Anchor: A BOY ATTACKED AND
I WOULD BY WILD DOGS.
THEY BIT ME FIRST.
I LIED TOP OF MY SON.
I GOT UP TO GET HIM TO RUN AND
THE BIG ONE SNATCHED HIM.
Anchor: OWNER OF THE
PITBULLS CHARGED WITH MURDER.
AND THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF STRAY
DOGS ROAMING IT IS STREETS OF
DETROIT RIGHT NOW, AND HOW CAN
YOU STAY SAFE?
A LOT OF TIMES DOGS THINK
CHILDREN ARE REALLY THE LOWEST
MEMBERS OF THE PACK.
SO IT IS AN EASY ATTACK.
NOT GOING TO CHALLENGE THEM.
SO A LOT OF TIMES DOGS ARE
AGGRESSIVE TOWARD CHILDREN.
Anchor: NOW FOUR-YEAR-OLD
EXAVIER STRICKLAND HAD NO
CHANCE, DIED WHEN ATTACKED BY
FOUR VICIOUS DOGS.
OWNER OF THE DOGS IS CHARGED
WITH SECOND-DEGREE MURDER AND
MAN WATER.
BOY'S FAMILY SUING THE OWNER
FOR UPWARDS OF $100 MILLION.
SO TONIGHT IMPORTANT SAFETY
ALERT.
Anchor: HANK IS WORKING
WITH DOG TRAINERS AND MEDICAL
EXPERTS AND LEGAL INSIDERS
SHOWING YOU HOW TO PROTECT
YOURSELF.
THIS IS CONSUMER INVESTIGATOR
HANK WINCHESTER.
Reporter: DOG ATTACKS ARE
ACTUALLY ON THE RISE.
MORE AND MORE PEOPLE BEING
INJURED OR, IN THIS CASE,
KILLED.
NOW WE REVEAL WHAT YOU NEED TO
DO TO STAY SAFE AND SAVE YOUR
LIFE.
WHAT HAPPENED TO THIS LITTLE BOY
IS HEARTBREAKING.
THEY BIT ME FIRST.
I LAID ON TOP OF MY SON.
I GOT UP TO GET HIM TO RUN AND
THE BIG ONE SNATCHED HIM FROM
ME.
Reporter: FOUR-YEAR-OLD
EXAVIER WAS WALKING IN THIS
WESTSIDE NEIGHBORHOOD.
ON THE SIDEWALK, HIS MOTHER BY
HIS SIDE.
WHEN WILD DOGS MADE THE MOVE.
GRABBING THE CHILD PULLING HIM
UNDER A GATE.
AND TAKING HIS YOUNG LIFE.
MY LIFE IS TORMENT RIGHT NOW
BECAUSE HE IS GONE.
Reporter: WE HAVE LOOKED AT
THE NUMBERS.
AND DOG ATTACKS ARE ACTUALLY ON
THE RISE.
AND IN DETROIT STRAY DOGS, HUGE
PROBLEM.
ALONG WITH DOGS THAT ARE TRAINED
TO FIGHT AND TRAINED TO KILL.
SECURITY EXPERT ANDY ARENA WELL
AWARE OF THE PROBLEM.
JUVPACKS OF WILD DOGS.
PEOPLE THAT TRAIN DOGS LIKE PIT
BULL PHOSDOGFIGHTING.
WHICH IS POPULAR IN THE CITY, IF
YOU SEE THEM YOU HAVE TO STAY
AWAY.
Reporter: MONDAY MORNING
DOG'S OWNER SEEN HERE CHARGED
WITH MURDER.
THE RIGHT MOVE SAID LEGAL EXPERT
TODD FLOOD.
YOU KNOW SOMETHING LIKELY BAD
IS GOING TO HAPPEN.
DEATH OR GREAT BODILY HARM.
IF THAT DOES HAPPEN YOU COULD BE
CHARGED.
Reporter: TWO LAWSUITS JUST
FILED BY THE FAMILY OF THE YOUNG
VICTIM.
YOU ARE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR
YOUR DOG WHEN THE DOG BITES
ANOTHER HUMAN BEING YOU WILL BE
SUED CIVILLY.
Reporter: SO HOW CAN YOU
PROTECT YOURSELF?
IF IT IS RUNNING TOWARD YOU
IF YOU CAN GET IN A BACKYARD.
OR IF YOU CAN ACTUALLY CLIMB ON
SOMEONES VEHICLE SO YOU CAN GET
AWAY FROM THEM.
Reporter: WHAT IF YOU DO
NOT HAVE THAT TIME?
THEN FIRST OF ALL TRY TO
DISTRACT THE DOG.
Reporter: BONNIE WAYNE IS A
DOG TRAIN.
SPENT YEARS TEACHING ANIMALS HOW
TO BEHAVE.
AND SHOWING US HOW TO REACT WHEN
THEY DON'T.
Reporter: FIRST THING I
WOULD DO IS PANIC.
I WOULD SCREAM.
TRY TO RUN.
BUT THAT COULD EXCITE THE DOG.
THAT WOULD EXCITE THE DOG.
THE MINUTE YOU TURN WHY YOU BACK
YOU ARE 100 PERCENT PREY.
THEY WILL GO.
AUTOMATICALLY TAKE OFF AFTER
YOU.
Reporter: SO WHAT WOULD BE
THE FIRST THING YOU SHOULD DO IF
THAT ANIMAL IS UP AT YOU.
TO BE HONEST STANDSTILL.
IF THEY ARE AT YOU --
Reporter: HARD TO DO.
BEST THING YOU CAN DO.
Reporter: TRY TO STAY CALM
IT WILL CALM THE ANIMAL AND USE
WHATEVER YOU CAN TO DISTRACT THE
DOG.
ONCE THEY START BITING YOU
THAT'S ANOTHER STORY.
THEN IF YOU CAN TAKE OFF YOUR
JACKET.
Reporter: COVER ITS FACE?
COVER THE FACE.
SO YOU CAN, YOU KNOW, DETER IT.
BECAUSE YOU WANT TO GET AWAY.
Reporter: IF YOU OR A LOVED
ONE IS ATTACKED TIME IS
CRITICAL.
CALL FOR HELP RIGHT AWAY.
JUMP INTO ACTION.
FIRST STOP THE CONTROLLED
BLEEDING.
ESPECIALLY ARTERIES.
Reporter: DR. FRANK
MCGEORGE TREATED MANY VICTIMS OF
DOG ATTACKS IN ER.
I HAVE SEEN PATIENTS ATTACKED
BY PITBULLS.
NOT ONLY HAVE TEARS IN THE FLESH
BUT ACTUALLY BROKE BONES BECAUSE
THEY CAN BITE THAT HARD.
THAT'S WHY THEY ARE DANGEROUS.
Reporter: NOT ALL PITBULLS
ARE DANGEROUS.
SOME SAY THE BREED GETS A BAD
RAP.
ANY DOG CAN BE TRAINED TO BEHAVE
OR TRAINED TO ATTACK.
IT IS UP YOU TO SEE TO BE ALERT,
AWARE, AND READY.
AND REMEMBER IT IS NOT JUST
HUMANS WHO CAN BE VICTIMS.
IF THERE IS A PROBLEM DOG IN
YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD KEEP YOUR OWN
PET AWAY.
AND EVERY YEAR THOUSANDS OF DOGS
ARE THEMSELVES ATTACKED.