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Wednesday, February 4, 2009

News She Really Did Provoke That Dog

Posted by Dan Savage on Wed, Feb 4, 2009 at 4:57 PM

Thirty-five-year-old Melissa Marcrum was with her family in Hilmar after the Super Bowl on Sunday when she decided to send her 70-pound Pit bull after family members for fun, according to Merced County deputies. Family members apparently had to jump out of a window to escape the dog.

When she ordered the dog to chase a 13-year-old boy and a friend, they ran out of the house and into a car. That's when Marcrum, who apparently thought the dog would not really hurt anyone, opened the door of the car and the dog attacked. Several family members had to pull the dog off the boy. He suffered a severe injury to his arm. He is in stable condition at Emmanuel Medical Center.

Witnesses say Marcrum was intoxicated. She has been arrested for felony child endangerment and is in the Merced Jail on $50,000 bail. The dog has been taken by animal control.

Thanks to Slog tipper Matt.

Comments (27) RSS

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They should get the dog riled up and put it in her jail cell. So much fun!

Posted by keshmeshi on February 4, 2009 at 5:11 PM

Shocking. Another pit bull story on the slog. I don't remember ever seeing a story about any other breed. It truly is amazing!

We should probably ban everything, just to be safe.

Posted by Smegmalicious on February 4, 2009 at 5:50 PM

^^^^^^^
You make no sense...please leave.

Posted by Jamie on February 4, 2009 at 5:58 PM

These are EXACTLY the kind of people who shouldn't be allowed to own dogs.

Posted by julie russell on February 4, 2009 at 5:59 PM

And by make no sense I mean: When's the last time you heard of a Golden Retriever mauling a boy?

Exactly.....

Posted by Jamie on February 4, 2009 at 5:59 PM

$50,000 bail? That's ALL? They should cut off her hand.

Posted by this guy I know in Spokane on February 4, 2009 at 6:00 PM

God, can we at least impose an IQ test on prospective owners of large and potentially dangerous dogs? Anyone dumber than the dog can't have one.

Posted by Geni on February 4, 2009 at 6:01 PM

See? Guns don't kill people, Dan. People kill people. Same goes for pit bulls.

Posted by Jocelyn on February 4, 2009 at 6:14 PM

But MY pit bull would never attack anybody except by accident or if I told him to.

Posted by We Got Him From The Shelter on February 4, 2009 at 6:19 PM

#8: Pitbulls kill people with guns?

Posted by Matt Fuckin' Hickey on February 4, 2009 at 6:34 PM

@5 there is no sensationalism when a golden retriever attacks. Besides, the family is more likely to cover it up, not press charges, we a are a good Christian family and this Lassie who would never ever eber ebwer do anythwing wike thwat bwfore.

My god, the golden retriever is cute, just like Lassie. I suppose I'll just tell the hospital I fell down the stairs, or got caught up in some razer wire ... And those psychotic fucking dalmations, they made a movie about them. How horrible could they be?

Now, desheveled unkempt drunk girl and her charging golden retriever. THAT is news!

Posted by Responcible NONdog owner on February 4, 2009 at 6:44 PM

Posted by Sorry lousy proof of previous comment on February 4, 2009 at 6:45 PM

Clearly the problem here was the dog.

Posted by Ben on February 4, 2009 at 6:46 PM

This is the same lady who says "NOOOO, MY pitbull is FRIENDLY!"

As IF!

Posted by seascorpio82 on February 4, 2009 at 6:48 PM

Can we "put her to sleep"...Marcrum that is.

Posted by American Society for Cruelty to Humans on February 4, 2009 at 7:22 PM

I simply cannot imagine asking my dog to attack someone. I mean, sure, my dog is a 50 pound poodle, but still. Why would you even do that? What a pathetic person. . .

Posted by Balt-O-Matt on February 4, 2009 at 7:32 PM

Probably a better case against the criminalization of alcohol rather than the dogs. And I'm a drunk who believes in gun control.

Sorry Dan (and Schmader), this just feels like a new kind of race baiting.

Posted by BombasticMo on February 4, 2009 at 11:08 PM

poor puppy.
Here's hoping he doesn't get blamed for his owner's idiocy

Posted by bambi on February 4, 2009 at 11:31 PM

Ooooh...Merced. Well, that explains it.

Posted by laterite on February 4, 2009 at 11:36 PM

70 lbs? 70 lbs?! The dog was probably demented due to atherosclerosis.

Posted by saxfanatic on February 5, 2009 at 5:05 AM

@2 You said, "I don't remember ever seeing a story about any other breed. It truly is amazing!"

Why just the other day there was a darling story about a sweet lil' ol' German Shepard.

Honestly, we don't let people walk around with lions and tigers and bears. (Fill in the blank) Why do we let just any idiot have such aggressive dogs. Pit bulls, as well as some other breeds, should require a special license, with mandated training for both dog and owner.

Posted by Rob in Baltimore on February 5, 2009 at 5:18 AM

You know if I told my dog to attack someone they wouldn't becuase I have never though about TRAINING them to do so.

Posted by nathaniel on February 5, 2009 at 5:45 AM

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,2156…

Pretty much says it all.
Anyone that's ever interacted with a pit bull knows they can be loving, sweet-tempered dog, the problem is the criminals (and in this case, plain idiots) who take advantage of their stature...in the same way they've taken advantage of Rottweilers, Dobermans, German Shepherds, and countless other imposing breeds in the past.

Posted by Don't Blame the Breed on February 5, 2009 at 6:58 AM

Witnesses say Marcrum was intoxicated

Noooooo shit, Sherlock!

Also, @ 11 & 12: Lassie was a collie.

Posted by Mike in MO on February 5, 2009 at 7:40 AM

I confess I order my dog to attack sometimes - i live across the street from a high school, some times you have to. The difference is that my dog is a 16 pound chihuahua-terrier mix who rolls over when she sees people so they can rub her belly.

Posted by Yasmine on February 5, 2009 at 9:56 AM

My coworker's dog is a pit bull.

She also rolls over when she sees people so they can rub her belly.

Posted by Jordyn on February 5, 2009 at 10:49 AM

Really Dan? When are you going to start blaming the shitty owners and start realizing it isn't the dog's fault for being poorly trained and mistreated? Also, there are plenty of other "dangerous" dogs out there. My brother lost a chunk of his arm to a golden retriever.

Posted by responsible pit owner on February 5, 2009 at 2:13 PM