(FL) Man Shoots Attacking Pit Bulls Off Neighbor

[Drizzt]

Man Shoots Attacking Pit Bulls Off Neighbor
Victim: 'I Really Thought That The End Was Here'

LEESBURG, Fla. -- A man in Leesburg who heard screams for help from his neighbor during an attack by two pit bulls grabbed his shotgun and opened fire, possibly saving the man's life, according to a Local 6 News report.

Authorities with the Lake County Sheriff's Office said two pit bulls attacked Joe Pipala, 61, at his home on Maple Street in Leesburg Sunday.

Pipala said he thought he was going to die during the attack.

"I really thought that the end was here," said victim Joe Pipala. "I hit one with a four-by-four and I could have sworn that I knocked a tooth out and it and it didn't even stun it."

Pipala's wife, Susan, tried to distract the dogs as they attacked her husband.

"I started screaming and jumping up and down on the porch," Susan Pipala said.

However, the pit bulls would not stop moving in on Pipala, the report said.

Pipala's neighbor Jeff Lint heard the cries for help and grabbed his gun.

"I heard Joe yelling, 'Jeff help, Jeff, help,'" Lint said. "It was a scream of help. They would not let him alone. They were just all over him. I know Joe and I know that he has a heart condition. As a last resort, I got the 12-gauge shotgun and I come back over."

Lint fired and hit one of the pit bulls.

"It went down and did a 360 three different times and then got up and came after me again," Lint said. "So, I unloaded a second shot into it."

The dog died from the gunshot wounds.

The dead dog's owner was fined $50, the report said. He did not want to talk with Local 6 News about the incident.

"I mean (it's) odd that they got a ticket and nothing else (other than) a fine," Susan Pipala said. "Fifty dollars and bye-bye. No dog taken away. No dog quarantined."

Pipala told Local 6 News that he feels lucky to be alive.

"Now he wants to know from animal services what on earth is it going to take to get this dog off the streets," Local 6 reporter Vanessa Medina said.

The second dog involved in the attack belonged to one of the man's friends and was spotted back on its property later Sunday.

Animal services would not comment on the incident.

http://www.local6.com/news/9525363/detail.html

 

[trapperjohn]

No, this can't be!! everyone on here knows pitbulls are sweet and lovable and had all their aggression towards people bred out of them generations ago.

oh wait, it must have been a mixed breed, or maybe an abusive owner that turned the lovable pooches into dogs that attacked this man.


moral of the story, regardless of a breeds generl temperment, when you are out in the world you may not get a chance to check a large dogs pedigree or interview its owner about training techniques.

 

[g56]

The dead dog's owner was fined $50,

If that guy hadn't shot that dog it would probably would have killed that man, and the dog owner only gets fined $50? He came very close to committing manslaughter due to his careless handling of his dogs.

 

[pharmer]

Unless it's a gator, Animal Services isn't interested. Guy had balls using a single shot break action. Dog's owner was a real anal orifice in the TV interview, sounding like he was the victim. I'd have killed both dogs. Sue me Joe

 

[Limeyfellow]

Its sad when dogs are usually mistreated and not trained to do such things and they have to be put down like that. The owner needs the book thrown at him, not a slap on the wrist $50 fine.

 

[meef]

"It went down and did a 360 three different times and then got up and came after me again," Lint said.

Would've been easier to just say "It did a 1080."

 

[Flintlock Tom]

Sounds like it's time for a civil lawsuit.

Sue for 10 million and get one million, happens all the time, and for less provocation.

 

[High Planes Drifter]

Thats a tough little booger to get up and pretty much shake it off after catching a load of shot; I'm assuming it was <25 yards. Wonder what kind of shot Lint used.?

 

[lionking]

good to hear a story on the press where a firearm was used to a positive effect.Im sure some sort of lawsuit will follow.In certain parts of Florida its mandatory to have insurance to own a pitbull.
Ok,my dad had a pitbull which I took over after he moved away.The dog was cared for well,not mistreated.It was a "loving" dog toward the family,but it was territorial and we did have a couple "incidents" with it.At its older age it did mellow out though.I do believe that pitbulls have a certain "hardwiring" to the aggressive side,some more than others.Though its true that any breed can be potentially dangerous.
Personally I love Dobermans,really miss mine.The only breed Ive ever really been mistrusting of though are Chows.Every Chow Ive ever come across is a one person dog,and not tolerant of other people.

 

[Haymaker]

Astounding!

In the Kali Nazinnystate, there are state & local statutes against keeping 'dangerous' dgs - following a series of (well publicized) dog attacks by Pits, Chows, Rottweilers, Dobies, Wolf hybreds.......... There have been fatalities... ...adults and kids LEO response to dog attacks varies statewide, currently there is a woman in SF being tried for the murder of her 12yr old son - died following an attack by the 2 family 'pets'. Shoot? DARN RIGHT! = probably the only use of a firearm you could get away with in that blissninnie town:banghead:

 

[Dionysusigma]

Somewhat random question with bearing.

Are Alaskan Huskies considered to be a Wolf Hybrid?

 

[Jesse H]

Dogs are similar to guns. Unfortunately you've got responsible and you've got irresponsible owners of both.

 

[Matt G]

Yes, but guns, when left unattended, do not run into the neighbors' yards and attack them.

 

[torpid]

Yes, but guns, when left unattended, do not run into the neighbors' yards and attack them.

And NDs can go through walls.

(Don't really have a point here, that's just what popped into my head immediately after I read Matt's post and thought "true".)

 

[BIGDADDYLONGSTROKE]

I used to own a pitbull and she was the best dog I have ever owned my aunt and uncle have her as I had to give her up when I moved and they say the same thing she is the best dog they have ever owned. Im not trying to defend the dogs or owner in question, pittbulls are very dangerouse when not raised well and cared for properly. They very capable of doing mass amounts of damage to almost anything if there mad and get a hold of it. But as with any large breed of dog if you teach it wrong they can hurt someone. Sad to hear I hope the house owner gets well soon, and the dog owner should have been held accountable a little more. As for the dogs once they attack somebody in my beliefe it is time to put them down.

 

[Silver Bullet]

"I started screaming and jumping up and down on the porch," Susan Pipala said.

However, the pit bulls would not stop moving in on Pipala, the report said.

I'm surprised that didn't work.

 

[Jim March]

Huskys aren't wolf hybrids, and they have extremely mellow personalities. Well, sorta hyper and playful but not vicious...very low rate of biting humans as I recall.

Near as anybody can tell, the Huskies weren't bred from Alaskan wolves. The Inuit had some relative of them when they came over from Asia. The Husky looks a bit like the Japanese Akita and there may be some distant relationship although the Akita is a much more foul-tempered breed...moreso than the pit bull by some accounts.

Anyways. Everybody assumes the Huskies were bred out of Alaskan wolves...it just ain't so. Might have been a bit of wolf crossed in once in a while way back but not to excess.

 

[Imaginos]

Hand Grenade

I would rather see the punks in my 'hood (the "neighbor" part left years ago) walking around with AKs and leaving live grenades lying on the ground than to let any of them have a dog larger than a chihuahua. They do not demonstrate responsible behavior with their animals.

I have drawn down on three separate dogs while out walking with my kid. I am 100% sure that the only reason that one of us did not become a chew toy was a command voice and the fact that I did not try to run. I have animal control on speed dial in my cell, and the animal shelter is less than 2 miles from my house, yet they can never get anyone out in less than 1 hour.

I have complained until I'm blue in the face. They finally told me to "do what I have to do if I am in fear of being attacked". I don't want to shoot somebody's pet, but its hard to judge the Tuller Drill on a dog.

 

[sm]

Intent

Preface : getting a bit tired of Dogs , LEOs, Zombies, Peanut Butter and other LABELS getting ,[strike] painted[/strike] , [strike] brushed [/strike] -new metaphor - "nuked from orbit" everytime .

Review time:

INTENT 101

Lesson 101 dealt with Inanimate Objects.

Guns, knives, matches, baseball bats, tampons , condoms, peanut butter...ain't gonna do a thing all by themselves - these things require someone to do something with them.

It is the Intent of the user of these items - as to how matters play out.

If the Darwin Canidate want to wrap his arm to get a vein , and inject Peanut Butter - it darn sure ain't Skippy - and it ain't Skippy's fault.

Got it?

INTENT 102 . Living Critters

--Dogs, LEOs, Clergy, School Teachers, Doctors, Nurses,

--Blue Haired / No Haired / Gray Haired Geriatric Drivers in Silver colored vehicles that cannot see over steering wheels

--Day care workers,

-- Pet Deer, Pet Snakes, ...

Here we go-

1. You have some that are fine, healthy , great representives of Professions / Species.

Same Folks get bad sick due to Rabies, Reactions to Medicines, Chemotherapy , disease, injuries, ...sleep depravation, trauma, ....

These may very well change personality wise and Go Rodeo on your buttocks and want a very large chunk of it.

36 hour shift with trauma , death, blood and guts and a Surgeon, Scrub Tech, LEO ...might be just a tad short and not be in a mood for games.

Keep poking that snake, dog, pet critter and liable to get nipped, bit and tucked.

Fluffy the yippy furball dog gets bit by a a rabid racoon , and "precious" is liable to pull a "Excorcist" in your front room...

2. You have bad representative of any Profession / Group/ Species

LEOs, Nurses, Docs, Nurses...get addicted to alcohol / drugs , so to support habits they - are bad representatives of Professions.

Maybe their child is Diagnosed with Cancer....
Spouse in a bad car wreck ...even with Insurance bills mounting up...
Victim of Natural Disaster and everthing gone due to fire, flood, tornado...
So they steal and do illegal things to get money.

Maybe the couple has been married 40 years and
a. Spouse dies, say of cancer, or heart attack, whatever. Maybe one is diagnosed and the whole idea of facing that, and losing a spouse , fixed income is tight, insurance...

b. Just drive the gray elderly-mobile into a oncoming car, RR crossing with train a coming...
Normal folks, just, well can't , won't live without the other and "until death do us part" don't mean it can't be at the same time, or shortly thereafter.

Stuff changes people/ critters. Everyone has a price.

Got it?

--

Original Post.

Am I the only one with a Monitor that "read" :

Got a "threat", neighbor came to stop that immediate threat.

Umm okay. What can learn from this post?

1. The perspective of neighbor and why that threat occurred, lack of awareness, any thing the person could have done to avoid being chosen a victim?

Could he have evaded, any tools in the tool box that could be used, any used and didn't work and any backup tools in the tool box?
Wife, anything she shoulda , coulda, done different?

2. The person that did stop the immediate threat. Lessons to be learned - such as Awareness, and training he has?


This was a species of Dog.

-It could have been a stoned out his mind dopehead.
-It could have been a family member - going thru a bad personality change due to medical reactions to chemotherapy, or other 'scripted drugs..
-Fluffy the yippied furball dog - done gone Exorcist due to rabies from being attacked by a racoon.
-Fluffy the yippied furball - got into the Chocolate.

Dogs and chocolate do not mix. It will kill them...however...they go / can go thru a huge personality change and instead of being a well mannered, Pedigreed Springer, Golden Retreiver, Labrador...- turn on you and pull a Exorcist - enough to make Buford the Pit Bull turn tail and run making Fluffy look like a defensive furball...err dog.



Got it?

 

[Srigs]

They should shoot the owner and the dog!

The guys will have one legal problem on his hands. Sometime there is justice and it only comes due to bankrupting owners like this.

 

[torpid]

Dogs and chocolate do not mix. It will kill them...however...they go / can go thru a huge personality change and instead of being a well mannered, Pedigreed Springer, Golden Retreiver, Labrador...- turn on you and pull a Exorcist - enough to make Buford the Pit Bull turn tail and run making Fluffy look like a defensive furball...err dog.

As a responsible chocolate owner, I am getting really sick and tired of these "OH NO! Your chocolate will inevitably turn my beloved pet into a demon possessed hell hound!" posts. Way to stereotype all of us chocolate owners with your chocolate bashing, SM.

 

[telomerase]

Everybody assumes the Huskies were bred out of Alaskan wolves...it just ain't so. Might have been a bit of wolf crossed in once in a while way back but not to excess.

I agree that they are not pure NA wolves, and it seems likely that they were originally Asian wolves, like the majority of breeds (German shepherds, etc.) However, the Malamutes that founded the current pedigreed lines are known to have had wolves crossed into them as late as the early 20th century.

(I had a 3/4 wolf/Malamute for 13 years. Best dog ever. But I didn't make him listen to rap music, either...)

 

[Jesse H]

Yes, but guns, when left unattended, do not run into the neighbors' yards and attack them.

True...that's why I said similar.

It'll be really rare that a properly raised and socialized dog will run amok and attack humans. When my lab/pit got out, she ran to the neighborhood lake and terrorized the ducks.

 

[TallPine]

"Now he wants to know from animal services what on earth is it going to take to get this dog off the streets," Local 6 reporter Vanessa Medina said.

A couple more shotgun shells ... ?

 

[gezzer]

Gee! Gadzukes!!!!! Notice it was pitbulls again and not cocker spainels.:banghead: :banghead: :banghead: