Dog Mauling in Portland Highlights Danger

Date: May 31, 2010
Location: SE 125th & Powell Court, Portland, Oregon

On May 31, 2010, around 9:30 AM, Portland Police officers responded to reports of a pit bull mauling a man at SE 125th and Powell Court in Portland, Oregon, according to a Portland Police Bureau news release. While officers were on the way to the scene, they learned that the dog had bitten a second person.

When police arrived, they found the dog on top of an adult male. The man asked police to fire one round at the animal, which caused the dog to flee. While a second officer pursued the dog, medical personnel attended to the victim.

The dog turned on the second officer. The officer shot the dog a second time, killing it.

The male victim was transported to a local hospital with severe, but probably not life-threatening, injuries. The second victim, an adult woman, suffered puncture wounds but did not need to go to the hospital.

As of June 1, the investigation had been turned over to Multnomah County Animal Services. It turned out that the dog was previously classified as a Level 4 Potentially Dangerous Dog, subject to a number of restrictions. The owner was not complying with the restrictions, including muzzling the dog and keeping it away from the location where the mauling took place.

The shocking attack was reported widely, including coverage in the Seattle Times. Unfortunately, though, such incidents are alarmingly common. A video provided by http://www.katu.com/ covers the incident:

Just two days prior, as reported in an Aurora Police Department news release, police were checking a house in Aurora, Oregon when a large black dog suddenly appeared and charged aggressively at a police officer, barking, growling, and baring its teeth. The officer tried to back away, but the dog was coming at him too fast. When the animal was two feet away, the officer drew his service weapon and shot the dog in the leg. The dog retreated.

And the day afterwards, according to a Portland Police Bureau press release, three dogs got loose from their yard and bit two people. One of the victims was a 73-year-old male. The other was only identified as an adult male. When police approached, the dogs aggressively advanced. Officers shot and killed the most aggressive animal in the pack, and the other dogs fled. They were later tracked down and restrained. One of the persons who was injured received multiple bite wounds and was hospitalized.

In still another recent example, reported by NWCN.com, a 4-year-old Astoria girl was mauled to death by the family’s Rottweiler on March 2.

Dog attacks are a serious problem, according to a 2009 article in Police: The Law Enforcement Magazine. There are an estimated 74.8 million dogs in the U.S., and 4.7 million dog bites each year. One out of every six of these bites requires medical attention, and every day dog attacks send 1,008 people to the ER. Even more disturbing: up to 26 attacks, each year, are fatal.

Statistically, the deadliest dog breeds include pit bulls, rottweilers, akitas, chows, and German shepherds. Most of the dogs that attack are male. Many are on their own property.

Children are likely victims, and the dog frequently goes for the face. Other factors in dog attacks include human behavior, dog behavior and training, aggressiveness, unsupervised children, and breed-specific attacks.

If you are the victim of a dog mauling or dog bite injury in Oregon, you need information, and you need someone on your side to fight for you and get you the compensation you deserve. We are lawyers specializing in helping people like you. We make it a point to treat our clients fairly and compassionately. Our Oregon dog bite injury lawyers will stand up for you and help you get justice. If you have been injured, we can even answer many questions free of charge. Please contact us.