Dog attacks 10-year-old in Noida; owners arrested
What's the story
The Noida Police has arrested two men because their pet dog, a pit bull, attacked a 10-year-old boy on Monday. The incident was reported from Sadopur village, Gautam Buddh Nagar district, Uttar Pradesh. The owners, Ravinder and Saurabh, did not stop the dog and kept on watching, according to the police. They also had an argument with the boy's family.
Context
Why does this story matter?
Pit bulls have a controversial reputation and are rarely considered household pets due to their violent nature. While there is no breed-specific legislation barring pit bulls in India, there are laws prohibiting pit bulls from being kept as pets in some other countries. Several animal activists have argued that the behavior of pit bulls depends upon the upbringing of the dog by their owners.
Incident
What exactly happened?
A purported video of the incident shows an aggressive pit bull mauling a child. Two women are seen making unsuccessful attempts to free the kid from the dog's grasp. Two men are then seen attacking the dog with a bat and stick causing it to release the child. The injured pit bull can then be seen walking inside a house.
Quote
2 accused arrested, 1 absconding: Police
"We received information that a boy had been bitten by a dog in Sadopur village; a video of the same had gone viral on social media," a police officer told The Indian Express. They confirmed that a complaint was received against the owner of the dog. "Two persons have been arrested while another is absconding," the official added.
Information
FIR lodged under several sections
According to police as cited by The Indian Express, an FIR was lodged under IPC sections 452 (trespass), 289 (negligent conduct with regard to animal), 323 (punishment for causing harm), and 504 (deliberately causing harm).
Study
Pit bulls among most dangerous breeds
Between 2005 and 2017, pit bulls killed one American every 16.7 days, resulting in a total of 284 deaths. Over the period, pit bulls were responsible for the most lethal attacks, accounting for 66% of all incidents, according to a study. Pit bull bites have a higher rate of disease and mortality than attacks by other breeds.