UPDATE: The 3-year-old is currently in critical but stable condition. Memphis Police confirmed that the dogs belonged to the homeowners.
The child’s father has been charged with child endangerment. He was also issued the following citations by the Memphis Animal Shelter: Failure to maintain dog, dangerous vicious dog, dogs at large, and rabies shots and tags.
***
MEMPHIS, Tenn. — A child is in critical condition after being attacked by five pit bulls in south Memphis Monday evening.
According to reports, at 4:56 pm, officers responded to the 1600 Block of Barton Street regarding a dog bite. Officers were told that approximately five dogs had attacked a juvenile.
The child was taken to Le Bonheur in critical condition. WREG spoke to the man who saved the toddler, and he said the dogs are killers. “They got some dogs in that house that will rip you apart.”
The neighbor said at least one of the dogs had the child by his neck. “They drug that child from the porch across the yard between a tree and into a field. When I came running, I jumped off the wall and ran down and snatched them up off of them.”
Numerous neighbors say the dogs belonged to the child’s family and that they have encountered the animals before. “You go to walk to the shopping center and try to come back this way, you’re going to have problems because of the mama dog,” said Michael Armstrong, community member.
Memphis Animal Services said a total of nine mixed-breed dogs were impounded from the scene. The court appearance will be set for next week, and the judge will determine what happens to the dogs.
WREG tried speaking to the people living inside the home, but they didn’t want to talk to us. MPD has not said what may have triggered the attack.