Bicyclist attacked by pit bulls

C & G News (Michigan) ^

[Chet 99]

Bicyclist attacked by pit bulls

By Cortney Casey C & G Staff Writer

STERLING HEIGHTS — Passers-by came to the aid of a bicyclist who was attacked by four pit bulls near Metropolitan Parkway and Mound June 1.

According to Sterling Heights Police Lt. Dale Dwojakowski, the 59-year-old victim, a resident of Warren, sustained bite wounds to his ankles and wrist after the encounter with the dogs at around 1:18 p.m.

“This was on the sidewalk on 16 Mile Road … west of Mound,” he said. “He was just riding his bike. The dogs started charging him.”

When the man attempted to speed up to avoid the approaching animals, he lost control of the bike and fell to the ground, at which time the dogs began gnawing on his ankles, said Dwojakowski.

Several bystanders intervened, chasing the dogs away, though police and animal control officers managed to capture all four of the pit bulls shortly thereafter.

“Two of the dogs we kind of cornered right in that general area at 16 (Mile) and Mound, by the shopping plaza,” said Dwojakowski. “The other two dogs kind of ran into the subdivision, the surrounding streets.”

Dwojakowski said police later identified the dogs’ owner, who lives nearby. The woman, whose name has not been released, is not facing criminal charges at this time, but was cited for violating city ordinances, he said.

“Right now, a couple of ordinance violations were written for vicious dog attack and unlicensed dog,” he said. “Obviously she’s going to have her day in court on this to explain how this happened and how the dogs got out of her possession.”

The woman told officers she was uncertain how the animals escaped from her home, which is located in the vicinity of where the man was attacked, he said.

The dogs were being kept at the Macomb County Animal Shelter pending completion of a criminal investigation and outcome of the court proceedings. Dwojakowski said owners often sign away their rights and turn the animals over to the police and the shelter.

“At this point, I’m not sure what’s going to happen with the animals,” he said. “If a dog bit someone and it was pretty serious, in the past, dogs have been euthanized. But that doesn’t happen on every attack or bite. In this case, nothing’s been determined yet about that.”

The victim was treated at the hospital and released, he said.

Dwojakowski said it’s mandatory for all Sterling Heights residents to register their dogs, and though a license wouldn’t have prevented an attack, it would have helped officers identify the source of the animals more rapidly because the owner’s address would have been affixed to the dogs’ collars. Dog licenses are available through City Hall.

According to City Clerk Walter Blessed, city ordinance allows residents to have four animals, but prohibits more than that.

Anyone with information on the pit bull attack is asked to call the Sterling Heights Police Department at (586) 446-2800. People also can submit anonymous tips by texting the information, with “shpolice” as the first line, to tip411 (847411) on their cell phones.

You can reach Staff Writer Cortney Casey at ccasey@candgnews.com or at (586) 498-1046.

[CincyRichieRich]

I hope all 4 are put down and she either gets a civil suit or does time. I am sick and tired of the old adage, oh, I don’t know how they escaped and they’ve always been nice...I’m tired of pit bull owners, too. Yeah, that might get folks’ dander up. When you see as many as we do in Cincy, it really bugs you.

[1COUNTER-MORTER-68]

Shoot the basturds,,,

And the damned dawg too...

[guitarplayer1953]

Riding on the sidewalk? Is that not against the law?

[northwinds]

No, No, No....again they’ve got the story wrong....it was Golden Retrievers.....

[Howie]

An old country remedy (not necessarily a GOOD one) was a burlap bag bolted to one of the wheels of an auto. The pest-dogs would grab the flapping burlap and commit suicide by broken neck.

[GSP.FAN]

Shoot the basturds,,,

And the damned dawg too...

[conservativeharleyguy]

"...Bicyclist attacked by pit bulls..."

Ummhhhhh....... I'm actually kinda conflicted here..

[Hammerhead]

Can we just institute a nationwide kill on these freaking animals alread???!!!!!!!!!!

[GSP.FAN]

After yu gud ol boys made de dawg commit suicide,did ya eat it?

[shibumi]

"Ummhhhhh....... I'm actually kinda conflicted here.."

Know what you mean.

If it's just some average Joe, out for a ride, then he should be left in peace to enjoy his bike and the fresh air.

But if it's a skin-tight Spandex, outer-space helmet wearing Armstrong wannabe who thinks he has universal right-of-way, well.......

[Jack Hydrazine]

Halt! Dog Repellent Who knows more about dog attacks that the mailman? Letter carriers have had to deal with aggresive dogs since Claudius Polonius was delivering rolls of parchment to citizens of the Roman Empire. So what do the experts use to repel dog attacks? Well, the U.S. Postal Service has been using Halt! and Halt II Dog Repellent since 1966. You might say they have been conducting field tests for over thirty years. Halt! products use Capsaicin, a naturally occurring extract of peppers, which, when sprayed in a dog's face, causes only temporary, but extreme discomfort for the dog.

Think of it as attitude re-adjustment. Halt! stops him in his tracks, giving you time to move out of danger. Halt!'s pressurized spray is accurate up to 10 feet.
------------------------
I've used this on a dog while I was bicycling one day. It actually worked! It's accuracy is greater than 10 feet according to my experience using it.

[LongElegantLegs]

Eh...I don’t really have a problem with shooting dogs that have attacked, and the owners should be punished.

[bigbob]

Dead dog X 4

[GSP.FAN]

No problem with shooting the dawgs,but what about the basturds??

[GSP.FAN]

[shibumi]

Exactly!

[China Clipper]

"Halt" my arse!

If 4 pit bulls are charging/attacking me or anyone I love, I much prefer this

HALT!!

[LongElegantLegs]

I’m against bass turds, in general.

Seriously though, if my pitbull attacked someone, it would be because of some huge problem that I ignored, so I’d expect to be held criminally liable, at the very least.

[China Clipper]

"Halt" my arse!

If 4 pit bulls are charging/attacking me or anyone I love, I much prefer this

HALT!!