A 54-year-old St. Petersburg woman was attacked by a pit bull Wednesday morning while visiting a relative's house, police said.
Arkies V. Thomas received a massive bite wound to her lower face and other injuries when she was attacked at 10:30a.m., police said. She was rushed to Bayfront Medical Center as a trauma alert and underwent surgery Wednesday afternoon. Police said she is missing parts of her face from the nose down.
Thomas was visiting a relative at 3751 First Ave. N., where a pit bull named "King" was chained in the backyard, police said. Thomas parked in an alley, where the relative, Edra Morgan, 30, met her and escorted her along the side of the home so the dog wouldn't see them, police said.
But the pit bull broke free of the chain, ran to where the women were and lunged at Thomas, biting her face, police said. She also was bitten on the right arm and ankle, police said.
Morgan tried pulling the animal off Thomas, even striking the dog with a large cinder block, police said. An unknown man eventually pulled the dog off Thomas and secured it, and the women fled into the house, police said.
Thomas' husband, Willie Fudge, said he learned about the attack from his oldest daughter.
"I know when those dogs attack, it's gotta be bad. And when I get to the hospital, it was bad." Fudge said.
Pinellas County Animal Services later confiscated the 1-year-old pit bull terrier. The dog's owner, Joseph Bethune Jr., who lives at the First Avenue North house, has signed over custody to the agency. King had never been registered with the county, according to animal services.
The dog will be placed in quarantine for 10 days to ensure he is not rabid, after which he probably will be euthanized, according to Pinellas County Animal Services.
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