It is being reported that the Arizona Humane Society previously adopted the killer dog in this case to another family. It is said that the family brought the dog back to the society, which had it tested by three different behaviorists, none of whom felt that the dog was dangerous. After that, it was adopted again to the Whitehurst family -- and it killed their daughter. See the news report. (The case is reported below.)

I have received numerous emails from around the country about the practices of adoption groups. Many groups will deliberately adopt-out a dangerous dog to an unsuspecting family. This is done with conscious disregard of the danger to the family. The supposed justification for doing so is the unsupported belief that no dog is dangerous if given enough love. That is not true: a dog that has certain things in its past, or that is unhealthy, is dangerous, and dogs that are put into certain situations are dangerous. See Why Do Dogs Bite People? on Dog Bite Law.

I have recommended that adoption groups institute a set of practices, and adopt certain legal provisions, designed to increase safety and avoid even the appearance of impropriety. See Avoiding Liability When You Train, Shelter or Adopt-Out. I am curious to know whether the Arizona Humane Society follows these practices or similar ones that are designed to protect the public rather than maintain the existence of dangerous dogs. If you have information about this, please write to me.

As I previously reported, Edward Gierlach, 91, of Iosco Township, Michigan, and Cheryl Harper, 56, of Fowlerville, Michigan, were killed in separate attacks by a group of bulldogs on September 13, 2007. (See my post on September 14, 2007, entitled "Pack of Bulldogs Kills 2 In Separate Attacks.")

This week, dog owner Diane Cockrell was charged with two felony counts of possessing a dangerous animal causing death, and one count of allowing her dogs to stray, charges that could bring her 15 years behind bars.

Whether or not it can be proved that the owner knew the one dog was dangerous, there is another issue here that should not be missed. Cockrell was keeping multiple dogs and failed to properly confine them. When there are multiple dogs, there is the pack mentality which is known to be associated with severe maulings and killings. Dog owners should not have more than one dog large enough to seriously injury human beings. (For more, see my dog attack danger scale on the home page of Dog Bite Law by clicking the link at the top of this page.)

On November 6, 2007, 11-year-old Seth Lovitt was running through his own home when his parents' pit bull jumped off a couch and mauled the child to death. This happened in Killeen, Texas. For more, click here.

Texas is a one-bite state and is the USA leader in fatal dog attacks. (See the home page of Dog Bite Law by clicking the link above.) I have urged that all American states repeal the deadly one-bite rule, which encourages irresponsibility among dog owners and increases the death toll in the one-bite states.

On November 5, 2007, a nanny left 4-year-old Tori Whitehurst of Maricopa County in her backyard with her 6-year-old sister and four dogs. One of the dogs killed the little girl by biting her on the neck. For more, see the article.

Multiple dogs in their own backyard without the presence of their owner -- this is a common and dangerous scenario. Look at my dog bite danger scale, which is on the home page of Dog Bite Law (click on the link, above.)

Comedienne Ellen DeGeneres and her partner, Portia de Rossi, "adopted" Iggy, a Brussels Griffon mix, on Sept. 20, 2007. When the dog did not fit into their household, they did what dog owners almost always do: they gave Iggy to someone with kids who seemed fit to provide the dog with a good home.

In doing so, however, they infuriated Maria Batkis, the person who "adopted out" the dog. Maria runs an "adoption agency" for dogs and, when she "adopts out" a pooch, she makes people sign a contract that restricts what can be done with the dog in the future. On the basis of the concept of "adoption," and the wording of that contract, Maria reclaimed the dog and gave it to someone else, to the great disappointment of Ellen and Portia and the kids who briefly had Iggy.

I do not believe that "adoption agencies" should have the legal right to take back a dog, at least under these circumstances. Only an owner can transfer her property; the basis for Maria's actions is that she had this right of ownership. But if an adopted dog bit or injured or killed a person, Maria would certainly disavow ownership or legal liability, which is based upon ownership. I bet, in fact, that Maria does not even have insurance for such potential liability.

A person who gives up permanent custody of their dog should not be considered to have any rights of ownership. The reason is that we demand accountability from dog owners. To put the blame on the correct end of the leash, one has to know who is holding it. The person with custody and control of the dog is its owner and the one to be held accountable, not someone -- or some nonprofit adoption agency -- who had temporary custody at some point in the past.

If the law were to allow people like Maria to have an ownership interest in every dog she adopted, it would muddy the waters. If Maria operated as an uninsured nonprofit corporation and the dog seriously injured a person, the victim might not recover medical costs and other compensation, because ownership and legal liability would be uncertain or even lacking.

Ownership is a crucial issue in dog bite law. Adoption agencies and those who argue that we all should be not owners but rather "guardians" of dogs fail to appreciate the erosion of responsibility and liability that will result from these cute-sounding concepts.

I wish Ellen and Portia would address this important issue because it has far-reaching consequences. Ellen has had the courage to take on much more difficult ones in the past. It is one of the reasons why a great segment of the public cares so much about her and respects her. However, we must not hold it against Ellen if she chooses not to do so, because it is the responsibility of our legislatures to resolve these issues.

In September, Lylie Cox, a 4-month-old girl living in Warren, Ohio, was mauled to death by a 120-pound Rottweiler during a party at a home attended mostly by teenagers.

19-year-old Christopher Fura and 22-year-old Jason Winters owned the dog, and this week were formally arraigned on charges of involuntary manslaughter and second-degree child abuse. (Click here to read the story.) To read about the death itself, see my post on September 13th.