A pitbull attacked a boxer in downtown Morgan Hill Thursday
morning, sending the dog to the South County Animal Hospital with
serious injuries, according to a hospital employee and the Morgan
Hill Police Department.
A pitbull attacked a boxer in downtown Morgan Hill Thursday morning, sending the dog to the South County Animal Hospital with serious injuries, according to a hospital employee and the Morgan Hill Police Department.
The 8:40am attack comes as the pitbull breed, notorious for its perceived viciousness, has been the focus of increased public scrutiny since 12-year-old Nick Faibish was killed in San Francisco on June 3 when his family’s pitbulls attacked him.
MHPD Cmdr. Joe Sampson said Thursday both dogs involved in the attack were on leashes.
The attack occurred when Carmen Jones, 41, of Morgan Hill, was walking her female boxer down E. Dunne Ave. near Grand Prix Way, said Sampson. On the opposite side of the road, Angelica Avila, 57 of Morgan Hill, was walking the pitbull and a bulldog. As they came closer, the pitbull pulled the owner into the street and began attacking the boxer.
Sampson said the pitbull was so strong, according to Animal Control Officer Daniel Pena, that Avila could not hold it back, and the dog snapped its leash.
“Bystanders were stopping to try to help separate the dogs,” Sampson said.
Avila was cited and the pitbull labeled a “level 2” dangerous dog, one of three categories in the city code that restrict dogs.
“A Level 2 means the dog is deemed potentially dangerous,” Sampson said. “The dog must be kept on a leash or in an enclosure when not in the residence and must be muzzled.”
Under Morgan Hill Municipal Code, a dog is classified as Level 1 if it’s behavior is menacing or aggressive or endangers the safety of a domestic animal; a Level 3 classification is reserved for dogs who severely injure or kill a person or kill a domestic animal.
Neither Avila nor Jones were injured, Sampson said, but the boxer received serious injuries, including cuts to the legs and two major gashes in her chest.
Marilyn Dubil covers education and law enforcement for The Times. She can be reached by e-mail at md****@mo*************.com or phoning (408) 779-4106 ext. 202.
