Devaney babysits her grandson three days out of the week and often takes him and the family dog, Jordon out for walks.
Devaney was pushing the stroller along Canandaigua-Farmington Townline Road in front of the Stablegate neighborhood Monday afternoon. That’s when she saw two pit bulls a few hundred feet away. They were dragging their owner and running towards Devaney.
The pit bulls then jumped on Jordon – a 10-year-old golden retriever. Jordon’s leash was attached to the stroller and it was knocked over during the attack. Devaney’s grandson fell out and she hurried to pick him up. Meanwhile she screamed for help. She feared for Jordon’s life.
“I was absolutely petrified,” says Devaney. “The stroller went over. They were dragging another dog. I just started yelling for help… screaming for help.”
At that moment, 75-year-old Canandaigua bus driver David Bliss had just dropped off his last group of students. He was driving by the Stablegate neighborhood when he saw the attack.
“[Devaney] was screaming,” says Bliss. “These dogs were absolutely intent on killing her dog and who knows what next. They were just very, very vicious.”
Bliss jumped into the middle of the fight and pulled the dogs apart.
“I was beating on them, kicking them, and doing everything I can do to keep them distracted from what they were doing,” Bliss says. “Finally, I hit the big dog in the throat then [the pit bull] released the golden retriever.”
Bliss was bitten in the hand and had to get nine stitches at the hospital.
Devaney says she is very grateful that Bliss was brave enough to help.
“People just don't do that today,” she says. “They just keep going by and they don't stop, let alone someone on a bus. He was just so sweet. I don't think Jordon would be here if it wasn't for Mr. Bliss.”
Jordon has a bloody eye and puncture wounds on her neck. Otherwise, she will be okay. Devaney has a scraped knee. She says she’s lucky her grandson wasn’t hurt at all.
“I just hugged [Bliss] so many times,” she says. “I kept hugging him and hugging him saying ‘Thank you! Thank you!’.”
Bliss says he didn’t think twice and if he had to, he would do it again.
“She was all alone. She didn't have anybody and it was one of the situations you never would think would happen… I didn't even think about it. All I could think of was here is this lady in distress.”
According to State Police, the two pit bulls were taken into quarantine for the time being. There are no charges pending against the dogs’ owner.
Bliss says he should get his stitches out sometime next week. On Tuesday, he was back at work driving his school bus.
(13WHAM - Sept 25, 2012)
