Two, plus one dog, bit by dogs in Fall River including 1 year old girl

Fall River personnel responded to two dog bites recently where one of the incidents involved a toddler.

According to Detective John Robinson, a young girl was bitten by a pit bull Monday morning after her father, a 21-year-old Fall River resident, opened the screen door to his apartment on North Underwood Street to let the dog inside. As the door was opened, the girl fell out, but was caught by the father. The dog then latched on to her head. A concerned citizen who lives on Stewart Street noticed the incident and rushed over to help. After the dog’s mouth was pried from the child’s head, the dog latched onto the child’s leg. The dog was struck and choked until it relented.

The child was transported to a local hospital then was later transported to a Rhode Island hospital.

On Sunday afternoon at about 1:45 p.m., a 34-year-old male Fall River resident was bitten by a different pit bull while walking his Shih Tzu in the area of 657 Plymouth Ave.

According to Robinson, in this incident, the male was walking his dog when the pit bull approached. The male picked up his dog and began spinning as the pit bull lunged and bit at the male and his dog. The pit bull eventually latched on to the Shih Tzu’s leg. Officers Thomas Faris and John Riley were on patrol when they heard the male screaming. The Officers observed the attack. Pepper spray was used by Officer Thomas Faris on the pit bull to get him to release the Shih Tzu. The Shih Tzu owner declined medical attention for himself until after he got medical attention for his dog.

Both suffered bite wounds and scratches.