“A stray pit bull wandered into a northwest Las Vegas Valley convenience store and gas station this morning, attacking three people before Metro Police shot and killed the dog.
Two men and an 8-year-old girl were taken to a hospital for treatment of non-life threatening injuries after the attack that started shortly before 8 a.m. Tuesday, said Metro Officer Barbara Morgan. One of the men drove himself to the hospital, she said.
A clerk inside the Short Line Express in the 6600 block of Sky Pointe Drive, west of North Buffalo Drive, saw a man and his daughter on top of their vehicle trying to avoid the dog, then called 911, Morgan said.
The clerk told police that the man was bleeding from one of his legs, Morgan said.
When police arrived the pit bull had entered the convenience store, where three men were holding it down. The dog was biting one of the men’s forearms, so police shot the pit bull, Morgan said.
The pit bull had no tags or collar and the owner is unknown. Police plan to search for a microchip in the animal.”
“One Victim: 2,500 Stitches
UPDATE 05/05/09: The owner of the pit bull, Jason Benton, was not home when his dog attacked his whole family. He arrived about 20 minutes into the attack. Jason told the 911 dispatcher, “They have to hurry. One person is trapped inside, two others, my mom’s thumb was bitten off...and it bit my brother in the face and arm...his arm is almost gone.” Jason’s brother Derrick received 2,500 stitches and will continue to undergo reconstructive surgery for his injuries.
“PITTSBURGH - A pit bull owned by Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker James Harrison has reportedly attacked the player’s young son, but police, hospital and team officials are releasing little information.
“We’re aware of the situation, but it’s a personal matter for James,” Burt Lauten, spokesman for the Super Bowl champions told The Associated Press. “We won’t be commenting further.”
An unidentified neighbor told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette one of the star player’s three dogs got loose Thursday and attacked the boy, James III. His age was not immediately available.”
“Pit bulls attack woman, kill dog
Two pit bulls attacked and injured a 79-year-old woman and killed her 7-pound Yorkshire Terrier on Saturday morning in the area of 4800 Bahama Shores Drive Southeast in St. Petersburg, police reported.
Elizabeth Nebbia told officers she attempted to protect her dog and was bitten on her hands and arms, a St. Petersburg Police Department report stated.
Animal Control officials found both pit bulls and placed them in quarantine. Police said they have not identified the owner.
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Chet went to sleep...;0)
I have always maintained that a person who takes responsibility for the training and socialization of any breed should be aware of the tendencies of that breed, and treat them accordingly. I happen to have a Welsh Corgi. He’s a herding dog, and always will be. I knew, from the git-go, that the dog would be a nipper, because that is how he herds, by nipping heels. He would not be aggressive, but the nipping heels would be a problem, especially around children. So Job #1 with that pup was training that nipping out of him. He doesn’t nip now, but if I have a bunch of kids running around in the back yard, looking like they need herding, the dog is on a leash at his master’s feet, just to be on the safe side.
The owner of a Pit Bull should also be aware of the breed’s tendency to aggression and should train and socialize the dog accordingly. I am sure it is possible to do this successfully. But, even so, a prudent owner will keep his dog out of situations that might trigger his negative behavior, such as wrestling around with other dogs. If there are a bunch of dogs running around the back yard, the Pit Bull’s place might best be on a leash, just to be on the safe side.
The problem, of course, is that many owners do not want to train or socialize the aggressive tendencies out of their Pit Bulls. Just the opposite, in fact. They want to build on the dog’s natural aggressiveness to make the dog violent and ready to attack on a moment’s notice. While this can be done with any breed, a Pit Bull will respond particularly “well” to this sort of training, and will become a very dangerous animal. It is the natural tendency of the breed, and many owners exploit this tendency for their own stupid reasons, often with tragic results.
My sister has her 2nd pit bull. Both have been raised with children and grandchildren in the house without incident. Both of my sons have pit bulls and would have no other breed. They are both puppies at heart and love to play and have never bitten anyone, and they’ve had the chance. They have been raised with other people and with affection.