Woman Attacked by Pit Bull in Woodridge
A 68-year-old woman who was seriously injured in a pit bull attack in Woodbridge has been released from the hospital and is recovering at home.
The attack happened on the morning of August 11 on Temple Way in the Colonia section of Woodbridge. The woman was walking near a Hindu temple with another woman when a pit bull ran toward them.
The dog had been adopted by a Woodbridge family from the Associated Humane Society in Newark just one day earlier. The person walking the dog was a teenager. The dog suddenly pulled the leash from the teenager’s hand and ran toward the two women.
A neighbor who witnessed the attack said the dog knocked the victim to the ground and began biting her face. The woman was screaming and bleeding heavily when the neighbor ran outside to help.
The neighbor said the dog bit the woman on her cheek, beneath her neck and on her hand. The man attempted to stop the attack by hitting the dog with his shoe, but the animal continued biting.
The woman’s nephew also ran outside to help. He called 911, and Woodbridge police and an ambulance arrived within minutes.
The victim was taken to Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Rahway. She was admitted overnight and released the following day.
She suffered a long gash to her cheek and will require plastic surgery. She also has an appointment with a specialist to determine whether she suffered nerve damage around her eye.
Woodbridge Animal Control responded to the incident and took custody of the dog. The pit bull was placed in a mandatory 10-day quarantine at the Associated Humane Society in Newark.
The quarantine was scheduled to end on August 21. It is unknown what will happen to the dog, but it will not be returned to the family that adopted it.
The witness believes the dog’s owners should face criminal charges and that the animal should not be returned to the community. Criminal charges have been filed against the dog’s owners.
The victim’s family said the dog’s owners live only a few houses away on Temple Way but have not visited the victim or contacted the family to apologize or ask about her condition. The attack involved several families who live within four houses of one another, making the incident particularly significant for the neighborhood.
The woman’s injuries also demonstrate how quickly an uncontrolled dog can cause severe trauma. Facial dog bites can result in deep wounds, scarring, nerve damage, eye injuries, and plastic surgery, particularly when the victim is knocked to the ground and unable to escape.
Contact a New Jersey Personal Injury Lawyer Today
Dogs can attack people in an instant. Owners need to be mindful of this and learn how to train their dogs and prevent injuries from happening.
A Morristown dog bite injury attorney from The Law Offices of Michael P. Burakoff can assist you. Our legal team has extensive experience helping clients injured by dog attacks and dog bites. Fill out the online form or call (973) 455-1567 to schedule a consultation today.
Source:
patch.com/new-jersey/woodbridge/colonia-woman-recovering-after-she-was-attacked-pit-bull
