Mother and Teen Daughter Mauled by Family's Six Giant Dogs Until Firefighters Arrive
We often hear that dogs are man’s best friend — but there is a deeper truth that many do not acknowledge: A dog is a dog’s best friend. Pack mentality is deeply ingrained in our four-legged friends, and when push comes to shove, they generally favor one another over even their dearest human companions.
That becomes especially dangerous in attack scenarios. One dog, by itself, can be a threat — but the more dogs involved, the greater the danger.
It’s a miracle that one teen and her mother are even alive after an attack that took place in Thousand Oaks, California, on Sunday.
The family’s six dogs, identified as cane corsos — a breed of mastiff, each one weighing around 100 pounds — turned on the 16-year-old for unknown reasons and began mauling her in the family’s front yard.
A neighbor heard the commotion and was horrified by what he saw.
“Didn’t think too much of it until we heard a little girl scream, and I jumped up and saw the girl on the ground with the dogs on top of her, and her mom was on top trying to shield her,” the man, who wished to remain anonymous, told KABC-TV.
“The dogs were just going at it.”
The neighbor tried to run out and help, but as soon as he did the dogs spotted him and charged.
“I got half way into the street… the dogs started coming after me,” he said. “And my girlfriend just yelled at me to ‘Come back in, come back in’ and sure enough three of them chased me.
“And I barely made it back into the gate without them catching me.”
The neighbor said he’d never had a problem with the family or their dogs before, and that it was the first time he’d seen something like that.
The teen’s mother tried to fend off the dogs, but they turned on her as well. It wasn’t until firefighters arrived and were able to break up the attack, using sirens and firefighting tools.
According to Safety for Citizens, a Facebook page dedicated to keeping locals up-to-date on Ventura County happenings, the dogs retreated into the home after the first responders arrived, but it took a taser and OC spray to subdue the animals.
The girl was rushed to the hospital in serious condition. She is expected to survive and recover, though Ventura County Sheriff’s Department Capt. Ron Chips said the girl sustained “several significant lacerations and dog bites to her head, torso and arms,” according to the Los Angeles Times.
The mother was bitten, but was not seriously injured.
The Los Angeles County Animal Care and Control removed the dogs from the property with the help of a family member, though there’s no official word on what the dogs’ fate will be.
Truth and Accuracy
We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism. Read our editorial standards.
