Pit Bull Owner And Dog Found In Michigan

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WAJR Radio News
Harrison County

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The pit bull that attacked and ripped the ear off a young girl in Harrison County last year has finally been captured.

Harrison County prosecutor Joe Shaffer says the owner of the dog, Jessica Erskine of Michigan, was tracked down in Michigan where she was found to be harboring the dog.

Shaffer says the dog attacked an 11-year-old girl in October. The dog had been staying with a friend of the owner in Salem, who was also babysitting the 11-year-old girl. Officials say the pit bull attacked the girl and ripped off her ear. Another person was bitten during the attack. Shafer says they believe the dog may have been raised as a fighting dog.

The dog was being held at the Harrison County Animal Control Shelter last year and the order for its destruction was handed down from Harrison County Circuit Court Judge Tom Bedell. Then the dog was stolen.

Salem Police, along with police in Washtenaw County in Michigan, began working the case after a tip led them to believe Erskine was in Michigan with the dog. When police in Michigan interviewed Erskine, she said she thought the dog was in North Carolina. But after police followed Erskine, they saw her with the dog, and she eventually confessed that it was the same dog involved in the West Virginia attack.

Erskine and the dog now each await extradition back to West Virginia where Erskine will face charges of harboring a vicious dog and the dog will be destroyed.

There could also be additional charges for others who may have helped Erskine steal the dog from the Harrison County Animal Control Shelter.

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Anyone have any thoughts on this story? I really don't know what to say. Except why in the world would this woman lie about the dog?

Well, I think it's sad about the dog, first of all. But, the fact that it does state that the dog was thought to have been raised as a fighting dog is at least good to know. And, I don't mean, of course, that it was good for the dog. I just mean that it was good that it was pointed out in the article, not just that this is a pit bull and he's mean, but, that he was probably raised to be that way, which puts less blame on the dog. Not that, unfortunately, it will make a lot of difference to someone who already dislikes pits. I do think it's sad that the woman lied about the dog. I guess I can understand not wanting the dog to be destroyed. But, she's just made it harder on herself by harboring the dog. I wonder if anything has happened while she's had him. Again, a crappy situation. And, without knowing all the details of the dog's behavior or the situation surrounding the child's injury, it's impossible to say whether or not he should be destroyed. I mean, it's scary to think he injured that child like that, but, maybe with training, he could become more trustworthy....? He may have been provoked, I don't know, it's all speculation, really. I think she was foolish to lie, but, I'm sure she just didn't want her to dog to be put down. I hope I'm never in the situation where I have to make a decision like that. :(

No, not all the facts are in this story. But it does make you wonder if it was the woman didn't want him put down, because she would be loosing money because she use to fight him? Of course maybe not, and she just did not want her dog put down that is if the dog was hers.

Being raised as a fighting dog wouldn't cause a dog to attack a person. Being bred from unstable parents, being encouraged to act aggressively, or being provoked would be a more likely reason. Fighting is what Pits have been bred to do for 200 hundred years and even those fun loving, goofballs that have never seen the inside of a fighting ring have it in them, but that doesn't mean they will attack people. If the owner didn't know her dog was capable of something like this, then she didn't know her dog and if she did know, then she needs to be punished for being irresponsible. Sadly the dog will have to pay for her mistakes with it's life and the rest of us Pit Bull owners will have yet another strike against us and our dogs.

Pit Bulls are illegal in Michigan, sadly in part because of idiotic people who train them to fight. There are big bucks in pit fighting.

A fighting pit bull is worth ALOT of money. We're talking hundreds of thousands of dollars.

I live in Mi, but i dont believe Pitts are illegal there are plenty of people in my area with them.
It is obviously illegal to fight them,... but not to own one.
That is a horrible article , and too bad for the doggie.

Moosmom
Did u mean in certain countys or areas?? Which ones? Now that i think about it they may be illegal in Grosse Pointe Woods, where my mom lives, but im not for sure.
I live in Harper Woods right outside of Detroit, and there legal here.
But boy do i get dirty looks from some people when i drive or walk with Senorita, she is not a Pittbull but people are unfamiliar with her breed and always assume she is. :) :mad: :)

I thought I seen on that one show on Animal Planet can't remember name of it. That Pit Bull's were illegal in there area and I believe they was in MI.

I don't live in MI so I don't know the legal issue with Pits except what I've seen on Animal Cops. Owning fighting dogs and "fighting paraphernalia" (ie treadmill, breaking stick, spring pole, certain medications) is illegal.....gee, I guess if I lived in MI I would be considered a dog figther since I have a breaking stick. :rolleyes:

Animal Cops that is show I was thinking of. So it is illegal to own a fighting Pit. I thought maybe it was illegal to have one as a pet but guess I just misunderstood.

Okay, maybe I'm wrong. I DO know that it's illegal for a minor to walk a pitbull on the streets of Detroit.

From what I've gathered, all pitbulls that are confiscated by the Humane Society, are immediately PTS. The only shelter in the area that takes pitbulls from the Humane Society, works with and tries to place pitbulls is the Dearborn Animal Shelter.

It's so sad that these sweet dogs have gotten such a bad rap. And all because some jerkwads decided to train them to fight!!! UGH!!:mad:

Yeah i cannot stand to watch that show although sometimes i cant help it.
What is a breaking stick? And why would someone have one? I saw a lady walking her Pitt yesterday down a not so nice neighborhood with a big stick in hand, i was assuming she was going to hit it to try and make it mean, but is there another purpose for this stick??
I sure hope so, i have been toremented by this lady, thinking she was beating her dog with it!

Obvioulsy Pittchick i am not at all implying you beat your Pitties LOL, i honestly just want to know what the sitck is for? :D

Moosmom, isnt that horrible? I have rescued Pitties before that were stray and thought i was doing good, until i found out that the place i took them to was just going to euthanize them, it makes me sick. :(

Yes, it's very sad! I watched Animal Cops a while ago. 4 pitbulls were confiscated from an abandoned house. It turns out it was kids (young boys) who got them. They couldn't bring them home because they didn't tell their parents. However, in Detroit, it's a "status symbol" to own a Pitbull and walk down the street with them. It's also illegal for anyone under legal age to walk them. That's why these kids stashed them in the abandoned building.

Sadly, all 4 dogs were PTS. It broke my heart to see this one female with THE sweetest disposition, tail wagging, being led into the room to be put down. :(:(

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Originally posted by senorita02
Yeah i cannot stand to watch that show although sometimes i cant help it.
What is a breaking stick? And why would someone have one? I saw a lady walking her Pitt yesterday down a not so nice neighborhood with a big stick in hand, i was assuming she was going to hit it to try and make it mean, but is there another purpose for this stick??
I sure hope so, i have been toremented by this lady, thinking she was beating her dog with it!

Obvioulsy Pittchick i am not at all implying you beat your Pitties LOL, i honestly just want to know what the sitck is for? :D

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A breaking stick is used to pry a Pits jaws open once they get ahold of another dog in a fight. Dogfighters use them, but having multiple Pits is a good enough reason also. It's usually a hammer handle that's been shaved down into a wedge shape at the end and it's not very big. I have a couple for emergencies if an accidental fight breaks out. A breaking stick puts to bed that tired old "lock jaw" myth because it would be a useless tool if they really could lock their jaws. :rolleyes:

The lady you saw may have been carrying the stick to protect her dog from other loose dogs cause she would have to be pretty bold to beat her dog in public. But just keep an eye on her whenever you see her, cause you never know, people can be bold and stupid no matter who's watching.

Quote:

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Originally posted by senorita02
Moosmom, isnt that horrible? I have rescued Pitties before that were stray and thought i was doing good, until i found out that the place i took them to was just going to euthanize them, it makes me sick. :(

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But you got them off the streets and saved them from a much worse fate or longer painful death. If you hadn't taken them to the shelter, who knows what would have happened to them on the streets. It's a Catch 22 situation, but what you did was the better alternative. At the shelter, they also have a better chance of being reunited with the owners that may have been looking for them.