Passers-by Help Save Man from Pitbull

The Dispatch ^ | March 11,2005 | Todd Welvaert

[conservativebabe]

ROCK ISLAND -- Good Samaritans helped save an elderly man's dog from a pit bull in Rock Island Wednesday afternoon.

The pit bull had apparently broken its leash to attack the smaller dog, a Yorkshire terrier, near the intersection of 18th Avenue and 41st Street.

Moline Fire Department paramedic Chad Snook and his partner were on their way back to Fire Station 3 shortly after 2 p.m., after taking a patient to Trinity Medical Center's West Campus, when they thought they saw a pit bull attacking an elderly man.

Mr. Snook, of Colona, got out of the ambulance and was trying to pull the pit bull off when he realized it was attacking the smaller dog, which was in the older man's arms.

"I really thought the dog was attacking the older man," Mr. Snook said. "When I got up close to it, I realized he had a little Yorkie in his arms and the pit bull had that in its jaws."

Bill Foss, Rock Island, was leaving his job as a custodian at Alleman High School when he saw the elderly man wrestling with the pit dog and Mr. Snook running toward the scene. Mr. Foss parked his vehicle and ran to help.

"The pit bull was shaking that little dog like a rag doll," Mr. Foss said. The older man, he added, "was really crying, yelling for help. He was really in distress. When I jumped out of my van, I thought that dog had (the older man) by the arm. I started hitting the (pit bull) as hard as I could, the firefighter was trying to pull it off. A lady, I think it might have been the pit bull's owner, was trying to hit it with a shovel. It wasn't letting go. Then we'd get it loose and the pit bull would grab (the little dog) again. That probably happened three times."

Mr. Foss described the pit bull as probably weighing close to 75 pounds. The attack ended when Mr. Snook was able to get his hands inside the pit bull's mouth and pried its jaws open.

The unidentified woman got the smaller dog and its owner into her house, and then opened a car parked near the house and got the pit bull to jump in.

Mr. Snook was bitten, but wasn't seriously injured. He said the dog was current on all its vaccinations.

Rock Island Police Sgt. Jason Foy said animal control officers have impounded the pit bull and are investigating the incident. He said the older man was walking his dog when the attack happened. He didn't identify either the man or the pit bull's owner. He did say that to the best of his knowledge, both dogs were still alive Thursday.

Mr. Snook and his partner monitored the older man until Rock Island Fire Department paramedics arrived. Mr. Foss said the older man told him he had recently had heart surgery.

Debra Garner, Milan, was coming from a doctor's appointment with her father when she saw the incident happen. She said what Mr. Snook did goes above and beyond the call of duty.

"It was a horrible thing to see," Mrs. Garner said. "It's horrible to think something could happen like that."

[fuzzycat]

Saw something similar about a year ago. As I was coming home and about to turn the corner to my house I saw a pit bull attack a neighbors cat. It was one of the most vicious things I have ever seen. I really wanted to take my .44 out of the truck.... but there are too many houses and people.
Cat died with it's guts torn open in the boys arms that owned it.
I opted for the cell phone over the .44. Deputy arrived and went to the house from which the dog came and got the dumb ass owner on the phone (she wasn't home) and told her to bring the dog to animal control and the owner began to give the deputy a ration of sh...
Yhe hell of it while I was waiting on the Sheriff to show the dog owners little girl stood next to me on the street and told me that dog scared her. I mean just damn.
Called animal control the next morning and the owner had just walked in. Dog euthanised. Lives saved.

[thoughtomator]

If someone can't control their pet they have no business having one. Even those who totally disagree with me on the nature of pit bulls will agree to that. Furthermore, it is not unlike a gun or a knife in the fact of being a piece of property under law.

[ConservativeMind]

No, he is a fellow FReeper who combs for such stories. Generally, he posts them late at night.

Some are tired of them, as it can be dozens at a time, but I think they are good and useful.

There is, of course, no limit as to what anyone can post. Post away, Conservativebabe!

[LibKill]

If my .44 magnum could fire itself at random, it would be about as dangerous as a pit bull.

The problem with a pit bull is that it can go off at any time.

[KidGlock]

Just kidding.

Search pit bull some time and see how many of the stories are posted by ambrose.

Better yet, try to find on that was not.

:)

[conservativebabe]

That poor boy. How sad and horrifying for a kid.

[Dog]

What happened to the little Yorkie who was attacked... is it dead?

[ConservativeMind]

Actually, one method taught by some self-defense teachers is to cram your arm down such an animal's throat. They will suffocate and try to cough your hand out, but they will be subdued and if you want, die.

[TwoWolves]

I see. And if you can't control your 15 year old child, you shouldn't have one of them, either?

[BJungNan]

One more of these pittbull stories and I'm switching over to the side that believes they are evil.

Read on...

The 10-year old Carthage boy who was brutally attacked by a pit bull on Saturday was back home with his family by Sunday.

Daniel Foster will have to endure re-constructive surgeries to repair damage done to his face.

Daniel's mother and his aunt say he's doing well considering the circumstances.

At home Daniel was heavily medicated and tired.

Daniel left Childrens Hospital Medical Center with tough road ahead of him.

His mother Helen described his condition.

"He's doing pretty good right now," said Foster. "So far they've got him under medication for the pain."

"Honestly, this is something out of a horror movie," said Foster.

Daniel's wounds are extensive.

"His nose mostly, and the top of his skull right here, in here," said Foster.

Police have charged Rhonda Byrd, the dog's owner, for not having the dog properly registered or insured.

"I've never been charged with nothing in my life," said Byrd. "The dog jumped the fence -- I feel it's not my fault."

Surgeons worked this weekend to repair the wounds on Daniel's face.

But he has more surgeries in front of him.

The next phase will include re-constructive surgeries that are to include stretching and moving the skin to repair the wounded areas.

[conservativebabe]

Last word was, that both dogs are still alive. The pit is quarentined by animal control. I hope the little dog makes it.

[GBA]

"You can't always predict an animal's actions, or control it. And you can't watch it 24x7, either, any more than you can watch a child every second of every day."

I'd love to see you try that explanation on a judge. Fact is, you are to be in control of you animals. If you can't control it, you have no business having it. Especially if it has the reputation and potential to do what pit bulls are bred to do.

[bikepacker67]

Why the hell would anyone want to own a butt-ugly breed like this in the first place?

[bikepacker67]

Here's a REAL dog:

[GBA]

"Why the hell would anyone want to own a butt-ugly breed like this in the first place?"

To make up for other inadequacies.

[thoughtomator]

Probably not, but that's besides the point, since the freedom to reproduce is an inalienable human right, while the freedom to own a dangerous animal is not.

[conservativebabe]

You know, I've wondered that as well. Course, that would apply to a lot of breeds. However, I believe it's because they get some thrill and ego boost out of having a dog like that.

[conservativebabe]

Horrible, just horrible.

[thoughtomator]

About 1 in 10 FR pitbull stories is not posted by ambrose. About the same thing can be said for SUV stories.

However, he's cornered the market on bull semen stories, for sure.

[BJungNan]

Am I missing something? Someone has exclusive rights to pitbull stories?

That is the way I understand the policy. It came out of compromise with the Pittbull lovers that felt there would be too many posts about pittbull mauling if more than one person was allowed to post them.

Actually, I kind of agree with the policy. I mean, how many times can you read, "But my pittbull is nice. He would never do anything like this. You guys just are not being fair."

Either that or the endless stats we would have to wade through on how little Chihuahuas are actually more vicious based on the number of reported dog bite incidents nationally.