A woman in Florida was mauled to death by their newly-adopted dog, while her son was hospitalized due to serious injuries, local officials report.
Joe Varanese, a 57-year-old man, was reportedly helping his mother, 84-year-old Carolyn Varanese, get back to her wheelchair after using the restroom. It was when their dog, believed to be a pit bull or a mixed breed, attacked the woman's ankle. As the older Varanese fell to the floor from the attack, the dog went for her jugular. The son tried to keep the dog at bay with a variety of things, including his mother's wheelchair.
The 84-year-old woman was later pronounced dead at the scene while her son was taken to the Northwest Medical Center in Margate, Florida. Joe Varanese suffered injuries to his left forearm and bicep, scratches in his face, and a laceration under the right ear.
Smokey, the dog, is now under the custody of the Broward County Animal Care and Adoption Center. The cause of the attack remains unknown. Joe Varanese told the authorities that they adopted Smokey two weeks before the incident, with his mother allowing the dog to sleep in the bed with her.
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A spokeswoman from Miami Dade Animal Services said that during Smokey's 52 days at the shelter, the dog did not display aggression toward humans.
Local publication Sun-Sentinel reports that it was the second dog attack within the week in Broward County, where the city of Margate is located. The other dog, named Cane, was euthanized after attacking and injuring an 11-year-old child in Coral Springs last August 21.
Dog Attacks in the US
According to Dogs Bite, an organization that describes itself as "a national dog bite victims' group dedicated to reducing serious dog attacks," there have been 48 dog attacks that resulted in human death. The toll includes 32 adults, 3 teenagers from 10 to 18 years of age, and 13 child victims. In these deaths, 33 were reportedly caused by pit bulls, comprising 69 percent of the attacks.
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While dog attacks might be triggered by a variety of causes, there is no definite cause to explain these life-threatening incidents. However, a literature review conducted by the National Canine Research Council claims that there is no reliable source that correlates dog breed and the volume of fatal dog bites. However, it notes that children and the elderly face more risks compared to able-bodied adults.
Furthermore, it argues that most factors that lead to dog attacks can be prevented. It cited improper or insufficient husbandry, abuse, neglect, failure to spay or neuter, lack of positive human interaction, and lack of supervision on people without sufficient knowledge or experience are dog attack risks that can be easily prevented.
In an interview with BBC, Senior Veterinary Surgeon at UK's People's Dispensary for Sick Animals (PDSA) Sean Wensley said that dogs become aggressive when threatened. "The motivation for lots of dog bites is fear," Wensley said, adding that some dogs are territorial.
"if they're guarding something that they highly value, or defending their favorite resting place, their bed... Or if they've learned to defend, say, a dog bowl - that can result in aggression," Wensley said.
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