A dog was shot and killed overnight by police in Peabody, Massachusetts, while it attacked a couple so badly they had to be hospitalized.
The pitbull bit down onto the woman's head and was shaking her when the officer shot the dog, police said Friday.
Officers responded to Endicott Street about 11 p.m. Thursday to find the woman and man on top of a car trying to stay away from the dog. When officers showed up, the woman got off the car, and the dog latched onto her, police said. The man she was with tried to pull the dog off, but it wouldn't let go, officers said.
Both had serious injuries, police said. The man remained hospitalized late Friday morning while the woman had been released from the hospital.
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Family members of the woman said the pair used to date and split time with the dog, which they had owned since it was a puppy.
The woman's father said the incident began with her cat.
"My daughter came out looking for her cat, her cat went out the door and bumped into the dog," Ganesh Boodoosingh said.
He said that, while his daughter's ex-boyfriend was still hospitalized, they'd heard Friday morning that he was expected to recover. Still, the incident left them all shaken up.
“She has holes in her hands," the victim's brother, Ganesh Boodoosingh Jr., said.
He added that his sister has experience with animals and worked as a dog walker in the past.
It's not clear what set the dog off, but Anabelle Goldston, an animal care and behavior specialist from the Animal Rescue League of Boston told NBC10 Boston that training dogs from a young age can help owners avoid aggressive behaviors.
“Especially for puppies it’s really important build positive associations with all different things they’re learning and they’re growing to making sure that you’re focusing on socialization," she said.
The Massachusetts State Police ballistic unit was part of the investigation.
