Name: Pug
Victim: Pet
Location: parking lot in apartment complex, California
Year of attack: 2021

Tell us about the attack

I was walking back to my apartment unit with my two pug dogs. Because I am a single woman and wise for my age, when I saw possibly a few men standing off close I decided to go a different way. When my dogs and I had cleared about 5 ft of the alcove, a pit bull emerged out of nowhere and attacked my female pug. I started screaming and within a half a minute those men came out and tried to dislodge their female pit bull from where she had bitten my dog at the juncture of her arm and her ribs. My pug screamed in pain and I did not know how to get out of this sudden awful situation. The strangers were indifferent and didn’t seem to be affected by what happened. It was all captured on surveillance cameras.

How has your life changed as a result of the attack?
Perhaps had I not walked the way I had, both me and my dogs could have been seriously hurt. My vet said that it was a miracle my dog was not killed. She had saliva and a puncture wound all over her side, fractured ribs, but she was such a trooper because once her medication wore off it was like it never happened. About a month before this attack I thought I saw a pit bull running loose in the parking lot resembling the one that attacked, and the young man that seemed to be one of its owners. This was probably who I encountered that unfortunate day. There are so many loose pit bulls running around unattended to and unleashed, and there needs to be more crusades that will get people to care about the horrible consequences of this reckless irresponsibility.

Legal Consequences
Because the situation could have been far worse in so many ways I chose to not press charges, and I also chose not to sue because of personal safety reasons. The owners were told to leave the property. I’m not sure if the animal was impounded or confiscated.

What would you like people to know as a result of your attack?
Keep your pit bull on a leash, always! So many pit bulls are running loose literally in the street, and they attack and kill people as well as other animals. If you ever have an unleashed pit bull that has latched on to another, count yourself very lucky if you were able to reverse the assault. Pet owners and dog walkers should never take anything for granted. Always be aware of your surroundings, any possible dangers. You never see it coming. The vet might recommend using pepper spray but sometimes this method of defense fails. Please obey leash laws, no matter what. Even if your pit bull is trained off leash it’s no guarantee of their or anybody’s safety. Animals suffer because of man’s ignorance. If you can’t responsibly control and care for/about your animal you shouldn’t own one.