Indiana Pit Bull Kills His Owner On Christmas Day
An Indiana pit bull reportedly killed his owner on Christmas Day. Authorities in Portage, Indiana, said 40-year-old Edward Cahill was home alone when the incident occurred. Although nobody witnessed the brutal attack, Porter County Coroner Chuck Harris confirmed Cahill suffered multiple bite wounds.
Cahill’s wife, Bianca Rodriguez, was visiting relatives throughout the day on December 25. When she returned home, she found her husband unresponsive on the living room floor. Rodriguez said Cahill had numerous bite wounds and was covered in blood.
As reported by New York Daily News, Rodriguez immediately called 911. Unfortunately, it was simply too late. Edward Cahill was pronounced dead at the scene.
Animal control officers were called to the scene, as the pitbull’s muzzle was covered in blood. The officers were eventually forced to use a taser to subdue the aggressive dog. The Indiana pit bull was later euthanized at the family’s request.
As reported by WISHTV, Coroner Harris later confirmed Cahill “suffered multiple severe bite injuries to his arms and face that resulted in massive blood loss.”
Cahill’s family said Fat Boy has exhibited aggressive behavior while eating and playing with his toys. However, he never harmed anyone prior to Christmas Day.
Although the family is calling the attack “a freak accident,” the reporting officer noted that Cahill was previously warned to euthanize Fat Boy as he “was violent and unpredictable.”
Rodriguez disputes reports that Fat Boy was dangerous. She is concerned that her husband’s death will cause “people to think bad of pit bulls.”
Indeed, pit bulls have developed a bad reputation as a dangerous and aggressive breed. However, the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals explains that “it is important to evaluate and treat each dog, no matter its breed, as an individual.”
As explained by the ASPCA, “it’s usually impossible to point to any one specific influence that accounts for a dog becoming aggressive.” Therefore it is impossible to categorize a dog as dangerous based solely on its breed.
It is important to understand that any dog can be bred or trained to behave aggressively. The ASPCA explains that dog owners must be committed to properly training and socializing their pets.
Authorities have not disclosed the full details of Indiana Pit bull’s history. However, the police report indicates Fat Boy previously displayed signs of aggressive behavior.
The ASPCA suggests “supporting the passage and vigorous enforcement of laws that focus, not on breed, but on people’s responsibility for their dogs’ behavior, including measures that hold owners of all breeds accountable for properly housing, supervising and controlling their dogs.”
It is unclear what prompted the Indiana pit bull to attack and kill his owner. However, authorities said the investigation into the incident is ongoing.
[Images via Daily News]
