Youngster attacked by dog in Fulton

The owner of this dog says he will put the animal down after it bit a young boy on Saturday morning in Fulton. The owner says the dog was chained in his yard when it was injured in an attack by a roaming dog prior to the biting incident.

By Don Norfleet

Originally published March 20, 2011 at 1:35 p.m., updated March 20, 2011 at 4:49 p.m.

A young Fulton boy was attacked by a dog on a leash in the front yard of a Fulton home Saturday morning.

The owner of the dog, Don Beauchamp, 409 Canterberry Drive, said he will have his dog destroyed because he has three children and he doesn't want the dog around any longer.

Beauchamp said his dog never would have bitten the youngster if his dog had not been mauled by a pit bull dog roaming loose the night before.

Beauchamp said his mixed breed dog was chained on a leash in his front yard at 6:30 p.m. Friday night when it was attacked by a unleashed pit bull owned by the parents of the injured boy, who lives in an apartment on Miller Street.

"They just moved here a week or so ago and had a big pit bull dog that was running loose," Beauchamp said.

Beauchamp said after the pit bull dog attacked his mixed breed dog his children and their friends were screaming about the attack. Beauchamp said it took about a half hour for Fulton Police to arrive. He said after the dogs were separated, a Fulton policeman walked the pit bull back to the apartment building.

Beauchamp said the big pit bull dog had injured an ear of his mixed breed dog in the attack on Friday evening.

"I was told the pit bull is no longer in the city and he has been taken to someone out in the country," Beauchamp said.

Sgt. Holt of the Fulton Police Department said he could not release the name of the youngster who was bitten by the dog. The injuries of the youngster were not serious and Holt said he did not believe the youngster was hospitalized.

Holt said he was unaware of the previous dog fight on Friday night. He said it is illegal to have a dog running loose in Fulton without a leash. "We have a leash law," Holt said.

Beauchamp said when he put his dog out on a leash Saturday morning he warned his children not to go around his mixed breed dog because he had been injured in the dog fight the evening before.

But Beauchamp said for some reason the youngster whose parents owned the pitbull came into the front yard of his house and began to rub on the injured ear of his mixed breed dog.

"I was in the house at the time and I didn't know he was irritating my dog," Beauchamp said. "My dog bit him after he provoked him by rubbing on his injured ear. I'm having my dog put down, but as far as I know, nothing will be done to the pit bull dog that caused all of this by roaming loose and attacking my dog the night before."

It was the second recent incident of a person injured by dogs in Fulton. On March 2, a Fulton postman was injured severely when he was attacked by two pit bull dogs at 303 W. 14th St.

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fultonian 2 years, 2 months ago

Why does that dog have to be put down?? Wasn't the kid trespassing in the dog owner's yard? Shouldn't that child know better than to go into someone else's yard?

bitter5 2 years, 2 months ago

it's reassuring to know that not everyone thinks that my "mickey", a.k.a. "mickey mouse"; is a horrible monster dog that should be slaughtered. (he's only a year and half old) this article in no way does the entire story justice. this little boy was out there when his dog attacked mine and cheered him on saying "kill em, kill em". it's astounding the measures that it took to get this pittbull to release my dog's neck; on top of that it's scary. nothing of the usual sort would work, it just kept on attacking. and it was horriffing the look that was in Mickey's eyes as this animal was on him; it was just like looking into the eyes of a terrified child, and the sounds that were coming from him will always be in head! as logical as i'm attempting to be, this is devastating to me...mickey was rescued from the side of the road, the only pup left alive, and we weren't sure that he was going to make it, and then he bloomed to be this huge huggable, lovable, teddy bear of a dog that we are going to be lost for a long time without. my 5 yr old used him as a pillow to watch tv and play games, my 7 yr old played dress up with him (i wish i could post pictures, the superman pajamas were priceless!), and he was my 12 yr olds best friend and sleeping partner. to top it all off, our 5 yr old boxer hasn't eaten since mickey was taken; she misses her buddy too. at least the shelter is letting us see him and walk him and take him treats, they were worried because he never went to the bathroom in his cage--well duh!! he was trained not too!!! he was also my yoga buddy...he was under the impression that i did all those freaky moves just to play with him!! somehow i don't think my household will be the same...for a long time. but, again, thank you for your comment.

bitter5 2 years, 2 months ago

another key point that was left out of this story is that the pittbull, named "Goliath", was just released back to this family that friday from the animal control...in order to clear out a pen for the weekend if it were needed...but it has been left unclear as to why the dog was there to begin with and whether or not it stayed its alotted time...they just needed pen space for the weekend. so when officer cremer assisted the owner in walking it home, he obviously determined this incident (goliath attacking mickey in our front yard) to not be serious enough in nature to use that open pen....sad, truely sad.

fultonian 2 years, 2 months ago

Has your dog been put down yet? can you change anything? Was it your choice to put the dog down or animal control's? I'd also like to know the options an owner has if another dog is attacking his/her own. Can you shoot the attacker? I know I would but hind sight is always 20/20. This is the second pit bull attack this month if I'm not mistaken. What is being done about this?

BSCook 2 years, 2 months ago

I am dumbfounded...at least I am not the only person curious about the boy and dog wandering the neighborhood unsupervised.

rock1853 2 years, 2 months ago

You do know that goliath's owners likely owe you compensation. Think I would speak with my attourney.

fultonian 2 years, 2 months ago

What happened to the comment about how the fulton sun decieved the dog's owner to get pictures of this dog? Did it get taken down?

online_editor 2 years, 2 months ago

That's not showing up in the administrative interface as removed. It's possible it wasn't posted on this page. For instance, if you hit "blog" instead of "comment," submissions post to your own personal blog page.

callawaygal 2 years, 2 months ago

Your dog should NOT be put down!! You can file a court order to prolong this and have it herd before a judge. There is a group called Missourians for the Protection of Dogs you might want to contact, they may give you some idea's to save your dog... I can not see a judge putting your dog to sleep for self defense. The parents of the child needs a "child endangerment" violation and more!! I would go to the court house or a great attorney and save your dog!!! You can file these court orders on your own and they are very inexpensive, the clerks at the court house can give you actually names of the papers you need to file. Just get them done before your dog is gone. We have to stand up for our animals and the childs parents need to be punished criminally for their lack of parental control and animal cruelty for allowing a vicious dog to run loose in city limits..... I say child services should be called the parents and they should be notified of the child runniing the streets as well as being in a home with a known aggressive dog... just a thought.

bitter5 2 years, 1 month ago

*UPDATE* Just thought that I would share with everyone that Mickey gets to come home to us on Monday the 4th!! It proved to be a very long and stressing situation, but after reminding the prosecuting attorneys (still not sure why they were even involved) of the city's ordinances and bringing up the descrepencies in the actions of the city officials involved, they decided that there was no reason for Mickey to be put down. So, our prayers were answered!! Thank you to every one that voiced their opinion, and those that called on our behalf, your support meant the world to my family!! (And it very much annoyed others!!)

fultonian 2 years, 1 month ago

congratulations on getting your dog back! I'm very happy for you and wish you and your family the very best!

rock1853 2 years, 1 month ago

VICTORY! Now sue the pants off your neighbor!

MamaB 2 years, 1 month ago

Many towns have bans on certain breeds of dogs. True that any dog can bite but I never heard of a spaniel tearing the face off a child or grabbing another dog at the throat until dead. Certain breeds are be more dangerous than others. I had neighbors (for only a short time...THANKFULLY) who had pit bulls that they claimed were always in the house or on a line. Strange. Why were they in my yard in an attack stance? I could not let my children go out and play and feel safe. I would sit on the steps with a bat or big stick "just in case" they were not in the house or on a line and I would call the kids in if I saw the dogs.

I am glad the 'innocent dog' gets to go home. I wonder if the attacking dog is still on vacation and maybe in the county NEAR ME.

fultonian 2 years, 1 month ago

a dirty work with a ck in it? how about Barack?!

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