Police say Sian, a 32-pound Cocker Spaniel-Springer mix, was rushed to the animal hospital in critical condition after he was attacked by two loose pit bulls at 7th and Ingraham Streets in Petworth.
“I heard screams and a dog,” says Dakota Pernell.
Pernell, 18, lives across the street and was hurt in the attack.
“I notice the lady is trying so hard to get her dog from underneath two dogs, two bigger dogs,” says Pernell.
She says the dog walker couldn’t break Sian free.
“The pit bull had the dog in its mouth like it was a toy,” says Pernell.
She ran out and says some neighbors did nothing.
“They were watching it like a movie,” she says.
But two doors down, 74-year-old Cecil Bolton sprang into action.
“I run out with a piece of stick,” he says.
Pernell ran out and says some neighbors did nothing.
“We said ‘oh no no no, don’t go because it could change direction and attack him, but he kept running,” says Anne Bolton.
“I had to save a life,” says Pernell.
Neighbors say Sian was locked in the pit bull’s jaws. They say the dog was violently shaking Sian like a rag doll.
“I had to beat him like hell to get him off the other one,” says Pernell.
He says a driver pulled up and also tried pepper spraying the pit bull.
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“The dog came after me and jumped on me and I slipped and fell,” says Bolton.
She says she is OK and so is Cecil. Thanks to them, the attack on Sian ended.
Sian had surgery at Friendship Animal Hospital Wednesday afternoon for extensive wounds to the abdomen. His owner was out of town, but quickly caught a flight back to D.C.
Police say the owner of the pit bulls has been cited with having unleashed dogs. One pit bull was taken into custody by Animal Control.
(WJLA - Oct 17, 2012)
