Another Child Critically Injured By A Pit Bull, Cue Anger That The Media Is Covering It

emily-ruckle-injured-by-pit-bull8-year-old Emily Ruckle was with her 15-year-old sister in their home in Delaware this weekend when a dog the family was watching attacked. The older sister fought off the dog as well as she could and called for help — but the dog had them both trapped and they were unable to escape. Emily sustained critical injuries, including an almost completely severed arm. She is the daughter of City Councilman Todd Ruckle. Watching her mother’s Facebook feed is horrifying:

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This is a terrifying experience I wouldn’t wish on any family.

The girl was bitten multiple times and suffered severe soft-tissue damage and blood loss. Her sister’s actions saved her life — first by helping to fight off the dog, then by controlling the bleeding and calling for help. What an awful ordeal this family has been through.

From Delawareonline:

The dog had been staying at the house but wasn’t the family pet, according to long-time family friend Jerry Clifton, who Ruckle replaced on the council in April. When paramedics arrived, the dog was preventing them from treating the girl immediately, so a Newark officer shot and killed it.

No one knows yet what prompted the dog to become aggressive.

There are no details about what may have “provoked” the dog yet. All we know is that an eight-year-old was critically injured, her arm was almost ripped off, and her family will be dealing with the repercussions of this attack forever. Of the 32 dog bite fatalities that occurred in 2013, pit bulls contributed to 78% (25) of those deaths. Pit bulls make up about 6% of the total U.S. dog population. Not sure how to fix this problem without stricter legislation. Someone needs to be held responsible for these attacks.

I’m sure the excuses for the dog’s behavior will start pouring in soon, Why were they watching a dog they didn’t own? Why did the family leave the pet alone with the children? What did they do to provoke the attack? It’s exhausting and predictable. I’m fairly certain a giant sect of pit bull owners have Google alerts set up because the speed at which they arrive to attack when we cover stories like these is uncanny. Some pit bull owners are bullies who ascend like a rabid pack on anyone who dares question the temperament of the breed.

These children were not toddlers. They were eight and 15 — certainly old enough to be left home alone. The dog wasn’t chained up outside. It was the house of a councilman — the story basically flies in the face of all of the ideas we have about which of these dogs actually kill and what type of owners they usually have. Thirty-two deaths in one year is an outrageously high number. There has to be something that can be done.

(photo: Facebook)

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