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Female Pit Bull Released to Husband of Mauling Victim

Greg Napora picked up six-year-old Tazi late yesterday afternoon.

Greg Napora, whose pregnant wife was by one of their pet pit bulls Thursday, was reunited with the other family pit bull late Monday afternoon.

Officials said yesterday the six-year-old female pit, Tazi, in the fatal mauling of 32-year-old Darla Napora by an unneutered two-year-old male named Gunner.

The victim died of blood loss and shock from dog bites, show.

Scott Delucchi, spokesman for the Peninsula Humane Society and SPCA, said that his organization wanted to be sure that Tazi wasn’t dangerous before returning her to her owner.

“We needed to know that the second dog was not involved in the attack before we decided to return it to its owner,” Delucchi said. “We also wanted to hear that the owner wanted the dog back.”

The Humane Society learned early on, soon after his wife’s death, that Greg Napora wanted Tazi back.

After medical examiners and odontologists - bite experts - used teeth impressions taken from both dogs to show in preliminary autopsy results that only the male pit bull was involved in the attack, and after Tazi had been observed for signs of aggression, the Humane Society had to give the dog back to her owner, Delucchi said.

“We had to rely on these outside experts,” he said, “and the husband who came home, he saw his one dog over his wife, said the other dog (Tazi) was not even in the same room but was cowering in the corner in a different room. Whether she wasn’t in there from the beginning of the attack, that’s inconclusive.”

That information, along with the Humane Society’s own observations and investigation, which included checking for signs that the dogs had been abused, that they had been taken on regular vet trips, that they were registered in San Mateo County, and checking with neighbors for any indication that the dogs were neglected, led to Tazi’s release.  

Delucchi said that some of Napora’s neighbors in Pacifica's Vallemar District called the Humane Society after the dog’s release to say they were uncomfortable with the dog’s release, and were concerned the dog wasn’t safe.

“But I also think of someone who loses his wife, unborn child and other dog in one day,” Delucchi said. “So maybe that second dog is all he’s got. So, we’re trying to think out it that way. I’m asking people to be compassionate.”

Nevertheless, he understands neighbors’ concerns, Delucchi said.

“You can never predict future behavior (of dogs),” he said. “We cannot say for sure we know what a dog will do. We can only judge the grounds for holding a dog; we had no legal authority.”

Thursday’s incident has reignited the debate over whether pit bulls ought to be banned and whether the breed is inherently dangerous, a debate seen now on Pacifica Patch’s comment boards and elsewhere. When asked to weigh in, Delucchi said his organization sees the problem primarily lying with the owner.  

“We see so many wonderful pit bulls,” he said. “People here at work have them, we adopt them out, we see them become search and rescue dogs, pet assistance therapy animals that enter schools and libraries, so many wonderful ones. We also see them end up with the wrong people and do bad things. If it wasn’t pit bulls, people would do something awful to another breed, it’s a people problem.”

Still, an ill-treated pit bull is very dangerous indeed, he said.

“Nobody can deny that pit bulls are physiologically built differently,” he said. “The jaws are aligned differently, they do more damage, but we also know that all dogs bite.”

One thing pit bull owners can do to make sure their dog is safer is to get it neutered,” Delucchi said.

“Neutering makes it safer, it does, it’s one of those things that nobody can really deny,” he said. “A dog that is not neutered produces testosterone.”

More testosterone, he said, usually equals more aggression.

Also, Delucchi advises pet owners to observe their animals for changes in behavior. If the changes seem negative or even odd, correct them immediately, or see a vet.

If your dog used to greet visitors at the door, for instance, but now puts his tail between his legs and hides from visitors, it could be a bad sign. Problems like these don’t just work themselves out, Delucchi said.

The Peninsula Humane Society and SPCA offers an incentive program for pit bull owners to get their pets neutered; the organization will actually pay the owner $10 for the procedure. There’s also a mobile neuter clinic that travels around San Mateo County at which owners can drop their pets off in the morning for a free procedure.

For more information on spay and neuter programs provided by the Peninsula Humane Society, including the mobile neuter clinic that visits several parts of San Mateo County, go to the Humane Society’s website.

To follow news about Pacifica and surrounding areas and stay up on local events, visit Pacifica Patch on Facebook and "like" us here. Follow us on Twitter here, too.

gunar August 22, 2011 at 12:10 am
Mike, Napora has hard, never to change, devastating facts to servive. His priority is not this rant. This time needs to be privacy, understanding and compassionate. The breed conversation is one thing, making it personal about her husband is not helpful. Hope you are simply getting "caught up" and not wishing his moments to be any more complex than they already are. May we take a breath and remember Darla... wife, expecting mother, friend... I miss you...
Jennifer D Hartsfield August 23, 2011 at 06:23 am
And yet again, are these really Pit Bulls, or a mixed breed that has a blocky head and has some characteristics of the American Pit Bull Terrier? It is ridiculous, and breed specific laws have been shown NOT to work in reducing the NUMBER of bites in an area.
Jennifer D Hartsfield August 23, 2011 at 06:23 am
Honestly, I would like to see a picture of Gunner if there is one around. I'm curious about what he looks like. Was he a mix?
Jesse Dudley September 9, 2011 at 12:38 pm
WOW, what kind of person would want that type of dog back?
Reb September 23, 2011 at 02:15 am
If you find their cat, have some sympathy and give it a GOOD home.. not one where it has to live with a monster dog. Poor thing.. I shudder to think of the terror it lived in with those dogs.
Reb September 23, 2011 at 02:30 am
It's a waste of time to quote facts and figures or tell the results of studies to pit bull lovers.. THEIR "sweet dog is SO gentle and wouldn't hurt a fly" That's probably what Darla Napora said about her dog right up until the day he killed her. It's always someone else's pit bull that does those things until the fateful day when the ticking time bomb goes off. I wonder how many more kids, pets and owners have to die before this breed is recognized for what it is: unpredictable and unsuitable as pets.
Reb September 23, 2011 at 02:39 am
LMAO I can't believe these comments.. every excuse under the sun for these pathetic dogs.. now they say it wasn't a pit bull after all.. talk about people being IN DENIAL. I sure am glad I live way out in the country far away from insane people and their unpredictable and uncontrolled kill dogs. I feel sorry for the kids and small pets that have to live in these environments.
Michele September 23, 2011 at 03:13 am
Reb you have no clue about this breed.
I have 2 neutered pits very sweet gentle loving but very strong. Responsible owners take good care of their dog and have them neutered. Pitbulls usually do not turn on their owners. Pits are not time bombs!! My dogs are 7 and 8 yrs old never bit anyone, I am so sick and tired of people stereotyping these dogs. I have a small dog and my male pit is scared of him, he has NEVER growled or snapped at him. Maybe you should go and spend some time with these dogs before you bash them!! I am glad you live out in the country too!!
Michele September 23, 2011 at 03:14 am
If anyone one is pathetic it is YOU!!
Dogbert September 23, 2011 at 12:25 pm
Hey Reb (short for rebel; defintion: A person who rises in armed resistance against an established government or ruler).
So how far "way out in the country" do you live? Montana perhaps? Thought so. Me thinks society has much more to worry about with you than they do with pit bulls. IMCO (in my canine opinion)...
Michele September 23, 2011 at 02:04 pm
@Jesse someone who loves his animals and knows that Tazi had nothing to do with his wife.
Not all pits are bad!!
Jesse Dudley September 25, 2011 at 08:29 pm
He doesn't need peace; he needs a lobotamy! What a pair of idiots this couple was, and he appears to be the worse of the two. The stupid will be punished.
Jesse Dudley September 25, 2011 at 08:32 pm
All that dog did was what it's instincts told him to do, and what the owners allowed him to do by NOT having him neutered. I like the argument that "not all pit bulls are bad"... and not everyone driving too fast gets a speeding ticket, but be stupid long enough and you'll pay.
Jesse Dudley September 25, 2011 at 08:37 pm
Yeah, that's what the Naporas said about thier dogs too... it was a surprise that thier dog killed a pregnant woman, and the idiot husband expects better behavior from the other dog... I wonder what her parents think of their moron son-in-law?
Lipstknlthr October 12, 2011 at 08:40 pm
I totally agree with Mike Rine. I've owned 8 Pitbulls over 35yrs. and believe it's how you raise them. Unfortunately, I also concur that there's something amiss with alot of the 'Blues'. I own two(one a rescue from a trucking yard in Petaluma, the other a papered female). The large nuetered male is hard to get 'a read' on. I don't trust him at all except when he's on a leash. Then he's perfect. I have gone to great lengths to find him a new home, to no avail. I won't just give him to whomever wants him. Tried BadRap, but I'm not a celebrity. Emailed Ceasar Milan, no luck there either. Guess I'm just lucky he's nuetered! He's tall and weighs close to 80lbs. Unlike the idiots at the truckyard, I'm a responsible Pitbull owner. All but two of my dogs have been female. I doubt I'll ever get a male again. I completely agree with full disclosure where these dogs are concerned. The more 'transparent' the dogs history, the better off we all are(dogs as well).
mindymayhem October 19, 2011 at 02:46 pm
What pits have bred to do for centuries is attack other animals, NOT other humans. A pit bull is not supposed to attack humans. Bad breeding is definitely a problem, with such a popular animal. And pitties were and are quite popular.
However, I admit that I am outraged that this couple considered themselves breed advocates, and had an unneuteured male! Do your homework. For every pit bull that bites, there are over 10 million that don't, and true advocates have to deal both with uneducated idiots like you AND the owner of an unneutered male, left with a woman smelling of hormones he'd never smelled on her the entire two years of his life he'd been with her. It's not really rocket science.
mindymayhem October 19, 2011 at 02:49 pm
Neuter, you moron. Even my neutered male reacts differently around intact males. They are full of testosterone! You sound like Darla no doubt did, before she was found dead. I'm not saying your dog will kill you, but I AM saying you are an irresponsible owner. (And I'd say that about ANY dog owner with an intact male! Millions of animals are killed in shelters every year, there is simply NO excuse for not neutering your dog.)
mindymayhem October 19, 2011 at 02:50 pm
Mike is correct. Many people say their dogs were total angels until they were two years old, then they suddenly turn on someone/something. (Usually another dog, but that was not the case, for Darla.)
mindymayhem October 19, 2011 at 02:57 pm
It's kind of funny (but more sad, than anything else), but my pit bull can no longer be taken to dog parks - because of owners who think he is trying to kill their dog, when he is just playing! When he plays, he sometimes nips at the face of dogs. However, he is NOT attacking them, and his body language makes that pretty clear! These idiot dog owners come to the park to give their dogs exercise because they are lazy. (Dog parks shouldn't be the primary place your dog gets exercise! WALK YOUR DOG!!!) They are such lazy owners, they don't even recognize dog body language. And worse, some come there to play catch with their dogs and then get pissed off when another dog follows his instinct to chase/play with a running dog! A lot of these people are clueless morons who endanger my dog with their ignorance. I stopped taking my dog to the dog park after two different people on different days grabbed my dog by the neck and started kicking him in the stomach for playing with their dogs! I can't have him on a leash there, so I can't risk his safety. He loves dogs and people, so his happiness and socialization skills are threatened by this. Luckily, I can still have him on leash (so I can protect him!) at the dog beach, where other dogs attack him all the time. I can't help but wonder if they're acting on their owners' negative feelings about pit bulls. He never attacks back, and one owner whose pup kept attacking him blamed ME, for having a pit bull in public! Ridiculous!
mindymayhem October 19, 2011 at 02:59 pm
Vets also advocate you feed your dog Science Diet. (Main ingredient: CORN!) Vets don't know everything, and if you knew what they did to animals in school, you'd question their very love of animals, itself!
mindymayhem October 19, 2011 at 03:01 pm
Please read my comment above, Debbie, RE: trying to take my pit to the dog park. I have to say I agree on not taking pit bulls to do parks - but not because of dog aggression, but because even fellow dog owners can be uneducated idiots!
mindymayhem October 19, 2011 at 03:03 pm
I don't know if Gunner was one of the "blue hippos", but the blue pits are very overbred and sometimes poorly, at that. The owner of the largest pit rescue in the world has said that the ONLY dog she could not rehab was one of these blue pits.
mindymayhem October 19, 2011 at 03:11 pm
No offense to maybe some uninformed but harmless commentors.... But DNA tests for dogs are laughable, at best, first off, and second off, they don't even have a test that reads for pit bulls, which some people don't even recognize as a breed.
You can find many reports of purebred dogs getting wildly inaccurate DNA results. DNA testing in dogs is not perfected, it's just a scam to get money from people, at this point. :-)
mindymayhem October 19, 2011 at 03:29 pm
Some of my more ignorant family members think just like you: It's only a matter of time before my pit bull kills someone or something; despite showing no signs of aggression or any reason to assume as such. And, like Gunner, my dog does indeed get along with people and animals (even cats) alike. Unlike Gunner, my dog is neutered. It's a shame that Darla and her husband considered themselves breed advocates - and had the endorsement of BAD RAP - when they had an intact male. Their ignorance has destroyed not only their family, but the reputation of the dogs they pretend to care so much about. As clearly exampled by many of the comments on the articles about their situation. (I have just learned about it today, so apologies for such a late reply!)
mindymayhem October 19, 2011 at 03:43 pm
I found my dog's litter in a tied garbage bag on the side of the road. Thankfully, the jackass who put them there had tied a large black trash bag at the top, so they had some air in there and survived from whenever he tossed them there until I wandered by at 3am from the bar!
At first, the pups began to resemble labs, but I knew better because two were brindle. Despite knowing little about pit bulls, I had fallen in love with my dog well before I realized he was one. He was raised with cats and ferrets, and as such, he seems to like most small animals. He even caught a squirrel at the park once and released it immediately! My dog has saved my life. I do mean this, both literally and metaphorically. He loves my cat and especially my kitten who is now one but not fully grown, because she is a Maine Coon. She regularly bites and scratches his face too hard when they play - I know, because he will have scars I can feel later - but he doesn't care. My dog is not a ticking time bomb, and I know this, because I know him AND the statistics on dog attacks. He is neutered and gets plenty of exercise. You are going to hear a lot of stories like this, and for good reason. For every pit bull that attacks a person, there are over ten million that don't, and their owners are tired of ignorant comments like yours. I do not consider Gunner's owners breed advocates, despite their claims, not because one of them is now dead, but because he was an unneutered male.
mindymayhem October 19, 2011 at 03:54 pm
My vet says that pit bulls are her favorite subjects because of their temperament, and studies have confirmed that their temperament is better than even golden retrievers! So when you hear about these dogs attacking people, don't jump to conclusions - look at the facts. You will find that almost every one of these dogs that attacks someone is an unneutered male, and most of them are frequently chained in their yards and lacking in exercise.
mindymayhem October 19, 2011 at 03:59 pm
I know firsthand as an owner that lack of exercise drives these animals insane. If you have a yard, that is NOT exercise! Dogs need to be walked, and intelligent dogs need to be challengened. For pit bulls, walking is not enough. They need to run, and I do not advocate dog parks because of other irresponsible/uneducated owners. I cannot stress enough that these are high-energy dogs that will react poorly if not given proper exercise! They have also been bred for dog aggression, let's be honest with ourselves, so early and frequent socialization and neutering (to reduce production of testosterone) is essential. If you do not have an active lifestyle, a young pit bull is NOT FOR YOU, but an older (4 years+) pit can still make a great pet for you and I promise, their affection and sense of humor makes them ideal. However, you WILL face regular, daily ignorance and negativity from other people, I can promise you that, and it will be next to impossible to travel by plane with your pet. You also need to keep in mind that you may be forced to move and that there are places you won't be able to do so, with a pit bull. Sad, but very true. And shelters are overrun with these animals, so don't kid yourself by thinking your dog will find a good home if you leave him off!
There are MILLIONS of pit bulls with responsible owners who have never hurt anyone or anything and never will. And even those that do can typically be rehabilitated - although they are rarely given the chance.
mindymayhem October 19, 2011 at 04:12 pm
I live in sunny California and I recommend all pit bull owners who can afford to do so move here. City after city around the country are considering banning these dogs, and that means almost certain death for your beloved pet! It is against California's state Constitution to ban a breed of dogs. I live in Huntington Beach, there is a dog beach here, and I see other pit bulls with their owners every single day! I also have moved to a dog-friendly community with a lot of dog owners, and my dog is very much beloved, here. Paradise!
Pipa October 29, 2011 at 04:04 pm
If you have a dog that is aggressive, you have a responsibility to yourself and others..regardless of the breed. Every animal is different and we can't predict their instincts--we can however, recognize signs of aggression and train the dog on how to behave, as well as not put them or yourself in a risky situation. Just like humans, dogs have different behaviors and personalities. The death of a pregnant wife is tragic, by any means, even more so at the hand of a once beloved animal. So history doesn't repeat itself, I would rethink owning another dog...regardless of the breed. Just my opinion.
Charles December 17, 2011 at 11:33 pm
Stray Pit Bull saves woman and child from attacker (A must read)!
http://www.piaberrend.org/stray-pit-bull-saves-woman-child-from-attacker/

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