New York: Runaway pit bull fatally mauls Chihuahua, bites 77-year-old owner's arm in Staten Island

NEW YORK -- A runaway pit bull fatally mauled a 77-year-old Staten Island man's beloved Chihuahua Tuesday, dragging the pooch "like a little rag doll" in front of its owner's eyes.

The pit bull also bit the Chihuahua's owner, chomping on the man's arm and dragging him onto the ground in the struggle.

Eugene Charles was walking Charlie, his 13-pound service dog, by Midland and North Railroad Aves. just before 8:30 a.m. when the pit bull "came flying out" from behind a nearby house.

RIP little Charlie

"I grabbed Charlie to pick him up and he missed him. He didn't bark or nothing, no conversation," Charles said. "The second or third time he was able to grab Charlie and he grabbed him from the midsection and the lower part of the hips, and that was it.

"I was trying to hold Charlie and get him off him and then it wound up he gave me a couple of bites."

The pit bull killed Charlie within a couple of minutes.

 

Authorities arrived and took control of the larger dog, an NYPD spokesman said.

"All this, you'd think I was in the slaughterhouse," Charles said. "Just all blood and everything from Charlie and whatever was coming out of my hands."

Charles said he doesn't know how he can replace his pup.

"Charlie don't bark for a Chihuahua. Quietest thing you ever heard," he said. "No way in hell I'll find anything like him."

Charles' neighbor Sam Suliman, 41, described Charlie as the "friendliest dog around."

"All the kids loved that dog, friendliest dog around," Suliman said. "He'll look for my cats through the window to play. ... The worst person for this to happen to is Gene."

(New York Daily News - ‎May 18, 2016‎)

Earlier:

• New York: Man, 77, details harrowing pit bull attack that killed beloved Chihuahua