In the News: Pit Bulls Kill California Woman

Pit Bulls Escaped from Nearby Business, and Woman is Killed

A tragedy in Central California underscores the potential danger of the dog breeds most commonly involved in fatal attacks. The information comes to us via 23ABC News in Bakersfield. According to officials in Bakersfield, a woman was killed by one owned and one stray pit bull, as well as a mixed-breed dog. The woman was initially unidentified. More info comes to us from the Sacramento Bee.

According to the article, the woman was Crystal Lynn Pearigen, 36. According to the Kern County Sheriff’s Office coroner, the woman was killed due to multiple injuries. She was found in a Costco parking lot on June 16, suffering from severe dog bite injuries, and declared dead on the scene. According to the coroner, she was likely dead for hours before being discovered.

Officials sought Ms. Pearigen’s family members. Officials believe that two of the dogs belonged to a local business. The other dog was likely a stray. Animal control located all three of the dogs involved in the incident. All three were euthanized following the attack. Unfortunately, pit bulls are most commonly involved in severe dog bite injuries.
Furthermore, over half of the dog attack fatalities are caused by the breed. This is a profound tragedy. Unrestrained pit bulls are a severe concern.

While this incident is high profile, it is far from the only major pit bull attack of note. In one incident, a girl denied service at a KFC restaurant due to facial scars she obtained during a pit bull attack. In other cases, children are the most likely to be attacked by pit bulls.

All dog owners, especially those with a potentially dangerous breed, must restrain their animals to avoid such attacks. The Bakersfield incident is a warning and, hopefully, a means to avoid future attacks.