BREAKING NEWS: Man, 80, is killed and three others injured in ‘horrific’ pit bull dog attack in San Antonio: Firefighters forced to use picks and metal poles to fight the ferocious beasts
- An elderly man in his 80s was killed and two other women hospitalized after a severe dog attack on the west side of the town of San Antonio
- San Antonio Fire Chief Charles Hood stated that all victims were transported to University Hospital
- The owners of the dogs could be charged while the affected dogs are in custody at San Antonio Animal Care Services and kept in kennels for the time being
In San Antonio’s west side, a man in his 80s was killed Friday afternoon after being bitten and then brutally mauled by three dogs, including several pit bulls.
Firefighters arrived just after 1.45pm at what has been described as a ‘horrific’ scene when a man was dragged along by the vicious animals just as emergency services arrived on the scene.
The firefighters had to intervene with their pickaxes to free the dogs.
Two other people, including an elderly woman, were also injured in the attack, one of whom was bitten on the hand.
“As they turned the corner, they saw a man being dragged by a dog. He was completely covered in blood before they got out of the truck,” San Antonio Fire Chief Charles Hood said at the scene.
“This is not something that is normal for us. Normally we don’t have to defend patients against animals or ourselves. The firefighters were very heroic in this case and fought off these pit bulls with picks and pipes to try and get to the patients,” Hood said.
“Two people were mauled with confirmed fatalities who were treated at the scene and given blood, along with a woman in critical condition. Another person was bitten on the hand who was also taken to hospital.
“It was a horrific scene and a horrific experience for everyone involved, including firefighters, which was essentially a rescue to save themselves,” Hood said.
San Antonio fire chief Charles Hood said it is not yet clear if the owners of the dogs responsible for the attack will be charged
Emergency services have been seen at the scene of a deadly dog attack that left an 80-year-old man dead
A San Antonio fire chief who arrived at the scene was also bitten in the leg during the attack that took place at the 2800 block of Depla Street, on the city’s west side.
Fire Chief Charles Hood said it is not yet clear whether the owners of the dogs responsible for the attack will be charged, although it is more than likely they will.
Chief Hood said the whole experience probably “emotionally scarred” the firefighters involved.
The dogs involved were American Staffordshire Terriers (file photo)
“Nobody expects to go out and fight dogs in a situation like today,” Hood said.
Both women who were attacked have been taken to University Hospital for treatment. One of the women is currently in critical condition.
Shannon Wade Sims, Director of Animal Care Services at City of San Antoni, says the dogs were American Staffordshire dogs. ACS officers responded shortly after receiving the call and managed to remove all the animals from the property and question the owners.
Neighbors say they’ve reported bites in the past with multiple calls to the city’s 311 hotline. The dogs had been seized earlier in 2021 for a ‘mild bite’.
Other calls from neighbors over the past two years have included concerns about animal neglect and aggression.
San Antonio Animal Care Services has taken all affected dogs and placed them in quarantine kennels, where they will remain until further notice.
Shannon Wade Sims, Director of Animal Care Services at City of San Antonio, said all affected dogs have been placed in quarantine kennels where they will remain until further notice
Emergency responders from the police, fire brigade and animal protection were all on site
