The list of dog attack victims has grown so rapidly, we’ve felt unable to bear witness to anyone fairly. 😟

I’m choosing to remember Baby Ember today because a Risk Denier laughed at her photos in a post and said she was “ai generated.”

It’s amazing to me how easily bloodsport dog advocates forget the innocent victims, even outright denying their existence.

Ember, you existed. You were loved. You had everything to give to this world and a bloodsport dog snuffed your beautiful light out instantly. We will never let them erase you.

Victim: Ember Rene Southard
Age 6 months old
Location: Alabaster #Alabama, USA
Caregiver on site: Great-grandma
Perpetrator: 11 year old pet pitbull
Outcome: Fatality

Baby Ember was being watched by her great grandmother, whose identity was never officially confirmed. This is an aspect of the bloodsport dog topic that needs to legally change. Violent crimes against persons should be equally reported on, whether they are domestic violence, aggravated assault, or maulings. 📝

The family tree was young and the great grandparents were actively on social media with clearly written comments, so the status as great grandparent does not imply cognitive or neurological factors that might have reduced culpability.

Ember’s mother disclosed that she was taking Grandma to a medical appointment and left her baby in the care of Great-Grandma. It’s alleged that Great-Grandma fell asleep on the couch while holding Ember very soon after the mom left. It’s then alleged that Ember accidentally fell out of her arms and began crying, which caused the 11 year old family pit to maul her. 💔

Multiple family members publicly commented frequently back during this case. If you have the details documented, please share them. We saved them at the time but with over 17,000 images on our work device, we are still trying to locate them.

Here is some of what Ember’s mother said:

“My daughter was lost last Friday. It feels sickening to know I’m having to put my daughter in the ground. Please don’t let dogs around children.

Please, use my child as an example. Don’t fall asleep holding children on couches /chairs. Don’t allow your children around dogs. The dog that killed my baby was 11 years old, and had been around numerous kids. There’s no reason to allow them around each other.

Everyone knew how strict I am with my safe sleep protocols and making sure the kids weren’t around dogs like that.”

⛔️ Ember’s mother later publicly wrote much more of her views about this topic:

“It is okay to put a human-aggressive dog down!

You will see me say A LOT that dog aggression, and any form of animal aggression, is not a reason to euthanize a dog before exhausting every other option, including surrendering the dog.

That being said, it is perfectly okay to euthanize your human-aggressive dog. Especially if the dog is reactive, and terrified all the time. There are a lot of components to behavioral euthanasia.

A dog who nips when uncomfortable or ignored is not the same as a dog that is uncertain of itself and reacts out of fear. If you’re constantly terrified of your dog biting someone because it is a bite risk, euthanize it. You should never be scared of your own dog if it is stable. The moment that dog is unstable, euthanize it. If the dog redirects aggression to you, euthanize it. If the dog is a danger to you and your family constantly, euthanize it. That’s not fair for either of you to live like that.

You getting bit for disrespecting your dog isn’t a reason to euthanize one. Including kids disrespecting the dog. Don’t poke it in the eye, pull at it, sit on it, whatever.”

Despite the contradictions and the internal struggle, Ember’s mom tried her best to warn others in her community. She did far more than most of them will after these attacks. If you decide to analyze her thinking, please do so neutrally, so as to help prospective parents versus triggering their shame.

Today, in whatever way you can, please remember Ember. Make one concentrated effort in the algorithm to ensure she isn’t recorded as ai generated.

Thank you for all that you do out there. You ARE making a difference. Someday, we won’t have any babies to share on this page. Let’s all keep working towards that day.

-JL

protectbabies #babiesfirst #parentsfordogbiteawareness #neverforget #foreverinourhearts 🕯️ #saytheirnames #standtogether #safety #publichealth #parentaleducation