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Dog Owner Flees After Vicious Attack in Cape Cod Area

Small Town Left Struck and Wondering
Hyannis, MA - Keith Harrison had no warning before the dog attacked. Perhaps unknowingly, he next describes classic pit bull behavior. He said, "It didn't even growl or bark first. It just snapped at me." As he moved between a pickup truck and a car in the parking lot, he was more worried about being hit by the truck than anything else.

That's when the animal in the back of the truck lunged at Harrison, almost ripping off his lower lip. He did not get a good look at the dog, but thinks it may have been a black Labrador-mix. As the truck sped off, the driver shouted, "The dog had its shots!" As he stood by holding his lip together, he said he wished he had gotten the license plate.

Odds are good that this was a pit bull-mix with a bite record.

Harrison thinks the truck was a grey or silver late '90s Ford. Barnstable animal control and police have few other clues to go on in tracking down the animal's owner. After the attack, he said he flagged a cab for a ride to Cape Cod Hospital where he spent several painful hours before being stitched up by a specialist to prevent scarring.

Harrison, a landscaper on Nantucket during the summer, must eat his meals through a straw and does not know how he will pay his medical bills, which will be substantial. Toss cosmetic surgery on top of this and he's well into 5 digits. He will have to see a doctor on Nantucket and still undergo the rabies treatment just in case the truck's driver was lying.

Animal Control officer Charles Lewis is unaware of the dangerous dog owner trends we see at DogsBite.org on a daily basis. He offers up an unexposed viewpoint that used to make sense, but does not anymore. "This type of random attack where the dog and its owner are unknown is unusual," he said. "The majority of the bites are to a family member."

Anyone with information about this attack or who thinks they know the dog's owner should contact Lewis at 508-790-6274.

Related articles:
05/19/08: Dine-n-Dash in Austin: Pit Bull Owner Flees with Dogs After Attack
05/23/08: "Wanted" Posters Go Up After Pit Bull Owner Flees Horse Attack
04/18/08: Dine-n-Dash: Police Seek Pit Bull Owner and Dog After Attack