Australia: Pit Bull jumps out of vehicle and rips Pug apart. In her desperation to escape, Pug runs into road and is crushed by truck

AUSTRALIA -- Horrified dog owners have watched on as their tiny pug was mauled by another dog before being crushed by a truck.

The 12-month-old pug Lola was being taken for a walk on Sunday night in Carlisle, in Perth's inner-east, when a white Pit Bull jumped out of a vehicle stopped at the lights.

Lola's owners claim the dog - described as either a pit bull or Staffordshire Pit Bull Terrier - launched a savage attack on the helpless pug before being whisked away by its owner.

'The Pit Bull latched on to Lola's neck and was lifting her up and ripping her apart,' Lola's owner Ellie McKay told 9 News.

Ms McKay and her fiancee Simon Warman pulled the larger dog away from Lola who was badly injured.

But in her distressed state, Lola ran away from her owners and directly into the path of an oncoming truck.

Mr Warman said he ran after her, only to watch her collide with a moving truck.

"I just collapsed near her body," he said.

"I don't think we will ever get over watching her die,"  Ms McKay added.

"It was the worst experience of my entire life."

CCTV from a nearby liquor store shows the driver of the white vehicle chasing after his dog after the attack.

Ms McKay said the man gathered his dog and left the pair there screaming in despair.

"He just shrugged and said ‘sorry about that’ and put the dog back in his car," Ms McKay said.

"He just drove off and left us there screaming."

The couple are pleading for the public's help to find the owner who is described as fair skinned, in his late 50s with grey hair and stubble, according to 9 News.

(Daily Mail - January 24, 2018)

Australia: Tarren Braunton's vicious Pit Bulls euthanized after attack on Cocker Spaniel and death of guide dog

AUSTRALIA -- Banyule Council has put down two pit bulls involved in an incident in Heidelberg West that lead to the death of a guide dog.

The council has also questioned the effectiveness of dog-attack legislation and will write to Banyule-based state MPs and the Department of Primary Industries to express its concerns.

Andrew Close, with his guide dog Matilda 

who was attacked and killed by pit bulls.

As previously reported in the Heidelberg Leader, the Heidelberg Magistrates' Court found Tarren Braunton, of Heidelberg West, guilty of four charges relating to the incident on August 9, in which three dogs escaped his Plunkett St property.

On the night Allan Close, of Ivanhoe, was walking his cocker spaniel "Bosley'' and his brother Andrew's guide dog "Matilda'', when the attack happened at 8.30pm.

Brothers Andrew and Allan Close are devastated after 

Andrew's guide dog, Matilda, was killed and Allan's dog, 

Bosley, sustained neck injuries during the vicious attack.

Matilda fled the scene and was run over and killed by a car on Bell St.

The court found restricted pit bull mix "Buddy'' responsible for attacking Bosley, but two other dogs, a restricted pit bull mix, named "Rex'' and a bull terrier, named "Lara'', were deemed not at fault.

On October 25, the council indicated it would put down Buddy.

However, the council's chief executive Simon McMillan said it later decided to put down Rex as well after concerns the latter also posed a risk to the community.

Both dogs were destroyed on Friday, October 26.

Mr McMillan said the issue was being raised with state MPs and the DPI.

"The ruling reveals short comings in the effectiveness of the legislation in protecting community safety,'' Mr McMillan said. 

Allan Close's dog, Bosley, sustained 

neck injuries during the attack.

"Following a meeting with council officers on the same day, the owner consented to Rex to also be euthanized owing to concerns about the risk this animal posed to the community.''

Ivanhoe state Labor MP Anthony Carbines raised concerns over the court's ruling in Parliament on Thursday, October 25 and suggested the government consult with the council on how the legislation could be improved in the future.   

(Leader News - Nov 2, 2012)

Earlier:

• Australia: Family devastated after guide dog killed
• Australia: Tarren Braunton fined after his Pit Bull mix attacked a Cocker Spaniel, then chased a guide dog into traffic where it was hit and killed by a car

Australia: Family devastated after Cocker Spaniel injured, guide dog killed in Pit Bull attack

AUSTRALIA -- Banyule Council has impounded three pit bull terriers believed to be involved in a vicious attack that resulted in the death of a beloved Bellfield guide dog.

The council is investigating the incident, which also left the family's other dog with serious injuries.

Brothers Andrew and Allan Close are devastated after
Andrew's guide dog, Matilda, was killed and Allan's dog,
Bosley, sustained neck injuries during the vicious attack.

Allan Close, 25, was walking the family's cocker spaniel Bosley, 8, and his brother Andrew's black labrador guide dog Matilda, 4, on Plunkett Street, Bellfield at 8.40pm yesterday.

 Mr Close was planning to surprise his 23-year-old vision-impaired brother who was taking a class at Hall's Taekwondo on Bell St and walk home with him and the dogs afterwards.

But when Mr Close was confronted by three pit bull terriers at the southern end of the street, his plans changed.

He said one of the Pit Bulls came over to sniff Bosley before sinking its teeth into the Cocker Spaniel, prompting Matilda the guide dog to flee in a panic towards Bell Street where she was hit and run over by a car.

OWNER PULLED A "PIT AND RUN" AND FLED WITH HIS VICIOUS DOGS

“The owner [Tarren Braunton] came to get the dog off Bosley but it took some time, once the pit bull was restrained they just left,'' Mr Close said.

He said it took about 20 minutes to realize what happened to the guide dog, later finding her lying motionless on the busy road.  Police from West Heidelberg took Matilda to the emergency vet in Plenty Rd but she died from multiple injuries.

Mr Close said he took Bosley to a Bundoora vet for emergency surgery.

Mr Close suffered a minor cut to his left hand.

His brother Andrew, who is a former Heidelberg Leader sport star, said he was very upset when he was told about Matilda. He said she was a great dog, which he often took to the football for Essendon games and even took her to Sydney.

Allan Close's dog, Bosley, sustained
neck injuries during the attack.

Matilda was nearly five years old and had been his Seeing Eye Dog since 2009.

Vision Australia seeing eye dog manager Leigh Garwood said he had spoken with the family offering support.

“It is shocking to hear about this attack. Attacks like this can have such an impact on someone's life,'' Mr Garwood said.

"We will ensure Andrew receives all the emotional support he needs. Every one of our Seeing Eye Dogs is a much loved part of a close knit family and it is a terrible loss for our community."

Council spokesman Dave Bell said the pit bulls, which had been registered with the council, had been taken the RSPCA in Burwood East.

Banyule Mayor Tom Melican said the incident was “very upsetting'' and the council was offering counselling to the affected residents.

Andrew Close, with his guide dog Matilda
who was attacked and killed by pit bulls.

Council officers are continuing to investigate.

The future of the animals will not be known until investigations are complete.

(Heidelberg Leader - August 10, 2012)

Update to story:

• Australia: Tarren Braunton fined after his Pit Bull mix attacked a Cocker Spaniel, then chased a guide dog into traffic where it was hit and killed by a car
• Australia: Tarren Braunton's vicious Pit Bulls euthanized after attack on Cocker Spaniel and death of guide dog

Louisiana: Shreveport man hit by car while running from pit bull trying to attack him

LOUISIANA -- A Shreveport man was reportedly hit by a car late Wednesday night while he was reportedly running from a dog.

The accident happened around 11:00 p.m. off Randolph St.

According to Shreveport Police, the man was running from a pit bull when he darted in front of oncoming traffic and was hit. The dog was also hit by a vehicle.

The man was taken to LSU Health Sciences Center where police expect him to be okay; however, the dog did not survive.

(KSLA - June 30, 2011)

New York: 7-year-old girl fights for life after Lab Pit Bull mix chases her into school bus' path

NEW YORK -- A 7-year-old girl was seriously injured in Queens yesterday after being chased by a dog into the path of a school bus, police and witnesses said.

The victim, identified by family members as Destiny Louigene, was playing with friends in a neighbor's front yard on 258th St. in Rosedale when the dog, a Labrador-terrier mix, began menacing the kids, witnesses said.

(NOTE: Do they mean a Lab - Pit mix??? I'm classifying it as that until I hear otherwise.]

"The dog chased Destiny down the street," said Chastity Garcia, 31. "Destiny stopped at the curb, saw the dog was still chasing her, and she ran right into the street."

A yellow school bus turning off Craft Ave. onto 258th St. hit the girl about 3:50 p.m., cops said.

Destiny was knocked into the path of the bus, witnesses said. The driver stopped just in time to avoid running over her with the front tire, horrified witnesses said.

"I was screaming at the top of my lungs for the bus driver to stop," said Garcia. "The bus stopped just in time."

Destiny, in and out of consciousness, was bleeding from her nose, mouth and ears, witnesses said. She was taken by ambulance to Long Island Jewish Medical Center, where her condition was upgraded from critical to stable Monday night.

Destiny has broken ribs and injuries to her liver, spleen and lungs, her family said. A broken bone broke the skin of her right arm.

"I'm devastated right now," said her father, Virgil Louigene. "My daughter is in critical condition. I'm thankful she's going to live."

The bus driver was not charged.

"I saw her step off the curb," the shaken driver, who declined to give his name, told the Daily News. "I knew that I had hit her, and I stopped immediately.

"I've been driving 16 years and I never had anything like this happen," he added.

(NY Daily News - June 28, 2011)

North Carolina: Girl, Horse Fend Off Pit Bull Attack; dogs quarantined but then what? Hand them right back to the owner so they can kill a child next time?

NORTH CAROLINA -- Days after it was attacked by a pit bull, a Hoke County horse is ready to compete in the Stoneybrook Steeplechase on Saturday.

Twelve-year-old Casey Rounds was riding her horse, Diesel, from her home to the Carolina Horse Park last Sunday when a pit bull began chasing the horse.

"This pit bull was chasing and biting his heels, but we kept going and outran him," Casey said.

But the pit bull wasn't done. As Casey and her mother rode home, the dog attacked again, chasing Casey and Diesel to an intersection where they had to stop because of traffic.

"It was a nightmare in front of my eyes. I kept worrying about Casey and the horse," Michelle Rounds said.

"I was trying to kick him with my foot to get him off. Then, (Diesel) reared up," Casey said, adding that she fell off the horse but landed on her feet. "Then I was on the ground, kicking the dog, and (Diesel) started running."

Diesel harnessed all his horsepower and outran the dog, finding his way home on area trails.

The dog punctured the horse's side and tore at his chest.

Local animal control officers took custody of the pit bull on Wednesday and will keep it in quarantine for 10 days.

And then what? Hand it right back???

The dog's owner declined to comment on Friday.

But Casey said Diesel hasn't run out of gas. After a week of rest, he will be ready to run in the steeplechase, she said.

"I'm planning on winning," she said.

(WRAL - April 6, 2007)