My brother got mauled by a pitt bull
By Sherry
@norcal (4889)
Franklinton, North Carolina
January 11, 2016 1:06am CST
I love dogs, and I have always felt that pitts get a bad rap. My daughter has one. My son has two. All very loveable.
I just came back from the hospital, where my brother has been admitted for severe dog bites to both arms and one leg. The wound on his right arm went all the way to the bone.
Since he is semi-homeless (lives in a camp trailer with no electricity or running water) it looks like he will be coming to my house.
The dog attacked him when he got between the dog and a woman it had knocked down. She turned out to be the owner. When he sternly told the dog "no" it bit him. My brother had a knife, and attempted to defend himself with it.
Finally, the dog had to be shot to stop it.
10 people like this
12 responses
@infatuatedbby (94914)
• United States
18 Feb 16
Oh no! The owner couldn't calm her dog down? Will he be able to file a suit against the owner? I hope your brother gets better. I am afraid of dogs because of that reason..
1 person likes this
@hereandthere (45645)
• Philippines
11 Jan 16
but why didn't the owner say anything? i hope it wasn't rabid.
1 person likes this
@norcal (4889)
• Franklinton, North Carolina
11 Jan 16
It all happened very fast. When the dog first bit him, nobody really understood what was happening. My brother was wearing a lot of clothing as it was cold outside, so his wounds were not visible. When he started kicking the dog, the woman told him not to hurt her dog, when he was the one who was hurt.
It is unlikely to be rabid, but they do have the dog's body for testing.
3 people like this
@hereandthere (45645)
• Philippines
12 Jan 16
@norcal so what about all the costs involved - the hospital bills, the testing for rabies and disposition of the dog? is the owner going to be involved in it, too?
1 person likes this
@msiduri (5687)
• United States
9 Feb 16
@JudyEv My sister and her girlfriend have two pit bull mixes. Their jaws are powerful and were they so inclined, they could do a lot of damage. Their dogs are sweethearts, but my sister and her partner worked hard to socialize them and get them used to being around be people and being handled. At the moment, the greatest danger they pose is as a trip hazard.
2 people like this
@norcal (4889)
• Franklinton, North Carolina
11 Jan 16
The breed is so popular, at least it is here in California. 9 out of 10 dogs I see walking on the streets is a pit bull. It stands to reason that most dog attacks would be by the most numerous breed. They are a fighting dog and their bites can be devastating. You probably wouldn't hear so much if dachshunds attacked people, they wouldn't be hurt so badly. I don't know that I would never trust one, but I would be very wary of one I didn't know well.
3 people like this
@msiduri (5687)
• United States
17 Feb 16
@norcal Ideally, the owner would have kept the dog in a place where it wouldn't get out, endanger people like your brother and and no one would to shoot it. I don't know her circumstances, but that seems the least one could ask of an owner.
If it's a question between human and dog life, humans come first and no regrets as to that.
@scorpiobabes (7225)
• United States
24 Jan 16
How difficult a situation for your brother!
Any dog that is not raised properly will attack; pit bulls have such strong jaws, and won't let go immediately.
Pit bulls were once known as 'nanny dogs', and were used to watch over young children.
I miss my Floyd terribly-he was the larger of my two dogs (Bella was a mixed hound), but was sensible and steady. Such a sweet heart-he used to come up to me, and put his head under my hand, so that I'd pet him. He was a big baby!
@Sheilamarie78 (2586)
• Canada
16 Jan 16
I don't understand why people like pit bulls at all. Individual dogs may endear themselves, but they were bred to be fighters. I would prefer to have a dog who is easier to handle.
