i have to agree its not just the breed thats violent ALL pets (CAN) be violent not just a certain type and it is all in how you raise them im a proud owner of a pit and he woudnt hurt anything or anyone

Maybe Micheal Vick can shed some light on this issue....

This has nothing to do with this pit owner!! Just our society in general
Ok For those of you that are for the banning of the pitbull, do you not have a mind of your own. Can't you see that it is just a fad just like the smoking ban. "Let's be cool like everyone else and ban pits and stop smoking." I'm the owner of three pitbulls, ages from 8, 6, 4. My dogs have never been aggressive unless one of us is being hurt. However, I would have to put one of my own down if it bit someone without reason. Pitbulls are a very old old breed and this was never a problem back then. Why? Because if a pit showed aggression toward a human it was terminated. Period no exceptions. They were once known as the best family dog known to man. It is very unfortunate that a lot of pit owners (not this owner) are worthless low lifes, sh** crickers that give all the good ones bad names. They are the ones who are breading that human aggression gene to generation to generation. AS for the police, instead of punishing the good owners, look around there is still dog fighting going on even in KV(that's a fact) and everywhere else. Do something!! Those poor dogs don't know any different, and we are turning the blind eye to the source of the problem. Get a sting going and arrest the owners responsible for this "pitbulls gone bad" history that is developing. I would never get rid of my dogs because of a ban. Sh** they are the only thing I have to protect me from the child molesters, that society has just accepted to be let out of jail after they have took a child's innosence. Also, I wish we could give the death sentence to child melesters, like we do pitbulls!! That's in their gene as well. But oh no, lets put them in protected custody so no one will hurt them while their in jail. Then let them out so they can do it again. Take a look at the sex offenders list. Some of them have been convicted 3 or 4 times and still society allows them to return. Sex offenders are kinda like pit bull fighting owners!! No matter how horrible the crime they commit, society lets it go. While the child and the pit are the ones who pay for their actions.

Regardless of what breed of animal you own, everyone needs to make sure that their animal is vaccinated and that they have easy access to the paperwork to prove that vaccination. My daughter was bit by a rottweiler exactly one year ago today and it took 12 days for them to determine if she would have to have the series of rabies shots. As a dog owner myself, I could walk right into my house and pull out a folder and tell you the date and most likely the time that my dog recieved her vaccinations and provide you with the veterinarian's name so that you could verify the information yourself.
As a parent, I did my research on dog bites and rabies and the odds are that if you get bit by a dog you will most likely need to get the rabies shots. I also learned that if you are not vaccinated within 10 days of getting bit by an unvaccinated animal and you develop the illness your only hope at survival comes with getting the shot within 48 hours of the bite. Once the disease gets into your system there is no know cure, death is almost a sure bet at that point.
PLEASE BE RESPONSIBLE, GET YOUR ANIMALS VACCINATED AND KEEP THE RECORDS EASILY ACCESSIBLE. Don't make another parent worry that they will lose their child to a disease that could have been avoided with a $10 shot once a year. Thank you for reading my comment.

pit bulls are a real beautiful breed and wonderful animal but they are just like any other dog you cant trust them. I've raised many loyal pit bulls but ive learned early on not to get too attached cause its evident that we (humans) outlive dogs. I finally got tired of my neighbor killin all my dogs, so when a drunken man trespassed through MY YARD and got attacked by my dogs in MY YARD I decieded it wasnt worth being sued over. So i eliminated all of my wonderful dogs. Over the years I have killed many of a dog for alot less!! So now we live happier without pit bulls crappin in our yard and dont have to worry about the dogs gettin us in trouble. America is not the place for a Gang Bred Dog.

Maybe the police should have arrested the pit bull and run him through the courts and let a judge give the dog an assult charge, possibly a felony with some supervised probation and some community service. Get real, dog attacks human= dead dog regardless of breed. Maybe when some of you biting dog supporters get attacked you will see things in a different light

We all have sympathy for a child that has been molested.This particular story is about a pitbull being shot,not a little girl being molested.Off Topic Jane Doe.

where were the patner at the time. ANY TYPE OF DOG WILL TRUN ON U. i have 2 pit bull they never bite no one. people need 2 get life. its the owner of dog is the blame 4 makeing the dog mad not dog. pit bull made 2 fight that stare here in USA. pit bull are one of the most audsent in USA.

Lets face it, It’s not that people don’t care about the little girl. Its that there wasn’t any sides to take up a battle on this story. In the story of the pervert and the little girl everyone in their right mind will say oh my. Now in the case of the pit bull everyone picks a side. They bash the dog, they bash the police, they bash the dog’s owners, they bash all pit bulls, heck they bash pepper spray. This story got so much attention because people could take sides and come out swinging. By simply reporting a news event, people picked up their spoons and tried to stir the pot. People love to fight on line and rather than make a difference because of this event, and work to see it don’t happen again we all got on line and gave KTVO several page views. Good Job KTVO that’s what its all about

The main point is that no one should have to be scared to walk up to your house to deliver something or even down the street. Dogs in genreal are a problem. They do things when you are not home that they wouldn't do when your around. I don't hate dogs. But it is imposible for anyone to say my dog won't bite. If it has teeth it can bite. So lets be thankful this was brought to our atention, and make sure that all of our dogs are tied up so that they can not get lose. It could have been a lot worse. Say a child walking down the street. No one would like to get bit.

Well said Jane,i couldn't of said it better myself.The little Girl deserves a lot more concideration than any danged fool dog..I think i misspelled you're last name,,sorry..

Kids and dogs have been my priority for many years. No not all pitbulls are aggressive. Yes all pitbulls need training and disapline, and responsible pet owners, penned, kenneled, crated, and if out and about on lead.
Jane Doe, I hope this sexual abuse has been brought to justice. Any man who molestes an 11 yr old child is nothing more than a sex offender, and a pervert. Regardless of his social status or the amount of money he has. This needs to be exposed to higher courts, or the national media. No kidding. This man should not walk the streets to hurt another child. At 60 yr old you can bet this isn't the first child he has abused. I am so sorry for the little girl. I hope she can find someone she can trust to council her. She will need it.

What a sad sad story. Poor dog that attacks people gets shot. Brings a tear to the eye doesn't it.
Want to hear something even sadder??? An 11 year old girl was molested by a 60+ year old man. And while all you people sit around crying over poor cujo this little girl is sitting at home hurting EVERY DAY by what this man did to her. I guess you have to have your priorites though, right?!?
Animals are way more important than children. Guess my priorities are a little out of sort. See even in this story someone, a person, got hurt and you're all still focusing on the DOG. I love animals just as much as the next person but I have to say that I do value life, and innocence far more than animals.

I needed a good laugh this afternoon! Thanks for the post. "mailman runneth" yup, that's a KEEPER!

for the record, I feel more sorry for the now deceased dog than I do the mail"man", and I'm not a dog lover!

Seriously people! Did you notice the story about a little girl being violated by a sick old man....Come on!

Think on this a second...ever wonder why the only headlines that you hear about are about "Pit Bull" attacks? Let's compare two headlines and see which sounds scarier: "Child attacked and bitten by Pit Bull" or "Child attacked and bitten by Yorkshire Terrier." Attacked by a Yorkie...kinda makes you want to laugh. That is why you never hear of people getting attacked by small dogs. IT SOUNDS EMBARRASING!! Kids are bitten more often by small dogs than Staffordshire Terriers (aka Pit Bull). I know of a guy that works at Truman that had a FAMILY dog (Laborador) that darn near bit his cheeks and mouth off..just out of the blue one day. Some of the meanest dogs I have known have been Yorkies, Pugs, and Chihuahuas! If KV and all it's worry-warts want to put in a ban on "Pit Bulls" because they are "dangerous", then consider all of the other dogs in this town that have bitten someone or is known to be aggressive. It's not just one breed, it's all breeds.

I just want to say I'm sorry to Mr. Pagliai and Nikki. It was an unfortunate event.

Also, if I'm not mistaken most dogs are "bred to kill." Before you flip, hear me out, the "pit" was to kill bulls. The bassets were bred with shorter legs so they could get into holes to catch badgers (or something like that). "Fox" Terrier was for foxes. All dogs, waaay down the line, were bred for killing. You can learn that by watching a dog show on Animal Planet.
Today the population of people looking for said 'killer dogs' is very limited compared to the people that just think they are good looking dogs.
Wild animals catch their food. Cats kill birds and mice all the time. IT'S THEIR NATURE. So when we are all pointing fingers and saying "it's bred to kill" let's just calm down. I'm sure Nikki, like many other pet owners, wasn't thinking, hmm I want a dog that will kill things, and so she bred it that way. No she rescued the dog, from who knows what kind of life before. Most people pick the dog by what they find to be a good looking dog, or what fits thier lifestyle. And some REALLY amazing people rescue whatever breed they need to so they can have happy lives too. Instead of sitting in a pound because someone didn't do their homework and find out if they dog needs more exercise than they can provide, or food, or whatever.
I have a Heeler mix- did I go looking for a dog that would nip at my heels when we played? Obviously not. But a long time ago that is what her ancestors were bred to do and it is in her blood.
Just please remember that when we all start judging the owner/dog/mailman. dogs haven't always just been cute companions. "Back in the good old days" dogs were extra workers...
Again Nikki, sorry for your loss. And Mr. Pagliai, hope the arm is doing much better.

They kill.period.

No I may not know a lot about Pepper Spray but you do not know a lot about dogs. I do agree with the Ban Stupid People!! But if they did that our towns population would drop over half!

I have been bitten myself by a cattle dog when stopping to inform a family that their cattle were out on the highway. My stupidity for going onto their property! I did not approach or provoke the dog at all. But you can bet I will never stop to tell anyone about their cattle again.

A postal carrier and/or other civil servent is another story. They have to go onto property and they have to go by it. My husband is a substitute carrier and has been bitten twice within the last two months. He loves dogs, and knows them quite well as we raise labs. He did not provoke or approach either dog, and was still bitten. And neither family could provide proof that the dogs had even been vacinated, thus he had to go for shots.

ALL pets, regardless of their type (cat, dog, goat, whatever) are the responsibility of the owner. Accidents happen but an owner is still responsible. Just like a car accident... no one means to rearend the car in front of them, but you are still responsible. Leash laws are in place to protect others from pets AND to protect pets from harm too. And when a pet breaks out of their fence, off their leash, or gets out of a house, it is the owners responsibility.

This is a sad story indeed, i too had a pit bull when i lived in kirksville, but now live in brashear where they have a pit bull ban, so i had to get rid of my baby who did absolutely nothing wrong! some people need to actually know the history of the pit bull before they start making all there comments. As i recall they were bred for bull baiting, not fighting each other til later, again what was the source of the problem HUMANS. Humans made them what they are today. They say pit bulls were bred to fight, did you know that Boxers, English Bulldogs, and even cute lil Boston Terriers were all bred from the same line!! The pit bulls aren't the problem here folks, its just stupid people. You wouldn't let a pet tiger run around town would you? A dog is MOSTLY domesticated, but it is still an animal. I have seen every breed of dog bite. Did you know that Labs are banned in some parts of Australia!! The most decorated war dog in history WAS a PIT BULL NAMED STUBBY! The first recognized breed by the UKC was a PIT BULL TERRIER! They are also used for search and rescue and therapy dogs. Its all in the eyes of the beholder. People hate what they do not understand.Most people probably wouldn't know a "pit bull" if they seen one. I have a boxer and people say look at that big pit bull. A dog is a dog is a dog! PUNISH THE DEED NOT THE BREED. YES I SUPPORT BSL "BAN STUPID LEGISLATORS !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I believe they shot the dog a second time so that it wouldn't lay there and suffer. And I'm pretty sure it's also scarring for a child to see a dog attack people.

And I believe you are referring to PETA not PEDA. And you are right, PETA would probably be upset, however they have a reputation for being upset over just about everything. Big deal.

If I was in the area with a stroller, I would have been TERRIFIED. I think the police responded exactly as they should have.

The fact of the matter is that dogs like all other pets are animals. We may think that they are domesticated, but they are in fact animals and we can't control what they do all the time. It was an unfortunate accident, but sometimes a dog will bite. Pitbulls have been bread to be aggressive dogs, but I know several people who have very gentle pitbulls. I think that it is in all in how you raise any animal. It should also be noted that Mace/Pepper Spray does not always work on some people either. Some people and animals are not effected by it all the same way. But if you think about, how much stronger is a dogs sense of smell? More than a humans, so its gotta hurt more. Unfortunatley when it comes down to me being bit by a visually aggressive dog or shooting a dog, I will pick me over the dog any day.

I love the way people are saying this dog "wasn't aggressive". Did you not read the story a mail carrier was BITTEN. I say this would have been the first of multiple issues with this dog. There always has to be a first time a dog bites someone unfortunately it was this mailman. How many stories do we have to hear or videos on tv of people being attacked do we have to see before you wake up. But at the end of the day this dog got what it deserved and the officer should be commended for his actions of not only looking out for his own life but ours too.

I'LL OWN MY PITBULL JUST LIKE I'LL OWN MY GUN!

I think that your line about the dog not stopping after it had been sprayed with OC is the dumbest thing I've heard in a while. As someone who has been certified in the use of OC (which includes being sprayed with it), I can tell you that a human being does not stop just becuase they think "OH, I've been sprayed, I should stop what I'm doing." They stop because it causes pain and discomfort. There is also a percentage of the human population that OC does not have any effect on at all. So it don't suprise me that the dog didn't respond to the pepper spray. Many mail carriers and paper delivery folks carry stuff to deter dogs that is a form of pepper spray, but, just like humans, it is not a 100% thing that will work. Now, I am a dog lover myself, but, if I find myself in a situation where I was in the officers shoes, I might not have even wasted time with the pepper spray, not because I want to shoot first, but the dog, (regardless of the breed) had already attacked and bitten someone else, then became aggressive towards myself, or anyone else I was sworn to protect, my first action would have been a head shot. Most importantly, my actions would not have been influenced by the breed of the dog, only behavior at injuires that the animal was capable of inflicting.
I guess my point is that if you have no knowledge of something, you should refrain from speculating on things.

Has the dog never seen the mailman before with his "Big Bag?"

I do agree with the man with the German Shepherds. At least he has the common sense to know that his German Shepherds could have a tad of aggressiveness in them; and he is responsible enough to take care of them (and need I say other people by protecting them from the dogs).

I somewhat agree with the person that says that "Stupid People" should be banned. Well, that is what it all boils down to, it isn't the dogs as much as it is the irresponsible owners as demonstrated by the German Shepherd's owners.

It is the "Stupid People" that have caused this problem. So does the owner of this pitbull qualify for the title of "Stupid People?" We will let you be the judge of that.

So the conclusion that we can come to is that whether or not you are a "Stupid" person, you can't watch your animal 24 hours a day. It is your responsibility to make sure the animal cannot anyone else or their property (dogs, cats, etc). If you cannot handle that responsibility, then you should not have an animal.

Had this been my dog (I wouldn't even consider a pit bull), I would have been sad to have lost a companion, but I would have been one of the first to thank the Police for doing their duty. If my dog were to get that out of control, I would have put him down myself had they not done so.

It is sad the dog had to be put down. That goes without saying. But I am curious as to the condition of the mailman. I haven't seen a lot of comments regarding him. I hope he is okay and able to return to work as soon as possible.

That is a great idea to ban pit bulls in Kirksville. Not really!!! Why punish everyone who has a pit bull because of this one dog? Maybe they should ban stupid people from Kirksville, then the population would be very low here. Any dog can become aggressive. PT from Novinger should worry about Novingers problems not Kirksvilles!!!!

I totally agree with the one that said KPD will shoot first and ask questions later. And someone else said of course the dog did not respond to pepper spray! What the heck they are not human so how can they expect them to stop when sprayed??? But then again that is just like the KPD to expect an animal to respond to it. And one other said the animal should not have been able to reach the mail man and that is true but if you read the whole story then you would have realized that they got out through a screen door! Why cant people read the whole story before making judgements????

I don't blame the people involved in the pitbull incident. I am a pitbull owner and she is a lover not a fighter if she was forced to she might fight. Pitbulls have been given a bad rap. Partially because of the pitbull fights in bigger towns and using them as guard dogs. When they are just puppies they are beaten starved and made to be mean. Just get on the internet and you will see what I mean. My son was out last yr during trapping season with his bestfriend a female pitbull. She ran ahead of him looking around all of a sudden wild dogs came up behind him and started growling all he had was a 22. He started shooting and she came running and stood between those dogs and her master she gave a good fight between master and dog finally the wild dogs left or where killed. His dog died 24 hrs later she would not leave her master and died saving him. I know that my son would be dead if it was not for his pitbull.

I am extremly sorry for what happend to MR. Danny Pagliai and appologize to him and his family.I wish I could change what happend Tues. July 28,2009 involving my dog Ceaser. It was a very unfortunate accident that happend and my dog was not trained or taught to be aggresive. Ceaser,mom and dad miss you and love you so much and wish that day never happend. RIP bubby. Sept. 12,2006- July 28,2009

I have known the animal for a long time and he was a loving animal, all of there dogs are loving they are NOT raised to fight as previously mentioned by (The Truth) if he knew the facts the rope that is in the tree in the FRONT yard has been hanging there since the couple have moved in to that house and the signs on the door do not say VISIOUS pit bulls. So know the facts before saying they are trained to fight.

Those of you that believe some pits are aggressive only because they are trained that way, are COMPLETE idiots. Do your homework, learn the history of pit bulls, agression has been bred into them, no if ands or buts. I own German Shepards. Guess what, they are the sweetest creatures on the face of this earth but I treat them with UTMOST RESPECT BECAUSE THEY COULD TURN ON ME! All possible precautions have been taken so that they never attack anyone in public. Step foot onto my property against my wishes, we have a problem, yer gonna get bit. USPS/UPS/FedEx have no fears because there is 0% chance of my dogs getting out to them. Bottom line, regardless of "the door was open to let in fresh air" KEEP YOUR DOGS UNDER CONTROL and there should be no issues.

Remember the story of the little boy in O'town that was MAULED by a pitbull? This could have happened to the mail carrier, any child innocently playing nearby, a baby in a stroller going by and it's mother, etc. Kill the damned things! Now maybe KV will vote to ban these devil heads from being in the city limits!

The thing that gets me more than anything is the fact that it was said "There were Children in the area!" I personally feel sorry for the kids who had to witness this dog get shot not only one time but TWO!! To shoot it twice was just wrong. You shoot something in the ribs it is going to die there is no need to shoot it twice. Boy would PEDA have a field day if they seen this story!!

It's pretty obvious that you do not know the facts here. Since I am their neighbor, I will tell you why its there. The rope hanging from the tree is to tie up their horses... They own horses as well, and they sometimes ride them to their house. Thats what the rope is for.. They have NEVER used the rope to train the dog to fight... The owners of the dog are good people, and this dog was NOT trained to be aggressive... If any of you had been around this dog, you would know that...

As a "pit" owner, I take offense to anyone barking on here about the actions of our beloveds. I worry everyday about the sterotypes given to my pet. I researched pits and what it takes to have them as a companion. Although they require a lot of attention and love, my Gracie is the absolute best dog I have ever owned. If anyone wanted to take the time to research "pit bull attacks", they would be in shock on the amount of mis-identifications there are throughout the country. People need to not judge a book by it's cover....Bottom line is that although the breed may have a sour name in the face of John Q. public, it does not make every pit, or it's owner, a killer. And I for one, will not give up on the breed. I am convinced that it is how they are raised and treated. Yes, there are those who do not have any business having any pet, or children for that matter, that give us responsible pet owners a bad name.There are too many different "types" of people who own pits to start classifying the owners. I do however agree that everyone should be responsible for their animals and their actions, but because I assume the responsibility, that does not make me a bad person.

"THEY PLACE THEIR LIFE ON THE LINE"....hahahahahaha
please please please stop making me laugh so hard. I'm having a hard time typing!
you would think they were in IRAQ!
hahahahaahaha

Attention Everyone...new show on Discovery..."Most Dangerous Jobs in America- "The Mailman Runneth"

I can not believe the people our world is made up of today!!! This post is for "Now You Know". You should have published your name as THE LIAR not THE TRUTH. Your comment was nothing but an out right complete and total LIE!! This owner did not tie this dog up to train it to fight!!! She is totally and completely against animal abuse. She takes in pets who have been abused and tries to find decent homes for them so how dare you tell such a vicious lie! And the comment about the poor mail carrieers. Come on people these guys and gals have a really tough job! How dare you make such an ignorant and mean remark about having dogs chase them so they will do their job faster. SHAME ON YOU!!! Get a heart. My heart goes out to the owners and to the mail carrier.

For the one who said the mail might be faster if a dog was after you, have you ever walked 15 miles a day carring a 35 lb mail bag, in the rain, snow, ice and trying to avoid peoples dog and crap they leave laying in their yard. Mail carriers need to be respected they are putting their life on the line everyday, there has been mail carriers killed on the route by dogs, is it that hard to make sure you keep your dogs tied up or fenced in? If it is maybe you should buy a place in the country.

For those of you who just like to "spout off", maybe you should go back and reread the story. First of all, it clearly states that efforts were made to stop the dog(s) without using firearms. And before someone goes off the deep end and calls me a "skin head" or "animal hater", let me state that I have had a dog all of my life. While I have not had a pit bull, I have raised mixed breeds. Dogs are fast and when they are scared or feel cornered they do unthinkable acts (hmm, sounds like some humans I know). I know Mr. Pagliai and know that he is probably very shaken up by this whole incident. I also know that our police department does not go around "just shooting dogs".

It was an unfortunate incident that is now being blown completely out of proportion by this blog. I feel complete empathy for the dog(s) owners as well as for the officers who had to shoot the dog. Enough has been said. Let the healing begin - PLEASE!

whether or not the dog is a pit bull or not, it should have been were it can not be let out into the public streets. As a former letter carrier the public needs to know that any dog can attack or bite as sweet as it may be. When you not home dogs are very territorial. Summer is a bad time of the year for dog bites, with only screen doors between the dog and letter carrier. Every dog owner needs to access this situation, if your dog can jump on the screen door and force it open, it is not in a secure place. As for the breed of dog, i dont want to be bitten by any. I am just glad that it wasn't a small child injured.

It really doesn't matter what breed it was, the history of that breed, the propensity of that breed to attack folks, how sweet it was the day before, etc.
On this day, in this circumstance, it attacked, was out of control, and was put down after non-lethal methods were attempted. Control your animals. They are animals, not given to always being sweet and predictable.

Okay... some misconceptions here....

FIRST! Pit Bulls are FIVE different breeds and not all of them were bred to fight in the pits. Many of them were bred to handle BULLS... thus the name Bull Terrier, because they were stubborn and strong enough... with a low pain tolerance... to herd in BULLS.

Second, they are not bred to KILL... I hate dog fighting and dog fighters, but even THEY will tell you that they have to have dogs they can handle... ones that are gentle with humans, but tough in the pits.

Third! Helen Keller's therapy dog was a PIT BULL... the most decorated canine war hero of all time was a PIT BULL! At the turn of last century, the breed was the most popular breed for families because of their gentleness with children.

So, read up on the breed... or BREEDS... before you speak.

This dog could have very well been attacking the mail bag to protect the other dog. That is what dogs do... He may not have even known he was biting a human.

That doesn't excuse anything! The owner should have been aware of the location of her animals. They are strong animals and with all the prejudice surrounding them, they could have been stolen, etc. And of course, the worse case scenario happened. So, yes, it was the owner's irresponsibility.

If you own a powerful breed, you have to be able to cope with the consequences.

Ban the deed, NOT the breed!

I Have known Ms. Parrish for a while now, and knowing her, you know her dogs. She is no where near aggressive or mean, she wouldnt hurt a fly. Her dogs are the same. She takes them into stores in town and everything and they are the sweetest animals. Something had to have been done to provoke the animal, because she would never ever raise them to be mean. Not saying it was the mailman or any one person, but something most likely upset them before the mailman got there, and he was in the wrong place at the wrong time. Its really sad to see that people are so against this breed of dog. They are amazing dogs, and like so many other people have said on here, no matter what the breed, its how you train them.

After I began to love these dogs I decided to buy a Tiger and a Lion, they were so friendly and nice, but one day they turned on me for some reason; must be the current recession causing them extra stress.

Just like a lion or a tiger, these dogs are called animals and are programmed for not "niceness."

Silly people, you cannot override genetics with "niceness." The only difference between me and you is that I am not naive enough to think that these types of dogs will never be mean. They are programmed to be mean; and no matter their upbringing or background, there will come a day they will hurt something or someone.

Is there an animal expert out there who can tell us whether pit bulls are prone to aggressiveness/attacks regardless of how their owners train them? Don't certain dogs have temperments that distinguish them from other breeds? And although family and friends of the pet never witness aggresion towards them, isn't it possible that their behavior can change around others (animals, people) that they don't know or view as threatening? And, is it not true that the attack of a pit bull can be more vicious than that of other breeds? And owners, just because you have a loving relationship with your dog, PLEASE respect the safety of strangers who may be walking by, and keep potentially dangerous dogs on leashes. Why was this dog even able to approach the mailman?

What the owner isn't telling you here is that this dog was trained to "fight" check their yard and you'll see the rope hanging from the tree in the back yard where the dog was trained to bite and hold on. Check their door and you'll see the "vicious pit bull on property" sign.
The mailman was bit on the elbow and forearm. His wounds were consistant with deffensive wounds of a person being attacked and putting their arm in front of their body. I have seen wounds caused by dogs attacking someone who was attempting to pet them and those wounds are to the hands of the victims not the elbow, who pets a dog with their elbow?
For the idiot on here who said maybe we should have dogs chase the mailman more often. This man was back to work doing his route the next day in spite of his injury. These people work hard for us day after day. Maybe we should bring a dog to your job and force you to work faster or get bit.

Hey guys guess what? The owners family reads these comments so just a few notes to get your facts straight!!! The owner is not an outlaw! Nor is she hiding anything from the law or the public. The dog was not just let to run. He got out through a screen door where he was locked in his room in the house. The big door was left cracked so he could get some air because the air conditioner was not put in that room yet! Does this really sound like a neglectful owner? I think NOT! This young girl treats her animals better than most people take care of their family members. It is very sad that the mail man was bitten and we truly apologize to him and his family!!! Attacking the owner needs to stop! Please get your facts straight before leaving these unfound accusations against her. She loves her pets just like they are family!!! And remember if this was your family member you would be very defensive when people accuse them of un truths! Be considerate of other peoples feelings and treat them the way you would want to be treated!

what i fail to understand from mr. Bloget is why he has to try to play a race card when that is not the issue here. contrary tp public opinion pits are naturally a gentle breed and people dogs. I have owned pits since 2001 and have never had aproblem with them trying to attack or bite without reason. My 7 year old pit has gone after people but that was because someone was being hostile or aggressive to myself or the family other than that the worst thing she does is try to lick your face off. It doesn't matter who comes to my house she acts great with people even if she does not know you your like a friend she hasn't seen in a long time. Its not the breed of dog that should be on trial its the action of the owner and how they are raised. yes there are cases like this one the dog gets startled and their defenses take over then you have all these people trying to get the dog under control and it makes the situation worse. the dog didn't know what was going on and reacted normally to a situation where it felt threatened any dog would do this not just pits.Granted there are people who raise their dogs to be mean and these are the people that should not own any dog. My advice to anyone who wants to own a pitbull read up on the breed before you decide to get one to make sure that it is the right dog breed for you. people need to take extra precautions when owning a pit. for more info on this you can go to pbrc.com where they have articles with very informative information on the pitbull. As for mr bloget all my pits are raised to be friendly towards people. As for you saying "sounds like we have a skinhead here" would you even know what a skinhead is if saw one? probably not. I haven't seen a skinhead in this area for as long as i have been in the area. So what was the point of saying it in the first place. So before you start labeling people like this you should be sure they are what you say they are. To me it sounds like your very uninformed on both situations. As for me I am proud to be a pitbull owner and I am a skinhead but i don't raise my dogs to have my personality. So check your facts instead of letting your mouth run over.

Please be a little more considerate when placing your comments about the owner. The story says the dog went through the screen door. It's not like she just let him out. It was an accident. Please do not judge her, because you don't know her. She didn't train the dog to be mean. She has a lot of knowledge about pit bulls and compassion for animals. She has been loving and caring for animals since she was a little girl, and she adopted this dog to give him a good home. He was very social and was never an aggressive threat. It's like what someone said earlier, dogs (not just pit bulls) attack when they feel threatened or scared. That's probably what happened with the cause being unknown. Plus dogs aren't like humans when it comes to pepper spray. They're not going to stop where they are and scream and cover their eyes. They are going to get mad and attack. And why should she be charged with assault?? She's not the one who bit the mailman. If you all have any goodness in your hearts, you will get to know someone personally before you verbally attack them and realize that she does a fantastic job when it comes to the care of animals. And please remember that family members are reading these comments and finding the comments directed towards the owner offensive, because of the false assumptions being made. May God bless each of you and keep you safe. And I'm sorry I didn't mention this before but I hope the mailman's wounds heal quickly, and I am thankful that it wasn't someone who was completely unable to defend themselves.

you were a kid at one time do you hate yourself, how could you have so much disregard for human life? We were all kids at one time.

as long as i have known the law enforcement around adair co. has always shot first and then asked questions later. as far as the issue with pitbulls they are no mean dogs the only reason they would ever become that way is if the were trained to attack or kill and NOT everyone that has a pitbull has something to hide thank u very much. thats like sayin people with alot of guns are goin to start world war 3 come on be real for once ive known people that have had pitbulls for the longest time and there have been no problems what so ever. they just have a bad name cause of people like all of you that give them one yeah they have really strong face muscles and jaws and could kill if they had to but that dont mean they will. i am so sick and tired of people always having to have something to complain about why dont you find something good to complain about

i heard on the scanner about a pitbull bite in brasheer not long before this one
what becume of that one?
i even heard it was a repeat offender

pit bulls have no business being anywhere where they can be around people!!

I'm not scared of dogs at all and I never have been. It is unfair to say that (let's get the name CORRECT) American Staffordshire Terrier and/or Staffordshire Bull Terrier are vicious by nature. I remember when I was a kid that THE vicious dog of the 80's were Rottweilers and Doberman Pinschers. The only time I have ever been bitten by a dog was from a Terrier/Lab cross. Does that sound vicious? Not exactly! I would like to know if the mail carrier might have done something to provoke the dog. Seems funny that it wasn't mentioned in the article.

there might need a ban law for them like lowa has and please dont let your dogs run losse because there alot of kids play out side and the cant fight dog off and older ploeple and im for the mail man he has to bring your mail to the house so you should repet him we need the mail clarriers

any breed of dog can be an "attacker".I have been around rotts(they are to be attackers)that was a"baby". this perticular rot was female and i was leery of the breed cause of the media and rep the breed has, my friend and i took my 3 month old walking with this rot and she would step between the stroller and any vehicle that would pass us and then go back by the owner(of course, she was always on a leash) and people walking by could not believe we had a rot around a baby. what is the difference? rot? pit? dobe? dalmation? lab? german shepard? all will attack when they feel there is a threat to themselves or masters or even property. my jack russell will attack if there is a feared threat. come to my house and find out even if we not home and my kids are. try to get in or touch my kids. BUT BEWARE OF THE JACK RUSSELL!!!!!! that will be the next breed in the news. my grandfather had a german shepard that when outside had to be put on a log chain around a tree or telephone pole to keep it from attacking. he was the only one allowed near it. my grandmother was bitten several times by the dog. but this breed it to be good with kids and a good protector. when do you draw the line on any breed. i love dogs and still fear any breed unless i raise it from a pup. it is a combination of the breeding and the way you raise it. you can raise it fine but if you play rough will the animal know when enough is enough with the owners or strangers. ask yourself that one when raising any animal.

not all pits r bad i agree with the animal lovers and nikki im sorry to hear about ur pet and friend. ur house man from out west

I am a pit bull owner and she is the sweetest dog. To the idiot that asked why own one? Why not would be my response to you! They are no different than other dogs. There have been other dogs that have attacked that were not pit bulls but yet you dont see them stories nearly as much. So before you want to judge the whole breed maybe you need to read up on your information!!

..with another poster. Why have these dogs? They are bred to fight and kill...why have that as a pet?

There a lot of wonderful dogs out there--many killled by Pits every year--so why bring a Pit home?

If the owners knew that the dogs had broken out of the house i am sure all of this would have been avoided and also when the cops were trying to catch the dog he was in a yard that was fenced in with only one way out, the drive the officers were standing in. I think they would of had plenty of time to get a tranq gun or contact some neighbors to see if any one owned pits in the area. Most people that own pits know that they are supposed to be registered with the police dept. All the cop had to do was radio in to dispatch and find out if anyone in the area had was registered for owning a pitbull.I'm sure there would have been a different out come.

I wish the person who opened their mouth before thinking had the nerve to say the owners probably had something to hide. This couple has nothing to hide, they don't do DRUGS or anything else. And they don't let their pets run loose.Get your story straight and find out if they let their pets run loose before you open your mouth. I have been around this dog and have not had any problems with him. In fact they needed a sign at the door that said BEWARE OF THE LICKER. He was a sweetheart.
What about the pet snakes in town that could get loose and kill your pets or child.
Glad I don't live in Kirksville.

I am a neighbor to the couple who owned this dog. In the 2 years that we have lived here, the dog was NEVER aggressive to myself or my wife, nor the dog that we own. It was always good tempered, and never even barked at us or our dog when we saw it. I am not sure what happened yesterday to make the dog act the way it did, but I can say for SURE, that this was NOT an aggressive dog...

Obviously the dogs shouldn't have been running loose, but I feel like we're not getting a complete story here. As some one who has had the meter checker let my pit out of the back fence (the dog came to the front door, FYI) I can testify that strange things happen and not all of them entail criminal negligence, so we might be a bit quick on the draw to condemn the owner. Also, I see no account of HOW it came to be that the postal officer was bitten. I'm not terribly surprised that a dog would seem to respond aggressively to being sprayed in the face with pepper spray, either.

I am the first one to condemn dog fighting and the keeping of vicious dogs, but I have also witnessed first hand the prejudice that this fine breed and its owners face. I would love to see our media provide some more complete coverage rather than inflaming an already unsympathetic public with incomplete reporting.

Kris

You people should really grow up. I agree that any animal can become viscious and attack someone. Even their owners. However, Pit Bulls were raised to kill and it's a natural instinct bred into them. I don't care how tame, sweet or cute they are ... they're bred to kill. I don't like the fact that it was someones pet, but they should have taken care of it better and kept it on a leash like it's supposed to be. I think that the right thing was done in this case. And I think that assult charges should have been filed against the owner. (Just my opinion.)
'Most' people ... not all, that own pit bulls simply have something to hide or protect from the public or law officials. I work for a utility and I have had a pit bull turned on me by their owner. I didn't appreciate it and I wouldn't hesitate to kill any animal if it charges to attack me, especially if I'm on public property.

You go Daniel D!! My neighbor has a pit bull and he is the sweetest and most playful and most scaredycat dog I've ever seen. It is so not the breed itself but the way the dog is trained. People need to be held accountable not the animals. They are innocent!!

O.K., I'm not even going to get into the viciousness of pitbulls. They were unquestionably originally bred to fight (in pits...), but for sake of argument lets say that they are no "different" than other dogs as far as temperament. But, WHY own one ? There are a million breeds that are accepted in ANY community and are not "known" to attack. Am I missing something here, or is this another motorcycle without mufflers, full body tattoo, pierce your face shut thing ?

sounds like we have a skin head on here mr animal defender.. First of all you have by no right to compare a child to a dog. Hey animal defender I have a black lab so I must really hate dogs! Not at all, I just dont understand why people must train their dogs per their personality which in most cases are rebel attitudes and turn into attacks.

So let me guess a child and a dog get ran over in the street and you with your wisdom choose to save the dog because you hate your own race. I smell skin head in Kirksville.

You have nerve to threaten to kill me and my kids on this comment board. WOW make sure you shave that head again.

I just have to say that ANY dog can be vicious and attack anyone, even turn on its own owner. People who own a pit bull or any other dog is responsible for the training or the actions of the dog, so if you come across a dog that looks mean and vicious, stay away from it, because more than likely it's been trained to attack. As for the pits running loose, they shouldn't have been, and if it attacked me or tried to attack me or any dog at that, I would of killed it too. Animal owners should keep their pets on a leash.

maybe we should encourage a little "mailman running from the dogs." it could help speed up the postal system!

and to animal defender-
eeeeeaaaasy there boy. sit, sit. ok now rollover. wanna treat? good boy! CALM DOWN

Pit bulls are only aggressive if their owners teach them to be that way....

Animal defender you are too intense

My question is has the president been notified so that he may comment on the intelligence of this police officer.

So, Mr. Blodget - if my pit bull comes in your yard, you will shot it? Guess what...if you come in my yard or your kids come NEAR my house, I'll shoot them. Oh wait, I can't do that can I? Too bad - I hate kids as much as you hate animals. But you can kill an animal for sport. At least the dog is more intelligent than you are and luckily so are SOME of the residents of this town.

Any dog can be vicious! I know there are going to be A LOT of comments about this as there already is, and most of them are FOR pitbulls :) I would just like to say that my father had a pitbull that lived for 13 years before dieing of old age, she was the runt of the litter but turned out to be the smartest dog i'd ever seen! Camping one night and i was walking her down by the water and some drunks had a german shepard and were telling me (age eleven at the time) that their dog would whoop my dogs a** and they were taunting their dog, who was on a leash violently barking and growling at me, and all my PITBULL did was move from one side of me, to the other (she moved to the side closest to them as if getting between us to protect me if anything happen) but she didnt even look over there. And the only time she ever bit someone was when someone tried to rob my dads house when he was renting a movie from in town and i was there by myself (age 12). PITBULLS ARE HERO'S as any dog can be

There's a reason insurance companies consider them vicious!

It is not the breed of a dog I know other dogs that have bitten people and you don't see the news run after those stories. It is always lets say a pit bull did it. Why don't you BAN stupid people.
IT'S A DOG

It's not pit bulls per se. Any dog can be vicious. The issue is when dogs are scared or feel threatened. In this case it's clear that the dog had gotten loose so that can account for some of the behavior. Actually some of the worst dogs for biting mail carriers are small dogs like poodles and Chihuahuas. But since they are small dogs they don't get the blaring headlines like a big dog does.

They should have brought in the K9 dog to help, they could have had a showdown! (Place your bets!)

I agree people should not let their dogs run wild. Pit bull dogs are naturally not violent or mean. I own one and it is the sweetest dog. She is even afraid of the cat. It is all in how people raise their animals. You raise them to be mean and violent and thats what they will be. You raise them right and they can be a cherished member of anyones family!!

Your pit bull comes in my yard and even smiles at me I will shoot him dead on the spot. Pet owners keep your pets out of our yards and off our sidewalks.

Not all pit bulls are bad dogs. They have a really bad reputation because people train them to be mean. You can just as easily discipline them and train them to be nice family dogs. I have known a lot of pit bulls that are great family dogs. It all has to do with the dogs owner.

I have owned American Staffordshire Terriers for over 15 years now and I can tell you, first hand, that it is NOT the breed that is the problem! It is the owners! My two "pits" which included one that simply died of old age, were gentle, loving, affectionate, playful... just clowns! I had a child with disabilities and the older one was his therapy dog.

But I am a responsible Staffie owner! I picked the personality my dogs very carefully and trained them. I never let them out on their own.

But the reason I worked so hard with them was NOT because I mistrusted the dogs, I simply mistrusted people to not be stupid. Pits are sweet natured... for the most part... Like all breeds, there are always those with meaner personalities than others. So lumping them all together is simply WRONG!

Lump together aggressive dogs because, as a child, I was attacked by a few aggressive dogs... a German Shepherd, a Doberman and a Pug... yeah, a PUG!!! Had to get shots from the bite from the PUG!

As long as we continue to make out Pit Bulls as "Outlaw" dogs, then Outlaws will want to own them. And it is the Outlaws that train them to be fighters and aggressive. Just as in the 70s, when everyone was scared of St. Bernards because of Kujo... or in the 80s when it was Dobermans and German Shepherds... or the 90s when it was Rottweilers!!!

So, don't immediately attack the BREED... or should I say BREEDS... Pit Bulls are actually five different types of breeds... and they are not all the same. They are not all naturally aggressive or mean natured. Even those jerks that fight them say they pick the breed because they are gentle with people... otherwise THEY couldn't handle them!

So, please... band AGGRESSIVE dogs and back off from the Pits! Every dog out there has the potential to be aggressive... it is up to the owners to train the dogs, socialize them, and keep them contained or tied up... period.

what if the dog had attacked a kid or an elderly person who didn't have a way to defend themselves? I hope that all pet owners will take extra care to secure their animals. This kind of thing is why Ottumwa has a ban on pit bulls.