Deputy kills dog after it mauled man near Mission

TEXAS -- A 56-year-old man suffered serious injuries after he was mauled by a pit bull Tuesday afternoon, authorities say.

A Hidalgo County Sherriff’s deputy fired his weapon at the dog, killing it, as it also tried to attack him when he arrived at the scene, said J.P. Rodriguez, the department’s spokesman.

The attack happened around noon on Sofia Drive west of North Moorefield Road. The deputy responded to several 911 calls of a man being attacked by dogs and found the man with serious injuries to his head and upper body.

Outside the home on Sofia Drive west of North Moorefield Road.

Another man was assisting the victim, who was bleeding on the ground, when the deputy noticed a pit bull approaching him in an aggressive manner, authorities say.

“It is something that we are prepared to deal with,” Rodriguez said. “We are going to make the scene safe to try to help the victim and if necessary we are going to discharge our firearm at the animal to accomplish that mission.”

Rodriguez said the dog entered the fenced property through a hole, close to the area where the attack occurred. The victim owned a female pit bull that was taken by animal control, which investigators believe could have been in heat, causing the other dog to be aggressive.

The dog that was shot was not wearing a collar and investigators are still looking for a possible owner.

The victim was taken to a local hospital where he received emergency surgery and remained in stable but critical condition as of Tuesday evening.

Rodriguez said these kinds of attacks are uncommon in the county but urges anyone that notices stray dogs acting aggressive to call authorities.

“People have a right to be safe in their neighborhoods and on their property from any threats whether it’s from a person or an animal,” he said.

(The Monitor - Dec 30, 2014)