Neighbors Defend Puyallup Boy in Pit Bull Attack

When neighbors saw a 7 year-old Puyallup boy and his yellow labrador being attacked by two pit bulls, they rushed to save him, according to an animal control report from Metro Animal Services.

The boy and his dog were taking their daily walk around the 2000 block of 28th St. SE in Puyallup on Oct. 11 at 5 p.m. when two pit bulls ran toward them. During the attack, the boy screamed for help and ran to the nearest residence, but no one was home.

“It’s amazing, this boy did everything he was supposed to do,” said Jason Wilson, administrator for the Sumner Police Department.

A neighbor driving home saw the boy and his dog get attacked, and she got out of her car and grabbed the leash of one of the pit bulls, the report states. A male neighbor ran from his house to help her. Together, they stopped the pit bull from killing the dog – the pit had the lab by its neck and was attempting to pull it to the ground.

While the two neighbors subdued the pit bull, the boy turned to run to his house for help but stopped short when he saw the other pit bull lunge for his lab. The boy ran to defend his dog and was bit multiple times by the pit bull while it continued to attack the lab.

Another neighbor came to help the boy, and was able to hold down the dog until animal control officers from Metro Animal Service arrived at the scene.

The two pit bulls, Diva and Thumper, were both declared Potentially Dangerous animals and placed in protective custody. It was not their first night at Metro Animal Services, the report stated.

Neighbors told police they typically look out for the boy on his daily walks, which is how they noticed he was in trouble. The boy’s parents thanked them for their help before taking the 7 year-old to the hospital to be treated for minor injuries. 

The next day, the owner came to collect her dogs. She was able to pick up Thumper but not Diva, because she was the one who bit the boy. The dog’s fate has yet to be finalized.