ROTTWEILER DOGS SEIZED AFTER SERIOUSLY INJURING TODDLER AND MOM IN LA MESA

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By Miriam Raftery

Photo: ECM news partner 10 News

 

Update: a GoFundMe page has been set up to help the mother and son with their medical bills.

June 21, 2018 (La Mesa) – A 2-year-old boy will require arm surgery following a vicious attack by two Rottweiler dogs that escaped from a backyard kennel.  The attack occurred in the 6900 block of Waite Drive, where the tot’s mother, 29, was pushing him in a stroller, her 8-year-old daughter beside her. 

La Mesa Police received several 911 calls around 8:15 a.m.  today reporting the attack. LMPD officers, La Mesa Animal Control and Heartland Fire responded, arriving within minutes.

The large dogs escaped a fenced yard and ran across the street, where they immediately attacked the child in the stroller, biting him several times.

The mother tried to pull the stroller and child away from the attacking dogs, at which point one of the dogs jumped on her, knocked her to the ground and begin to bite her while the other dog continuing attacking the child.

Fortunately, several neighbors saw what was happening and came outside to help the family.  One witness said the bloody scene looked like a “shark attack,” 10 News reported.

Jamir Grigsby told CBS 8 that he was in his boxer shorts when he heard the commotion, ran outside and started punching the dogs and grabbing them by the necks.

The dog’s owner, Nathan Le, also came out and managed to pull the dogs off the mother and her child, returning the animals to their backyard. He voiced shock and remorse for what the victims are going through."If I could undo anything in my life, I wish I could undo that," he said.  He indicated the dogs managed to chew threw one fence and open a latch on another to break free.

Both mother and child were transported to a hospital for treatment of serious but non-life threatening injuries. The mother received several puncture/bite wounds on her arm. The 2-year-old had bite wounds on his head, face and arm and will require surgery for the arm injury. The 8-year-old was not physically injured.

Both of the dogs were declared dangerous at the scene, seized by La Mesa Animal Control and taken to the El Cajon Animal Shelter for quarantine.  

An investigation into this attack is being conducted by the La Mesa Police Department and City of La Mesa Animal Control, but the dogs could be euthanized.

 “The La Mesa Police Department would like to thank those persons who saw what was happening and came to the rescue of this family,” says Chief Walt Vasquez.

 


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Comments

Tragic! Yet all too common :-(

I saw this on the news last night and was heart broken for the innocent child. In one interview with a news team, the dog's owner indicated the animals will be euthanized.