Name: NT
Victim: Adult
Location: Near my apartment building by a neighboring hotel, Texas. LONGVIEW, TEXAS near LOOP 281 and FOURTH ST.
Year of attack: 2020

Tell us about the attack
I walked out of my apartment building this morning about 6:00 a.m. When I neared the open area, I saw a dark-colored pit bull that appeared to be alone. I froze. It stared and began running toward me. I ran as fast as I could. Screaming “No, stop!” I heard someone in the distance whistle and the dog retreated. Heart pounding, I walked back up to my apartment to get my baton. I had to leave and had already been delayed. So, I decided to go around the other side of the building, even farther away by going around the far side of a hotel. Guess who is right there by the hotel pool? The same dark-colored pit bull. I saw an adult male sitting. I politely asked him to get his pit bull. He said nothing. From nowhere a tan-colored pit bull leaped from behind the man and charged at me. I ran and fought for 2-3 minutes. I hit the pit bull so hard on the face with the baton that it ran away to the owner. Still, the pit bull owner said nothing, opened the hotel side door and took his pit bulls inside. I was livid because that was a totally avoidable situation.

How has your life changed as a result of the attack?
It just happened this morning, but I am afraid to walk home. I have always had a serious fear of dogs. I just don’t understand why people don’t leash their pets. My head ached and heart pounded rapidly for seven hours after what could have been a vicious attack if I didn’t fight him off with a super strong metal baton. I was sweating profusely and all I could envision was the pit bull’s teeth tearing away at my flesh. Thankfully, I learned to walk with a baton (weapon) because of past experiences with unleashed dogs, but every owner before this one would call the dog back immediately or say how friendly the thing is. I hate that. We can’t predict the behavior of humans. So, we definitely can’t say what a dog will do to a stranger. They respond differently with each person.

Legal Consequences
The owner said nothing. No apology. No calling the pit bulls back. Nothing. I reported him, but no one was around but the owner, me and his two pits. Other than being drenched in sweat and my labored breathing, I had no physical experience of the attack. Of the four of us (owner, two dogs and me), I was the only one yelling about the attack. So, no battle scars, no battle, right? No, that’s completely false. I will never get over this. NEVER.

What would you like people to know as a result of your attack?
I am scared to walk home. My fear of dogs has heightened even more. I’m not young. I can’t continue to run from unleashed dogs, especially aggressive types like the pit bull I encountered. LEASH YOUR DARN DOGS!!! What’s so freaking hard about that??? I’m too old to be running around cars and fighting off dogs. This could have ended much differently, but my fear made me panic. I went in survivor mode quickly. The owner seemed to enjoy the show until I started whacking the pit bull in the face with my baton.