Four year old Hailey Nunez was told that the pit bull was safe to pet. The dog’s owner assured Hailey’s mother that the 65 pound dog was friendly. Instead of being friendly, however, the dog viciously mauled the little girl. Five men struggled with the animal as it thrashed the child nearly to death. The dog finally released her after a neighbor hit the animal with a brick. Though Hailey has since been released from a San Diego hospital, the dog bite injuries are extensive.
On that same day in October that Hailey was nearly killed, San Diego area officers also shot and killed two marauding pit bulls, the UTSanDiego.com reports. In another incident, a 100 pound pit bull was menacing a neighborhood after getting out of its owner’s yard. The dog was coerced back to its home by police before anyone was injured or killed. Unfortunately, the dog that attacked Hailey was not subdued until after it caused irreversible damage: Hailey spent more than three days in the hospital and may require more surgeries. She is also on medication and must regularly visit the doctor’s office.
In another incident further north, a Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputy shot and killed a pit bull that attacked an animal control officer in La Mirada. Animal control was called after the stray pit bull was seen killing a chihuahua. When the animal control officer attempted to leash the animal, it jumped at her. That’s when the deputy shot and killed the dog.
These incidents are not uncommon. In fact pit bulls are regarded by many experts as the most dangerous breed (dogsbite.org). Many pit bulls, of course, are fantastic family pets but the dogs can, obviously, create massive problems. Pit bulls are incredibly strong and may not release their grip once they sink their teeth into their target. The facts about pit bulls as a breed suggest that these dogs may require particularly vigilante and responsible owners.
