Animal lovers often treat their beloved pets as much more than pets, viewing them instead as family members. These owners might have a blind spot for worrisome and aggressive behaviors. Refusing to acknowledge the danger that a pet poses can lead to devastating personal injury incidents, such as the recent death of an elderly woman in Connecticut.
The 95-year-old woman was visiting the mother of Annie Hornish, a former state representative and an activist for animal rights. Shortly after entering the home, a 4-year-old pit bull jumped at the elderly visitor — who required the assistance of a walker — causing her to fall backward. The dog then attacked the woman, primarily targeting the lower half of her body. She suffered severe injuries and was transported to an area facility, where she later died.
Hornish was not home at the time of the attack but claims that the dog is not aggressive, although she has only had him for less than a year. She also claims that the victim had visited her mother several times in the past and had not had any issues with the dog. According to Hornish, the dog was not purposely violent against the woman, and was instead only responding to her mother’s home health aide’s actions. The home health aide was reportedly worried when the dog greeted the woman excitedly and used a metal stool to hit him several times, prompting the attack.
It is not clear what will happen with the dog, although it is currently quarantined while Connecticut police try to figure out exactly what happened. However, victims of dog attacks and their families do not need information from criminal investigations to file personal injury or wrongful death lawsuits. This is because, even if a dog did not display any aggressive behavior leading up to a bite or attack, his or her owner is still responsible for any resulting injuries or death.
