Recently in Dog Bites & Animal Attacks Category

As you’ve probably heard, an Ohio man released his 56 exotic pets shortly before he turned a gun on himself. Ohio officials were given the difficult task of hunting and killing Bengal tigers, bears, lions, and other animals.

This incident will probably increase the chances of a proposed Pennsylvania exotic animals law that would ban almost all private ownership of these animals. The proposed bill passed a House committee last spring and is awaiting action in the full chamber, reports The Philadelphia Inquirer.

Carmen Ramos was killed by a pack of pit bulls. The dogs belonged to her husband, Jose Alvarez, and the dog pack has had a history with the Pennsylvania Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (PSPCA). Now Ramos' son is blaming the PSPCA for the dog attack death.

Ramos, of North Philadelphia, was killed by five pitbulls on Tuesday. The attack happened less than two weeks after another violent incident involving the same dogs, reports the Philadelphia Daily News. On August 19, the dogs attacked two neighborhood residents, a 51-year-old woman and 25-year-old man. Police were able to subdue the dogs in that attack before things turned deadly.

A 10-year old girl was attacked by a pit bull in Philadelphia. She remains hospitalized and is in stable condition after receiving several stitches. As the girl recovers, this latest attack involving pit bulls and children brings to mind dog bite liability should the parents of the girl sue.

According to The Philadelphia Inquirer, the dog belonged to a neighbor of the victim. The neighbor is reportedly a good family friend and surrendered the dog to authorities. It's unclear if the dog will be euthanized. And while it has been reported that no criminal charges have been filed, it is also unclear whether the girl's family will sue their neighbor for medical expenses and other damages.

Leonel Trejo, an experienced bull rider, was trampled to death after falling from his bull during a rodeo at New Castle, Delaware. According to the Philadelphia Inquirer, Trejo was thrown from his bull after riding the bull for a minute and was stomped on the chest by the bull.

The Inquirer reports that police are currently investigating the incident to determine the exact cause of Leonel Trejo's death. The police have already stated that Trejo was not wearing any protective equipment at the time of the accident.

The Delaware County Daily Times reported two aggressive pit bulls were sent to the Delaware County Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) after mauling a mother, 18, and her 11-month-old baby girl. The dogs bit the mother numerous times, and her baby girl also suffered twenty puncture marks on her body as a result of the attack.

Local law enforcement responded to the report of the child bitten by a pit bull, and police Superintendent Michael Chitwood said the baby was lucky to be alive. "The dogs just snapped out," said Chitwood.

When buying wrapping paper, many consumers will shop at the Dollar Tree store in order to get some of the cheapest prices. However, one man might be traumatized for life after reaching into a ribbon box at the store's Southwest Philadelphia location.

The Philadelphia Daily News reports that 50-year-old Bernard King has filed a lawsuit against the store, claiming that a rat bit him and launched onto his finger when he was shopping for wrapping paper. The man reportedly had to shake the rat around in order to get it off of his finger.

The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review reports that the parents of a six-year-old boy have filed a lawsuit after their son was allegedly bitten by a dog.

The boy, who was five years old in April of 2009, was at the Derry Area High School to see a production of "Annie." While in the lobby he came across Indy, the service dog who was playing the part of Sandy in the musical. The Associated Press adds that the dog was a part of a booth designed to inform the theatre goers of the nonprofit group that provided the dog. The main function of this nonprofit group is to train dogs that can assist people with disabilities. The dog was wearing a vest that said, "I am friendly. Ask to pet me."

After the boy asked, the lawsuit states that he was given permission to pet Indy. While the boy was petting the dog, Indy allegedly bit him. The boy was then taken to a local hospital to receive treatment for injuries to his face.

Recently, a woman was the victim of a dog attack in Lansdale, Pennsylvania.

The News-Herald reports that Danielle Leven and Kelly Morgan went to pick up their friend Nikki Votta when the attack occurred. After Leven was at the front door, she "opened the storm door and then the front door a crack to yell to Votta." At the time, Votta was in the shower and her dog was out of his cage.

Votta claims that she was able to hear Leven, so she yelled for her not to come in until she put the dog away; however, Leven claims that she did not hear her friend's instructions.

A Pennsylvania man could face up to seven years in prison after his dog Max attacked a 5-year-old girl. Miabella Delaney-Lipshutz, has just recently been released from the hospital where she stayed for 6 weeks. The dog attack damaged her vocal cords and punctured her larynx (as reported by ABC 6 Action News).

Surprisingly, she was not the first first to receive personal injuries from Max. Three other people, most of them children, had already seen that his bite was bigger than his bark. So how did this happen?