The victim testified that medical charges to his insurance company already exceed $190,000, and he is still receiving treatment.
Dogo Argentinos are visually similar to Pit Bulls, but taller and densely muscular. Their average weight is from 80 to 120 pounds. They are distinguished by always being white in color.
Commissioner Roger Wolfson commented early in the discussion that photos of the victims severe injuries reminded him of the disturbing testimony and description by a jogger who was attacked by a Pit Bull in the Hollywood area in 2017. Among other serious wounds in that incident, one of his testicles was bitten off by the dog. (See: Pit Bull Victim Clings to Life–Whos to Blame for Dangerous Dog Attacks.)
Wolfson later reminded the dog owner that owning a dog of this size and strength is like owning a high-powered gun. It must be confined and locked up so that accidents causing injuries like this do not happen. He also stated that the larger the dog, the more damage it can do and the level of responsibility is heightened.
The term Pit Bull is used for breed-types used for fighting in enclosed pits. It is a dog–usually weighing from 40 to 60 pounds–of varied color and appearance with certain physical “bulldog” characteristics.
The Dogo Argentino is a densely muscular dog originally bred from fighting lineage. It is distinguished by always being white, and average weight is from 80 to 120 pounds. The ears are often closely cropped but the tail should not be docked, according to breed standards.
It was developed in Argentina primarily for big-game hunting, including wild boars (catch dog). The Dogo Argentino was first bred in 1928, from the Cordoba Fighting Dog now an extinct breed. These dogs were kept alone and used only in dog fighting because its ferocious temperament caused it not only to kill its own siblings, pack-mates and breeding-mates during copulation (all of which led to its extinction) but also sometimes turn on its owner.
According to breed historians, the Dogo Argentino is the result of crossbreeding the Cordoba Fighting Dog with Alamo Espanol, Mastiff, Bull Terrier, Bulldog and Bull Terrier and possibly Great Danes and Boxers. The resulting temperament includes being very fierce, strong, vigorous, and relentless, with very high stamina.
Dogos were mainly used as war dogs because they were fierce and aggressive, and they were later used as cattle dogs that could fight and kill pumas and other predators. The AKC registers them as Miscellaneous class, which designates breeds working towards full AKC recognition. (Although Dogos are ALWAYS white. the AKC accepts one dark-color ring on the skull or around one eye, if it covers no more than 10% of the head.)
According to internet ads for Dogo Argentino puppies, the current price ranges from $1,500 – $5,000.
The temperament of the modern Dogo Argentino is described from loyal and loving to stubborn and pain tolerant. This–combined with the breeds natural intelligence and domineering tendencies–indicate that this dog is not suitable for inexperienced homes and owners. Dogos make a strong distinction between familiar people and strangers. An unsteady temperament is listed as “a serious fault,” and breed experts say that a Dogo Argentino that has bitten or attacked a human should never be used for breeding.
“The Dogo Argentino is banned or has ownership restrictions in Australia, the Cayman Islands, Denmark, Fiji, Iceland, New Zealand, Singapore, Turkey, and Ukraine. In the United Kingdom, under the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991, it is illegal to own a Dogo Argentino without lawful authority,” according to Wikipedia.org.
The names of the dog owners and victim do not appear in the following summary to protect their privacy. This tragic incident occurred on Amestoy Avenue in the up-scale, picturesque San Fernando Valley area of Northridge, also known as “Sherwood Forest.” The lengthy testimony is being summarized; however, the entire Commission audio is available here.
At the March 28 meeting, the L.A. Animal Services Commissioners acted as an appeal board for consideration of the dog owners/appellants (a father and son) request to overturn the General Managers concurrence in the L.A. Animal Services hearing officers decision to declare their 4-1/2-year-old Dogo Argentino a “dangerous dog” after a savage attack on a jogger outside the owners property. They considered all records which had been submitted at the hearing but did not accept new evidence. The announcement was made that the recommendation being considered is that the dog be euthanized due to the extreme severity of injuries to the victim.
President Larry Gross announced that the Dogo Argentino had escaped his yard and attacked. Both the dog owners and their attorney and the victim were present to testify.
The appellants stated that they have owned the Dogo Argentino since it was a puppy and the dog is now about 4-1/2 years old. The dog is not neutered and has never been licensed by the City, although it has all current vaccinations, including rabies, and is registered with the AKC. This is the first reported attack by the dog, which they claim escaped through two open gates–one at his dog run and one at the front of the property. The owners claimed the dog is loving with his family and plays with his children.
He also stated, in response to an inquiry by Commissioner Sandoval, that he did not want to neuter it because he “believes it is not good for the dog.” He added that, because it is a rare, purebred dog, he intended to breed it.
The dog owners were represented by counsel but also spoke themselves. Their attorney stated that this dog has no prior reports of bites/attacks and that the incident being considered was provoked because the victim would practice karate moves–kicking and punching–in the street in front of the house to agitate the dog. The attorney stated that the owners were willing to enroll the dog in training, muzzle it in public, or comply with whatever precautions or restrictions might be imposed by the Board. The attorney also stated that the owners multi-million-dollar insurance policy would cover the expenses of the victim.
The victim, a very slender male who appeared to be in his early-to-mid 50s, stated, “All I did was jog by their house.” He explained that the woman across the street has multiple aggressive dogs who bark when he passes, and he has seen the Dogo Argentino become aggressive toward other dogs when they passed the property.
He said, “I stopped jogging with my own two dogs and I run in the middle of the street to avoid agitating the Dogo Argentino and her [the neighbors] dogs.”
He explained that he has always avoided being on the street when the elder of the two owners is walking the dog and would change his course immediately. On the day of the attack he said he did not hear or see either the dog or the owner before the attack and that he was approximately 100 yards past the property when the dog hit him from behind, knocking him to the ground and biting him viciously. He stated, “The dog “almost took me out.”
“I was lying on the ground on my back and screaming for help when the old man came and pulled the dog off of me. I then went home to tell my wife and call 911, and I was taken to the hospital,” he told the Commission.
He said the attorneys claim that he had provoked the dog was totally untrue and that they would not have known about his expertise in martial arts if he had not mentioned it during the hearing as a possible reason he had been able to survive. He added, “Would I be foolish enough to deliberately provoke this dog?”
The victim stated that he is a dog lover, has two dogs, and has fostered and adopted shelter dogs. In response to Commissioner Wolfsons question as to whether he is in agreement about the dog being euthanized, he said that he really does not want to see that happen, if the dog is removed far from this area, and if it can be absolutely guaranteed that the dog will never be able to harm anyone else again. He added that if this had happened to a child or baby, the victim would not have survived.
The Commissioners discussed the “extreme severity” of the victims wounds seen in the photos after the attack. They agreed that the risk of another victim being maimed or killed must be their primary concern. Commissioner Wolfson commented that the Commissions responsibility is for the citys potential liability and for public safety. The five Commissioners voted unanimously to uphold the General Managers decision.
On June 14, 2018, a Northern California KCRA-3 News headline read ‘Chilling screaming’: Neighbor witnesses dog attack on Fairfield woman.–The report stated, “Fairfield police say a Dogo Argentine dog weighing 100 pounds mauled its owner this morning. The 29-year-old woman was flown to the Bay Area where she’s in critical condition. Police shot the dog after it charged at them.” It was not until the third shot that the dog stopped its attempt to attack the officers.
Then, on June 21, 2018, The Washington Post reported, ’Maryland Woman Dies After Being Mauled by Her Fiances Dog. –“Police confirm the Huntingtown dog attack victim has died. Jenna Sutphin, 28, was savagely attacked by a Dogo Argentino about 7:15 am this morning. She was airlifted to a hospital in critical condition with bite injuries to the back of her head and neck. Earlier today, it was reported that her family was “preparing for the worst.”
Sutphin and her fiancé, Jason Hammer, who is a Prince Georges County Correctional Center K-9 handler, breed and sell Dogo Argentinos, according to the report.
Fifteen (15) or 42% of the total fatality victims were children. Of the adult victims killed, those 50-years and older accounted for 71% (15).
In 2018, only 6% (2) of fatal dog attacks resulted in meaningful criminal charges, down from the 13-year average of 21%. Both criminal cases involved pit bulls.
Commissioner Wolfsons comment about owning a large and powerful dog being similar to gun ownership should not be overlooked. This Dogo Argentino requires (under current law) no more legal responsibility for containment than a Chihuahua. Yet, most serious attacks occur because a large and powerful dog has escaped from its yard or could not be controlled by its owner.
L.A. Animal Services has made little serious effort to hire qualified Animal Control Officers and has very poor licensing statistics, has removed “kennel” requirements and is discussing raising or removing dog limits per property.
GM Brenda Barnette stated at the last meeting she hopes to remedy the licensing deficit by sending out canvassers (to homes) from the “Targeted Hire” program, which will employ the following (according to the Mayors Executive Order No. 15): “the unsheltered [homeless]; people with criminal records including those with a history of incarceration; veterans; and disconnected youth at risk of unfortunate outcomes.”
This is not a joke! Is it time to get serious about human and animal safety and require–like car ownership–that dog owners provide proof of insurance to cover bites, attacks or accidents at the time of licensing a dog of any breed or size. That may not stop all the attacks, but it would begin to shape an attitude of responsibility and leave fewer innocent victims with ruined lives and injured/scarred bodies. Dog ownership is not a right–it is a serious responsibility!
The Commission has already heard eight (8) Dangerous Dog cases this year. This is only the few owners who take the time and/or can afford to potentially file a court case to keep their dog that has injured or killed already. The decision usually is that the dog must merely be removed from the city or go to a “rescue.” We regularly read about these “rescued” dangerous animals that again attack and maim adopters or the public.
The statistics are alarming. The real stories, as at the March 28 Commission meeting, are terrifying. Isnt it time to change our attitude from excusing the actions of irresponsible or incapable pet owners to requiring that we all have the same duty for public safety as a gun owner or an automobile driver in our city?
(Phyllis M. Daugherty is a former City of Los Angeles employee and a contributor to CityWatch.)
Dogo Argentino And Pit Bull Appearance
To compare the Dogo Argentino and the Pit Bull’s appearance, we cannot use all four dogs that come under Pit Bulls. So we are going to compare using the American Pit Bull Terrier (APBT).
The American Pit Bull Terrier and The Dogo Argentino are so alike that you could mistake them for each other at first look, and as we mentioned at the start of the article, this is a common mistake when the APBT is white.
American Bandogge and pitbull have alsmost same similarities, when they got aggrasive on their opponents. But one plus point with American Bandogge is that they are heighy motivated and targeted to kill their opponent. But in case of Pitbull you can controll them. Due to their Weight, height and bite-force they can beat Pitbull easily.
So, pitbull is the most popular breed among all in the world. People love to adopt pitbull as guard dog – because of their daring and fearlessness. Pitbull is very faithful and loyal towards his family, but sometimes this breed is so aggresive that they can attack on their own owners.
All dog breeds are good and guard dogs, but they are not able to beat pitbull. Because the technique of pitbull to fight with any other dog is amazing and pitbull attack their opponent’s neck. that’s why the chances of winning a pitbull are increased.
Pitbull always fights back even if he knows that he is about to die. But he never gives up. So, first, we know about Pitbull’s strength and power? After that, we will discuss the 5 Most Dangerous Dog Breeds.
After all, the most powerful weapon in dogs is their teeth, So if you are a dog owner, you need to know – ” How To Clean Dog Teeth Without Brushing” and if you have two pets then you should have dual dog leashes to handle them while on walking. Because the only thing is teeth which makes your dog powerfull. In this post, we covered the world’s Most Dangerous Dog Breeds, That Can Defeats A Pitbull, If you have any query you can directly comment us below.
Dogo Argentino And Pit Bull Size Comparison
But look at both dogs more closely, and it’s apparent there are several differences. For example, a Dogo Argentino will grow between twenty-four and twenty-seven inches; the APBT, on the other hand, is between eighteen to twenty-one inches; that’s quite a difference already in the dogs.
You will find the same difference in weight. The Dogos are between eighty-eight and one hundred pounds, and the APBT weighs between thirty-five and sixty-five pounds. Dogo Argentinos are white dogs, and they only ever appear in this one color. They can have a dark spot on their heads, but it must cover one eye only. Should you want to show your dog in the ring, then this dark area can only cover a maximum of 10% of the entire head area.
The American Pit Bull Terrier has various coat colors such as black, fawn, blue, tan, brown, white, grey, and red. However, both dog breeds are single-coated with short, smooth coats. Neither dog has an undercoat.
One striking feature for both the Pit Bull and the Dogo Argentino is cropped ears. This practice seems to have been the norm for many years and probably relates to their respective histories where ear cropping would have prevented severe ear injuries. Many new owners now frown on cropping a dog’s ear, so thankfully, it’s becoming less common. Both the Pit Bull and Dogo Argentino have floppy ears when left in their natural state.
FAQ
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