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Buffalo area media outlets reported the “bizarre and disturbing” story of a pit bull raping a two-year-old. StinkyJournalism.org finds two misquoted experts crying foul; hospital saying child protection agency is involved; an SPCA Executive Director reveals that mother has “relocated” and gives StinkyJournalism advance notice of results of dog's official behavioral analysis. Dan Cappellazzo/ Staff photographer/ Town of Niagara , NY The voice on Buffalo, New York's WBEN news radio broadcast promised “bizarre and disturbing” news about “an attack on a small boy by a pit bull.” That wasn’t the unusual part. Scare stories about pit bull attacks appear in news coverage almost as regularly as weather forecasts. What made this one so strange, though, was the mother’s claim that the dog allegedly anally raped her two-year-old son. The toddler is in guarded condition in Buffalo's Women's & Children's Hospital after undergoing reconstructive surgery.  The dog is locked up in the Niagara County SPCA, and the mother’s demanding that it be euthanized as soon as possible. SPECIAL REPORT Pit Bull "Molested And Attacked" Toddler?: Part I [RELATED] Pit Bull "Rapist" Safe For Now In an interview with Detective Larry Eggert of the Lockport Police Department, the WBEN news anchors tried to treat the matter with a sense of propriety. “This is a very delicate question,” the anchorman said. “I’ll try to approach it as sensitively as I can, but did you check with a veterinarian? Are animals ever sexually attracted to human beings?” The detective answered that the department had to search outside New York State to find an animal behaviorist who, apparently, has investigated “five” such cases. Strangely, the anchors did not reveal what this expert discovered, or ask about the credentials of the person. Even if all five of those cases turned out to be actual rapes of small children by dogs, and there’s no evidence that is the case, the outlets presented the story without skepticism.  Only one local paper vowed to dig deeper.  The expert evaluation of the dog's behavior was going to be released on Saturday, June 14 in the The Lockport Union-Sun & Journal, but StinkyJournalism already discovered the results during a conversation with Niagara County SPCA's executive director, Albert Chille. "They can't believe that it actually occurred," says Chille. “This Story Does Not Add Up.” A WIVB news report claimed that the President of the Niagara Frontier Veterinary Society corroborated the story. According to the article, an unnamed expert stated that the parents may have missed warning signs, and that a two-year-old dog reaching “sexual maturity” should not be left alone with a small child. Her words, however, were taken completely out of context. Stephanie Wolf, the misrepresented leader of NFVS, explained that a two-year-old dog can display aggression when reaching sexual maturity. “Aggression,” she told us in an exclusive interview, "[means] biting, not raping.” She never intended to suggest that parents need to fear potential rape by their family pet. “Just coming from the standpoint of having worked with dogs that are breeding, [getting young dogs to mate] is not an easy thing,” said a frustrated Wolf. “For a dog to have done this in a fraction of a moment, sounds to me a little strange. This story does not add up.” There goes one expert. WIVB also made it appear that Albert Chille, the executive director of the Niagara County SPCA, verified the credibility of the story, when in fact he contradicted it. In a news story titled “Bizarre and Disturbing Dog Attack,” they quoted Chille as saying, “My understanding is the child had no bites on him at all … I guess the message is be respectful of a dog, until you absolutely know the animal” (ellipsis original). One wonders what part of the interview was stricken where the ellipsis now stand. In my interview with Chille for further comment, he noted that the lack of bite marks on the boy was another reason to disbelieve the mother’s story. While Chille mentioned that it was not his role to speculate to the press, he had plenty to say to us about his skepticism. For example, Chille said in 27 years at the SPCA he has never heard of a dog raping a child, and neither had any of his colleagues.  “Not to get crude about it,” he says to me as a disclaimer, explaining that a male dog attaches his claws to the sides of the female dog while mating. “It just seems to me that there would be something on the child.” He was also disturbed by how adamant the mother was about wanting the dog (“Bear”) put down before the investigation was over and assured me that would not happen so long as he’s guarding the pooch. On Thursday, he says he received 30 emails, “most of them saying they want to adopt [the dog], none of whom blamed the dog and felt sorry for the boy. … I am toying with the idea of going to a rescue group with it.” Most telling, perhaps, was Chille's revelation that the mother of the injured boy is no longer reachable at her residence. “Now, [the mother] has relocated. One of the agents went to her house, and the door was shut. The neighbors said she will not be coming back.” Her flight is not proof of culpability or involvement as an accessory, but Chille said it raised his eyebrows. Niagara County’s District Attorney Matthew J. Murphy III refused to confirm this information, as it was “an ongoing investigation.” When we asked if child protective services were involved, he repeated the answer and hung up the phone. (StinkyJournalism.org called WIVB for comment, but the news director has not yet replied.) An Alternative Hypothesis and a Question That Needs Asking The dog seems to be in safe hands now. What about the boy? The Women’s & Children’s Hospital has been told by the mother not to release information about the medical condition of the child. However, we asked the public information spokesman John Moscato if the hospital was shielding him, and whether they'd reported suspected abuse to child protective services. “Child protective services and all of the appropriate authorities have been notified in this case,” he stated. It’s difficult to believe that they would be taking such measures if they were certain that the jailed dog was the culprit. Surprisingly, no press reports that we've been able to find have investigated alternative scenarios with human perpetrators. Were “bizarre and disturbing” headlines more appealing? Assuming the mother’s story is wrong, and it's becoming less credible by the moment, there is a more obvious hypothesis: this was a human crime. It's unclear whether the story was reported the way it was out of a misplaced sense of propriety, or lurid sensationalism. Evidence, however, indicates that the press has lent credibility to the preposterous alibi of a child rapist, leaving a two-year-old in continued danger of molestation while sending an innocent pit bull to be put to sleep. Fortunately, the director of the Niagara County SPCA and the Women & Children's Hospital are not just going with the assumption that the dog did it.   Additional Reporting by: Rhonda Roland Shearer and Jeremy Miller

by amber | May 29, 2008 at 07:59 AM i agree with you because i don't like anything being blamed on dogs

by dog defender | May 29, 2008 at 07:54 AM the dog cant be blamed for something that it does in its nature so lay off the dog and talk to the child about it!

by Brandy D. Ramos | Dec 11, 2007 at 01:13 PM There was another case where the mother had molested her son and blamed it on the family dog which was also a pit bull. The woman in that case had used a turkey baster to insert the dogs semen in her son. I think that this might be a copy cat of that case.

by Bobbie | Dec 10, 2007 at 09:34 PM The dog is innocent, common sense as well as all that has been found out to date proves this, the police and DA know this yet they have been dragging their feet in this investigation. Why, who knows, not only is the dog suffering, but the child and the other children could very well be in danger. The dog, Bear, has been held without cause, and needs out now! He needs to go to a rescue were he will receive the care, exercise and the socialization he needs with other dogs and humans. This is so unfair to this dog, cruel and inhumane to keep him caged like this! Please go to the following sight and sign the petition to demand Bear's release. And if you could take the time to make the calls or write the letters, on Bear's behalf (info provided on the petition site)it would be appreciated very much. www.thepetitionsite.com/2/save-this-dog-bear-free-bear Thank you.

by sophia dalle | Dec 8, 2007 at 03:55 AM This is a horrifically perverted human crime and an outrage to all ethics. This poor dog did not molest the child. That is utterly idiotic and lame comments do not serve to help anyone.

by max | Dec 28, 2007 at 06:19 AM whats up sophie are u dog tied

by Kerri | Nov 26, 2007 at 04:01 PM There is a website supporting Bear. Please feel free to visit and post comments. savebearthedog.com

by Diane DiGravio | Jul 6, 2008 at 05:15 AM Where is Bear now? What was his fate?

by max | Oct 30, 2007 at 11:32 AM i bet the kid felt a bit dog tied.

by Christine K. | Aug 25, 2007 at 08:02 PM Has there been any more updates on this? Our local news has had nothing to report.

by Jessica George | Aug 11, 2007 at 04:02 PM First of all, let me say that I have raised pit bulls for a long time now. And this women's story is NOT right. I feel sorry for the dog and the boy. There are too many holes in her story. It does not make any sense. I hope they charge her for negligence.

by Betty | Aug 16, 2007 at 01:07 PM Rumors are flying that the dog owner used to take photos and make videos of crack addicts performing sexual acts on the poor dog. That is why she has so adamantly requested to have the dog put down. Sounds like she wants to get rid of the evidence to me. They ought to euthanise her and adopt out the dog.    by Christine K. | Aug 25, 2007 at 08:03 PM O.o With all five of her kids in the house?!

by | Jul 26, 2007 at 07:17 PM

by Ali | Jul 20, 2007 at 10:44 AM Thought this sounded fishing from beginning. One question though-- what about reports of neighbors who said they had to beat the dog off the child. Did they really see/do anything? If so, isn't that proof child was penetrated? But if they did have to beat the dog, wouldn't the dog have left claw marks or bruises on the boy?

by Tina | Jul 19, 2007 at 04:11 PM Ok, this obviously doesn't add up as the article mentions. Among many other examples of this mother's story not making sense, I also have another question. How would the dog know to take the child's pants, shorts, diaper or whatever the child had on, off? Or was the child naked to begin with? Obviously, the mother is at fault no matter what way you look at it. The dog did not do it IMO. I have worked with dogs for many years, in particular pit bulls, and cannot see how this could happen the way that the mother is claiming. I feel horrible for the poor child and dog. They BOTH are victims of human ignorance.

by Abida | Aug 7, 2007 at 01:39 PM The mother claims that the little boy took his soiled diaper off and she went to get a clean one, and in that short amount of time it happened.... i think its b.s. personally.

by Adriene | Jul 17, 2007 at 07:16 PM I'm sorry, but owning several dogs over the years.... but, isn't there a pretty big difference between canine genitalia and human sex organs? Is is even possible for a dog size member to create such damage that a child would need reconstructive surgery? And, if they had to beat the dog off the child, wouldn't there have been some marks on the child offering the possibility that the dog was indeed trying to stay on top of him? This just doesn't add up at all...... From the owner of a pitbull, Adriene

by Demmy | Aug 20, 2007 at 07:50 PM http://www.stinkyjournalism.org/latest-journalism-news-updates-91.php#comment

by ALKeck | Jul 17, 2007 at 11:51 AM ALSO, it would be simple enough to do a DNA test on the semen left by the dog. Did anyone bother to collect the evidence here? You only need to analyze for species at 1st, then when it comes back as HUMAN DNA, then do the "real" work of identifying the culprit and areest and prosecute.

by Rhonda R. Shearer | Jul 17, 2007 at 12:57 PM The press has reported that DNA test are being made. Results have not been announced.    by Dee | Aug 8, 2007 at 07:18 AM Dhttp://www.wgrz.com/news/news_article.aspx?storyid=49447&provider=topNA PROVES PITBULL SEXUAL ATTACK POSSIBLE I believe that the mother had been having sexual intercourse with the mother and as a result the baby ended up being the victim. She probably never thought that would happen. That is horrible. Experts are also stating that the dog was taught that behavior. During the time that Dogs mates the have been known to claw and bite the mate. There were no Bruises nor marks found on the baby.

by Dog freaks | Jul 17, 2007 at 11:46 AM I did a little internet research. (Which was unbeliveably disgusting) Interestingly enough there are people who train dogs to have sex with humans. I guess it is possible the boy was imitating what he saw his mom doing with the dog, and the dog being well trained agreed. Considering the size of an average 2 year old and the size of the pitt bull...he may not have left scratches simply due to his size as compared to the boy. If there was no human male to be found may have been the dog that did it...but my guess is only because that was what he was trained to to

by Rhonda R. Shearer | Jul 17, 2007 at 01:02 PM The dog may have been used by humans for sex purposes before. However, these acts took human intervention as it is not a natural behavior with the chemical and anatomical parts of the acts in play. It is the female dog that positions herself to catch the penis. The male is aroused by her smell or alternatively by human manual stimulation. Common sense is that humans held the toddler into position and inserted the dog's penis. Sick, sad.    by Anna | Aug 13, 2007 at 12:27 PM Well, first of all, Dogs DO NOT have to be trained for that... I have seen a young Pitt try to pull a 4 year girl to him and "Huntch" her ... All she was doing to " provoke" that was playing, and running around... ( That just got him wound up, I guess ) Have you ever heard of nature??? I pray to God that this woman was not putting her baby in that kind of danger...    by Misti | Aug 15, 2007 at 12:53 PM Most likely what you saw was an act of dominance. Both male and female dogs will hump other dogs and people in a display of power over the other animal. This is easily stopped with a little knowledge of dog psychology and behavior.   by ALKeck | Jul 17, 2007 at 11:54 AM The dog would have left DNA if he had done it. Doggies don't use condoms during intercourse. I would really like to know if there was DNA present and was it tested, if none there, better look at mom!

by ALKeck | Jul 17, 2007 at 11:46 AM I don't believe for a second that the dog did this!!! I think mom did or knows who did and because the media jumps everytime they hear the words "pit bull" the run the story regardless of the actual facts. This boy was hurt by a HUMAN, plain and simple! Dogs do not naturally mate with humans. Even if the dog had been trained to "perform" this act, it would have left SOME SORT OF MARKS on the child. Why did mom vanish? Very suspicious if you ask me!!!

by Sarah Farley | Jul 17, 2007 at 10:22 AM I live and work in Lockport, NY. And this is a real story. A friend of my family is a Captain with the Lockport Police Dept. And he was talking to me about this. They are HIGHLY considering the fact that the family actually either trained or made the dog do this to the little boy. In the end though it is a very sad story. I myself have a 3 year old little boy and if I were the mother I wouldn't be able to take all the media attention and would want the dog put down no matter what right away.

by Susan | Jul 18, 2007 at 03:35 PM Sorry, but the evidence is not in and I too live locally. Just because the Capt said so, don't make it fact that the dog was the instigator and culprit. They are only writing down what they are told this early in the investigation. It is wholly inappropriate and unprofessional for anyone involved in the case, including the Captain, especially in the decision making, to make public judgmental statements as to what "really" happened. I too know many in the police force who know the facts and they, rightfully, tell me that the ONLY story they have is the one the mother relayed. All of which never crossed the line of making judgments without the facts and before conclusion of an investigation. Those "stories" are not proofed yet, and certainly, are way beyond credibility without human intervention. If the dog did in fact engage in the ALLEGED attack, it had to be, like the example set forth, a result of human invervention and shaping. And it is the humans involved who should be held responsible. Including the "witnesses" who strangely enough, can't get their statements straight in the media and too could be involved. There is no way structurally the dog could have done that without ieaving bruises or abrasions without human intervention to prevent same. Place the dog in a home without children and make sure the bahavior is shaped out and subsituted for an appropriate behavior. However, kill the dog? Hello, that most certainly is not a balanced perspective to an unvalidated situation. Nor is there any evidence the dog would engage again, if it had in the first place. The right thing to do would be to bring in a PROPERLY EDUCATED and balanced behavior modifier to assess the dog for placement or reoccurance, like someone from Cornell. And most certainly, take the dog from the home to save the dog from the family frankly. Seems like that is a lot of lack of impulse control in this entire story from the family to witnesses to journalists to police releasing judgments without facts. Hope your dog is never on the agenda for fair assessment and if you are ever in the situation where a police report is filed with allegations, that it is not aired for the public or friends with prejudgments already determined so that you prosecuted, or your dog, before facts are proven. This is still "innocent until proven guilty" country whether human or companion animal.   by Me | Aug 29, 2007 at 08:00 PM John Rogerson is one of the best, mabye the absolute best, dog behavourist in the World. I hope your police department has tried to reach him. He is in the UK and can easily be found searching his name and dog behaviorist on the internet. Google that and his name will come up first!   by Rhonda R. Shearer | Jul 17, 2007 at 01:34 PM Thanks for writing Sarah. I was just wondering. I hate to be graphic, but it is the only way I know to ask...If the dog was manually stimulated (therefore, was not, in and of itself "attracted" to the boy); the toddler was held and the dog's penis inserted--do you still believe the dog should be killed?    by Rhonda R. Shearer | Jul 17, 2007 at 01:22 PM Here is an excerpt from a report, Mark Bonokoski Fri, November 4, 2005. A similar case-- A 17 year old used a dog to rape a 12 year old boy. EXCERPT: "The facts of the case are as follows: In August 2003, the then-15-year-old girl was hired by a neighbour in her apartment building to look after her pit bull terrier while she went away to the west coast, and left her explicit instructions not to bring any other person into the apartment. The police report is three pages long. And it is graphic. It has the girl attending the apartment to feed the pit bull, and taking along the 12-year-old "victim" who also lived in the same building. They were sitting on the couch when the dog climbed up and began "humping" the boy. Both, according to the report, thought it was "funny." "We need to get rid of his horniness," the girl reportedly said, and then instructed the boy to get down on the floor on his hands and knees where she then forcibly pulled down his pants and underwear, and put the pit bull in position. The boy told her to stop -- that it was "no longer funny." But it wasn't about to stop. "The victim began crying in pain," reads the police report. "After about 10-15 seconds of the dog penetrating the victim, the accused began hitting the dog on the head to break him off. The accused instructed the victim not to tell." Back at his own apartment, the boy initially told his mother that his "puffy" face -- swollen from crying -- was the result of banging his head on a shelf. After he went to the bathroom and discovered he was bleeding, however, he let the entire story spill out, including showing her the scratches on his back that were consistent with claw marks. According to the police, the boy's mother confronted the girl, but did not immediately report it to the police because she feared the girl was not only a bully, but a member of a gang in that end of Scarborough. It was only after a social worker at the boy's school called the mother to discuss her son's increasingly bad behaviour did the mother disclose the events of that summer. The social worker, in turn, called Children's Aid who, in turn, called the cops. The girl was originally charged with three criminal counts, one for compelling bestiality, one for bestiality on a person under the age of 14, and another for sexual assault." http://www.torontosun.com/News/Columnists/Bonokoski_Mark/2005/11/04/1291748.html

by Zully | Jul 17, 2007 at 07:04 AM it is something really wrong about this story, if is like the article said, that the mother wanted to put the dog down before any investigation, and about the dog normally attaching its claws while mating, the kid no having any scrach or marks on him. Does she has something to hide????There is to many sick people in this world.All this matter make you think that the mother has somethig to hide about it, what if she was looking at them while happening and suddenly everything got out of control and she is making up a story to get out of troble?????. All I know is like Chille said" raised a lot of eyebrowns". Could the police order to perform a lie detector to the mother??? I think that is a good idea.

by Taste Like Crazy | Jul 16, 2007 at 02:01 PM I think that the story is a fabrication; plain and simple. As the story points out, several "facts" just don't add up. I feel bad for the boy and the dog. www.TasteLikeCrazy.com

by RShearer | Jul 14, 2007 at 01:01 PM If you have any information on this case; please contact us at rrs@asrlab.org

by susan | Jul 18, 2007 at 03:46 PM Just exactly who is "us" and why the diligence in the persecution without the facts?   by MARSHA WHEATLEY | Jul 16, 2007 at 09:10 AM IS THIS REAL OR FAKE "JOURNALISM". IT IS HARD TO KNOW HOW TO INTERPRET YOUR SITE. ARE YOU OFFERING A PUBLIC SERVICE OR PERFORMING AN EXPERIMENT ON THE PUBLIC'S POTENTIAL GULLIBILITY?   by Jeremy | Jul 17, 2007 at 01:16 PM In case you haven't read our About Us section, our site is devoted to looking at errors and ethical breaches in the news media. We do original reporting and research and attempt to bring clarity and accuracy to stories in which clarity and accuracy are lacking. While some stories are perpetuated and prolonged by what you phrase "public gullibility," we are interested in gullibility of a different kind--editorial gullibility. That is, the type of gullibility that allows dubious stories to slip into the news stream and gather momentum with the weight of respected news outlets behind them. So in that sense, we feel we are doing a great public service. Our journalism is very "real."    by Laura | Jul 16, 2007 at 09:27 AM I agree, is this case real? Could this be the parents covering up something? The whole thing seems fishy if you ask me...    by Rhonda R. Shearer | Jul 17, 2007 at 01:27 PM This seems a sick extension of dog excuses. "The dog ate my homework" ; "the dog farted" and now "the dog raped my child?" Human rape of animals and children are well known. This is like the Canada case were two perversions are combined--use the animal to rape the child.    by susan | Jul 18, 2007 at 03:45 PM Sorry, disagree. I've worked with dogs for more than 30 years and never read, heard or encountered this situation, and lived all over the US and traveled abroad. I'd have to go and search for the factual stories, along with the long long lists of sick "clubs" who are into beastiality. Again, most of it unsubstantiated. Certainly, none where the dog did it on its own fruition without human shaping and encouragement. If the few occasions I have heard any alluding to same, it has been at the hands of twisted humans or in reports of arrests of adults. It is most certainly not something that "happens all the time." Feel free to produce FACT based stories of same to support such a broad statement or don't perpetuate the situation with false claims and implications. This is exactly how the story came to be so expounded upon without any proven facts other than the child has been injured and the mother wanting to get rid of evidence. Speculation, unsubstantiated statements and police officials commenting to friends and neighbors, that which he has NO BUSINESS doing. It is a tragedy.. and contributing to muddied waters does not add clarity and my question is what is the motivation of those who point fingers without facts?    by Unknown | Oct 9, 2007 at 02:19 PM First, I don't care how many people work with dogs or had worked with dogs and never experienced or learning that a dog had raped a child before. It's very well possible and most likely has happened but never heard about it until July. There are some pit bulls who are very vicious just as another other dog and would commit such henious acts against a child. Marks didn't necessary have to be on the child. The dog could have possibly held the child down with its weight. Logically, think about it, it was said that the mother had the baby lying on the bed on his front side with no clothes on. This would had given the dog the perfect opportunity to commit this vicious act against the baby. Meaning, since the baby was already on his front side with no clothes on, the only thing the dog had to do was jump on the bed, stand over the baby with the dog legs not touching the boy. Now, if the mother startled the dog and the dog got up and ran with the baby still attached and the baby had no scratches, then something fishy is going on with the mother's story. Dogs knows the difference between humans and dogs and not to mention especially when they are in "heat". If the mother had something to do with that, she will pay for her crime. Have a good one!    by Skullie | Mar 7, 2008 at 03:25 PM Dogs are not capable of mating in that position. The child would have to be on his hands and knees, not lay flat. And then it's impossible for the dog to mate without holding onto the child, ergo causing damage with his claws.    by Anonymous | Dec 7, 2007 at 07:30 PM You should see the mother's MYSPACE page. She took pictures of her kid in the hospital.