Name: TJ
Victim: Pet
Location: On my back porch, Alabama
Year of attack: 2021

Tell us about the attack

My dogs, children, and I were in our back yard when a loose pit bull came into our yard. I asked the children to back away from the pit bull and my youngest to go inside to get my husband. One of my dogs had positioned herself several feet from the pit bull, between it and my children. When my husband stepped out the door our dog started slowly moving to him. Instantly, without provocation or warning, the pit bull viciously attacked our dog. It all happened so fast, within moments of the pit bull entering our yard. It bit our dog on the back and began shaking her. My husband frantically grabbed the pit bull by the collar attempting to pull her off our dog. The pit bull wouldn’t let go until my husband was somehow able to pull the pit bull’s collar to the point of lifting her from the ground.

How has your life changed as a result of the attack?
Our dog had to have surgery at an emergency animal hospital. She has many stitches and drain tubes due to the extensive damage from the attack. Although animal services picked the pit bull up on the day of the attack, they returned it to the owner within a few days. I am now terrified to let my children or my dogs outside. My children were only feet away and saw the vicious attack. I was only three feet away and could do nothing to stop this from happening. The pit bull never even growled — just attacked, completely unprovoked. I fully believe that if my husband had not been able to pull the pit bull off our dog, it would have killed her. How could I possibly protect my young children, even from only a few feet away, if this obviously dangerous pit bull returns?

Legal Consequences
Legally, there have so far been very few consequences to the owner of the pit bull. In our county, the owner can be fined as little as $2. We filed a report with the local sheriff’s office, as well as notifying animal services when they took the pit bull from our property at our request. However, the pit bull was still quickly returned to the owner. Although the address and contact information animal services had for the owner was incorrect, we were finally able to track down where the pit bull was being kept at the time of the attack. We are still attempting to find out how to make the owner of the pit bull reimburse us for veterinary expenses. I am shocked at how lax the laws are in instances like this.

What would you like people to know as a result of your attack?
Unfortunately this attack has taught me that pit bulls or pit bull mixes are fast and very, very strong. They can attack quickly and without warning. When they do attack, there are very few legal consequences to the owner of the pit bull. When they attack, the victim is basically helpless physically, emotionally, and legally. How can a breed with so many documented attacks not be considered dangerous?