GHN — Mellie, an American pit bull dog in Bella Vista, AR, has been cited as vicious by the police without even seeing the dog or 
requiring any other evidence, except for a neighbor’s call.
A source close to the Mellie’s family told the Journal of Humanitarian Affairs that Mellie ran out on September 10 and playfully danced around a young man Tyler Rhinehart – a neighbor – who was walking outside in front of the house. This way of saying hello by the happy dog brought her trouble when the neighbor reported it to the police as something threatening. Later that evening, as the source tells, police visited Mellie’s owner and gave her a Vicious Dog Citation, making her appear before a court to decide whether her dog is dangerous.
The police officers visiting the owner’s house are said to have handed the citation for dangerous dog to the owner without taking a look at Mellie and without being able to explain what a vicious dog citatioin means. The owner had to call the Benton County courthouse to learn about the citation. On October 17, as the source tells, the owner had a hearing at the court and pleaded not guilty. The trial in this case has been scheduled to start on 5th December.
Meanwhile, Mellie remains at home with the owner while the neighbor who called the police about Mellie has visited the owner’s house on a couple of occasions after the incident.
“Wouldn’t you want to avoid a vicious dog by staying off my property?” said the dog’s owner when contacted for a comment. She confirmed that Mellie has not been evaluated by any sort of expert.
The Lexus Project is said to be working on Mellie’s case. Updates on the case will be posted on the Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/HelpMellie.
Happy Excited dogs do not equal vicious dogs. This is going in the same direction as all Pit Bull cases ; and that just is not fair.
I agree with you. It isn’t fair. Most times the dog just wants to play.
Illiteracy only American style.!!! ,well there is another simalar case of lilo and stitch, where the judge who has so far declared all the dog cases as dangerous without proper evaluation, truly a gross miscarriage of justice !!!
Talk of educating Africa !!!
How ? when we have a bad record here!!!
You are so correct.
What’s wrong with u people? Pitnulls can be friendly. It’s case he is!
Pit Bulls ARE friendly
Pit Bulls don’t deserve the bad name they have. I met a pit bull for the first time a couple weeks ago and although she had a muzzle on because of stupid BSL laws in Ontario, she was very sweet and I enjoyed the experience. She was with her foster mother and the tail was going a mile a minute. She was so sweet, even after having been abused previously. I would not hestitate to do it again. People are just so stupid.
lie told on a sweet dog because a neighbor seen what they wanted and didn’t care to go find out the true,so now the owner and a sweet dog pays the price over a nosey,and dumb neighbor. I am Praing for owner and thay sweet dog that all goes well,cause I know Pits are sweet loveing dogs because I have them my self they better than in dog I have,People need to leave the pits alone.these dog get ppick on cause of the name give the a chance in life. Hell my dushhound truned on me so whats that tell ya.
Stupid, Stupid neigfhbor. WTH.
I have to comment on this. I’ve been a volunteer at the Marion County Humane Society for the past few years and we get all kind of dogs in there. I can tell you from experience, dogs show their excitement in many different ways; from running in circles to jumping up and yes some do nip at your fingers, etc.. In fact I have a chihuahua that gets so excited to see me if she were a Great Dane I may not be standing. But to get serious, if the dog didn’t bite causing injuries then what’s the problem here? This should not even be in the courts, this is a waste taxpayers money.
I agree with you Susan. This isn’t even a court case. What a waste of money. Dogs do have different ways of getting excited, it doesn’t mean they are vicious. Clearly some people have no experience with dogs.
What a load of BS. When are the authorities going to get off their far over fed arses and do their job of protecting citizens of the world rather than act on hearsay? American justice is getting fked up
Leave Mellie alone. She is a good dog & did NOTHING wrong! Thank you!
Her owner allowed her to scare a neighbor. She did nothing wrong but if you were afraid of dogs, would you want one running at you? Poor dog is in this mess because of a irrisponsible owner.
You have to be kidding me with this comment . Irrisposible owner ? You need to re-think this and look at all the violence that the ( pit ) breed is getting as of late . Would you think that a police officer has the right to walk on someones property and shoot a pit that is chained up ? Give you a little hint on this one , it actually happened . So for you to say that the owner is not responsible I laugh at you . Police have been using the power they have to just shoot a pit and for no reason at all . I will say this if someone harmed my pit GOD help them , because I will take matters in my own hands and do as I see fit !
That’s right Suzette, this dog did nothing wrong and is not a danger to anyone. Just a stupid nosy neighbor and stupid officers that clearly don’t know anything about dog behaviour so have no right judging. A professionally trained dog behaviourist to prove to everyone that Mellie is not a dangerous dog in any way, shape or form. Her owner should get letters etc.from the dog’s vet, as well as friends and family and others that have met and know her and how she behaves.
This shouldnt be going to court..god save millie xx.
I believe that most people stereotype certain breeds, especially pit bull dogs, as vicious, which is very unfair and just as unfair as stereotyping people. I hope justice will be blind and fair for Mellie.
Absolutely disgraceful!!!! aren’t humans innocent til proven guilty why aren’t dogs given the same respect?
We need change and we need it yesterday please!!!
This is just ridiculous, and getting so out of hand !!
Please use common sense.
This case should be THROWN out because the complaint maker has visited the home since the incident, because officials could not even tell Mellie’s owner what the citation entailed and didn’t even bother to evaluate her. Mostly this case should be thrown out because IT IS COMPLETELY UNFOUNDED!!!!! and a total waste of time and taxpayer’s money.
The person making the complaint should be arrested for making a false police report as he has visited Mellie’s home since he filed the complaint. IF Mellie had really been a threat, he would not go anywhere near her home!!!! People get real and start using your heads and STOP being a bunch of lemmings…
You sound so foolish. Owners are responsible for controling thier pets. The owner should be fined for a off leash dog at large to teach them to be more responsible. The dog should not be punished if it isnt a threat which I do not know as I do not know this dog but they can have it evaluated. To take any action against the person the dog harrassed is rediculouse.
This is unjust. No one should be allowed to do anything like this. Respoonsible pet owners everywhere should be saddend and outraged.
You should contact the animal law center. They have been very successfull also look up the pit bull advocate.
So wrong to judge without evedince! Can’t belive any city could behave this way. Very disappointed in Bella Vista.
What is wrong with the world? I can’t believe that the police are allowed to give out tickets without any cause or investigation. The neighbor should be put down for causing emotional distress and harassment to the dog owner.
This is just insane…people are getting so carried away with the Pit bull frenzy that nice polite and friendly dogs are being taken away from there owners for NOTHING!! People who are not involved with this , like the nosy neighbor, should just mind their own business as long as the dog is not hurting them…Our pit bull is so friendly and loves everyone he comes into contact with…the only thing he’d be guilty of is licking you to death….come on people…lighten up…you are more likely to be hurt in a car accident than by a pit bull…
Unreal!!!! Just because it looks like a PIT does not mean it is mean!!!! Maybe the officers should take a good look at themselves!!!!!! Unfair!!!!!
I would like to ask how you can judge a dog is vicious if you have never seen it. AND why in the blue blazes is the neighbor allowed on pit bull’s owners property.
I signed,I am hoping the owner is letting the “neighbor who thinks the dog is vicious” on the property to have evidence for the judge that the neighbor is a liar and the dog is fine.
Humans lot their soul, this dog is beautiful, innocent let him free.
Please consider the evidance! If the dog is not aggressive please give her back to her owner and let her
Please save this dog, this is not a mean dog, what is wrong with people.. save the dog. What is wrong with animal control do they just want to kill the dog for no reason. I am asking everyone to stand up for this dog . Please.
Shameful. Cited without just cause.
Would you blindly accuse a Cocker Spaniel, or a Poodle of being vicious? Why is it that pit bulls are quickly and usually wrongly accused of this? This particular pit bull is a PET. Not a vicious fighter. Please evaluate this dog on her behavior!
The owner should have her dog evaluated by a professional to proove he is not dangerous. And the neighbor goes to the house? Has the neighbor seen that the dog is not a danger to him? Why doesn’t the neighbor tell the athorities that he is not pressing charges and after going to the owners home he sees that the dog is not dangerous…he just simply didn’t know how to read the dog’s body language!!! This dog should not be punished or destroyed, especially if he is friendly…and evaluated by someone that knows what they are doing. Don’t sterotype!!!!! Just because a dog is a pit bull….does not mean the dog is dangerous!!!!
I live in Canada, but aren’t our laws pretty much the same when it comes to the responsibility of a police force investigating, ie..asking questions, getting statements, from BOTH parties involved? Can you imagine, if it became common practice, for the police to simply hear a complaint from someone, then, without getting statements,without evidence, or proof,just start fining people or arresting them, because their neighbor or co-worker, has a beef? I don’t think that is what your founding Fathers had in mind when they created the constitution. Did I miss something…??
wtf, the police havent even seen the dog, and the neighbour has visited the house on a couple occasions since, if the neighbour was that scared, why still go to the house where the dog is, seems to me the neighbour is two faced, and needs to stand up and tell the truth, as the neighbour sounds a right stupid twat to me, drop the case on this poor dog, wasting the publics money, and go and catch proper criminals…
This makes me so mad. They treat criminals better than our pets these days and it is sickening! Leave our pets alone!
Uneducated people will be scared of Pit Bulls no matter what. I wish there would be a way to educate everyone that dogs aren’t born to be vicious.
i would get my dog and go to places unknown
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Its very worrying the amount of people in positions of authority that are so uneducated. You should not hold a position like this unless you are versed in all situations involving the public and animals. This is a worrying trend when people assume a dog is dangerous because of its looks. Jack Russels, terriers…….now they are viscious little sods. I’ve been bitten by both but never by a bully breed.
Ok a few things about this story that are going to make sound like a ass….but Ian a fighter voice FOR THE PITS, so one why is this kid out side with no parent, two IF YOU HAVE A DOG PUT A FENCE UP ALL AROUND YOUR HOUSE KEEPS THE DOG IS SAFE, then i would not be siting here crying over something that could have been prevented.
It’s the ignorance factor again. By themselves (with no one training them to kill) they are the friendliest and most loving dogs alive! The least the idiot police officers should have done was look at the dog. With that smile, how can you call her vicious. There are people (like your neighbor) who are miserable themselves who want everyone to be miserable, stupid people! GRRRRR, I’m vicious about pit bull ignorance, what you gonna do to me?!?
Ignorant Ignorant people, we will be praying for Mellie and your family that everything works out good. What a beautiful dog, people need to educate themselves on dog behaviors and what a happy excitied dog looks and acts like. So sorry that your family has to go through this. Best wishes from CT…
When will people learn to control thier dogs? Some people are afraid of dogs the pet owner needs to control the dog. If the dog hadn’t ran out this wouldn’t be an issue. I have 6 X-large dogs and they have never “ran out” they know to sit and stay unless directed otherwise. Just as we should have the right to own the dog of our choice other people have the right not to be inconvenienced or scared by our pets! I do think there is a better way for the neighbor to go about this but the dog owner still is wrong and caused the initial problem. So sad.
These ignorant people who make phone calls like this one to either the cops or animal control should be strung up and beaten as far as I’m concerned, along with the IDIOTS who answer the phone without asking a SIMPLE question: ‘do you have any experience with dogs or just assuming that the dog was vicious because it was barking, etc’? If they say ‘no, I don’t know a lot about dogs’, that should tell ANYONE with even half a brain that the dog is probably not vicious, just being friendly.
I’ve had 2 dogs who could be thought to be vicious by people who know nothing about dogs. One was a Border Collie who’d sit at your feet and make all kinds of noises- baking, growling, yowling, etc- until you pet her. The MOMENT you stopped, she’d start again, until she had enough. The other. an Aussie, does what this dog is described as doing. NEITHER dog would be taken as vicious by anyone who knows anything about dogs.
THAT should be the standard, not some idiot who just assumes a dog is vicious out of ignorance and cowardice. Dogs die all the time because of stupid people and the authorities who are willing to simply ‘take their word’ for it.
No one, not even a dog should be labeled guilty without even being seen by a police officer. If this story reaches the news media there will be outrage over the handling of an innocent dog.
Isn’t it about time we questioned the insanity of one neighbor who may rush to judgement, who can’t take a few minutes before picking up the phone.
We have lost the ability to talk to one another as neighbors, we have lost the ability to be ADULTS and solve our own problems, instead of acting like children and running to the police.
A dog isn’t mean just because of the way it looks. This is total ignorance where the neighbor and the cops are concerned. They never even met Mellie. Furthermore, if Mellie is so dangerous then why has the neighbor been over there since. I believe that a professional dog behaviourist and trainer should prove to the cops, neighbor, and the courts that Mellie is not a dangerous dog and just drop everything and everyone can go on with their lives.
I am so tired of people jumping to conclusions about dogs and their behaviour. This makes me sick.
If the dog did not attack nor bite anyone how can they deem it a dangerous dog. It does not make sense.
More misinformed morons!!! I am out of the patience it would take to try and explain the nature of these animals to fools who THINK they know it all. Stop what you are doing!! Take 30 days and do a smidge of research and THEN….and ONLY THEN….should you decide where you stand on this issue. Don’t just blindly go along with what the uneducated spread around and pass for fact.