As many as five unleashed pit bull terriers reportedly mauled an Arlington man when he stepped outside to check the weather last Sunday, raising questions about the responsibility of pet owners and the danger of animal attacks in urban environments.
The wounded man, Terrance Marshall, was taken to a hospital emergency room with serious but non-life-threatening injuries. Marshall needed 79 stitches following the brutal attack by his neighbor’s dogs.
“I walked outside and the dogs were barking, … normally they bark and just go about their business. But the owner of the dog ran toward me to grab the dog that was walking toward me. Apparently, they took that as a threat and that’s when all of them rushed me,” Marshall told WFAA.
Marshall sustained injuries to his hands, arms, legs, ears, and head.
Arlington Animal Services (AAS) was called to the scene, but upon their arrival, the neighbor and dogs had already allegedly absconded.
It was not until Tuesday that AAS, with the help of Arlington police, managed to track down Marshall’s neighbor and seize the dogs.
“Our number one goal right now is to have these dogs in custody for rabies observation to keep our citizens and community safe until further determination can be set,” stated Henry Peña, AAS field operations manager, in an email to The Dallas Express.
No criminal charges have been filed against the neighbor so far, but a spokesperson for the Arlington Police Department told The Dallas Express it is not out of the question yet.
“I can tell you that we do work with Animal Control on these types of cases — and if at the conclusion of their investigation we believe criminal charges are warranted, we will file those,” he stated.
Peña agreed, telling The Dallas Express, “Citations can be issued, … however, Arlington Police Department may be able to pursue higher charges based on the penal code.”
Under certain conditions, dog attacks that result in serious bodily injury can result in the owner facing a third-degree felony charge with a penalty of two to 10 years in prison, per state law.
The Dallas Express reached out to Dallas Animal Services (DAS) to get the lay of the land as far as reported animal attacks go.
“In Dallas, we saw 304 bites by contained animals, 216 by loose animals this January. For the same month last year, we saw 328 bites by contained animals, 230 by loose animals,” a DAS spokesperson wrote in an email to The Dallas Express.
She further explained that DAS operations are split between investigations into aggressive dogs and reports of loose dogs.
“We are working to reduce instances of bites by loose animals by utilizing reports that come in through 311 to target patrols in areas where we are seeing elevated calls about loose dogs. The more loose dogs in a concentrated area, the greater the risk is for bites, so we use data to identify where our Animal Services Officers are most needed,” the spokesperson told The Dallas Express.
The latest mauling in Arlington follows a year of coyote sightings and attacks in and around Dallas and two dog maulings of children in the city limits, one of which resulted in a death, as previously reported in The Dallas Express.
It is currently unclear whether City leaders are willing to provide DAS with the necessary resources the agency needs to make Dallas safer, nor is it clear whether they are willing to crack down on irresponsible pet owners who allow their unrestrained animals to harm innocent residents.
As for Marshall, he may be one of the lucky ones in North Texas, despite a long road to recovery.
“This is just a small hurdle to overcome,” he told Fox 4. “I’m not going to let anything like this stop me because I’m a fighter.”
These attacks are always pitbulls.
Not always. And it’s not the dogs fault.
Agreed. Dogs instinct is to protect their owners and need to be trained to protect others.
Almost 2/3 of fatalities caused by dogs are by pit bulls.
It IS, many times, the dogs fault…pits are unpredictable and cause most fatalities. Some can turn even with a good background.
The serious maulings are usually pitbulls. It’s no poodles and pugs mauling people or killing them. The owners should be held personally responsible and the dogs should be put down if they attack people or other animals. It doesn’t matter the fault.
In a 2021 study/census the Pit Bull had the most recorded attacks on humans (3,397) and human Deaths (295). Far exceeding the next highest dog, Rottweiler with 535 attacks and 8 deaths. I wouldn’t have either of these and I’ve had dogs for over 50yrs.
I’ve had Rottweilers all of my adult life, and they are absolutely wonderful dogs. They do, however, require a lot of human interaction.
I question these studies, because I believe there is significant reporting bias! “Recorded” is the operative word. These dogs are powerful, so attacks are reported, whereas other breeds are likely not.
As usual Dallas city “leaders “ can’t decide on something.
It’s Arlington
The breed of the dogs are not the issue. Crappy owners are. APBT should not show aggression towards people. They are not supposed to be guard dogs. They are a game/working breed.
This was prob a crappy bully mix with a shitty owner.
Short of outlawing this dangerous breed, owners should be required to pay an extra fee at registration of the dog and levied a large fine if they bite or attack someone. No regulations, no decrease in incidents. No one seems to get bitten breaking into someone’s secure backyard with a pit bull.
The breed is only dangerous when they are taught to be.Owners are responsible for the pets, regardless of the breed. I’ve owned Staffordshire Terriers (Pitbulls) and they’ve been fabulous dogs and companions. The only dog I’ve ever been bitten by was a dachshund, but I understood he was protecting his property. There is no reason that someone wanting to own Staffordshire Terriers should have to pay to own them, no more than someone who owns Rottweilers, or any other breed of dog who could bit humans, it is all about the way they are raised/trained. Learn more about the Staffordshires and you’ll see that they, like all dogs, are as loving and well mannered as the people who raise them.
Parents are responsible for their kids and owners should be responsible for their dogs.
This is outrageous…the problem is with the owner…he/she should know better than to let these dogs out without being restrainted…this is not a difficult conclusion to arrive at!
This is such an important issue!
Yet, I feel that the horseshoe is unresponsive and that Council Members/Mayor’s office are difficult to access for citizen’s concerns.
Like the article states:
It is currently unclear whether City leaders are willing to provide DAS with the necessary resources the agency needs to make Dallas safer, nor is it clear whether they are willing to crack down on irresponsible pet owners who allow their unrestrained animals to harm innocent residents.
The first time loose pit bulls came onto my property, I might give the guy a warning. The next time, they’d get shot.
Im sure you would do the same with any other breed of loose dogs also, right?
Not a yorkie or a poodle. But a free running pit has no business in my yard, and the most effective protection is to put the pit down with whatever means available , that assures that the problem will not occur again. .
What about a “free-running” Rottie or Doberman? If you’d only shoot a Pitt then you don’t need a gun.
I don’t understand why there are no charges flied and this person is not arrested. They are his/hers dogs and their responsibility to control their dogs so this does not happen. These dogs should also be put down and the owner not allow to own dogs again. Why were these dogs off leash anyway.
Lock up the dog owners, who must be held accountable for dogs not on a leash (any city ordinance that requires it). A friend was bitten by a pit-bull (and another bitten by another breed – not a pitbull). Later it was discovered there had been other people who were bitten by the same dog. The owners, who failed to keep their dog on a leash in each incident, were required to have the dog put down. The owners were irresponsible in the first place, or at best they could’ve sent the dog to obedience training. It is what we did with our dog, and is now a completely changed animal. People need to take responsibility of their animals.
Owner should be responsible,it is not the dog’s fault,it is the way they are raised.
That’s like saying it’s not the fault of the rapists and murderers out there. It’s just the way they were raised. That may he somewhat true but the perpetrators need to be punished. Otherwise society falls into chaos, which is, unfortunately, what is happening now. Murderers, and dogs who attack, need to be put down. Those dogs have tasted human blood and bit into human flesh and that can’t be erased. Rapists should be in prison for life. They destroyed someone else’s life. Sorry if it affects your “sensibilities” but I will always be on the side of the victims.
Simply not true.
why are 5 pit bulls allowed to live in an apartment – terrifying experience
There was a guy Jeremy Boss(I think that is his name) He talked during Open Mic a few weeks ago he is in District 8– He has for years tried to expose the dangers of getting mauled in Dallas– The Council spends too much time on unnecessary things –and does NOT respond to actual dangers! Dangers that are within their authority to make changes to make life better in Dallas! Now they are all running for re-election– Check out the NEW Candidates!!
Seems like he would have ran inside , my stepmother has been attacked twice while doing her home care nursing job ,$50,000 later she has retired
My dogs, a Great Pyrenees and a Lab, never go out without being on a leash. Knowing what you have, why would you ever leta pit out off the leash, PERIOD?