Posted on 03/05/2003 5:21:18 AM PST by 2nd_Amendment_Defender
TAMPA - Teresa Castellano knows that some folks saved her life. She just doesn't know who they are. Castellano, 25, her daughter, Alysa McBride, 6, and her daughter's friend, Kaitlyn Green, 8, survived a recent attack from two Rottweilers and a pit bull.
It is an amazing story of horror and heroism.
Castellano said it began while she was watching the girls at Kaitlyn's home on Jan. 18. Kaitlyn's father, Sean Green, had stepped out for 10 minutes to run an errand.
Castellano, of Land O' Lakes, said she and the girls laughed at something on television, and that apparently sparked the dogs to start barking and growling. She soon realized the dogs were not playing, and she sensed it might get worse.
She asked the girls to quiet down so the dogs would relax.
It never happened.
The dogs attacked.
``When [the Rottweilers] saw the fear, one of them started biting Kaitlyn,'' Castellano said. ``I told them to stop screaming because they were making the dogs upset.''
Castellano said she laid on the girls to try and protect them from the dogs. She then tried to block the dogs to give the girls a chance to escape to a bedroom.
Nothing was working. The Rottweilers were going wild.
So Castellano and the girls bolted outside the house at 8126 Bay Drive. The girls ran to safety in a neighbor's house while Castellano distracted the dogs. The pit bull, Petey, joined in the attack.
The commotion outside attracted the attention of neighbors and a motorist passing by.
John M. Anderson and his wife were in their car and leaving a friend's house nearby when they passed by and saw three dogs attacking Castellano, according to a Hillsborough County sheriff's report. Anderson drove into the driveway and began blasting the horn and yelling out the window, trying to scare the dogs and allow Castellano to get into the car.
It seemed to work. The dogs stopped biting Castellano, but she couldn't make it to his car.
Anderson, 22, was about to get out of his car when he looked over his shoulder and saw a man toting a pistol. He kept honking his horn and sped away to get his friend, Justin Turner, who lived nearby.
The man with gun was Winston H. Harr, a next-door neighbor. He had heard screaming outside and grabbed his Kimber .45-caliber pistol. His wife, Deborah, came, too.
Harr said he saw Anderson's car moving back and forth in the driveway, and three dogs attacking a woman. Harr fired three shots into the ground to try and scare the dogs. They screamed at the dogs, but it didn't seem to matter. Deborah Harr called the dogs by name, and they stopped momentarily.
Then, without warning, the dogs charged at Harr. The pit bull bit him on the leg before Harr trained his pistol and fired, hitting the dog in the head. He also fired at one of the Rottweilers, and it fell to the ground.
Harr, a librarian's assistant at Jimmie B. Keel Regional Library near Carrollwood, said he fired the rest of his bullets at the third dog, and it seemed to back away. He bolted for his house for more ammunition and a flashlight.
Turner, who had heard the screams and was told by Anderson of the attacking dogs, grabbed his Glock .40-caliber pistol and ran to the scene. He was told there were three dogs, and only one was dead.
Turner, 33, told deputies he positioned himself between the wounded Castellano and the Rottweilers. When one of the dogs made a move toward him, he fired. Deputies believe it was his bullet that wounded the dog.
At that point, both Rottweilers retreated into the house.
Also arriving at the scene was neighbor George Lease, a Tampa police detective. Carrying his 9mm pistol, he found Harr and Turner at the house with their guns.
While Deborah Harr and Anderson comforted Castellano, the three armed neighbors searched the house and found the dogs, one wounded and on a couch and other other laying on the living room floor.
The wounded Rottweiler was euthanized later that night at Florida Veterinary Specialists, said Dennis McCullough, an investigator for Hillsborough County Animal Services.
The other Rottweiler was placed under quarantine at Animal Services until Wednesday, when it was euthanized.
Alysa was released from St. Joseph's Hospital on Jan. 26; Castellano remained hospitalized this week due to infections from the bites. Both mother and daughter needed more than 100 stitches each to close the wounds on their bodies.
Kaitlyn's injuries required 20 stitches, said her mother, Jennifer Harvey of Town 'N Country.
Sheriff's spokeswoman Debbie Carter said no one will be charged in the incident.
For Castellano, she said she doesn't know who fired the shots that spared her from the dogs.
``I thank them with all my heart. They saved my life.''
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The demeanor and appearance of most Dobermans, Pit Bulls, and Rotweilers give me the willies. I personally have no desire to be around these dogs. I did once make the acquaintance of a very friendly Rotweiler in its owner's presence. The owner told me that the dog "liked guys" and that I could pet the dog. I did and could feel how powerful and muscular the dog was. Its claws were long and it scratched my bare arms just being friendly. I hate to think how much damage it could do if annoyed.
We have a Lab who is just a big baby and is very tolerant of the 3-year-old. But I won't turn my back on the two of them together.
I am now protected by Mauser (my shepherd) who will intercept any intruder to be pet, giving me time to get my gun.
This is OBVIOUSLY the case of a moron compensating for some size deficiency by having a bunch of dogs he percieves as bad. What an idiot. Young kids and 3 big dogs. Pits unless inbred or beaten are generally great dogs. However it seems that most of them are now owned by inbred idiots.
A few comments
How many shots were fired at the three dogs?
How many shots scored?
Only ONE dog was killed by the shots??!!?!?!
Does this give anyone the idea that Rottwiellers are NOT exactly the friendliest, most docile, most "pet-like" or tamest animal on the face of the earth? Do I have to remind the readers of the power and impact energy of a large caliber pistol slug?
These people who own these dogs should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law, IMHO, the same way the law would prosecute any "user of a deadly weapon" in a crime, because this is a crime, a crime of negligence and stupidity.
Speaking strictly for myself, I do NOT like big dogs, period, especially around children. Animals are by nature NOT TAME, and are unpredictable at best. I'm sure a ton of people with Fidos and Spots will disagree with me, so what? Animals have minds, and are therefore unpredictable in any situation, trained or not. I refuse to listen to those who own and defend deadly animals in cases like these.
Harr, a librarian's assistant at Jimmie B. Keel Regional Library near Carrollwood, said he fired the rest of his bullets at the third dog, and it seemed to back away. He bolted for his house for more ammunition and a flashlight.
Did he miss? Or did the dog just eat 5 rounds of 45 FMJ/JHP whatever?
Sounds like a good argument for leaving the pistol and grabbing the 12GA.
Sheesh.
By the way, my black lab, a nine-year-old, will not let anyone near my children or me when my husband is away - he will growl and then bite if you get too close. It is your responsibility to know the nature of your dog - not just its breed!
That being said, ain't it great to have armed neighbors!
Actually I think GR's account for the largest number of bites by breed - but they don't do much damage.
The problem with large, powerful working breeds is their capacity for destruction. Defenders of aggressive breeds have a point about the responsibility of the owner, but it's tough to ignore that the dog is an independent entity perfectly capable of doing whatever it chooses.
If a lab bites you, it's just annoying. Not so with a Rott, Canario, or Pit Bull having a bad day.
If you choose to keep "aggressive" breeds as pets or guard dogs, that's great, but like anything else you will bear the responsibility of your dogs misbehavior - and the "tougher" the dog, the greater the potential consequences.
My Black Lab was the apex of dog evolution. When He died I cried like a baby at 21 years old. I didn't cry at that point in my life! I had another lab attempt to attack me once however. Luckily there was a 1" black iron pipe handy that set the situation real clear in the dogs head. He is lucky I didn't have a pistol.
What your vet told you is true. When we lived out in the rurals, local farm dogs would get together in the morning and go off on jaunts together. Individually, these dogs were fine, but as a pack, they shagged small cattle, goats and chickens.
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