Pit Bulls Dogging 400 Block of Haight Street

Pit Bulls Dogging 400 Block of Haight StreetFlickr/maplegirlie
Andrew Dudley
Published on August 23, 2011
Three recent incidents involving unfixed pit bulls have rattled residents of the 400 block of Haight Street.

On the evening of August 4th, one resident reports that a pit bull lunged at his dog while his roommate was taking the pet for a walk. Apparently (and thankfully) the dog was not injured. This happened near Wing Wings on the north side of the block. Then, on the morning of August 18th, an adult male pit bull reportedly attacked a 1-year-old child near the southeast corner of Haight and Webster. Fortunately the child was not hurt -- the dog "went for the diaper and did not break the skin," as one neighbor put it -- but the child was taken to Davies Medical Center as a precaution. The dog's owner suffered wounds to the arms and hand during the incident. The dog was put down as a result, we're told. The following day, another neighbor witnessed another unclipped pit bull lunge at a passerby who attempted to pet him. Since 2005, San Francisco law has required that all pit bulls in the city be spayed or neutered. The regulation was enacted after the fatal mauling of a 12-year-old boy by two unaltered pit bulls that year. It goes without saying, but this is a trend that needs to stop. If you see a pit bull that's unclipped or that demonstrates aggressive behavior, call Animal Care and Control at 415-554-9400. And when you're around these dogs, keep an extra-close eye on your pets and children -- not to mention yourself!