Lockport Township girl in critical condition after attack by pit bulls

Sturgis Journal ^ | 3.11.05

[ambrose]

Friday, March 11, 2005

Lockport Township girl in critical condition after attack by pit bulls

By Corky Emrick Sturgis Journal

LOCKPORT TWP. — A 17-year-old Lockport Township girl was attacked by two pit bulls Wednesday night.

Caitlyn Peterson, of 60345 Strobel Road, was in critical condition after undergoing surgery Thursday morning at Borgess Medical Center in Kalamazoo.

According to the St. Joseph County Sheriff, the attack happened around 6 p.m. Wednesday. Peterson went outside to check the mail when she was attacked by the two dogs. The dogs were fought off by the girl’s father.

Peterson was taken to Three Rivers Health and then airlifted to Kalamazoo by West Michigan AirCare.

St. Joseph County Animal Control. Director Tom Miller credited the quick action by neighbor George Phillips and Peterson’s father.

“I think that if her dad wasn’t at home they (dogs) would have killed her,” Miller said. “George was there to start giving her medical attention.”

Animal control officers said both dogs were voluntarily surrendered to officers Thursday morning.

Deputies were assisted by Three Rivers Ambulance and animal control.

The dogs’ owners are out of the country and the dogs were being taken care of by a family member.

Authorities said the dogs will remain in rabies quarantine for 10 days.

After that, a hearing will be held in reference to the Michigan Dangerous Dog Law. The case has been turned over to the prosecutor’s office for possible criminal charges.

[ambrose]

[ambrose]

ping.

[bad company]

I'm starting to see a pattern here.

[eccentric]

If your are in fear of someone's dog (or other pet), contact the homeowner's insurance company as well as the police. Sometimes people will listen to money instead of authority. My homeowners insurance does NOT allow me to have specific kinds of dogs, nor any animal that may be dangerous.

BTW This can sometimes work for bad drivers, too.

[DAVETHEMAN]

This girl that got attacked in lockport township, she is going out with me.

[dit_xi]

Dogs don't kill, people kill...wait...I mean dog owner kills. That came out wrong. I mean guns don't kill... dogs do kill people...and people kill people, too. And people also kill dogs, some people eat dogs...and I hear it's pretty tasty and taste kinda like rabbit. Rabbit, however, do not kill. But rabid dogs do kill. Rabbits, however, do not carry rabies as they are lagomorphs.

I once took care of a 4 years old boy in the Emergency Room who was killed by a pit bull. He was bitten in the head and his skull was crushed. There was brain matter everywhere. Never could I have ever imagined that a dog could crush a human skull, but this dog did. The local newspaper reported that the dog was a pit bull terrier cross breed, and was bred by the owner specifically for dog-fighting, an illegal activity here in the south but people still do it and they bet plenty of $$$$ at the matches.