Trained to Kill: When Fighting Dogs Attack

Virginia dog bite and attack lawyerIn 2007, an extensive investigation into the dogfighting hobby of NFL player Michael Vick brought the venture into the mainstream consciousness. While Vick has repaid his debt to society and now works to rehabilitate dogs who once fought in such rings, countless other dogfighting rings still exist. It isn’t until an animal escapes its owners and attacks a passerby until we’re reminded of the reality of these dogfighting rings. A 14-year-old from Ridgeway, Virginia recently made headlines after being attacked by a dog trained for fighting.

A Brutal Game of Tug of War 

The teen was getting out of his father’s truck when the neighbor’s pit bull approached. The dog had been previously engaged in a fight with the family’s pet boxer and had a history of violence. Unfortunately, this time, the pit bull had its sight set on the teen. The dog launched itself at the boy, biting and holding on despite the teen’s father’s attempts to intervene. The dog was “literally playing tug-of-war with me,” the man said of the attack. Eventually, the dog relinquished control only after being hit on the head multiple times. The boy was rushed to the hospital, but his family expects months of recovery time ahead.

Trained to Attack

While the dog in this incident has not been directly tied back to a dogfighting ring, witnesses say they’ve seen the dog’s owner act abusively towards the pit bull. The boy’s father told reporters he’d seen the owner fighting the dog with a tire, trying to get it to attack as viciously as possible. This kind of behavior encourages dogs to lash out violently and can be used as evidence against the owner in court. We encourage all dog bite victims to seek the advice of an experienced dog bite lawyer, especially when there is a history of abuse and cruelty bred into the dog in question.

Virginia Dog Bite Lawyer Richard Serpe

Virginia dog bite lawyer Richard Serpe has 34+ years of experience helping victims of personal injuries. We have helped numerous victims to get the compensation they deserve. These clients include children, adults, mail carriers, delivery drivers, joggers, pedestrians, and others. Contact Richard Serpe if you’ve been attacked by someone else’s dog.

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