Dog bites and animal attacks are some of the worst injuries that victims can suffer. Being bitten, clawed, chewed, pounced on, ripped apart, and mauled can leave victims with lifelong injuries or even fatalities. Sadly, animal attacks can be caused by dog owners mistreating their pets; however, sometimes, certain breeds of dogs are just more prone to attack, such as pit bulls.
Just last month, a Georgia animal attack that involved several pit bulls and pit bull mixes killed a toddler. According to police, the family owned the seven dogs that attacked and killed their little girl. Somehow, the toddler slipped outside through the dog door and was attacked by the dogs. Sadly, she was pronounced dead at the scene after suffering such a vicious animal attack. The little girl’s mother was charged with second-degree cruelty to children, and the dogs were all euthanized.
This unfortunate and needless animal attack shows us once again that dog bites and animal attacks in Georgia can occur in any neighborhood, at any home, and to anyone—including little kids. However, not every breed of dog is prone to attack like pit bulls, as pit bills have accounted for 71 percent of dog attacks in the United States, according to 2011 data from DogsBite.org. This statistic is shocking because pit bulls only make up five percent of the total dog population in this nation.
Are Pit Bull Attacks Inevitable?
While the statistics do indicate that pit bulls are more prone to become aggressive and attack humans, not all pit bulls attack. Most people feel like pit bulls are too dangerous to keep as family pets, while others believe that pit bulls raised in a loving environment wouldn’t attack humans. Still others believe pit bulls that are raised to be vicious or are trained for illegal dog fighting are the ones who are involved in the fatal animal attacks.
Whatever your belief is about these types of dogs, it is true that they are involved in more attacks than any other dog. Some other recent examples involving pit bulls that have occurred throughout our nation include:
- A little boy riding home from school on his bike was attacked by a pit bull, which drug him off his bike, bit him in the face, and punctured his carotid artery. Sadly, this little boy died as a result of this pit bull attack.
- An elderly man was raking the leaves in his front yard when he was attacked by a pit bull. He suffered from dog bites, cuts, and lacerations.
- A woman lost her index finger when she was bitten by a pit bull.
If you or someone you love was attacked by a pit bull or any other animal, you need to speak with a knowledgeable Peachtree City, Georgia premises liability lawyer to find out about your rights. Contact Shane Smith Law for a free consultation at (980) 246-2656 to learn more about your legal options today.