Tuesday, October 2, 2012

Stormy Night for a Grey Gripper

      So, late this afternoon, I'm walking home from my local subway station, when what do I see tied to a city street sign, in the cold, drizzling rain, but a big grey female gripper!

     First 3 pictures taken approx. 5:30 PM on 1st Ave. at height of afternoon pedestrian traffic.  Sidewalks are crowded; there is a bike lane behind the pit bull, and busy traffic behind that.  Click any photo to enlarge:




        She was tied up with a fabric leash tied in a clumsy overhead knot.  She was there when I went into a corner bodega, and there when I came out 15 minutes later.

        I walked to my apartment, took a shower, changed my clothes, and went back down to the store.  The grey pit bull was still there.  At least 45 minutes had elapsed since I took the first photos of her.  As you can see in this final photo, it is darker and wetter outside.



        The dog is miserable and shivering and standing in the BIKE LANE (and even in the rain, there are plenty of people--many of them impoverished immigrant food deliverers without health insurance--riding in the bike lanes here.  Lots of regular commuters, too.). 

         I felt badly for her, but I just won't approach pit bulls anymore.  I just won't.  I think I saw tags on the cloth collar (there were two collars--a cloth and a prong), but I'm not going to touch her in order to find out.  I hollered in the bodega to ask if anyone left their dog outside.  No luck.

      Unless the dog owner or their kids is in an ambulance somewhere, it is completely unacceptable to leave their dog on the street for that long.  ANY dog.  The gripper is an accident waiting to happen.  

     I'm getting dressed to go out this evening.  If the dog is still there when I leave again, I'm going to call Animal Control.  

54 comments:

Anonymous said...


some people have no class.

Miss Margo said...

I agree with you, Snarky! BEYOND no class--this dog is confused and scared in the street, which any pet ought not be, and what if a normal dog got mauled by it? A "fight?" No owner around to take responsibility!

Jim Reeve said...

This is an example of why certain people shouldn't have a dog. Would they leave their child like this? Maybe.

scurrilous amateur blogger said...

i wonder if she was deliberately abandoned.

this wrong on so many levels. this should be a criminal offense.

i can't wait to hear the ending.

DubV said...

Pit bulls are also very commonly victims, and that is why they should be very rare.

Anonymous said...

O/T again, but...This can't end well.

http://www.kfoxtv.com/news/news/ascmv-gives-away-free-pit-bulls-adoption-oct-caref/nSRs2/

vintage said...

Speaking of Pit Bull rescue....

A 54 year old woman was killed in Pembroke NC last night. Address corresponds with an individual who had deteriorated into Pit Bull Rescue
http://www.carolinalive.com/weather/story.aspx?id=808196

More to follow pending Next of Kin notification...

Anonymous said...


all kind of pets have to stay out in the wet and cold while their down-n-out owners go in to spend the money that should go to the animal first. the "angel" that stays outside guarding the pack or the shopping cart just has to wait while its owner get nice and warm and ,usually, drunk . there should be a law .

PutMeInCharge4OneDay said...

You guys are amazing sleuths.
I noted how quickly/immeidately on the new DBRF information was gathered on the latest "vicitm", um I mean VOLUNTEER.

Nine dogs were taken out of her home, I will be interested in hearing what breeds make up her pack...... Notsurprise she herself proclaimed her neighbor would have a fit if she took in any more dogs or shoot them...........

PutMeInCharge4OneDay said...

Latest update-

15 dogs...

They say the victim was a Mary Jo Hunt....

http://www.robesonian.com/pages/full_story/push?article-Dogs+attack-+kill+woman%20&id=20342578&instance=top_stories


PEMBROKE — Nine dogs were seized from the home of a 53-year-old woman after they mauled her to death on Tuesday, according to Robeson County Sheriff Kenneth Sealey.

Sealey said he did not want to release the name of the woman, who lived at 17 Sharon Lane, because out-of-state relatives had not been notified; but according to an obituary in today’s The Robesonian, the woman was Mary Jo Hunt. The Robesonian has learned she worked with a rescue group called Claws and Paws.

Sealey said the dogs seized included several German shepherds and a pitbull mix. He said Hunt had about 10 or 15 dogs in the fenced-in backyard of her brick single-family home, all of which were rescued.

Packhorse said...

I discovered an interesting video apparently from Diane Jessup last night:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N2UdkYtRTws

Watch the video at 0:46. Am I seeing what I think I'm seeing? The video is of a poor quality, but it appears the pits are chasing a caged "bait" animal. (If it was just a lure, why would it be in a cage?)

Does Jessup/AFF promote the use of live animals to bait and train pits? Does anyone know? If so, this would no doubt be interesting information to share with the animal welfare orgs who have teamed up with AFF lately to promote pit adoption.

PutMeInCharge4OneDay said...

Hmmmm going back to the Deb Jacobs name and the Claws and Paws Rescue....

Lookie what Deb Jacobs has listed as a "Labrador/Shepherd Mix"

http://www.petfinder.com/petdetail/23660505

Hoenstly its the nutters who can not identify a pit bull....

PutMeInCharge4OneDay said...

Irony........

Guess the dogs in the North Carolina case did not read the
"No Kill Policy" of the Claws N Paws rescue....

http://www.nokillnetwork.org/d/North-Carolina/Robeson-County-Claws-and-Paws-Rescue~280/

scorched earth said...

Packhorse,

I have the same reaction to the video. You can't see what is in that cage but why would a simple lure be in a cage?

Several other concerns on the video, the dog doing the front hits Jessup full force, nearly bowling this very substantial woman over. This is not a front that I would encourage.

Another concern is the dog fighter ear trim on her pit.

Creepy video.

Your Quiet Neighbor said...

If that dog was anywhere near a bike lane I was in, I'd be raising hell!

Your Quiet Neighbor said...

About that black Labrador Retriever/GSD mix in this photo:


http://www.petfinder.com/petdetail/23660505

My parents have a black Lab. He's a big old fella and the gentlest dog you'd ever want to meet. It's an insult to him to put the above dog in the same category.

Miss Margo said...

Hi! Just an update.

When I went back out, the pit bull in the photos was still tied up. I don't think that she was intentionally abandoned because she had collars and looked very healthy, but of course that doesn't necessarily mean anything. I don't like the look of pit bulls, but she was a handsome animal. But I mean, who knows?

I called the city and reported her. The people at AC took down a description. When I came back home around midnight, she was gone. I don't know if her owner came back to get her, or if AC did.

YQN, I agree. Labs are sweet.

PutMeInCharge4OneDay said...

No wonder the neighbor to this woman was unhappy-

SEVEN PITBULLS in one yard. Lovely.

------------
Sealey said several of the dogs were German shepherds, but Bill Smith, director of the Health Department, said seven pit bulls that attacked Hunt are being held at the Robeson County Animal Shelter. Two terriers that are believed to have been attacked by the pit bulls are also at the shelter. A pit bull that is believed to have been attacked was taking to a veterinarian.

The fate of the dogs hasn’t been determined, but Smith said the shelter’s policy is that if an animal causes life-threatening injuries or kills a person, then the animal is to be euthanized. But the shelter is working with the Sheriff’s Office and holding the animals until the investigation is completed.


Read more: The Robesonian - Dogs attack kill woman

http://www.robesonian.com/view/full_story/20342578/article-Dogs-attack--kill-woman?

Is there going to be a push to "save" these dogs, I would bet yes.

Want to bet one of her friends will say "she would not have wanted them killed"

scurrilous amateur blogger said...

miss margo, was the bike still there? i am wondering if someone had to retrieve their bike within the range of a strange pit bull.

Rumpelstiltskin said...

Miss Margo,

If you'd have touched that pit bull and it attacked you, pit nutters would claim it was your fault for going up to a strange dog. Better off to leave it or you'd be another statistic! I think we already know how ignorant pit bull owners are.

Looked like bait for a good samaritan .

Miss Margo said...

Dawn:

I don't remember if the bike was there or not. I know that it belongs to the delivery personnel of a Mexican restaurant, hence the Mexican-flag colors.

vintage said...

Kicking off "Pit Bull Awareness Month" with a BANG.

Mary Joe Hunt become US PITICIDE Number 347

26 Americans have been killed by Pit Bulls since Pit Bull Awareness Month 2011.


Please increase Casket stack height to 844.2 FT

scurrilous amateur blogger said...

i am not aware of anyone advocating in favor of cat mills. in fact, even on game-dog.com, they will try to shush you on that topic.

there could be a live animal in there, it wouldn't surprise me but there could also be an animal skin in there. hard to say with the low quality video.

Anonymous said...


why is it that pitters are always harping about owner responsibility when as a group they are probably the least responsible of any breed owner? myself, as a dog lover , i do not consider it being responsible to own any dangerous dog or breed of dog , including breeds not of the shitbull variety .

Miss Margo said...

Whoops, posted this on the wrong thread:

True confession: I've been emailing this cute guy back and forth for a few days. We met on a popular internet dating service. We were gonna go on a date this weekend.

You see where this is going....

I asked about his dog, and today he sent me photos....

IT'S A PIT BULL!

ARRRRRGH NOOOOOOOOOOOOO! *wails*

Is it wrong to preemptively dump someone because they own a pit bull? Is that shitty and wrong to do on my part? Is it too fanatical?

scorched earth said...

Miss Margo, it is not wrong to refuse any involvement in any situation that does not suit your sensibilities. It is not shitty or fanatical, it is simply common sense.

Miss Margo said...

Thank you, SE! That makes me feel better. xo

Anonymous said...


AMERICAN HOGGERS agin . damn dem hogs is mean n ugly ....sure wouldnt wish them on my worst varmint.

safer midwifery utah said...

miss margo, that is what you call a 'red flag'. go with your gut, always.

S.K.Y. said...

Three items:

1) Have you guys heard? Animal Planet has a new series starting in a week or so, Pit Bulls & Parolees. http://animal.discovery.com/tv/pitbulls-and-parolees. A bunch of "ex-cons" rehabilitate unwanted pit bulls and pimp them out to the public.

2) My new (1967) house is across the street from a new business park on a mile-long, dead-end street. I've been counting myself lucky that I can walk my dogs there at night with zero risk of running into anybody else with a dog. I have also started training my dogs to track on concrete there for future Versatile-Surface-Tracking competitions. Just as I was taking my 8 lb. dog out of my car today to run a practice track, a hoodlum-looking guy walked by with a HUGE (60 lb. or so) Pit Bull on-leash and a Yorkie off-leash. He just stood there a few feet from my track with his dogs while he chatted on the phone and watched me. I asked him to move on, as I "didn't want my 8 lb. tracking dog to be attacked by his pit bull." (Which I told him in those words). He assured me that the little Yorkie was harmless and picked it up. He acted like he couldn't imagine somebody might be concerned about the intact male pit bull. He told me he lived "down the street," which was strange, as it is a dead-end business park in the middle of nowhere. So now there's one more place I can't walk the dogs or practice tracking. :-(

3) About the cat in the cage (or bunny?), I am totally against this, though I approved of a similar (but not identical) situation with rats. I kept one or two pet rats for most of my life and taught them tricks, etc. I LOVE rats and even published a magazine article touting them as great pets. Nevertheless, I quickly overcame my ethical quandary about doing "earthdog" competitions with my Jack Russell. In these competitions, a single little Jack Russell goes underground in a bunch of wooden tunnels to find a pair of caged rats, then bark at them for a minute while a judge views through a glass trap-door. The dogs NEVER have contact with the rats, which are in sturdy cages. At first I thought this would be super traumatic for the rats. But in fact, they quickly realize the dog can't reach them and actually snooze through most of the competition. In fact, if a puppy has no interest in the caged rats, the judge has to tap the cage a bit to get them to move so the puppy can even notice them inside the cage. These rats are likely traumatized the first time a dog shows up, but soon learn to pass the time happily playing, eating, grooming, etc. Some rats are used for weekly practices and could care less about dogs. However, it's quite different to have a cat in an open cage being spun around in the air while being actively chased by three pit bulls.

How is Diane Jessup related to the video in question? Is that her YouTube channel?

scurrilous amateur blogger said...

yes, that is jessup's youtube channel.

Alexandra said...

Miss Margo, I agree with Skeptifem. Owning a pit bull is a red flag that already tells you much that bodes no good about this 'cute' guy. Anyone who chooses to own a pit bull has to be totally ignorant on that subject. Anyone who thinks he knows about pit bulls because he owns one or six is too dumb to date you, he'll soon bore you. It will likely not only be the pit bull that he wants to be holier-than-thou and know-it-all about, but also other subjects he's ignorant on. He likely has manliness issues that he'll end up inflicting on you. He is likely rather superficial and very concerned about his image. The pit bull is a must-have fashion item among a certain crowd, we all know which crowd. The fact of being part of that crowd *and* blindly going with the prevailing fashion makes me think he won't be a good match for you. I mean, not intellectually and not as a partner.

Last consideration. You could never go home with this man for an after dinner drink, because his pit bull is there. Sharing a physical space with a pit bull would mean voluntarily risking a mauling. Don't count on it that this man would know what to do, or even dare do it, in the event. The owners pretty much never do, after all.

As for dumping someone 'just' for owning a pit bull... I dump people just for spouting the very first pit-nutter lie, even if they don't own one. It tells me all the above things about them, and I don't need that kind of person in my life. I figure I don't hurt them either, because there are 7 billion of us on this Earth. So plenty of company even if not mine.

Rumpelstiltskin said...

Miss Margo,

Does he know your stand on pit bulls? Might determine how you want to handle things.

Or you can hope this happens before you have to say anything:

Pit bull kills owner

http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=c2f_1345266162

"We pulled the dog to the wall. The old man sat there for about 3, 4 minutes. Then his head fell to the side, and he ceased moving forever."

Miss Margo said...

Thanks for the advice guys. And yeah, you are right. Owning a pit bull is a performance indicator of personality. Naive--at best--or antisocial.

When I asked him the breed, he kind of sidestepped the question, too, so he knows what people think of them. He says, "I adopted him from the pound this year! He's my buddy!"

I ask, "That's great! I love animals. What kind of dog is it?"

He says: "He's a 100% AWESOME! Here's a pic!"

Then I open up the pic. Why, HELLO JAWS! NOOOOOOOOOOO! Seriously, it was holding a football in its mouth.

And yes, I would never feel comfortable in his house with that dog there.

And no, Rumple, he doesn't know that I don't like pit bulls. We haven't even met yet.

I think I am just going to cancel the date, saying that I am busy this weekend with school stuff, and then drop out of touch. That's the gentle thing to do.

Though the honest thing to do would be to simply state that I find the dog problematic and I will not voluntarily keep company with it. Unless actions have consequences, people don't change their behavior. When his dog "tuns on" in a year or two, he'll remember what I said. Food for thought.

Anonymous said...

On the other hand he might be a nice guy who got duped into adopting a pit. I have a very good friend who wound up with a spastic rednose, having had the Pierce County Humane Society pass it off as a "lab mix".

PutMeInCharge4OneDay said...

Miss Margo, I am old and wise so listen.

You have zero real investment in this guy. A few e mails does not count.

Cut your losses now. Move on.

There are plenty of normal men with normal dogs.

---------
S.K.Y--- sadly thats not a new series.

From what I hear the woman featured in the show is a classic hoarder.

Just what I want to watch-Criminals and pit bulls. Heck I can drive to Los Angeles and see all I want walking around in real life if I so choose.

What a sad commentary on humanity with the shows that are on TV.
People get off watching hogs tortured by dogs in the name of "sport", criminals and pit bulls and so many others it boggles the mind.

Anonymous said...


i would rather date one o dem damn hogs than that crystal hogger dingbat. nicer , smarter and no mascara..... and no violent reactions from bro hogg ans papa hogg

scurrilous amateur blogger said...

awesome video rumplestiltskin! i almost missed it buried in these comments. and it is so timely being pit bull awareness month and all.

first class darwin award

Anonymous said...


S.K.Y.
that young hood with the mutant and the yorkie probably knows that small dogs are all terribly vicious, whereas its "ignorunt n stubip to be scarred of pitties". he probably watches cesar on his stolen t.v. set while his pregnant girlfriend does things to him .

Miss Margo said...

WOW RUMPLE that is an intense video! Yikes!

And, I got rid of the guy.

scurrilous amateur blogger said...

from the article:

Want to send the message that you are a perfect one night stand but she shouldn't get too attached? Borrow a bulldog and head to the doggie park. Boxers and rottweilers work well here also.

Want to look like relationship material? A man with a golden retriever is 10X more likely to be perceived as boyfriend-ish than apparently he would be if he owned a pit bull.

Anonymous said...


if you're into meth -skanks , a mutant is the undog for you. nothing sezs manliness like a shaved and scarred head , tattooes hiding the track marks and a brace of ripper dogs to keep nice people away .

Branwyne Finch said...

Miss Margo, LOL, listen to your gut. I think a person's choice of dog says a LOT about them. I remember a really nice young man I met at the park once...polite, nice looking, athletic. He had two wonderful border collies who were totally dog social and friendly with people. He competed in frisbee dog competitions with them. He was just a genuine, nice person, who was comfortable talking with a bunch of middle aged women he just met. His dogs were a reflection of his personality...social, fun, and nice to be around.

Conversely, its pretty obvious when dogs are used as status symbols and attention getters...there is a designer dog craze in my suburb, and I cringe when I hear people boasting about their "labradoodles" and "goldendoodles"....its a fad. These people are spending $500.00 to $1200.00 on a mutt! Some of these doodles are nice, some are horrible. It's just one more way to compete for social status with your neighbors...it shows you can AFFORD to spend money on something that everyone else seems to want.

A guy with a pit bull indicates a guy with "short comings" in some area. It's a way for a man to boost his perceived social status in the eyes of other men, because he lacks status in other areas. Lack of money, un or underemployed, no home of his own, no woman, or perhaps sexual performance issues. When young men like these feel emasculated, what better way to feel respected than to go to the local pound and get a muscle dog?

The fact that he didn't want to tell you the breed says it all...if he had said, "Yeah, they told me he was a lab mix, but the older he gets, he looks like he may be part pit bull"...at least would have indicated that he was duped by the shelter.

A guy with a pit bull is not a long term relationship prospect. Remember, pit bull ownership is also a marker for more serious, deviant behavior. He may as well tell women "I hate kids", because he has chosen a breed of dog that is the top breed in the world for killing and maiming children. Worst case scenario, it indicates a darker, violent side...men who choose scary, violent dog breeds in order to frighten and intimidate those around them may be more inclined to incidents of domestic violence.

Lose his e-mail and be tankful you dodged a bullet.

PutMeInCharge4OneDay said...

Wow, Rumplestiltskin, that was quite a video.

No doubt that was a bad owner who was mean to his poor wiggle butt.

Or there could have been thunder or he fell off a ladder or something to make that dog do that..............





Rumpelstiltskin said...

Putme Incharge,

That ladder mauled the f*ck out of its owner! All of that madness over an object on the ground. So happy I own a safer breed of dog!

Miss Margo,

You'll need to raise a Presa before you could do a "meet n' greet" with the pitbull aka "100% AWESOME!" which probably means it's one of those aggressive nanny dogs. He's overcompensating for something.

Then your Presa can put him in his place if it tries to maul you. Of course you'll hear the usual pit nutter excuses while your Presa goes to work. When he finishes up you can do the usual pit nutter thing and bolt out the door and flee and while you make frantic calls to hide your Presa because people misunderstand Presas. Be sure to congratulate him on owning a dead-game pit and offer to pay for a new pit bull puppy and carpet cleaning, but never do it because his dog "started it".

Or you can simply tell him you're not interested. :)

Just sayin'

Opalina said...

Margo, that's a deal breaker. Good thing you found out now! Consider it a blessing. Finding a mate is like buying a car -- you gotta be ready, willing, and able to walk away :) For example, I don't care how much the guy looks like George Clooney, if he doesn't love and revere cats, he's history!

PutMeInCharge4OneDay said...

Miss Margo another thing-

Any person that tells me they "adopted" their dog is a red flag to me.

Children are adopted. Animals are sold. "Adopted" is a word the animal rights fanatics like to ram down our throats as if to proudly scream they are better then anyone who chooses to purchase a quality dog from a reputable breeder.
It goes right along with the people who say "this is my rescue dog".

I tell those folks they paid money to buy their dog just like I did and to step down off their high horse.

So this guy has two strikes against him off the bat, the kind of dog he decided to buy and the fact he refuses to acknowlege his purchase and glorify himself with saying it was "adopted".

By the way, I would tell him why he was off my list. He might one day actually get a clue if he gets feedback.

scorched earth said...

Thank you In Charge,

I have the same reaction to canine "adoption."

Miss Margo said...

This thread is dead now, but I just wanted to say that I am thankful to everyone who gave me advice. I read through all of the comments several times.

Thanks!

Jake said...

@putmeincharge -

I consider my fur kids to be my adopted canine daughters, and feel an obligation to protect and care for them. You might see a wide range of opinions on that subject here at CD, but I think it's safe to say that most of us are dog lovers.

Anonymous said...

jake
me too , all my dogs are family and having them shredded because of idiots and their undogs is why im here.
but i do know what putme is talking about . rescue people and their ilk make me sick, holier than thou ,fanatical do -gooders.

DubV said...

So, if you get your dog from the pound you should say bought from the pound (I did pay like $75) or rescued from the pound? I just always tell people I got him from the pound or adopted him from the pound. To adopt is a general term that can be applied to adopting ideas, etc. I don't see any reason why saying you adopted a dog means you think they are kid or something ;)

Jake's right that many of us here are dog lovers. Many of us are here because our dog was attacked.

Miss Margo said...

I'm thinking it is accurate to say that an animal selected from a shelter or the pound is "adopted." In my experience--two animals, a dog and a cat--the adoption fees were nominal and included vaccinations and spay/neuter.

If you adopt a child, you have to pay fees for processing and legal paperwork as well. And I know adopting a kid is different, of course...

I really don't feel that I "bought" my pets from AC. Or even my parrot that I got from a lady on Craigslist (she asked for $50 for a Senegal that would have cost $500 as a baby, and she just wanted the money to discourage the most exploitive people from inquiring about the bird).

Anonymous said...

what i have a problem with is the snot-bags who think adoption is the only way to go. i want to have the dog or pet that suits me, not just any dog that needs a home. un-dogs.....(shitbulls, snotweilers ect) , unsuitable dogs , old and or sick dogs are not going to be on my want list when i go shopping for another dog .