Buzz
Pets have become a common part of human life, with most pet owners happily sharing the joy their pets bring. Some animals have even been known to perform extraordinary feats, such as saving their owners in emergencies or helping to solve criminal cases.
However, there is a darker side to the bond between pets and their owners. No one likes to imagine that a beloved animal could ever cause harm, but this list delves into 10 instances where a pet was tragically involved.
10. The Fire-Starting Parrot
In September 1947, 66-year-old Fannie Stewart’s pet parrot, Dolly, accidentally triggered the gas stove by landing on it. Neighbors smelled gas outside Stewart’s home and called the authorities, who arrived to find her unconscious in the kitchen.
Rescue teams performed CPR and managed to revive Stewart, who shared that Dolly had previously turned on the gas jets. Stewart was rushed to a medical facility, but tragically suffered a stroke and passed away.
9. The Cat Bite That Led to Tragedy
In 2016, a 68-year-old man from Toronto was admitted to Toronto General Hospital, suffering from weakness, abdominal pain, chills, and unexplained weight loss. Concerned about sepsis, doctors conducted an ultrasound and discovered a ruptured aneurysm in his abdominal aorta. His aorta was repaired, and he was treated with penicillin, but he succumbed to septic shock 13 days later.
When the man was admitted, his wife revealed that he had been bitten by their cat four weeks earlier. Dr. Dennis Cho noted in the case study, “Only looking back did we realize this was probably the key to unlocking the true diagnosis.”
The cat bite introduced Pasteurella multocida, a bacterium commonly found in pets' mouths. The man, who was a heavy drinker, had a weakened immune system, making him more susceptible to complications from the bacteria. Doctors tested the aorta wall and confirmed the infection.
8. Tragic Incident with a Husky
In 2011, during her daily walks along the Los Alamitos Creek Trail, San Jose resident Beverly Head often saw cyclists riding with their dogs leashed beside them. Concerned for the safety of the animals, she felt the practice was unsafe. Little did she know, it would lead to her own death.
While walking the trail, a cyclist and his two Siberian huskies passed by. One of the leashes got caught behind her legs, causing her to fall and hit her head. The cyclist stayed with her until paramedics arrived. Head underwent surgery but tragically passed away from her injuries.
Her death led to a community meeting and a city council vote to tighten dog leash regulations. Previously, owners were required to keep their dogs on leashes up to 6 meters (20 ft) long. The council voted to reduce the leash length to 1.8 meters (6 ft), and owners are now required to keep to the right of the trail with their dogs.
7. The Tragic Tale of the Hot Spring Hound
On July 20, 1981, 24-year-old David Allen Kirwan visited Yellowstone National Park with his friend Ronald Ratliff and Ratliff's large dog, Moosie. The group parked near the Fountain Paint Pot thermal area and stepped out to view the hot springs.
Moosie dashed from the truck and leaped into the Celestine Pool, a hot spring with a temperature exceeding 93 degrees Celsius (200 °F). A nearby park visitor tried to warn Kirwan against entering the spring, but Kirwan defiantly shouted, “Like hell I won’t.”
Kirwan plunged into the hot spring and attempted to dive in to rescue Moosie. Unfortunately, he could not reach the dog and struggled to escape. Kirwan suffered third-degree burns over 100% of his body, with his eyes turned completely white and his skin peeling. He passed away the following day.
6. The Tragic Bird Dog Blast
Perry Alvin Price III was a passionate hunter who had a deep bond with his tracking dog, Arthur, a chocolate Labrador retriever. On January 5, 2008, Price and Arthur went hunting with Price’s friend Daniel Groberg. After shooting a goose, Price placed his gun in the back of the truck and prepared to release Arthur to retrieve the bird.
Groberg heard a shotgun blast and rushed to the back of the truck. He found Price injured, with a gunshot wound to the thigh, bleeding profusely. Despite Groberg’s efforts to stop the bleeding, Price had been struck in the femoral artery and was losing blood rapidly.
Groberg rushed Price to the hospital, but unfortunately, Price succumbed to the severe blood loss. During the investigation into the tragic event, muddy paw prints were discovered on the shotgun.
5. The Racehorse Tragedy
The post was initially set to “Public,” and it quickly went viral. Despite the initial hesitation, her father decided to move forward with the plans, and thousands showed up for the event. Garcia’s party included a traditional chiva and a horse race, but neither she nor her father could foresee the tragedy that would unfold.
During the chiva, 66-year-old Felix Pena, the owner of the racehorse Oso Dormido, believed all the horses had passed by when he decided to cross the dirt racetrack. As he crossed, he was struck at high speed by his own horse. Fitted with a neck brace and rushed to an ambulance, he sadly passed away before reaching the hospital.
4. The Pedal-Pushing Pooch
A 68-year-old man from Florida, James Campbell, was heading back home with his wife, Iris Fortner, in their van. As they arrived at their property gate, Campbell stepped out of the passenger side to open the gate while Fortner reversed the van into the driveway.
Fortner opened the driver’s side door to check where Campbell was. In a tragic turn of events, their pet boxer ran up to the vehicle, jumped into the driver’s seat, and hit the accelerator. Fortner couldn’t stop the vehicle in time before it ran over Campbell, trapping him beneath it. Paramedics declared him dead at the scene.
3. The Llama Incident
Florence Lenahan, a 74-year-old woman from Delaware, Ohio, dedicated her life and property to caring for horses, llamas, cows, cats, and dogs. She had many animals on her farm on Lewis Center Road, but her most cherished companion was a llama named Baby Doll, whom she had bottle-fed since infancy.
One unfortunate day, Lenahan’s friend Kevin Scott arrived at her home and found her lying on the ground. Though conscious, Baby Doll had slipped on the wet grass while rushing to greet Lenahan and accidentally collided with her, causing Lenahan’s head to strike the concrete.
Lenahan sustained severe head and arm injuries from the collision and was rushed to Riverside Methodist Hospital, where she succumbed to her injuries. In partnership with the Delaware County Humane Society, Scott took it upon himself to find new homes for the animals Lenahan had lovingly cared for.
2. The Medicine Mishap
A 25-year-old woman from Virginia Beach, Amanda Ruth Black, worked in the reptile department at Pet Paradise. She and her husband owned several snakes, including a massive 4-meter-long (13 ft) tiger reticulated python named Diablo. Although Black had experience handling reptiles, even her familiarity with these creatures couldn’t prevent a tragic outcome.
Black’s husband, who served in the navy, had been out at sea. When he returned on October 21, 2008, he found his wife dead. Diablo’s glass enclosure was empty, and a note on the whiteboard read, “Medicate Diablo.”
An investigation revealed that Black died from asphyxiation caused by neck compression. She had been attempting to administer medicine to Diablo with a syringe when the python wrapped its deadly grip around her.
1. The Deadly Deer
Gerald Rushton, a 67-year-old man from Waskom, Texas, was drawn to exotic pets. He kept a variety of them in pens behind his home, including a red stag he had raised from a fawn. Despite his efforts to domesticate the animal, their bond turned fatal when the stag’s wild instincts took over.
The stag was entering the rutting season, a time when its hormone levels surged. During this period, male deer, or bucks, engage in sparring matches to assert their dominance.
As Rushton entered the stag’s enclosure, the animal charged, trapping him against the fence with its horns. It gored and trampled him. Rushton’s granddaughter witnessed the attack and immediately ran for help. When deputies arrived, they had to shoot the aggressive stag to access the pen. Rushton was declared dead at the scene.
