[StBernard] Dogs Maul Man, 4-Year-Old Girl

[Westley Annis]

Dogs Maul Man, 4-Year-Old Girl
TheNewOrleansChannel.com
updated 5:49 p.m. CT, Fri., Jan. 11, 2008
NEW ORLEANS - The Louisiana SPCA reported that two pitbulls that escaped
from a yard brutalized a 4-year-old girl and a 56-year-old man Thursday.
According to a press release, the attacks occurred on the 900 block of North
Robertson Street. 

Neighbors told the SPCA that the child played near the street with other
children as the dogs closed in on her. Bystanders told the SPCA they tried
to stop the attack, but were unsuccessful for several minutes. 

The dogs then fled around a corner and attacked the man, according to the
SPCA?s account. Bystanders tried to stop the second attack, and one finally
shot one of the dogs as it mauled the man. 

Both victims were hospitalized. 

Officers said the girl suffered injuries to her head, face and neck and the
male victim lost his arm. 

The LA/SPCA impounded the two dogs involved in the attack and confiscated
two more from the dogs? owner. 

The LA/SPCA cited the owner with two counts of animals roaming at large, no
proof of rabies vaccination and possession of vicious dogs. Neighbors said
the dogs had roamed free before. 

?We have not seen a dog attack of this severity in New Orleans in over 10
years," said Kathryn Destreza, Director of Humane Law Enforcement for the
LA/SPCA. "While the dogs involved in today's vicious attack were pit bulls,
the mauling that occurred (Thursday) is not specific to any one breed of
dog, including pit bulls." 

Destreza noted that other large breed dogs as well as smaller breeds like
Schnauzers and Chihuahuas have been known to be involved in vicious attacks.


Destreza said that "tragically small children are most often the victims of
attacks by animals," and is the reason animal professionals always stress
the importance of children being closely supervised around animals. 

The LA/SPCA said it strongly encourages spaying/neutering of all animals
especially larger breed dogs as it reduces aggressiveness as well as the
tendency to escape enclosed yards. None of the four impounded dogs had been
altered. 

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URL: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/22613518/