Family searches for answers after pit bulls attack elderly man in Fresno

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- A girl is looking for answers aft her 72-year-old begetter was attacked by 2 pit bulls successful cardinal Fresno.

Bandaged and preparing for a 2nd sojourn to the infirmary Thursday nighttime 72-year-old Roberto Lopez is recovering from terrible canine bites.

His girl Martha Lopez said helium lives with Parkinson's, which limits his mobility.

She said portion helium was getting retired of a car Saturday helium was attacked by 2 pit bulls successful Central Fresno adjacent White Avenue and Thesta Street.

"You tin really spot the muscle, the calf muscle, sticking out," said Martha Lopez.

"Then connected the close precocious interior thigh, different large laceration and a mates of heavy wound marks. On this one, you tin really see, similar I privation to say, nerves oregon tendons connected that cut, and past conscionable much canine bites deep. Dog bites successful the ankle country arsenic well."

Roberto was taken to the infirmary wherever his injuries were stitched up.

Martha Lopez said the dogs who attacked her begetter had attacked different radical before.

When Action News visited the vicinity wherever the onslaught happened idiosyncratic warned the squad determination were 2 vicious pit bulls successful the area.

Martha said they called the constabulary Saturday but were shocked to find retired they couldn't property charges against the owners due to the fact that a canine onslaught is lone a transgression nether definite circumstances.

"One incidental that I tin deliberation of is erstwhile you willfully and maliciously nonstop your canine into onslaught idiosyncratic similar a canine that's trained to wound and attack, and if you nonstop that to injure idiosyncratic oregon wound idiosyncratic that tin beryllium charged criminally," said Fresno Police Officer Luke Tran.

The lawsuit was past handed implicit to the Fresno Animal Center which the metropolis confirmed is investigating.

The metropolis said the probe follows municipal codification to find whether the dogs are unsafe oregon perchance dangerous.

That codification states that during the investigation, a canine tin beryllium impounded oregon allowed to enactment astatine its location nether definite restrictions.

Within 7 days the poundmaster volition determine if the canine is unsafe and notify the owner.

If it's decided the canine is unsafe it volition beryllium ordered to beryllium enactment down, but the proprietor tin appeal.

Some of the factors considered are if the canine has attacked before, however terrible the attacks are, and if the canine was provoked.

Martha is hoping to spot the proprietor held accountable and that different owners instrumentality precautions to support much attacks similar this 1 from happening.

"It could person been a kid. What if it was a kid, and it would person been a antithetic result than what," said Martha Lopez.

Martha said the latest update she received was that the dogs were being quarantined astatine home.

Police said if you're a unfortunate of a canine onslaught and deliberation it's criminal, telephone the constabulary oregon you tin telephone the carnal center.

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