Dog Bites

Published on: February 18, 2010

Jogger Attacked by Dogs in San Diego

By Brian Chase

Tom Atkinson, 56, was injured in a dog bite incident in an Escondido gated community, according to a news report in the North County Times. He was apparently finishing a jog on Rock View Glen in the Emerald Heights development when he noticed what looked like two loose pit bull mix dogs growling at a neighbor and his leashed dog. As Atkinson walked on, the dogs lunged at him. He fought them off and they ran away, but returned and bit him several times. Atkinson sustained a bite to the forearm and another deep bite to the thigh. The report states that the owners of the dogs have chosen to euthanize the 5-year-old dogs, which have been the subject of prior complaints.

My heart goes out to Atkinson, who is dealing with dog bite injuries. I wish him the very best for a speedy and complete recovery.
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Published on: February 7, 2010

Pack of Dogs Attack Three Children in San Bernardino

By Brian Chase

Three children were injured, one critically, in a Fontana dog bite incident after a pack of five pit bull mixes attacked them. The Press-Enterprise reports that the children — Princess Colon, 7, Hector Perez, 6, Destiny Colon, 5, and a 3-year-old – were on their way to a park the afternoon of February 1, 2010, with their mother Josie Arellano, when the dogs attacked them. Destiny suffered critical injuries and bites while Hector had to get 235 stitches and Princess, 18 stitches to close up the tears and bites.
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Published on: February 4, 2010

Three Children Injured in San Bernardino Dog Attack

By Brian Chase

Three children were injured in a Fontana dog bite incident after they were brutally attacked by a pack of loose pit bull mixes. According to a news report in The Press-Enterprise, 5-year-old Destiny Colon was the most seriously injured in the attack, which occurred late afternoon on February 1, 2010, when Josie Arellano was walking to a neighborhood park with four of her children — Princess Colon, 7, Hector Perez, 6, Destiny, 5, and a 3-year-old. Arellano and the 3-year-old were the only ones uninjured in the attack. Hector and Princess sustained severe bites on their legs. Hector needed 235 stitches to close up his wounds while Princess needed 18 stitches.
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Published on: January 6, 2010

Dog Bite Injures Woman

By Brian Chase

A 64-year-old woman was hospitalized after she was injured in a dog bite incident on January 1, 2010 in Watsonville, a city in the San Francisco Bay Area. According to a news report in the Santa Cruz Sentinel, the woman was walking in the neighborhood the afternoon of New Year’s Day when a pit bull broke free of a tether in an unfenced backyard and attacked the woman, biting her on her left calf. Officials are considering filing charges against the dog owner.
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Published on: November 8, 2009

Vicious Dogs Bite Animal Control Officer in San Jose

By Brian Chase

Denise Friedrich, an animal control officer in San Jose sustained severe dog bite injuries after two pit bull mixes attacked her the morning of November 3, 2009. According to a news report in the San Jose Mercury News, Friedrich was responding to a complaint from Bikramjit Singh, a homeowner, that the two dogs had strayed into his backyard. When Friedrich got into the backyard, one of the dogs started to attack her. When she tried to fend off the pit bull with her baton, the other dog started to bite her as well. A police officer who came to Friedrich’s rescue eventually shot both dogs because they lunged at him. Friedrich’s suffered nine dog bites on her arms, legs and buttocks.
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Published on: October 31, 2009

San Francisco Area Fatal Dog Bite Incident

By Brian Chase

A 1-year-old child was fatally injured in a San Francisco area dog bite incident, according to a KSEE news report. The dog attack occurred evening of October 23, 2009 in Delhi, California, when the child who was being watched by his babysitter was suddenly grabbed by the sitter’s 65-pound pit bull. The dog grabbed the child by the throat and dragged him around the yard. The babysitter told Merced County Sheriff’s deputies that she had to stab the dog with a fork several times to get it to release the child. She then called 911 and then began to drive the baby to a hospital herself. She was stopped by police for erratic driving. The child was then rushed to an area hospital where he died. The pit bull has been quarantined. No charges have been filed yet in connection with this dog bite incident as an investigation is pending.
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Published on: October 15, 2009

Update: Woman Critically Injured in San Diego Dog Attack

By Brian Chase

The California dog bite lawyers at Bisnar Chase Personal Injury Attorneys understand how traumatic dog attacks can be. Sharon Holland, 54, suffered serious injuries in one such brutal dog attack in San Diego after she was attacked by three mastiffs. The attack was so horrific that it traumatized those who witnessed it. In fact, those who saw the dogs attack her say they are surprised that Holland is even alive. Holland’s family members say she was admitted with serious bite wounds after the attack on October 10, 2009, but that now her life is in danger because the wounds have become infected and she had to be rushed to the emergency room.
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Published on: October 13, 2009

Three Pit Bulls Injure Woman In San Diego Dog Bite Incident

By Brian Chase

Editor’s Note: As a few of our readers have pointed out, our source info was partially incorrect when this post was originally written. The attacking dogs were not pit bulls as originally thought, they were mastiffs. We will post an update in the near future on this event.

A woman was seriously injured in a California dog bite incident in National City on October 10, 2009 after she was attacked by three mastiffs. According to a 10news report, the woman, who has not yet been identified, was walking along the 2700 block of Granger Avenue when the dogs jumped on her and knocked her down. Christey James who apparently saw the injured woman lying unconscious on the ground and bleeding from her arms, called 911. The victim was hospitalized with injuries. Animal control officials now have possession of the three dogs. The dogs’ owner has also apparently been identified.
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Published on: June 1, 2009

Los Angeles County Dog Bite Incident Injures Police Officer

By Brian Chase

A police officer in Glendora, who was responding to reports of a vicious pit bull at a local residence, became a Los Angeles dog bite victim, according to an article in the San Gabriel Valley Tribune. The incident occurred the evening of May 31, 2009 in the 700 block of Hunters Trail. The officer suffered puncture wounds to his leg, but is expected to recover. Neighborhood residents apparently called police to report an unleashed pit bull that had children trapped in a car.

When the officer arrived at the scene, the dog ran down the street and back into its own yard. The dog bite occurred when the officer attempted to close the gate to contain the dog inside the yard. The dog’s owner was cited for violating the leash law and having an unlicensed dog. The pit bull was taken away by animal control officials.

I wish this police officer the very best for a quick and complete recovery from his dog bite injuries. Here was an officer trying to protect a few children from a vicious dog and he got bitten and personally injured in the process. I commend the police officer for putting himself in danger to protect young citizens. He did his job well.
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Published on: May 19, 2009

Dog Bite Accidents Continue to Victimize Children the Most

By Brian Chase

This is Dog Bite Prevention Week — a good time to consider the ways we can help prevent dog bite accidents. There is a lot of useful information out there for dog owners and others on how to prevent dog attacks. It is estimated that 4.7 million people are bitten by dogs every year. About 800,000 Americans who receive medical attention for dog bites each year are children. When a dog bites a child, the victim’s small size makes the bite more likely to result in severe personal injury.

A majority of dog bite injuries in young children occur during everyday activities when interacting with familiar dogs. With the safety of children in mind, this year the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) is introducing The Blue Dog Parent Guide and CD, an educational tool aimed at teaching children, 3 to 6 years old, and their parents how to avoid dog bite accidents.

Children are also frequently bitten on the face, which can result in severe cuts, infection or scarring. Plastic surgeons, just in the last year, have performed more than 16,000 reconstructive surgeries involving dog bites. There are three times more dog bites than there are brain injuries and still, there is very little information out there not only for community members who want to stay safe, but for dog owners about the importance of responsible dog ownership.
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