On Friday afternoon, a man in his 80s died after he was savagely mauled by three dogs, including several pit bulls, on the west side of San Antonio.
Firefighters arrived at the scene just after 1:45 pm to a “horrific” scene where the man was being dragged by the vicious animals. The firefighters were forced to intervene using their pickaxes in order to get the dogs and release their grip. Two other people including an elderly woman were also hurt during the attack with one bit on the hand.
San Antonio Fire Chief Charles Hood said at the scene, “As they rounded the corner they could see a man being dragged by a dog. He was completely bloodied before they got out of the truck. This is not something that is normal for us. We don’t normally have to defend patients from animals or ourselves. The firefighters in this instance were very heroic fighting off these pit bulls with pickaxes and pipes to try and get to the patients.”
A San Antonio Fire Captain who arrived on the scene was also bitten in the leg during the attack which occurred in the 2800 block of Depla Street, on the city’s west side.
Two women who were attacked were taken to University Hospital for treatment. One of the women is currently in critical condition. Shannon Wade Sims, Director of Animal Care Services at the City of San Antonio, says the dogs were American Staffordshire dogs. ACS officers responded soon after receiving the call and managed to remove all of the animals from the property as well as question the owners.
Neighbors say they had reported bites occurring in the past with multiple calls to the city’s 311 complaint line. The dogs had been previously impounded for a “mild bite” in 2021. Other calls made by neighbors within the past two years were concerns about animal neglect and aggression.
San Antonio Animal Care Services have taken all of the dogs involved and placed them in quarantine kennels, where they will remain until further notice. It is not yet clear whether the owners of the dogs responsible for the attack will face any charges, although it is more than likely they will.
Chief Hood said that the entire experience had likely “emotionally scarred” the firefighters involved. “Nobody expects to go out and fight dogs in a situation like they did today,” Hood said.
The tragic incident has left the San Antonio community in shock and has prompted renewed calls for better regulation of dangerous dogs. The San Antonio Fire Department is currently working with the San Antonio Police Department and Animal Care Services to investigate the incident and to ensure that similar tragedies do not happen in the future.
