Parents Held After Puppy Gnaws Off Baby's Toes

[Kor37 9]

Parents Held After Puppy Gnaws Off Baby's Toes

AP

BOSSIER CITY, La. (Dec. 12) - A puppy chewed off four of a baby girl's toes next to her sleeping parents, who were then booked on charges of child desertion and criminal negligence, police said Monday.

 

Mary Shannon Hansche, 22, and Christopher Wayne Hansche, 26, told police they woke to the baby's cries, found her mangled foot and took her to the hospital early Sunday.

 

Police said that they were sleeping on a mattress and that the month-old girl was in an infant seat beside them when the 6-week-old pit bull began chewing on her toes.

 

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

 

The puppy might have been trying to nurse on the toes of the baby, a veterinarian speculated.

 

"I know that sounds a little far-fetched, but that's the first thing that comes to my mind," Michael Dale said.

 

The girl underwent surgery Sunday in Shreveport. There was no way to reattach her toes, Natale said.

 

The puppy had no record of receiving shots and will be quarantined for 10 days while it is checked for rabies, officials said. Natale said he did not know what the animal's fate would be after that.

 

The child will be placed in a foster home until the case against her parents is settled, officials said.

 

 

 

Yet another instance of a pit bull injuring someone. These things are wild animals and should not be kept as pets.

Edited December 12, 2006 by Kor37

[Theunicornhunter 2]

Children and infants should never be left alone in the room with any animal.

[Odie 0]

The parents are 100% at fault for her daughter losing her toes!

 

Some people should not be parents and dog owners at the same time!

 

I cannot believe they bought a puppy and not bother buying a crib for the their baby. If the baby was in a crib and not in car sit their daughter would have her toes. The baby should not be sleeping a car seat in the first place. The should have bought a cage for the dog and this would not have happen, and does help all dogs with house breaking and obedience training.

 

It does not matter if the puppy was a pit bull any dog that age might have done the same if they are hungry. Puppies at that age are very much like small children. They do not know better! Without training they will do anything that owner does not expect. I am willing to guess the parents let their puppy lick the baby, which should have never happen.

 

I do not let my dog lick my son.

 

I do not let my dog be by himself with my son.

 

If my dog wants to see and sniff my son it is very much supervised. I remind him do not lick my son. So far, even though Astro does want to lick my son, he has not done it.

 

As a dog owner myself I hope the dog does to a family that know how to raise a Pitt pull. Those dogs need to be put in a cage and have an owner that understands their behavior. They become dangerous it is because the owner does not understand the breed and their temperament.

Edited December 12, 2006 by Odie

[MrPsychic 1]

I wish more parents were like you Odie. You've done all the right things with a dog and a baby. Even though you know how the dog would react, a baby is different.

[Theunicornhunter 2]

The article says the parents were sleeping on a mattress which suggests they didn't have a home with furniture or maybe they were guests somewhere. I also noted this took place in Louisianna so I wondered if they're displaced Katrina survivorts. That said, if they are - for what they spent buying their pit bull puppy they could have bought their baby a bed. This child will never be an athlete or dancer but at least she will live - unless they leave her with these parents.

 

I agree some people should stop at having dogs and leave having children to more responsible people.

[He Who Shall Not Be Named 2]

I don't think you can use this as another example of the "All pit bulls are evil" argument. A former roommate and I lived with 2 pit bulls who eventually had puppies and they were the nicest dogs you could imagine. The mother almost knocked me down once while we were playing (She was pregnant with the pups at the time so she had a little extra weight on her) but that was the extent of the violence.

 

So lets look at the facts:

 

1) The parents were sleeping on a mattress, indicating they did not own a proper bed

2) The kid was in an infant seat, indicating they did not own a proper crib

3) The puppy did not have it's shots, indicating the parents were not caring for the dog properly.

 

Obviously this family was too poor to care for a puppy and an infant simultaneously. I wouldn't be surprised if a later news story says the puppy had gone without food for a while. It is true that pit bulls are dangerous if not properly cared for, and knowing this the parents should have been extra careful, but I don't think you can blame this on the breed of the dog. The blame lies on the parents.

[Odie 0]

Here is more information.

 

Pit bull pup bit off infant's toes, police say

BOSSIER CITY, La. (AP) — 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.

 

So baby was not crying during the time puppy was chew her toes.

 

I know when my son response to the slightest touch. Even when he sound a sleep he still response to the touch. He cries very loudly within a few seconds if he does not know the person who is holding him. One time when I was trimming his finger nail I gave him a very small cut. He was screaming within seconds of that cut. His finger is fine. There a lot of information that missing from the parents and why they did not respond right away when the puppy started to chewing on their daughter.

[Theunicornhunter 2]

Yeah, if it took an hour with the baby crying the entire time - which she would have - the parents must have been passed out more than sleeping.

[jadziaezri 0]

i have very few words to say about this.

 

IT MAKES ME SICK!