Dog attack caught on film
| Tuesday, Nov 03 2009 06:51 PM
Last Updated Tuesday, Nov 03 2009 06:51 PM
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Photo courtesy Damon Hill via iPhone Steven Herrera is attacked by three pit bulls at his brother Salvador Romero's house in East Bakersfield on Tuesday afternoon. Neighbor Andy Castaneda came to his rescue. Herrera was taken to Kern Medical Center.
Andy Castaneda could hear the man's screams from several houses away.
By the time he and other neighbors in east Bakersfield arrived Tuesday afternoon, they saw 35-year-old Steven Herrera being attacked and brutally mauled by three pit bulldogs.
"I was four houses down," Castaneda said. "I could hear him screaming, 'Oh God, please somebody help me.'"
When he arrived at the scene, Castaneda, 69, had no weapon, except a hardwood cane.
"The big pit was chewing the man's arm off. It was horrible," Castaneda said of the victim. "I've never seen anything like that."
As neighbors gathered outside the fenced front yard in the 1200 block of East 18th Street, one shot a few photos with his cell phone. Others were reluctant to enter without a weapon to defend themselves against the powerful animals.
"One of the men said don't go in there," Castaneda said. "But I had to do something. The big male had him by the arm and the two females were on his legs.
"His arm was shredded," he said.
Castaneda entered the yard, at one point using a bicycle to try to shield himself from the animals.
He started hitting the dogs with his cane and the dogs retreated long enough to get Herrera out of the yard to safety.
Damon Hill, who lives more than half a block away, also heard the commotion.
"His son was outside the yard crying and throwing up," Hill said of the victim. "You look into a man's eyes and see fear."
Hill said he believes Herrera would probably have been killed had someone not intervened.
"The dogs were just going wild," he said.
City Animal Control Field Supervisor Tammy Davis said the owner of the dogs, Salvador Romero, is the brother of the victim. The two had met earlier in the day and had agreed to meet again at the East 18th Street home later in the afternoon.
During the first visit, the dogs had behaved aggressively toward Herrera, Davis said. He is not a frequent visitor and the dogs were not familiar with him.
But Tuesday afternoon, Herrera apparently arrived at the home before Romero's return and, inexplicably, decided to enter the yard. A "beware of dog" sign is clearly posted on the home's chain-link fence.
"He said he has no fear of dogs," Davis said. "Now he probably does."
Herrera was taken to Kern Medical Center for treatment. He was listed in fair condition Tuesday.
Davis said the three pit bulls will be quarantined for 10 days. Romero initially said he would not seek the return of the three dogs, but later suggested he might return for the two pregnant females.
"I'm sure for the puppies," Davis said.
Quarantine fees are $15 per day per animal, plus a $40 impound fee, plus other charges, so getting the dogs back could cost hundreds of dollars.
The dogs were not neutered, Davis said. They also had no record of being licensed or of receiving required rabies vaccinations.
But because the dogs weren't off property, they most likely would be returned to the owner, unless it could be shown by the severity of Herrera's injuries that a vicious dog hearing should be held, Davis said.
If the dogs are not claimed by the owner, they will be destroyed.
Cheryl Weese, who lives across the street from the scene of the attack, said she's no fan of pit bulls, but the dogs were only doing their job.
"Those dogs have the right to protect their their home from someone they don't know," she said. "I hope they don't put those dogs down because they don't deserve it."
Davis, who has seen more than her share of dog bite victims, said having access to dogs of such ferocity just by lifting a gate latch is a safety issue in the neighborhood.
"If he does get those dogs back," she said, "I would suggest he put padlocks on the gates."
