Facebook
Fark
Digg
Reddit
Stumble
Friday, May 25, 2012 | 12:31 p.m.
Dog attacks, kills infant
Viewing video requires the latest version of Adobe's Flash Player
KSNV coverage of fatal dog attack and interview with grief-stricken father, April 28, 2012.
Judge rules on euthanizing dog
Viewing video requires the latest version of Adobe's Flash Player
KSNV coverage of judge's decision about euthanizing Onion, the dog that mauled a 1-year-old child, May 13, 2012.
Sun archives
The fate of a 120-pound dog that killed a toddler at home in Henderson was being discussed Friday at a meeting involving a Nevada judge, city attorneys and lawyers for a New York-based animal rescue group that wants to send the animal to a sanctuary outside Denver.
Clark County District Court Judge Joanna Kishner was being asked to reconsider a May 11 ruling giving Henderson city officials the go-ahead to euthanize the animal as vicious. Kishner said at the time the Lexus Project didn't have legal standing to take possession of the 6-year-old mastiff-Rhodesian ridgeback mix named Onion.
No immediate decision was expected Friday on the request, court spokeswoman Mary Ann Price said.
The situation has drawn intense interest and an appeal to the Nevada Supreme Court, which issued an order this week halting any action against the dog pending Kishner's ruling. The animal is healthy and being kept at an animal control shelter, Henderson police spokesman Keith Paul said.
Henderson officials took ownership of the dog from the child's grandmother on April 27, minutes after the fatal mauling of the 1-year-old boy. Family members later said the dog reacted suddenly when the toddler grabbed its fur to pull himself to a standing position.
The family later said in a statement that ownership of the dog had been turned over to Henderson animal control officers, and family members would no longer comment on its future.
Rescue group head Robin Mittasch submitted documents to the court saying the grandmother didn't know what she was signing when she gave up ownership to the city, and that she wanted the animal to go to the Lexus Project.
Lawyer Kathy McCarthy, representing the Lexus Project, said the grandmother's move gave the rescue group a legal basis to take the dog.
Kishner didn't publicly release a time for Friday's closed-door meeting. Lawyers for the Lexus Project of Oceanside, N.Y., did not respond Thursday and Friday to messages.
why is this dog not dead yet? are you kidding me these jerks are wasting contributed money and taxpayer money even discussing "rescuing" this dog after it bites off the head of a child---drop the dog by my home and i'll gladly put a bullet in its head immediately!
I agree that the dog should have been put down long before now..Let's get an end to this already, so Baby Jeremiah can get some kind of justice.
I feel torn. I would be in favor of executing a human who killed an innocent baby. But for some reason I just don't feel as though killing a dog satisfies the same sense of justice. I don't know -- I want Onion to be saved, but I don't want to be a hypocrite. All I'm saying is that if society kills the dog for its actions, we god damn better start putting people down as swiftly, too.
Its a dog that killed! and it should have been gone by now! end of story!
Since it was 100% of the parents' fault, why should the dog be killed? If you have a large dog, one like Onion who has a mouth big enough to fit the baby's head, keep it away from the kids. If your dog kills your child, it is YOUR fault.
These activist groups and judges are just making a mockery of our laws and city ordinances. A reversal will only make all laws unenforceable and allow people to run a muck. If this groups want this dog so bad, then they should pay for all legal cost and reimburse city animal control for all expenses associated with the keeping of this dog. It really amazes me, we are more concern about dogs and cats than our children who are being killed by their parents.
Sorry dog should be dead..end of story. If Henderson was given the dog, then they can kill it. Total waste of taxpayer dollars. Typical New York holier than though dollar wasting group.
To the judge, you are looking like the fool here at OUR expense.