Being attacked by a dog is never easy emotionally or physically. According to the CDC, 4.5 million dog bites occur each year in the United States.
A San Bernardino woman is recovering from a serious German shepherd attack, wondering why authorities were so slow to respond to her 911 call. Penny Holt was exercising outdoors near her home in San Bernardino when she spotted a woman heading towards her on a bike alongside the German shepherd. The dog was not on a leash and charged at Penny. The dog attack caused serious muscle and tissue damage. A retired firefighter and his son, who is an EMT, witnessed the incident and rushed to help. “I’ve seen several animal bites,” the firefighter said. “This is the worst animal bite I’ve ever seen.”
As the father and son waited alongside Penny for help to arrive, it took nearly 30 minutes before an ambulance reached them. After her visit to the hospital where doctors were able to successfully reattach the muscle and tissue in Penny’s arm, she waited for city authorities or animal control to take a statement of the accident. No one showed up.
The city of San Bernardino recently disbanded its fire department, turning over emergency services to the county. The move grew out of the city’s efforts to save money after its bankruptcy last year. It is unclear if the slow response was directly related to the fire department transition. However, the San Bernardino Police Department said a miscommunication was likely the cause in delay.
Meanwhile, the dog’s owner and animal are still yet to be found as they fled the scene shortly after the incident. Police are asking anyone with information to contact them at (909)384-5742.
In addition to causing pain, injury, or nerve damage, dog bites can become infected, placing the bitten victim at risk for illness or even catastrophic injuries. If you or a loved one has been injured in a dog attack, The Law Offices of Larry H. Parker can help.
To schedule an absolutely FREE, confidential, no obligation consultation, submit your case online or call us at (800) 333-0000. Our clients have no out-of-pocket expenses, and if we don’t get you any money, we won’t charge you. For more information on dog bites please visit our website at larryhparker.com. The Law Offices of Larry H. Parker practices dog bite law throughout California and Arizona with offices in Long Beach, Los Angeles, Riverside, Orange County, Bakersfield, Fresno, Phoenix, and Tucson.
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