Friday 7 October 2022 05:16 PM No parent should ever endure horror of kids mauled to death by the family pet: ... trends now
No parent alive read the horrific news out of Shelby County, Tennessee on Wednesday without shuddering.
A five-month-old baby boy and his two-year-old sister mauled to death by dogs inside their own home.
Hollace Dean Bennard and Lilly Jane Bennard were pronounced dead at the scene. The children's mother, 30-year-old Kristie Jane Bennard, was severely injured in an attack allegedly lasting over 10 minutes.
She was hospitalized in 'critical condition' and is still in recovery with an 'uncountable amount of stitches and bites marks over her entire body including her face,' according to a family member's social media update on Thursday.
Perhaps most sickening of all, the animals were undoubtably beloved members of the family.
They were the Bennard's pets and they were pit bulls.
I understand that what I am about to say next will elicit strong — dare I say, outraged — reaction, but it must be said: How many times must we witness these horror stories before we wake up to the dangers of this breed of dog?
The modern pit bull, like all breeds, have certain defining characteristics that were selected for over time. Sheepdogs were bred to herd sheep. Golden retrievers were bred to retrieve. And pit bulls were bred to bite.
Hollace Dean Bennard and Lilly Jane Bennard were pronounced dead at the scene. The children's mother, 30-year-old Kristie Jane Bennard, was severely injured in an attack allegedly lasting over 10 minutes.
The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals notes on its website that today's pit bulls are, 'a descendant of the original English bull-baiting dog—a dog that was bred to bite and hold bulls, bears and other large animals around the face and head.' Later, pit bulls were repurposed for the vile practice of dog fighting.
I ask: Why on Earth would a family with small children keep pit bulls in the home?
Losing a child, let alone two, is an unimaginable loss indeed.
The deep sadness and sorrow that I feel for the Bennards is real. I pray that they can recover physically and emotionally from this tragedy, but I know some wounds will never heal.
Their loss is beyond comprehension, and they are by all accounts loving and caring parents, who in no way intended to put their children in any danger. But the deaths of their kids should be a learning moment for other parents.
I am no dog expert, and I don't claim to be. But I am a parent and a person capable of looking at the facts in front of my face and making a decision about the welfare of children.
Of course, there is behavioral variation among dogs. There can be gentle pit bulls and aggressive Golden Retrievers, but in my opinion, the average pit bull presents a greater risk than the average Labradoodle.
Does anyone really disagree with that?
But for some reason, when reasonable people question whether dogs bred for fighting should be in the homes of children others shut their ears.
