Mum has arms ripped off, dies stopping pit bull from attacking 4-year-old son

Authored by news.com.au and submitted by cal_oe
image for Mum has arms ripped off, dies stopping pit bull from attacking 4-year-old son

The mum was found lying on the bathroom floor and lost both arms before she died in hospital.

A mother from Wisconsin in the US had her arms ripped apart by a pit bull while saving her four-year-old son from the dog and later died, her sister says.

Heather Pingel, 35, was savagely attacked at her home in Bowler, northwest of Milwaukee, on December 8.

The boy’s father “got home to find her lying on the bathroom floor. She said, ‘I have no arms, and I’m dying,’” Ms Pingel’s sister, Shannon Pingel, told the Wausau Daily Herald.

Heather Pingel was found by her son’s father after being savagely attacked by her dog. Picture: GoFundMe.

Heather’s son was found sitting on a chair in the dining room with blood pouring from his leg.

The mother-of-two had spent a week in the hospital trying to recover from her extensive injuries before she was pronounced dead on Thursday, her family said.

She suffered kidney failure and had both her arms amputated.

Ms Pingel’s son, Damion, received 70 stitches to his leg after being bitten by the dog and was later released from the hospital.

The family believes the attack unfolded after Ms Pingel found the dog biting her son. The pit bull likely turned on her as she tried to shield the boy from further injuries.

Shane Bernarde, Ms Pingel’s boyfriend and the father of the injured boy, returned home to find the dog still attacking the mum in the bathroom.

“We don’t know how long she was in there fighting him off,” Shannon Pingel said.

Pit bull have earned a notorious reputation for their, at times, violent personality. Picture: iStock.

Mr Bernarde, who was also bitten during the ordeal, told cops that he pulled the dog off Ms Pingel, dragged it out to the yard and shot it.

Ms Pingel’s injuries were so severe she was unable to give authorities a full account of what happened before she died.

Her sister said the dog had previously shown signs of aggression.

“My sister has the biggest heart for animals and just couldn’t get rid of it. … Her heart was too big, and they thought they could fix him,” Shannon said.

This article originally appeared on the New York Post was reproduced with permission

FuckfaceCharlie3 on December 22nd, 2021 at 01:39 UTC »

ANY DOG THAT SHOWS AGGRESSION SHOULDN'T BE AROUND KIDS. Responsible dog owners know this Pitbull or Chihuahua

ExcellentHorseshoe on December 22nd, 2021 at 01:31 UTC »

“My sister has the biggest heart for animals and just couldn’t get rid of it. … Her heart was too big, and they thought they could fix him,” Shannon said.

One thing I learned in over a decade of dog training is that there are dogs out there you just can't fix. Something in their brain is broken from the start and all you'll ever be able to do is try to manage the behavior at great risk to yourself and others.

That said, it's not her fault she thought she could fix the dog. The rescue community has pushed the idea hard for years that every dog just needs the right home and right care to fix their problems. This environment makes it very hard for dog-lovers to recognize when the most compassionate and responsible thing to do for a dog is have it humanely euthanized.

jwaterboyk on December 22nd, 2021 at 00:48 UTC »

Her sister said the dog had previously shown signs of aggression.

This is a horrifically tragic story, but seemingly one that could have been avoided if they had removed the dog from the home when it first showed signs of aggression.