Pit Bull Stabbed 5 Times, Critically Injured

A pit bull was critically injured when it was stabbed five times by a man who said he was attempting to break up a dog fight.

William Whitson, 45, of 24 Forest St., in Fall River, Massachusetts, is charged with animal cruelty, disturbing the peace while armed and assault with a dangerous weapon.

Fall River Police said they were called to the area of South Main and King Philip streets around 7:30 on Thursday night for reports that a dog had been stabbed.

Upon arrival, officers observed several individuals arguing, and a dog lying on the ground bleeding from several wounds to its torso. The dog, an American Pit Bull Terrier named Smokey, was taken to Massachusetts-Rhode Island Veterinary ER in Swansea, Massachusetts, and is listed in critical condition.

The dog's owner told police that she was walking Smokey on a leash when a small, unleashed dog approached, became aggressive, and began attacking her dog. The other dog's owner then arrived and began yelling for assistance from other people in the area.

As Smokey's owner was trying to separate the two dogs, a man - Whitson - came running, grabbed Smokey around the neck with his arm, pulled out a knife, and stabbed Smokey five times. Smokey's owner said she then ran across the street out of fear.

Whitson told police that he stabbed the dog until it released its grip after it bit his hand and refused to let go when he tried to separate it from the other dog. He was taken by emergency personnel to St. Anne's Hospital in Fall RIver for a small laceration between his thumb and index finger.