A 9-year-old boy called 911 and was able to save his 15-year-old sister from further injury after she was mauled by a family-owned pit bull. The incident occurred at their home on Starmond Avenue.
At half past one in the afternoon, the boy from Clifton called 911 and told the dispatchers that the family dog was biting his sister. Neither of the kids’ parents was home during the dog attack.
According to New Jersey News, the police officer that first arrived at the house saw the boy, who seemed to be in shock, standing in the driveway. When asked if his older sister was still in the basement, the boy could only nod. As the officer walked down to the basement, the boy’s sister, covered in blood, ran out of the basement. The girl was then followed by a 100-pound pit bull with a bloody mouth.
According to the animal control officer who responded to the scene of the attack, he saw the officer getting in between the pit bull and the girl. The police officer grabbed the victim’s arm to help her up the stairs. As the dog attempted to attack again, the officer fired his service weapon twice, causing the dog to be enraged even more. He turned the injured girl over to other responding police officers.
When the police officer returned to the basement, he found the dog hiding in the laundry room. The animal control officer, who later described the pit bull as an unneutered and aggressive male dog, attempted to snare the dog, but instead it charged towards him. The police officer shot and killed the dog.
Authorities later found that the family did not possess a city dog license for their pit bull.
The victim was treated at St. Joseph’s Regional Medical Center in Paterson for severe lacerations on her arms, legs, and stomach.
In the United States, one person seeks medical attention every 40 seconds due to a dog bite. Approximately 800,000 people are bitten by dogs each year, of which 18 people are killed. Most victims of dog attacks are children whose injuries require medical treatment. About 70% of dog bites occur in homes where the dogs live, and about $165 million is spent for dog bite treatment each year.
Pit bulls are responsible for many high-profile maulings and most fatal attacks on humans, as well as on other dog breeds, cats and other small pets. Due to severe injuries associated with pit bull attacks, many towns and cities have specifically targeted pit bulls with legislation that restricts ownership and increases penalties on owners in the event of a dog attack. Sadly, many pit bull owners do not have insurance to cover for the damages resulting from pit bull attacks.
If you or your loved one has been attacked or bitten by a dog, it’s important to contact an experienced New Jersey Dog Bite Lawyer. Scott Grossman has successfully represented many injured clients in central and northern New Jersey on a contingency basis for over 10 years. Contact The Grossman Law Firm today at (732) 625-9494.