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Pit Bull Attack Victim Airlifted to Regional Burn Center in Tampa

Health Complications
North Port, FL - Last week, the Charlotte Sun reported about a serious pit bull attack that occurred in March. The attack required the victim, Ralph Velardi, to be airlifted to Regional Burn Center at Tampa General Hospital. The victim suffered severe facial trauma, in addition to part of his scalp being ripped off and both of his ears. At the time of the attack, Velardi had been walking to his car. The pit bull owner said he "didn't know" how the dogs got out.

Dog Attack Victim Still Hospitalized
"More than a month after being attacked by two large American Staffordshire terriers (pit bulls), Ralph Velardi is still in the hospital.
In early March, Velardi went outside to his car near his Mongite Road home and was viciously attacked by the two dogs.
According to police reports, Velardi suffered facial trauma to his lip, forehead and jaw. A part of the back of his scalp was ripped off, along with both of his ears. He also had 15 puncture wounds to his arms.
Velardi, who was in good health at the time of the attack, has suffered heart and other internal problems since the attack.
The report said a witness grabbed a baseball bat and hit one of the dogs twice after seeing Velardi being attacked. A sword was also used to strike one of the dogs.
Velardi was airlifted to Regional Burn Center at Tampa General Hospital in critical condition.
The report said the dog's owner Travis Espinosa, 21, "didn't know how the dogs got out of the house."
The dogs were removed and later put down.
On Wednesday, Espinosa was charged with sale or delivery of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia. The existing dog in his house threatened officers as they entered the house. The dog was removed from the home."

Burn centers treat critically burned patients from emergency admission through rehabilitation. Such centers specialize in skin that is burned away or otherwise "gone." These areas need protection from infection, as well as skin grafts. After Amaya Hess underwent 48 surgeries due to a violent pit bull attack, her mother, Bobbie Tomlin said, "The question that everyone asks me, is 'how was she burned?' Well, she wasn't burned. She was attacked by a dog."

Related articles:
11/09/09: Collection of Pit Bull Scalp Attack Victims - DogsBite.org
04/02/09: Editorial: Pit Bull Owners "Too Vacuous" to Consider Consequences
02/10/09: Brenda Hill, 68, Attacked by Pit Bulls While Taking Out the Trash
10/09/08: 2 Pit Bulls Killed After Mauling 71-Year Old SeaTac Woman
06/30/08: Flashback: Pit Bulls Scalp Man in Guyana

Labels: Disfigurement Injury, Ear Injury, Florida, Scalp Injury, Skin Graft