Fiancé of Woman Savaged by Pit Bulls in Myers Flat Details the Attack (Warning: This story is disturbing and should not be read by everyone)
Kenneth Swafford, Candis, and their children live together just four doors down from the dogs who attacked her. Swafford described the neighbor as disabled and unable to provide training and discipline to the dogs. According to Swafford, he and his fiancée had always been wary of the dogs and characterized them as “dangerous” knowing they had killed as many as 11 other dogs, including “eating their own puppies.”
On the evening before the attack, Swafford explained that their neighbor was cold after his power had gone out due to the recent storms. Swafford, a firefighter and first responder with the Myers Flat Fire Department, felt compelled to lend the man a generator to stay warm.
The next morning, the man contacted Swafford telling him he was cold again and unable to start the generator. Candis and Swafford insisted the man confine the pit bulls and came over to refill the generator with gas and also reset a tripped breaker, which Candis watched Swafford do.
After setting up the generator, Swafford said he got ready to travel to Weott to help a friend deal with downed trees. Swafford said that as he was leaving, he got a text from the neighbor saying the generator’s circuit breaker was tripped again and he could not get it to function. Knowing his fiancée, Candis, knew how to reset the breaker, he said he called the man insisting the dogs be kept inside and assured him Candis would be right over to address the generator. As Swafford left for Weott, Candis was getting ready to go help the neighbor.
Candis proceeded to the man’s trailer to address the generator when, as Swafford described, “for whatever reason, [the neighbor] opened his trailer door, and the dogs got out.” Swafford said the dogs immediately began to attack Candis, and he believes their owner stood still, not yelling or intervening, and “watched them rip her calf off her leg.”
Swafford said the dog’s owner was wearing boxers, and “instead of going towards my fiancée to help her, he left his yard, and started to walk down the street” to the property Swafford and his brother Kirk share four doors down. Kirk was just returning home and found the dog’s owner, standing in his boxers, saying a woman named “Lisa” had been attacked and had her calf ripped off by his dogs.
Swafford attributes the owner’s misidentification of Candis to him not actually seeing her face when she was being attacked as she was on the ground surrounded by the dogs.
Whatever the reason for the misidentification, Kirk proceeded to the dog owner’s property attempting to help “Lisa” not knowing the actual victim was his future sister-in-law.
Kirk immediately began to intervene in the dogs’ attack, “hitting one in the head with a 4×4.” Swafford said that when Kirk was bit himself, he jumped on top of a utility trailer to escape one dog and was bit on his side when the other lunged for him hanging on the top of his pants. The pants ripped, the dog dropped to the ground, and the dogs returned to under the trailer, seemingly ignoring Kirk, where they had dragged Candis. Underneath the trailer, the dogs continued to “feast on her legs,” Swafford told us.At some point during the attack, Swafford said a 6’ 2’’, 300 pounds plus neighbor walked by the incident and was alerted to the attack by the dog owner, who was on the roadside outside the fence of his property not intervening. The passerby entered the property and the two dogs beelined towards him, bit at his ankles, and took him down to the ground. Once again, the owner reportedly did nothing to intervene as the dogs attacked this third person.
Realizing bludgeons were not stopping the attack, Kirk took off running to his other brother’s house to retrieve a firearm one block away. Kirk was unable to obtain a firearm and stopped by Candis’s to check in with her and alert her to the circumstance. Instead, he learned from one of Candis’s children that Candis had gone to the neighbors to assist with the generator. Kirk’s adrenaline-fueled mind did not realize that Don had misidentified Candis and thought that Candis must be hiding somewhere on Don’s property while “Lisa” was being mauled underneath the trailer.Kirk returned to the neighbor’s property after being gone for approximately ten minutes and found members of the Myers Flat Volunteer Fire Department and California Highway Patrol had responded to the scene and the dogs were detained.
Swafford claims the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office’s press release stating the pit bulls’ owner was able to detain the dogs inside of a vehicle is inaccurate. According to Swafford’s conversation with Myers Flat Fire Department Chief Aaron Merriman, first responders were actually the ones that coaxed the attacking dogs into a nearby vehicle.
It is unclear how long the pit bulls had torn at Candis’ legs, but Swafford said the dogs had eaten the flesh “of her whole right leg.” The dogs also ate the flesh out of the back of her left knee and other areas of her left leg. Swafford was told that Candis was in shock and unresponsive when medics put her on a gurney, loaded her in an ambulance, and took her to Garberville Hospital.
Kirk loaded up Swafford and Candis’s children into his car and followed the ambulance. He also called to tell his brother that Candis had been attacked by the pit bulls and she was being transported to the hospital. Swafford had just finished helping his friend in Weott clear the fallen trees and as soon as he heard about Candis, he rushed to get to her side.
At the Garberville Hospital, the enormity of the situation became clear to Swafford when he demanded to see Candis and Chief Merriman pulled him aside and told him Candis had lost a lot of blood and he needed to give the doctors space to treat her. Swafford said he asked Chief Merriman, “How bad is it?” and the Chief responded, “I haven’t seen anything like this since I was in the Marines.”
When the doctors told Swafford that Candis could very likely require amputations, he said he collapsed and his brother caught him before he hit the concrete.
Now, Swafford and Candis’s children are at a motel in Eureka unable to visit her as she undergoes intensive surgeries to save what doctors can of her legs.
As of Friday afternoon, Swafford said doctors have amputated her right foot four inches below the knee and doctors will know Sunday whether she will be able to keep her right knee.
As to Candis’s left leg, puncture wounds and lacerations cover both her calf and thigh. Doctors worked hard to thoroughly clean the leg to stave off infection. Swafford said doctors expect to be able to save the left leg but warn it will most likely not be fully functional.
Swafford said the two pit bulls responsible for his wife’s maiming were known in the neighborhood for their viciousness. He said, “These dogs have killed their own puppies. I’ve heard they killed a total of 11 other dogs. They’ve also bitten a couple of people that I know of.”
According to Swafford, a nearby neighbor had seen the aftermath of the dogs killing several puppies and described it as a “murder scene.” The pit bulls actually attacked two men who tried to intervene when they killed the puppies.
Swafford said both law enforcement and animal control have made contact previously with the pit bulls’ owner regarding their behavior.
Samantha Kargas, the Public Information Office for the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Department, confirmed, “The dogs’ owner does have a history of contacts with Humboldt County Animal Control and that will be taken into consideration in this investigation.”
Swafford wanted to make clear that he is “not a pitbull hater.” He said, “A blue-nosed pit has sat by me for 10 years and never been dangerous. Our family has another red-nosed pit that is safe.” He emphasized that “the dogs that attacked Candis are vicious and need put down.”
As to the current status of the pit bulls, Kargas said, “One dog has been surrendered to our Animal Shelter and the owner has expressed interest in getting the other dog back.” Based on protocols, Karagas explained, “The surrendered dog is required to undergo a 10-day quarantine and then can be euthanized on the 11th day, per county code. That is likely the fate of this dog due to the severity of this incident and the dog’s behavior.”
As to the dog the owner wants to be returned, Kargas said, “County code requires that we hold a hearing regarding whether this dog is vicious or potentially dangerous. The possible outcomes of such hearings are outlined in County Code 547-17 and 547-18.”
Candis’s sister Shiann Davis organized a GoFundMe to support Candis’s medical expenses as she faces multiple surgeries, rehabilitation, and prosthetics. The community is invited to help.
Reflecting on what happened to Candis, Swafford said he and his finance had gone over to their neighbor’s home “out of the kindness of our hearts to help the guy.” Now, Swafford and his children are praying for the day that Candis heals and their family can rebuild.
Earlier:- Woman Reportedly Attacked by Two Pitbulls
- Woman Receives Serious Injuries, Man Injured Also When Two Dogs Attacked Them
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God speed,I pray for a complete Healing physically mentally, very unfortunate.
What happened here was a tragedy and a criminal tragedy at that.
But in matters that actually matter, the county needs sued over this. I’ve given to the GoFundMe, but dear family, get a lawyer with it. I haven’t got what you need nor does that man….who needs to be in jail or the mental hospital…but the county does and they are largely responsible for what has happened.
We taxpayers pay for animal control to prevent this very thing. This exactly what the job is designed to prevent. When they don’t take dogs and don’t even go to court to try to take the dogs, they eat the liability in my opinion. They certainly waste the money we taxpayers paid that animal control officer.
Your new supervisor is Michelle Bushnell. She’s pretty bright. Maybe she’ll see that it’s better for the county to act first and put you on their insurance now instead of waiting for your legal action. Maybe she’ll see it’s going to be cheaper in the long run. I know I won’t vote for her a second time if she doesn’t move heaven and Earth to help you.
My whole heart aches for you.
I’m shocked they weren’t put down on the spot,law enforcement has the right to do that
they probably couldn’t get a clear shot with the dogs attacking her and then being confined to a vehicle. I wouldn’t want them to get mauled trying to reach into the car to shoot them.
I agree they should have been put down on the spot the law can do that.
The story says that “first responders were actually the ones that coaxed the attacking dogs into a nearby vehicle”. Likely that was a VFD action and happened before CHP arrived. And the VFD may not have the authority to shoot offending animals.
The whole situation is a nightmare! And if EVER there was an example of irresponsible pet ‘ownership’ it is this.
May Candi and her family heal as easily as possible.
You are making comments regarding one persons side to a story whacked!
Don. Why don’t you tell us what happened.
They were your dogs.
Did you try to help?
Ok. Regarding my comment about being an “irresponsible” pet owner, fair enough. Tell us your side of the story, Don.
One person?The owner let the dogs attack three people.I am the victim of a childhood mauling.. pitbulls suck..period.eradication is warranted
Amen to that!
I’m interested in what you have to say. Originally the story was the victim was there to perform house cleaning duties. Then it changed to helping w a generator. Of coarse it’s terrible what happened. I just wonder if the dogs were protecting thier home.
K. Arman,
She was there to help him with a generator, her family was kind enough to let him borrow during the power outage. Probably should shut the fuck up! Candis is a smaller woman so he wouldn’t have needed those POS dogs to protect him from her even if that was the case. Those dogs were known to be vicious. Your comments are not welcome here!
The original story was that she was there to clean house for the resident. Wonder why it changed. I have my own reasons for doubting the story. BTW telling someone to shut the fuck up really won’t get you anywhere.
Dogs are property and don’t own homes to protect. “THEY WERE PROTECTING MUH PROPERTY” is an excuse shitty dog owners use when their vicious mutts attack innocent people. If I can’t legally rig up guns to shoot anything that moves near my yard regardless of context you shouldn’t be allowed to own a loose cannon of a dog
Don put the dogs in the vehicle
agreed, unbelievable, heartbreaking
I’m shocked none of the neighbors shot the dog before this. You are fully within your rights to shoot a dog if it is off it’s property and harming or is directly threatening to harm you, your children, any random person, your livestock or pets.
You are listening to wrong information it was a neighbor who killed the puppies not the dogs
I think you’re lying
I think he is to. He is one of those pit bull defenders. Sick!
They don’t got money for ammo… This is Myers flat.
Those two dogs should have been put down long ago.
Hopefully the dog owner goes to jail.
Yes, they should have been put down the first or at most second time they bit. The more times a dog bites the worse the bites get.
Why should he go to jail? It wasn’t his fault. It was a horrible accident and beyond his control you were not there you don’t know who the dog owner is or anything about him. Also you are listening to some guy who was not there in the beginning and everything he says is from what he said he heard not facts so keep your mouth shut until you have the facts
What are the facts? Sounds like the owner hasn’t been feeding the dogs, why the eff did the owner not intervene??? And why are his dogs so aggressive?! Seriously how can you defend this POS
He did try and beat the dogs off and the girl was coming to the door to clean his house nothing to do with the generator. The dogs ran out past don and just for some reason attacked her. He was trying to get them off her but hitting them with a board. They drug her out of range. He was in shock as well as anyone else there as witness. It was a horrifying experience. He was trying to find someone to help. The guy arrived after that happened. He wasn’t there before or in the begining.
Because you should have done something the first time they attacked don
You must be joking..
Beyond his control? He was asked to lock the dogs up! He didn’t do it nor did he try to stop the attacks! Stop defending this sick bs! A woman has had her foot amputated and your only thought is to defend the owner and his gargoyles! Smh
How do you know he was asked to lock the dogs up? Did you hear anyone say that to him?
Why should he go to jail? For attempted manslaughter. All his dogs should be destroyed and he should be in jail. How is it these people can have all these dogs and yet not have insurance? Like ever. This woman is forever impaired because of the actions of an incredibly selfish and lazy person who is clearly not in any state to own any animal. May he gets all the he deserves and more.
[edit]
Someone who knows the owner’s name, please post it. The people of SoHum deserve to know this man’s identity.
The rest of my thoughts on what should happen to him violate Kym’s commenting rules, so I will keep them to myself and save her an edit.
I have seen “Don”
The only clue is in the paragraph between the pictures of Kirk’s damages; the property owner is named as “Don.”
Don is a squatter. Not his property, shouldn’t even be there.
[edit] he has lived there a long time and pays rent [edit]
That’s HILARIOUS you think kym has rules, especially protecting this guy [edit]. But if Kym let’s people openly attack victims of crimes with false information(even dead ones), why do you think she would ever delete bad comments about the monster that kept killer dogs?
It’s none of your business because the story wasn’t told correctly. It was told from hearsay rumors and not truth so back off get more than one side to the story
It’s everyone’s business. The people of our community deserve to know the identity of this person. He is responsible for what happened and his identity should not be hidden.
Like what?She had it coming to her?There’s police and eyewitness accounts…there’s one truth and that is that somebodys Mommy will be crippled for life because of a jerk with a couple of viscous animals asked her for help then let his attack dogs try and eat her…what fool can’t see that?
Please tell what you know. I questioned this story from the first day I read it.
It sounds like you were there since you know everything that happened as first hand knowledge! Why didn’t YOU intervene or call for help?
Don mertz
Don and donelle on facebook with pitbulls
I do not own a pit bull or do I like them
You are talking about my brother. He is irresponsible but he doesn’t deserve to be killed or attacked, this story is blown way out of proportion. He doesn’t want the dog back and he did try to help. Everyone needs to take it down a notch. I’m very grateful Candis will walk again and I’m so sad and upset this has happened.
Jaymie,
This story is NOT blown way out of proportion! Don deserves to go to prison for the rest of his life. Both you and your sister have made comments that he doesn’t want one of his dogs back, so I guess you’re calling Samantha Kargas (with the Humboldt County Sheriffs Dept) a lier. Kargas said the owner has expressed interest in getting one of his dogs back. I would say that clearly means he wants his dog back. As far as being grateful Candis will walk again…are you stupid!? She had her foot amputated 4 inches below her knee! She’ll never be the same even with a prosthetic leg. So I don’t agree that everyone needs to take it down a notch. As a community we are outraged and as a friend of Candis and my daughter being best friends with her daughter it pisses me off with every comment from your sister and now you! This community wants redemption for this beautiful family!
My sincerest apologies – I’m truly sorry, I’m just full of faith. I believe she will walk again and I’m glad she’s alive. I do not support my brother, I just don’t think he should be attacked physically or go to prison for life. Yes, there should be consequences for him – I didn’t mean to sound uncaring. I’m not my sister, either, I would never talk to you the way she has spoken to people here. If the article is 100 percent correct, I would love to know the truth, he really never tried to help? At all? I wish I knew for sure. I truly sickened and heart broken and have given to the go fund me.
👏 I applaud your comment! These people sticking up for the man and his pit bulls is absolutely outrageous! 3 people were attacked and many animals have been killed by those murdering machines and their only thought is to defend the owner and those dangerous dogs! How disgusting! The man needs to be in prison and all his dogs pts! That community is not safe with those dogs and I pray the victim and her family press charges and fight for the dogs to be pts! The dog owner should never be allowed to own dogs again!
I am not sticking up for anyone what I’m saying is is the facts are not correct. My brother is. Eying upset for the girl and is not trying to get the dogs back has accepted the fact they are not coming back and vows to never ever own a dog again. What I am saying also is there is too much judgement about killing Donald and sending him to prison for life is not consequences deserving. It was a tragic event beyond measure it just frustrates me to here all the hatred vented.
Those two dogs should have been euthanized long ago due to their history of violence.
Why wasn’t something done already?
Also that [edit] dog owner just stands there during the attack? Criminal charges need to be brought against him. Wtf is wrong with people.
Racist much
Yes charges should be brought against the owner
He didn’t just stand there that is hearsay not fact
Yeah he stood by and did nothing? I think he’s as culpable as the dogs. Agreed, both need to be put down and felony charges for the owner!
In 1982, a rancher lost several sheep as they were attacked by a pack of dogs. The rancher and his men came riding on horseback into my homestead armed to the teeth. They asked me if I had any dogs, I told him just one, where is it he asked. Right there, in the fenced yard. Keep it that way he said, I said yes sir. About half an hour later, I heard many many gunshots. I went in the house and got a rifle, came back outside and waited. I just knew they found the pack of dogs, I had my gun to get any they missed and came back my way. Later I found out the ranchers killed 13 dogs, and told the owner if he ever got more than one dog, they would kill them too. Then, about 6 months later, I was packing chicken manure to one of our grows. I was on my property. I heard a strange sound, like a wheezing sound, getting louder and louder. I had my pistol out, then I saw a doe coming towards me, and she stopped right by my side, breathing heavy and shaking. Out of the brush a pair of doberman pincers emerged. I shot both dogs right on the spot. The doe recovered, and eventually moved on. I felt good that day, saving a doe from a horrible death. The dogs? Fuck the dogs, and their owner, who never found out what happened to them.
I don’t agree with you on politics but I’m with you here. Dogs are a menace when they run free.
Stuber,
thank you for doing that and saving that doe. I have confirmed by trail cameras the existence of many dogs running deer on my property. It is one of the reasons we see a decline in the deer herd in the County. Most of these dogs are from irresponsible owners who think their dogs could not be involved in running deer, or killing livestock.
Also, sorry to say but the lines share of dogs that are roaming the hills are from growers who dont give a damn or have let the dogs loose after they are done growing.
Thank you for protecting wildlife
You hear what you want to hear snd make loose accusations with out facts
I’ve never shot a dog but I’ve saved more than 1 deer from the same circumstance. That is referred to as a testimony.
So let’s hear those facts.
Anyone who in the business of raising their dogs to be vicious killers should themselves be behind bars.
So, a crazy asshole owner, has crazy asshole dogs. As usual.
pretty much. A sane owner would have had them put down already.
He should get a couple of chihuahuas. Stats claim that they cause more bites than any other type. Plus, they never shut up!
[edit] Listen to the story again the guy wasn’t there in the beginning and does not have clear facts left parts and told only things he has heard no real facts
So tell us the facts.
I did keep reading
Oh don mertz stop already we know this is you you ain’t fooling no one
Family you are in my prayers. This should NEVER happen to anyone EVER!!! Animal control is liable too. The first attack and the puppy incident was gosh darn ENOUGH. Donated $200 and sharing it wide and far. STAY STRONG MOMMA ❤Stay strong daddy. The community is wrapping their arms around you.
❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤
It isn’t true
So what’s the truth?
How disrespectful you are to the victim. I sincerely hope I am never your neighbor. Anyone who puts dangerous dogs above a human life is a whacko and needs serious mental help.
That guy is nuts if he thinks he’s going to get them back. Completely out of touch with reality.
I swear the goal of Humboldt Co Animal Control is to save dogs. Not to save people.
This is classic behavior for pitbull owners.
They are crazy, dangerous people, and they lie, lie, lie.
This is NOT topical pit owner behavior
Yes it is..pitbulls need to be eradicated
That is a horrible thing to say, Its bad owners who give pitbulls a bad name, not the breed. There are a fucking lot more good pitbulls than bad pitbulls. We only hear about the bad ones and their bad owners. You sir have just fallen into the common [edit] delusion on pit bulls.
You don’t see it from other dog owners. There is a literal POLITIAN trying to get her pitbull back after it killed a 90 year old woman.
This is a prime example of an over generalized statement meant to elicit an emotional response.
He doesn’t want them back you are listening to lies
“He” raised them to be killers. Rent a life, dude.
Pit owners are often like that. “Oh, my precious Tank just ate your arm off. Too bad. Give me my dog back now. hE’s A mEmBeR Of mY FaMiLy”.
Best wishes and prayers to the victims and families
Being disabled is not an excuse to have psycho dogs. Praise God they never got to children. I hope the family can find peace after this horrific situation. Kill the dogs throw the asshole in jail!
If this guy was so disabled, why was he moving around the property so evidently well? Dogfights are often stopped with a garden hose. A terrible tragedy . Why was this tolerated for so long? No way you could have kids in the neighborhood. I’m so sorry.
You can have disability and be self mobile
Horrific story. Best wishes and healing for the family…I’ll be donating to their GoFundMe. Decent people helping out neighbors in a crisis…these are people we love. The neighbor guy- he should be put down along with the vicious killer dogs he kept. ( I love good pitties and have one).
This is a prime example of why nice people need to stop going out of their way for people they know are a POS. If your neighbor has dogs that have killed 11 neighborhood dogs then your neighbor is human garbage. Even before a human was horrifically injured, those where someone beloved pets his dogs killed. [edit]
Agreed. One incident should be cause for extreme caution going forward, perhaps sending those dogs out to a very rural ranch w/ no neighbors for miles. The second incident should be euthanization….Where was Animal Control in all of this before this horrific mauling? I have witnessed them being quite aggressive- even overly aggressive- in pursuing dog behavior in Eureka-Arcata. Do they just let vicious dogs run wild under the care of mentally-deficient persons outside of town?! I hope to see follow-up to their response and policies…since there was ample forewarning this should not have happened. (And as a responsible owner of a good pittie I am concerned their response will be something as lame as blaming the breed) Again- my sympathies are with Candis and her family.
I absolutely agree that the dogs should have been dealt with at the scene, if not at a prior incident. I also agree that the owner should be held responsible….if he is fit mentally to be held responsible. Reading the story it sounds to me like he isn’t all there. Really…wandering around in his boxers? Cannot flip a breaker? Doesn’t understand a generator needs to be refueled? How long has he lived in this area? Because I think most teenagers would be able to perform such actions, it’s not like we don’t lose power around here. I would say that the community should move to make sure he doesn’t ever own any animals again. Eating a person, most dangerous dogs attack but I have never heard of dogs “eating” on a person. How well fed were they to begin with? Regardless both dogs should be put down. Owner should definitely be put on trial and definitely should have a financial debt levied on him for this woman’s medical expenses, extreme trauma, and extreme damage. Money will not ever truly compensate her for the terrible ordeal she has already suffered, or the long road ahead of her. My thoughts and prayers go out to her and her family.
I pray that Candis will make the best recovery possible. Thank you to everyone of you that tried to get the dogs off of her. Considering all the problems the dogs have caused over a period of time, the Animal Control people should have taken them, and put them down. I don’t feel sorry for the dogs owner one little bit. He should be arrested in this case and made to pay for what happened to Candis. I gather from the story that he never tried to restrain the dogs at any point in any of their previous actions with other dogs and citizens of Myers Flat. May God bless Candis and her entire family and friends at this time of heart break.
Thanks to pg&e. Sue em. They are the true culprit. Chronologically speaking.
Speedy recovery 🙏🙏
I believe storms are considered an act of God. Why don’t you sue her.
Yes but pg&e continues to neglect their responsibility to properly maintain their power lines. My property borders a major line, they inspect the trees around it every year but still trees and branches fall on them causing people to loose their power. If they would put the power lines underground, we wouldn’t have to worry about wind storms causing power outages but they refuse to do so. It would cost a lot upfront but actually save money in the long run. They’re corrupt POS.
Can we all agree that 4″ below the knee is a lower leg amputation not just a foot amputation?
Amputation is done that way when a foot is removed for a better prosthetic fit.
This article does little to clarify where both of these insane dogs are?! One was surrendered? What about the other dog? Is there still a dog on that property? They need to be put down no question. Dear God. Poor mama. She did not deserve this. It’s a wonder she is alive after the POS owner did nothing to help her and sounds like no one could get those violent dogs under control until she was almost dead. Sharing her gofundme! Heartbroken for her! This situation is unacceptable.
Both dogs are in the custody of the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Department. One has been surrendered and the owner is fighting for custody of the other.
Thank you for posting a follow up to this horrendous story with the go fund me link. The expenses of this will be many. This family needs whatever help the community can offer.
No he isnt
Hey “Donelle” we all know it’s you the owner of those shit head dogs. Instead of hiding behind a fake name why don’t you come clean and tell everyone your real name and the real story according to you?!
Exactly! So are you going to give us your full version if the story Don? Btw do the right thing and have those murdering machines pts!
Dear Ms. Kemp, it was very irresponsible to post this article in the manner it was written. Look at the violent responses? Was the writer there? I thought journalists were to write “allegedly”. The dog owner is 1000 percent responsible – there is no doubt but the story does not add up, and the picture of the bite on another man doesn’t even penetrate the skin. Emotions are high and in the heat of the moment people embellish.
The article states where each piece of information came from. We show the bite so you can determine if you think that is important or not. I will say that if I had seen a woman be as savagely attacked as Candis was and then also had my pants torn badly and my waist impacted by the tooth of one of the dogs…I’d be inclined to call it a bite but you might not.
Granted. I guess I’m just in shock that my brother would lie to me first of all but considering all the stories I’m reading about these dogs over the years it seems to make sense but I just can’t believe that he wouldn’t try to help either. I’m truly heart broken for Candis, family and friends.
Its still a bite, when a child bites another child but it does not draw blood, its considered a bite still. Same goes with dogs [edit]
I’m sorry but you are wrong he never tried to get the dog back
The Humboldt County Animal control officer testified at the hearing this week that Don asked to get the male dog back initially but then called and changed his request later.
They are both at animal control
Kill both of those dogs…they are good for nothing and society will be better off without them…the owner should also be charged with negligence .
💯
I hope everyone who reads this is posting the gofundme page to all their social media so it goes far and wide, taking an old man’s dilapidated trailer isn’t going to cut it. Thank you Candis and Kenneth for being good people, this never should have happened to you.
100% Chuck U.
May you heal well & May your family heal with you as well❤️❤️❤️
To the owner of the dogs, may you get many years in prison for standing by allowing YOUR dogs to attack her! These are YOUR weapons & now you should be charged for attempted murder. Both dogs to be euthanized.
He wants his dog back,what a selfish human give me a break.how many other people have to be mauled.
He doesn’t it’s lies
Donelle Mehrtens, just stop! You were not there. You’re not helping the situation. The dogs are bad. It doesn’t matter the breed, and the owner is responsible and should be held accountable. Enough with your comments of defense.
The dogs are being delt with and I’m. Not defending the dogs . But there are 2 sides to every story and it is a horrific tragic incident that never should have happened.. but the picture the fool telling the story painted has made the world not safe for the dog owner. The dog owner is devastated was in shock at the time as well. He accepts the dogs being put down. And there was more truths that were not told and lots of hearsay and it pisses me off when people don’t even know the people in the story and want to bash on them.
The only TRUTH I need to know is Candis’s condition. Have some respect for the victim.
I believe you. I happen to know that the person involved here is a thief 100%. I have been keeping it to myself because what happened is horrible. I don’t think we are getting the whole story.
Oh but DONelle was there 🤔
This makes me sick to my stomach. I was Don’s neighbor for about 5 years on knights Ln Garberville, one of his dog once attacked my husband while he was walking on the road, jumped at his arm but he was ok since it was wearing a puffy jacket, one of his dog also attacked a disable men who lives at the end of knights ln. The men was simply walking back home just like my husband. One of his dog also jumped the fence and attacked my friends dog in her backyard. Am sure this list can go on..Don knew his dogs were extremely dangerous. I can not believe there is a chance he may get one back. Both should be put down without a doubt and Don needs to finally be held accountable for his dangerous dogs.
Those incidents should’ve been reported to Animal Control. They wouldn’t be around anymore if they were. Good going.
I don’t know if those incidents were reported, my husband had no marks on his arm so we couldn’t do much.. we personally have called animal control twice for a different matter and they never came…
Yes all incidents should be reported. It helps build up a case against the dogs.
Yes they would! I went through the same thing with [edit]s vicious pit bulls. Animal control, the police and the city all didn’t do anything…
He doesn’t want the dog back most of it is lies
Donelle Mehrtens GET A GRIP. Those dogs should have been gone long ago. This woman is fighting for her life.SHE STILL COULD DIE, infection, clots, complications. Long road ahead of her. He can defend himself in court.
Right then stop bashing people
If he is so irresponsible with dogs I’d hate to see how irresponsible he would be with guns if he ever tries to get one!
They should make make the owner euthanize the dogs himself. If he isnt willing to, life in prison without the possibility of parole. If he does he should still get life in prison, but with the possibility of parole. Trailer park, motorcycles and vicious pit bulls. The trifecta of why the breed is labeled as a vicious man killer, now a vicious man eater as well.
It was sad to know this is happening. We own Pitbull but our pit bull is very good to boht human and other dogs … I’m sad for boht the victims and for those dogs as well. I’ll pray this kind of incident will not happen again…
“Swafford said both law enforcement and animal control have made contact previously with the pit bulls’ owner regarding their behavior.”
And the unfortunate fact that the victims knew the dogs were dangerous, both could play into liability issues .
And if the guy is disabled and crazy ? Can’t get blood from a turnip.
Sueing animal control and Humboldt county sheriff for not intervening previously should definitely be on the table .
And pg&e? The fallout of a power outage , you just never know.
He was cold? Using a small portable Genny to operate a heat source is obviously too big of a load and that was making the breaker trip.
Some dumb old timers around here, you’d think he’d know more! And prepare his OWN ASS for the inevitable power/heat source failures. Ever heard of a wood stove?
And even then. Like the lady who was *out of firewood* and even with trees blocking her drive, she was motivated to go to get more when the entire neighborhood was also snowed in. So she decides to call the sheriff. SMDH
If he even has the wherewithal to safely install a wood stove in a trailer with limited capacity.
Also, you do realize that lady’s downed trees were not viable firewood. Cut wood has to sit and be seasoned or it just smolders. There was a shortage last fall when it is usually plentiful, the forests were closed down for firewood gathering because of the fires.
“If he even has the wherewithal to safely install a wood stove in a trailer with limited capacity”.
Why make excuses for lazy bums with homicidal dogs?
…he’s an old fart he’s lived here forever, everyone knows it gets cold in the winter this is not the first time he’s had to deal with cold weather. He should have –over let’s say the last 10.years -!!- gotten it together, or hired someone to do it. Tripping the breaker on an undersized, borrowed generator is not exactly taking care of yourself as a responsible adult.
“Also, you do realize that lady’s downed trees were not viable firewood. Cut wood has to sit and be seasoned or it just smolders. There was a shortage last fall when it is usually plentiful, the forests were closed down for firewood gathering because of the fires.”
There’s just so much wrong with your comment. And I’m not even sure how I ended up back on this thread lol it got revived for some reason… But I’m pretty sure I don’t need you to explain to me the process by which firewood gets seasoned . Thanks tho.
Y’see my point, in pointing out that she had trees downed (blocking her path and her ridiculous claim she was going to go out for wood) is that it was the middle of a severe winter storm !! And most old timers with a whit of energy already have their wood in a beautiful stack or hapless heap right near the f****** door and all they have to do is walk out and grab a piece and put it in the stove.
We live in the middle of a freakn forest so for anyone with half a brain and a titch of fortitude there is no shortage of firewood , come on! Shortage? Now you’re just making stuff up lol…
PS the time to gather /buy / beg / barter / or pilfer your winter wood is 6-18 months BEFORE YOU NEED IT. There is no shame in hoarding way more wood than you immediately need.
A girl with good wood is hot.🔥
The GOFUNDME is going far & wide. They will need a million$ for support, rehab, the best prosthetics, travel & keeping the family together during this long healing process. Many many blessings to this young family.
Remember when the little girls Leia and Caroline Carrico were missing I thought to myself if they aren’t found alive the world is going to lose Faith. This is it there is a strong possibility that this man gets his dog back and the consequences won’t in any way compare to what should be done it’s disgusting authorities new about his animals people new and nothing was ever done . The world is Chaos so why not just do what’s right I’m talking about everyone if your a judge be one and if your sheriff, police officer or just a neighbor stand the FK up the Southern Humboldt Community knows what’s going on. There aren’t any words to express how devastating this is. To Kenneth their children and the entire MC Family so many of us are thinking and praying for you every moment I know you are strong and proud if you need anything at all
Them reason the dogs are still alive is that a law that a dog that bites a human has to be held for 10 days to rule out rabies.
I had a dog that was on deaths door and took him to the vet to be euthanized and they said they couldn’t do it because as I was loading him into my car, in pain, he bit me. A more sane vet allowed the euthanization as the dog was dying anyway.
Pit bulls should be outlawed but that would only make them more attractive to certain types of people.
Pit apologists should get their heads out of their anus and realize that there are a lot of nice breeds that weren’t bred to fight in pits.
And dogs who will put their lives on the line to defend their owners in need without being a danger to innocent people. There is a madness about wanting a breed with such an awful reputation. Somehow people delude themselves into seeing themselves as bad ass, do not mess with me people if they have a dog that makes others wary.
There is a reason that breed-specific bans are being rescinded across the country. Your blind breed-hatred is much like racism for dogs. In that you focus on the bad actors and stubbornly insist that it applies to all due to your uneducated idea of genetics. You might be the one with your head stuck. However…I will agree that there are idiots who should not have big dogs. Big dogs with potential for big damage need to be positively looked after- trained and socialized and kept from packing. I heartily believe that dog abusers- and especially dog fighters- should be put down.
It’s not always blind dog race haterisms… PITBULLS have a genetic disposition to potentially be dangerous and lethal. It’s dangerous and irresponsible to have care takers of these dogs in absolute denial of the harm they CAN and Often Do Inflict.
I am not for Breed restrictions either.. but something needs to be done. All to often serious injuries and deaths happen at the jaws of these dogs. And statistically, the Pit comes out on top as one of the worst violators.
One potentially solution is to require “owners” of Pit Bulls to spay or neuter their dogs.. and only allow Pit Bulls to come from reputable breeders. That’s one solution purposed, I think it may make some sense.
I guess it’s online with trying to “regulate” any biological entity that can be easily breed by anyone.. it unfortunately would take overly strict and painstaking measures.. but is it worth it to eliminate many more of these brutal attacks from happening?
I think I would support general like “Aggressive Dog” ordinances in general.. so no matter the breed.. if a dog is progressively violent in nature something can be done about it before it goes to far..
Stop trivializing actual racism by using it to describe dogs. There is no such thing as “dog racism” and to claim there is completely dismisses real racism. You people that compare dogs to real human beings are sickening pit apologists. Pit bulls are genetically aggressive because human beings wanted them that way. [edit]
Murky, I think you missed each and every one of Smallfry’s points. Whoosh.
first of all, i agree that these dogs need to be put down, not because they are pitbulls, but because they are viscious!!! all dogs have the potential to become dangerous when they lack attention, training, regular feeding. i have seen poodles that were savage!!! it is not the breed, it is the owner and how the dog was raised. This is not a ” Pitbull ” issue, this is a bad dog, bad owner issue. as for the owner of these dogs, he should be held responsible, he should be in jail. why isnt he in jail????
Pitbulls were bred by humans to fight [edit] Even most rescues will admit that pitbulls are genetically predisposed to aggression. You’re just blind if you don’t see that.
Because he didn’t himself cause the dogs to snap.
Now is a good time for that guy to leave. He’s got a target on his back now, if what happened to that nazi handyman guy in Eureka is any example.
What happened to the handyman?
He’s a roofer. His truck burned in front of his house. Arson?
Thank you for responding. I didn’t know his truck burned. Seems like arson would be likely. The tolerant are not tolerant of the intolerant. Peace through violence.
With Humboldt Co’s record, even if one of the dogs is not given back to the owner, they will adopt it out.
You seem more motivated than I am. If it isn’t put down you can get info on that dog with a Public info request. Several shelters have been sued for adopting out dangerous dogs. News is always a good deterant as well. At this point it’s not just our local news that’s interested.
I am a Big Fan of Pit Bulls. I have owned 3 in my lifetime. I Loved them they were Fantastic pets. These 2 dogs need to be put down NOW.
Honestly, if they were my neighbor they would have been shot a while ago.
I also agree that the owner should be punished. [edit]
Hire a lawyer with your go fund county is BEYOND LIABLE. Thats exactly why thus kind of shit goes on and on. Laws that need enforcing never get enforced. Pick low hanging fruit it is easy. Turn a blind eye to the NUMEROUS CALLS for real crime. Scanner calls like…
Freaking illegal dude driving 100 mph with two babies in the car a while back. Let him go.
Lack of enforcement of TRUE crime is a serious issue.
Thats how tragic events like this happen.
It almost seems like maybe the neighbor let them out on purpose.. i mean think about it.. the fiancee calls him and tells him she will be right over but he supposedly misidentified her? I honestly don’t belive that. Then when she gets there opens the door and when the dogs come charging out doesn’t try to stop them or yell at them or anything. then when they are attacking her doesn’t do anything to try to get them away from her but instead leaves the property and starts walking down the street. I’m sorry but I really think he did it on purpose and let her get attacked. They had told him numerous times to have the dogs locked up when they came over. He probably got pissy from them telling hi. so many times and then pulled this shit. And if they had ate thier own puppies, killed 11 other dogs and previously attacked and bit 2 to 3 other people them they should have been put down a long time ago. im sorry but the neighbor should be charged and locked up. This attack would never had happened if not for his negligence in not having the previously put down not to mention his bizarre behavior during this attack which seems to me to have been deliberately allowed to happen
My thoughts too. I also wonder if he is breeding dogs for fighting. It’s common for fighting breeders to starve the puppies at a certain age till they kill and eat each other. Then breed or fight the survivors. No kidding. The adults could have been interfering or helping or God knows what and been seen as killing their own puppies.
Call the Humboldt County Sheriffs office, ask for a supervisor, and voice your concern of the possibility of Don getting one of his dogs back. 707-445-7251.
He doesn’t want the dog back stop
Humboldt is sick. The gangster culture is vile. That such dogs are allowed to exist in a world with children or innocent adults is beyond believable. ALL fighting dogs are bred for death. They are a blight on nature and society. That any reasonable society would allow their existence is incomprehensible. But this (local) society promotes drug use (allowing sales of hallucinogens from street corner shops) promotes and sells blatant sexuality (in all aberrant forms), allows a banana republic coup and the removal of a lawfully elected president, violates laws (natural and man made) right and left in their pursuit of personal satisfaction, brainwashes their children with video games and radical teachers, build websites to push fake (and exploitative) news, etc. Dogs and cats are genetically modified organisms, but to manufacture beasts to kill is pathological. I have lived here for many years. I have seen the increasing violence and worship of a kind of death culture. Only psychopaths promote, maintain and profit off such evils. There is no hope for people or cultures that would rather exist in hell than aspire to heaven. I see the horrors every day. This poor woman … She has tasted hell. This county’s wretched, self-serving creatures who allow this kind of “culture” are worse than all the beasts from the pit.
We all know what needs to be done. Period.
This is absolutely devastating. I hope you recover physically, mentally and financially. Thank you Candice for helping a neighbor and thank you Ken for being on the volunteer fire department. This family is obviously an asset to our community. I’ve never met them but I’ll be donating to their gofundme and I hope others in the community do to. This should have never happened, the county should have taken these dogs a long time ago. The dogs owner and the county need to be held accountable.
While the gofundme is great and will certainly help, no one in this country should be without medical care for any reason. I would urge every reader to support politicians who support MEDICARE4ALL.
It is unlikely to be medical charges that are the main problem. Certainly services are not withheld for payment. There are lots of programs from Medical to insurance to help with costs, along with debt forgiveness.
The shortage of medical personal, especially rural practitioners, have already be made worse by goverment regulation. Much more of that sort of thing and we’ll all be on busses to San Francisco to get routine care because that is were the voters are. It’s more likely to be things like motel stays, child care, travel, home assistance, and, yes, lawyers that are the problem.
Why the ambulance would head south to garberville is a mystery to me. With the damage described in this story it seems pretty obvious that this woman was going to need a surgeon and an operating room, not a bandaid.
Right?
I wondered the same as well,but thought maybe they thought it better to take her there to make sure she was stable enough for the long ride to St. Joe?
She was taken there first because they didn’t think she would make it up north. They needed to try and stabalize her.
I don’t understand how after having killed 11 dogs and puppies and attacking other people, out of all these incidents not one person, owners of dogs, or other people attacked, ever pursued the owner and dogs and filed charges on any one of those incidents, cause it sounds like they just let it go, that’s one to many Incidents, and maybe this wouldn’t of happened, therefore , I also blame the other people that owned those dogs attacked, and the other people that were attacked previously. These dogs could have been dealt with along time ago, if proper action had been taken back when any of tge initial attacks took place. Why would people just let it go, especially knowing g how serious and dangerous those dogs were. It sounds like owner of pitifully didn’t intervene because he is also scared of those dogs, knowing how dangerous they are, which is more reason why he should of been dealt with previously and not have been allowed to keep those PITTS.
Attempted murder charges for all dog owner’s like this please.
Dog owners need to start being held criminally accountable for these attacks. Period. Pit bull apologists love to say “It’s the owner, not the breed!” … okay, then… that means when these vicious attacks occur it’s YOUR fault and YOU are held accountable.
We see daily reminders in the news why breed specific legislation needs to make a comeback. “But any dog can be aggressive!” the pit bull apologists will cry. That’s right – any dog can bite and that’s what vicious dog laws deal with. Breed specific legislation however deals with the SEVERITY of a dog’s potential bad behavior and that’s where it becomes apparent pit bulls have zero place in a civilized society.
I have a Rott mix. Rotts are second in breed specific legislation. I’m a responsible owner. I keep him under my control at all times and have taken the effort to train and socialize him. As have many many people with breeds who are considered dangerous. The list does not stop at Pits. Even with inherited aggressive tendencies there are some blood lines in Rotts, Jack Russels, Shepards and even some sporting Golden retrievers that have aggression issues. Pits have the same issues with bad breeding. A good gaurd dog is a stable dog- not some unbalanced psycho menace. Christ. If a dog has killed 11 dogs put the thing down!
We don’t need more laws. We need strict enforcement of the laws we already have.
Yes, that owner needs to be held criminally accountable. And the dogs should have been confiscated and put down long ago. I really have a hard time understanding why the sheriff’s dept or the neighbors didn’t do it long ago.
Don’t say ANYTHING about the owner being required to kill his own dogs or what you think should happen to the owner’s feet.
That will get your comment deleted by the socially correct element.
Uhm… I really really hope there is an investigation as to where these dogs come from. And where any surviving puppies from these dogs have gone. A friend of mine was a dog officer in Colorado. She said a common practice for people who breed dogs for fighting is to starve the puppies when they get to a certain age until they are forced to kill and eat each other. The ones who survive are used to fight and breed more dogs. The fact these dogs have killed 11 other dogs, and their own puppies is a real red flag.
IMO, It’s obvious from seeing some of the pits that have been adopted out of the shelters that there is dog fighting somewhere in the area. I really really hope it gets addressed at some point.
Oh wow. That’s truly horrid! I hope it gets addressed as well! Having a bunch of blood thirsty killers in the community is disastrous, as we are seeing with this incident.
I dont think the owner should get either dog back and he should be banned from ever owning another. This is outrageous!! I’m guessing he wants one back to breed more!! DAAAAAMN!! An entire family’s lives are forever changes because that guy was irresponsible. No excuses & No exceptions!! If this goes to court, I want to be there!!
Quite honestly this was one of my worst fears and a big part of why I left southern Humboldt. Too many people who don’t know what they’re doing with dangerous things to protect their homes or stash. I worried a crazy dog or an unsecured firearm situation would hurt or kill my kids while they’re innocently playing with their friends. Way too much lawlessness. People screaming animal control should have done something have never interacted with HumCo animal control. They don’t do shit until it’s too late.
Someone needs to post photos of the wounds so people can understand the severity. This isn’t like a normal dog bite, it could be compared to being mauled by a bear.
I have known many sweet pit bulls, but they were bred for bull baiting and dog fighting for many many generations and their instincts are there and can be triggered to attack. Just as golden retrievers were bred to retrieve for many generations, their instincts are strong to retrieve.
My own 10 year old Daughter was attacked on her pony on Samoa beach by two pit bulls. Fortunately the pony was able to outrun the dogs, but it sickens me to think what could have happened if she had fallen from her pony.
I think it is long overdue that some kind of laws are put in place. Especially in public places like the beaches. What will it take for something to be done? Does someone have to die before we make a needed change?
That must have been terrifying for your daughter and pony. Especially if the pony had to get up to speed running away from the dogs. I have been chased down by many dogs on Samoa peninsula. running 13 mile stretches on the beach bound to happen here. What’s sickening is, when I stand up for myself the owners want to fight me and I’m 130 lb woman by myself. Grown ass man approaching me like he wanted to hurt me as much as his dogs.
Makes a good case for gun training your ponies and carrying on those rides. Any dog approaches me viciously while on horseback, that thing is getting shot in the head. And i love dogs. Just love my horses and my life more.
I know the property owner and the man is squatting. He cant have him removed because of covid. It seems like there should be some way to have him removed. I live in myers and no one is going to feel very safe with someone like him as a neighbor. Kenneth and his family definitely should not have to live that close to him after this.
[edit] he pays rent
If he does I dont know who to. We spoke to the owner of the property the day this happened and he said he has been squatting
How long has the guy been there?