Pit Bull Mauls Toddler: Dog Attacks Boy After He Tried Hugging Him

A pit bull mauled a toddler after he tried hugging it. Police say the 19-month-old boy was attacked in a parking lot in Commerce City, Colorado, Sunday night after he cozied up to the dog.

WCNC.com in Charlotte reports that officers responded to the incident at around 7:30 pm. Commerce City police spokesman Chris Dickey tells the Denver Post:

“The child went to give the dog a hug, and it latched onto his face.”

The 90-pound pit bull was tethered to a pole when the toddler was mauled, investigators say. As the boy was attempting to hug the dog, it mauled his neck and face. The toddler suffered severe facial injuries from the violent rampage, but is expected to survive.

According to police, what’s known about the pit bull is that he was owned by a transient who was present at the time the dog mauled the toddler.

Pit bulls are illegal in Commerce City due to a vicious dog-ordinance. Police say charges are pending against the dog’s owner.

Restraining the dog was a challenging job for police officers. The animal was restrained with catch-poles. The pit bull was then transported to the Adams County Animal Shelter where he died from asphyxiation that “occurred during the restraint process,” the report adds.

Dickey tells FOX 31 in Denver:

“I think it’s important to note that our officers showed great restraint in dealing with this animal. Obviously it was vicious. And they handled it very well.”

FOX further reports that the area where the boy’s attack took place was at a King Soopers parking lot located at 4850 E. 62nd Avenue. There were three groups of separate families traveling across the country that chose to camp there that evening. One was the toddler and his mother, and the other was the dog and his owner. The two groups had just met before the pit bull mauled the boy.

It’s unknown when the hospital will release the young boy.

The Inquisitr has released several reports on unfortunate events like this. A dog mauls a toddler or young child if they aren’t accustomed to children or have other issues linked with violence. One of the latest news stories over a child being attacked by a dog, could have been fatal had the father not stepped in. A child being attacked by a dog in May was saved by a cat.

In a report out just last month, it was learned that 4.5 million attacks were reported last year, according to the Postal Service.

[Image via Pets4U]