Name: Dianna Johnson
Victim: Adult
Location: New Animal Shelter, South Carolina
Year of attack: 2021
Tell us about the attack
On March 12, 2021, I went to the local animal shelter to foster what rescue workers labelled a “Boxer Mix” dog. As the assistant took me to meet the animal, it was at the door waiting with a leash on and looking at me. As the volunteer was stepping outside, I looked down at the pit bull and it was staring at me. I stepped on the ground, he stood on his back legs and grabbed my throat, mouth, and jaw. I dropped to the ground as I felt its tug. The girl ran to get help as the pit bull began chewing on my scalp. It became tired, took a break and I stood up. It then bit my arm, stomach, leg & tore my scalp off in three places. The animal control officer got the pit bull off me and blood was everywhere. I had to be flown by helicopter to the trauma hospital where I spent three nights.
How has your life changed as a result of the attack?
I have trauma and cannot go into a veterinarian office for my two rescue labs. I cannot take my animals to be groomed because one day I was greeted with a pit bull with his paws on the counter standing on its two back legs. I could not pet my own 2 labs when I first come home, due to the fear. I no longer go for walks in my neighborhood because various people in the area have decided to get pits.
I had bad dreams at night for a long time and still have bad headaches from where the pit attacked my head. When I do go for a walk out of my neighborhood, I carry weapons and sticks and now a gun because I am not going down again. I will be the one doing the killing.
Legal Consequences
I am suing the shelter for negligence as they were not trained how to introduce an animal to a new owner. They were supposed to do it in the adoption area, not an open area where he can easily attack. The shelter lied about the breed to make him ADOPTABLE at the expense of my possible death. I downloaded his picture to an app that identified him as American Staffordshire and American Bull Terrier. The owner probably did not tell the truth about his aggression as the shelter claimed innocence about it and stated it had seen 12 different people before and did not display any aggression. The pit bull was put down and they cut his head off to test him for rabies. I have raised pits and they can be very dangerous because they are not stable. Once they taste blood, they want it again.
What would you like people to know as a result of your attack?
Pit bulls are not trustworthy and it is in their blood to attack. I really believe they should all be put down and if not then the owners should be mandated to be licensed owners and take obedient classes and pass some tests. However, I really believe pit bulls need to be outlawed in the United States and banned. Too many people have died and we need to get rid of them. It should be like getting a gun permit. If they have a criminal background, they should not have a pit, because they are deadly.