Indiana Pit Bull ‘Fat Boy’ Kills Owner, Eddie Cahill, 40

Man killed by pet dog on Christmas Day. An Indiana pit bull owner by the name of Eddie Cahill aka Edward Cahill, was killed by Fat Boy as he was apparently playing keep-away with the dog bones that he got the animal for the holidays.

Man Killed By Pet Dog

Man killed by pet dog and the story reignites the debate over pit bulls being violent. On Christmas Day, at around 5 PM, Bianca Rodriguez, who was spending some time with her relatives, returned to her home in South Bend, Indiana, where she discovered the body of her husband, Eddie Cahill aka Edward Cahill, in the living room.

The Indiana pit bull owner was covered in blood and dog bites on the face and arms. Rodriguez also found the family’s 8-year-old pit bull named Fat Boy with blood around his mouth.

Indiana police and Animal Control officers were rapidly called to the scene. Fat Boy was brought to the Humane Society in Hobart, Indiana, where Animal control officers say they had to use a taser to get the dog under control, and he was later euthanized, per the Cahills request.

Speaking to local media, Rodriguez explained that the dog may have mauled Cahill as they were playing keep-away. The family gave Fat Boy dog bones for Christmas and the 40-year-old animal lover would spend hours having fun with his beloved pet.

The widower called the death of her husband a freak accident and told reporters that the pet dog was never aggressive before. The Indiana pit bull owner claimed she and her husband slept with one dog, while the other animal stayed in their young daughters’ bedroom. The woman explained:

“They were playful dogs.One slept with the girls and the other slept with me and my husband.”

Rodriguez, who has another pit bull named Keylo, also eight years old, went to reveal that she hopes that people will not stop adopting pit bulls. Mrs Edward Cahill stated:

“I don’t want people to think bad of pit bulls. It was a freak accident. He loved the dogs.”

But according to the police, the dogs were not always the good and lovable pets that Rodriguez spoke about. In the past, the Cahill family had been advised by the police to euthanize the dog because he was violent and unpredictable.

While Rodriguez was for, her husband was against the idea of killing Fat Boy. The man killed by pet dog story has gone viral, and has sparked another debate on the adoption of pit bulls. What say you?

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73 Comments

  1. Merry Christmas.
    You get the greatest gift of all and that is being blinded by stupidity.
    Good luck with your next husband, that is if you can find one.

    1. Joe Boxer. sadly you are right. The national media is in bed with pitbull advocacy and the majority of the other pitbull fatalities this year have not been reported in the national news media at all. 2014 is the number one record year for fatalities by dogs and they are quiet about it. many parents, kids and grandparents killed by pitbulls that they lived with this year. http://voicesofthevictims.org/

      1. This ‘issue’ is about animals being animals. Whether four-legged or not. Dogs are animals and not your ‘human’ stand-in for a partner, companion, ‘child’, “Nanny” or what ever. So don’t EVER think the animal stops being an animal.

        When you put your face, your fingers or your children in close with that animal, it’s a risk. Like driving without a seat belt or texting while driving. With the amount of road rage, it’s only a matter of time. With abusing the animal by thinking food is a toy and torturing it with “keep away” games, you’ve put the odds in the house’s favor. And the house always win, just as animal behavior does. There may be exceptions but would you want to risk it? As David Hannum (attributed to PT Barnum) would say, “There’s a sucker born every minute”.

        The animal is not good or bad. The animal is an animal.

        Take a look at the related posts:

        Pit Bull Saves Deaf Boy From House Fire, Dog Ace Is A Hero
        Dog Stabbed To Death At Pet Store, Pit Bull Clara Was Up For Adoption In Georgia
        Emerald White Pit Bulls Killed Beagle: White Is Now Suing Dead Beagle Owner
        Boy, 4, Killed By Dogs In Florida
        Firefighter Dawn Brown Killed By Her Own Mastiff Dog

        http://www.thespreadit.com/firefighter-killed-by-mastiff-14698/

  2. There are good pitbulls who would never hurt a fly….and there are bad pitbulls who kill and disfigure. The trouble is sometimes, there is no warning. I think adults who want to own these dogs should certainly have the choice, but I don’t think unpredictable animals should be around children….ever. Pitbulls have established themselves as quite
    unpredictable.

    1. so you are saying adults like the many senior citizens killed by pitbulls this year are expendable? NOONE young or old should be subject to a vicious and horrible death by a dog. Noone. People are not allowed to own dynamite as it is unpredictable and if mistakes happen in its useage, the aftermath harms innocent people nearby. Innocent people should not be put in harms way because dog fighters want to hide their criminal activities in a sea of pitbulls. We have a million unwanted pitbulls choking shelters that are euthanized at the public’s expense. The pitbull is spayed and neutered less than any other dog and dog fighting is thriving. When dog fighting was legal, no one promoted the dogs on t.v. Follow the money.

  3. Quit being such a jerk Joe Boxer. Besides, if anyon made a bad decision it was the husband, the wife was not even there.

  4. I think all pit bulls should be treated as wild animals & kept in a zoo,or shot & killed on sight.

    1. Don’t take this wrong because I do not like Pit Bulls, not all Pits are bad.
      Although I don’t trust them, not all of them deserve to die.
      A horse threw my sister off, rolled on her and stomped her leg. She almost lost it below the knee because of the extent of damage to bone and ligament. Not all horses deserve to die because some are idiots.
      Most people forget that all large breeds of dogs in general are capable of inflicting major damage if they decide to attack.
      I have three Aussies that weigh 65 pounds and up. A dog that size could easily kill a child and if intent to do so may be able to kill an adult.
      The only reason we hear about Pits is because the media machine knows they get headlines.

      1. No way. this is bull crap. the majority of pitbull fatalities all 27 of them this year have NOT been reported by the national news media. They act like death by pitbull is the new normal. Any dog COULD kill but most do not go crazy and act out this way. From 1930 to 1960 there were an average of zero fatalities by dogs each year when there were no animal control agents, leash laws, and virtually no dogs were neutered. One dog fatality happened every other year and over 50 percent of those fatalities were from pitbulls when pitbulls accounted for only .02 percent of the dog population. Severe life changing deaths and maulings are off the charts now. Again stop the media blameing b.s as the media is NOT reporting pitbull attacks or fatalities on a national basis at all.

    2. Tuff, I have had my life threatened..a gun pulled on me, and have been told that my house should be burned to the ground with me and my dogs in it….With that being said they are both certified therapy dogs….Since you think they should all be treated as wild animals…the question is…Have YOU ever been around them…have you been around mine…you might have…if your child has ever been at the children’s hospital where they are several times a month….or the senior center there they are all the time….so Have you?

    3. Pitbulls are a wonderful breed of dog. We show dogs and see many of hem at the shows that are friendly and incredibly lovable and we have friends that are proud pit owners and the dogs are wonderful.
      They are not and should not be treated as a wild animal and be shot that is just cruel and unusual punishment that an animal does not deserve,

  5. I have an 8 year old pit that I trust more than any other dog in the world. Even a two year old told him to “get out” and he obeyed. I just don’t know what to say about this dog that killed his owner. Apparently, he couldn’t tolerate being teased.

  6. This is unfortunate and a tragedy. The issue of dog ownership can be a hotbed issue and whether certain breeds pose more of a danger than others is yet another issue. Perhaps strict liability should be imposed upon dog owners. If a dog should cause injury or death, then let the owner stand to be criminally charged. So, if the 160 pound playful pit bull kills a child or an elderly person or a family member, the owner should be charged with manslaughter or reckless homicide. Let’s test the level of love for a pet because if a person is willing to go to jail for their dog, then…

    1. Pitbulls have put more owners in jail than any other dog. Allowing pitbulls as pets is not sensible. Pitbulls kill more people in the USA now than all wild animals including wolves, bears, and cougars. Many areas have problems now with feral packs of pitbulls killing people in Texas, California and beyond. Feral pitbull packs in Michigan state park lands have been caught on trail cams killing neighborhood pets and traps and manhunts have gone on for months and they have not been able to catch the dogs. The media is not reporting the majority of the pitbull attacks nationally. go to http://www.voicesofthevictims.org to stay informed.

    2. So, let me make sure we all understand what you’re saying. If a pitbull kills an innocent child or elderly person (who most likely has no chance of defending themselves against such an attack), then prosecute the owner, but do nothing to the dog, and hope it doesn’t happen again? And suppose it does. Then prosecute the new owner and re-start the cycle yet again? It’s not that the dog is bad, right? Are you serious?

      1. Certainly euthanize the dog. The thought here is it would be extremely reckless to leave a loaded gun within reach of a toddler, so too would it be to harbor an animal that could inflict serious injury or death. Many states adhere to the idea that every dog gets one free bite, however, some dogs have fatal bites and if the owner’s faith in the “nature” of their pet is so solid, then so too should their level of responsibility, i.e., prison when and if that nature should prove to be injurious.

  7. This dog had shown tendencies to be vicious.. It needed much more caution than to play keep away with a bone. I believe a lot of ignorance about animals is involved here. Do I believe all pits are vicious? NO! But, they are a very strong and formidable dog that is not to be taken lightly. Was this dog at fault here? Not completely, but did need to be euthanized for the killing. It was no longer a safe pet, especially with a child in the house. The other dog should be monitored also. I would not take the word of the owner. She obviously is not qualified to evaluate a dogs temperament or predictable behavior.

  8. Doesn’t matter how big the dog, what matters is how you treat them. Even a small dog could possibly kill a person by you tripping over them and falling in such a way to break your neck or if near some stairs. You all know that teasing a dog will only get you and the dog in trouble. Number one was he should never teased the dog over the bones. If you are training him to give up the bone than train when he was young and always give it back to him. I did this with all my boxers I trained them while they were still puppies. I had young children that came to visit so I trained my dog to give up their toys and food but I never teased them over it. Be smart, please don’t tease them they should always trust you to do the right thing for them.

    1. She said he might of played keep away. She never said he was teasing the dog. My dog LOVES to play keep away with toys and balls. He usually is the keeper and I chase him to get the toy. A normal dog doesn’t act like this and loving pitbulls that were sweet and given all the love and care of other dogs do suddenly go beserk. It has happened over two dozen times this year and the majority of these fatalities did not happen on Christmas so they have went unreported in the national news. My son in laws 8 year old neutered pitbull suddenly attacked him after 8 years of normal behavior and he loved the dog and never teased it. Angela Provo’s son was killed by her sweet neutered pitbull called KISSY FACE after 8 years of normal behavior. Daxton Borchardt was killed by neutered pitbulls last year. Several parents, and grandparents this year killed by pitbulls that were neutered and loved the family members until one day they went beserk. Animal biologists tell us that pitbulls carry latent genes for neurological problems that are suddenly activated causing sudden aggression. Pitbull owners know latent genes can cause cancer which is why some woman with the genes choose mastectomy’s.. but they want to ignore genes in pitbulls and endanger their families. If you want to gamble go to a casino. Pitbulls that kill are the loving sweet dogs that are trusted that suddenly go beserk because of hidden genes. You can’t love, neuter or train out genes.

  9. I own a Pit Bull mix rescue dog. This is the 7th dog I have had in my life and I am 67 years old. I have had two black labs that would take anyone or anything on at anytime. But, I knew when it came to me playing with them, I had to be careful. My latest dog was abused and he is the sweetest dog I have ever owned. BUT, I do not test him when it comes to playing with him. Aggressive dogs react to rough play and they should not be punished for an owners stupidity. I have been bitten numerous times by my dogs, pure bred and mutes and the bites I received were always my fault. You play rough with dogs, except a bad out come. Sorry for your lose. He should have known better.

    1. Now we are blaming the man and saying he was teasing the dog. KEEP away is played by many dogs. You get the toy he chases you and then he gets it and you chase him. I play it with my border collie all the time and he loves it. He pics up toys and drops them at my feet and then trys to get me to get the toy. Blaming the owners won’t work. 26 people killed by pitbulls this year including so many owners and family members. Stop spreading b.s. and get the facts. Many elderly pitbull owners killed this year. the media doesn’t report most of them. http://www.voicesofthevictims.org

  10. I believe people when they say pitbulls are not all bad and some are really gentle but, the two problems I see are as follows;
    1. most of them are not bred by reputable AKC owners, instead they are overbred by people who don’t know what they’re doing who want an aggressive, protective animal.
    2. Although a Shitzu might be more apt to bite you, 78% of ALL fatal dog attacks involve a pitbull or pitbull mix. This is the real issue.
    You may think your dog is gentle and docile, but time and time again when these dogs decide to attack, can’t be stop by their owner.
    Should one bad apple ruin it for everyone? In this case the responsible answer is yes.

  11. i dont think you can judge just that one breed. i have an american bulldog that will get you if you try taking her bone from her. there are freak accidents that can happen with any animal , any breed.dogs can’t speak to you and tell you your pissing them off all they can do is bite. so all i can say is it could happen with any dog so what do you kill the entire species? no. you just move on

    1. you are stupid. That’s the problem. You can’t do the math and figure out that any dog COULD do this but pitbulls have continued to kill more people EVERY single year and more owners? This year they have killed 26 people.. good grief would you deliberately choose a recalled crib or car model cause someone on the t.v. told you it was cool? Use your common sense.

  12. I feel people should treat pets as animals, and not humans. Having a pit bull sleeping in your house with your children and you is insane. We have tried to make animals humans, and that is not what God intended them to be. There is a lesson to learn here. Sorry for the family lost, and I pray God strength upon them.

    1. we domesticated cats and dogs,its up to us to take care of them.as for a pitbull its not the breed at fault.i get what you’re saying we humanize them,they have feelings and think and even sometimes are smarter than us.people in Moses’day had cats n dogs and other animals for pets,there are a lot of factors to look at not just the dog being a pitt.the 2 we had by the way never hurt anyone,one of them had to fight off a mail pitt who jumped her and her sister jumped in to help her n the other dog ran off yelping.other than than no problems.

    2. I have owned a few different breeds that I do treat as babies. Labs,Huskies German Shepards, all have treated us as their own cuddled with human babies and kept them warm all that can smile so YES my animals are human in ways sometimes better than us so-called humans

  13. my ex-husband and I had 2 pitbulls,Lady and Princess when our Stephanie was born.they would let her pull on them n try to ride them.the only problem we had was when they went in heat n got more aggressive with each other n had to be separated til they were out of it.i can tell you things like it depends on the breeding,the dogs mum or dad may have been fought or mistreated,or even the grandparents of him.Make sure you get a pup from someone you can trust or a friend who knows someone that’s honest n doesn’t breed them to fight.another thing,people like to play rough with an animal,some dogs are ok with it unless gets too rough n even painful,some dogs don’t like it at all.you don’t have to do that to make them protective,most dogs are anyway.also though we did this with Stephanie,dont have certain dogs around babies especially those very active n hit and pull tails,ears,etc.babies aren’t trying to hurt the animals they don’t understand n some dogs wont tolerate it.Like my shih Tzu sweetest dog ever,but doesn’t care for little tots to pull on him or hit him.And I mean any breed size or age dog.its best to wait til the wee tots understand better how to pet a pup and so on.sometimes you just cant explain it,you do everything right and it still happens,maybe it was the dog himself he just wasn’t right.sometimes animals even have illnesses or something wrong with them and they cant say Mummy my ears hurt or daddy my legs hurt.one of my best mates star had a black cocker spaniel,Sadie.At first she was the sweetest most playful pup n then started not acting right.pulling away and sometimes it was almost like a toddlers temper tantrum.she probably even had the headaches then but couldn’t tell Star or her husband Lynn.she started having seizures and they got stronger and more frequent,Sadie was getting meaner n just wasn’t herself.turns out she had epilepsy and I guess maybe when she was about 3,they were all of the time.and she started biting more and jumping people.she cried an whined and peed on herself it was heartbreaking and still is the remembering.im a huge animal lover any animal I don’t care but Sadie was family.star and lynn and their kids are family to us and our kids.i went with star the day she had to put Sadie down.i said never again n had to do the same a few months later but different reason for my dog.sadies head was sent to Montgomery so scientists could study her, and my point here is,even if there aren’t seizures,if your pup is listless,sick and cant get well,turns on you all of a sudden,etc..take him to a vet.get 2 or 3 opinions if you have to.it can be expensive but worth it compared to the alternative,maybe vitameans or antibiotics,even pain meds or other meds.in this lady’s case theres nothing to be done now except for us to reach out to her and her daughters n husbands family offer condolences n support.you may have to get rid of an animal you love like they probably wish they had,but I understand her.get rid of him or her if you have to,find a home don’t put it out homeless or worse case scenario put it down if its a violent dog n nothing can be done.its not the breed,a Chihuahua can do some damage so can a yorkie.a german shepherd or Rottweiler could be a sweet dog.its the animal itself.and to Bianca and her family,im very sorry for your lose and prayers are going up everywhere for you and your family.

  14. We had a male pit bull that was the most lovable harmless dog we ever had he was finally put to sleep at the age of 14 years old. Pit bulls are only as aggressive as the owners make them, they are no different then any other type of dog.

    1. This man’s behavior (which he probably thought was innocent enough) more than likely provoked the dog.

  15. Pit bull owners have a different kind of mentality and their logic and excuses for a violent pitbull begs reason. Most people who own people are uneducated and with a dark side. That is why you see tattooed people and low-class people own pit bulls. Dogs need to be a pet and not an attack breed. Why would you let a pitbull sleep next to your young daughter? Reckless! I saw with my own eyes how a pitbull turned against its own master when it was told to stop barking at the postman. Blood was all over the house as the pitbull “baby” who could not hurt a fly mauled the owner and we had to take him to the emergency for surgery.

    1. We have a different kind of mentality? We’re uneducated? We ALL have a dark side? We’re tattooed? We’re low class? YOU are the one that’s uneducated and, though I don’t consider anybody to be of any “class”, YOU are of the LOWEST class possible. You think you’re better than others and that you know way more than any pit bull owner. I can guarantee that that dog wasn’t just told to shut-up, something was done to it at the same time. FYI, there have been a lot of breeds targeted like you want to target pit bulls and their owners. German shepherds, chows, rottweilers, doberman pinschers, bull mastiffs, staffordshire terrier. I knew a pair of labs, male and female littermates, that were shot because they were vicious and actually hunted people, like my 4 yr old niece and my brother. I had a lab from that litter and so did other people I knew. Nothing was wrong with ANY of them. Now, if that “Fat Boy” dog had been truly vicious, something would have happened way before now. He was being teased and it had happened many times before, in that respect, Fat Boy was like a human, he couldn’t take it anymore and he snapped. A baby or toddler can do whatever they want to my dog, including taking food out of his mouth, he’s pit bull, staffordshire terrier, bull mastiff, german shepherd and rhodesian ridgeback. He’s primarily pit bull/staffordshire and bull mastiff. He loves to chase cats, but not hurt them, tolerates yappy little dogs, gets along well with any dog that doesn’t attack and loves people in general. THAT is a typical pit or pit mix when raised properly. One of my nephews was bit in the face because he tried to take a bone from their dog. my brother-in-law, (the dogs owner), didn’t feed the dog properly and he was hungry, on top of that, he and his wife never taught the kids to treat their animals properly or to stay away from a dog that’s eating. Guess what? That dog was a springer spaniel mix, I had his mother. When I was little, my Mom bred german shepherds. Her breeding female, Princess, didn’t like children of any age,that definitely included me. She was kept in a dog run beside the house and I rarely saw her, never touched her. Not too long after that, we had another dog, (some kind of sheep dog mix), that also didn’t like children, but wouldn’t attack them/me. My Dad had to shoot him when I was 2 because he tried to attack me through our screen door. I remember it and I was terrified, he was really trying to get at me through the screen. If it had been the kind of screens most people have nowadays, I might have been killed, but that was in 1964 and the screen door was homemade and very sturdy. Think, educate yourself before you start spouting off.

  16. I have a pitbull and he is fantastic dog. To me it’s not the pitbulls fault its the owner, something triggered the dog to do harm. Cesar Millan works non stop trying to make sure the breed does not get a bad rap. My Pitbull is scared of a FLY literally. When my boys get hurt and cry, he is there kissing their cheek and laying next to them to comfort. If you look back on the breed they were used for nanny dogs its a known fact. These dogs gets into the wrong hands and are taught to fight and attack. These dogs are not born this way, they are TAUGHT to be this way. My pibble shows everyone love, you can come to my front door and my dog won’t bark, growl or even charge the door in fact he lays there and stares at you. I have my mail carriers who comment on how my dog has changed the way they feel about the breed. Again it’s not the dog its the owner. I feel owners should be held accountable for their actions on how they train their dog. If he knew his dog has sketchy tendencies than I would think you wouldn’t play that game with the dog. All dogs can turn on their master even a small 8lb dog.

    1. Good luck Deena. I hope it doesn’t turn to the dark side and make you regret having it. Don’t be a fool. get rid of it before it kills your child.

    2. Descendants from wolves and you want a known aggressive breed to be a ‘nanny’ to small prey like your children and lick their face?!!!! Good luck with that! Hope you have good health and funeral insurance.

      There’s a reason why home owners’ insurance goes up or the insurer’s won’t insure homeowners with aggressive breeds or other dangerous animals. The liability and lawsuits are astronomical due to the aggressive behavior which comes natural to these breeds. Yes pit bulls and other breed get bad raps but then these kinds of stories tend to support the bad rap, ya think? If you don’t, then perhaps it’s called DENIAL.

  17. Pit bulls have one genetically organic anomaly that most other breeds don’t have. They can wind up with more brain than their skull can support.
    Your dog is the most loyal and nicest until one day it kills you and/or your children.
    Why even expose your Family to that when there are other more stable breeds available?

  18. Ok, he was playing keep away with the dog and ol’ Fatboy finally got tired of that sh8t. Bit the f@ck out of him. many times. Who the hell likes being the butt of the joke in a keep away game?
    apparently dogs don’t like it either.

  19. If you really want to own one of these dogs you really better find a great breeder…I get the adoption program but how do you know what you’re getting in regard to breeding? Why put yourself, especially if you have dependents, as well as them, in such risk ? Land-shark potential with these beasts…That being said, I love them and have been around a few that were charismatic beasts as well, “Nanny Dog”.

  20. The wife said he MIGHT of been playing keep away .. This story headline misrepresents truth. NOONE was present and we don’t know what happened except another sweet pittie went beserk.

  21. I don’t believe dog killed husband used as cover up seriously really tug of war a game always played by owner and dog all of sudden dog going to kill for what it gets by owner all the time

  22. All pitbulls have a “trigger” point at which they become violent; and yes, that includes the “cuddly” ones too, the ones who “wouldn’t hurt a fly” etc etc. And yes, other dogs can be mean and attack too, but with a pitbull you have to remember their foundation is one of being an attack dog. They were bred for a reason.

  23. My husband once tried to take our Basset Hound’s food away, thinking that was funny. (I thought it teasing.) She went after him to bite him(didn’t succeed). Mr. Cahill probably thought this was some kind of game. Unfortunately, taking food away from an animal is not. And so the consequences….

  24. I knew it, since she first mentioned the Bones for Christmas, that is one thing that would trigger an attack like this, once a Pit-bull goes off, their brain stops functioning to where they recognize what’s going on and everything is all about attack and kill, they are great dogs if they are not triggered into that sort of RAGE, I know I raised Pit-bulls and Bull-terriers both are basically the same and very dangerous to bad the husband decided to do something so “STUPID” ………

  25. UNFORTUNATELY FREAK INCIDENTS DO OCCUR, BUT THE ENTIRE BREED SHOULD NOT BE CONDEMNED FOR IT.

    I HAVE A BEAUTIFUL FEMALE PITTBULL MIX THAT I WOULDN’T TRADE FOR ANYTHING.

    ANY ANIMAL CAN BE RESOURCE PROTECTIVE AND AGGRESSIVE. IF YOU KNOW AND PAY ATTENTION TO YOUR PETS CUES YOU CAN AVOID ALOT OF ISSUES.

  26. Well, anyone with any sense at all wouldn’t play keep away with dog bones, the dog views this as a food source…not a toy!!! Any dog, or any animal can become aggressive when there is a food source that they think it will be taken away. I am sorry that this had to happen to this man and the dog, my sympathies go out to the family.

    1. I’m more sorry the dog was put down. It wasn’t the dog’s fault. The dog followed his nature which is what animals do. The Cahills had a choice. The dog did not. The Cahills chose to abuse the animal with “keep away” and continually provoke the animal for hours. They thought it fun. Guess they learned about animal behavior the hard way.

  27. Any dog can become aggressive if provoked and taken to the point that they cannot deal with it anymore…especially when teased with food.

  28. While this is a tragedy, we have to realize that all of our pets might behave like this as they age. My brother had german shepherds, dobermans, trained guard dogs but I was still afraid of them, my sister has a dachsund and the older he gets the more ornery he gets. You don’t know if the owner accidentally hurt the dog when they were playing. You really can’t blame the breed, all animals have the potential to turn on the owners. Age makes a difference in how the brain works.

  29. I was reading other posts here and the fact the she assumed that the husband was playing keep away with bones might make a person think that this had happened before… It was just a matter of time before he got tired of being teased and something clicked, so sad!!!

      1. Something just doesn’t sit right with this story. A grown man, obviously in good shape, can’t fight off a dog, even a big one? If several dogs attacked him I wouldn’t be questioning this story, but just one dog? Something doesn’t seem right…

  30. its not the dog its the owners. the dog had a behavioral problem called food aggression. this is not cute as some owners think and you need to train the dog out of it professionally. and the other dogs name was kelow (kilo). pitts are powerful they are not unpredictable at all untrained unneutered male dogs are dangerous and powerful ones are more dangerous. unneutered males are the most common dogs involved in fatalities. it is not that pitts are unpredictable just that they are one of the ones strong enough to do damage. as a vet tech the breed I get bit by the most is Chihuahuas 30 years at it and I have never been bit by a pitt bull

  31. This was an unfortunate accident on the owner’s part. He used poor judgement in using the dogs food to tease him. As with any animal or human you play with their food and they are hungry they will get aggressive. It turned what could of been a good day for them into a tragic one for the owner and the poor dog. He was a loving animal until he was teased to a point that brought out his aggressive behavior of survival. And that is to eat or to defend itself. Don’t mess with an animals need to eat or with their food. In the wild one animal will kill another just for their next meal.

  32. Dude was asking to be torn apart. You don’t play “keep away” with an animal’s food without expecting to become the animal’s food source. Here Stoopid Hu-man. Comere, Boy! Show how Stoopid you can be….

  33. Glad the pit bull didn’t kill an innocent neighbor or bystander. The owners are the only ones these dangerous animals should kill for being so stupid in owning one.

    1. You need to think before you talk. Any breed of dog would have done the same being teased with treats. he wasn’t playing keep away, he was teasing that dog. Do you have a dog? If so, what happens if you tease it with treats or food and don’t stop after a few seconds?

  34. This is a case of manslaughter. The owners basically ‘taught’ an aggressive breed to respond in an aggressive way by using food and to pursue the food. It’s one thing to play keep away with a toy. It’s another to ‘play’ keep away with bones, dog’s food. Food to an animal is NOT A TOY. It’s like poking a chained or caged bear and not expect the animal to respond in rage.

  35. What say I? I feel bad for his family, I’m sorry for their loss. But the owner was being cruel. To all dog owners out there; what do you think a dog thinks “keep-away” played with a treat is? If you answered anything other than “being teased”, then you shouldn’t own a dog. Keep away is played with a TOY, not a TREAT. No wonder the dog was unpredictable. This guy had those dogs for 8 years? He’s lucky he didn’t get hurt or killed a long time ago and I’m surprised the other dog didn’t join in. I find it hard to believe anyone that had dogs like that didn’t know better. The dog being a pit bull had nothing to do with it. My aunt’s poodle bit me because I was teasing her, I didn’t tell, I would have been asked why she bit me and I would have had to tell why-then I would have been punished for teasing her. I was about 3, I think. When I was 8, my pony kicked me. You may have guessed that I was teasing her, I was just playing “keep away” with her treat, lettuce, it hurt so bad my Mom asked what happened, well…. let’s just say it resulted in me getting in trouble for teasing my pony.
    Here’s what may have happened: Man teased dog too long, dog got mad and bit, man got mad and punished, dog snapped and attacked/killed the owner. The teasing being done to the dog for a lifetime, (I bet this was far from the first time he played “keep-away” with treats), would make any animal unstable. What about when someone had something that they were holding out of his reach so they could eat it? That would be a signal to the dog to go after the food. A dog is like a child only to a certain point. If you can’t figure out what that point is, (it varies from dog to dog), then you shouldn’t have a dog, of any size. People usually teach their kids not to tease their pets, I hope there aren’t any children in the household. Aside from losing their father, this would teach them that it’s ok to tease a dog and then punish it for reacting negatively. Punishment being euthanasia in this case. I find this very sad, for the family and Fat Boy. It never should have happened and probably wouldn’t have if he hadn’t been teasing the dog. My niece has a scar on her face, when she was a child, I caught her teasing the dog in the next yard. I made her stop and told her she knew better. Sometime in the following year, she was teasing the dog again and he got her face through the fence. She’s real lucky he didn’t get through the fence. You say he must have been pit bull? Nope, australian cattle dog! You just DON’T TEASE animals and my niece knew it and why. When I told my brother that I had caught her teasing the dog prior to her being bit, he wouldn’t believe me. We were raised to know better and so were our kids and he just wouldn’t believe his child would do that. Take this as a lesson before a child or another adult gets attacked/killed “playing” with a dog or other animal.

    1. TY for sharing, Mayla Smith. You learned your own lesson the hard way and hopefully, have paid the tuition for those that will listen to it. Apparently, the Cahills through tragedy have paid a high price as well.

      You also called it what it is. Abuse by taunting an animal with food. Toys are toys. Bones are food. Food to an animal is NOT a TOY! To play keep away with food is abuse, not play. We call people on the playground who ‘play’ keep away with those objects we consider valuable ‘Bullies’. Anyone on the receiving end knows that. Why would an animal as intelligent as a dog think otherwise?

      Most of us were taught NOT TO TEASE ANIMALS. Somehow, people in denial through so-called reality shows think they can beat the odds in bending the rules. For their convenience and ‘fun’ they think they can bend nature to their will. Spoiler Alert! Even the most professionally trained animals that are well cared for will attack: http://www.cnn.com/2014/03/26/showbiz/siegfried-roy-tiger/index.html

      The tiger had been living at the Siegfried & Roy Secret Garden and Dolphin Habitat at the Mirage hotel. Mantecore was a part of the long-running “Siegfried & Roy” show when it lunged at Roy Horn’s neck halfway through a sold-out performance in October 2003.
      “He (Horn) looked like a rag doll in his mouth,” an audience member told CNN at the time. By the time emergency officials arrived, Horn had suffered massive blood loss and was in critical condition. Horn did survive the attack, but was left partially paralyzed. He never returned to the stage and makes only rare public appearances. The show, too, was canceled. He also suffered a stroke and required two surgeries.

      In his post about Mantecore, Fischbacher wrote about the closeness he felt with the tiger. Mantecore was one of three cubs. The cub’s mother neglected it. So Fischbacher once had to go into the tiger’s den and give it mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. The young cub was then cared for by Fischbacher’s mother, who bottle-fed it every three hours.

      http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/02/24/seaworld-trainer-dead-kil_n_475408.html

      Tilikum, Killer Whale, Kills Dawn Brancheau, Trainer, During SeaWorld Show

      So if you think you can beat the odds through training, good luck with that. Animals are animals. Respect the fact they are animals and may respond according to the way nature intended them to respond. That way you might take the necessary precautions to prevent tragedies such as this one. Be smart, be safe, be mindful and respect the animal’s nature.

  36. People think training will calm the beast – Guess what, nature Wins! So here’s a story of a guy who thought he could hide at Sea World after hours and ride a killer whale. They found his swimming trunks at the bottom of the pool and he got his balls “surgically opened” after the whale (they assume) drowned him.

    Autopsy of Daniel Patric Dukes, killed by Tillicum the Killer Whale “Avulsion of the skin of the left pubic area including the scrotal sac and testes, with left testes separate.” http://www.scribd.com/doc/119465495/Daniel-Dukes-Medical-Examiners-Report (page 7 of 11) NOTE on the autopsy report -No drugs or alcohol found in his system.

    “ORLANDO, Florida, July 7, 1999 (ENS) – A 27 year old man was found dead early Tuesday morning draped over the back of an orca, or killer whale, at SeaWorld Adventure Park in Orlando, Florida. The incident marks the second time ever that a human has been killed by a captive orca, and the second time that this orca, Tillicum, has killed.”

    http://www.ens-newswire.com/ens/jul1999/1999-07-07-01.html
    “Police surmise Dukes stayed in the park until closing, hid somewhere near the tanks behind the main stadium, waited until early morning, and slipped into Tillicum’s tank. Dukes’ body was found nude, but a pair of swim trunks was found on the bottom of the pool.”

    Tillicum killed Dawn Brancheau, his Trainer, during a SeaWorld Show in front of an audience. The same with Kelty Byrne who was kept submerged by 3 of the killer whales after she fell into their tank.

    “Tillicum was transferred to SeaWorld by the now defunct Sealand of the Pacific in British Columbia, Canada in 1992. In February, 1991, trainer Kelty Byrne slipped and fell into an enclosure holding Tillicum and two other orcas. Byrne was carried into the middle of the pool by one orca, and repeatedly submerged as the other two orcas joined in. After futile attempts at rescue by park employees, Byrne drowned.”

    They’re called Killer Whales for a reason. Pit Bulls are aptly named as well.
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pit_bull

    “The Pit Bull was originally created as a fighting dog by crossbreeding bulldogs, mastiffs, and terriers to produce a dog that combined the size and strength of the mastiff, the gameness and agility of the terrier, with the strength and tenacity of the bulldog.

    The early bull terriers of the Elizabethan era were much heavier and bred as fighting dogs to be used for bull and bear baiting in “pit” fights, hence the name. After the use of dogs in blood sports was banned, pit bulls were used as catch dogs in America for semi-wild cattle and hogs, to hunt and drive livestock, and as family companions, although some owners still bred and used them clandestinely for dog fighting. This practice continues to this day, but is illegal in many nations.”

    Take heed all ye Lovers of the Breed!

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