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Loading...Activists Campaign To Save Dog That Killed 1-Year-Old
Should a dog that killed a 1-year-old little boy be euthanized or allowed to live out its life at a sanctuary? It’s a question that will be debated in Las Vegas, NV on Friday after a tragic attack left Jeremiah Eskew-Shahan dead on his first birthday.
Jeremiah’s grandmother, Elizabeth Keller was exhausted when she gave the toddler his bottle and laid him down on the living room floor at 10p.m. on April 27. The family had finished celebrating the boy’s first birthday and was ready to relax. Their dog Onion, a 6 year-old Mastiff-Rhodesian ridgeback mix, was already asleep on the floor. Jeremiah crawled over to Onion, as he had done many times before, and grabbed onto the 120-pound dog to pull himself up. As his grandmother reached down to pick him up, Onion acted out of character and latched onto the boy’s head. Jeremiah’s father immediately rushed into the room, but the damage had been done. Jeremiah’s neck was broken and his face was mutilated. The baby was airlifted to a trauma unit where he died the next morning.
The boy’s father, Christopher Shahan, told the Las Vegas Review-Journal he lost two family members on April 27, his cherished son and his beloved pet. He voluntarily surrendered Onion to Animal Control for the dog to be euthanized after a 10 day quarantine period.
“For what he did to my son, he deserves to be punished,” said Christopher Shahan. “I’ve already accepted the fact that he’s dead.”
Onion was scheduled to be euthanized on May 8, but was given a reprieve by a local judge after lawyers working for the Lexus Project, a dog advocacy group, filed a temporary restraining order. The Lexus Project wants to send Onion to a Colorado sanctuary that specializes in handling large and aggressive dogs.
“We’re happy about the judge’s decision,” Lexus Project president Robin Mittasch said. “Now Onion will have his day in court.”
“It’s a tragedy what happened, believe me, I’m a mother and grandmother,” Mittasch said. “But on the other hand, the dog didn’t do anything wrong. He doesn’t know what he did.”
Les Golden, a Chicago-area dog rescuer said, “The dog deserves to be saved.” Based on news reports Golden believes Onion is not dangerous and acted “instinctively after being spooked by the child” while he slept.
Lisa Kavanaugh, owner of Blue Lion Rescue where Onion would be sent if he gets his reprieve, said she would welcome the dog to her 35-acre ranch. She said, “Any dog from any breed can bite under certain conditions.”
“If it’s an accident, why not give him a chance?” said Kavanaugh. “He’s never, ever going to get a chance to hurt anybody else.”
Animal Control officers feel differently. They declared Onion a vicious dog and the state mandates that he be euthanized.
“The dog attacked and killed a child,” said Keith Paul Animal Control spokesperson. “It would be irresponsible for us to allow this dog to be adopted out.”
Onion has been with the Shahan family since he was a puppy. The family credits the dog with helping Jeremiah’s grandmother battle lung cancer and say he never showed aggression toward anyone including the 1-year-old prior to the mauling.
Should Onion be given a second chance to live at a sanctuary or should he be euthanized? And if Onion is allowed this special consideration, shouldn’t every dog sitting in an animal shelter waiting to be euthanized, be given a second chance too?
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Read more: animal cruelty, animal rights, animal welfare, group hopes to save dog that killed one-year-old, Las Vegas dog attack one-year-old, pets
Photo Credit: DallasKrentzel
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358 comments
+ add your ownOkay so if it is alright for a DOG to do this then I should be allowed to "instinctively" kill whomever I chose as well... GROW A BRAIN PEOPLE!
Why should a dog be killed for reacting instinctively? We wouldn't do that to a person. Are human children so sacrosanct that they can do anything to a dog and the dog will be persecuted for reacting on its instincts?
I remember this story, especially as I was attacked for supporting euthanasia for the dog. What upset me was the lack of empathy of so many posters for the little boy...I remember one woman calling him a "little snot"...and the implication that the child's life was worth far less than the dog's life.
Just for the record, I love animals, and support animals rights with time and money.
Like Emma, I am wondering whatever happened to the dog.
To Kathy p regarding your comments, you also need to learn a bit about animal behaviour. Why do you scold your dogs for nipping your child, don't put your dogs in that position and don't let your child annoy the dogs. Next thing it will be your child with a serious bite and you will be surprised
I doubt whether the dog acted unnaturally. Mpre likely he had been giving warnings which had been ignored or misinterpreted. I don't care how good the dog is NO DOG should ever be left at will with kids, you cannot second guess what a child will do and any dog not used to the noises that children make or the sudden movements will react. Sadly this infant died the dog will probably be euthanized.
People really need to be made more aware of dog behaviour and understand them better - only then will these tragic accidents stop happening.
The poor dog reacted and didn't know he was going to kill the little boy...it's 2013...does anyone know what happened to the dog...?
If I dog killed or injured my son, it would be euthanize. Period. I love my two dogs very much, and they have nipped at my child on occasion. playing. Never hurt him. If they hurt him a little, they get a scolded. if he hurts them, he gets equally scolded. But the truth is that human life is more valuable to me. My son's life and well being out weighs a dog's. Any good parent would choose their child over a dog
since this is an 'old' incident... is there any way to find out if the dog is living his life in a sanctuary now? or did the idiots kill him for being a dog and acting within his nature? no one should ever wake a dog sleeping with anything unexpected. I feel sympathy for the family who lost their child, however, that was a completely avoidable accident and most certainly NOT the fault of the dog!
I do not agree with BSL under ANY circumstance, but just for the record to those posting- this dog was a MASTIFF X RIDGEBACK . Mastiff being the dog with the strongest bite pressure of all the domestic dogs, and by the way goldens are the "bitiest" of ALL breeds. This poor dog was woken from a dead sleep by "something" on him, he did not "attack" the baby- he reacted. One grab and the damage was done. Send Onion somewhere safe, to live out his innocent life.
I feel bad for the family however, you should never put a child on teh floor with a dog. It's an animal, and will react abdly if woken or spooked. The child should never have been left unattended on the floor. I hope Onion get sto go to the sanctuary!
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