Sunday, 23 November 2014

THE BABYSITTER PANICKED AND THE CHILD PAID THE PRICE RIP DAX

WHAT ACTUALLY HAPPENED SUSAN, THE FIRST VERSION SHE TOLD...
First Interview w/Susan Iwicki:
Deputy Craig Konopski interviewed Iwicki at the scene, while being checked out by the ambulance crew members. Iwicki stated that she had Daxton fully clothed in snow pants, a jacket and a hat. She had him in her arms and was walking with the dogs out the back door to let them into a fenced-in area in the backyard. She opened the gate to the fenced in area and stated that the female dog became aggressive. The female was jumping up on her and Susan was pushing the dog back down. The male then joined in and Susan stated she was confused about what happened next but stated that one of the dogs had jumped up on her and knocked her to the ground, and when she fell to the ground, she fell on her stomach area and lost Daxton on the ground. While they were on the ground, she said that the female dog began attacking Daxton in the arms and legs, while the male dog grabbed the tassel on top of his hat and pulled the hat right off of Daxton’s head. Susan stated the female was behind her and must have been the one to push her down, as she was now standing on her back. <- how was the dog both behind her, standing on her back AND attacking the child? Susan said she could not stand up, and the male dog kept biting at Daxton. She was swatting at the male dog and yelling at him to get away, and stated that she was screaming for help, hoping that a neighbor would come out of their residence to assist. She states she does not know how long this attack went on for, but the female dog finally got off her back and ran towards Daxton and joined in the attack. <- now the female dog is just beginning to attack? After the male had already done so? Before or after? Which was it? They were biting him in the head, face, arms and legs. Susan states that Daxton was screaming and crying. She got up to her knees, and then finally to her feet when she began to kick at the dogs with her boots. She was kicking the dogs in the ribs and head area while screaming for someone to help her. She said the child was still screaming at that time. She kicked the female dog in the head and was able to get on the ground between the dogs and the child. She grabbed the child with both arms, and got back up on her feet. While retreating, one of the dogs, bit the sleeve of her jacket off and the back of her coat. She said that she then pulled her cell phone out of her coat pocket, and dialed 911 as she moved toward the back of the house.<-- remember this She was able to enter the residence using the sliding glass door. One of the dogs was able to force its way into the house before she could get the door secured. She laid Daxton on the floor, got a hold of the dogs collar, and dragged it into the kitchen area where she put up a gate then why were both dogs loose in the house when the first officer arrived? She said she was on the phone with dispatch, screaming for help and she ran around to the side of the house, and let the second dog in, also confining it in the kitchen. again, why were both dogs loose when the police arrived? She said that she then went back to Dax who was no longer screaming or moving. She said that the next thing she remembers is when Deputy Brauer entered the residence. She stated that the whole incident happened so fast that she “didn’t have time to react.”
THE SECOND VERSION OF WHAT HAPPENED THAT DAY
Second Interview w/Iwicki @ 1430:
Iwicki stated that she was watching Daxton while his father, Jeffrey, was working with her boyfriend, laying down carpet. This is a usual arrangement. She stated that she had babysat Daxton several times during the last couple of months. When asked about her dogs, she stated that the female’s name was Penny and the male’s name was Bosston, and that they were brother and sister. They were just under 3 years old. She stated that she and her boyfriend got them from a casual friend she could only identify as Brian. When asked what breed of dog they were, she stated that she did not know, and that Brian had a big male dog, and a small female dog that bred together. She said that the female was only around 35 lbs in weight, and had 7 puppies, and that she had problems with producing enough milk for the puppies, and they had to take possession of Bosston and Penny when they were 3 weeks old, instead of 8 weeks. <- these puppies were taken from their mother and littermates during one of the most formative times of their lives. Did Iwicki or her boyfriend have previous experience in handling a dog that might not learn what it needs to in that time? She stated that the when the dogs were smaller, they fought over food a lot but that they corrected that problem. Iwicki stated that both dogs were fed together 1 cup of dog food in the morning and one cup of dog food in the evening. She advised that neither dog had any formal obedience training, but that they were both trained to sit and stay and would not be let out of the dog crates until they did so. <- sit and stay are good commands, but they are far more important OUTSIDE of a crate than in it. She gives no indication that either dog did so. She advised that they were not allowed in every room of the house, and that they used baby gates and a piece of card board to keep the dogs contained in the rooms they were allowed to be in. She stated that neither dog showed any aggression toward other dogs that would come to the house, and that just when they were young, would they “tussle”, working out their rank. She said when strangers came over, the dogs would bark and jump up on them to say hello. very very poor obedience. Iwicki stated that the dogs are kenneled at night and were kenneled most of the day today. < -- high energy dogs, young dogs, locked up all night in a kennel and then kenneled for the better part of the day. When were they allowed exercise, play or a chance to run off energy? She has had them out of their kennels when Daxton has been there in the past with no problems.
She stated she was holding Daxton in her arms when she led both dogs out to the back yard fenced in area to pee. She stated both dogs went off and peed. She said when both dogs came back to her, one of the dogs began to pull on her pant leg of her jeans. She said that she began to slap the dog in the muzzle, telling it to stop. She said she was unsure if it was Bosston or Penny. how is a person so unaware of their surroundings that they don’t know which dog is pulling on their pants, which dog they are hitting and yelling at? She stated then both dogs began to bite her on her coat, tearing the pocket, causing her cell phone to fall to the ground.< - she stated twice previously that she pulled her cell phone out of her pocket. How did it magically get back in her pocket if the dogs had torn it out? She said at that point, Daxton began to cry. She said the dogs then started jumping up on her, biting Daxton as she held and attempted to shield him from the dogs. Iwicki stated that Bosston jumped and grabbed the tassel of Daxton’s hat, pulling it off his head. She said she was then knocked to the ground by both dogs. She did not recall how she fell on the ground, but did recall rolling around on the ground and both dogs were on top of her. She said that the dogs then began biting Daxton in the face area. She stated that she was on her knees and everything was happening so quickly. this is a COMPLETELY different version of events than the first one. Previously she was knocked down by one dog, previously she dropped Daxton and that’s when they attacked. She stated that she just screamed and screamed for somebody to help her. She said she could see her cell phone on the ground, but couldn’t get to it. in the previous version, it was in her pocket. She said that Daxton was lying in the snow, and the dogs were going for his face. She said she then tried kicking the dogs, and she said she drove her finger into Penny’s eye to get her to stop- <- previously she “kicked the dog in the head”. She said that one of the dogs had Daxton’s arm, so she removed his jacket so they couldn’t bite his arm. She was still kneeling at this point, and thought she might be able to stand up. She said Daxton was on the ground, and the dogs wouldn’t let her near him, and that they were walking around him.<--previously she stated that she got up, kicked the dogs and put herself on the ground between them and grabbed Daxton, now she states they wouldn’t let her near him. She stated that she retrieved her cell phone and dialed 911. She stated that the dispatcher wasn’t listening to her about what was happening, so she had to call 911 a second time. She stated “We were disconnected and I was talking to the air.” She said she saw Bosston go over and start to lick Daxton’s face where they had bit him. She stated she knew the dogs weren’t going to leave him alone, so she ran over, scooped up Daxton <- what happened to being on the ground between Daxton and the dogs?, and ran to the house, entering in through the glass doors. She said that Daxton was still breathing and awake. She said that Penny was able to sneak into the house while the door was barely open <- previously she stated that she grabbed Penny by the collar and drug her into the kitchen and put up the baby gate, not that she “sneaked in”. She said she put Penny in the kitchen and put up the baby gate. She said at that point, she saw a Deputy pulling in the driveway and saw Bosston in the driveway. She said that she pointed out to the Deputy where she had laid Daxton on the floor. When Detectives asked about the gate that was off its hinges, Iwicki stated that because of the deep snow, the gate has been off its hinges, and the dogs were able to knock the gate over from its leaning position.
She stated that for the last few days, Bosston had been throwing up, didn’t have any interest in food, and was not drinking water. She said she consulted her sister, who is in her 2nd year of vet school at UW Madison, and was advised to put Bosston on a bland diet of rice, cottage cheese, and boiled chicken with no fat. She said that she did do that, and that Bosston seemed to be doing better, and was drinking water the night before. When asked about what type of playing she does with the dogs, she stated that both dogs love to play with their Kong toys, specifically fetch. She stated that they would retrieve and release when told to do so. Iwicki stated that both dogs were up to date on all their shots.
WHY NO SCREAMS FOR HELP?

Wednesday, 12 November 2014

DAX'S DEATH 3 WEEKS LATER

Update #3 · 
Rib

Take the Pledge Update - Father Shares History After Fatal Pit Bull Mauling

We wanted to let you know that the father of a young boy mauled to death by two pit bulls in March and the owner of the dogs came together to participate in a recently published essay. The history of what occurred on March 6th, 2013 is powerfully told through their voices.
The essay follows an interview with WISN in early June when the father spoke to the media about his son's death for the first time. It was during this same time period that we began the Take the Pledge campaign, when the percentage of pit bull mauling deaths remained at 93%.
Read full essay: 
Beyond the Interview: Essay of a Fatal Pit Bull Mauling 
http://blog.dogsbite.org/2013/07/beyond-the-interview-essay-of-a-fatal-pit-bull-mauling.html
Beyond the Myth - Essay of a Fatal Pit Bull Mauling is an 8,500 word essay that details the fatal pit bull mauling of a 14-month old boy and the events that shadowed his death. On March 6th, 2013, Daxton Borchardt was killed by his babysitter's pit bulls in a prolonged attack while under her care in Walworth, Wisconsin. Beyond the Interview was created through direct phone calls and emails over a 6-week period with Jeff Borchardt, 39, the boy's grieving father, and Susan Iwicki, 30, the babysitter and owner of the two pit bulls. Both are compelled to speak out after believing the widely pervasive myth, "It's all how they're raised."
Watch related video: 
Father warns about dangerous myth after pit bulls kill his son 
http://youtu.be/jEFCH6btvng
Leading up to the essay's release, DogsBite.org released a video to the father's YouTube channel to extend his message to video audiences. Borchardt is a well-known deejay across the Midwest and often travels to Milwaukie, Chicago and Indiana to perform. Over a 2-week period, DogsBite.org developed the video by editing together video clips and an audio mix provided by Borchardt. This blending resulted in the father's powerful story and mission emerging on screen.
Thank you for your continued support and participation in this important campaign.
Please keep spreading the message to Take the Pledge!
the essay minus  80% of the propaganda?

June 10th Interview 
Walworth, WI - On March 6, Daxton Borchardt, 14-months old, was savagely killed by two pit bullswhile under the care of his babysitter. Susan Iwiki, 30-years old, was babysitting Dax at her home on North Lakeshore Drive when her two pit bulls attacked. In his first interview about the deadly attack, Jeff Borchardt, 39-years old, spoke candidly about his son's death. He said that after hearing about a toddler mauled by a pit bull in Caledonia, he could no longer remain silent.

The interview took place at Jeff's former home on June 10th, which now lies empty, filled with painful memories. "We couldn't be here anymore. We had to come home to a house with marks on the walls," Jeff said, pointing to the marks Dax once made. Jeff and his wife decided to leave their Darien home after the attack because the memories of their son were overwhelming. Jeff is speaking out now to warn others about pit bulls, a dog breed he believes is dangerous.
"Believing the myth, 'It's not the breed, it's all how you raise them,' is what left us without a son," Jeff said.
Before his son's death, Jeff said that he used to believe that a dog's behavior was determined by the way it was raised. He no longer believes this myth -- a falsehood widely cited by pit bull advocates and humane groups. The dogs that Susan owned with her boyfriend had no history of aggression. The couple raised the two pit bulls from puppyhood. The dogs were not abused or neglected and both were sterilized. "Something made the dogs snap on that day," Jeff said. 

He cannot forget how his son looked after the prolonged attack. "There were unimaginable bruises and bites all over his legs, his arms and his body -- his head," Jeff said. He added, "[The pit bulls] had one goal in mind and that was to murder my baby." Jeff hopes that by sharing Dax's story with as many people as he can, new damaging pit bull maulings and fatalities can be prevented. He said that if his stepping forward today saves just one life then going through this pain is worth it. 

Beyond the Interview: Essay of a Fatal Pit Bull Mauling


What began as a moderate follow up post to the June 10th interview turned into an 8,500 word essay documenting the fatal pit bull mauling of Daxton Borchardt. Over the past six weeks, Jeff and Susan shared many details with DogsBite.org through phone conversations and emails about what transpired on March 6th. They also shared their histories about the four months shadowing the young boy's death. Both Jeff and Susan formerly believed, "It's all how you raise them."
Killed by babysitters two pit bullsKilled by babysitters two pit bullsKilled by babysitters two pit bulls
Daxton Borchardt of Darien, Wisconsin at different times before his death.
Blood was everywhere -- all over the floor and bed. His son's lifeless body lay mainly covered up, but still exposing his massive head injuries.
Jeff arrived at Mercy-Walworth Medical Center eight minutes before the ambulance. An officer had told him the situation was very grave. "Dog bite" was listed on his son's intake form. How bad could it be? he wondered. Until arriving, Jeff did not know that dogs had injured his son. After doctors stabilized the boy's heart in preparation for the helicopter flight, a doctor emerged and repeated the words "very grave." He asked Jeff if he would like to see him before the flight. 

This is the first time Jeff sees his son after the savage attack. In the WISN interview, Jeff said that he would never forget how his son looked afterward. "There were unimaginable bruises and bites all over his legs, his arms and his body," he said. If only that was all that was forever seared into the father's mind. In reality, one side of his son's face was entirely ripped off, his skull crushed and one eye dangled from its socket. His wife was not spared this horrific imagery either.
Dax underwent a sustained, relentless mauling by two pit bulls that lasted up to 15 minutes. Total destruction ensued.
Upon seeing his son, Jeff immediately called his wife and told her to "pull over now." Kim had been en route to Mercy at the time. In gasps, he explained the severity. All family members were told to drive to Children's Hospital of Wisconsin in Milwaukee, about 40 miles away. The helicopter arrived the fastest. Kim arrived next in a frantic state, asking the trauma intake staff, "What happened? What happened?" When no one answered her, she collapsed to the floor.

A nurse helped Kim recover and showed her into a special waiting room. It was a ten-by-ten foot room lined with chairs. When Jeff and his father, driving together, arrived at Children's, the hospital chaplain was standing outside. He took their car keys, handed them to the valet service and ushered them both into the room. Several of Kim's friends filled chairs now. This is when doctors appeared the first time and told the family that 40 physicians were working to save Dax's life. 

When doctors emerged a second time, about 10 minutes later, they asked for consent to take x-rays. Startled by the question, Jeff said: "Yes, take the x-rays! Do whatever it takes!" My God! he thought to himself. Why are they asking us this? By this time the small room was filled with family and friends. After another 10 minutes, doctors appeared a third time. They pulled Jeff and Kim away and said, "He's gone." The doctors explained to them that he did not feel any pain.

"He was unconscious the whole time," the chief doctor said.1

As the couple walked down the corridor to see their son one last time, they saw the faces of the doctors and nurses they passed by. Each held an expression of total defeat. Jeff said these expressions still plague him today. When they reached the trauma room where their son died, Jeff said it was like walking into an accident scene. Blood was everywhere -- all over the floor and bed. His son's lifeless body lay mainly covered up, but still exposing his massive head injuries.
"This is a war we are in," Jeff realized after describing the trauma room where his son died.
Everyone in the small room was breaking down, weeping and sobbing. Slowly, trauma staff members began directing people into a new room, the hospital's chapel. There were pews in the room and a bible. Jeff was striding back and forth in panic and disbelief. The chaplain asked Jeff if he would like to take a walk. He began walking down a hallway with the unknown man, away from his family. This is when the chaplain said to him, "In one week you will be able to function again."2

The Day of the Attack

pit bull attack near dog runpit bull attack near dog runpit bull attack near dog run
Images showing Susan's backyard and dog run area, taken in winter 2012.
The arriving deputy initially feared it was a murder scene, according to reports. Bloodstained snow and fabric covered the backyard where the attack took place.
Walworth County Sheriff's Office did not release details about the March 6th attack until nearly a month later. News articles published then reported that the two pit bulls turned from playful and "nippy" into a violent frenzy. We've since learned more about what occurred before and after the attack. The agreement between Susan and the boy's parents was that Dax was always to be kept away from the two pit bulls and the dogs kenneled. March 6th had started that way.

It must be noted that Susan had babysat Dax at her home on at least 20 occasions previously without incident. The set up was always the same. She and Dax spent time in the front part of the house near her two pet chinchillas. The pit bulls were kept kenneled in the back part of the home near a sliding glass door that exited into the backyard and fenced dog run. Susan provided photographs of the backyard where the attack occurred (taken one year earlier) for this essay.

It was 12:30 pm and time for the dogs to be let outside. Susan dressed Dax in his coat; she had on snow boots and an unzipped parka. There was a routine when the dogs were let out of their kennels. Not only did they have to stay in their kennel until the door was fully open, but were also given an okay to exit. Susan was holding Dax on her hip when she opened the kennel doors. The dogs exited in the routine way then went out the glass door and headed toward the dog run.

Still holding Dax, Susan came strolling up behind. She opened the gate and away the dogs went. When it was time, Susan called her dogs to come inside. The dogs ran back normally then suddenly charged Susan and attacked. One clamped onto her leg and the other latched onto her coat, trying to pull her to the ground. A bite to Susan's arm forced Dax out of her arms and sent them both spiraling into the snow. She scrambled to cover the little boy with her body.

She used the open sides of her parka to insulate the boy as her own dogs tore at her hair, one on either side. The pit bulls then started to dig into the snow around and underneath her to reach Dax. She frantically fought off the dogs, but neither responded to her repeated punches and kicks. She even jammed her thumb hard into her female pit bull's eye with no result. The dogs continued their relentless assault, and in the end, were able to pull Susan away, separating her from Dax.
The gate, already unhinged on one side, was ripped down during the struggle, Susan said.
Every time she tried to stand up, the dogs knocked her back into the snow. She could see Dax lying on the ground and her two pit bulls guarding him. Under the haze of distorted time that afflicts people in life-threatening situations, Susan crawled far enough away to be able to rise to her feet. She knew while rising that this was her last chance to act. Her snow boots were loose and frayed. During the onslaught, her male pit bull had torn through them, ripping out the laces.

At this stage her two pit bulls were circling the boy -- his bright red blood covered the surrounding snow and was soaking through it. Susan knew she had to run between the dogs with steady feet to pick up Dax. She also knew she might not make it out of the dog run alive. She raced between the two dogs as fast as she could, scooped up the boy and fled toward the house. As she was going through the door, the female pit bull ran under her legs nearly knocking her down again.

This is all that Susan can remember today. She may never remember the rest.

Police released the 911 call Susan made about a month after the fatal attack. The WISN video only depicted a small portion. Notably, the dispatcher is shocked as Susan screams into the phone, "Dogs, dogs, dogs!" The dispatcher inquires, "They attacked a baby?" Susan screams, "Yes!" Further into the 911 call, Susan warns the dispatcher that two pit bulls are running loose outside and that officers may encounter them. "They can shoot them, I don't care!" Susan cried.

The arriving deputy initially feared it was a murder scene, according to reports. Bloodstained snow and fabric covered the backyard where the attack took place. The dogs had ripped Susan's parka to shreds and stripped all of the clothing from the boy during the prolonged attack. Susan was still frantically speaking with 911 when the first deputy arrived. The officer found Dax in a room in the home, totally naked, lying on his back in a pool of blood. He initially thought the boy was dead.

A Meeting with the Detective

Three days after the attack, Jeff and his father drove to Elkhorn to meet with a county detective. Until this point, few specifics were known. Jeff only knew the dogs attacked Susan and killed Dax while she was babysitting him. Jeff initially believed the pit bulls had gotten to Dax while he was walking in her home or outside. He said that when he learned Susan had been carrying Dax when her own dogs attacked her in order to reach his son, everything changed for him.
"She suffered injuries, was sent to the hospital ... THEY ATTACKED THE HAND THAT FED THEM!" Jeff wrote to DogsBite.org.
After three days of living in a shell-shocked emotional state, Jeff now had to listen to all of the disturbing details from the detective. From the moments leading up to the attack, to understanding the length of the attack -- up to 15 minutes -- and what followed. The length of the attack was the most devastating. "Did he know what was happening?" Jeff demanded. A question the Walworth County detective could not answer. He told Jeff his son's death was a "perfect storm."3

When Jeff called him three days later, he again told him it was a "perfect storm."4

As the horror settled in, both Jeff and his wife began the next phase of severe emotional trauma, suffocation by the powerful forces of guilt. His wife Kim was the first to blame herself; she had failed him as a mother. "Why wasn't I there to protect him?" she repeated desperately. Jeff soon followed, asking out loud, "Why did I ever leave Dax with those monsters? What was I thinking?My God!" From that point forward, feelings of guilt and the failure as parents enveloped them.

Jeff had long known pit bulls to be dog-aggressive. He cited a late 1990s episode of Cops, where an elderly woman's small dog was killed by a pit bull. As the police drove away from the scene -- fading into a commercial -- Jeff recalled one said: "I respond to a lot of these kinds of calls. It's a really sad part of my job. I would say 99% of the time, it's a pit bull that is the killer." This is why whenever he visited Susan's home with his own two small dogs her pit bulls were kenneled. 
"Why did I think it was okay for my son to be anywhere near these kinds of dogs?" Jeff asked.
Another prevailing myth cited by pit bull advocates and humane groups is that pit bulls are "dog-aggressive not human-aggressive," despite the abundance of people the breed disfigures, maims and kills every year. Pit bulls were selectively bred for explosive animal aggression to excel in dogfighting. As far back as 1909, handlers used the term "man eaters" to describe prized fighters.5Like a hand grenade going off, explosive aggression often lacks specificity.

Jeff also recalled on at least two occasions bringing Dax over to his friend Danny White's home, the two went to grade school together and kept in touch.6 Danny had two large pit bulls that were not well disciplined, unlike Susan's dogs. Hauntingly, Jeff reflected, "I let them lick his face once when he was still so small and he was in his car seat." He added, "Another time, I had him sitting on my lap and let them lick him. It could have been then," Jeff said. "What was I thinking?"

A few weeks into writing this essay, Jeff asked in an email, "Why couldn't someone have warned me how bad it was with this breed before he was taken from us? Would I have listened to them?" He wrote that he did not know the answer to his questions. Up until his son's brutal death, pit bulls exhibiting dog aggression had been his life experience, along with being backed by the "not people-aggressive" myth. Similar questions continue to rage in Jeff's head today.

The Owners of the Dogs

Susan believes the attack lasted between 10 to 15 minutes. This time frame coincides with her two calls to 911 made at 12:44 and 12:46 pm. Her cell phone was out of reach during the violent attack. When she was finally able to reach it, trying to open the Android phone then clicking through the many prompts with stiff, freezing fingers from the snow -- "Are you sure you want to call 911? Are you really, really sure?" -- made making the life-saving 911 call that much harder.

Susan is also haunted by the fact that no one responded to her cries for help. "The backyard area was an echo chamber," she said. Throughout the entire attack, she screamed as loudly as she could, "911 HELP! 911 HELP!" Her dogs were "going crazy," she said, and growling loudly. "How did no one hear this?" she asked. At least one man did, according to police reports obtained by the media, but took no action after hearing a woman scream for up to 15 minutes.
pit bullA man working at a resort next door told deputies he'd heard Iwicki's screams but did not go check out the situation because he thought it was children having a snowball fight at a nearby playground.
pit bullThe man also told deputies he'd been watching "too many horror movies lately," and suggested that was why he did not investigate the screams, according to reports. (GazetteXtra.com)
Susan said the "nearby playground" the man referred to is nearly a mile away in the opposite direction of her home, whereas the attack took place on a property adjacent to the resort. At this point, there was a long pause in our conversation, both of us painfully aware that any intervention on his part, including just calling 911 might have made a difference. He wasn't alone either. Sandi McGough, the longtime innkeeper at the resort, who knew Susan and her dogs, heard as well.

"The housekeeper and maintenance man said they heard some yelling," Sandi McGough told Fox 6 Now on March 6th. "We couldn't exactly figure out where it was coming from," she said. Susan had worked at the resort two years earlier. All of the housekeepers knew who she was. "Who else would be screaming next door?" Susan asked. Especially given that it was off-season and only a handful of people stayed year round? Susan has not visited the resort since the attack.
The excuses by the resort staff are a heartbreaking reflection on humankind. How did they feel after they learned what happened?7
Because of the location of her building, mostly hidden behind another home, Susan knew she would have to direct the officer onto the property. After she rushed inside carrying Dax, she laid him down in a room. She grabbed a child gate and shoved it into the doorway -- one pit bull was also in the home. Susan ran to the other side of the house, seized the dog and dragged her into the kitchen. She barricaded the open doorway by stacking up chairs to keep the dog inside.

Dax was secured when she ran outside to direct the officer, she said. As she stood in the snow in her shredded parka, she continued to talk to 911. The first deputy arrived quickly. She saw the deputy get out of his vehicle and walk toward the backyard. The male pit bull, still loose outside, ran up to the man and sniffed him. The officer did not believe the dog posed a threat at that time. As soon as he turned the corner and saw the horrific scene, she heard the officer shriek.

"Hearing the officer scream, this is when I knew I was not in a dream," Susan said.

She remained standing in the driveway shaking in the cold. When the ambulance arrived, she called her boyfriend Steve. "You and Jeff need to get here now!" she said. At the time, Steve and Jeff were together at a job site installing carpeting. Deputies, however, did not want Susan using her phone. They took her phone away and told the men to go to the hospital. Steve was told about a "dog bite" during the call, but had no idea of the gravity. He rushed Jeff to the hospital.8 

Susan's clothes were drenched in Dax's blood. Some of that blood was also her own, injuries incurred while fighting off her own dogs. The second ambulance that arrived was for her. When it reached the hospital, doctors were still working to stabilize Dax's heart for the helicopter flight. Coincidentally, one of the nurses at Mercy working on Dax was a woman that Susan had known from childhood. After her shift and returning home, she learned that Susan was the babysitter.
Susan struggles with the many personal connections involved in the "worst day of my life," she said.
Since the March 6th attack, Susan said that no one has walked into the fenced dog run in the backyard. Not even the landlord has used it, whose dog Judy used to spend long summer days in the run playing with Susan's two pit bulls. Before deputies left on March 6th, Susan said they shoveled over the bloody snow in the extensive attack area, hiding most of it.9 Not long after the attack, a warm spell arrived. As the snow melted, she said, "There was burnt snow everywhere."

Additional Clarifications

Susan wanted to clarify an aspect that is stated earlier in this piece, "the two pit bulls turned from playful and 'nippy' that day into a violent frenzy." The "nippy" terminology was taken from police reports released to the media on April 1st. She doesn't believe she ever said the term "nippy" while being interviewed by police in her hospital room. The word implies bad ownership. Her two dogs were "never nippy," she said. Further, "batting dogs away is not playful," she said.

She also wanted to address how her and Steve got the two pit bulls. Susan grew up with a German shepherd, but had friends that owned the breed. Steve had previously owned a pit bull along with other dog breeds. The two had discussed getting a dog for a while. When one of their friends said her pit bull was about to have a litter, the couple acted. They took two puppies from the litter. Getting the dogs was about timing and opportunity, she said, not a "political statement."
"Doing research before getting the puppies never crossed her mind," Susan said. She thought all dogs were the same.
Like the father, Susan believed the myth, "It's all how you raise them." Believing this myth, perpetuated by pit bull owners, humane groups and veterinarians, resulted in the death of Dax. Jeff and Susan wanted to be part of this essay so that others who intentionally or unintentionally believe this myth can realize the truth. On March 6th, Susan's well-raised pit bulls acted out their genetic heritage by inflicting an unpredictable destructive attack that took a young boy's life.

The Deceitful, Harmful Controversy

family pit bullfamily pit bullfamily pit bull
Susan holds Penny as a puppy, Bosston and Penny as adults, taken in 2013.
Zealous breed advocates lie and use "perceived expert" tactics all the time. Serocki's deceitful method, however, sheds new light on the "organized" pro-pit bull effort.
In the several hours leading up to his son's death, Jeff posted updates to his Facebook status about his son's critical condition. Family members and friends were posting messages as well. News of the attack spread rapidly through the community via local media reports. Jeff Borchardt is a popular deejay in his area and has over 1,800 Facebook friends. On March 6th, his Facebook timeline began overflowing with messages from family members, friends and fans.

Within hours of Jeff posting, "He didn't make it," that landscape changed.

Jeff was stricken after the attack, robbed of his son's life, left only with the images of the destructive injuries inflicted by the dogs. In a shaken mental state, he posted some of his thoughts about pit bulls to his status. Instantly, he was thrown into the sphere of fanatical pit bull owners, some of which were his friends.  Breed advocates bombarded his timeline with propaganda, "All dogs bite!" and "Don't blame the breed!" Some posted photos of pit bulls cuddling with babies.
"THIS IS ABOUT A BABY!" a friend wrote on Jeff's timeline. "Stop posting picts of pits and babies!

Tuesday, 11 November 2014

THE TRUTH ABOUT DAX

THE TRUTH ABOUT DAX

The case of Dax Borchardt gets continuous attention because of the activity of his still grieving father. While one can only imagine the horror of losing a child, especially in a violent way, one must question the grieving process when it is full of nothing but hatred and vileness directed at anyone and anything EXCEPT that which actually led to the tragedy.
In the article that was done (quite dramatically) on dogsbite.org it even states specifically that Bogart (as Dax’s father is commonly known) told the babysitter to NEVER have Dax around the dogs. And yet, they were. And it led to his death. But Bogart releases her from all responsibility.
He states anywhere and everywhere he can that his son was killed by two family dogs. They were not family dogs. They were dogs that were, by the babysitter’s own admission, kept in a kennel in the house for many hours a day. They had no obedience training beyond “sit and stay” WHEN COMING OUT OF THEIR KENNEL.
Following are excerpts from the Police Report Synopsis in the Dax Borchardt attack. Comments in boldare mine
Daxton Borchardt Dog Attack Synopsis
Incident Report #13-007281
March 6, 2013 12:46: Initial 911 call comes in from Dispatch, from Susan L. Iwicki, advising her dogs attacked her and the 14 month old baby under her care. Iwicki reports the child has multiple facial injuries and was not breathing. Also advised that one dog was contained in the house, and the other was still on the loose.
First Officer on scene, Deputy Kenneth Brauer, gets out of car and makes verbal contact with Iwicki, who was waving to him from the front door of the house, while talking on her cell phone. As Deputy Brauer is looking at Iwicki, he reports that a “brown and/or black pitbull” began trotting up the driveway towards him. remember this part Deputy Brauer pulls his firearm, as he is unsure of the temperament of the dog, and the dog slows to a walk before approaching him. Deputy Brauer makes the determination that the dog is not going to be “vicious or violent” towards him, and holsters his weapon. The dog walks up to him, sniffs him for a few seconds, and takes off towards the residence in a “slow trot”. Deputy Brauer walks to the residence and makes contact with Iwicki, who is on her cell phone and screaming hysterically, and unintelligibly. Deputy Brauer yells at Iwicki to hang up the phone and tell him where the baby is. Iwicki yelled back that the baby was in the back and that’s all she would say. Deputy Brauer instructs Iwicki to lock up the dogs, as they were now both present in the living room. <- rember this part Iwicki ignored him, still on the phone and hysterical. Deputy Brauer again instructed Iwicki to “Hang up the God Damn phone and get the dogs outta here!” Iwicki hung up the phone at that time. Deputy Brauer went into another room, with hardwood flooring, and saw the baby laying on the floor, motionless, naked, and laying on his back. Upon closer inspection, Deputy Brauer realized the child was alive, and could hear the baby gasping for breaths. He picked the baby up and brought him into a room with carpet flooring, and left the residence to retrieve his medical kit from his squad. she was so busy screaming on the phone that she could not take the time to attend to the child? A hardwood floor? No clothes, no blanket, no comfort, no attempts to aid or assist that child. At that time, EMT’s were arriving on scene, as well as other Officers.
First Interview w/Susan Iwicki:
Deputy Craig Konopski interviewed Iwicki at the scene, while being checked out by the ambulance crew members. Iwicki stated that she had Daxton fully clothed in snow pants, a jacket and a hat. She had him in her arms and was walking with the dogs out the back door to let them into a fenced-in area in the backyard. She opened the gate to the fenced in area and stated that the female dog became aggressive. The female was jumping up on her and Susan was pushing the dog back down. The male then joined in and Susan stated she was confused about what happened next but stated that one of the dogs had jumped up on her and knocked her to the ground, and when she fell to the ground, she fell on her stomach area and lost Daxton on the ground. While they were on the ground, she said that the female dog began attacking Daxton in the arms and legs, while the male dog grabbed the tassel on top of his hat and pulled the hat right off of Daxton’s head. Susan stated the female was behind her and must have been the one to push her down, as she was now standing on her back. <- how was the dog both behind her, standing on her back AND attacking the child? Susan said she could not stand up, and the male dog kept biting at Daxton. She was swatting at the male dog and yelling at him to get away, and stated that she was screaming for help, hoping that a neighbor would come out of their residence to assist. She states she does not know how long this attack went on for, but the female dog finally got off her back and ran towards Daxton and joined in the attack. <- now the female dog is just beginning to attack? After the male had already done so? Before or after? Which was it? They were biting him in the head, face, arms and legs. Susan states that Daxton was screaming and crying. She got up to her knees, and then finally to her feet when she began to kick at the dogs with her boots. She was kicking the dogs in the ribs and head area while screaming for someone to help her. She said the child was still screaming at that time. She kicked the female dog in the head and was able to get on the ground between the dogs and the child. She grabbed the child with both arms, and got back up on her feet. While retreating, one of the dogs, bit the sleeve of her jacket off and the back of her coat. She said that she then pulled her cell phone out of her coat pocket, and dialed 911 as she moved toward the back of the house.<-- remember this She was able to enter the residence using the sliding glass door. One of the dogs was able to force its way into the house before she could get the door secured. She laid Daxton on the floor, got a hold of the dogs collar, and dragged it into the kitchen area where she put up a gate then why were both dogs loose in the house when the first officer arrived? She said she was on the phone with dispatch, screaming for help and she ran around to the side of the house, and let the second dog in, also confining it in the kitchen. again, why were both dogs loose when the police arrived? She said that she then went back to Dax who was no longer screaming or moving. She said that the next thing she remembers is when Deputy Brauer entered the residence. She stated that the whole incident happened so fast that she “didn’t have time to react.”
Observations of the Scene:
At 12:58, Deputy Otterbacher arrived on scene. He describes the scene as follows: Walking into the residence, he sees Deputy Long had the dogs cornered inside the residence in a kitchen or dining room area. He walks into an entry way which had a refrigerator and some other items in the room. It was a small room. He observed a coffee cup size area of blood on the floor and proceeded into the living room portion of the residence where he found other areas of blood on the hardwood floor, and on the window of the sliding glass door. Going outside, there was a large area of blood near a gate and a fenced in area to the west and south of the residence. He noticed a 4’ x 10’ area of a large amount of blood near the fence near the gate on the outside of the gate. The fallen gate, fell to the east, and to the outside of the fenced in area. There was some blood on the gate and another large portion of blood and clothes on the inside portion of this gated area. The items observed were a diaper, a stocking cap, a dog collar, a gray shoe, and what appeared to be an inside out pair of pants lying on the snow. The foot patterns indicated that of an adult, and there was indication of a struggle, and the person stepping in numerous areas to avoid the dogs.
Detective Banaszynski noted the scene as an enclosed fenced area with a four foot cyclone type fence in the backyard. The gate to the fenced in area was off its hinges and lying on the ground. He notes that inside of the fenced area were a child’s hat, a pair of child’s blue tennis shoes, a black piece of nylon material, a black glove, a set of keys, and a black dog toy (Kong). There was also blood on the snow surrounding the items. The exterior area of the fencing was a portion of blood soaked snow, approximately 3’x’3 in diameter with numerous shoe and boot prints.
Observations of the Dogs on Scene:
Deputy Otterbacher reports that the dogs were contained by Deputy Long and himself with pepperspray to get them to retreat. They were confined in the dining room area. He states that the dogs appeared to be fairly young, and somewhat friendly, however they were very scared and had to be kept at bay. the police recognized fear, not aggression Deputy Otterbacher does note injuries on one of the dogs, one having a scuff mark on its snout, and an injury to the dog’s leg which was a scrape or an abrasion.
The report by Deputy Long states that the dogs were able to get out of the kitchen, and entered into the living room. Deputy Long used O.C spray to stop the dogs from advancing, and also Sgt Otterbacher’s O.C. spray. In all, he states he used 1 can of O.C. spray directed at the dogs. Long notes that the dogs, in his opinion, appear to be the breed of “Pit Bull Terriers”, and also notes his opinion, that they are moderately aggressive, even with the deployment of OC. The female appeared to be the more aggressive of the two, and was noticeably larger than the male. Deputy Long notices along the wall least visual from the doorway, there were cages stacked, and the cages contained rabbits. Deputy Long states in his report: “As I continued to observe these dogs, I saw them on several occasions jump at these cages. With both dogs working in tandem, I can only describe, what you the reader would see on TV as a pack of wolves attacked their prey.” Deputy Long helps the humane society workers with containing the dogs into individual kennels using a snare device. He states that prior to leaving the residence, he noticed on the tack board, in plain view, postcards from the Lake Geneva Small Animal Clinic reminder notices of vaccinations due for dogs named Penny and Bosston. the dogs had to be tested for rabies, which means they were most likely overdue
Second Interview w/Iwicki @ 1430:
Iwicki stated that she was watching Daxton while his father, Jeffrey, was working with her boyfriend, laying down carpet. This is a usual arrangement. She stated that she had babysat Daxton several times during the last couple of months. When asked about her dogs, she stated that the female’s name was Penny and the male’s name was Bosston, and that they were brother and sister. They were just under 3 years old. She stated that she and her boyfriend got them from a casual friend she could only identify as Brian. When asked what breed of dog they were, she stated that she did not know, and that Brian had a big male dog, and a small female dog that bred together. She said that the female was only around 35 lbs in weight, and had 7 puppies, and that she had problems with producing enough milk for the puppies, and they had to take possession of Bosston and Penny when they were 3 weeks old, instead of 8 weeks. <- these puppies were taken from their mother and littermates during one of the most formative times of their lives. Did Iwicki or her boyfriend have previous experience in handling a dog that might not learn what it needs to in that time? She stated that the when the dogs were smaller, they fought over food a lot but that they corrected that problem. Iwicki stated that both dogs were fed together 1 cup of dog food in the morning and one cup of dog food in the evening. She advised that neither dog had any formal obedience training, but that they were both trained to sit and stay and would not be let out of the dog crates until they did so. <- sit and stay are good commands, but they are far more important OUTSIDE of a crate than in it. She gives no indication that either dog did so. She advised that they were not allowed in every room of the house, and that they used baby gates and a piece of card board to keep the dogs contained in the rooms they were allowed to be in. She stated that neither dog showed any aggression toward other dogs that would come to the house, and that just when they were young, would they “tussle”, working out their rank. She said when strangers came over, the dogs would bark and jump up on them to say hello. very very poor obedience. Iwicki stated that the dogs are kenneled at night and were kenneled most of the day today. < -- high energy dogs, young dogs, locked up all night in a kennel and then kenneled for the better part of the day. When were they allowed exercise, play or a chance to run off energy? She has had them out of their kennels when Daxton has been there in the past with no problems.
She stated she was holding Daxton in her arms when she led both dogs out to the back yard fenced in area to pee. She stated both dogs went off and peed. She said when both dogs came back to her, one of the dogs began to pull on her pant leg of her jeans. She said that she began to slap the dog in the muzzle, telling it to stop. She said she was unsure if it was Bosston or Penny. how is a person so unaware of their surroundings that they don’t know which dog is pulling on their pants, which dog they are hitting and yelling at? She stated then both dogs began to bite her on her coat, tearing the pocket, causing her cell phone to fall to the ground.< - she stated twice previously that she pulled her cell phone out of her pocket. How did it magically get back in her pocket if the dogs had torn it out? She said at that point, Daxton began to cry. She said the dogs then started jumping up on her, biting Daxton as she held and attempted to shield him from the dogs. Iwicki stated that Bosston jumped and grabbed the tassel of Daxton’s hat, pulling it off his head. She said she was then knocked to the ground by both dogs. She did not recall how she fell on the ground, but did recall rolling around on the ground and both dogs were on top of her. She said that the dogs then began biting Daxton in the face area. She stated that she was on her knees and everything was happening so quickly. this is a COMPLETELY different version of events than the first one. Previously she was knocked down by one dog, previously she dropped Daxton and that’s when they attacked. She stated that she just screamed and screamed for somebody to help her. She said she could see her cell phone on the ground, but couldn’t get to it. in the previous version, it was in her pocket. She said that Daxton was lying in the snow, and the dogs were going for his face. She said she then tried kicking the dogs, and she said she drove her finger into Penny’s eye to get her to stop- <- previously she “kicked the dog in the head”. She said that one of the dogs had Daxton’s arm, so she removed his jacket so they couldn’t bite his arm. She was still kneeling at this point, and thought she might be able to stand up. She said Daxton was on the ground, and the dogs wouldn’t let her near him, and that they were walking around him.<--previously she stated that she got up, kicked the dogs and put herself on the ground between them and grabbed Daxton, now she states they wouldn’t let her near him. She stated that she retrieved her cell phone and dialed 911. She stated that the dispatcher wasn’t listening to her about what was happening, so she had to call 911 a second time. She stated “We were disconnected and I was talking to the air.” She said she saw Bosston go over and start to lick Daxton’s face where they had bit him. She stated she knew the dogs weren’t going to leave him alone, so she ran over, scooped up Daxton <- what happened to being on the ground between Daxton and the dogs?, and ran to the house, entering in through the glass doors. She said that Daxton was still breathing and awake. She said that Penny was able to sneak into the house while the door was barely open <- previously she stated that she grabbed Penny by the collar and drug her into the kitchen and put up the baby gate, not that she “sneaked in”. She said she put Penny in the kitchen and put up the baby gate. She said at that point, she saw a Deputy pulling in the driveway and saw Bosston in the driveway. She said that she pointed out to the Deputy where she had laid Daxton on the floor. When Detectives asked about the gate that was off its hinges, Iwicki stated that because of the deep snow, the gate has been off its hinges, and the dogs were able to knock the gate over from its leaning position.
She stated that for the last few days, Bosston had been throwing up, didn’t have any interest in food, and was not drinking water. She said she consulted her sister, who is in her 2nd year of vet school at UW Madison, and was advised to put Bosston on a bland diet of rice, cottage cheese, and boiled chicken with no fat. She said that she did do that, and that Bosston seemed to be doing better, and was drinking water the night before. When asked about what type of playing she does with the dogs, she stated that both dogs love to play with their Kong toys, specifically fetch. She stated that they would retrieve and release when told to do so. Iwicki stated that both dogs were up to date on all their shots.
Additional Info: On 3/7, dispatch received a call from a “Dawn” who works for Elkhorn Vet. She wanted to report the weight of the dogs (without their heads, as they had already been removed for rabies testing). Bosston weighed 36.3 lbs and Penny weighed 42.8 lbs.
Joshua Pronschinske met with Detectives on 3/8 to advise he was in the building next to Iwicki’s residence on the day of the attack, and was outside at the time of the attack, and that he had heard screaming. Pronschinske stated that he saw the news last night and saw that the attack happened at 12:46. He said at that time, he was working next door at the Lazy Cloud Resort. He punched out at 12:42 on the time clock, and that he usually goes out and starts his truck 5-10 minutes prior to leaving from work when it’s cold. He stated that he heard screaming for 10 minutes, give or take a minute or two. When the Detective asked him if he heard screaming, why didn’t he go over to where she was screaming? Pronschinske stated that he thought it was just kids having a snowball fight or something. He said that he always hears kids yelling and screaming and playing all around the area, and he wasn’t sure if there was a school that’s over there, but he didn’t think anything of it. There is a huge difference between children screaming during a snowball fight and someone screaming for their life. Either this gentleman is an idiot, or she never screamed for help. He goes on to say “She never screamed for help. She never yelled or screamed anything that would make me like run, it’s right next door, I’d be over there in two seconds and you know..” Detective Banaszynski told him he didn’t understand if you hear someone screaming, how you don’t go over there and check it out. Pronschinske stated “I understand why you’re asking that but it’s not my fault. Next time I hear screaming from next door I’m gonna check it out, I fell bad that I didn’t.” The Detective then tells him the reason for the time delay from when he heard the screaming to when the 911 call was made was because Iwicki was fighting for her life and for the life of a baby.
Detective Robert Craig interviewed Dr Kelly Roy from the Geneva Lakes Animal Hospital on March 12th. Dr. Roy was the vet who attended to Bosston and Penny. Dr. Roy advised that she did not remember the dogs, but what she could say about them, would be notations from their charts. She had noted “GO SLOW-Reactive” on Penny’s chart, and that notation just meant that the dog was stand offish and would hide behind the owner. The charts do not indicate any aggressive behavior. According to the charts, the dogs were healthy with a good coat and weight. Penny was a little on the “overweight” side. Dr. Roy explained that with Pitbulls, or pitbull like mixes they like to see some definition of the ribs that sometimes people mistake for being underweight. Dr. Roy when on to state: “Breeds like Pitbulls, Shepards, and Rotweillers have a tendency to freeze when provoked or scared, which if the dog attacks, gives little warning. In other breeds, the dogs have a tendency to retreat first.”
On 3/7, Deputy Newmann was listening to a recorded jail conversation between inmate Tonya Anderson and Morgan Rizzo at the Walworth County Jail. During the phone call, they discussed the dog attack. The conversation took place on 3/7 at 9:19am. By their conversation, it is apparent they both know the victim’s father, whom they refer to as “Bogart”. At the 2:18 mark, Rizzo stated “Like I said, it’s all on the owners too.” At the 4:05 mark, Rizzo stated “It’s physical abuse, and it’s mental abuse, and I think that’s why the dog snapped, is for the mental abuse.” On March 20th, Detective Craig followed up with Morgan Rizzo on his comments made during the conversation on the 7th of March with inmate Anderson. Rizzo said that he met “Bogart” through the DJ business that Borchardt had. Rizzo said that he has known him for years, and at times, has helped him moved equipment. He also said that he has given Borchardt “safe rides” home in the past. He stated that he found out about the death of Borchardt’s son on Facebook. He stated that at first he thought that the death cause by the pitbulls was about Borchardt’s Chihuahua, as he had always joked that he was going to feed the little dog to a pitbull. He said he thought something had happened to the Chihuahua. It was later on, reading different posts, that he realized that it was Borchardt’s son. Detective Craig explained to Rizzo that some people have said that he may know the dogs were physically abused or mentally abused. Rizzo stated that he did not know that, that he never even knew the owners or the dogs. He was unsure if he had ever met Iwicki, as the name didn’t sound familiar to him. When asked if he talked to anyone or gave his opinion about what happened, he said that he didn’t have an opinion, but he did talk to people at work. When asked what the people at work thought, he said they didn’t have much to say. He said from what he heard, the dogs were “older dogs” and may have gone “senile”. He also heard that one of the dogs was from an animal shelter, and had heard that one of the dogs could have been aggressive, and the other one followed.
Interview w/Jeffrey Borchardt on 3/8: Borchardt wants to know details of attack, as he has not heard up to this point what exactly happened. Detective Banaszynski informs Borchardt about the details of the attack, according to Iwicki. Borchardt stated that he was working with Iwicki’s boyfriend, Steven Curly laying carpet on the day of the attack. He said that Curly has been his personal friend for 25 years, and that he helps Curly for extra cash. He lists his other occupation as a D.J., and that he has 11 others working under him. He states that he didn’t even need to go to work with Curly that day, but chose to do so anyway. He said they were at a carpet store, when Curly received a phone call from Iwicki. He stated that Curly instantly got into his van and “took off like a rocket”. Curly would not give Borchardt any details, only that something had happened, and that Daxton was involved. When they arrived at the residence, he learned that Curly’s dogs had attacked his son. When asked how many times Iwicki has been in charge of Daxton’s care, Borchardt stated “At least 20 times.” When asked if he had ever seen any aggression displayed in the dogs when he had contact with them, he said that he had not, but had seen two pitbulls owned by Curly previous to these two and they had gotten into a fight. Borchardt then described the fight with his hands and voice how intense the fight was. Borchardt stated that it is going to be his goal to get pitbulls banned from insurance companies and municipalities. <- that didn’t take long did it? He said that he and his wife are moving and “leaving everything behind”. He stated that he was considering going to work at the bar to a DJ gig tonight, to get his mind off his son. When asked if he had had any contact with Curly or Iwicki since the attack, Borchardt stated that he did not and decided that he never wanted to see either of them ever again. that didn’t last either. Borchardt was told by detectives that Iwicki did everything possible to save his son, based on her statements, and the condition of her clothing. They told Borchardt that Iwicki was also injured in the attack. The Detective suggested speaking with Iwicki and Curly, and that it might help them all “heal” through this ordeal. Borchardt stated he would think about it.
Report of Humane Officer Deputy Richard Lagle:
Deputy Lagle states that he monitored the situation via portable radio in his office at the Sheriff’s Department. He reports that the dogs were described as two 65 lb pit-bull type dogs how did these dogs lose over 20 pounds between the time it was reported and the time they went to the vet, even with their heads removed that’s substantial. He stated that he contacted Cindy Wroebel, who is the Humane Officer at the Lakeland Animal Shelter, and advised her of the situation. Due to the nature of the attack, Deputy Lagle and Ms. Wroebel came to the decision that the dogs must be euthanized. Ms. Wroebel responded to the scene to remove the dogs. The dogs were transported to Elkhorn Vet Clinic, and euthanized by Dr. Jeffrey Korosec. He is the one who prepared the dogs for rabies testing, by removing their heads. Deputy Lagle asked Dr. Korosec “How the dogs looked?” Dr. Korosec stated that both dogs looked healthy and were in “good” shape.
On March 7th, Deputy Lagle retrieved the specimens from the Elkhorn Vet Clinic and drove them to the State Lab of Hygiene. The specimens were turned over to Dr. Jim Kazmierczak for testing. Deputy Lagle states in his report: “As the heads were removed from the box, it is my opinion that they were pure bred “pit-bull” dogs.” The dogs heads were tested and repackaged. Neither of them had rabies. Deputy Lagle contacted the Lake Geneva Animal Hospital, Walworth Clinic, where the dogs received their last evaluation in September 2011. At that time, the female weighed 58 lbs, and the male weighed 49 lbs.
Report by Captain Dana Nigbor:
Upon walking into the residence, Captain Nigbor immediately noticed Deputy Long standing in a doorway what was into a dining room area. She could hear two dogs. Deputy Long did have his weapon drawn and pointed in the area of the dogs. She recognized that pepper spray had been used recently, as people were coughing, as was she. She learned that Cindy, from the Humane Society was en route with some volunteers to remove the dogs. She examined the scene of the attack and then advised officers to process the scene. She then went back into the house to assist Sgt Otterbacher and Deputy Long with the dogs until the Humane Society arrived. 20-25 minutes later, Cindy from the Human Society arrived, and with the help of Detective Banaszynski throwing some hotdogs in their direction, the dogs were able to get snared and put into individual kennels. They were then placed in the back of the van. Once the dogs were removed from the home, Captain Nigbor walked around the residence. She noted the residence was clean, beds made, no drug paraphernalia laying out in plain view. She did note that in the kitchen, some garbage, including another diaper, had been ripped into and was laying on the floor. Also, a bag of dog food was wide open, which led her to believe that perhaps maybe the dogs had been eating some of the dog food also, but states that it just a guess on her part.
Captian Nigbor did speak to Iwicki at the hospital. Iwicki advised today was a normal day. The dogs are usually kenneled throughout the night. She said she had bundled Daxton up to go outside. She dressed in a winter coat and boots herself. She let the dogs out of the cages and all four then proceeded out of the house toward the gated area. Iwicki then indicated to her that at that point, the female started nipping at her and she was batting them away, now she knows it’s the female and yelled at them to get down and stop it. She stated Daxton started crying and the next thing she knew, the dogs were jumping and knocked her to the ground and started to attack her and Daxton. She said that she was finally able to get Daxton in the house, but that all of his clothing had been ripped off by the dogs.previously she stated she took his jacket off to keep the dogs from biting his arms.
Vet Reports on Bosston:
From the Geneva Lakes Animal Hospital, printed on 03/11/2013 at 11:20am. Bosston, listed as a Canine Boxer mix, male, neutered. Color, Brindle, and weight is listed at 58 lbs. Date deceased is listed as 3/7/13. Vaccinations current on Rabies thru 9/12/14, Vaccinations overdue on Distemper on 9/12/12, Lyme Disease on 9/12/12, Fecal Examination on 9/12/12, and Heartworm (occult) on 01/18/12. The report goes on to list Bosston’s entire medical history, from 07/26/10 thru 06/27/12, which was the last time he was seen by a Veterinarian. There is also another page where it lists Bosston as a K-9 species, M, Boxer mix, Colors of Brindle/White with a dob of 04/21/10. No further information is listed on this page. There are also several pages of “charting” on Bosston, starting on 6/7/10 for a “New Puppy Exam”, and ending 6/28/12 with a follow up on a leg issue.
Vet Reports on Penny:
From the Geneva Lakes Animal Hospital, printed on 3/11/13 at 11:20am. Penny, listed as a Canine Pit Bull mix, female, spayed. Color, Brindle, and weight is listed at 49 lbs. Date deceased is listed as 3/7/13. Vaccinations were current on Rabies thru 9/12/14 and Fecal Examination thru 6/28/13. Vaccinations overdue on Distemper on 9/12/12, Heartworm (Occult) 9/12/12, and Lyme Disease 9/12/12. The report goes on to list Penny’s medical history, from 9/13/11 thru 07/16/12, which was the last time she was seen by a Veterinarian. There is also another page where it lists Penny as a K-9 species, F, Boxer mix, Color of Dark Brindle with a dob of 04/21/10. No further information is listed on this page. There are also several pages of “charting” on Penny, starting on 6/7/10 for a “New Puppy Exam”, and ending 6/28/12 with a Fecal Exam, and medication for treatment of worms. On the bottom of the last page of the charts, there is an “Alert” that says “Go Slow-Reactive”. Penny’s records also include forms from when she was spayed, one page is an authorization form. The owners did choose laser surgery and Pre-Anesthetic blood testing. There is also a Surgical Summary from her operation. Another form with her records appears to be blood work results. It was done at IDEXX Laboratories on 11/19/10, for a Female Canine Boxer named Penny, age 7 months. It also lists the doctor as Cynthia Farris. The weight says 0.0 lbs. Lastly, there is a report from Urgent Care Veterinary Services, from 11/27/10. Penny is listed as Canine species, Pit Bull, 7 months old. She was seen for her incision from her spay surgery, which had opened up and was bleeding. The vet that treated Penny was Dr. Jeff Korosec, who was the same doctor that ended up euthanizing both dogs after the attack.
One is listed as a boxer mix, one as a pit bull mix, but they were brother and sister according to Susan. Go figure.