Woman’s leg amputated after being mauled by son’s pit bulls
A woman’s leg was amputated after she was attacked by at least seven pit bulls owned by her son, police said.
A 63-year-old woman from Taylorsville, Utah was hospitalized on Tuesday with critical injuries after the terrifying dog attack that took place in her own backyard.
The woman, who has not been named, was attacked by an entire family of pit bulls – a mother, father, and five puppies. She managed to call 911 in the middle of the dog attack, the Taylorsville Police Department (TVPD) said.
By the time police and first responders arrived at the home, the woman was surrounded by the pack of dogs.
‘The dogs aggressively confronted paramedics and police, who deployed pepper spray to drive them away so they could jump the fence,’ the TVPD said.
First responders were able to contain the dogs on the opposite side of the yard while paramedics worked to remove the woman from danger.
They ended up breaking off a portion of the fence to use as an emergency stretcher for the grievously injured victim.
After the victim was removed, animal control officers attempted to approach and secure the aggressive dogs.
‘When the female dog broke loose, endangering both TVPD and animal control officers on scene, it was fatally shot by police,’ the department said.
The male dog and all five puppies were safely captured.
City regulations allow for no more than two dogs per household. Police said none of the dogs at the property were licensed.
All of the dogs belonged to the victim’s son, who has since surrendered them to West Valley City Animal Services.
The victim was hospitalized at Intermountain Medical Center with injuries to her legs, hands, and face. One of her legs was amputated, and she remains in critical condition.
‘Our hearts are heavy following this incident, and we are grateful the victim was able to call 911 for help as quickly as she did – even as the attack was happening,’ Police Chief Brady Cottam said. ‘It likely did save her life.’
Got a story? Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk. Or you can submit your videos and pictures here.
For more stories like this, check our news page.
Follow Metro.co.uk on Twitter and Facebook for the latest news updates. You can now also get Metro.co.uk articles sent straight to your device. Sign up for our daily push alerts here.