Innocent Boxer Accused of Being Pit Mix, Murdered by Urbana Ohio Champaign County Shelter
How many kinds of bad is this? 1) having breed specific legislation (BSL) in place. 2) Ditto CAME FROM another shelter that verified he was NOT a Pit. 3) acording to at least one Dogster who saw news video, Ditto looked nothing like a Pit. 4) The family had been warned before that the Shelter was watching Ditto since he had been seen running loose around the neighborhood. 5) The next door neighbor actually CALLED in apparently Kill-hungry Champaign County Animal Warden Mandy Randall to come get Ditto! What’s up with that? She or he couldn’t simply walk over and tell the Hupps their dog was in his or her yard? I bet they felt REALLY threatened with a one and a half-year-old Boxer! I wouldn’t want to be THAT neighbor now. How many kids did they say this family has? If it had been my neighbor I sure wouldn’t let this go by without some massive payback. Nothing deadly but a whole lot of trouble! 6) According to the various news articles, Randall (who claims to have 14 years of experience but somebody needs to be doing a reference check about now!) seems to not know a Pit mix from a Boxer!!!!! Who hired this person? 7)Instead of following due process which would have allowed for time to prove Ditto NOT to be a pit, the family reports that Randall intimidated them. What a gem of an animal control officer!
To add insult to injury, the original shelter, the Ohio Clark County Shelter, gives Ditto’s family another dog as if dog’s are interchangeable items. What insensitivity and stupidity! Also, if the family had shown itself unable to care for Ditto because they can’t seem to keep their pets at home or on leash, why in the world would you give them another chance with a dog until they had proven they have learned something in all this. I understand the crying kids and all that but shouldn’t a shelter have the DOG’s welfare uppermost in mind, not assuaging the family’s feelings of guilt?
Thanks Dakota for letting us all know about this shameful situation!
Dakota wrote:
Innocent Boxer accused of being a Pit Bull was executed.
Poor Ditto, a boxer mix, was executed in the Urbana Ohio Champaign County Shelter for being a pit bull.Ditto was adopted from the Springfield, Ohio Clark County Shelter by a loving St. Paris, Ohio family with five children. In an interview with Clark County Sisler, he stated that the Clark County Humane Society adoption records listed Ditto as a boxer mix and the society doesn’t adopt out pit bulls or pit bull mix dogs as pets.
An investigation is being led by the local SPCA President Teresa Landon and she informed, “This is not the first Champaign County situation that has come through in an e-mail, but it seems to be building, and people are stepping forward.” The investigation focuses on complaints about improper procedure, violations of Ohio Revised Code and threat tactics.
Only pit bulls and pit bull mixes can be characterized by their breed to be “vicious,” according to a 2004 Supreme Court ruling and, therefore, subject to stiff penalties when found running at large. All other dog breeds must be determined “vicious” through a court process, said Clark County Chief Deputy Dog Warden Ben Smith.
Petition organizer Myrna Mudray began circulating petitions last week after hearing allegations from county residents about Randall’s treatment and attitude toward dogs. So far she has collected approximately 100 signatures. She wants to collect more signatures and present the petitions to commissioners within two weeks.
Here’s one of the articles about the incident. This one is from the Springfield News Sun
Champaign County dog warden described as “assertive”
By LaToya Thompson
Staff WriterThursday, August 31, 2006
URBANA — Clark County Humane Society Director Ed Sisler said he describes the Champaign County dog warden as “bold” and “assertive.”
Sisler said he has a good working relationship with Mandy Randall, Champaign County dog warden, since 1997, when he became director.
But he didn’t agree with her decision to euthanize a St. Paris family’s dog, an incident which sparked a petition demanding Randall be fired and an investigation from the Ohio Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.
More information can be found at:
Springfield News Sun
Or check out this article in the Urbana Citizen that talks about how the Hupps’ neighbors called in the questionable Director Randall. Randall the intimidated the Hupps into signing over Ditto so she could kill him faster! It just gets worse and worse!
More information on the Urbana Citizen article.
Here’s another article from the Springfield News Sun.
Everything about this story is sad and frustrating!
The more I hear, the more upsetting it gets!
what the heck!?! It’s getting really bad with pits, isn’t it? TOTALLY out of hand! If I take my pitbull/bird dog mix to certain states, or pass through by car or whatever, she could be seized and euthanized, just becuase of her looks! She’s never hurt anyone, animal or human, and is not pre-disposed to do so! I understand if the dog (of any breed) has been vicious before.. but one that never hurt anyone? c’mon, this BSL is just BS!!!! Ban the owners that raise them to be vicious, not the breed!
This is the most depressing story I have heard in a long time. BSL is the most horrible thing to come out of our country. If owners love and care about their dogs, and keep them in the privacy of their own home, nobody should be able to seize the pet, especially if they do not have proof as to what exact breed the dog is. This is absolutely uncalled for. Everyone should send mail, call and fax the warden and express how upset they are with her actions. Here is her information:
Mandy Randall, Champaign County Dog Warden
937-653-2710 Fax 484-1609
1512 S. US Highway 68 Suite 100
Urbana, OH 43078
Innocent dogs can not control their living situations nor the breed they were born. Protect our animals!
BSL disgusts me! Talk about low hanging fruit. Take on the gang bangers and the vile, pathetic garbage that breeds dogs for fighting and encourages vicious behaviour. Our neighbour has a sweet, beautiful PBT who epitomizes what the breed is truly about.
This is truley a tragic story.I don’t even want to post what I am thinking~
I agree with you about 90%–just cant jump on the bandwagon about the neighbors being wrong for calling the shelter to come get the dog.
I call about our neighbors’ dogs ALL THE TIME. There’s nothing at all wrong about it. Maybe if I thought they legitimately escaped rather than knowing their owners just opening the door to let them wander the neighborhood….
Now you’ve hit on the aspect of the family that bothers me, Jackie Poo. All the reports say the family had been very remiss about keeping Ditto at home. Wouldn’t you like to know what the family’s neighbors had to say about their canine care? I would.
I know what you mean about having to call if a dog keeps running loose.
The whole situation is just a bad bit of business all around!
There should be a test that people have to take before they can have a fur baby. I’ve met some of the most wonderful, intelligent dogs and cats living with the most head-up-their-arse-people.
Just horrible! That is so sad, they won’t even give the dog a fighting chance.
Sometimes people make me so mad, the hoomans can be so dumb sometimes!
people are idiots at times
It sickens me to think that human beings are so ignorant. Not only is it inhuman to think that way, but but its just plain stupid on their parts. Is (was ) that dog a harm to them?….No! It just happened to love to romp around and play. It loved to enjoy life,and was crucified to wanted to be loved and shown attention by us humans.
What if we humans were still crucified because of our race or creed? Would it all stop there? Your damn right….because it would be unfair. So what of mans best friend? Because he has no voice, he has no rights? All I can say is that God will have his day with those people. They will have their judgement day before God. They may not have to answer to us, but they will to him. Then and only then will those pwople understand their crimes that they have commited.I know that its no consulation now, but we will all be reunited with our beloved deceased pets when we go home to live with God. Until then we just need to consider all of their sources, and let God do his job. Remember “CARMA” its hell!
THIS IS A SOS I REPEAT THIS IS A SOS….. i NEED SOMEONES HELP THERE IS A DOG HERE IN MECHAINCSBURG,OHIO WITHOUT ANY SHELTER NOTHING i JUST FOUND OUT ABOUT IT MY MOM IS ON COUNCIL HERE AND SHE WANTS THESE PEOPLE CITED FOR CRUELTY TO AMIMALS THESE PEOPLE LET ONE DOG FREEZE TO DEATH AND HUNG ANOTHER BY IT LEGS OVER RAILING AND LEFT IT THERE . THE URBANA DOG WARDEN SAID ITS NOT HER JOB TO CITE THEM ITS THE HUMAN SOCIETYi NOBODY HAS DONE ANYTHING THE POLICE TALK TO THE GUY AND BELEAVE S HE BRINGS THE DOG THERE ARE 5 COMPLAINTS SAYING THEY HAVE LEFT THIS DOG OUT SINCE JAN. OR FEB WITHOUT ANY SHELTER ALL NIGHT THE MECHANICSBURG POLICE KNOW THERE RECORD WITH DOGS AS A COUNCILWOMAN LU BLAINE (MY MOM ) IS TRYING TO GET THESE PEOPLE CITED AND THE DOG RESCUED. CAN ANYBODY HELP FIGHT FOR THIS DOGS LIFE I HAVE THREE DOGS AND TWO CATS BUT IF HE HAPPEN TO SHOW UP AT MY HOUSE I WOULD GIVE HIM A HOME . HELP ME MECHANICSBURG,OHIO SUE BLAINE
mandy randall is a good person. del is not. all those kids odn;t live at his house the two kids from his previous marriage don;t want to see him because he tells them a lot of crap. mandy is qualified and has had training in identification of breeds. it is disgusting how many certificates she has.
I dnt have anyfink 2 say! Except!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Leave Animals and Dogs alone!!!!!!!!!!! Thwy r no different 2 u except in looks! They still feel hert and everyfink else. Dont lay a finger on them that will hert them! And 2 the stupid bloody bastardz that hert them go and get a life! Leave animals alone! And toi the people that kill animals for fur they need it more then u! pleas eleave them alone!!!!!!!11
Merry Christmas
[...] And who makes the decision that a dog is a Pit Bull? Heck, even trained shelter workers sometimes have trouble. Look at the recent case of a Boxer that was mistaken for a Pit Bull and euthanized before he could be cleared of the “charge.” In many cases, the term Pit Bull becomes a litmus test of whether or not the worker or whoever fears the dog. That’s no way to run a town, Jennings! [...]
This is just senseless and HORRIBLE! I am actually going to get a lab/boxer mix tomorrow and let me tell you…he looks NOTHING like a pit. My neighbors have a male, un neutered pitbull and he is a sweetheart. There is nothing wrong with pitbulls..just the people who treat them bad and train them to be mean. We don’t have BSL where I live, thank God, it’s the most idiotic thing I can imagine. If these stupid politicans get there way we will only be able to look at pitbulls in pictures because they will be extinct. We need to start voting for people with hearts, because anyone who can kill an innocent dog just because other pitbulls may have done something wrong obviously has no heart. If that was the case with humans…there wouldn’t be any humans left because let me tell you there are WAY more bad humans then there are bad pitbulls!!
when a neighbor calls in a panic that there is a mean dog outside my door “help, I can’t even get out of my house!” Mandy went to investigate at 7am on a holiday weekend. She had to stop her vacation time to rescue this person from a scary dog that had been repeatedly reported running at large. Dog tags in Champaign County are required at 6 months of age, this dog had none. After capture, Mandy took the dog to the neighbor hood store and asked several people there who this dog belonged to, no one knew BUT had seen it lots of times running the neighborhood. Those several people at the store agreed with Mandy that the dog looked like a pitpull mix. The picture on this article is not the same dog “ditto” he had a lot of white and spotted markings. When the owners were finally located, they refused to pay the fines for dog running at large, no tag fine, it was going to cost them money. As an alternative, The OWNERS of the dog, signed his life away. There wasn’t any pressure. Mandy followed procedure, Keep the dog pay the fines or give it up. The owners signed their dog over rather than pay their due. They never asked what was going to happen. Now with limited resources and space, Mandy had to make a decision, keep the mean dog or make space for a more adoptable, friendly, lovable family dog. You think that after say 30 some years of handling animals and 17+ years of training to identify different behaviors of animals, Mandy is not qualified to identify whether or not this is a good dog or not? Think again…By the way, this owner, over the years, has multiple counts against him for dog troubles. The owner decides to get his 2 cents worth of publicity, they want money, in this sue u for anything world. So thus the facts get twisted, turned and the dog warden is put through a nightmare of a situation. Being a dog warden is a thankless job anyway. How many of you are working a 24/7 job? How many of you would get up at 2am or 4am or be away on vacation and have to cut it short cause someone needs the dog warden. This article talks about one incident of one thankless family. It does not even mention the thousands of animals that Mandy has saved and found good homes for. Not to mention what it has done to her on an emotional level. Then the woodwork people, the ones that come out because of some incident they were not happy about. They usually have not conformed and don’t want to abide by the rules, decide “OH Boy!, Lets get Mandy back for this or that. or she gave me a citation for my dog being in the neighbors yard, or she had to tell me that my dog needs tags, or my sons wifes mothers other daughter had problems and I didn’t like it. You get the picture yet. You Jerry Springer types need to leave honest working people alone. And for you innocent readers out there, Don’t Believe everything that You Read UNTIL ALL THE FACTS ARE IN!!!!!!
I said that I would never own a pit. but a aquiantance of mine showed me hers. I fell in love with that 6 wk. old puppy and I told her I wanted it. She said no way but I will show you were another one is from the same litter. So here we go there were two females left , she had a male, but between the two females I couldn’t hardly make up my mind. Forgetting I ever said that I would own a pit. I picked one out , I wanted to name her Beautiful Bonnie, my daughter whom was 20 yrs old at the time wanted to name her Bay-Lee, so here I was raising Beautiful-Bonnie-Bay-Lee. She wasn’t but about 10 and 1/2 yrs. old, we kept her inside , (note we live in the country) with a chained in fence a large pen big enough for her to run and outside that pen a larger part of the yard that was also fenced in. I have an awful neighbor so I would only let her out in the big yard when my husband and or I was with her. My daughter joined the marines so it was just my husband and I. but we kept her inside and I want to tell you I housed trained that puppy quicker then anyother dog I have ever had, including a Llasha poo. Which is now 12 yrs old our age. Well that pit and Llasha played she even played with the cat. Somehow the side door which lead out to anywhere she wanted to go was left open or got pushed open and she went out to play with the puppies across the road she didn’t make it. I didn’t know the door was cracked open it was early on a Sunday morning I was just waking up and she wasnt; beside me , I thought that was unusal she loved to cuddle up with us at night. Being a Sunday morning even before church started I thought well she is with my husband . And she was finding out later but she left him and came back to me. But I guess she noticed the door open and decided to go play instead of coming back to bed. I wish I would have know about that door, cause while laying there I heard this loud sounding truck probably caring a trailor all of a sudden I heard a big as… Boom and three cries . I immediately rose got up running through the house met my husband coming out of the another room he heard it too. I looked some more and that is when I saw the door open . I didnt want to look out front. But my husband found her in the road almost life less she picked her head up barely he carried her to the car port she died. The three cries were her telling me that I love you. I was trying to teach her to bark I wuv you . It took me several months to get my heart back into any kind of spirit to feel like living again. It was like loosing one of my own children Im still not over her. My aquiatance lives down the road, about 6 months later maybe a little less she asked me if I wanted her pitt. she was unable to take care of him financially plus she kept him in a cage just big enough to fit him, or tied him up, she didnt’ have the fenced in yard that we have. So I took him in. He don’t care for other people he senses are afraid of him. But those who are not he loves to death. He cuddles with us at night he is the sweetiest thing. BeautifulBonnie’s brother , Clyde , everyone keeps telling me you better get rid of him. He will turn on you, they say did you hear about that story last week , a month or a week will go by and they tell me again did you hear about that story? No and even if I had of, I still say my baby boy will not turn on me cause he is treated as one of my children he gets alot of love, Yes he is jealous of the Llasha but only if Im paying attention to her. So I put them one on one when I play. They pick on each other it is funny that is the way they play. I will tell people this you don’t mess with him he won’t mess with you. I now keep Clyde inside but sometimes if it is a nice day he goes to the pen with extra protection for his sake he is also put on a long cable about 20 feet long only when we leave. Most of the time we leave him in even when we leave , I have left him several times. Guess what people he is a very good boy. My Llash poo name Sassy she is still here , he hadn’t layed a tooth on her my furniture is still in tack and so forth. I believe I am a good owner I love animals. And I believe this is my best of friend that I could have ever have. Most important ,, I just want you people who put Pits down be sure never to approach one cause they do sense if you like them or not. And if you don’t leave them alone. And they will leave you alone. A cop came into my house one time had no business coming in. Cause some one said we have a pit. He threatened to shot it. My Clyde was inside, the cop had no business entering my home. And I tell you he is very lucky he didn’t shot my baby cause he would have had a very special surprise from me. I would have got my gun and shot him bake and yes it would have been worth prison … and another thing I want anyone who reads this especially the ones who hate me now for giving my honest opinion , there has been twice that I have been bitten by a dog, And twice it was a chawow wow !!! a different one each time in a different time and different place and alls I did is gently reach down to say hi. So crame it you pit haters. It was man who made them fight in the first place to blame them … quit taking our beloved pits away from us who love them and care deeply for them. And children I do believe shouldn’t be in a home with them because children have a tendancy to pick on puppies. So I do recommend that anyone with children might shy away , and that is just my opinion for now I am still researching this dog, but I will never give mine up,. And no one will ever make me. If he bites some one that is cause they entered without permission … So don’t enter, ;unless invited. Dike Tx.
MECHANICSBURG,OHIO WELL IT HAPPENED AGAIN THE PEOPLE WHO KEEP GETTING DOGS AND DON’T PROVIDE SHELTER HAVE TWO NEW ADDTIONS TWO LITTLE PUP THAT WENT A WEEK WITHOUT SHELTER IN THE RAIN THEY LAID IN THE HEAT THEY LAYED SINCE PEOPLE KNOW WE ARE AMIANL LOVERS AND YOU WOULD BE STUNNED TO KNOW SOME OF THE THINGS I HAVE DONE TO SAVE A DOG OR CAT SO DON’T JUDGE MINE WAS DONE OUT OF COMPASSION …. NOT A JOB THEY CAME TO US , AGAIN WE NEEDED A DOG WARDEN MANDY RANDELL, THE POLICE CHEIF BOSTIC, OFFICER RANDELL HER BROTHER IN LAW , CALL AFTER CALL FOR THREE DAYS NEVER A CALL BACK I DO KNOW THIS IS THE SECOND TIME AND THAT IS A FACT OF THIS CASE ….. WE EVEN LOGGED THE CALLS ONLY, AFTER A OFFICAL IN URBANA WAS CONTACTED AGAIN WAS SOMTHING DONE , I DO KNOW ONE THING, ITS WHAT YOU DO WITH THAT CERTIFICATE THAT COUNTS , ANYONE THAT KNOW ABOUT DOG ABUSE AND DOES NOT REPORT IT IS AS BAD AS THE DOG ABUSER THEMSELVES AND THAT IS A FACT!!!!!!!
It is to the best of my knowledge that we as humans must follow the laws to the fullest capacity. This would include, tags for our vehicles, tags for our dogs. We must watch carefully over our children as well as our beloved pets. It is one thing to have a dog, its another to give them the proper care. This would include a vast assortment of rules, proper with holding area,not everyone on earth loves a dog and its up to the dog owners to follow the rules and protect everyone around them. A good dog owner-keeper is a responsible human. Are you neglectful with your dog? Are you sitting on your computer 24-7 failing to take note of your dogs location? Is it easier to blame someone for your neglect than to take the fullest responsibility? Granted, some dogs do indeed get loose and wander off, same with your kids. However, it’s another thing to continously post blame on certain individuals when in fact, what is stopping YOU from stepping up to the plate and taking matters into your own hands? Would it be too much trouble to offer those neglectful neighbors dogs a drink of cool water, perhaps some extra food? Would it be too much for you to call your neighbor and specify your concern in a polite manner? Have you ever stopped and thought,, perhaps your local Dog Warden was off on other calls, some of which were life and death? Twice now, you’ve expressed great concern over this matter, and I am willing to bet, not once have you expressed your concerns towards your neighbors,, it would be easier to voive your thoughts in here and allow someone else to * take care of it* for you. In my area, I have gotten to know our local Dog Warden personally, I would classify this person without a doubt as highly skilled and professional. I am retired from law enforcement and in my eyes, a Dog Warden is a job that I would never want to be. You can’t make anyone happy, seems like they never get a break, they live at their job on call 24 hrs a day, every holiday and weekends. As a matter of fact, sitting here thinking back, I have known several county Dog Wardens,, they aren’t bad people, they get bad press. The ones I know have went beyond the call of duty to adopt out hundrends of unwanted puppies and dogs. On that note I stand up and applaud each and everyone of them. Perhaps, there is always 2 sides to every story in life and moreso every dog story that makes the headlines. Im thinking back to my original posting, it much easier to blame someone else than to take responsibility.
Thank You,,:)
ladies,, spell check and proofread PLEASE, I think I made 2 mistakes and I can’t for my life understand what the heck Su is trying to get across, lol
Sue, after having done some research on your crisis. I believe the person you need to contact is your local humane agent. A humane agent looks after the welfare of the, animal, shelter, food, water etc. Make sure however, when you leave a message, please leave a contact number, your full name and the day, time you called. I know in the past, people have called for such crisis and other crisis only to be online with dialup where as the Humane agent and or the law could not get through on the telephone. Lucky you, I’ve saved your day and I hope this has brought a smile to your face and left you less disgruntled. I wish you the best of luck!