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Parents mauled by son's pit bull were attacked by dog before

Christina Hall

Detroit Free Press

DETROIT — A husband and wife are fighting for their lives after being mauled by their son's pit bull, which attacked them two weeks ago, police said.

The wife had been hospitalized in the earlier incident, while her husband was treated at a hospital for dog bites and released, Roseville (Mich.) Police Chief James Berlin said. The son, who owns the dog, was issued two tickets at the time, Berlin said.

Both were hospitalized Monday in critical condition after Berlin said the same dog viciously mauled the couple in their home Sunday night.

"This attack is one of the most vicious any of our officers have ever seen," Berlin said. "Our thoughts and prayers go to the victims. They have a long, long road back."

Both are hospitalized with bites to their arms and faces. Berlin did not release the victims' names, but said they and their son live together in the home.

No arrests or charges have been made in Sunday's mauling. The couple's 28-year-old son owns the 1-year-old male dog believed to have been involved in both attacks.

Berlin said the son was cited in Roseville District Court for harboring a vicious animal and failure to license his dog, both misdemeanors, after the incident two weeks ago. The son didn't do anything or get rid of the dog, Berlin said, adding that the son wasn't home during either attack.

In Sunday's incident, police had to use a Taser to incapacitate the aggressive dog long enough to remove the 51-year-old man who was lying unconscious on the living room floor with "horrific" bites to his arms and face — wounds from which he was bleeding profusely, police said Monday.

Officers responded about 9 p.m. to the home, about 18 miles north of Detroit, where they were met outside by a 52-year-old woman covered in blood claiming she had been attacked by her son's pit bull. She was bleeding profusely, with severe bites to her arms, face and head, police said.

She was taken to a local hospital, where she was in critical condition. Before being transported, she told officers that her husband was in the home and that he, too, had been attacked by the dog.

Officers went to the front of the house, where a neighbor was at the front door yelling at the dog to get away. The dog suspected in the attack was present and was "extremely aggressive not allowing emergency personnel into the home to extricate the victim," police said in a release.

An officer began to pound on the back door to distract the dog. The dog went to the rear door and when he did, officers and Roseville fire department paramedics entered the home and began to take the husband out of the home.

The dog returned to the living room and officers — fearing for the safety of themselves, the victim and fire personnel — shocked the dog with a Taser, incapacitating it long enough to remove the victim, police said.

The man was first taken to a local hospital before being airlifted to the University of Michigan Hospital in extremely critical condition. Both victims had surgery Monday, Berlin said.

The dog suspected in the mauling and another dog at the home were taken by Macomb County (Mich.) Animal Control officers. It is unknown what will happen to the dogs. Berlin did not know the breed of the second dog in the home.

Berlin said the son got the dog that is believed to be involved in the attack in August. He said the son is the dog's owner and the dog is unlicensed. Berlin said that he was not aware of any other problems prior to the incident two weeks ago.

Berlin said in the incident two weeks ago, the woman was going to feed the dog, which was in a crate, when she was attacked. He said authorities are not exactly sure why the mauling occurred Sunday or what provoked the attack. He did not know whether the couple was able to fight back in any way.

He said the woman went to the next-door neighbor screaming for help for her husband. The dog would not allow the neighbor to enter the house.

Berlin said the male victim must have tried to make it to the front door to escape, almost making it.

The mauling is under investigation and will be presented to the county prosecutor's office for review on whether any charges will be filed.

Jeff Randazzo, the county's chief animal control officer, declined to comment Monday on the open investigation by Roseville police.

Follow Christina Hall on Twitter: @challreporter