Colorado Boy Mauled by Family Pit Bulls

AURORA, Colo., Nov. 3, 2005 — -- A 10-year-old boy is clinging to life after his family's three pit bulls mauled him Wednesday afternoon as he was trying to get into his home.

Greg Jones Jr. was attacked when he tried to climb over a fence to get into his family's backyard. He was rushed to Children's Hospital in Denver, where he remains in critical condition.

Jones was bitten on his head, face, throat, chest, arms and legs. Neighbors who fought away the dogs said one dog appeared to be gnawing on the boy's neck, as if they were eating him.

The neighbors said the fourth-grader returned home from school just after 3 p.m. and couldn't get in the locked front door so he tried the side gate to the backyard. As he jumped over the wooden fence, they heard him scream, they said.

"We looked over (the) fence and three of them were just literally attacking this little boy and he was calling (the dogs) by their names, but they wouldn't let go of him," said neighbor Trish Millard.

One neighbor grabbed a bat, and two others, wielding large sticks, started yelling to distract the dogs, who had the boy in their jaws. Neighbor Mike Brushell said the dogs didn't let go until he and others got about 10 feet away.

"It was horrific. I've never seen anything like that in my life," Brushell said.

"The dog had him by the neck. It was like he was just a doll," said neighbor Jeff Witmer.

The neighbors eventually got the dogs to back off and called for help.

When police officers arrived and tried to secure the animals, the dogs became aggressive toward them, Aurora police said. An officer armed with a shotgun fired at one of the pit bulls, but missed. A second officer fired his gun striking one of the dogs in the mouth.That dog was taken to Alameda East Veterinary Hospital and subsequently euthanized.

Two of the other pit bulls were taken into custody by Aurora Animal Control. Two more puppies were also taken from the home Wednesday night. All of the surviving dogs are now at the Aurora animal shelter.

There's no word yet if any charges will be filed in this case.

Animal control said only the euthanized dog was licensed in Aurora, and it was licensed to Rene Muniz Jones, who lives in that home. There had been no prior reports or incidents involving these dogs.

The boy's stepsister, Danielle Carson, said the family was taking care of one of the dogs for a friend in Denver, who was no longer allowed to have them because of a strict pit bull ban in Denver. Carson said she has asked that all the dogs be euthanized.

Two years ago, the same dog owner was cited for keeping too many dogs and allowing them to run free.

Aurora recently passed a law banning pit bulls and several other breeds. The law takes effect Jan. 31. Under the new ordinance, new pit bulls will not be allowed but Aurora residents who already have pit bulls will be allowed to keep them if they pay a $200 registration fee, carry $100,000 in liability insurance and have the dog microchipped.

This report was filed by ABC News affilitiate KMGH-TV in Denver.