2020 Dog Bite Fatality: Woman Found Mauled, Mutilated and Dead After Attack by Own Dogs in Lake County, Illinois

Lisa Urso, 52-years old, seen with her two Shorty bullies, Blue Bear (left) and Rocco.

Canine Mauling Death
UPDATE 05/12/20: The Lake County coroner confirmed Tuesday that a 52-year old woman "definitely died" due to injuries inflicted by one or more of her dogs. Lisa Urso was discovered mauled and mutilated outside her home in the 600 block of Knollwood Road. Dr. Howard Cooper, the Lake County Coroner, said it was difficult to determine which of her three dogs attacked her given the number of bites Urso sustained. Urso owned two Shorty bullies and another dog.

"It wasn’t the neck, most (bites) were on her legs and arms. Some on her torso as well. Just a lot of bites. A lot of scratching." - Dr. Howard Cooper

A Shorty bull is a short, squat, gargoyle variation of the American bully and is only recognized by the American Bully Kennel Club. One of Urso's Shorty bullies, named Blue Bear, attacked her boyfriend on April 13 and April 21. At least one of those bites was severe. The last bite resulted in Lake County Animal Care and Control placing the male Shorty bull into quarantine. Afterward, the dog was returned to Urso at her request. On May 9, Blue Bear likely initiated the fatal attack.

A Shorty bull is not a French bulldog. Many newspaper headlines are declaring that a "French bulldog" killed this able-bodied 52-year old female. These headlines are invalid. A Shorty bull is variation of the American bully, which "developed as a natural extension of the American pit bull terrier," according to the United Kennel Club. The Shorty bull "designer bull breed" was created by mixing 5 different types of bull breeds, including the French bulldog and American pit bull terrier.

The ridiculousness of a French bulldog perpetrating this attack could result in a Snopes article. Learn more about the Shorty bull standard, which the creator even calls a "working bulldog."

Late Wednesday afternoon, The Daily Herald published new details after speaking with Lake County Animal Care and Control (LCACC). "Blue," though Urso referred to her Shorty bull as "Blue Bear," was the main aggressor and had attacked Urso's boyfriend twice in April, causing serious injuries. The white Shorty bull had blood on its coat, but its level of participation in the attack is unknown. Urso's third dog, an elderly border collie-mix, was not involved in the deadly attack.

LCACC spokeswoman Hannah Goering also shut down the unfounded claims that Blue Bear had "been trained to fight" or endured any mistreatment. "Typically dogs which have been trained to fight, whether as the aggressor or the victim, have visible scars or chewed-up ears," Goering said. "This was a very healthy-looking dog; there were no signs of scarring. There is no reason to believe that." Blue Bear, now responsible for multiple attacks, will hopefully be euthanized.

A fatal dog mauling is not a "unique isolated incident," as Goering falsely claimed. These deaths occur about every 11 days in the United States.

Sadly, the breed of dog has not yet been corrected, but that soon may change. A Chicago-based French bulldog rescue group is trying to get the word out. To add to this confusion, Urso's older Facebook page shows that she did previously own a French bulldog. At some point in late 2018, Urso changed course and acquired two Shorty bulls, a brindle male, named Blue Bear, and a white male, named Rocco. The male border collie-mix, named Spike, was about 15-years old.