Sunday, April 19, 2009

Pit bull lunges at Ore. woman, rips at her face

OREGON -- A pit bull attacked a woman who was walking her own dog, biting her in the face and leaving her with severe lacerations.

The incident happened Friday afternoon on Miller Farm Road in Woodburn.


Just two days ago, a man [allegedley] found the pit bull on a golf course and decided to take the stray in until he could find the owner.  Chris (who preferred his last name not be used) said he was keeping the dog in his garage and had called the Humane Society, Animal Services and even looked on Craigslist to see if someone had listed a missing pit bull.

He looks upset, doesn't he?

But the dog got loose from his house while his mother was getting the mail.  And when Chris came home, the cops were there and he discovered the pit bull had attacked a woman.

"I feel horrible for the lady," he said.  "My mom is crying non-stop."

Margaret Sawyer, 62, had gone for a walk outside her home and didn't get far when the stray pit bull came after her dog, Sadie.



"Oh she was screaming, screaming if a dog can scream," Sawyer said.  "She was totally terrified."

Sawyer fought to keep Sadie safe until a neighbor drove by and offered to help.

"I was going to put my dog in the window of the SUV and the next thing I knew, it was just like bam, on my face and the dog had bit me," she said. "My lip was hanging.  I thought my lip was gone and I was like 'oh my God, my lip is gone' and then I could feel stuff dangling.  It was very frightening."



Sawyer also ended up with a puncture wound near her eye and is showing her wounds because she wants to send a message.

"I felt it was important that people see how much damage a pit bull can do," she said.



The dog is now in the custody of the Woodburn Police Department.  A decision about what will happen next with the dog has not yet been made but police did say it is unlikely there will be any criminal charges because Chris and his mother are not the true owners.

Meanwhile, Sawyer said she has not decided if she will pursue any legal action.  Right now, she is just trying to heal.

(KOMO - Apr 18, 2009)