Woman Attacked In Oakland By Pit Bulls
 
(ABC7)
Two pit bulls are in quarantine and an Oakland woman is recovering from injuries sustained in an attack Monday morning in north Oakland.

Animal control officers say it's the kind of incident they see all too often.

There was little to suggest these pit bulls had just been involved in what some witnesses called a vicious attack.

Neighbor Machond Fields appealed on their behalf.

Machond Fields, neighbor: "They're real friendly. It wasn't really their fault. They were just trying to defend themselves."

It was a different perspective for this woman who was walking her dog, when her dog was attacked, and she was bitten in the process.

James Amos, rescuer: "I was sitting in my truck, and I seen the dog attack the lady and her dog and I jumped out of my truck and started pulling the dog off the lady and her dog."

Greg Nakanishi, rescuer: "I just started screaming for someone to call the cops and trying to hold one dog while James was holding the other dog. But he couldn't hold the other dog that much longer, because it was just really vicious."

Witnesses said their intervention may have saved the woman and her dog from more serious injury.

Brandin Becker, victim's friend: "His back paw is definitely, I don't know exactly what's wrong with it. It's definitely messed up and from being bitten by the dog."

Yvette Amos says she's concerned about dogs getting loose with a school next door.

Yvette Amos, neighbor: "We don't know if this is a one time attack or if these are really vicious dogs, because what I saw it was aggressive dogs."

The dog owner declined to be interviewed on camera, but said she felt like part of her family was being taken away, and it's the first time this has happened.

Emmanuel Querubin, animal control officer: "In Oakland it's common occurrence. Dog gets out, chase people, bite people."

Officers say they're investigating three dog bites this week alone. These pit bulls will be quarantined for ten days, and risk being euthanized only if the owner doesn't want them back.

According to the National Center for Injury Prevention, more than 4 million people suffer dog bites in the U.S. every year. Approximately 800,000 require medical treatment. Sixty-five percent are young children between 5 and 9 years old.


Last Updated: May 24, 2005