Horrific Pit Bull Attack in San Francisco

A woman was viciously attacked by a pit bull on the streets of San Francisco after the canine was illegally left off leash by its owner.  A woman was walking through the city’s Tenderloin neighborhood when the dog suddenly attacked her, a witness said.  

The attack lasted ten to 15 minutes as passersby attempted to use pepper spray to get the dog away from the victim.  It took place about a quarter mile from the neighborhood’s police station.  When police arrived on the scene, officers used a catch pole to restrain the vicious animal. 

According to the outlet, the dog and its owner frequently appear in the Tenderloin, although it remains unclear whether the dog is always kept on a leash.  A video posted to the Citizen app shows the woman lying on the ground with the pit bull beside her, its face covered in blood.  In a video uploaded by Tenderloin Activities, witnesses can be heard shouting conflicting instructions at police, with some yelling, "Shoot that dog!"  while others shouted, "Don’t shoot that dog!"

The woman suffered severe injuries to her left hand and wrist, as well as her right hand and knee, Tenderloin Activities reported.  She was taken to San Francisco General Hospital, where she was placed on a ventilator and remains in critical condition.  Thankfully, the dog died at the scene, and its remains were taken by officers from San Francisco Animal Care and Control.  The dangerous dog's (criminal) owner apparently fled the scene.  "While the dog was being restrained, the dog became unresponsive and was declared deceased on scene," SFPD said in a statement.

Tenderloin supervisor Bilal Mahmood addressed the incident on social media, writing: "This is not an isolated incident - we have regularly met and worked with families and neighbors in the TL who have experienced similar incidents with dogs in the streets over the last year.  Earlier this year, we worked with SFPD Tenderloin Station on a Paw Patrol pilot to increase both enforcement and education in the neighborhood, and we will be working with SFPD again in the weeks ahead to identify similar efforts to increase enforcement and keep our communities safe."  Since January, the Dangerous Dogs Unit has received 729 reports of dog bites.  Last year, the unit received 1,027 reports.