Pit Bull Attack - Severely Injured Dog & Human

GRATEFUL to ALL THOSE REACHING OUT, OFFERING TO HELP.

To all those who have asked if they can help, we have created this page. Funds will go for vet care, lost wages, legal fees, PTSD therapy, canine behavioral therapy for the 2 affected dogs, and any remainder donated to animal charities or to other dog attack victims in need.

On the evening of Tuesday, February 7th, 2023 at approximately 7:10 pm, I was walking my 2 small dogs (22 lbs & 26 lbs) on a double leash attached to my waist/hip area, in my neighborhood in Northern Virginia. While I was bent over picking up their poop from a bed of leaves with the aid of my flashlight, I heard a commotion and turned around to see two large, off-leash dogs staring at us from the walking trail, maybe 10 feet away. Before I could even react, the large (maybe 85-100 lb) male white & brown Pit Bull was on top of us attacking my 6-year-old 26 lb dog Kaiser. It all happened so quickly, and in the dark, but I knew this dog! We had encountered him twice before - always off leash, running loose and charging toward us. I filed a report in July 2022 to Animal Control about this same dog. (On these 2 prior occasions, in broad daylight, I had seen the dog approaching & had time to holler, wave my arms and make myself bigger. It kept coming toward us, so I even kicked it in the head and was successful in getting it to retreat.) This time was different - in the dark, emboldened with his "pack" doggy friend, and sneaking up on us from behind - he had a distinct advantage.

I fought as hard as I could to protect my baby. The pit bull latched onto my dog's throat and began to tug and pull with a vengeance. I shielded my dog with my body and began to fight like hell to defend him. I've watched dog training videos & listened to experts who try to advise on the best defense tactics in such a terrible situation. NOTHING WORKED. I kicked, I bit, I punched, I poked, I stomped, I beat and I twisted & yanked the collar upwards (it simply broke apart) - not one thing helped to stop or make it let go. The jaws you always hear about were absolutely locked down and not letting go, no matter what. We wrestled on the ground for what seemed like 7 minutes. Maybe it was 3-4? Who knows? I screamed and cried at the top of my lungs. Neighbors could hear me from a block away. I reached 2-3x for my pepper gel spray, but couldn't get it free from my belt without letting go of my poor dog, so I abandoned the effort. My other dog stood loyally by, barking and lunging toward the attacking dog, but never making contact. Luckily, the second off-leash dog stood by, only as an anxious observer.

Finally, a neighbor man came running to our aid. He tackled the pit bull and maybe did something else I couldn't see...finally we were free. I grabbed my pepper spray & opened the nozzle in preparation to continue fighting, and my dogs and I retreated. My hands were slashed apart from the dog's teeth, my entire body was beaten, dragged and bruised. I called 911 and we were promptly rescued from the drainage ditch we had fallen into during the fight. My clothes were dirty, bloody and soaking wet.

It is too early to know the extent of my injuries. I was treated by the EMTs on scene and later in the hospital. I made sure to get Kaiser treated FIRST. I received stitches and bandages on my left hand. My right hand is also lacerated, badly bruised and I keep getting sharp, shooting pains. My entire body is sore and covered in scapes & bruises. My dog Kaiser is luckily alive! By the grace of God, he was able to get into an emergency vet in the area within an hour of the attack. Many wonderful people came to our aid - Fairfax County Fire & Rescue, Animal Control Officers, neighbors, friends, and strangers. He spent the night in the hospital and is now home recovering. His neck was lacerated, punctured and bruised, but due to my motherly instinct of covering his body with mine, he was not able to get lifted off the ground and shaken, which surely saved his life. The vet also believes that Kaiser's thick fur, sturdy collar & harness played a role in saving his neck/throat/spine from further damage. At some point during the ordeal, Kaiser's right hind leg and hip were severely injured - the emergency vet found multiple puncture wounds, bruises and lacerations from the pit bull's bites. Kaiser is currently wearing 2 drains to release the fluid build-up on this leg. He is on 4 different medications to ease his pain, suffering, anxiety & inflammation. His recovery journey has begun. One day we hope to return to our beloved hobby of racing Canicross! Kaiser is an award-winning, champion runner with over 75 races under his belt!

My second dog Togo was physically unharmed, but emotionally traumatized. All 3 of us are jittery, anxious & fearful, having difficulty relaxing and functioning. I can't go to work, and I can't leave my dogs alone. I am not only a Massage Therapist (I need my hands!) but a graduate student working towards my executive MBA, and a hard-working business owner responsible for the livelihood of 16 other people. I don't know how long it will take for my life to return to "normal" but I am truly grateful for all of the support we've been offered. THANK YOU SO MUCH.