California Injury Blog
A 4-year-old boy was injured in a dog attack involving his family’s pit bull.
According to a CBS Los Angeles news report, the incident occurred the afternoon of July 7, 2014 at a home in the 7600 block of Honeysuckle Street.
The dog jumped on the child biting his head and face.
Two off-duty LAPD officers who live in the area responded to help the boy’s mother get the dog off the child.
One of the officers
shot the dog.
Fontana police officials determined that the male pit bull that was not neutered had attacked the child in his home. The boy was rushed to a regional hospital. Both of the boy’s ears were severed and he had numerous puncture wounds to his head and face, officials said.
His current condition is not known.
Our thoughts and prayers are with this toddler and his family. We wish him the very best for a speedy and complete recovery.
Dog Attacks and Children
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, dogs bite about 4.5 million people each year.
Nearly one in five of those who are bitten, about 885,000, need medical attention for dog bite-related injuries and half of these are children. In 2012, more than 27,000 people underwent reconstructive surgery as a result of being bitten by dogs.
Children are also more likely than adults to receive medical attention for dog bites.
Protecting Children from Dangerous Dogs
Based on this news report, Fontana adopted a pit bull ordinance in 2011, making it mandatory for all owners of pit bulls and mixed breed dogs to spay or neuter their dogs before they reach the age of 4 months.
Research suggests that dogs that are not spayed or neutered tend to get more aggressive with age. Both Fontana police and LAPD are investigating this incident.
If you have a child at home, it is crucial that you get the family dog spayed or neutered, especially, if it is a breed that is known to be more aggressive such as a pit bull or a pit bull mix.
There are steps every family with a dog can take to protect children, whether the children are part of the household or visiting:
• Teach your child not to approach an unfamiliar dog.
• When approached by an unfamiliar dog, children should remain motionless and not run or scream.
• Children should not be allowed to play with a dog unless supervised by an adult.
• Avoid direct eye contact with dogs at all times.
• Do not disturb a dog that is sleeping, eating or caring for puppies.
• If bitten, children should immediately report the bite to an adult.
If you or a loved one has been injured in a dog attack, please contact an experienced personal injury lawyer to obtain more information about pursuing your legal rights.