Vicious Cane Corsos Dog Attacks on the Rise in California

Cane Corso Dog Attacks in California Make Headlines

 Vicious Cane Corsos Dog Attacks on the Rise in CaliforniaDon’t expect to find the Cane Corso dog breed playing with other dogs at the local dog park.

Indeed, these massive canines — which typically reach about 100 to 110 pounds — are much more likely to be behind a fence protecting a home or business. While dog experts say the breed is affectionate and protective of its family, it’s not the type of dog you want getting loose on the streets. These dogs descended from a 15th Century Italian breed of mastiff called Molossers or large Roman war dogs. They are most often used as a guard dog, protect livestock, hunt large game or herd cattle.  In fact, its name is derived from the Latin “Cohors” which means guardian or protector. While they are similar to a Pitt Bull, they are much taller and heavier.

The American Kennel Club officially recognized the Cane Corso dog breed in the miscellaneous class in 2010.

Lately, however, the breed has been making headlines in California and elsewhere in the United States. The most recent being an attack on a 16-year-old girl in Thousand Oaks, Calif., according to the Los Angeles Times.

The teenager was mauled by her own family’s six Cane Corso dogs inside their home, according to the Ventura County Fire Department. Officials say they received a 911 call from a neighbor about 3:30 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 30th. They located the girl suffering from several significant lacerations and bites to her head, torso and arms. Additionally, the mother of the teenager suffered bites while attempting to help her daughter and get the dogs to stop. Arriving firefighters blasted their truck sirens and waved tools at the dogs in an attempt to end the attack. Eventually, the dogs were caught by animal control and later euthanized.

Other Cane Corso dog attacks include a fatal one in 2014 where two of these 3-year-old dogs escaped their home and attacked and killed a jogger on a rural road in Michigan, according to the Daily News. A neighbor witnessed the attack and shot one of the dogs with a gun. The dogs ran off, but Craig Sytsma, 46, suffered major bite wounds and died at a hospital despite efforts by the neighbor to stop the bleeding on scene. The owners of the dog plead guilty to charges of owning a dangerous animal and causing death which is a felony punishable with a minimum 57 months to 15-year sentence. Investigators say the couple had three adult Cane Corsos and eight puppies.

One couple was slaughtered by their own three Cane Corso dogs.

A Cane Corso fatal dog attack in New York tragically took the life four-year-old boy in May, 2011. The boy was playing with his brothers and the dog in his family’s bedroom when the attack happened.

Dog Bite Attacks, Mauling in the United States

Dogs of all breeds bite more than 4.5 million people every year in the United States with more than 800,000 requiring medical attention, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC).  While fatal dog attacks are extraordinarily rare — about 30 to 50 a year in a country with 85 million dogs in 69 million homes — it remains a threat.

Also, at least half of the dog bites involve a child and they are more likely to suffer a serious injury, according to the American Veterinary Medical Association. The AVMA reports that any breed of dog may bite and it typically happens when the animal is not supervised, it’s unneutered, and has not been socially conditioned to live with people or other dogs.

However, certain types of dogs such as the Pit Bull, Cane Corso, Rottweiller are associated with the more serious attacks, including fatal attacks. Most headlines don’t report fatal dog attacks involving Golden Retrievers or Lapso Apso dogs.

Dog Attack Survival Techniques

If you are a jogger or someone who frequently takes walks, there are some ways you can protect yourself from a vicious dog attack. First of all, dogs are born predators and will chase what they believe is “prey” or joggers. You may be able to avoid an attack by slowing down or standing still. Avoid making direct eye contact with an aggressive dog and hopefully the dog will lose interest and move on.  If the dog doesn’t leave, throw something as far as possible and hopefully the dog will go after it and you can find a safe place.  If all else fails, try to command the dog to back off. If the dog bites you, you will have to fight back. Punch or kick the dog on the nose, head or neck if possible and scream for help as loud as possible. Try to protect you own neck, eyes and head from the animal. One way is to use your weight to pin the dog down by kneeling on it.

If you are injured in a dog attack, seek medical help immediately and you may need a rabies shot.

Liability for a Vicious Dog Attack

Insurance companies paid $882 million in 2021 to resolve liability claims from dog bites to humans and other dog-related injuries, according to the Insurance Information Institute.

A homeowner whose dog injuries or kills another person may be held liable up to the homeowner’s liability coverage limits which are typically $100,000 to $300,000. Above that, the dog’s owner will have to make up the balance. Some homeowner’s policies exclude certain dog breeds that are deemed dangerous from their coverage.

Dog Bite Attacks in California


Related: Jury Awards $20 Million in San Luis Obispo County Lawsuit

Every day one thousand people are treated at hospitals in the United States for dog bite injuries or attacks. Our state ranks second in the country for the number of injuries and deaths due to vicious dog attacks

Johnson Attorneys Group handles personal injury claims due to dog bite attacks, trip and fall accidents and other incidents. We do not represent any of the parties mentioned above. We do not intend to represent any of the parties. If you would like to contribute to this story or you have legal questions, please contact us.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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