$60K settlement after pit bull named Munchie attacks teen
By Nedra Rhone August 25, 2016 – myajc.com
A 14-year-old Alabama teen and his family will get some relief after a Halloween party that went horribly wrong when the boy was bitten by a pit pull. Atlanta-based law firm Zagoria Law, which specializes in personal injury cases, settled the violent attack case for $60,000.
According to court filings, the 14-year old attended a neighbor’s Halloween party in Phenix City, Alabama. He was playing in the backyard of the neighbor’s home when the owner released his pit bull into the yard. The boy was bitten by the dog, named “Munchie,” and suffered injuries to his left wrist which required suturing. He later had to undergo additional treatment after the area became infected.
David Zagoria, Zagoria Law Founder and Principal, suggests using caution with pets at holiday celebrations, particularly when children are in attendance.
“When a dog owner releases a vicious animal into a backyard where children are playing, the potential for disaster is evident,” Zagoria said. “As this case shows, it only takes one vicious dog to ruin a neighborhood holiday celebration,” said David Zagoria.
Pit bulls have long been a controversial dog. Only four years ago, pit bulls were banned as household pets in DeKalb County. The ban was lifted in 2012. Pit bulls are now one of the three most popular dogs in the nation, with a population of about 4 million.
In her recently released book about the controversial dogs, “Pit Bull,” (Knopf, $27) author Bronwen Dickey, argues that one of the reasons for the high number of pit bulls cited in attacks is precisely because they are so large in number.
Another reason, she said, is the dogs are frequently misidentified. Pit bull is an all-encompassing term for the American Pit Bull Terrier, the American Staffordshire Terrier, the Staffordshire Bull Terrier, any mixes of those breeds, and any dog that resembles those dogs.
