "

pit bulls wrote on Sep 28, 2007 2:13 PM:

" i have never owned one, but i do know a few personaly. the ones i know have all been very nice well behaved happy dogs living in a nice home with a nice family. i do also know there are some who are bad, becouse thats what they were taught. its all in the breeding line and the raising. one of the pits that i know personaly was a puppy who was trained to fight and rescued and turned out great, im not saying they all can have this out come, but it does go to show this particular dog even though trained to fight could turn out just fine and got to live a nice happy life and died of old age with its family. (rip) . i have no dirire to own a pit only becouse that is not the breed of my choice, but for those who does have that preferance, than thats great as long as they are a responsible owner, and that goes for any pet. "

to pit bulls wrote on Sep 28, 2007 2:05 PM:

" there are people who own pitt bulls one becouse they like the dog, there are others who own pitt bulls to gaurd ther drugs and/or fight them. that is two diffent type of pet owners, one who cares for there pet as a family memebr and one who uses there pet like a free slave. it is the ones who use these dogs in a bad mannor that give them the bad reputation. if pit bulls were banned these people would find the next best thing. this only tells me one thing they are loyal dogs who will do anything to please there owner. dont hate the dog hate the people. second those pitts who loose a fight do not end up in shelters, maybe the dog fighters who got busted and had there dogs taken away end up in a shelter, but these people do not take there lossing dog to the shelter. i can belive its high on the ranks in shelters, not becouse it is a pitt but becouse it is a popular dog, labs are pretty high on the ranks too. "

i wish wrote on Sep 28, 2007 1:07 PM:

" i wish i knew i was drug dealer i wouldnt work so hard then for my pay checks .and my american pit bull terrier is my buddy and my friend he makes my wife and me laigh and cry sometimes he loves long walks and i have never had a more loving dog or cat inmy life .and yes evey kid almost in town know him .they even ask were he isif i even go and get a pizza hes that well known.he has more manners then alot of kids ive seen in public "

To pitbulls wrote on Sep 28, 2007 1:04 PM:

" You must be a drug dealer cause i sure own pitbulls and dealing drugs is the last thing on my mind.I agree with some other people here unless youve owned a pit you shouldnt be bad mouthing them.My pits are the best they love alot of attention and are the best loving dogs anyone would want to own.I wouldnt trade my dogs for a million drugs ever. "

Pit bull owner wrote on Sep 28, 2007 11:17 AM:

" I am the proud owner of an American Pit Bull Terrier and an American Pit Bull Terrier mix, and I am certainly not a drug dealer. (I even have a college education! Imagine that!) Pit bulls are goofy, athletic, fun, loving animals that make wonderful pets for owners who can give them appropriate outlets for all of their energy. I don't own my dogs to project a certain image; I own them because they are amazing animals that make me laugh every day. I'm willing to be that most of the people who are in the "kill all pit bulls" camp have never had an experience with them outside of what they read in the papers. "

To Pit Bulls wrote on Sep 28, 2007 9:34 AM:

" Wow. I didn't know I was a drug dealer. I thought I was on a member of the chamber of commerce and a successful business owner since 1988. I have had the pitbull breed for over 20 years. Oh wait I have friends that have pitbulls to show at dog shows and some that have pitbulls for pulling competition. You are more dangerous with your words than my dogs are for sure. Read up. You need more education on these wonderful pets. R "

to "pitt bull" wrote on Sep 28, 2007 9:25 AM:

" check the stats again and pay attention this time there are more cats then ANY kind of dog. i happen to own niether at the moment but have had both and love them both. owners do need to take responsiblity for thier dogs/pets in general. this is was a very tragic accident. thats all nothing more, nothing to do with dog breed or drug dealers you fool "

My Two Cents wrote on Sep 28, 2007 9:13 AM:

" are in my pocket, one is dated 2001, and the other is 1996, which is odd because the 1996 one is a lot shinier for some reason, the 2001 has a strange bluish-green growth on it. SAGE! "

shovelhead94 wrote on Sep 28, 2007 8:52 AM:

" My cat's breath smells like cat food. "

to pit bull wrote on Sep 28, 2007 8:39 AM:

" i bet you even sterotype people on what they wear an how they look .hod very sad that you are this way .only a person with such a narrow mind would talk like this please next time you see me on the streets avoid me i like life in always and dont need the judgement you have of my looks "

Pit Bulls wrote on Sep 28, 2007 7:11 AM:

" are the dog of choice for drug dealers. Right there tells you what kind of person typically owns a pit bull. If you own a pit bull, you might as well know that it is assumed you deal drugs. Sorry, but that's the way it is. Also, it was reported that 80% of all animals in US shelters are pit bulls. Mostly because they lost a fight with another pit bull. I'm so sick of hearing about how sweet and safe this breed is. The owners should do jail time for letting their dogs run free and kill other pets. "

So wrote on Sep 27, 2007 10:47 PM:

" My Golden Retreiver is fine with my two cats. The dog never was introduced to cats as a puppy, he simply just is fine with them. No worries at all. The cats rub against him sometime and he lets them steal his dog food and vice versa. Some dogsa are fine, others arent. "

quit wrote on Sep 27, 2007 8:57 PM:

" LETTING your mutts run loose!!! "

CONT wrote on Sep 27, 2007 2:36 PM:

" HIS WAS A TERRIBLY SAD STORY TO READ AND I FEEL FOR BOTH FMAILYS THE ONE WHO WATCHED THERE CAT BE MAULED ASPECIALY AFTER TRYING TO DO A GOOD DEED, AND THE DOGS OWNERS WHO PROBLEY FEEL AWFUL THAT THIS HAS HAPPENED, BEEN PUT UNDER JUDGMENT, AND HAD TO MAKE A DECESION ON WHAT TO DO TO PREVENT THIS FROM HAPPENING AGAIN, WHICH WAS CHOISING TO HAVE THERE PET PUT TO SLEEP. I HAVE BEEN IN BOTH SITUATIONS ON THE CATS END WERE MY CAT WAS SITING ON MY PORCH AND MAULED TO DEATH BY A DOG THAT RAN LOOSE CONSTNTLY AND ON THE DOGS END OF GETTING LOOSE ON ACCIDENT AND BITTING A STRANGER WHO WAS TRYING TO CATCH IT(THANK GOD IT WAS JUST A BITE W/O SERIOUS INJURY), BUT NONE THE LESS HAD TO MAKE A DECESSION ON HOW MUCH TO TRUST THE DOG AGAIN AND HOW WELL I CAN PREVENT IT FROM EVER HAPPENING AGAIN . "

34 more to go wrote on Sep 27, 2007 11:38 AM:

" Come on people only 34 more to go and this will be the most commented story in the pantagraph. "

what ever wrote on Sep 27, 2007 8:06 AM:

" just like your child, you can teach them all you want eventually they are going to do something you don't want them to! i think some of you are blowing this so far out, and maybe its just because some of you want to argue about something. but i think the point has been made more then once, that this was a result to BOTH pet owners! "

what ever wrote on Sep 27, 2007 8:06 AM:

" thanks! i was attacked in my front yard in front of my kids by an alley cat and had to get shots and stitches!! its not likely that he could have pulled out my jugular but i could have gotten very sick because there is nothing saying that wild cats have to have shots!! i am not saying it was not a bad thing that happened, just that there are more then a few ppl taking this way farther then it needs to go. the point of the matter is we are not talking about a dog mauling kids. its not ok that it was a cat, but it happens. this was not a terrorist attack! not only dogs hunt. and no matter how trained your dog,cat or whatever is, if it wants to chase somthing or do anything else its going to. ppl with larg dogs need to be more careful. but i also believe that anyone with any kind of pet needs to be careful to protect your pet and other ppl!!! "

to: to whatever wrote on Sep 26, 2007 9:20 PM:

" i have had a strang tom cat come into my home and beat up my cat before. kids were screaming, cat was screaming. good point you made! "

lets look deeper than a mauled cat wrote on Sep 26, 2007 6:58 PM:

" it has happened in more than one occasion that a dog is people freinds, appears perfectly fine, but gets excited about something and attacks. it is not uncommon at all for a dog to decided one particular person out of a billion they do not like. when your dealling with a dog capable of serious injury that can be a scary situation. it has also happened often enough that a child, just acting as a child, hyper, running, playing, even there squilling voices can rille up a perfectly freindly dog and have a very bad outcome. what would have happened if these two dogs that enjoyed a cat chase, and a mauling would have seen a kid running or on a bike and seen the same excitment. it wouldnt have been a cat it would have been a person. they might have seemed perfectly fine with two calm kids, but what really could have been if the kids were running to catch the bus rather than the cat running for cover. it did not happen but sometimes we need to look past what did happen and what else could have happened. "

my two cents wrote on Sep 26, 2007 6:50 PM:

" ya i feel it is natural instinct for a larger animal to chase a smaller animal, or look at it as prey. but it don't make it acceptable in society. when a death occurs especially in this manner, it is not acceptable weater natural instinct or not. there may not have been any prewarning sings, or any previous problems with the dogs running loose, but with one mishap like this than it is time to make a decision, you make darn sure there is no opportunity to happen again, and that decision is up to the owner weather they chose to keep the dog and make sure they have better control, put the dog down, or find a new home that is capable of managing the problem. that is what makes a responsible pet owner. you take care of the situation to your ability. "

my 2 cents wrote on Sep 26, 2007 6:41 PM:

" ya i feel it is natural istenct for a dog to chase a cat, cat to chase a mouse so on. but that also dont meant it is accepta "

To: Whatever wrote on Sep 26, 2007 5:01 PM:

" Maybe, if a cat where to charge into somebody else's home to maul a PET bird or PET mouse to death it should also face punishment. If this were simply out in the wild, and both the dogs and cat were in the wild it may be normal. However these are house pets - we can't just allow one person's vicious animal to barge into somebody else's home to maul their family cat to death (one that was unable to even move because it was too old to defend itself). So, I can safely assume that most people would agree that if a cat where to go charging past a couple kids and an adult to get inside their home to viciously rip apart their family's bird, then yes there should be consequences for that as well. However, your analogy doesn't add up. "

what ever wrote on Sep 26, 2007 4:21 PM:

" so cats should be put to death also cause they kill baby birds and mice! that attest to the fact that they must also be violent!!! insane! dogs and cats, cats and mice, and birds and rabbits.... LOL what a joke, "

Dave wrote on Sep 26, 2007 2:13 PM:

" What a terrble thing for this poor family. you can be sure that the whole family is suffering from the trauma and it will stay with them for a long, long time. The dogs are violent - breaking into a home and killing another animal attests to that. The owners should be prosecuted and the dogs put down. "

All Missing the Point . . . wrote on Sep 26, 2007 11:35 AM:

" Lets try removing the word Pit Bull from this story - Two Dogs break into home and kill family pet. Any less scary? No. Two dogs - no matter what the breed, were running at large for whatever reason and they turned on another creature and killed it. Now-lets go back a few years. Two dogs, running at large in an apartment building hallway turned on another creature and killed it. Those two stories sound similar? Dogs, death and true-Diane Whipple was a healthy woman in her 30's who was attacked and mauled to death over several minutes in the hallway of her apartment building. Those dogs were not pit bulls. The simple point here is when someone owns a dog that has a tendency to turn violent, there is a reason for that - whether it is the current owner or a past owner or abuse or training for that - the dog generally isn't at fault, but often cannot be rehabed. It is the sole responsibilty of the owner to recognize the danger signs and take action BEFORE something happens. "

Comments... wrote on Sep 26, 2007 11:11 AM:

" Man this City is just overflowing with hate and ignorance. "

To: Eric wrote on Sep 26, 2007 10:09 AM:

" That's very sad. I'm not really a "dog lover" - I mean, I like dogs and have grown very fond of my parent's pups. However I am a cat person and would just be devastated if anything like this happened to one of my two kitties. While it's true that pit bulls, rots, etc can be disciplined by devoted owners, however some dogs are already programed and hard to change. For instance, we have no idea what kind of upbringing that new dog had before it ended up in the hands of the present owners. Just like kids, you can train and discipline all you want, but at some point they will demonstrate their own free will and will do what they want. We cannot control everything they do. As much as I thought there should be justice for that poor kitty and its family that loved it, it sure made me sad to hear they put one of the dogs to sleep. There are no winners. "

WELL wrote on Sep 26, 2007 8:38 AM:

" wonder why they didnt correct the fact that ONE OF THE DOGS WAS A AMERICAN BULL DOG .and not a pit bull as they printed "

I HEART PITBULLS wrote on Sep 26, 2007 8:19 AM:

" thats so sad that the dog was put to sleep for somthing that happens evreyday, if it had hurt a child that would be one thing, but these are just animals folks. now not only did the cat die but the dog too. this just makes me sick! how pathetic! oh and i am sure this will reach 400! thats a given. how sad to know i live in a community that is so closed minded, that a subject like this would even get attention.. "

voice of reason wrote on Sep 26, 2007 8:16 AM:

" I've rescued and raised 7 dogs in my life, all different breeds including a pit bull, shepherd, husky, rottweiler, akita, american bulldog and a pekinese. Can you guess which one bit my son and left him scarred? It wasn't the pit bull. Dogs are individuals, just like people, some of their personality is nature, some is nurture. Some are neglected and abused, but full of love, while others are lap dogs in luxury and snarl and bite. I've always had cats as well, and no matter how well trained my dogs were, when the cat ran, they wanted to chase it. I was usually able to call them off, and they never hurt it, but you can't blame an animal for being an animal. Dogs chase cats, cats chase mice, mice poop in the cupboards... it's nature's way. I'm very sorry for the family who had to witness this happen to their kitty. I don't believe the breed or temperment of the dogs should be questioned with regards to this situation. The girls were able to leash the dogs and look for their owner, this should speak for their temperament, not the fact that they mauled a cat. "

Eric wrote on Sep 25, 2007 10:30 PM:

" I know the dog owners and they are good people they just moved to the country and they have two kids. They just got one of the dogs since they have moved and it seems to be the problem they had the other one for some time around there kids and it never was a problem. The owners did not want this to happen and feel very sad that it did. The new dog they just got they had put to sleep i don't know yet what they will do with the other dog. "

50 wrote on Sep 25, 2007 8:51 PM:

" come on only 50 more to go. we are almost there. you people are starting to slack and its really boring me. "

One of the dogs wrote on Sep 25, 2007 5:44 PM:

" was actually an American Bulldog "

PITS RULE wrote on Sep 25, 2007 4:37 PM:

" Very good dogs if trained and brought up right.As far as other dogs go most tend to chase after anything smaller then themselfs.Who cares how people type .Opinions are like a__ holes everyone has one.I did like the comment about the chenoa police hanging out at shell that was a good one and is very true.And as far as the person wanting to see if this can get up to 400 comments im sure it will. "

lazy dog owners wrote on Sep 25, 2007 11:41 AM:

" i don't think people say thats its ok that the cat dies but if people would do just a little research on the breed of dog that they want before they get one and then train that dog for what it was breed for i don't think dogs would always get a bad rep....... each dog breed were bred for something and by not training that dog will leave u with a very bored and lazy dog and then they r bound to miss behave, i have mastiffs and they r worked everyday with saddles and running,when i breed rottys they were worked everyday also and in the winter they pulled sleds with kids on them, people get dogs and don't do things with them and thats just wrong.......... go out there and train your dog would u have a child and not train it? i feee sorry for the dogs in this country cause people just don't care about the real reason they were ever bred to begin with "

To: Would this happen wrote on Sep 25, 2007 11:21 AM:

" That question is impossible to answer, it all depends on the breeding and type of upbringing. I do feel confident in saying, however, that had it been a poodle, or lab, or anything else, it STILL would have made the paper. It's newsworthy: Children try to help a couple dogs find their way home. They can't find it and need to get going to school so they unleash the dogs and head back in the house. The dogs see the cat and not only chase it, but chase it into somebody else's home, charging past the children, and maul the cat to death. Don't be mad at the Pantagraph just because the dog that did this was a pit bull. Be made at the breed and their bad owners for perpetuating their breed's violent reputation. "

Shameful...continued wrote on Sep 25, 2007 11:08 AM:

" People are blasting the children's mother for "allowing" her children to witness the attack on their cat - even though anybody would just stand there in shock and/or try to get the dogs away rather than hustling their children into the other room; the situation may seem to take an eternity while only a minute or two has passed. We have so many people blaming the dogs that did it, and the breed as a whole. When in reality, ANY dog, no matter the breed/known temperament, can grow up and live well-disciplined lives IF they are chosen by the "right" owners. "

Shameful wrote on Sep 25, 2007 11:08 AM:

" Too bad there isn't any way to keep bad owners from getting a Pit Bull, Rots, German Shepherds, or any other dog that could grow to be mean and violent under the wrong upbringing. It is people like that that cause this kind of news to be made. It doesn't stop at a family losing a precious friend either. Then we have people fighting on forums, laying the blame every which way. We have dog people saying that cats are supposed to be eaten by dogs, and pit bull lovers getting super-defensive and as a result, rather mean. People are suggesting the children are to blame, when they were only trying to help the dogs in the first place. "

Re:My dog wrote on Sep 25, 2007 10:59 AM:

" Dude... my dog and your dog need to hook up for some lessons...LOL "

Re:My dog wrote on Sep 25, 2007 9:29 AM:

" Dude... my dog and your dog need to hook up for some lessons...LOL "

irresponsible owners wrote on Sep 25, 2007 6:42 AM:

" whats tha back ground on these dog owners and the dogs personality. that also makes a huge difference weather they are to blame for being irresponsible or merely a terrible accident. my 10 pound shitzu whom has never left my sight or my yard went out to go to the bathroom with me standing beside it in my fenced in yard and seen a rabbit and ran after it, rabbit went through the space in the gate so did the dog. we live on the edge of town and they both headed for the cornfield. i spent hours driving and walking looking for the dog immediately, it took two hours before i found the dog dead on the country road and hit by a car. now i was very upset by this and did what i could to get the dog back home safely, does this make me a irresponsible owner because this happened. and yes the dog had been through several years of dog training, and never once in 8 years of its life pulled a stunt like this. "

to todd the bod wrote on Sep 25, 2007 6:37 AM:

" we havent (or at least i havent) herd the dogs owner side of the story or more background info on the dogs behavior. i will not accusse them of being irresponsible owners until i here that part. if the dogs were always loose and running or if they have shown this behavior before that is one thing, but it is also possible that it was accident that they got loose, and whos to say they wernt out looking for them. accidents do happen and it could be a accident on both ends. "

another breed that needs to be banned wrote on Sep 25, 2007 12:49 AM:

" my neighbor recently got one and now my children cant even go outside.this animal has busted thru the screens of its owners home trying to get to my children playing in their own yard.it barks at everything.they let it use my yard for its restroom.talking to the owner has done no good.this is another animal that will probably be put to sleep.as i am sure its going to get loose and wreck havoc on our neighborhood. "

Pharaoh wrote on Sep 25, 2007 12:49 AM:

" Serious dogmen would NOT feed cats to a champion fighting pitbull. That would be like Mike Tyson sparring with a 12 year old boy. It does nothing to improve the dog's performance. It might actually spoil the dog. My 15 pound Miniature Pincher caught a bird in our yard. He crushed its bones with his little jaws. I took the bird away from him before he ate it. "

Todd the Bod wrote on Sep 24, 2007 11:06 PM:

" To Two Sides: These people had 2 pitbulls out running around loose, they obviously don't care much for their animals or anyone else for that matter. It's just sad when animals have to pay the consequences for their irresponsible "owners." "

lil bit off topic wrote on Sep 24, 2007 9:20 PM:

" please remeber people: those who do use pits for fighting also feed them cats. please be cautios when giving away free cats or even dogs that can be used as training. i am by no means insinuating that these dogs live this lifestyle, but just keep in mind there are a lot of pits who do, and it is happing all around us. "

two sides to every story wrote on Sep 24, 2007 9:14 PM:

" one side, someone lost a pet cat, the other side someone lost a pet dog. sounds like they both lost something in this tragic situation. "

you people wrote on Sep 24, 2007 9:11 PM:

" are all insame. cat runs dog chases, hope the cat can run faster and get away. you people never see this happen befor. aughta watch the brady bunch. heck the bradys dog even made a runaway from home on a few occasions. bad bad doggiie. untrained dogs, wonder if they yelled at the dogs to sit while this was taking place, maybe they were trained. "

Does wrote on Sep 24, 2007 8:37 PM:

" anybody have any feelings for the poor cat????? Your yammerings would not indicate that many of you do "

Pixie wrote on Sep 24, 2007 5:15 PM:

" I have a "pit bull" myself and as a responsible owner I keep her on a leash, in my fenced yard, or in the house. She is sweet and around small children constantly and hasn't hurt a fly her whole 12 years on this planet... BUT I am still responsible with her and these owners should have been as well. And while it must be hard for this family, the dogs were obviously people friendly if they were able to leash and walk the dogs. MANY dogs, regardless of breed, are not animal friendly and do have the instinct to hunt. I know a german shepard and golden retriever down the street from me that kill squirells in their backyard all the time...It's a dog thing... "

To the person wrote on Sep 24, 2007 3:11 PM:

" You keep replying, so I would say you to have too much time on your hands. "

Dogs will be Dogs wrote on Sep 24, 2007 1:07 PM:

" It just sounds like these dogs were being normal dogs running after another animal. I know my wifes friends little 3lbs Pomeranian does the same thing. Also another friend has a Golden Retriver that hates other animals and I have seen her attack another dog before. People were around to stop it so who knows what the outcome would have been. Dogs are a domesticated wild animals. Yes Pitulls are a big strong breed and have the capabilities of doing something like this becasue of that. If raised correctlly they can be very good loving animals. I used to have a Pit and he was kind and to be cliche "wouldn't hurt a fly." but with him being a Pit I felt I had a responsibility to be at least a little cautious when he was "out of his element." Having a "Dagerous animal" takes a little precaucion on the owners part. I can't blame them (yet, at least) in this case b/c accidents happen and dogs get loose and no one know how they got loose. "

To: To the person wrote on Sep 24, 2007 1:04 PM:

" Dude, you got wayyyy too much time on your hands. Now could we please get back to the real discussion?! "

To the person wrote on Sep 24, 2007 12:21 PM:

" that was calling out Robert that was not saying anything about the other person that could not spell like the person that said robert was not the person that they were refering too. Also, if you can spell like the person that called out Robert you should go back to the 3rd grade and quit saying bad things about Robert and his friend a few comments before the other comments. "

Taking bets wrote on Sep 24, 2007 12:10 PM:

" "Robert" and "To Robert" are the same person.....I'll bet my entire paycheck. "

To: To the person wrote on Sep 24, 2007 11:39 AM:

" Next time you call somebody out for calling somebody else out for their spelling and/or grammar, perhaps you should at least apply the third grade education that taught us to capitalize the first word in each sentence and to use proper punctuation. Oh, and maybe don't make it so obvious that you are really one person commenting for two people, ala, "Robert", and "To the person". Better luck next time, eh? "

Pet Sitter wrote on Sep 24, 2007 11:38 AM:

" I have done pet sitting in AZ for seven years now, and have seen alot of dogs in my days doing this. I believe that there are no bad dogs. Misguided dogs sure. Some people try to make there dogs tough, like they are trying to live through there dogs. Usually if there is a misbehaving animal, you can guess how it's keeper is going to carry themselves. I base my opinions on my experiences, not on ideas. "

To: To the person wrote on Sep 24, 2007 11:34 AM:

" Actually, the person you are referring to was criticizing the person that responded to Robert. Until then, most of us probably believed those were 2 different people commenting - that is, until your post which now leads me to believe that "Robert" and the person that was praising Robert for his rambling and ranting are one and the same. You have to be careful about that, dude. You only end up looking the fool. Next time, try to stay in character. "

To: To the person wrote on Sep 24, 2007 11:30 AM:

" Actually I did. Nice try though. "

To: To the person;;that means you troller wrote on Sep 24, 2007 10:58 AM:

" I meant you! I am embarassed for you! "

319 comments wrote on Sep 24, 2007 10:47 AM:

" Wow i like reading the peoples comments .This one is the most commented.Come one people lets see if we can get this up to 400 comments.I own pit bulls myself and they are trained very well , they do not run loose if they do its in their own fenced in yard.Not all pits are mean some are caused they are raised that way .As far as someone hurting my dogs they better have a good enough reason too or they may just get hurt themselves.My dogs are my kids so the rest of u that own pits or any dogs know they mean everything to u.PITS RULE in my eyes they are the best companions ever......... "

Spelling Advocate wrote on Sep 24, 2007 10:29 AM:

" To the person wrote on Sep 24, 2007 10:18 AM Sorry but that spelling is "two," not "to." "

To the person wrote on Sep 24, 2007 10:18 AM:

" that called out Robert for his typing. You should also use to spaces after a period before you start your next group of words like you forgot to do. embarrassing huh? "

To; NRA wrote on Sep 24, 2007 10:09 AM:

" Thats a surprising statement coming from a Republican "

To Troller wrote on Sep 24, 2007 9:50 AM:

" Hey still on the comment boards huh! I can always spot your style. Do you even have a job? You lack common sense, so quit criticizing everyone else for not having it! "

To Robert wrote on Sep 24, 2007 8:55 AM:

" Actually, tobacco IS banned, where the heck have you been! Also, before you get your ego too inflated over that other post that seems to compliment your rambling and deluded comments, you should think if you want to be backed up by a person who has forgotten all the basic education they should have learned in grade school. Like capitalizing the first letter of every sentence, and knowing when to use their, there, and they're. But, hey, a small victory is a victory, right? "

anyone that will listen wrote on Sep 23, 2007 11:17 PM:

" why should the dogs be put down? its a dogs habit to get cats just like its a childs habit to bit thats when we have to teach them not to do that those dogs didn't attack the kids so they r not a treat to people its the owners that should be punished for letting them off their chains and letting them run lose............ now if u have a cat and it gets a mouse then thats a good cat right same thing think about it before u go making a judgement and i'm not even a pit bull fan don't care for them but i do raise rottys and if they ever bit anyone they would be put down thats common sense "

Ralph Wiggins wrote on Sep 23, 2007 10:39 PM:

" My dog's breath smells like dog food! (I know he says cat but eh...) "

Thought wrote on Sep 23, 2007 4:55 PM:

" Dogs are stupid "

NRA wrote on Sep 23, 2007 1:09 PM:

" Had this poor family had a loaded gun at hand, the kitty would be fine and the dogs would be landfill. Landfill is where ALL Pit Bulls belong. "

My dog wrote on Sep 23, 2007 10:42 AM:

" Would not barge in... my dog is highly trained in mixed martial arts and would sneak in with the cover of night and put you in a rear naked choke and return home before sun up and no one would know who done it. So watch out Dog killers "

Not the dogs fault wrote on Sep 22, 2007 11:11 PM:

" !!!!!! "

TO your dog aint comin home wrote on Sep 22, 2007 7:13 PM:

" Mess with the wrong persons dog and you wont be comin home eigher. "

to so tell me people wrote on Sep 22, 2007 1:36 PM:

" GET RID OF THE DOG!!!!! "

Your dog ain't coming home wrote on Sep 22, 2007 8:54 AM:

" If your dog gets loose and comes into my house, your dog ain't coming home. If I am walking around and your dog attacks me or my family (any dog, not just pit bulls) or is threatening...your dog ain't coming home. Your dog is YOUR responsability. One that many owners do not take seriously enough. We will not be made to suffer because you cannot properly restrain or train your dog. Understand that I and others like me are out here....If you cannot take care of your dog...I will. "

re: to just wondering wrote on Sep 22, 2007 8:53 AM:

" I never said the children were left alone with any dog. I have to 75 lb dogs in my own house and a three year old with another one on the way. I would not leave them alone wiith the dogs. My comment had nothing to do with leaving dogs alone with babies. I said the dog was good with the children. I did not say that she would be left alone with the babies. The dog and cat should have been supervised as well, but my mom accidentally left the door to the basement where the cat was open and didn't know the dog had gone back down there. I am neutral on pit bulls. I personally would never own one, but I have known them and don't think they are all bad. My point is just that you can't blame one breed for killing a cat when it is an inherent trait in all dogs. Although some can be trained to live quite well with other small animals. "

cont.... wrote on Sep 22, 2007 12:49 AM:

" yes it was terrible that the kids seen it, makes you wish they were already on the bus just to spare them the sight of it, but it was also just has terrible for the mother im sure, and she also has the burden on knowing that her children had to witness it also, that makes it all the harder for the parent. i am sure that mother is wishing anything to spare them the sight of it, but there was not time to think about it. what i have to say to the mother and kids is my sympathy is with you, and i pray for you that you can ease your mind and find peace in the end, it will take time, and slowly those vissions will fade. may god be with you while you heal from this. "

dum dum um(THIS IS FOR THE FAMILY) wrote on Sep 22, 2007 12:48 AM:

" first off i want to state i do not know anyone involved in this story,i willl explain why the mother LET the children watch. do you really think she stood there and said kids come watch this. obviously all those who complain or ask why have never expereince a moment of tragedy face on. you are in shock, you dont think strait, it is a natural thing to not walk away and ignore it from happening becouse you want to stop it and you can not, that is why they all stood there and watched. it is called shock! im sure it felt like eternity while it was happening, but i imagine it all took place in a split second. it is a horrible thing to witness and those who obviously never have i hope you will never have to. these poor kids and mother will spend along time trying to get the thought of it out of there head, and you people can only say well why did you let them watch. it was not a choice, it was a moment of a tramatic expereince. "

to robert wrote on Sep 22, 2007 12:28 AM:

" big round of applause for you. i think you sound like you got some good common since with a history to back you up. im betting more people have killed cats than dogs have. better one for you yet is look at how many dogs are trained for hunting, hum, whats that tell you. what is truly sicking is the "bad pit owners" who feed there dogs cats and other small animals and prepair them to fight. those are the ones who should be banned from owning anything, not banning the breed in general becouse of these sick people. by the way my dog sleeps in its creat with our cat also (cats choice to crawl in, the door is always open) but the dog sees a strang cat outdoors and will chase it, good thing the dog is to fat and lazy to catch anything. "

Michiel wrote on Sep 21, 2007 9:59 PM:

" We should hold the owner responsible no matter what the breed. If an owner lets a dangerous animal loose on society to attack or kill people we should treat the owner the same as we would treat a person who shoots a weapon indiscriminately in a neighborhood. If an innocent person is attacked the owner should get a mandatory prison sentence of five years without the possibility of parole. If a victim is killed the owner should receive a twenty five years mandatory prison sentence without the possibility of parole. Don’t blame a certain breed but stop ALL vicious animal attacks. Also we should seize the assets of the owner and pay the victims compensations equal to their loses. We don’t allow vigilantes to shoot dog owners and in the same way we shouldn’t allow dog owners to harm innocent citizens. "

kitty wrote on Sep 21, 2007 8:45 PM:

" oh well, I know my cat would of tore those dogs up "

Just Wondering wrote on Sep 21, 2007 7:28 PM:

" To All dogs chase cats who wrote on Sep 21, 5:45 PM Just ask the lawyer in Lincoln, Illinois, whose baby had its head crushed by the family dog as it lay on the bed. This happened quite a few years ago, but it should teach one a lesson not to leave a baby alone with a dog, especially a large one. BTW, I love dogs, they are man/woman's best friend, but don't trust them around smaller creatures. "

robert wrote on Sep 21, 2007 6:47 PM:

" and one last comment before i leave this pathetic thread... i had my chest ripped apart by a male doberman when i was 7 years old then again by a female german sheppard when i was 10.. not once did i blame the animals.. infact when i was attacked by the german sheppard my family protested the uthanization of the dog because it wasnt its fault. it was all on the way the dogs were raised and the irresponsible ownership of the 2 dogs. i think its sadly pathetic that with all the REAL problems going on in this world so many people attempt to pick on any breed of dog because they are to scared to voice their opinions concerning REAL matters in this world.. LIKE WAR & OUR CHILDREN SHOOTING EACHOTHER IN SCHOOLS! "

robert wrote on Sep 21, 2007 6:39 PM:

" i have spent almost my entire life around and owning the AMERICAN PIT BULL TERRIER and also have 3 cats in the house along with my dogs as well and not one single incident.. as a matter of fact my APBT (8 years old) and my oldest cat (9 years old) share the same kennel crate! get to know the breed hands on before running off at the mouth talking about all pit bulls should be banned because in this world there's many things twice as dangerous as a APBT or any dog for that matter "

robert wrote on Sep 21, 2007 6:34 PM:

" alcohol and tabbacco kill... why arent these banned? guns kill... why arent these banned? people kill people... why dont we ban human beings? "they need to" human beings can be peacefull then turn and kill in a split second.. so lets just ban the human race and uthanize everyone. in reality its the fault of the owner of the dog regardless of breed, not the dog.. why were these dogs running lose? anyone think of that? "

robert wrote on Sep 21, 2007 6:29 PM:

" first off THERE IS NO BREED CALLED "PIT BULL". im getting sick of people generalizing the different bully breeds as all pit bulls. who's to even say the dogs involved in this incidents were even PURE-BREAD AMERICAN PIT BULL TERRIERS???.. most of the dogs that are back yard bread are mixed breeds that are abused and not trained and are called pit bulls. all dogs from the smallest to largest have a prey drive. so should we ban all dogs. kids take guns to school and murder eachother so maybe we should ban people from having children? "

Uncle Andy wrote on Sep 21, 2007 6:05 PM:

" Bush should have seen this coming... after all wasn't he supposed to be looking for weapons of cat destruction? "

All dogs chase cats wrote on Sep 21, 2007 5:45 PM:

" It is in a dog's nature to hunt. That's just the way it is. How else would they eat in the wild? You can't blame the pit bull breed. The cat was not well enough to get away. My brother has a dog that kills small animals (groundhogs even) in the backyard on a regular basis. Yes she even killed our family cat that she had lived with for years when the 14 year old cat was recovering from anasthesia and couldn't get away fast enough. It's just the nature of DOGS. The dog is great with babies - there have been three grandchildren since that incident. The fact that a dog attacks a small animal is not an indication of what the animal will do with humans. "

To: So tell me people wrote on Sep 21, 2007 4:53 PM:

" If your question is really not sarcastic, then I will attempt to answer. If someone is seriously considering buying or adopting any breed with known temperament problems, they should first talk to a dog trainer in their area. In McLean County, there are several. You can easily find them on the internet, but I suggest speaking with area veterinarians to get their opinions and recommendations. It'll take some money, but owners of breeds who can be prone to violence really benefit from it. They'll train the dogs according to breed and temperament, and will work with both dog AND owner to get them acquainted and familiar with the specific rules and commands. Obviously there are many benefits to this, mainly preventing and/or lowering probability of attacks on people and other animals. It's lots of work, and if an owner is't willing to put in the effort, they shouldn't get the dog. Wouldn't be fair to the dog, or it's victims. "

I FART Pit Bulls wrote on Sep 21, 2007 4:42 PM:

" Uhhhhh, I think the person was referring to your strange, rambling posts that when you read them you imagine a person spitting it all out in one breath, getting all excited and a little out of control. Like if I were sitting there with you I would hear your fingers banging into the keyboard in defiance and outrage. I have to agree with the person that stated you lash out at those that DO agree with you, but also see the other side of the story too. And then go on accuse those people of writing hateful posts, when they were actually agreeing with you and attempting to start a sane and mature dialog on this subject. But each time you fly off the handle.....and then the posts just go around and around in an unproductive circle. "

so tell me people wrote on Sep 21, 2007 4:29 PM:

" alot of you say this happened bacouse the dogs were not trained. please give me advice on how to properly train a dog not to chase cats. this is a serious question, not being a smart alex. i have a dog, 20 #. it likes to chase cats. the dogwas brought into a house with cats. the dog acts like he lokes the cats and its a game to play, but it terrorizes my cats, and they dont like it. one cat does not bother to run and no problem, but the other cat runs from it and wants to hide from it. i have had enough luck to get the dog to not do it if i am there, but like a kid if the dog thinks he can get away with it behind my back it still happens. someone who feels this way please tell me a wa to mke the dog stop. "

i am sick and tiered wrote on Sep 21, 2007 2:12 PM:

" of stray, or other peoples cats coming onto my back porch surounded by a fence and beating up my cat. no it didnt die but has had some pretty server cuts and infections from it, a trip or two to the vet and medican, and alot of tlc. and yes on occasions some of these other cats have came into the house through the back door that wasnt latched so my cat can come in. my cat does not leave the porch and only spends a few hours on nice warm days laying in the sun. only difference here is that the dogs did kill the cat, same situation though. "

to Senior Lady wrote on Sep 21, 2007 2:06 PM:

" the 3 dog rule are city/town ordinances. these folks probably live out of city/town limits. "

another one ! wrote on Sep 21, 2007 12:43 PM:

" Did anybody happen to read CNN the day after this happened ?? A PITBULL charged into somebody else's home and mauled/killed their shi-zu (I know, I don't know how to spell it). Shame on CNN for reporting this JUST because they were pit bulls, right ?? Gimme a break. ALL PITBULLS DESERVE TO BE BANNED !!!!!!!! "

I HEART PITBULLS wrote on Sep 21, 2007 12:16 PM:

" ok none of us have said anything about them (PANTAGRAPH) being hatefull. (ignorant maybe) go back and read comments, maybe you just might catch on. what we ( as in animal/pit lovers) are commenting on are the hatefull comments left by you few sorry ppl. the comments you ppl are leaving are hatefull! i am pretty sure i have not singled anyone out or told them they were a "bad dog owner" or anything else. so i need angermanagment? really? when did i imply that i was angry at all? maybe your project just a lil about your own feelings for the breed itself, on to me? ya think? are u actually reading the comments that areleft before the garbage starts falling out of your mouth or are you just "skimming" it? so DUDE when was i lashing out at anyone except YOU who keeps calling me out like it was my dog that did the killing? so like do hate the name i used or is YOUR anger just a randam act landing in my direction. there are ppl here sayign some nasty things, and i am not one of them.. get a clue! "

Senior Lady wrote on Sep 21, 2007 11:39 AM:

" I thought that there could only be three dogs in a household. How come someone has five on their property? Also, in 1994, I was suddenly attacked and had my arm mauled by a chow who was a friendly family pet, and previously friendly to me. I was in the backyard of the neighbor when for no reason the dog knocked me to the ground, went for my neck and got my arm when I covered my neck. I also got several good bites on my rear end. I was fortunate, I didn't lose the use of my hand. The dog, after biting the neighbor later on, had to be put down. I adore dogs, but never trust them completely. "

To: Cat n' dog lover wrote on Sep 21, 2007 11:01 AM:

" Actually, it would make the papers if your dog barged it's way into somebody else's home and mauled their family cat to death right in front of them. The Pantagraph said nothing derogatory about pit bulls, they merely named the breed of dog. Had they not, there would have been comments lashing out at the Pantagraph for not saying what kind of dog it was. Playing with and chasing cats is one thing, but mauling and ripping one part is quite another. If you have a dog that would do that, you need to get rid of it. If you think that it's totally okay what those PIT BULLS did, then you shouldn't be a pet owner at all. "

To: To Troy L wrote on Sep 21, 2007 10:47 AM:

" I certainly hope you live in the country, because in town there's a law against having more than 2 dogs in your home. "

To: Gaddy family friend wrote on Sep 21, 2007 10:45 AM:

" You are right, an animal's behavior is largely dependent upon the way their owner's trained them. However pit bulls, and a long list of other breeds, do have a scary temperament, which is why the wrong people get them in the first place - I guess they think it makes them more powerful or something. This nasty temperament can be subdued if the dog is properly raised and disciplined from birth. It takes a dedicated, caring owner for this to be successful. There have been cases, one of which was posted here, where a seemingly docile pitbull who was disciplined from birth suddenly attacks a child out of the blue. It IS because of their breed, they retain those instincts. In wrong or lazy hands, dogs with these natural tendencies can cause serious harm and death. Since you are a friend of the family this article is about, please pass along my sympathies. I'd be devastated if this happened to one of my kitties. "

dog lover wrote on Sep 21, 2007 10:38 AM:

" WOW! I better not let my chihuahua out...she just might attack a human!!! "

TO: I heart pit bulls wrote on Sep 21, 2007 10:33 AM:

" Dude, you need to seek anger management. The pantagraph posted nothing hateful about pit bulls, they were just reporting the facts of the story. Fact: A dog charged into another person's home and killed their family's cat. Fact: that dog happened to be a pitbull. It seems like even when someone echoes your opinion, with slight alterations, you blow up and lash out. Calm down, take a deep breath, and go walk your dog. "

I HEART PITBULLS wrote on Sep 21, 2007 8:54 AM:

" are you saying they put the dogs down? "

cat'n'dog lover wrote on Sep 21, 2007 8:21 AM:

" If a dog can be leashed and played with how is that a killer on a rampage? If it was a lab/chow like my own you wouldn't have seen headlines reading "Lab/Chow kill family pet". How many cats do they have left 15. Give me abreak. Enough is enough. I feel sorry for the dog and the cat who are both dead now. "

I HEART PITBULLS wrote on Sep 21, 2007 8:10 AM:

" i agree the children should never had been able to see what happened! the pain they will always have from seeing that could have been spared,, that is the real injustice here...and troy sounds like someone should put you down or knock you down from your high horsel!! you know nothing about the breed, your hatefull comments do nothing but make you look like an idiot!! gesh! i suppose you were right there when they wanted to put down a