Jack Russell Terrier kills 6-week-old infant

[Miakoda]

http://www.kentucky.com/211/story/291759.html

Posted on Sun, Jan. 20, 2008
Dog's attack on baby called 'freakish accident'
By Valarie Honeycutt Spears
VHONEYCUTT@HERALD-LEADER.COM

Jeff Mozer said the Jack Russell terrier that attacked and killed his sleeping 6-week-old nephew Friday was a longtime family pet he trusted around his own baby and other babies in the family.

And Justin Mozer and Layne Crim were doting parents, he said, who took safety precautions and "tried to do everything just right," Jeff Mozer said.

"This is the most freakish accident. It was a dog you would never think would harm anyone at all. And my brother was just really proud of the baby, it was his first," Jeff Mozer said.

According to Jeff Mozer, the baby Justin Mozer, named after his father, was sleeping in the middle of a king-size bed about 3:15 p.m. Friday when, without warning, the Jack Russell terrier attacked and killed him.

The Fayette County Coroner's office said Saturday that the cause of the accidental death was "traumatic asphyxia and blood loss due to dog attack."

Lexington police Lt. John Gensheimer said Saturday that at this point there was no reason to file charges. Though police were continuing to conduct interviews, Gensheimer said, there was no evidence to suggest that the death was anything but an accident. The baby was alone in the room, and there were no witnesses to the attack.

The baby's mother, whom Mozer identified as Layne Crim, was in another room when the attack occurred.

Layne Crim's husband died in January 2007, leaving her with two sons, about 1 and 3.

Jeff Mozer said his brother had stepped in to become a loving father to those boys, too.

"I'm very proud of him," Jeff Mozer said.

Mozer said he spent time with his nephew last week. "I held him and kissed him. He was beautiful."

Justin Mozer, 28, was at work at a pool company when the attack occurred, Jeff Mozer said.

The baby had a crib, Jeff Mozer said, but on Friday afternoon he was napping on the bed.

Jeff Mozer said Justin Mozer had owned the Jack Russell for six or seven years. "The dog has been around my baby and other babies in the family. There has never been any reason for alarm."

Jeff Mozer said his brother bought the family home at Seven Pines Drive, near Versailles Road and Alexandria Drive, about a year ago and was remodeling it.

The former president of The Lane neighborhood association, Pete Hagan, said that in September 2007, the association sent Justin Mozer a letter complaining about the behavior of pit bulls kept in the back yard. The letter, which Hagan e-mailed to the Herald-Leader on Saturday, said pit bulls routinely got out of the yard and frightened neighbors. But Hagan said he had no problems with the Jack Russell terrier, and he had noticed no problems with the pit bulls since November.

"We extend our condolences to the Mozers," Hagan said.

Justin Mozer kept a pit bull in the back yard for protection, Jeff Mozer said, but that had nothing to do with the attack on the baby.

The two dogs were taken by Fayette County Animal Control at the owner's request. The dogs' fate was not known last night. Officials did not return telephone calls.

Jeff Mozer said his brother and the baby's mother are inconsolable, as is the rest of the family.

"We will never be the same because of it."

[Zoom]

Wow...

Gotta love how they just had to throw in that bit about them owning pits at the end... :rolleyes:

[Miakoda]

This story gets to me on so many levels.

First, I feel for that poor baby. I can't imagine what any child must go through when they are a helpless victim of such an attack.

Second, what in the hell are parents thinking these days? To leave a 6-week-old infant asleep in the middle of a bed in a room with a dog and no parental supervision.........it just infuriates me! Even as a 1st time mom, plain ol' common sense told me to not leave a child alone in a room with a dog!

Third, how on earth did this dog "accidentally" kill this baby? Get real people. Had this been any other breed, it would have been a vicious attack. Instead, this dog just accidentally grabbed the baby's throat and killed it.

[Zoom]

But...but...JRT's are SMALL dogs...they can't be vicious!

I agree with you 100% though...I mean, I wouldn't ever leave Virgo alone with a baby, even though I know she's the sweetest thing on earth, she's a horse. Just accidently stepping on a baby would do severe damage.

[bubbatd]

Once again a young life is taken because of stupid people !!! No excuse !!!

[Miakoda]

Once again a young life is taken because of stupid people !!! No excuse !!!

It makes me sooo angry! And sad! And frustrated!

I totally believe that the parents should be charged. I think the parents should always be charged in these types of incidents! Heck, if they had let the baby drown in the bathtub, they would've been charged. This is the same principle.

It just breaks my heart for those who have to pay the price of others' irresponsibility.....especially when the irresponsible walk away with not even a slap on the wrist.:(

[blue]

It makes me sooo angry! And sad! And frustrated!

I totally believe that the parents should be charged. I think the parents should always be charged in these types of incidents! Heck, if they had let the baby drown in the bathtub, they would've been charged. This is the same principle.

It just breaks my heart for those who have to pay the price of others' irresponsibility.....especially when the irresponsible walk away with not even a slap on the wrist.:(

I couldnt agree more.

[adojrts]

Oh ****, I knew this day would come but had hoped it wouldn't.
I wouldn't leave a small child or an infant alone with any dog, let alone one that was never bred to a companion dog in the first place and especially one bred with a certain amount of aggression for hunting and yes to kill things.
Although jrts are to bay and not slay that doesn't mean they wont kill.
How foolish of those people and that poor baby.......how terrible.

[adojrts]

Third, how on earth did this dog "accidentally" kill this baby? Get real people. Had this been any other breed, it would have been a vicious attack. Instead, this dog just accidentally grabbed the baby's throat and killed it.

I don't believe for one second that it was an accident. Whether the infant made a small cry or whatever, it triggered that dog to attack and yes to kill, that wouldn't have been a mistake on the dogs part. Jrts are hardwired to hunt and kill and they absolutely can respond and go to those instincts that have layed dormant for years or for its entire life.
People want a cute little lap dog and have no idea what these dogs are capable of. And if they were larger, they would be part of the breed bans.
Jrts ARE a high risk breed and this is just one of the reasons.

[bubbatd]

I've had plenty attack my ankles !

[elegy]

clearly the pit bull had the jack under some kind of mind control.... why else would it be mentioned in every single article??

it's really a terrible shame. that child should never have died. sigh.

[Miakoda]

I don't believe for one second that it was an accident. Whether the infant made a small cry or whatever, it triggered that dog to attack and yes to kill, that wouldn't have been a mistake on the dogs part. Jrts are hardwired to hunt and kill and they absolutely can respond and go to those instincts that have layed dormant for years or for its entire life.
People want a cute little lap dog and have no idea what these dogs are capable of. And if they were larger, they would be part of the breed bans.
Jrts ARE a high risk breed and this is just one of the reasons.

I feel for you. I really like and admire JRTs. Of course, I'm a terrier person too and I completely understand their breeding and their drives. It just stinks that you will probably now endure some of the same hateful comments that I do all because of what someone else's dog has done to tarnish the reputation of our own.

[Lilavati]

All I can think is they left a six week old baby alone with a terrier? With a terrier? You never, ever, ever leave anything smaller or weaker than the terrier is with a terrer. The kid would have been safer with the pit bulls. (not that that is at all a good idea either).

I have nothing against JRTs, or other terriers, but I have a nearly infinite respect, born of growing up with them, seeing ground trials, and having other pets in the same house, for their prey drive.

But of course, don't we all know that small cute dogs are never, ever dangerous? /Smacks forhead

[adojrts]

I feel for you. I really like and admire JRTs. Of course, I'm a terrier person too and I completely understand their breeding and their drives. It just stinks that you will probably now endure some of the same hateful comments that I do all because of what someone else's dog has done to tarnish the reputation of our own.

Well we already hear the negative comments about them and from some people's experiences with some jrts, it's justified.

What drives me nuts are the ones who own them (and god for bid breed them ) and insist that their lovely little dogs wouldn't ever do something like attack an infant. It's BS. They are absolutely capable of doing something as tragic as this.
I breed for a stable temperament and I have known thousands of jrts that are awesome, but you just can't forget the hardwiring in them as so many people blindly do.
And the ones that we jrt people consider to be hard, well in some cases they are down right mental. I wont have such a dog and I certainly wouldn't breed it.
Thanks folks for understanding that there are people out there with awesome jrts, that really do understand them and take that responsiblity on head first.

There are people that have pitties or similiar breeds/types, that have them for the wrong reasons and don't understand or care. We deal with the same thing were jrts are concerned, except its at the other end of the scale....cute little dog vs aren't I tough, look at my dog.......both have the potential to be dangerous or a problem

[Miakoda]

They are absolutely capable of doing something as tragic as this.

Each and every breed of dog and mixed breed is capable of doing this! If it's got teeth, it can and will bite given the chance and the circumstance. It's just people have their heads so far up their own butts that they refuse to see that they own dogs......not little humans with 4 legs.

All I can think is they left a six week old baby alone with a terrier? With a terrier? You never, ever, ever leave anything smaller or weaker than the terrier is with a terrer. The kid would have been safer with the pit bulls. (not that that is at all a good idea either).
I'm not sure if you were meaning to be offensive or if I just took it that way. I wouldn't leave my child along with a 15-year-old Pug if given the chance. I don't care what breed of dog or mixed breed of dog it is, YOU NEVER LEAVE CHILDREN ALONE WITH DOGS! Or even cats for that matter! Cats have suffocated infants and killed them while others have attacked them as well. People need to wake-up to reality and be responsible.

[bubbatd]

Glad I didn't have this forum when I had Goldens and infants !!! I trusted my dogs 100% ,,,, guess I was lucky .

[Dekka]

That is so heartbreaking. In the parents slight defense, were they ever told? I meet so many people who are clueless. We all know and are taught about drowning. But there needs to be more education about dogs in general, without demonizing any breed.

Yes nothing smaller, weaker, heck even slightly larger than a terrier is really safe if it makes that 'prey sound'. I have seen my own dogs 'turn on' when one of the dogs makes a yelp, or squeek.

Oh we do get the biased opinions and the oh I hate JRTs they are viscous little dogs... And to be honest many people (a scary number really) will then point to some scar on their body..and say "my brother's JRT" or who ever's JRT bit me. I always wonder where all these biting JRTs come from, and what the owners do about it. I have had JRT owners come up to me at petshows and things like the sportsman show where the JRT club has a booth to educate about JRTs, and say ohhh my dog could never do that (and then point and Snip on the booth table just loving every human who comes past). I have even had ppl tell me they cannot touch their own JRT, for fear it will bite them.
The JRT rescue is the only rescue I know that willingly takes dogs who have bitten.

Its almost always a case like this on, but much less extreme, people who have no real knowledge of the breed, and no business owning them.

[misticaleclipse]

That is so heartbreaking. In the parents slight defense, were they ever told? I meet so many people who are clueless. We all know and are taught about drowning. But there needs to be more education about dogs in general, without demonizing any breed.


I think its more common sense that even breed research in this case.
You don't need to be told not to leave your kid in a bathtub with water, same theory.
I wouldn't leave a baby in the middle of a bed anyway alone, I would be to
afraid he would still roll over and fall off, even with a king size bed.
The baby should have been in the crib with the door closed if she could not be there. Not just for safety, but also so any noise or pets would not wake up the baby, just common sense.

[blue]

Didnt a Yorkie kill a baby a few years back? Its not the the breed, its the parents.

[Zoom]

I think it was a Pomeranian, but same principle. Anything with teeth has the potential to bite/kill.

[RD]

Leaving an infant unattended with a high-drive dog is just as bad as leaving them alone in a bathtub with a hair dryer on the ledge. :rolleyes:

It also pains me to see this turn into a breed argument. :( The real tragedy here is the needless death of a baby, not what kind of dog inflicted the damage.

[Romy]

:( I need to go hug my baby now.

[Lilavati]

Each and every breed of dog and mixed breed is capable of doing this! If it's got teeth, it can and will bite given the chance and the circumstance. It's just people have their heads so far up their own butts that they refuse to see that they own dogs......not little humans with 4 legs.


I'm not sure if you were meaning to be offensive or if I just took it that way. I wouldn't leave my child along with a 15-year-old Pug if given the chance. I don't care what breed of dog or mixed breed of dog it is, YOU NEVER LEAVE CHILDREN ALONE WITH DOGS! Or even cats for that matter! Cats have suffocated infants and killed them while others have attacked them as well. People need to wake-up to reality and be responsible.

Oh no. I'm not meaning to be offensive. At all. You shouldn't leave any infant alone with a dog. Ever. Whether its a pug, pekingnese, a pit bull, or a poodle. Same with cats for that matter. But I'm just stunned that someone would leave an infant alone with a terrier . . . they are BRED to kill small, helpless, squeaking things. Its sort of . . . that was spectacularly stupid. It was beyond the normal stupidity of leaving a baby with a dog . . . it was leaving a baby alone with a dog that had been bred to kill things resembling babies and that, from my experience, will go to spectacular lengths to satisfy their prey drive. I don't think JRTs (or pit bulls) are "dangerous dogs" but there are certain breeds where extreme caution should be taken in certain situations.

My parents actually rehomed a terrier after my mother came pregant and the terrier had shown that he would do ANYTHING to get to the cats. That an he bit Mom when she tried to stop him. She told my father to find another home for the dog (he did). She was not going to trust that terrier (I think it was a JRT, but of course, I wasn't there) with her baby in the house. (Notably, the other house dogs were not exiled, just shut out of the nursery.) I don't think all people with terriers should rehome them at pregancy, of course. But they should be very, very aware of what their little dog is . . . and take precautions . . . more extreme precautions than you might with another breed.

Oh we do get the biased opinions and the oh I hate JRTs they are viscous little dogs... And to be honest many people (a scary number really) will then point to some scar on their body..and say "my brother's JRT" or who ever's JRT bit me. I always wonder where all these biting JRTs come from, and what the owners do about it. I have had JRT owners come up to me at petshows and things like the sportsman show where the JRT club has a booth to educate about JRTs, and say ohhh my dog could never do that (and then point and Snip on the booth table just loving every human who comes past). I have even had ppl tell me they cannot touch their own JRT, for fear it will bite them.
The JRT rescue is the only rescue I know that willingly takes dogs who have bitten.

Now all that is just unfair to the breed. They are difficult little dogs, but they can be real gems. But if you are going to get a breed . . . for the love of god learn something about it! Know what you are getting into! Read a book!

Leaving an infant unattended with a high-drive dog is just as bad as leaving them alone in a bathtub with a hair dryer on the ledge. :rolleyes:


Yes, and that was really my point. But I have never met a terrier that wasn't high drive. I've met some more so than others, but never one of the common terrier breeds that I would leave alone with ANYTHING else alive unless it was twice its size and I'd been even more careful with children since terriers don't tend to put up with people yanking on their extremities. Any high drive dog would be dangerous, but virtually all terriers are high drive.

[Dekka]

my point was that so many byb and pet stores will assure people that the dogs they sell are fine. They see 'Eddie' on fraiser, or Wishbone, and see a 'uberperfect' unrealistic dog. The media seems to tell people 'only bad dogs' bite people.

I get so many clients who say, "my dog growled at me the other day, I thought he was a good dog?" And are so shocked.

We are taught as children that drowning is a danger, we are taught that having a plugged in appliance by the tub is dangerous. But really we must remember we here at Chaz are the 'experts' compared to the general public. I have friends at school, even professors who are smart people, but who have the craziest ideas about how a dog's mind work. These people anthropomorphize dogs worse than a Disney film.

So while it is obvious to us, its not obvious to many people. And this makes it scarier to me than anything else. It is the public's idea that only 'bad dogs' or dogs with something wrong with them do things like this, that fuel breed bans. Yes the people SHOULD know these things. But as we know common sense is all but common. So who is educating them?

I will tell you.. groups like PETA-through the HSUS, the media who loves a 'good story' the polititians who jump on the BSL bandwagon. They all want you to believe only bad dogs do bad things. So of course the general public looks down at fluffy and says, my dog is a good dog, therefore I don't have to worry about her harming anyone.

[HoundedByHounds]

I left my two kiddos asleep on the bed plenty as a parent...in the middle before they can turn over...I am not always in the room staring at them while they sleep either.

Perhaps the dog was simply "at large" in the home...a housedog...and the door was open...my dogs would stay with me most times because I am more interesting. But I can see this scenario when you trust your dog...or your cats for that matter.

The same thing could have happened with a playpen in the den...a swing in the living room. When babies are sleeping, you let them sleep and you get things done you need to...you don't stare at them 100% of the time. IF you have a housedog that is in the home...the dog has access to the baby many times during the course of the day. But most dogs will stay with their owners,....perhaps this one didn't.

They should have closed the door...but perhaps they did not have a monitor to be able to hear the baby's cries upon waking.

Many things unanswered. But I just didn't get that the dog was sealed inside a room and left alone....by the parents here.

eta: I suppose that when one has a baby one could simply put the dog outside and leave it there full time, too, or just get rid of it....wonder how that would go over.

[angelzeus]

no dog of any breed should be left alone or allowed to roam a house were there are infants that and animal could find with out supervision it's just horrible

[Lilavati]

My family always had dog/baby gates up when I was tiny . . . they couldn't actually close the doors, there was no air conditioning in the house. They were big, well made gates . . . and otherwise the two dogs in the house (a standard poodle and a corgi) roamed freely . . . just not where I was (I also had a traditional crib with high sides). So its not like you have to close up your house to keep the dog out of somewhere, at least, not unless you have a climber . . . and once the kid starts crawling, I'd say baby gates are a necessity. Its not HARD to keep the dog out, in most cases. The problem, I suppose, is knowing you have to keep the dog out. ( I have no idea what they did about the cats . . . probably nothing, but if I remember, I'll ask)

But Dekka is right. We're fast to judge because we know better, and, most importantly, we know that we SHOULD know . . . that we (and any one else who gets a dog) should learn enough about dog behavior, and their breed in particular, that they will know about dangers like this. The shame is that when this does happen, everyone tends to blame the dog . . . or call it an 'accident.' It WAS an accident, and a mistake on the part of the dog . . .but its annoying when its an accident from a small dog and a vicious attack from a large one . . . actually, both large and small dogs likely made the same, understandable mistake . . . they didn't recognize the baby as a human 'pup.' Its such an avoidable tragedy . . . for everyone involved. :(

[HoundedByHounds]

we did the "tent" thing on the crib for cats. One could always wear the baby lol. I know some folks do that.

[mjb]

Our cat slept in the crib with our daughter. In fact, our cat slept in the crib before the baby was born! She just joined him.

Our baby didn't sleep in the crib as a newborn, though. She slept in a cradle by our bed. She was probably 6 months old before she moved into her own room.

We didn't have a dog with a baby until the 3rd one came along. The dog was a Pug, and I don't remember how the dog and baby interacted or if the dog even noticed the baby. No problems, though. I would definitely have remembered that!!

[adojrts]

Dekka, when did the CC and RR change the policy on taking in jrts that bit?
Just a few short years ago, taking dogs in that had a history of bitting wasn't allowed because of the law suits.

[Dekka]

Most of the JRTs that I fostered had bit people. But is was deemed due to stupid human error and not 'aggressive dog' I don't know. I know they did before. Maybe not when you were doing it, but before that?
Many JRTs that are coming in have bit people. Most are non puncture type 'bites' The one that I had to fight to have put down..had mangled the guys hand. (and was really quite a scary dog in many many ways...though I got along with him) I guess the law suit thing isn't as relevant anymore as insurance companies (and lawyers) are realizing that ANY dog can bite. And that people lie.

[adojrts]

Yes years ago they did take in dogs with bitting issues or aggression, then the club and the rescue were sued because of a dog that was placed. It bit a neighbor kid or a visiting kid.
After that the insurance company for the club refused to insure unless the policy changed.
Getting insurance for a club or school now is even more difficult than what it was.

[Dekka]

Must have changed. Not an issue now that i know of.

[Miakoda]

I think it was a Pomeranian, but same principle. Anything with teeth has the potential to bite/kill.


Over 45 breeds are reposnsible for human fatalities. This list includes both Yorkies and Poms.

The same thing could have happened with a playpen in the den...a swing in the living room. When babies are sleeping, you let them sleep and you get things done you need to...you don't stare at them 100% of the time. IF you have a housedog that is in the home...the dog has access to the baby many times during the course of the day. But most dogs will stay with their owners,....perhaps this one didn't.

No on said you must sit and hold or sit and stare at your child 100% of the time. But honestly, keeping your dogs away from your child/children when you are not physically close by to supervise is very simple and very easy. And it's called "responsibility."

I don't buy the "most dogs will stay by their owners, but some won't" excuse b/c if that dog won't then when it's time for me to do something & I need to leave my sleeping or playing child in the other room even if I can still see him, I grab the dog's collar and place the dog in a kennel, outside in the backyard, or attach a leash to the collar & have the dog come with me. My dogs don't make the rules in my house as to what they want to do when they want to do it and where they want to do it. They do what I have them do.

My 1st son is only 18 months old, but I can honestly swear to you that he has NEVER been left alone with one of our dogs, or anyone else's dog for that matter, for even 20 seconds. Yes it might take a little extra effort on my behalf, but better that extra effort than have to possibly bury my child.

[adojrts]

I agree, its a responsiblity to our children. It's no different that ensuring that the child doesn't drown in a buck or the toliet. All the what of, should of's and could of's doesn't stack up against preventive. And yes there are dogs that may never harm an infant or child.............but why take the chance?

[Lilavati]

I agree, its a responsiblity to our children. It's no different that ensuring that the child doesn't drown in a buck or the toliet. All the what of, should of's and could of's doesn't stack up against preventive. And yes there are dogs that may never harm an infant or child.............but why take the chance?

There are plenty of dogs that wouldn't. Most of them, once they understood what the baby was. Here's the problem . . . the dog has to understand what the baby is (pup of the pack) and the parents/owners need to evaluate the dog's prey drive and whether it has jealousy issues. Most people are in no way qaulified to do that . . . and even if they were, by the time you were really certain it was safe, the kid would be a toddler, and you'd have an entirely different set of kid-dog problem possibilities.

I would hardly want people to think their dogs are murderers . . .or to panic everytime the dog gets near the child. But common sense, and not leaving them alone is in order . . . its really just like you shouldn't leave a hyperative kindergardener alone with your baby either!

[Reggin]

Another example of an owner who thinks their little dog couldn't or wouldn't do such a thing. Owners trust their little dogs way too much just because the dog is small and loving to its owner. People dont realize that even small dogs can become VERY jealous and have ZERO tolerance for an infant. Dogs can see babies as competition for food and attention.

Sickening how their pit bulls were mentioned. I was at my aunts house with Reggin and my moms pug who has tried to attack my baby. It was brought up that her pug growls at the baby and then my aunt points at reggin and says.... "You need to be careful, THOSE kinds of dogs turn on people". I was PISSED. I need to be EXTRA careful with reggy just because he is a pit, but my moms pug is harmless even through she has already tried bitting my baby. :rolleyes:

[Chikadee77]

That's just horrible! I agree, it's not the breed, its the owners.

I would NEVER trust any of my dogs alone with my little neice and nephew and one of my dogs is a service dog and LOVES kids! Especially those kids! But it's just common sense to not leave any dog alone with children, no matter what.

[MelissaCato]

I can't imagine what any child must go through when they are a helpless victim of such an attack.


... yes I know. It's sad. I bet the owners and or parents blame the breed, instead of themselves. :rolleyes: Liberal Bastards. Although this article has a change of context that is a good thing. America is waking up. Thank God.

Check this out ... http://catousa.messageforums.net/retired-green-beret-shoots-intruder-amp-gets-court-marshia_t1844.html

Amen.

[ACooper]

No on said you must sit and hold or sit and stare at your child 100% of the time. But honestly, keeping your dogs away from your child/children when you are not physically close by to supervise is very simple and very easy. And it's called "responsibility."

Absolutely right Mia.

Shoot, when my last baby was little we had NO dog in the house but I still loaded him into his little seat and took him in the bathroom with me to shower/bath or whatever!

There are MANY things in that article that trouble me.

First of all, this baby is 6 weeks old and has no crib? Or bassenet or ANYWHERE safe to sleep? And this baby has two older brothers, 1 & 3.........something is just off with that.

It bothers me to think they believed this dog to be completely safe and yet it ATTACKED a sleeping baby that was obviously NOT able to do the dog harm?? It just doesn't sound right somewhere along the lines.....a dog that has been safe with kids and suddenly just attacks one in it's sleep? WEIRD!

I don't know..........none of it really adds up to me. But I am really sad for that poor child :(