Pit bulls terrorize Massachusetts block; 2 suffer dog bite injury

While it is true that any dog can bite, few breeds seem to cause as much damage as the ones that were bred to engage in bull and bear-baiting. Many believe that Pit bulls have earned their reputation as a dangerous animal, and they are on the top of the list for many homeowners’ insurance companies that refuse coverage in light of the numerous reports of dog bite injuries involving these breeds. Recently, two Massachusetts victims were hospitalized after four of these dogs got loose.

According to an eyewitness, the four pit bull dogs appeared on a street in the city of Fall River after apparently escaping from a backyard enclosure. An elderly woman was walking down the sidewalk when the animals grabbed her purse and subsequently pulled her down and began to savage her. A man working nearby heard the attack and ran to provide assistance.

He fought the animals off with a steel construction level and sheltered the victim from further attack. However, the dogs then went off in search of more victims. They attempted to jump on another older woman before turning their attention toward two other victims. The dogs knocked the two people down and began biting both of them, though a 54-year-old man was more severely injured than his 39-year-old female companion.

Massachusetts officials were finally able to catch the dogs, and they are currently under observation for the next several days to watch for signs of illness. The first woman and the male victim required hospitalization to treat their serious injuries. The 39-year-old woman was treated at the scene for her less severe wounds. The owner will be required to appear in court to answer for the damage her pets caused. These dog bite victims are entitled under Massachusetts’ laws — which is a strict liability state — (meaning that the pet owner can be held liable for any bodily harm inflicted by his or her pets) to pursue civil litigation to seek relief for their mounting medical expenses and other losses they have incurred as a direct result of this terrifying and seemingly unprovoked attack.

Source: necn.com, “2 Hospitalized After Pit Bull Dogs Attack in Fall River, Mass. Neighborhood“, Alysha Palumbo, Dec. 2, 2014