Pit Bull Attacks Family Pet, Owner

Owner charged $1,000
Morgan Hill – A family pet was attacked in its own home by a neighbor’s pit bull on Wednesday and nearly died.

The pit bull’s owner, Robert Parnell, 30, of Morgan Hill was cited for letting an animal run loose and for not properly restraining the dog. The loose animal charge carries a $1,000 fine.

The Llhasa Apso collapsed in the living room after the attack, Morgan Hill police Cmdr. Joe Sampson said.

“It almost died,” he said. “It had been attacked at the throat. It had to be rushed into emergency surgery. It did survive, but received some very serious injuries.”

Sampson said the owner of the Llhasa Apso entered her home on San Pedro Avenue and was surprised when the Llhasa Apso and her other two dogs didn’t meet her at the door. 

The owner then noticed, Sampson said, a red-colored pit bull and a terrier in her house; the terrier ran the other way, but the pit bull charged her.

“The dog grabbed her arm, but amazingly didn’t break the skin,” he said. “She managed to get away with minor injuries.” 

The woman escaped from the dog. She then locked it in the house and ran to tell her neighbor his dog was in her house.

The pit bull was later euthanized at the South County Animal Hospital.

Apparently the pit bull got out of its yard through a hole in the fence, and entered the neighbor’s house through a pet door. 

“If there’d been a small child inside, we could possibly have had a fatality,” Sampson said. 

Pina said he would recommend pet owners who need a door for pets to come in and out to purchase an electronic pet door, that responds to the animal’s collar, opening and closing as the animal wearing the collar approaches the door, but won’t open without the collar.

Sampson said pet owners need to be vigilant about making sure their animals can’t get out of the house or yard without their owners. 

“An attack like this one is always unfortunate, certainly when it is of this magnitude,” he said. “We want to encourage people to keep an eye on their fences, mend them when they need it, particularly if animals are contained there or children play there. People need to watch their dogs, to realize there is a potential for problems.”