Lynn woman, dog attacked by pit bull

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Farnsworth

Lynn woman, dog attacked by pit bull

By Robin Kaminski / The Daily Item

LYNN - A relaxing stroll on Chatham Street Thursday night turned into a nightmare for a Lynn resident and her small dog when a pit bull attacked the pair.

Animal Control Officer Kevin Farnsworth said the violent incident happened around 9 p.m., when the dog lunged toward the victim and bit her hand several times.

"Apparently the dog's owner (Katty Peraza) left the driveway gate open by accident and the dog ran through it," he said. "It ran right at the victim and bit her hand in a few places, but they were minor bites."

Farnsworth said the dog, which has been placed under quarantine for the next 10 days, is licensed to Peraza at 492 Chatham St.

"It wasn't a major incident, but the victim had to go to the doctor, and it will probably result in the dog being banned," he said.

Aside from the attack on Thursday, two other separate incidents involving pit bulls occurred on May 5 and 7, both with 5-year-old victims.

The May 5 incident, which took place at 482 Chatham St., resulted in a young victim with bite wounds to his face.

Farnsworth said the dog was later euthanized and tested for rabies.

In the second attack on May 7 at 124 Beacon Hill Ave., the victim was bitten on his wrist after the dog managed to escape its owner.

That dog is currently under quarantine and Farnsworth said he requested it be banned from the city.

"Unfortunately this is bite season right now and it's the busy period," he said. "It kind of goes through spells."

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Reader Comments

Comments so far on this story:

pitbull owner 2 wrote on May 30, 2008 2:06 AM:

" i just wish people would do a little RESEARCH on the american pitbullterrier before saying the breed should be banned or"target practice", any dog can be aggersive heck i've gotten bit by more labs and goldens , i've never been threated by a pitbull and yes i do own 2 neutered male pit boys and a spayed rottie,i think there should be something done about who owns pitbulls and regulations for owning them but banning them is going to make it where the dogs will be euthinized even if they are well taken cared for dogs. "

elroy wrote on May 24, 2008 7:30 AM:

" Any dog whether it is a pitbull or a poodle that attacks a person should be removed from the home. If people can't keep their animals from attacking other people, they probably aren't responsible enough to take care of them. It is pathetic that people are putting a dog over the well-being of another human being. "

carque11 wrote on May 23, 2008 8:34 PM:

" I KNOW THESE OWNERS THEY LOVED THIS DOG. GET LOVED!!!!! BECAUSE IT'S GONE FROM LYNN THANKS TO A CRAZY LADY WHO GOT NIPPED BY THIS DOG WHILE SCREAMING LIKE A MANIAC!!! I HEARD THIS THROUGH MY WINDOW! NOW A RESPONSIBLE FAMILY ARE ALL CRYING. BUT YOU ALL JUST KEEP MAKING THEM FEEL WORSE. ALL I KNOW IS YOU'RE ALL MAKING A WHOLE FAMILY FEEL SAD AND SCARED TO LIVE IN THIS NEIGHBORHOOD. PS THE DOG WAS 1 YEAR OLD PETITE PIT STOOD 12 INCHES HIGH "

jagee wrote on May 22, 2008 3:31 PM:

" My dog is half pit and is the most loveable dog in the world only time he gets close to being violent is when he feels me or the little one are being threatened. I walk him nightly and cant tell you how many people stop to pet him. So that just shows it is not the breed its the owners. People who do not take care of their dogs or do not correct their dogs bad behavior.
I agree with the fine the owner idea and depending on the offense put the dog down. "

chico1020 wrote on May 21, 2008 10:04 PM:

" i know the perazas personally and they are great people that would do anything to help someone out. instead of pointing the finger at them maybe some of you should look at your self and see how perfect you are. "

chico1020 wrote on May 21, 2008 10:04 PM:

" I have had a pit bull companion for years now and its sad that some of you people are stereotyping this bread of dog. i got biten by a german shepard and im not saying all of them are bad! Chihuahuas have the worst temperment of all dogs but if one was going to attack you, you wouldnt say they are all bad. "

jay_chris wrote on May 21, 2008 1:00 PM:

" the last few comments brought tears to my eyes.

FINE THE OWNERS! PUT DOWN THE DOG! IF IT DID IT ONCE IT WILL DO IT AGAIN. But for the sake of the "responsible" owners out there.... WE can NOT ban pit bulls because the 100 or so idiots will keep their illegal dogs anyway! "

redmoss wrote on May 21, 2008 10:24 AM:

" "There are no bad dogs, just bad owners."
Untrue, poor breeding may produce unsound dogs. A pit bull should never exhibit aggression toward a human, yet there's a glut of them biting. These are bad dogs with bad owners.
There are genetically aggressive dogs, and if they're not properly managed/contained, they should be killed.
The public should be protected from them, no matter the breed. It's myopic to think the banning of a certain type of dog will insure safety. Dogs should not be slated for death based on their appearance but on their behavior.
"

harlee wrote on May 21, 2008 10:02 AM:

" MamaGray/ Viper1 - I agree with both of you 100%. I rescued a Great Dane from an abusive owner. It took over a year to get him to trust me. He turned out to be a wonderful, loving dog who loved everyone he came in contact with, but this was no easy matter. It took a lot of hard work and commitment. Sadly, I lost him to old age a few weeks ago, but he passed away after all his physical and emotional scars were healed and knowing he was loved. "

MamaGray wrote on May 21, 2008 9:09 AM:

" Bad owners and uneducated owners are 2 diff. things. Novelty wears off after they are no longer a cute puppy or after a year when it gets hard to be consistent in the training. If you can't put in the time or take classes, no matter what breed..DON'T BUY A DOG!!! I have 2 English bulldogs and it took alot of love, commitment, hard work and many episodes of "The Dog Whisperer" to get them as sweet and well behaved as they are ...not to mention they had good parents/breeders. "

redmoss wrote on May 21, 2008 8:31 AM:

" Madmom,
The victim did not need to undergo rabies prophylaxis because a domestic animal will die within the 10 day quarantine period if it is actually shedding the virus.

Ironically, I have had loose dogs charge/attack my leashed pit bulls many times. Except for the Rottweiler that began dragging my dog into its yard, I am assured that my dogs will survive the attack but when I've walked a small dog I continually look for loose dogs.

I can only imagine how terrifying this incident is for the victim and her dog.
"

Viper1 wrote on May 21, 2008 7:14 AM:

" The sheer ignorance of those commenting to Ban, Exterminate, abolish or otherwise eliminate an entire breed of animal is mind boggling, do you people actually have an education? do you feel the same way about the sexual predators that are set free in the city to do what they will? or are you just a bunch of bandwagon whiners with nothing better to do? Ill bet on the latter.
There are no bad dogs, just bad owners. "

MadMom wrote on May 21, 2008 12:42 AM:

" I think the owners should be fined and they might think twice next time about making sure the gate is properly closed. The owner did not have rabies shots up to date for the dog, if she did the woman would not of had to get them injected into the wounds. Imagine the pain she had to endure. First the bites then the shots. Poor thing. imagine that being your child. Oh wait, 2 children were bit around the same area 2 weeks before.... STOP THE MADNESS "

MadMom wrote on May 21, 2008 12:42 AM:

" I met the woman who was attacked by the dog the morning after the attack. She was visably shaken. Not only were her hands all bitten but she was bruised everywhere. This is a shame. I live in the area and have seen these dog's running loose many time's. I do believe there are some bad dog's but i also believe there are some bad owners to. She told me that she was advised to walk a different way now. WHY SHOULD SHE. "

pkelly2505 wrote on May 20, 2008 3:09 PM:

" Cities have all sorts of rules to protect people in a city environment. You can't keep tigers or poisonous snakes or surface-to-air missles in Lynn; we have decided that it's too dangerous to allow people to do so. A ban on pit bulls would be justified for the same reason. "

harlee wrote on May 20, 2008 12:33 PM:

" I think "dont bite me" said it all - these people allowed their pit to run loose all the time. I'd like to know why these people are getting away with this? And, why is it always in Lynn? they should be heavily fined on the FIRST offense, and the dogs taken away from them, because you know they'll just do it again. "

jay_chris wrote on May 20, 2008 8:42 AM:

" lets not forget that these dogs are a result of illegal breeding as well. it's not like these guys / gals are adopting these pets from animal shelter! they won't let you adopt pets this size unless you have a yard and someone home at all times! this is just "billy bob" posting an ad and selling these mutts and in-bred's to joe schmoe... hence "when animals attack"... "

ladyliberty wrote on May 19, 2008 1:25 PM:

" Here's a easy 'part' solution... All dogs outside of a gated area..should have a muzzle. Any dog on the street without without a muzzle will be hauled off to pound/wherever. Any dog on the street without a muzzle with an owner ...the owner will be mandatory fined $$$$ with a first warning the second time the dog goes!

Police may/must stop and take a minute to write any tickets...the city needs the money. "

DKY wrote on May 19, 2008 9:05 AM:

" JC - Most dalmatians are crazy because they're too inbred. Now, I said "most" not "all" before dalmatian lovers get on my case.
tpaine - LOL Yeah, you can take a relaxing stroll on Chatham St. Just make sure you wear your bullet proof vest and carry a gun. "

erthbndangel123 wrote on May 19, 2008 8:46 AM:

" I have a dog,not a pitbull,my dog was a mutt from the rescue she bites, she's great around us but she's extremely protective and she will bite, It's MY RESPONSABILTY to make sure she don't. Not all dogs bite, breed has nothing to do with it, it's the owner's responsabilty no matter if its a pitbull,mutt,snake or lion. "

DontBiteMe wrote on May 18, 2008 11:20 PM:

" I'm a neighbor. I can line up 20 people in 20 minutes to tell you that these people allow their dogs to run around in traffic on Chatham st for two years that I know of. The dog did not just slip the fence. They don't care. He was out on the sidewalk with the owner when he attacked the victim and her dog. The animal officer chose to downplay the incident and ignore the victim's story. When neighbors challenge the owners they always just say with a shrug "he got out" or "I forgot the leash" "

DontBiteMe wrote on May 18, 2008 11:11 PM:

" I live in the neighborhood and know the victim. The paper downplayed the violence of the attack. The woman was literally knocked out of her shoes. She's undergoing painful rabies shots, has painful bites on her hand and has bruises and lacerations all over including her back. It's a miracle that she and her little dog are not dead. If she were not strong and alert the little dog would be ripped apart and she would be severely maimed or dead...just for getting off work a liitle late and having to walk the dog?
"

integrity wrote on May 18, 2008 8:04 PM:

" And apparently we have MANY bad owners based on the numerous articles about pit bull attacks in the City. Are we going to see the comment that this dog was not a pit bull? "

AJD wrote on May 18, 2008 12:04 PM:

" WOW! They left a gate open honest mistake. Now, if this was a lab and the gate was open what would the outcome be? Lab might run after them with its tail wagging and may jump on the person out of excitement. It would maul the person now would it? Pit bulls = bad breed plain and simple dont blame the owners. "

pitbull owner wrote on May 18, 2008 11:42 AM:

" See everyone over read what I wrote before.

NO BODY TALKS ABOUT THEY DOGS WHO IS BITTING THE MAIL MAN. BUT THEY HAVE ALL THE TIME TO TALK ABOUT PITBULLS.

BAN THE DRUGS DEALER,GANG MEMBER AND ALL THIS IGNORANTS THAT ONLY KNOW HOW TO JUDGE BUT DO NOT DO ANYTHING TO HELP THE CITY SURVIVE. "

pete wrote on May 18, 2008 10:30 AM:

" Mike you got it half right. "Sorry, but the only thing a pitbull is good for is target practice." We need to put all the punk, gang, wanna bes' next to those dogs and make sure the shooters take tem out first and most importantly. Kill two birds with one stone. Damned wanna be gangs. A bunch Bunch of losers.
They shoudld try this crap in N.H., they would end up aspig food and no-one would ever know it. Sorry got off topic.OOOOOOOOOOOps. "

lynner wrote on May 18, 2008 6:48 AM:

" "There are no bad dogs just bad owners"!! "

wyoma wrote on May 18, 2008 1:00 AM:

" Lynn seems to be overrun with nasty 4 and 2 legged animals. "

Julilo wrote on May 17, 2008 7:45 PM:

" Great comments! I agree with most of you. Let's ban the pits, drugs, gangs and guns. Ever notice that the pit bulls have better teeth than their owners. Cleaner too!!!! "

John wrote on May 17, 2008 4:47 PM:

" For the last 3 years all I heard is people and children being attacked by
pitbulls " ban all Pitbulls from the city" "

jay_crhis wrote on May 17, 2008 3:29 PM:

" pit bulls are "work" dogs... they require 2+ hours per day of excercise or activity because they are a high-energy breed. just like rotweillers. I had a dalmation that was a nightmare! i would take this dog out on 4 mile runs and he'd still attack, bite, chew, jump the fence ect... he was a total liability... why? because the dalmation is also a "high-energy" dog that needs over 3 hours of "activity" per day...
I gave him away to a friend who lives in the sticks... the dog is fine nowdays in Ware, MA. "

frank wrote on May 17, 2008 3:11 PM:

" I am sure that this lady made a mistake by leaving her gate open and it is to bad a person just walking by got bit. lets be honest people do need these dogs for home protection to live in this city or anywhere for that matter. people just have to be very cautious when it comes to owning any dog. pitbull or not. "

Former Lynn Resident wrote on May 17, 2008 3:07 PM:

" Pit bulls are currently being bred by dogfighters, criminals, and thugs trying to make a quick buck. They were created for bloodsport....first bullbaiting, then dog on dog combat. They have high levels of prey drive, no fear, a high threshhold for pain, strength, and are "game" dogs....they often will not stop an attack until their victim is dead.

Very few people have the knowledge and advanced handeling skills needed to manage these dogs. We need to regulate them. All non-titled, non UKC/AKC registered pits should be spay/neutered, microchipped, and the owners should be required to carry liability insurance. "

Lynn Resident wrote on May 17, 2008 2:29 PM:

" Ban all pitbulls. My neighbor got a pitbull like last month.She is a nice neighbor and she has another dog that is kind and trained.
But I'm still not sure about the pitbull.I saw her grandson get chased by it. "

pete wrote on May 17, 2008 1:26 PM:

" If they ban anything in Lynn it should be the idiots that think they are so tough. The gangs of whimps that Lynn allows to run the city. You know, all the cowards that wouldn't know what to do without their "boyfriends" next to them. "

pete wrote on May 17, 2008 1:24 PM:

" I'm sure if you look at the owners, they are either, careless, bad-attitude, "tough", cool, people, or they just don't give a damn about anyone but themselves. They are the cause of the pit-bull problem, not the poor breed. They are beautiful animals when they are treated with respect instead of like dogs. Make the dog's owner pay all medical bills, the bill for the police action it caused, and the animal control officer's bill. Then fine her, and lock her up for as many days as it takes for the attacked womean's bites to heal. "

pitbull owner wrote on May 17, 2008 1:20 PM:

" What types of dogs are the ones attaking the mail mans...

not pits why no one make a big deal about that? yes because they not pitbulls that the reasson why... "

Mike S wrote on May 17, 2008 1:12 PM:

" point of fact: most dogs, when faced with an open gate which is normally locked, and another dog passing by ( or even human ) will have their prey drive triggered. Why do you think a dog barks at you when you pass by it's locked enclosure... it is protecting it's territory. Dogs will be dogs trained or not...just like children, if you leave them unattended and un-monitored they will do whatever it is they think they can get away with. BTW do we ban children who get in fights and injure someone else? Have we banned gang membersyet? "

se not only pits bite wrote on May 17, 2008 1:10 PM:

" Raccoon that bit Swampscott crossing guard had rabies

read this article.... "

lynn resident wrote on May 17, 2008 1:07 PM:

" All dogs bite not just pitbulls "

bcagrande wrote on May 17, 2008 12:43 PM:

" And I suppose that the people who buy these dogs get them because they are such "good and gentle dogs" and the thought never crosses their minds that these dogs have a tough reputation, can be very fierce and protective and that most people would cross the street before crossing the path of a pitbull. Give me a break folks. I'm so sick and tired of hearing the constant babble of pitbull advocates. They AND their owners should BOTH be banned from the city. TRASH! "

samoye wrote on May 17, 2008 11:42 AM:

" I am sorry but i disagree. it depends on the owner and it seems like the dog takes after the owenr. If the dog was tweated with love and compassion it wouldn't happen. I love all dogs and yes pitbills are agressive sometimes but there are some pitbills that is friendly as can be. Not all pitbills are agressive ok. So there is no need to ban them and if that pitbull needs a nice home i would consider on taking him in myself ok. I wouldn't mine ok. Love, Pam "

dtigerr wrote on May 17, 2008 11:33 AM:

" Ban pit bulls. "

jumpy wrote on May 17, 2008 10:42 AM:

" there are no bad great white sharks, only bad great white shark owners. "

tpaine wrote on May 17, 2008 10:32 AM:

" Is there such a thing as a relaxing stroll on Chatham Street? "

felix wrote on May 17, 2008 10:27 AM:

" Not every pit bull is a dangerous dog, but more often than not, every dangerous dog is a pit bull. A citywide ban would be painful for a lot of good dog owners and their dogs, but how many more incidents do we need?
Someone please tell me, twenty-five years ago when I was a child and there were FAR less, if any, pit bulls running around Lynn, when exactly was "Bite Season" cause I am pretty sure I never heard of it until the pit bull explosion.
"

AJD wrote on May 17, 2008 9:30 AM:

" Ok all you advocates of pit bulls.! When are we going to read about a lab, cocker spaniel, golden retriever or shitzu attack in Lynn? Lets finally ban these vicious animals. Let me know where an when to vote on this. Unbelievable!! "

harlee wrote on May 17, 2008 9:22 AM:

" again - the owners fault. - she left the gate open so the dog could get out. irresponsible owners should not own any breed of dog. do you think banning pits will stop people from owning them? it's illegal for kids to have guns and drugs - but they still have them. increasing the licensing fee won't help either. bad owners probably don't license their dogs that they train to be aggressive, so why make the good owners pay more. I say the irresponsible owners should be used for target practice. "

mingodog wrote on May 17, 2008 9:18 AM:

" any dog can turn. but the owners should definitely be held responsible. there is absolutely no reason why people in a city should have more than 1 dog per family. the law should be 1 strike.destroy. i own a pit, but if my dog ever bit i would kill it myself. there should be a dam good reason why, such as someone breaking in a home , yes, the dog protects, outside not! "

kris wrote on May 17, 2008 8:40 AM:

" Obviously the first 3 comments were made by non dog owners. Okay what about all the trouble making kids on the street. People have been killed by them should we ban all kids from the city! "

jay_chris wrote on May 17, 2008 8:28 AM:

" fine the owner, put down the dog.

it could have been a shitzu and the same treatment should apply. irresponsible owners should be the ones fined and banned...

granted, there is a plethora of pit bulls in east lynn because people think they are "cool" - those are the irresponsible owners that should be targeted.... "

DKY wrote on May 17, 2008 8:11 AM:

" Here we go again.
Let loose the blog hounds! "

Just Sayin wrote on May 17, 2008 8:06 AM:

" When is "enough" enough? Lynn residents simply walking, jogging, or playing in their own neighborhoods should not have to be fearful of pitbulls, or any other breed attacking. How about banning hostile breeds, increasing their owner's huose insurance, and stricter penalties for those whose pets attack? Be responsible people. No excuses for animals getting out of yards or being unleashed! If people can't contain their pets maybe they shouldn't have them. Who needs to be bit in the butt around here to make a change that will insure the safety of Lynn's residents!? "

John wrote on May 17, 2008 7:53 AM:

" How many of these stories do we have to read? Ban the dogs and the dirtbag owners.... "

Anthony DeFranco wrote on May 17, 2008 6:58 AM:

" There are too many dogs in the city of Lynn. Increase the license fee for all dogs in the city. "

Mike- Lynn wrote on May 17, 2008 5:48 AM:

" Ya tell me again how it's the owner not the dog. This is a vicious breed by nature.
Sorry, but the only thing a pitbull is good for is target practice.
It's about time they were banned once and for all from this city.
"

abdul wrote on May 17, 2008 4:19 AM:

" Oh, it mst be bite season again. How long will the city let this keep happening. Till someone is killed. Ban them all.... "

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