Woman mauled by home-invading pit bulls

KING5 ^ | 8/21-07 | KING5.com Staff

[paulat]

Woman mauled by home-invading pit bulls

07:45 PM PDT on Tuesday, August 21, 2007

KING5.com Staff

Animal control officers say the victim was covered in blood after the dogs attacked PIERCE COUNTY, Wash. - In what deputies describe as the worst mauling they've ever seen, two pit bulls entered a Wauna-area home via the pet door and attacked a woman in her bed.

Pierce County Sheriff's Dept. spokesman Ed Troyer said a neighbor's Jack Russell terrier also entered the home in the 10600 block of 132nd St. Court NW through the dog door and the pit bulls attacked the terrier named Romeo.

The 59-year-old woman was in bed, in her room. Neighbors say she was sound asleep when the attack happened. She managed to get away, run to her car, lock herself in and call 911. Even after fighting off the dogs, she was in pretty bad shape.

Bernard Choi / KING 5 News

Two pit bulls entered a Pierce County home and attacked a woman in her bed.

"Pretty much from head-to-toe, she was covered in blood," said Pierce County Animal Control officer Brian Bowman.

Troyer said firefighters locked the pit bulls in the house until deputies arrived. Officers had to use pepper spray and fight the dogs to get them into custody.

The woman was taken to St. Joseph Hospital, where she was listed in satisfactory condition. The terrier was taken to an animal hospital, where he died Tuesday afternoon.

The pit bulls were taken to the Pierce County Humane Society, where they will remain until the case is resolved.

The pit bulls also attacked a Jack Russell terrier named Romeo.

Troyer said the owner of the pit bulls has been identified and lives on the same street as the victim. KING 5 went to the home, but nobody answered the door. Neighbors say they have had problems in the past with the two pit bulls running wild.

Information will be given to prosecutors, who will decide what, if any, charges will be filed against the owners. Animal control officers say they will recommend gross misdemeanor charges at the very least.

[meandog]

100 percent agree. If my neighbor brought home one of these monsters I would destroy it at my first opportunity. Pit bulls are a loaded gun pointed in our direction and I won’t tolerate them.

If you are saying you'd destroy your neighbor's dog for no other reason than you don't like so-called pitbulls, you better be glad that you don't have neighbors like me!

[luvmypitt2]

LMP was not trying to post cutsie pics to irritate you. Those are real pics from her home that she was using to try to prove her point...exactly what everyone her is trying to do.

[meandog]

If you live in a neighborhood with pits, having a pet boerboel, fila, or cane corso would provide a good first line of defense, which should be backed up with a .357 or larger caliber.

While I would agree that some big breeds (such as a Dogo Argentine, Fila, etc.) would fare well, pound for pound a so-called pitbull is the greater fighter... The problem is that what are known today as PBs have been so ill-bred that the characteristics of their orginial sires (Amstaffs, Engstaffs and bull terrriers) are hardly present in the outcome--but those great breeds of dogs bear the brunt of being lumped in with what people call a pitbull.

[luvmypitt2]

I also have watched many children and adults die. I was a hospice social worker for many years. I understand the point that you are trying to make. I know that the death of an animal is different than the death of a person. What I was trying to say is that if someone killed my dog for no reason, I would be very angry over that. I don’t think that I have a twisted view of people vs. dogs. My point is that I care about my animal and I wouldn’t want anyone to kill him just because they don’t like his breed.

[from occupied ga]

Those are real pics from her home that she was using to try to prove her point...

Using pictures of an animal doesn't prove anything other than you have the animal. There was a posting of a kid sleeping on a LARGE (probably 200lb +) pet reticulate python several years ago - wish I could find it. Does this mean that reticulate pythons are trustworthy and make good pets? I wouldn't have one, since their personalities vary considerably from individual to individual, and I've had snakes, cats, gerbils, lizards, tropical fish, and dogs as pets.

[luvmypitt2]

I agree! Don’t shoot my dog for being a dog!

[luvmypitt2]

I guess this is where everyone has to decide for themselves what kind of pet they will allow in their home.

[from occupied ga]

My point was that while some large snakes are pretty docile pets, they can cause a lot of damage so why take the chance - same with dogs. Some pit bulls are doubtless bigger wimps than golden retrievers, but the odds are that they are more likely to turn nasty than something else. Your choice, but I was talking to a plastic surgeon, and was told that dog bites on the face are not all that easy to fix.

[Eric in the Ozarks]

I don’t miss.

[kanawa]

Using pictures of an animal doesn't prove anything other than you have the animal.

Using pictures of (purported) pitbull bites doesn't prove anything other than some pitbulls bite.
As you said a "Sense of proportion is needed".
When faced with attitudes or opinions such as 'all pitbulls are viscious killers waiting to snap' or 'only rarely does a pitbull have a good disposition' or 'kill them all and the owners too', posting a picture of a well-cared for and well-mannered pitbull introduces some sense of proportion.
Personally after awhile on a thread countering the same old misconceptions, falsehoods and hyperbole I get to feeling like this...

and will just post a pic or two of my dog, not only introduce a sense of proportion, but to get myself to lighten up.

[from occupied ga]

posting a picture of a well-cared for and well-mannered pitbull introduces some sense of proportion.

Only in your mind. Pictures of dogs may be the thing for dog lovers, but for the rest of us they're irrelevant. There are multiple problems with dogs. First unlike firearms dogs are self willed and can act on their own. Secondly dogs will make unprovoked attacks on people. Third, the dog owners seem to think that because their dog did it rather than they personally did it, that this somehow absolves them of the responsibility for the dog's action. Fourth, dogs are the "sacred cows" of America and are not viewed as animals by the majority of their owners, but as furry people. They're not people they're animals, and further they're intrusive animals.

As a dog person perhaps you could explain something to me that has eluded my comprehension, but is typical of the problems with dogs and their owners. Why do dog owners believe that they have the right to bring their animals on to other peoples' property for defecation and urination? (I believe this is called "walking the dog" although "crapping the dog" would be a more appropriate term) I consider it vandalism.

[luvmypitt]

Thanks Kanawa “oh, all the pit bulls I know are just little angels, I don’t know what the fuss is all about”?

That NEVER came from me.

My first posts said that I fully understand why some people think all pit bulls are these monsters because all many people know of the breed is what they see from the media.

Then I asked if you all would just take some time and read about this breed of dog to see that they aren't all bad dogs before you judge.

I went out a limb and even shared photos of my children with my pit bull.

I had no idea some people would be cruel enough to say I loved my dog more than my kids and I should not be allowed to have children if I own a pit bull.

Yeah that was low !

I just wanted to show that not all Pit owners are bad people.

I tried to keep my cool and have an adult discussion about this and it got way out of hand.

I am very sorry for the bad language.

[Xenophon450]

Then in fact on this issue they are not conservative at all, but liberal.

[kidd]

OK - Here’s one vote in your poll from this conservative...

no more friggin laws.

[Mad Dawg]

What I was trying to say is that if someone killed my dog for no reason, I would be very angry over that. I don’t think that I have a twisted view of people vs. dogs. My point is that I care about my animal and I wouldn’t want anyone to kill him just because they don’t like his breed.

Well, alrighty then! :-)

[Xenophon450]

A long time ago when I lived in the inner city me and my friend would walk through the alley before going to elementary school. There was a vicious dog patrolling out here that was part German Shepard and part GR, I never knew why it would try to attack us but luckily we always had a chain link fence behind us we could climb. Well one day in late afternoon we were pacing through the alley when we discovered why the dog was the way it was. The owner some detestable barbarian was yelling at his dog to come in, he then proceeded to procure a shovel and beat it until it came in. The man was not trailer trash he was of Mexican descent and wasn’t too handy in English. That dog terrified us but eventually it disappeared, I guess he beat it too hard one day...

[Xenophon450]

The only pit bull I had ever had a problem with was when I was a kid (once again) it escaped from the neighbor across the alley but it was vicious because he kept it in a 20x20 cage all day and washed it by spraying with the hose. Large urban areas have many pit bulls because it is thug like and such. The calibers of these such owners are less than adequate to have in their possession, power over another living being including their own children.

[meandog]

I don’t miss.

Neither do I...especially if someone is on my property to kill my dogs!

[kanawa]

Why do dog owners believe that they have the right to bring their animals on to other peoples' property for defecation and urination? (I believe this is called "walking the dog" although "crapping the dog" would be a more appropriate term) I consider it vandalism.

No consideration for how their actions affect others?
Lack of spiritual or civic education?
Poor parenting?
Immaturity?

It just struck me that this is similar to a problem I encountered over the summer.
I was tenting in a campground for a week. Everything was fine, I was enjoying the peace and quiet, then the weekend came and some younger people set up across the road. Next thing I knew there was loud rap music blaring out something about bitches and asses. I wasn't going to put up with it and went over to talk to them. They were a couple of youngish women. I told them I really didn't want to listen to their music and received the snarky reply from one, "Well, don't then". I told them that was impossible at the volume they producing. They said they were allowed to play music to 11 PM and I replied that excessive noise was not allowed at any time, that I had no desire to argue with them and if they didn't turn it down we'd let the park rangers decide and returned to my campsite. The music was turned down and a half hour later they came over (after they had gone and talked to the ranger) apologized, agreed that it had been too loud, that they would keep it down and offered me a pair of ear plugs. I looked at the earplugs with a degree of incredulous astonishment but graciously accepted them.

Point is, how could somebody be so inconsiderate,so uncaring, so braindead to think that blasting their music was their right regardless of the presence of others? The answer to this is probably the same as the answer to your question.

[Eric in the Ozarks]

Right. gonna stay 250 yards out.