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.

[When do we get liberated?]

I have to disagree with you. My GM had an Akita that I minded for a week. The child was in one of those roll around things and the parents thought he had wires in his hand. He didn’t, he was going up to the Akita and pulling his whiskers out........

[oldenuff2no]

“Every terrier that ever lived was also bred to bite and fight. Your post proves nothing.”
Actually I can see your point. Having spent the last 40 years of my life training every type of working dog Uncle Sam has in his inventory, bomb dogs, dope dogs, attack dogs, patrol dogs, tracking dogs, scout/point dogs, and commercially training a dozen or so stock dogs every year, I probably do not know anything about dogs or what makes them tick. So I will bow to the superior knowledge of a casual pet owner who does in fact "know it all." The very first thing I look for in a dog, any dog, is what they have been bred to do. I want to know exactly what their bred in instincts are. In any kind of working dog instincts are everything. When dealing with bomb dogs or dope dogs the ability to detect odors at a higher efficiency and the willingness to work is bred into the dogs I chose. There are certain blood lines of labs that have been bred to enhance their dope finding abilities. Other, most, lab blood lines are bred as hunters.

[gopheraj]

I agree. It depends on the “attitude” of the dog. I don’t like pit bulls... I should rephrase that. I love all animals and dogs expecially. I don’t trust them - any father than I could throw them even if the owner says it is a big baby. I would pet them in the owners presence but NEVER let one near my grandchildren. I do disagree with those that say the breed should be outlawed. It’s just like the smoking thing and I don’t smoke, never have. If you let the government take one thing away they will start in on the next until it just might be something “you” do/have. We had an english mastiff, a bigger lovey baby you never met to EVERYONE and we got him for protection. LOLL No matter if he didn’t know you or what, he still welcomed you. Now we are down to five dogs. A heeler and a half heeler who is our daughters whom we have custody of as she is in an apartment now and they are very good at watching. Someone comes up and they bark. Their yard is not connected to the rest of the house so they would never be in danger of biting someone IF they wanted to. In the house we have the best defense - three yorkies. There aint no one gittin’ in without them knowing it. Our female has ears like a damn bat or something. She hears the cats outside come on the porch. Highest pitched squeal/yap I have ever heard. LOL and it will wake you up out of a sound sleep like a gunshot.

[gopheraj]

Sorry - forgot to add a bit about our youngest daughter’s dog. It is a St Bernard rescue. Ally is the best nanny for her children. Will not let anyone chase the kids if they scream. She will grab the britches of anyone who does. A stray kitty came up and Ally let the cat “nurse” - this was after the cat was grown too. Krisi sent me pics. The cat had kittens and a heeler that a friend brought over had one of the babies cornered. Ally stepped in between the kitty and the dog and just raised her lip. “you are not hurting my grandchild” LOLL St Bernards can be mean too. Depends on the way they are raised. One time animal control had one in the back of the truck and as I passed by, Dumb @ss me got closer to say hello. Dog made the truck shake trying to get to me.

[achilles2000]

Thanks for the explanation. Although I’ve read about Kangals, I’ve never seen one. There are a few Anatolian breeders in the US, but there is some debate about the relationship of the Anastolian to the Kangal. In any event, those dogs need a lot of room...

There is a woman in Ohio who out crossed her OEM’s with Anatolians some years ago. That project has resulted in something called an American Mastiff. The dog is a little smaller than an OEM, but has fewer health problems and a tighter mouth. The owners seem to like the temperment.

[Ditter]

You are playing with words here Mame, that’s called semantics.

According to the dictionary: maul 1. beat and bruise, injure by clawing, handle roughly.

Pit bulls and other dog attacks are maulings. when you get into the dogs intentions, (he was just playing) you are coming off like a liberal does. ‘But, but ,my dog didn’t mean to maul and kill your child.’ It doesn’t matter if the dog was just playing and not really a mean bad dog. Any dog, pit or other breed who is fully able and 'willing' to kill an adult for no reason, does not belong in society. All dogs were bred to do a job, the job that pit bulls were bred to do is no longer viable.

[Barnacle]

But these are loyal obedient dogs and I am sure if they are trained to be mean they are viscious.

Obedient? Well if he was he was ziched (spelling?)on me because the owner was standing at the fence line from where they came. They paid no attention to calls of recall until I drew my knife and counter attacked.

They weren't scared by a human with a knife...

Is that right? Do you think he'd been scared of a person with a gun? Because, if I had a gun, there would be one fewer pit bull on the face of the Earth.

they just knew you didn’t want to play nice and left the insecure human to go play with himself.

I'm insecure? I'm not some idiot who owns a pit bull. I don't try to justify their vicious nature or their cowardice when confronted.

As to playing with oneself, thanks for taking a break from your usual websites and associated activities to share you perspective.

[When do we get liberated?]

I actually made it clear I didn’t want a pit bull, really didn’t want a dog at all. I rescued this one from the pound or just being let go to get hit by a car (yes, that was a real option, and made me take him.) As much of a well behaved dog as mine is and as good as his nature is, he is aggressively friendly. If he wanted blood, there aren’t many Olympic sprinters than could catch a pit in the first 30 feet.

By the way if you are walking thru a neighborhood and can pull a knife faster than that......you might just be insecure.

[unspun]

IMHO, the main problem with Pit Bulls is that their owners, due to a fundamentally unjust society, are away from home for long periods of time. They are often serving time in local and federal prisons on a variety of charges trumped up by "Pit Bull Haters," or undergoing extensive medical treatment for burns suffered when their home laboratories blow up because local fire departments are also in on this tragic conspiracy against this fine breed. Thus, they are not at home to discipline and train these wonderful pets.

"These wonderful pets" are unnecessary.

"These wonderful pets" are unpredictable.

"These wonderful pets" should be eliminated.

[When do we get liberated?]

You don’t play with yourself?
Ever?
Are you human?

[When do we get liberated?]

I changed my tag just for you man. Some people really take this as more than it is. If we were all in a room, I bet this would be a great conversation and we would all have a great night

[When do we get liberated?]

I agree with you there are some messed up people, but the dogs start out alright. Blow up the labs and parse the dogs on a unit by unit basis with extreme predjudice. Dangerous dogs should be destroyed, particularly if they taste human blood and take anouther breath. I just think that an animal that has been with humans since we lived in caves deserves a second thought.

[unspun]

They should no longer be bred. As has been pointed out, overall, they don’t make for a dependably trained defense/attack dog.

The current pets should be required to be spayed/neutered.

[Kenny Bunk]

So much bad craziness in this breed they’re not trainable as security/K9 dogs....

So here's a problem. After unfortunately winning an election some time ago, I had the unenviable task of enforcing the "No Pit Bulls, No Rottweillers, No Dobermans No dogs over 50#" Rule in local Public Housing (such as it is around here).

SO here's what I heard "That ain't no pit bull, he's just a mutt." Yadda yadda yadda. Plus the characters who keep these dogs ... and they are characters (usually repeat customers of the local PD and the County Sheriff) ... don't exactly run scientific breeding programs. We have had complaints about CHow-Pit, Rott-Pit, Mastiff-Pit etc. etc. crosses, Boxer-Pit, Doberman-Pit, you name it. All mean as hell.

Now defenders of this "breed" and they are a "breed" unto themselves, love to rave about the "qualities" of these dogs.. But there is one thing in the US of A that's hard to argue with and that is the Insurance Industry, God love'em. Emergency Room Docs, Police Departments. They know the score.

[mamelukesabre]

“Any dog, pit or other breed who is fully able and ‘willing’ to kill an adult for no reason, does not belong in society. All dogs were bred to do a job, the job that pit bulls were bred to do is no longer viable.”

~~~~~~

I dissagree. You are the one coming off like a liberal. Because YOU deem pitts as unnecessary YOU decide no one should own one. That is the same logic they use to take guns away.

Here’s something for you to think about. Horses kill people all the time. Sometimes intentional, sometimes not. There is no longer any need for horses in today’s society. Why don’t we just ban them all? Obviously these people killed by them are dying needlessly and we should step in and save them by eliminating the horses.

Think about that for awhile, then you can think about retracting your liberal remark.

[Ditter]

Wrong again mame, my husband raises bucking bulls, there is definitely a need for horses.

If you come back and say there is no need for bucking bulls, you can take that up with the PBR and PRCA.

[unspun]

CANINE ETHNIC CLEANSING

[unspun]

...it’s a good thing.

[School of Rational Thought]

Don’t or shouldn’t need another law. If one sees a free running dog, one should be able to shoot it without some law to be “allowed” by government.

Laws are generally passed to disallow something, not allow it.

[School of Rational Thought]

I think that it is within the bounds of the law to shoot aggressive dogs on your own property,/i> People also need to be protected beyound their own property line too. Dogs are my greatest fear while walking and is the reason I carry a firearm. Its been a number of times I have been pursued by dogs, from dobermans, pit bull and one of the huge French dogs, and an assortment of others. One should be able to shoot a rogue dog anywhere it is.