[Pigeon]

The dog seems to have mistaken the resuscitation for an attack on the owner. Sad stuff all 'round.

http://www.wtrf.com/story/28298844/p...-2-lives-taken

ORIGINAL STORY
It's a heartbreaking story that ends tragically for not one but two men. Wheeling Police were called out to a home on 14th Street in Wheeling regarding a pit bull attack.

Neighbors and the brother to one of the victims said the dog reacted when she thought her owner was being physically attacked Monday morning.

Neighbors said they have interacted with this pit bull and never thought of it as being vicious. Edward Turpin said his brother lived at 131 14th Street with his roommate who was partially crippled. Turpin said one of them had a heart condition and passed out, that is when the other tried to resuscitate him, but the dog didn't understand and became protective and attacked.

"One of them had, had some heart problems and it seems like she was protecting him from the person trying to resuscitate him," Neighbor Beth Patsch said. "She was always wonderful, they had had her and her mother and her mother had just passed in the fall, I believe, and this was the puppy. They've had her since she was tiny, tiny and never a problem."

Beth Patsch is a neighbor who lives directly across the street and watched all of the events last night. She said she watched a female come through a second floor window onto the porch roof to avoid being attacked as well.

Turpin said it brings him some peace to know there was no foul play involved with his brother's death.

The incident is being investigated by the Wheeling Police Department Detective Division.

UPDATE, MONDAY 1 P.M.:

Wheeling police have released the names of the victims.

Police said David Wallace, 63 of Wheeling, and Roy A. Higgenbotham Jr., 62 of Wheeling, died Sunday night.

In a press release, Police Chief Shawn Schwertfeger said that even though one of the victims was attacked by the dog on scene, the cause of death of both subjects remains undetermined. Schwertfeger also said investigators will rely heavily on the toxicologies and autopsies.

According to the news release, the dog involved in the incident remains in quarantine and in the care of the Ohio County Animal Control. The dog was not on the City of Wheeling register of Dangerous or Vicious Dogs.

[kellyhound]

sad story, no winners. Can't blame a dog for acting how (s)he sees things unless he's really well trained. And in emergency situations like this who thinks about putting the dog in another room first before resuscitating someone the dog wants to protect as every second counts.
It's not like a random vicious attack on someone.

[BryanXavier]

Originally Posted by kellyhound ↗

sad story, no winners. Can't blame a dog for acting how (s)he sees things unless he's really well trained. And in emergency situations like this who thinks about putting the dog in another room first before resuscitating someone the dog wants to protect as every second counts.
It's not like a random vicious attack on someone.

And they'll put the dog down unless there is a miracle.

Poor mutt.

[spudigitti]

[CrunchyCripple]

What an awful situation.

I've seen video of a guy who needed help and his rottweiler was preventing people from coming to the man's aid.
There are downsides to having a protective dog. It all goes downhill if you don't have the ability to verbally command the dog.

Sad situation

[adhartz]

Had a similar situation when my grandfather had a heart attack. His laborador became highly protective to the point it took my grandmother and mother to physically drag him to another room and get the door closed. Dogs are more loyal than most people. Hopefully this pitty will be able to live out her days in Best Friends Sanctuary or with a similar organization. They have given a permanent home to a few dogs who were entangled in similar cases and deemed too viscious to live.

[nyazzip]

they have interacted with this pit bull and never thought of it as being vicious.

no shit, that's how pit bulls are. plenty of idiots on this forum think the same way though.

[CrunchyCripple]

Originally Posted by nyazzip ↗

no shit, that's how pit bulls are. plenty of idiots on this forum think the same way though.

And apparently Labradors, as per the post above yours.

[nyazzip]

Originally Posted by CrunchyCripple ↗

And apparently Labradors, as per the post above yours.

...and tell me how many labradors kill and permanently maim humans per year

[nyazzip]

* kill OR maim