Sheriff Kenneth Lewis said the unidentified child was dragged from her grandfather's trailer by three pit bulls where she was bitten repeatedly.
She is being treated at University of Mississippi Medical Center where her last known condition was critical.
During the attack, the child's grandfather, Donald Mullins, and his girlfriend, Rita Tompkins, both tried to get the animals away from her, said Lewis. All three were bitten.
"The little girl was the worst," he said of the wounds, adding that she had bite marks all over her body.
Mullins shot and killed two of the three pit bulls, Lewis said.
The grandfather had kept 10 pit bulls in his backyard, and the three that attacked the child had burst in the back door of the residence while she was playing.
"This is probably the worst (pit bull attack) we've ever had," said Lewis. "We may have had one or two attacks where they jumped out and bit a walker, but this has been the most violent."
The eight surviving pit bulls have been transported to the Municipal Animal Rescue League, Lewis added.
Both Mullins and Tompkins were arrested on child endangerment charges, said Lewis. They have since posted bail.
On March 31, 3-year-old Christopher Malone died after being mauled by two pit bulls in Holmes County, an attack that prompted Sheriff Willie March to state his support for a countywide ban on the breed.
Pit bulls account for the majority of fatal animal attacks in the country, according to data compiled by DogsBite.org, a national dog bite victims' group that advocates for reducing serious dog attacks.
Debra Boswell, executive director of MARL, said the shelter is working with Simpson County on the paperwork to determine the next step for handling the pit bulls delivered last night. Unless there's some other mandate, Boswell said the agency does not place pit bulls because of liability issues.
"It's not that pit bulls bite more than other dogs," Boswell said. "The chance for fatalities or serious injuries" is higher with that type of breed, commonly raised by game/dogfighting owners to be territorial and aggressive.
Boswell said the shelter takes in 500 pit bulls or pit bull mixes per year out of the incoming 13,000 cats and dogs. She said it's a tough responsibility for the shelter because of the placement issue and risking releasing a pit bull into a miserable environment.
According to pit bull rescuer and pit bull owner Leah Thomson of Jackson, bad owners make bad dogs.
"You don't hear about these attacks in educated communities with responsible pit bull owners," said Thomson, who recently started a pit bull advocacy group named HOWL – Helping Overturn Wrongful Legislation – aimed at spreading awareness and support of the hybrid breed.
[This woman is insane. "Educated communities" don't have pit bull attacks?!]
"Children are being hurt, (and) none of us are holding our dog's rights over the child's rights," Thomson said. "Our property rights matter. Both of my dogs are registered therapy dogs. Where we really need to focus is on communities where these things happen."
So far, metro-area locations such as Flowood, Richland and Hinds and Rankin counties restrict pit bull ownership pending proper permits and liability insurance taken out by the owners. Clinton and Ridgeland completely ban the breed from their city limits.
(Jackson Clarion Ledger - April 10, 2014)
So the owner knew they were vicious and had escaped and attacked people walking by and still he had to keep 10 effing pit bulls with violent histories. That little girl is lucky to be alive right now.
ReplyDeleteThat grandparent should fry for this. 10 pit bulls? He is probably a dog fighter. He knew they were mean, he just was mistaken in thinking that he could keep them apart. That sweet baby lost an EYE and will suffer scars and pain forever. SO unfair.
ReplyDeleteOF COURSE the nutter (quoted at the end) has therapy pit bulls. OF COURSE she does.
I hope they eat her alive. I am so very tired of these "therapy" pit bulls ruining neighborhoods where they aren't wanted.
Someone needs to tell her about Beau and Dax. There are no better examples of educated people, in nice homes, having their dogs KILL their kids. Her ignorance is astounding, and will get someone killed.