Newborn Girl Killed in Fresno Dog Attack

A 3-day-old baby girl was killed in a brutal dog attack in Fresno. According to a news report in the Fresno Bee, the fatal incident occurred in the 3700 block of North Glenn Avenue early morning on June 27, 2016. Officials say the child’s 33-year-old mother left the baby on the couch and walked away for barely a few seconds. She’d left the door open because it was hot, thinking the dogs were tied up. That’s when the dogs charged in and attacked the baby. The infant died shortly afterward from her injuries in a local hospital.

The two male dogs, which are believed to be shar-pei/pit bull mixes, are owned by the woman’s brother, who wasn’t identified. He surrendered the dogs to the Central California SPCA. The woman told police that one of the two dogs is aggressive. Police are investigating and criminal charges have not been ruled out. The child, the woman and her 30-year-old brother were the only people in the house, officials said. An SPCA spokesman said the dogs will be put down.

Our thoughts and prayers are with the family of this infant who was tragically killed in this dog attack. We offer our heartfelt condolences to them.

Fatal Dog Attacks on Children

This tragic story goes to show how unpredictable animals can be around children. According to the website, Dogsbite.org, there were 34 dog bite-related deaths in 2015 nationwide. Pit bulls or pit bull mixes contributed to 82 percent of these deaths while making up only 6.6 percent of the total U.S. dog population. During the same year, nearly one-third of all dog bite fatality victims were either visiting or living temporarily with the dog’s owner when the fatal attack occurred. Children 9 years old or younger accounted for 82 percent of these fatalities.

Protecting Our Children

Having pets around your young children and infants can be challenging. Here are a few safety tips:

• Give your pet a baby-free zone to de-stress and take a break.
• Model the right behavior. Teach your child how to interact with animals such as not startling or provoking them.
• Give your pet plenty of exercise. If a dog is neglected, for example, it could get jealous of the bay or become overly focused on the baby.
• Never leave your infant alone with the dog, even if your pet has the sweetest disposition. Not even for a second.
• If you are visiting a family with a dog or if your visitors are bringing dogs, make sure that the children and animals are never left unsupervised.