It seems that every week we read or hear of another attack on a human by a pit bull dog. Children and even grown men have been attacked and killed by the breed, yet calls to address the problem seem to go unheeded.
The latest attack involves an 11-month old baby in New York who has died from injuries inflicted by the family pet. Diesel is a 2-year old pit bull that the Cittadino family has owned since he was a puppy. Mrs. Cittadino says the dog had never before shown any signs of aggression.
That is what we often hear from owners of this breed – that their dog had never attacked anyone else. But it is that one attack that leaves a person injured or dead that begs the question: should it be illegal to own a pit bull?
Little Carter Cittadino had apparently been playing with his three older sisters in their New York home. Lisa Cittadino says she turned her head for a moment and then heard the screams coming from the next room.
Apparently, Carter had gotten too close to Diesel’s food bowl when the dog started attacking the baby. The mother called 911 on Sunday evening, but by the time help arrived, the dog had torn apart Carter’s face and neck, and he died.
Cittadino says she immediately ran to Carter when she heard the screams, but she could not get the dog to let go of her baby, for several minutes – which must have seemed and eternity. After calling 911, she attempted CPR on the baby, to no avail.
Authorities say that Cittadino immediately requested that the dog be euthanized; Diesel was removed from the home by animal control.
Are Pit Bulls a bad breed? Tell us what you think.