A man was scheduled to undergo surgery Tuesday evening after a friend's pit bull attacked him in Mountain View, just north of National City, and bit off "chunks" of his arm, the victim's father said.
Paul "Mario" Todd Jr., 40, was attacked shortly before noon Tuesday in the 4400 block of Logan Avenue, according to San Diego police.
Paul Todd Sr. said officers found Mario at a different location nearby, where he ran to while "in shock."
Mario was bitten in the right arm, side and back by his friend's 1 1/2-year-old dog, named Sparky D. He was scheduled to have surgery at Scripps Mercy Hospital to repair injuries to his arm and, possibly, to his abdomen, his father said.
"It just baffles me that people have those types of pets as a pet," Todd Sr. said. "Pit bulls are a dangerous dog."
Pit bull supporters say the finger should be pointed not at the dog but its owner.
"So you hear about pit bulls that tear up peoples homes, chewed on my couch, my baseboards," said Jennifer Kaiser, spokeswoman for It's the Pits K-9 rescue. "Those dogs aren't getting exercise, they're not getting the mental stimulation they need."
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Tuesday's attack was the latest in a series of incidents around the county.
On Friday, a dog attacked a one-year-old in Chula Vista. The baby was taken to the hospital and animal servies euthanized the dog, which a family member said was a pit bull. The pit bull was one of five dogs that lived in the house with the baby. A family member said the dog was “stupid and aggresive."
Earlier in the day, a woman walking her dog in Grant Hill was attacked by a pit bull and a boxer. The woman’s dog was injured in the attack, and the boxer and pit bull were impounded by animal services and placed into quarantine.
A much more serious incident occurred on June 18, when Emako Mendoza was attacked at her home in the 5800 block of Alleghany in Paradise Hills around 6:30 a.m. when she went outside to get a newspaper. Mendoza's husband said the 75-year-old woman lost a leg and was in danger of losing an arm as a result of the attack by two pit bulls in her back yard.
San Diego County Animal Services is investigating Tuesday's attack.
