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Pit bulls attack door-to-door salesman

Posted On: Thursday, May. 7 2009 06:10 AM

By Victor O’Brien
Killeen Daily Herald

Killeen Animal Control quarantined three pit bulls Tuesday after they attacked a door-to-door salesman.

Lillian Bruner, 11, heard loud screams and dogs barking when she was reading outside about 7 p.m. Three white pit bulls attacked and bit a door-to-door security systems salesman in the leg near her grandfather’s home on Shawn and Greenlee drives, Lillian said.

The bite drew blood and left deep bite marks near the victim’s ankle. Lillian ran inside, and yelled for her aunt to get a gun and call 911.

Anne-Marie Bruner, Lillian’s mother, drove up to the scene and helped the man, who was in shock, she said.

The pit bulls then ran after her while she helped the man. They stopped when she turned the corner to bring the man to the house of her father, Bill Kingston.

Killeen police arrived about 45 minutes later and boarded over a hole in the fence that allowed the dogs to escape from their home, Anne-Marie said.

“At that point, it was just kind of surreal,” she said.

The victim declined to be transported by paramedics, opting to have his own doctor provide care and a tetanus shot, said Carroll Smith, Killeen police spokeswoman.

The animals were detained and quarantined by Killeen Animal Control Wednesday night. Smith said a process was in the early stages to have the animals declared vicious or dangerous animals. If declared so, the pit bulls could be euthanized or their owners have heavy fines and regulations placed on the animals.

The pit bulls have been a constant nuisance to the neighborhood, escaping from their fence frequently, Kingston said. The pit bulls cornered him outside his truck one morning in December.

“I honestly feared for my life that morning. They had my back to my pickup,” he said.

Barking from his neighbor’s dogs distracted the pit bulls and allowed Kingston to escape. Now, he carries a golf club for protection.

He called Animal Control that morning, but it was unable to remove the pit bulls because he was not attacked.

The dogs cornered Kingston again just before Christmas. He fought them off with a golf club and called the police. The dogs returned to their yard and were not detained, he said.

Kingston believes city ordinances should allow dogs to be removed before they bite someone, but understands the current laws kept police from taking action that could have prevented Tuesday’s attack.

“I feel these dogs ought to be put down with no question, especially now with a serious bite. I’m glad they’re gone. I’m sorry somebody had to get bit,” Kingston said.

Smith said more information would be available on the animals once the case is processed further through Animal Control.