3 Pit Bulls Attack Woman On Street, Owner Surrenders Dogs For Euthanasia

An elderly woman was hospitalized after three pit bulls escaped from a mobile home and attacked her publicly in Brooksville, Florida, on Monday morning.

The Hernando County Fire Rescue and an animal enforcement officer arrived at the scene Monday morning after receiving a call that an elderly woman was attacked by dogs and had severe dog bites on both legs. The caller, a passerby who saved the woman and put her in a truck, said he had performed basic first aid and that he waited along Spring Lake Highway for emergency crews to arrive. The woman, whose identity and age was not revealed, was airlifted to a trauma center.

Officials said the dogs attacked the woman while she was taking a morning walk. One of the dogs also tried to attack the officers who were at the scene to get them. The officers used “non-lethal bean-bag rounds” to subdue the pit bulls. The dogs were then taken to Hernando County Animal Services.

Yvonne Woods, a neighbor, said, “I see her walking every day. Now, that really hurts me to know that she got attacked like that. But I will be praying for her for a speedy recovery because it could have been me or some of my family.”

Ralph Hughes, the owner of the pit bulls, said he raised the dogs since they were puppies and that none of them showed any aggression and were in fact very good to people. He said he would also let his grandchild play with the dogs.

"When they told me I couldn't believe it, cause they were so good with people, you know? You think you know them, but you don't, you know," he said.

However, on Monday morning, one of the pit bulls managed to chew a hole through the door of the mobile home, allowing the dogs to escape. Hughes said he left the dogs at home the previous night and when he returned Monday morning he heard that the dogs had attacked his neighbor.

The owner surrendered his dogs for euthanasia.

“Kill 'em! Right on the spot, man. I already signed the papers. I'd like to know about my neighbor. How is she," he asked. Apologizing for what his dogs did, Hughes said, "I'm so sorry. If I could change it I would. I'm sorry.”

Hughes said this was the second time the dogs escaped home and that he recently paid a fine for the first escape. Meanwhile, the victim was recovering in the hospital and listed stable.