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On July 29, 2013, at approximately 5:15 pm, a six-year-old boy and his 13-year-old cousin encountered the pit bull in the 11600 block of Cosca Park Drive. The dog was not on a leash. The boys began to run and the dog chased them. Just as the six-year-old reached his house, the dog bit him. The 13-year-old tried to pull off the pit bull when the animal turned and bit him as well. Two neighbors ran to help and were able to remove the dog from the house. The teenage girl who was with the pit bull left the scene with the dog before patrol officers arrived. The victims suffered wounds to their face and arms.
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On July 30, 2013, at approximately 1:00 pm, the PGPD was able to locate the dog and its owner. The owner was taken into custody. He's identified as 20-year-old Drew Byron Street of the 11500 block of Cosca Park Drive. The dog is now in the custody of animal control.
For more information, please contact the Prince George’s County Police Department’s Media Relations Division at 301-772-4710.
A perfect example of why the pit bull ban does not work. We have said for 15 years it does not work and it continues to not work. The dog could have been impounded under the non-breed specific dangerous dog law we have on the books, the ban is not needed in this situation. The dog didn't do anything that was unusual for being a dog; this case had nothing to do with the typed of dog it is. Also, if we want to keep our children safe in situations like this we must teach them NOT TO RUN. The police encourage parents to teach children not to run into the street, right? Then why do parents not teach their children what to do if they encounter a dog in the neighborhood? This report clearly indicates the dog chased when the children ran. No run? No scream? No chase. And perhaps, no bite. Of course owners must be held accountable for allowing their dog to be loose, to misbehave, to injure a child. But the ban didn't help and parents can help their children avoid this kind of injury. PS, I just heard about it on the news and the children are expected to be just fine.
ReplyDeleteMaryland Dog Federation did you just so happen to be there? You have no idea if the dog ran towards the kids in a menacing manner before they started to run. Most kids whether taught or not, aren't going to just take off running from a dog with a friendly demeanor. Obviously the kids felt threatened enough to run. The dog should have been on a leash point blank.
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