Tanner Smith - a 5 year old victim of Pit Bull Dogs in Texas

Tanner Smith, age 5, of Vidor, Texas, died on October 18, 2015, at a hospital in Beaumont, Texas.

Tanner Smith

Tanner's mother had gone to the home of a friend to visit. The house is in Orange County, near Vidor. 

Tanner went outside to play.  His mother thought that he was outside with her friend's husband. However, the husband was not at home and Tanner was out in the yard by himself. 

Sometime before 7:00 p.m., Tanner was attacked and mauled by two Pit Bull dogs belonging to the residents of the house. His neck was badly bitten. 

Tanner was rushed to a hospital in Beaumont where, tragically, he died of his injuries. 

The two dogs were put down. 

Tanner would have turned 6 two days after his death. He had a congenital heart defect and had undergone three open heart surgeries in his short life. 

He was in Kindergarten at Vidor Elementary. He loved basketball, monster trucks and eating chicken wings. When asked who his hero was, he replied "God". 

Any donations in Tanner's name can be made to the American Heart Association. 

Pit Bulls were bred over 200 years ago for bull baiting, bear baiting and dog fighting.

Do you want a mouth like this
around your children?

They were never intended to be family pets. They should never be around infants or young children under any circumstances. They have repeatedly proven that they can kill people, both young and old, including people passing by. They have killed grown women walking in the hallways of their apartment buildings; they have killed 40 year old men jogging by on a country road; they have killed toddlers playing on the floor.

Many towns and cities, counties and states do not allow pit bulls and related breeds within their jurisdictions. Pit bulls are banned outright in many European countries, period.

Where are the authorities in Orange County, Texas? Why do you allow Pit Bull dogs in your jurisdiction? Wake up.

Pit Bulls and all related dog breeds should be bred out of existence sooner rather than later.

Death by dog is not acceptable in a civilized country.

Tanner's loved ones are devastated over his senseless and tragic death. He will be forever mourned. They have suffered an unspeakable loss.

Tanner is playing in the fields of Heaven.