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IceBreaker · Dec 12, 2006, 12:51 PM

Louisiana Police: Pit Bull Puppy Chewed Off Baby's Toes While Parents Slept

Tuesday , December 12, 2006

BOSSIER CITY, La. — A pit bull puppy chewed off four of a baby girl's toes while the child's parents slept, police here said Monday. The parents were booked on charges of child desertion and criminal negligence and were being held in the Bossier Parish Jail pending an initial court appearance.

Police said the parents were sleeping on a mattress in the living room of their residence and the month-old girl was in an infant seat beside them when the puppy began chewing on their baby's toes.

Mary Shannon Hansche, 22, and Christopher Wayne Hansche, 26, told police they woke up to the sound of the baby crying, found her mangled foot and took her to the hospital about 8:30 a.m. Sunday.

"They did not see the dog injuring the child," police spokesman Mark Natale said.

The girl underwent surgery Sunday at Sutton's Children's Hospital in Shreveport. There was no way to reattach the child's toes, Natale said Monday.

The puppy was 6 weeks old and had no record of receiving its shots and will be quarantined for 10 days to check for rabies. Natale said he did not know what the puppy's fate would be after that.

"The puppy itself was just several weeks old! I mean this was essentially a puppy," Natale said.

"This puppy might have been trying to nurse on the toes of this baby," veterinarian Michael Dale speculated. "I know that sounds a little far fetched, but that's the first thing that comes to my mind."

Teresa Miller, who sold the puppy to the Hansches, was skeptical the dog did it. "He didn't chew on anything while he was with me. Out of all of them (in the litter), he was the least chewy."

Another veterinarian, Dr. Valri Brown, said if the puppy chewed off the infant's toes, it would not have happened quickly. "It would have to be a period of time — maybe at least an hour," she said.

Meanwhile, the puppy's been quarantined at Bossier City's animal control office for the next 10 days to check for rabies. Natale said he did not know what the puppy's fate would be after that.

When she is released from the hospital, the child will be placed in a foster home until the case against her parents is settled, officials said.

http://www.foxnews.com/printer_frien...236001,00.html

...natural selection at work in my opinion.

turtle777 · Dec 12, 2006, 12:54 PM

-t

IceBreaker · Dec 12, 2006, 12:54 PM

the puppy in question:

Dakar² · Dec 12, 2006, 12:54 PM

Originally Posted by IceBreaker

BOSSIER CITY, La.

I'm not surprised considering the guy on the forums from there.

IceBreaker · Dec 12, 2006, 12:55 PM

if ever a breed of dog should just be outright banned, pitbulls are it.

turtle777 · Dec 12, 2006, 12:55 PM

Originally Posted by Dakar²

I'm not surprised considering the guy on the forums from there.

Dude, WTF ?

-t

Jawbone54 · Dec 12, 2006, 12:58 PM

Originally Posted by Dakar²

I'm not surprised considering the guy on the forums from there.

AHHHHH!

Saw that on the local news last night. This is how I'm going to be remembered in the forums from now on......

Jawbone54 · 01:15 PM

Almost forgot...

My wife and I were speculating on what happened. Some vet was interviewed and decided it was probably the dog trying to breastfeed. He said, "I know that sounds crazy! However, it's actually not only possible, but quite likely."

Seems kind of like when a surfer whose leg was ripped off by a great white shark sits next to a marine biologist and they both readily agree that the shark wasn't actually trying to attack the surfer, but it was a "curiosity bite."

THE BREED OF DOG IS AGGRESSIVE AND THE PUPPY ATE THE KID'S TOES! Case closed.

Doofy · Dec 12, 2006, 01:03 PM

Originally Posted by IceBreaker

The parents were booked on charges of child desertion and criminal negligence and were being held in the Bossier Parish Jail pending an initial court appearance.

Police said the parents were sleeping on a mattress in the living room of their residence and the month-old girl was in an infant seat beside them when the puppy began chewing on their baby's toes.

WTF? How the hell can they be accused of "desertion"?

Chuckit · Dec 12, 2006, 01:06 PM

Originally Posted by Jawbone54

Almost forgot...

My wife and I were speculating on what happened. Some vet was interviewed and decided it was probably the dog trying to breastfeed. He said, "I know that sounds crazy! However, it's actually not only possible, but quite likely."

Seems kind of like when a surfer whose leg was ripped off by a great white shark sits next to a marine biologist and they both readily agree that the shark wasn't actually trying to attack the surfer, but it was a "curiosity bite."

THE BREED OF DOG IS AGGRESSIVE AND THE PUPPY AT THE KID'S TOES! Case solved.

Pitbulls are aggressive, but from the description, it seems clear that it wasn't trying to attack the baby. It only got the toes.

Dakar² · Dec 12, 2006, 01:08 PM

Originally Posted by what_the_heck

Dude, WTF ?

-t

Oh come on, 75% of my posts are sarcastic or jokes. He knew what I meant.

Jawbone54 · Dec 12, 2006, 01:09 PM

Originally Posted by Doofy

WTF? How the hell can they be accused of "desertion"?

The desertion part is ridiculous. People feel that they MUST place blame somewhere.

Sure, it's a pit bull. Sure, they're aggressive. But this dog was only 6 WEEKS OLD! No one expects a little puppy like that to do such a thing.

The dog obviously wasn't attacking the child. Every puppy likes to gnaw a bit. I'm sure he didn't know exactly what he was doing.

Dakar² · Dec 12, 2006, 01:10 PM

Originally Posted by Jawbone54

AHHHHH!

Saw that on the local news last night. This is how I'm going to be remembered in the forums from now on......

.

Jawbone54 · Dec 12, 2006, 01:10 PM

Originally Posted by Dakar²

Oh come on, 75% of posts are sarcastic. He knew what I meant.

Agreed. I got a chuckle out of it.

Dakar² · Dec 12, 2006, 01:11 PM

And I got something to make fun of you with. Everybody wins!

smacintush · Dec 12, 2006, 01:16 PM

Good God this has NOTHING to do with the breed of dog. This was a freak thing that any puppy of any breed could have done.

If this were any other breed it would have read: "Puppy Chewed Off Baby's Toes While Parents Slept"

Now the puppy will probably be put to sleep for the crime of being a puppy.

nonhuman · Dec 12, 2006, 01:16 PM

Originally Posted by IceBreaker

if ever a breed of dog should just be outright banned, pitbulls are it.

Bull. Pitbulls are great dogs. Friendly, loyal, all that good stuff. If this had been a cocker spaniel, would you be calling for that breed to be banned?

Jawbone54 · Dec 12, 2006, 01:18 PM

Originally Posted by Dakar²

And I got something to make fun of you with. Everybody wins!

Except Bossier City.

Pictures of my home...

smacintush · Dec 12, 2006, 01:20 PM

The only Pit Bull related law I would support is an IQ test for ownership. I don't know who is more ignorant, Pit Bull owner or the people cry out: "BAN THEM, BAN THEM" every time they see story about them.

Dakar² · Dec 12, 2006, 01:20 PM

When did you guys get electricity?

(You can tell me to let up at any time)

Jawbone54 · Dec 12, 2006, 01:24 PM

Originally Posted by Dakar²

When did you guys get electricity?

(You can tell me to let up at any time)

Come on, dude. I'm not that sensitive. I pick on Louisiana all the time.

Believe it or not, there is talk of the Boardwalk (second picture) getting an Apple Store.

The Shreveport/Bossier City area is about 400,000 people, but services much of East Texas, Soutwest Arkansas, and most of Northern LA, so it could be a hub for Apple users in a pretty wide radius.

rickey939 · Dec 12, 2006, 01:24 PM

That's why I have a toy poodle.

Dakar² · Dec 12, 2006, 01:25 PM

Originally Posted by Jawbone54

Come on, dude. I'm not that sensitive. I pick on Louisiana all the time.

Yes, but after a while it gets boring or unfunny. [/jus'sayin']

Jawbone54 · Dec 12, 2006, 01:26 PM

Originally Posted by rickey939

That's why I have a toy poodle.

Toy poodles with beards =

turtle777 · Dec 12, 2006, 01:30 PM

Originally Posted by Dakar²

Oh come on, 75% of my posts are sarcastic or jokes. He knew what I meant.

Well, you should be glad that I'm not from Bossier City, because I didn't get it

-t

Jawbone54 · Dec 12, 2006, 01:30 PM

Originally Posted by Dakar²

Yes, but after a while it gets boring or unfunny. [/jus'sayin']

To this day, my tight circle of friends picks on me about something that happened over a decade ago. I've heard the same jokes for years, especially two that involve Star Wars and "credits for video games."

IceBreaker · Dec 12, 2006, 01:30 PM

Originally Posted by smacintush

The only Pit Bull related law I would support is an IQ test for ownership. I don't know who is more ignorant, Pit Bull owner or the people cry out: "BAN THEM, BAN THEM" every time they see story about them.

don't see many stories of poodles attacking and killing people.

yes I imagine all the pit bull owners are upset at the thought of their little "prescious" being banned but it seems they are the ones that end up getting killed.

pit bull kills owner - Google Search

Dakar² · Dec 12, 2006, 01:33 PM

Originally Posted by what_the_heck

Well, you should be glad that I'm not from Bossier City, because I didn't get it

-t

Actually, you should be glad you're not from Bossier City.

POW!

Jawbone54 · Dec 12, 2006, 01:34 PM

What's funny about this story is that I saw two guys sitting in front of a busy shopping center this morning trying to sell pit pull puppies. They didn't seem to be getting a lot of attention. I imagine that local demand is going to lessen for a while.

Jawbone54 · Dec 12, 2006, 01:35 PM

Originally Posted by Dakar²

Actually, you should be glad you're not from Bossier City.

POW!

*shot dead *

Dakar² · Dec 12, 2006, 01:36 PM

Originally Posted by Jawbone54

*shot dead *

That was a fist punch on my part.

...have you been hanging out with Dick Cheney again?

Jawbone54 · Dec 12, 2006, 01:47 PM

Originally Posted by Dakar²

That was a fist punch on my part.

...have you been hanging out with Dick Cheney again?

Not exactly, but this guy has been hanging out in my office lately...

nonhuman · Dec 12, 2006, 02:55 PM

Originally Posted by IceBreaker

don't see many stories of poodles attacking and killing people.

yes I imagine all the pit bull owners are upset at the thought of their little "prescious" being banned but it seems they are the ones that end up getting killed.

pit bull kills owner - Google Search

You don't see many poodles being trained to attack and kill humans either.

Dakar² · Dec 12, 2006, 02:58 PM

Originally Posted by Jawbone54

Not exactly, but this guy has been hanging out in my office lately...

I'm sorry.

Millennium · Dec 12, 2006, 03:32 PM

The only reason this got into the news is because it happened to be a pit bull.

This sort of thing happens depressingly often, and most of the time put bulls or other so-called "dangerous breeds" aren't involved at all. This is what happens when parents leave a baby alone with an animal. It happens with dogs and cats of all breeds. This is why you shouldn't leave babies and animals unsupervised together.

OAW · Dec 12, 2006, 03:36 PM

This is a tragedy without question. But charging the parents in this instance seems unwarranted. I just don't see anything negligent in their actions. Despite the reputation of pit bulls, apparently it is not illegal to own them and more importantly, this is a 6 week old puppy we are talking about here!

OAW

Jawbone54 · Dec 12, 2006, 03:46 PM

I don't know every single detail concerning the incident, but obviously the parents were only a few feet from the baby while its toes were being gnawed off. I would think that the baby would begin screaming at the first sign of pain. I think everyone who has heard a child crying knows the difference between whining and genuine pain.

The parents said they were asleep with the baby in a car seat on the floor right beside them. How could they have slept through that? Did they ignore the baby's cries, thinking it was just more of the same? This has been bothering me a bit.

To be honest, I've seen the pictures of the parents, and they seem like the type that would be very negligent. An investigation is certainly in order, but charging them without proof of any wrongdoing would be foolhardy.

Jawbone54 · Dec 12, 2006, 03:50 PM

WHOA!!! Didn't read the FOX News article because I didn't know it was different from the news report I saw last night..

"This puppy might have been trying to nurse on the toes of this baby," veterinarian Michael Dale speculated. "I know that sounds a little far fetched, but that's the first thing that comes to my mind."

Teresa Miller, who sold the puppy to the Hansches, was skeptical the dog did it. "He didn't chew on anything while he was with me. Out of all of them (in the litter), he was the least chewy."

Another veterinarian, Dr. Valri Brown, said if the puppy chewed off the infant's toes, it would not have happened quickly. "It would have to be a period of time — maybe at least an hour," she said.

An hour? The child was lying right beside them and was having its toes ripped off, possibly for as long as an hour? More suspicion.

nonhuman · Dec 12, 2006, 03:51 PM

Originally Posted by Millennium

The only reason this got into the news is because it happened to be a pit bull.

This sort of thing happens depressingly often, and most of the time put bulls or other so-called "dangerous breeds" aren't involved at all. This is what happens when parents leave a baby alone with an animal. It happens with dogs and cats of all breeds. This is why you shouldn't leave babies and animals unsupervised together.

Exactly. But it doesn't sell papers when your headline is 'Irresponsible parents inadvertently injure their child through the blameless agency of a puppy'.

andi*pandi · Dec 12, 2006, 04:12 PM

Originally Posted by Jawbone54

An hour? The child was lying right beside them and was having its toes ripped off, possibly for as long as an hour? More suspicion.

theory: they weren't sleeping on the bed, but passed out from drugs or alcohol, and thus didn't wake up fast enough.

I used to be up out of bed the second I heard a cry from the nursery.

nonhuman · Dec 12, 2006, 04:13 PM

Originally Posted by andi*pandi

theory: they weren't sleeping on the bed, but passed out from drugs or alcohol, and thus didn't wake up fast enough.

I used to be up out of bed the second I heard a cry from the nursery.

That was my first guess too.

OAW · Dec 12, 2006, 04:18 PM

I'm assuming the way the article was written reflects what happened for the purposes of my comment above. Of course, things may not have gone down that way but it's what I have to go on for now. Having said that, the article gives the impression that the child was next to the parents and everyone was asleep. The dog bit off the baby's toes. Baby starts crying. Parents wake up and see the damage after the fact. Parents take baby to hospital. All in all ... it sounds like an accident.

Now if, in fact, the dog was munching on the kid's toes for some period of time and the parents didn't realize it because they were drunk, high, or whatever ... then that's a totally different situation altogether.

OAW

Kevin · Dec 12, 2006, 04:19 PM

I am not sure if I had a newborn baby, I would be getting a pitbull puppy. Or any dog that wasn't trained.

I wonder if they had a bunch of cats too.

Jawbone54 · Dec 12, 2006, 04:20 PM

Originally Posted by andi*pandi

theory: they weren't sleeping on the bed, but passed out from drugs or alcohol, and thus didn't wake up fast enough.

I used to be up out of bed the second I heard a cry from the nursery.

Exactly. And if you saw their pictures, you'd understand why that theory has even more merit.

Jawbone54 · Dec 12, 2006, 04:22 PM

Originally Posted by OAW

...the article gives the impression that the child was next to the parents and everyone was asleep. The dog bit off the baby's toes. Baby starts crying. Parents wake up and see the damage after the fact. Parents take baby to hospital. All in all ... it sounds like an accident.

That's the problem. According to one of the vets, it took a while to get that bad--as long as an hour. Four toes aren't gnawed off in 10 seconds.

OAW · Dec 12, 2006, 04:30 PM

Originally Posted by Jawbone54

That's the problem. According to one of the vets, it took a while to get that bad--as long as an hour. Four toes aren't gnawed off in 10 seconds.

Well if that is the case then they need to be thrown under the jail! When my son was a baby he woke up screaming one night and I was out of the bed and in his room within seconds. Caught a nasty case of turf toe from pushing off too hard on the floor as well. Turns out it was only a bad dream, but the point is that a responsible parent will immediately check on a screaming child. I can't imagine how a baby getting it's toes chewed off wouldn't be screaming at the top if its lungs.

OAW

ghporter · Dec 12, 2006, 05:34 PM

Originally Posted by IceBreaker

if ever a breed of dog should just be outright banned, pitbulls are it.

Ummm...NO. Leaving a six week old puppy unsupervised is like leaving a human baby alone surrounded by things she could hurt herself with (in fact it could be that that's what happened). Dogs chew-it's part of their makeup. ALL DOGS CHEW.

Now, let's think about how babies communicate. They cry, right? There are different cries for different things from boredom to hunger to pain. Ever heard a baby's "I'm in pain" cry? It "will decalcify your whole spinal column, " to quote Bill Cosby. There's no way any human could sleep through that unless they were somehow impaired.

And to have a puppy (that really IS a very small dog) do that much damage cannot have happened in just a short time-if the puppy did it, it probably took a LONG time. Which is why I don't think that's what really happened; as soon as the puppy nipped, the baby would have reflexively kicked and screamed, and that would have "discouraged" the puppy.

My thought is that they're blaming the puppy for something they did or let happen.

ghporter · Dec 12, 2006, 05:36 PM

Originally Posted by Doofy

WTF? How the hell can they be accused of "desertion"?

See my above post. If you're next to a baby that lets out a "pain" cry and you don't wake up, you've checked out somehow. And "desertion" can take that into account-being too drugged up to hear a baby cry is just as bad as being in a different city.

Dark Helmet · Dec 12, 2006, 05:40 PM

I'm more puzzled why the parents slept on a mattress in the living room with the baby beside them in a seat.

andi*pandi · Dec 12, 2006, 05:52 PM

no bed, no crib?

Some babies sleep better in their carseat also, the upright position helps with gas and spitup problems. I know many parents with perfectly serviceable cribs that let their babies sleep in the carseat for a) peace, b) transition while they do other things, etc. You can't let it become a habit however.