Posted on 12/09/2012 10:09:21 PM PST by Uncle Chip
SPALDING COUNTY, GA (CBS ATLANTA) - Lilly Goodson, 5, is in critical condition with severe bites to her face and body after being mauled by one of her family's dogs on Wednesday.
Her grandmother, Kathy Goodson, tried to stop the attack. Neighbors also tried to help, but it was Griffin Police Cpl. Stan Phillips that finally ended the attack.
"It was heart-wrenching to see. I never want to see it again," Phillips said.
Phillips is still shaken up by the events. When he arrived at the home on Ruth Street in Griffin, he witnessed a 120 pound pit bull attacking Lilly, and Goodson was trying desperately trying to stop it.
"She was trying to pry the dogs mouth open. She actually lost some teeth biting the dog, trying to get the dog off," Phillips said.
Phillips knew he had to act to save Lilly's life, so he drew his weapon.
"The dog still had Lilly's head in his mouth and I had to try to position myself, because it's a high risk situation, and be able to shoot the dog with being concerned for the child and grandmother's safety," Phillips said.
The 10-year police veteran's training kicked in.
"I fired the first round and the dog stopped and let go and looked at me and went to re-engage again, and I fired a second shot, and at that point he let go and went running around a tree where I pursued the dog and fired several more rounds until it dropped," Phillips said.
(Excerpt) Read more at cbsatlanta.com ...
A rarity- a cop actually shot a dog that needed shooting.
I gotta wonder, though, how people could even consider such a breed in a home with children.
and a 120 pound one at that.
It’s good to hear stories where the cop shot the dog because he had to in order to save someone’s life.
And again I’ll say the only place you should be able to see a pit bull is in a zoo.
Yup. There are big dogs that are wonderful with kids (I had a 10-year-old neighbour with a black lab that was bigger than her and they were inseparable), but a pit bull is not one to keep around kids who haven’t yet learned the hard way that some critters will bite when teased.
If it really weighed 120 lbs, it wasn’t a pit bull.
I think pit bulls should be classified as an “exotic” pet where one should prove that he’s qualified to care for it before being allowed to keep one. Too many owners do not know what it takes to keep them in control.
And yes, on the surface regulating them would seem to go against my libertarian instincts, but the fact is that if you harbour a potentially dangerous animal then you have the responsibility of ensuring that it doesn’t harm anyone.
It could have been a mixed breed, or maybe a rottweiler and the journo was clueless.
If it weighed 120 pounds, then it’s been feedun on more than Purina Dogchow.
I hope the facial scarring will not be bad, and that her eyes are OK.
Agree. May have been a mix breed; i.e., part pit bull and part something else. Also, presa canarios or a PC-mix could easily be mistaken for a pit bull.
Thank God the cop came along. Doubt the little girl would still be alive otherwise.
If anyone is interested...click on the Keyword “pitbull” just above Reply #1 for a history of articles about pitbulls on FR.
For your list
It was a Mastiff or Canary dog or something like that.
Just the journalist's incompetence.
My opinion? Homeowners insurance should refuse to cover any large bully-breed breed dog. Let the pit bull worship peers be ruined and martyred and thrown onto the streetb for their Big Love.
The arrogance of ignorance knows no bounds.
Pit bulls are banned in my town.
that being said, there are gobs of them at the animal shelter, some of which have been used as bait dogs for the sick demons that fight dogs. These poor bait dogs are all bruised and bitten up. There should be immediate and severe consequences for anyone associated with dog fighting, including for those sick individuals that bet on the outcomes. And they should not be allowed to play in the NFL.
I don't think it's "worship" to logically recognize that 120 lbs. is far beyond the range of pit bull weight. According to dogbreedinfo.com, the American Pit Bull Terrier weighs from 22 to 78 pounds.
When it comes to pit bulls, it's my view that the problems arise from bad breeders and bad owners.
Notice where you find all the pit bulls — in the inner city or outer counties where people have no homeowner’s insurance. No one in a suburban area where people have homeowners insurance is dumb enough to have one.
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