HSUS State Director’s dog kills 95-year-old woman

A 95-year-old Connecticut woman died after she  was bitten by a 4-year-old pit bull owned by the Senior State Director of the Humane Society of the United States, Annie Hornish.     Police Chief Richard Brown said Janet D’Aleo died as a result of the mauling after suffering “massive injuries including flesh, muscle and tendon loss to the lower extremities.

Investigators “have determined that D’Aleo died as a result of coming into contact with the dog,”  Brown said.

What exactly happened is where Annie Hornish and police differ.

Hornish wasn’t at home for the initial tragic incident but returned home shortly after it began on November 6th.      D’Aleo was visiting Hornish’s mother, Agnes Wosko, a longtime friend,

The home health aide tried to separate the dog and the elderly woman as she lay on the floor.    It wasn’t until police arrived that the dog was removed.

The 95-year-old woman’s bites were the worst possible under a rating system known as the Ian Dunbar Bite Assessment Scale, the chief said. They were rated a 6 out of 6.

Chief Brown said the bites were the worst possible under a rating system known as the Ian Dunbar Bite Assessment Scale.    Her bites were severe enough to kill.    A bite at Level 5 states the victim suffered from a “multiple-bite incident (including mutilation) with at least two Level 4 bites.”    Level 4 means “1 to 4 punctures from a single bite with at least one puncture deeper than half the length of the dog’s canine teeth.”       Level 6 means the victim died.

The recommendation by the Association for a dog bite at this level is euthanasia “because the quality of life is so poor for dogs that have to live out their lives in solitary confinement.”

Brown said a home health aid was unable to separate the dog from the victim until police arrived.

The investigators , after talking to staff at the Massachusetts Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, “have determined that D’Aleo died as a direct result of coming into contact with the dog,” Brown said.

Hornish has disputed some facts stated by police.   She said she arrived home after the dog bit D’Aleo and was told that the dog was reacting to being hit repeatedly with a metal rod by the 95-year-old’s home health aide.    “It seems as if the dog got excited and was overexhuberant, ” Hornish stated in an interview with the Courant last Friday.
“The dog jumped on a friend with a walker and she fell backward and we believe that’s what killed her.”

Hornish claims Dexter, a pit-bull jumped up on her excitedly and knocked her to the ground.

Hornish said, “D’Aleo, a longtime friend of Wosko’s, visited the home before and had been around the dog a number of times without any problems.”

There is a huge difference between a dog being overexuberant and dog who is mauling a person to death.

Hornish isn’t realistic about the mauling that occurred.     If a dog is overexuberant, the dog ix happy and isn’t going to maul you to death.   There is a huge difference between the two.

Hornish reiterated her claims in a written statement on Monday,  “Our dog Dexter was overly enthusiastic in greeting our good friend, and the ensuing chaos resulted in this terrible outcome.”

Hornish also blames the home health aide for hitting Dexter with a metal chair which caused him to bite the woman.      The aide was trying to save D’Aleo.

It appears Hornish won’t allow any responsibility to be placed on Dexter for D’Aleo’s death.    She appears to be oblivious to the severe injuries her dog inflicted upon a frail woman.

Hornsh is a former state representative and worked on legislation against puppy mills and shark fins.

Dexter was close to euthanasia before Hornish adopted him in July of this year.     In his last home, he jumped through a glass window to get outside.    He had been in at least six different homes prior to his latest adoption.

Dexter remains quarantined until the autopsy results are available.    If they show the bites are what killed the woman,  he will most likely be euthanized.

Tina Evangelista-Eppenstein is a television talk show host, speaker, writer, and an unabashed animal advocate. Her love for animals and quest for the hard truth is what drives her passion for all things animals. She hosts the television show, “A Close Up Look at Animal Welfare Issues.” She adores her tripawd, Brody, who was a formerly abused pup who lost his leg because of cruelty inflicted upon him. If you’d like Tina to talk to your group or have a story, please email her at tevangelistaepp@yahoo.com. Like https:www.facebook.com/ACloseUpLookatAnimalWelfareIssues and be sure to check out AnimalWelfareIssues.com.