Monday, August 19, 2013

What happened to Gavin?

There was a time when Maggie would have heartily recommended a pit bull as a family pet, but she no longer feel that way. Here is how a real-life education about pit bulls changed her mind.


My boyfriend Greg had had a pitbull named Bexar for 6 and a half years. He'd raised him from a pup and Bexar was a very well behaved dog and listened to everything Greg would tell him. Greg and I got together over 2 years ago, moved in with each other and Bexar came too. I instantly fell in love with Bexar. He was my "sweet boy". He would give you kisses for hours, even smiled at us every time we walked in the door.


I got pregnant in April 2011 and gave birth to our son in Feb. 2012. Everyone in my family was very concerned about Bexar. We insisted that he would never hurt anyone ever! (well, at least we were sure Bexar wouldn't ever actually hurt a person - cats and other animals were a different story). Bexar was great with our son Trenton, just as we expected him to be.


Trenton had just started crawling in September 2012. We would let him crawl over to Bexar, pat him on the head, play with his ears, let Bexar give him kisses, etc. Bexar would even sleep in front of his crib. He had been around kids his whole life. Family, nieces and nephews, friends kids of all ages.

Maggie and Bexar

On Saturday November 10th, 2012 my mom came to my house to hang out and visit and brought Gavin, my 5 year old cousin. Gavin had stayed with us many times before playing with everyone all day, including Bexar, who he loved to play with. Eventually about 10 visitors had arrived at the house and were in the backyard socializing while Greg and I were inside trying to put Trenton to sleep. 


The backdoor was open and suddenly we heard people screaming from outside. Bexar, with zero warning, had lunged at Gavin, and his jaws were clamped down on Gavin's face, right in front of everyone. Let me point out that there were 8 people within arms reach of Gavin when Bexar attacked. This is a critical point, because I have heard from many people about this, who say that they would never leave their children “alone” with "any" dog. Gavin was far from being alone when this attack happened. Even 4 grown men were unable to pry Bexar's jaws off of Gavin's head. Greg ran out and was finally able to get Bexar to release, saving Gavin's life.


Gavin was rushed to the hospital, then transported to Texas Children’s due to the severity of his injuries. He's since had multiple surgeries on his face and jaw and will need more in the years to come. Bexar barely missed his temple, barely missed his eyeball, and barely missed the main artery in his neck. Greg and I took Bexar and had him put down that night.

In retrospect, we had felt supremely confident that Bexar would never do anything like that - ever. We'd argued with many about pit bulls and told them that "it's all how you raise them". I know that there are people out there who still think it's all in how you raise them, and my goal is to educate and raise awareness of the breed, in the hope that future tragedies can be averted. 

We never want to see what we went through happen to someone else's loved ones. I wouldn't wish the pain that our family has gone through, and more importantly, the pain and suffering that it has caused for our sweet Gavin, on my worst enemy.

34 comments:


  1. they did know that bexar was animal aggressive and seemingly were okay about that. attack someones kid or someones pet is perhaps not so different except in how the law perceives it . i quess the dog didnt see a difference afterall and thats what counts .

    ReplyDelete
  2. Excellent post. Thank you and thank the woman who was brave enough to tell her story.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I completely agree with you. The pit advocates will probably have a field day.

      Delete
    2. I completely agree with you. The pit advocates will probably have a field day.

      Delete
  3. maggie is a hero for sharing these details. i suspect there are many more people like her but they are just too fearful to speak out against ledy and jane's pit bull industrial complex. i hope her bravery will inspire others.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes Maggie has morals and guts. She is wise far beyond her years.

      Delete
  4. Maggie said "We never want to see what we went through happen to someone else's loved ones."

    This is pretty much what every victim says and this is what drives public safety advocates to demand regulation on the breed. I am very sorry that Maggie and her family have suffered this tragedy but I value her bravery and honesty. Thank you Maggie!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. @ Aoril 29th: "This is pretty much what every victim says"

      I disagree. A great many pit bull victims let themselves be bullied into saying 'oooo, don't kill the poor mauler pit bull' and follow that up by parroting lots of PBAM tropes. Even fewer pit bull owners have the courage to turn around and say 'I was wrong, and I don't want this to happen to someone else.'

      I greatly admire Maggie for her courage, even more for her personal integrity. She will be helping to prevent more (child) maulings and deaths, most of which she'll never get to hear about. Thank you Maggie!

      Delete
    2. Why can't all pitbull owners just accept that these dogs have dangerous inherent traits?!

      Delete
  5. Thanks for sharing this story and recanting your former belief in the sanctity and safety of pit bulls. Sorry to hear a 5 year old had to suffer to increase everybody's knowledge, but hope this story will save others from the same fate.

    ReplyDelete

  6. i dont think it will increase everybodys knowledge . the ones that are receptive likely already know and those other dunderheads will just carry on as they are . such is the problem with pitbulls and those who like them

    ReplyDelete
  7. Maggie is organizing the Second Annual Event for Victims of Pitbulls and other dangerous dogs in Houston Texas on October 19 2013 to give other families the opportunity to learn from her experiences.
    https://www.facebook.com/Walkforvictimsofpbodd

    ReplyDelete
  8. I am presently enjoying my wine-in -le-box, and earlier today I was reminiscing with my Mom about a Collie we had from '57 to '60 when we lived on my Dad's (nonworking) farm--my Dad was career Coast Guard so my Mom was often alone with then 4 kids, spaced roughly a year apart, I was just after
    Steve at age 5...our Collie, named Duchess (of course) kept an eye on us at all times-our farm was bounded by a very lively river at it's lower border (the Namekagen) with a rolling, unfenced pasture going to it's banks, a railway track on a tall embankment as it came off the highway trestle on one side, white pine plantation on the other side, and a not very busy rural two lane highway at the bottom of a sloping driveway bordered by windbreak trees.
    That Collie would not let my brother and I go down by the river, (of course, we knew absolutely NOT
    to go by ourselves) just by impeding us, gently woofing, and if we persisted, barking urgently toward the house--telling on us! When my youngest sister evaded my Mom's hand and toddled toward the driveway, Duchess grabbed her by her suspenders and gently pulled her off her feet and waited like that till my Mom came. Steve was in first grade in our last year there, and Duchess escorted him to the bus, watched it out of sight, went and waited, watching in the correct direction till Steve got home, and walked up with him, every time. Most touching somehow, is that, as my Mom told it, when we were all in bed in the evening and my Mom sat alone with Duchess and our two white kitties, Mrs. Miniver and Miss
    Muffet, If there was a baby like sound on TV, Duchess would go upstairs and check each bedroom, something she did regularly throughout the night--so, in my opinion, that is a Nanny dog, and I don't think she was anything extraordinary!
    Today a strange, loose Springer Spaniel barked loudly and rushed up to me as I crossed the big PO lawn--no alarm, no nerves, I said
    "hey, whatup" without pausing, dog started wagging, typical Springer..
    In 1960 we relocated to Kodiak Ak, as my Dad was the engineer on a cutter in the Bering Strait--quite a few stray dogs, nobody ever got hurt, was there ever a world like that? Dogs of wildly different sizes playing together or goofing around with us kids--a big silvery Wiemeraner with witchy yellow green eyes who would rest her head on your shoulder and close her eyes for as long as you'd let her...no dead kitties, no dead pets, no fear...I'm pretty old, does anybody else recall that time? (Sigh) Well , Goodnight, all, at least it's a happy vision!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The difference is that back then any dog that showed any signs of aggression was not tolerated and put down instantly. Now people justify it and breed them especially those that own pits. Breeding crazy to crazy just makes more crazy dogs.

      Delete
  9. A sad and salutary lesson, if only ALL Pit Bull owners would heed it. The story of Gavin tells us so many things about Pit Bulls - how they can be family-raised dogs and seemingly child-tolerant and friendly, yet switch in a heartbeat to a child-killing machine; how difficult they are to REMOVE from a victim once a maul is in progress; how their sweet surface nature masks the powerful genetics beneath, to the point where ALL Pit owners believe 100% that THEIR sweet dog would never attack a human being; how eminently unsuitable these dogs are as normal family pet dogs, and how totally unlikely it is that they were EVER designed to be 'Nanny dogs' or child friendly as other dog breeds can be child friendly; how the damage they inflict on human flesh is so devastating and cannot be compared to the bites of 'ordinary dogs'; how NATURE outwits NURTURE time and time again with these types of dogs. Maggie's raw honesty is commendable and her love for Gavin recognisable. We can only hope that her testimony saves others from disfigurement or death. NO dog is worth the risk it brings to the well-being of an innocent child, and Pit Bulls & children have long been an unhappy and deadly mix. Thank you, Maggie.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Thank you for sharing this powerful story and dispelling the myth that "it won't happen to me/my family"... because it did.

    And just like that, it can happen to other families if they CHOOSE to ignore the evidence, the statistics, and the facts... pit bulls were bred to kill, and they are superb at it.

    ReplyDelete
  11. sadfalada
    well i kinda remember those times though i was very young when you had that collie dog . but later on my nanny dog looked after my aged dad and his aged setter and wouldnt bite his new pup no matter how much he deserved it. it was just a shep/mix but had as much heart as any awesome shitbull

    ReplyDelete
  12. They're lovely, aren't they, Snarky, those dogs that are so deeply civilized at heart? It seems bizarre to be told, and frequently, that no baby or young child should be left alone with any dog; I guess my generation didn't regard a trusted dog as a semi-feral camp-follower--then again, we were taught common-sense stuff, from the earliest age--don't tease, Dont startle, kind of a kids-animals golden rule. I don't recall stories of family dogs savaging their own people, or rushing out to murder an inoffensive dog on a leash-- maybe as society becomes more brutal and irresponsible it's reflected in our dogs or choice of dog--I know that's pretty obvious, but I was genuinely surprised last year, in Duluth, when I was asked why I had a miniature poodle (instead of a guarding or sporting dog) and could only answer that it is because his breed, and himself, are examples of what a good person should be--intelligent, unafraid, expecting good from people and animals, sensitive, funny, responsive without being subservient, welcoming and kind-how odd that anyone should question that anyone prefer poodles--yet in today's world, so many people disdain them--someone here wrote brilliantly about how pit bulls have altered and damaged our perception of the human-canine relationship--so true, and while I have always been sensibly wary of strange dogs, I never imagined anything worse than a leg or arm bite, certainly not a mortal encounter. Pit bulls have altered our enjoyment of even the most innocent picture--One of my horse mags has a photo gallery at the end, people send in pics- one I loved was of a lady standing on a foggy beach, her horse (too young to ride, judging by the pic) standing by her side looking interestedly out at the water, the lady bundled in jacket and hat-just a pair out for a stroll...then, I have to imagine the entrance of a pit bull!
    Your Shep mix sounds like such a super dog! Another very intelligent, “responsible" breed, that shows almost human comprehension!

    ReplyDelete

  13. yes, any dog might bite but most wont without provocation and even then its only a bite . ive been bitten at least half a dozen times and even by a big powerfull dog , a shepard and none of these were serious wounds . gone are those times of kids freely playing and riding bikes ect and neighborhood dogs living outside their whole lives. i do mourn for the past when you didnt have to look over your shoulder or wonder what kind of creatures lived next door.











    ReplyDelete
  14. Thank you, Maggie, for telling Gavin's story. It is heart-wrenching, and the excellent point made that supervising children around pit bulls is a gamble.

    ReplyDelete
  15. I commend Maggie too! We all know too well the ferocity and insanity of pit-a-ganda... It's sad how simply telling the truth these days is a danger and frightening gamble because of the potential backlash from a swelling army of crazed mental deficients. The world would be a brighter and more decent place if more pit owners had Maggie's open mind,heart, humility, and courage to do what's right, especially when what's right is not what's popular.

    ReplyDelete
  16. Interesting that this pittie was named Bexar....Bexar County has known for years that pit bulls are dangerous.

    2000; Bexar County, Texas: Dr David Blocker's Masters Thesis in Public Health done with full cooperation of Bexar Animal Control and Health Department:


    "The odds of a Pit Bull in Bexar County causing a bite were five times greater than for all the other breeds combined, at 4.9 to 1. Chow Chows and Rottweilers also had odds greater than the average, at 2.9 to 1 and 1.8 to 1, respectively. The odds ratios for German Shepherds and Labrador Retrievers were significantly lower than the average, at 0.67 to 1 and 0.26 to 1."

    ReplyDelete
  17. Maggie is wonderful for sharing her story.

    It seems like for many people, once they've come into close contact with a pit bull and aren't immediately growled at or attacked, any sense of unease/distrust they may have had towards the breed evaporates. Suddenly all the mutant advocate talking points ("media bias", "It's all how you raise them", "people friendly" etc.) become crystallized in their minds as truth.

    Surely even among the converted there are some who maintain a twinge of doubt as to the real nature of these animals, it just disturbs them so much they resist allowing themselves to think about it for long. Any amount of cognitive dissonance means there's hope though. I plan on sharing this testimony and others like it with loved ones (strangers as well) who've been "won over" by pit bulls, because it doesn't hurt to try.

    ReplyDelete
  18. How could a dog ever be considered safe, especially around children, when it is known to be UNSAFE around cats and other animals? All that keeps running through my mind is a vision of my little niece playing on the front lawn hugging her kitten. What would this bloodthirsty cat hater had done to her if he had walked by?

    ReplyDelete
  19. I do think there's a big difference between human-directed and other-animal-directed aggression. I had a working-lines Jack Russell Terrier who was the USA #1-ranked obedience dog of his breed and an award-winning therapy dog. We visited 8 nursing homes a year (in the UK and USA), including places no other therapy dog was trusted to go. I'm talking brain-injured patients and stroke patients who occasionally picked him up by a pinch of skin on his face or back, then shook him and dug their nails into him while he squealed in pain. If any dog could ever be driven to aggression, this should have done it. But he was as gentle as a lamb. Just waited for me to unclench their hands and rescue him.

    At the same time, this dog killed about 200 animals when off duty. Almost all the killings happened while on leash or confined in a securely fenced area on my 10 acre property. He killed multiple stray cats, racoons, possums, squirrels, woodchucks, moles and large snakes. He played nicely at dog parks for 4 years, but eventually also became strange dog aggressive. However, for his entire 14.5 year life, he never showed even a hint of aggression towards humans, sheep, horses or other household dogs. As mentioned, he was pushed extraordinarily hard but still never acted at all aggressively with humans.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you S.K.Y, there is a difference between AA and HA, and your experience with your JRT makes that clear. I have a chihuahua who is very aggressive towards other animals, bless her heart, but is completely subservient towards her humans. But there are a couple of thoughts that come to mind:

      The first is that pit bulls, although overwhelmingly animal aggressive, also seem to have little inhibition towards attacking humans. While small children and the elderly seem to make up a preponderance of pit bull attacks, they will also happily maul adults, and they basically have a lock on the "maul the owner to death" market.

      The other thought is that even if pit bulls were "only" animal aggressive, I do not want my animal companions tortured to death by pit bulls, thank you very much, and I will fight for them if such an attack occurs. The fact is, there is simply no place in a civilized, animal loving world for these purpose bred animal torturers. At leat not in my opinion - I'm sure the pit freaks will disagree.

      Delete
    2. Not so much: http://dogbitelaw.com/dangerous-vicious-dogs/a-propensity-to-attack-other-dogs-means-a-dog-is-dangerous-to-people.html

      Delete
  20. I think she's incredible to tell her story. After all she's been through she's getting bad comments on her thinking after it's all happened. Hindsight is 20/20! Everyone has done something they regret, to different degrees of severity. Just be thankful she's not one of the thousands that see their son (or cousin) in a coffin in their dreams at night like I do my precious cousin Levi, who was only 4.

    ReplyDelete
  21. Dogs should not be aggressive towards any human or animal. The fact that she said Bexar couldn't be trusted around animals proves he wasn't trained properly.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Wrong. "Pit Bull Rescue Central -- one of the leading pit bull educational websites on the Internet -- is startlingly clear when it talks about the realities of pit bull ownership.

      Pit Bull Dog Aggression:

      It is a fact that our APBTs, ASTs and pit mixes come with a built-in fighting heritage. It doesn’t matter where we get them from, whether it be the pound, a stray we pick up, or a puppy we buy from a breeder. The majority of pit bulls will, at some point in their lives, exhibit some degree of dog-on-dog aggression ... We cannot predict when or where it will happen and we can’t love, train or socialize it out of the dog. Pit bulls may not start a fight, but they will finish it.

      Pit Bull Fight Prevention:

      Do not bring an adult Pit Bull to an off-leash dog park or any other area where it may come into contact with other dogs running loose.
      Early socialization MAY help, but is not a guarantee that your Pit Bull won't become dog-aggressive at some point. ALWAYS be prepared for it!
      Take note that a fight can strike suddenly and for no apparent reason. Warning signs can be very subtle with Pit Bulls and even completely absent in certain cases.
      Remember that these dogs were "bred" to fight Submission signals that would indicate the end of the hostilities can be ignored in the heat of a fight by Pit Bull type dogs.

      Breaking Up a Fight

      Pit bulls are terriers and were bred to recognize other dogs as "prey." Simply put, in a fight, the other dog becomes a "rabbit." Terriers grab a hold of their prey and shake.
      Remember that a fight may not always be preceded by growling, barking or posturing. One second everything is fine and the next the dogs are going at it. Excitement and external stimulus, such as a squirrel or cat running up a tree, can trigger a fight.
      A wagging tail doesn't mean a dog won't fight. In fact, a wagging tail is often a signal of excitement and the faster the tail goes the more excited the dog is. As explained above, intense excitement can trigger a fight."

      Delete
  22. This is the problem with pit owners- they ALL seem to have the same mental defect, they ALL think THEIR dog is different. That is why we need BSL. These people cannot be trusted in their overly biased opinion of THEIR dog.

    ReplyDelete

Comments accepted only on current articles.

In order to keep the signal to noise ratio within reasonable limits, we reserve the right not to publish any comments deemed inflammatory, repetitious, inane, comments which contribute nothing other than drama, or comments which appear to be a copy and paste of talking points that have no discernible connection to the article at hand.

Note: If there is no apparent means of emailing you for clarification or follow-up, don't expect your comments to be published.