Chula Vista Woman and Dog Attacked by Pit Bulls

A woman was attacked in downtown Chula Vista by two pit bulls early morning on January 12, 2009 when she was walking her dog, according to the San Diego Union-Tribune news report. Two men who lived nearby apparently heard the woman scream for help on Jefferson Avenue near K Street.

One of the men, 30-year-old Lawrence Kijanka, said he and another man screamed at the pit bulls and chased them about a block away. The woman, who was attacked by the pit bulls, was trying to protect a small black dog she was walking. Kijanka said he saw the woman on the ground with blood on her forehead and apparent bite marks on her arms and legs. Chula Vista animal control officials have put the pit bulls under quarantine. There is no word about the dogs’ owner.

My heart goes out to the woman who was injured in this horrific San Diego County dog attack. I wish her the very best for a quick physical and emotional recovery as these vicious dog attacks can be extremely traumatic
The owner of these pit bulls must be held accountable for allowing the dogs to run loose in an area where they could pose serious danger to pedestrians. California has a “strict liability statute” in dog bite cases. California’s Civil Code Section 3342 states: “The owner of any dog is liable for the damages suffered by any person who is bitten by the dog while in a public place or lawfully in a private place, including the property of the owner of the dog, regardless of the former viciousness of the dog or the owner’s knowledge of such viciousness.”

The law in California is very clear in stating the responsibility of the dog owner. In this case, the dog owner should be held liable, irrespective of whether or not he or she knew that the pit bulls were vicious or could cause harm. It is the dog owner’s responsibility to restrain his or her dogs within his or her property. Letting dogs run loose in the neighborhood is certainly not responsible dog ownership. I hope this San Diego dog owner is held criminally and civilly responsible for the harm caused to this innocent victim.