Three Pit Bulls Escape from Roswell, NM, Animal-Rescue Kennel, Attack 9-Year-Old Boy

NEW MEXICO -- On Thursday, June 12, Colby Prince, 9, came home from the hospital with dozens of stitches all over his body after a vicious attack by 3 Pit Bulls that escaped from a nearby animal-rescue kennel, according to KRQE News 13.

On Wednesday, Colby was trampled and mangled by the pack of dogs during a terrifying attack near the family home on Vista Lane, which he described for reporters. “It hurts for me to try to walk and move,” he said.

 

“I was going down to water our horses like every morning,” said Colby, when he saw three pit bulls trying to get at the horses. “They start coming at me, I told them no, they stop for a little bit then they started coming at me, and started jumping on me,” he recalled. “And once they figured out that I can’t really protect myself, they started biting me.”

The dogs ripped off Colby’s shirt, mangled his arms and legs, and pulled him to the ground as he tried to get to the gate to escape, KRQE reported.

“They kept dragging me down and I just kept going toward it,” said Colby. “Once I finally got to the gate, one grabbed a hold of one boot and pulled, I just held onto the gate.”

Neighbors saw Colby outside the gate after about ten minutes and called his parents. The Chaves County Sheriff’s Office told the Roswell Record that Colby is the son of a Roswell Police Department detective, who shot two of the dogs.

“I was just so relieved to see my dad coming down with a gun,” Colby said.

Colby was taken to a local hospital and then airlifted to Lubbock, Texas, for further medical care, reports NewsWest9. He suffered puncture wounds to his neck, chest, arms and legs. The dogs also chewed off part of his ears.

One of the Pit Bulls died after being shot and one was later euthanized, according to the report. The third dog had run away but was captured and is in quarantine, after which it will be euthanized, KRQE said. The animals are being tested for rabies.

Fifteen other dogs were reportedly being housed at the rescue kennel operated by a group called Doggy Saviors, according to NewsWest9.

KRQE News 13 said they tried to contact the rescue on Wednesday, but no one returned their calls. However, the group did release a statement saying their thoughts and prayers are with the young boy and his family.

The other 15 dogs from Doggy Saviors were reportedly released to the animal shelter on Wednesday and will soon be taken to a Colorado animal rescue.

Deputies said charges are pending against the operator of the Doggy Savior pet rescue, but they did not disclose details.

(Opposing Views - June 13, 2014)