'Daddy is my hero' [father saves daughter from Pit Bull]

Maitland Mercury ^ | 9-16 | Maitland Mercury

[ambrose]

'Daddy is my hero'

By Alan Hardie

Tuesday, 16 September 2003

"Daddy is my hero - he saved me from a bad doggy.'' With 18 stitches in her body, little Abby Tull told yesterday how her father Jason Christiansen wrenched her from the jaws of a savage pit bull terrier.

"Doggy bit me sore,'' said four-year-old Abby as she recalled the attack at a house on the New England Highway in Rutherford on Sunday.

Police confirmed the attack and said the dog had been destroyed yesterday.

Jason and his partner Twila Tull told how a visit to a friend's house to celebrate a birthday turned into a nightmare when the pit bull bounded out and attacked their daughter.

"We had just dropped off a birthday present and were walking with Abby in front of us when the pit bull bounded out,'' Ms Tull, 23, said.

I just saw Abby lying on the ground with the dog on top of her - it went for her throat.

"My girl was screaming and I could see she had been bitten - when Jason tore into it and pulled her free.'' Nursing bite marks on his hands and knees, Mr Christiansen, 23, said: "I don't know what I was doing - I would do anything to save my girl.

"Abby was in front of us when I saw the dog leap on her from behind and knock her down.

"I dropped everything and ran to her. I grabbed the dog around the neck and tried to pull it off her, but it would not let go.

"We were wrestling on the ground and I was punching the dog ? I totally lost it.

"Abby's left ear lobe had been ripped out, she had puncture wounds under her arm and a big chest wound. "I could see her flesh and muscle hanging out - it was terrifying,'' Mr Christiansen said.

"The dog flung me back and I thought it would never let Abby go.

"It seemed to be going on forever before I finally got Abby free and Twila took her from me.''

Abby's parents urged all people with dogs to keep them separate from visitors in their homes.

"This has been horrible for Abby and a nightmare for all of us,'' said Ms Tull.

"Abby had a total of 18 stitches after operations at Newcastle's John Hunter Hospital - five stitches in her left ear, eight in her chest wound and the rest under her arm.

"She can't understand why the dog attacked her because she adores dogs.

"She had a little labrador herself and can't see why one of the animals she loves turned on her like that.'' But Abby's mum revealed her daughter could be expecting a happy surprise on Christmas Day.

"We don't want her to become petrified of dogs throughout her life,'' Ms Tull said.

"So Santa may be bringing her a little puppy.''

[ambrose]

"Pitbulls are Peaceful and Loving Dogs"

[ambrose]

ping

[MaryFromMichigan]

[LasVegasMac]

They are. I had several - 3, to be exact. Never a problem with my kids, neighbors kids, etc.

The only time there was a "problem" was when another dog came onto "their" turf.

Say what you want. I'd never own a different breed.

LVM

[Malsua]

After seeing a mauling victim from one of these, I'm ok with extincting them.

You want a dog that will protect you and your children, get a Mastiff.

A Mastiff will ACTIVELY protect the helpless. One of my best friends raised Mastiffs for years, and any number of times at shows and things, you could watch the mastiffs go into "protect" mode when someone came by. Their first instinct is to go to a child.

Literally, they are laying at your feet, happy as possible...a male stranger walks up...they will get up, walk over to the child and take a defensive posture. The only problem...they STINK! LOL.

They need a bath every other day or they're run you out. hehe.

[Glenn]

I'd never own a different breed.

Your choice to own them. My choice to kill them if they look sideways at one of mine.

[diamond6]

Send them all to South Korea!

[ItisaReligionofPeace]

I owned a half pit bull, half bull dog. He was my first dog (from the time I was a toddler until I was 11). He was very good with people and never even growled at a person, but you are right, he was hell on any dog that happened to wander into his turf. He killed three dogs that we know of.

[ItisaReligionofPeace]

"look sideways as one of mine"

One of mine what?

[LasVegasMac]

Your choice to own them.

I'm up to it this afternoon. You are correct in that statement.

My choice to kill them if they look sideways at one of mine

If you are a responsible owner, you don't have a problem. If you let your dogs on my property, I'll throw ya the remains.

LVM

[diamond6]

Thats very touching.

Pit bulls need to be banned or exterminated. I'm tired of hearing about these things mauling and killing little children and babies.

[ItisaReligionofPeace]

Pit bulls Guns need to be banned or exterminated. I'm tired of hearing about these things mauling maiming and killing little children and babies.

[Thinkin' Gal]

Palestinians of the dog world / Breed of Peace ping.

[quebecois]

"Jason and his partner Twila Tull told how a visit to a friend's house to celebrate a birthday turned into a nightmare when the pit bull bounded out and attacked their daughter"

Marrying the mother of his child might round the story out nicely.

[baltodog]

Not funny.
My friend had a pitbull and he taught it to shoot.
Wicked grouping (Dan Wesson .357) for a damn dog.
Also, that pup would drink you under the table -- then try to take advantage of you.

[ItisaReligionofPeace]

LOL. Reminds me of the time that my old worn out half pit bull, half bulldog supposedly fought a female dog up at the elementary school one Saturday. (our dog was around 10 years old and had old worn down teeth)The man who owned the female dog was trimming shrubs at the school. One of my school chums came down to our house and told me that someone had thrown our dog by his tail. I told my old man and we proceeded to the school. Long story short, one bear handed smack to the face, and the man who threw our dog by his tail found out that it is best not to mess with a man's dog, especially if the dog is an old worn out dog who couldn't have possible harmed a female dog.

[ambrose]

Do you believe that people should be allowed to keep pet lions or wolves in their apartments?

[ItisaReligionofPeace]

Sounds like a bad ass!

[ItisaReligionofPeace]

Do you believe that people should be allowed to keep pet lions or wolves dangerous assault rifles or handguns in their apartments?

[LasVegasMac]

old worn out half pit bull, half bulldog - 10 years old..

That jerk deserved to be bitch slapped, more than once!

June 19th, 2001, I put my "old worn out" lady to sleep. She was 17 years old. Her eye sight started failing several years before, no other problems. I swear her hearing improved with sight degradation. She was a great dog.

LVM