Attorney Dale Emch testified against pit bull advocates who feel the dogs have been unfairly targeted. Part 2

Dale Emch's testimony continued:

"In the first case, my client is Samantha, a 2-year-old who was being pushed in a stroller by her parents through her neighborhood when a pit bull jumped its fence, ran directly to her, and bit her on the forehead leaving a significant scar. I'd direct you to Exhibit A, to see a picture of Samantha's injuries. As you can see, she's fortunate the dog didn't injure her eye. She'll likely have a scar on her face for the rest of her life and she faces the possibility of at least one scar-revision surgery. Had this pit bull been confined in a pen with a top on it as required by state law, Samantha would not have been bitten.

"In the second case, my client Steve entered a home where he had done some remodeling work. He had been talking to his former supervisor for some time when a pit bull owned by his former boss suddenly attacked him, doing severe damage to his arm. I warn you in advance that Exhibit B is a graphic example of the types of deep wounds pit bulls can cause. The exhibit shows why Steve was in the hospital for three days and why it's almost a certainty that he'll need plastic surgery to repair his arm.

"Finally, in the third case, my client Leonard, 82 at the time of the attack, found himself surrounded by three dogs when he was taking out his garbage. He was alone and terrified that the dogs would knock him to the ground. Of the three dogs, only the pit bull attacked him, leaving puncture wounds in his legs that later became infected. He's fortunate that a neighbor heard his screams and came to his rescue. Leonard's injuries are shown in Exhibit C.

"In each of these cases, my clients would not have been injured had the pit bulls been properly confined as state law mandates. So, obviously, the law can be broken and I'm sure it is routinely. But I'm also convinced that the law has prompted many pit bull owners to buy the proper insurance, confine their dogs appropriately, and walk them on leashes sturdy enough to hold them if they lunge at someone.

"I urge you both as a lawyer and a citizen to keep this bill from passing out of your committee. The General Assembly already has spoken on this issue and there seems to be no compelling reason to change a law that has the potential to keep people from suffering the types of injuries sustained by my clients. Thank you again for the opportunity to address the committee."

End of Dale Emch's testimony

It appears that the proposed bill that would have stripped pit bulls from the vicious dog definition has been killed. Nonetheless, we remain committed to working with Mr. Skeldon and other dog wardens to maintain laws designed to protect people from the devastating consequences that can be caused by pit bull attacks.