Tag Archives: Family pit bulls

Nurse sitting on floor

Trauma-room nurse speaks: life flight required after 2-year-old boy severely mauled by family pit bull

Name: RRT
Victim: Child
Location: Home, North Carolina
Year of attack: 2022

Tell us about the attack

I work in the emergency room of a rural hospital and witnessed the aftermath of a mauling caused by a pit bull. The victim was a 2-year-old little boy who had the majority of his cheek ripped off and his left ear partially severed. The victim had to be airlifted out of our hospital due to the extensive nature of his injuries and the doctor’s suspicion that a facial nerve had been severed due to left-sided facial drooping. Truly a horrific thing to witness. The pit bull belonged to the boyfriend of the boy’s mother.

How has your life changed as a result of the attack?
I see trauma cases but seeing the cheek tissue of a little boy hanging off his face was very hard to witness.

Legal Consequences
Unknown

What would you like people to know as a result of your attack?
Pit bulls should not be allowed around small children

Pit bull

Family pet pit bull in loving home turns on child

Name: Rye
Victim: Child — my daughter
Location: Our home, New York
Year of attack: 2022

Tell us about the attack

On Sunday, June 26th 2022 I was attacked by our pet pit bull.

There was a small propane torch leaking in my room. I’m freaking out because me and my mom have always been afraid of that stuff, so I ran out of my room and then I opened the gate at the end of the stairs and I heard the growl, the growl that I knew wasn’t a playful growl, and a look in our pit bull’s eyes that I’ve never seen before.

A I quickly turned so he wouldn’t get my face or throat, I tried to get back up the stairs before he actually locked onto me but I couldn’t. He got my leg. The pet that’s been in the same house with me for more then a year was just hanging off my leg, ripping, tearing parts of my leg that I didn’t even know could hurt, feeling his teeth graze my bone and watching Zach stress trying to get the pit bull off of me.

How has your life changed as a result of the attack?
My sweet 16 was completely different then it was supposed to be.  I had a hole in my leg instead of my driving permit in my hand. I’ve learned so much through all of this. It’s made me so so much stronger. It’s made me realize so much that I can’t fully explain yet because everything’s hitting all at once.

They didn’t think they were gonna save my leg. That’s terrifying for a teenager to find out. I was just so thankful and lucky to be alive. And blessed it wasn’t one of my siblings.

Legal Consequences
On June 27th 2022 we surrendered all rights to the pit bull.

What would you like people to know as a result of your attack?
It doesn’t matter how you raise a pit bull what so ever. It’s wired into their brain.

Ambulance

I was severely mauled by my daughter’s pit bull

Name: A Weisel
Victim: Adult
Location: Apartment, Indiana
Year of attack: 2021

Tell us about the attack

I went to my daughter’s apartment to take the her 90 lb. (40 kg) pit bull out and give it food/water for the third time that day. Everything had been fine, I checked everything, gave him a treat, kissed the top of his head and told him he was being a good boy.

I then turned on the light, and squatted next to him in the hall to straighten the rug. Without a sign or noise, he lunged for my right arm and ripped it down to the bone. I nearly passed out and was sitting down with my legs out when I realized he wasn’t going to stop. I took a deep breath and decided that since I was right handed that I’d hold out my left arm. I knew since I was on the floor and he was blocking the door that it was my only chance at surviving. He snapped it in one bite and continued tugging and thrashing even after I made it to my feet.

The near 30 minute ordeal was heard long before help came. The neighbor that called was apparently upset by the noise and called in a noise complaint. So when police arrived, there was no ambulance with them. The three officers carried me down three flights of stairs and sat me on the ground outside to wait. I was sat up with one of the officer’s knee at my back for support. I recall them making statements about my blood on them. I felt the need to assure them that I didn’t have any disease. They asked questions; I answered all of them clearly. When the ambulance arrived, they gave me narcan despite my yelling and declaring I wasn’t on drugs, to just please help. I then heard them call for fentanyl, to which I also exclaimed that I didn’t want or need it. They didn’t listen and they didn’t care.

How has your life changed as a result of the attack?
I have lost some use of my right hand and arm. My left hand and part of my arm have been amputated. I have had six surgeries and I believe that I’ve reached maximum improvement. The doctors attempted to reattach my left hand by way of donor vessels from my left leg but it didn’t work. I got a DVT in my groin not long after leaving the hospital so now I’ll be on blood thinners for life. I don’t leave the house very often. I’m ashamed of my appearance. Of all the people that were supportive and caring in the first month after I was released from the hospital, there’s no one left but my husband. I have not seen anyone for my mental health because I don’t want medication and I fear the stigma attached to mental illnesses.

Legal Consequences
The pit bull was collected by animal control and euthanized.

What would you like people to know as a result of your attack?

None of my story has been heard until now. No one seemed to care.

 

Young girl on swing

9-year-old girl mauled to death by family pet pit bull raised from pup

Name: Grieving Auntie
Victim: Child, Pet
Location: Residence, Indiana
Year of attack: 2010

Tell us about the attack

I’ve unfortunately had numerous pit bull issues / attacks / maulings happen to either a loved one, myself or a family pet.

When I was a teenager, our tiny neighborhood that I grew up in had a pit bull that would often get loose and try to attack us. I had to climb onto a car one time. This pit bull eventually bit me in the thigh. Luckily I only got a small puncture wound. And I know now that I was very lucky.

A few years ago, our dog was attacked by four pit bulls who jumped our fence. Luckily she survived.

But the worst was the loss of my niece in 2010 at the age of nine, killed by her family’s pet pit bull.

My niece was just letting the dogs outside for their morning potty time when the pit bull decided instead to maul her, going for her throat. She did nothing to provoke the demon  animal. This animal was not abused. Their dogs were not used for “protection “ and they did not come from a fighting ring. My sister and brother-in-law did not raise the pit bull lovingly from a pup to do this.  I know for a fact that my sister and brother-in-law would never have gotten the pit bulls (as puppies) if they’d have known the outcome.

How has your life changed as a result of the attack?
The loss of my niece is something I nor my family will ever get over. The horrific way she died made life too unbearable for her mother (my sister). Her body physically and mentally started failing her, I believe from a broken heart. The loss of your child leaves such a broken heart that some parents can’t handle.  My sister is one of those parents. She is now laying in a nursing home at the young age of 42. She has Severe Traumatic Brain Injury from a fall caused by a seizure. Never in her 42 years had she ever had a seizure before.  So essentially I’ve lost my niece and my best friend / sister.

Legal Consequences
My sister and brother-in-law had the pit bull put down within a couple of hours after it killed their daughter. No charges were brought against them.

What would you like people to know as a result of the attack?
I believe that your chances of being attacked by your own pit bull is far higher than people think it is. I hope that when the pit bull does attack, it’s not a innocent child or person and that if it’s you, that you survive. If you own a dog that is either full or part pit bull, take every precaution to protect yourself and others.