On July 5, 2009, David Wright, 53, of Moray, England, died shortly after trying to save a neighbor’s spaniel being mauled by two pit bulls. The cause of death was a heart attack. (Read the article.)
When dogs attack other dogs, people often get injured — or in this case, killed. In the usual scenario, the owner of the attacked dog is either trying to pull his dog away, holding the dog, or breaking up the fight. It is natural for a human being to protect his or her pet. This is a normal human response to a dog fight — unless the person is a criminal who attends dog fights.
Approximately one-third of my dog bite cases started out as a dog attacking another dog, and then turned into a dog injuring a person. In Mr. Wright’s case, the physical exertion apparently triggered his heart attack. No matter how an innocent person is injured or killed, the fact remains: an attack on a dog often ends up with an injury to a person.