An American Staffordshire Terrier mix pet dog in Clinton Township attacked and bit a 45-year old woman, one of its owners, causing severe injuries and uncontrolled bleeding on one of her hands.
The reports say that when police officers arrived, the dog was at large and the victim was laying on kitchen floor with her hand covered by a wet towel. Paramedics who responded to the scene gave the victim first aid before she was transported to Hunterdon Medical Center for further treatment.
The victim’s husband said that he was watching a movie with his wife at their home in Township. When his wife started laughing, the dog attacked her and bit her on the left forearm. The dog released his wife after a few minutes. The couple owned the 5-year old pet named Tux since it was a puppy. The pet was current on all vaccinations and was registered with the Township. It had never shown signs of any aggression before aside from a minor incident that involved another dog.
When the dog was found, the victim’s husband walked the pet on a leash out of their home and managed to place his pet in a crate without an incident. The Clinton Township Animal Control Officer had taken in Tux for custody and transported the dog to a local vet’s office.
At its owners’ request, Tux was euthanized. The Hunterdon County health department was notified.
The American Staffordshire Terrier is one of three mostly-domesticated pit bull breeds that have generated debate during the recent years. While critics of the pit bull breeds say that these dogs are often overly aggressive and can be dangerous, the breeds’ defenders say that these pets are often mistreated or abused, which can cause them to exhibit aggressive behavior.
Even friendly dogs may cause severe injuries. A big, excited dog can knock people down, twist their ankles, wrench their backs or kill people with their friendliness and excitement. A big dog rushing to you to either say “hello” with excitement or to say “get lost” with anger may cause you to suffer from injuries. Most importantly, a big angry or threatened dog can attack and bite people even to death with their powerful jaws and teeth, especially the breeds feared by many – and an American Staffordshire Terrier is one of them.
When you or your loved one has been attacked or bitten by a dog, it’s important to contact an experienced dog bite injury lawyer to help you get the compensation you deserve.