Dog Kills Owner, Injures Wife

[Jed]

Diane Vick, former mayor of Bullhead City, Arizona, was injured and her husband killed when their family dog attacked them on Saturday.

Accordingto ABC 15, Tom Vick, a social studies teacher, died Sunday morning after being attacked by the family's boxer. The Las Vegas Review-Journal reportsDiane Vick called 911 at 5:45 p.m. on Saturday, saying her husband had been badly bitten.

The attack came after the couple tried to break up a fight between the boxer and another family pet, which ABC 15 reports is a cocker spaniel.

Jack Hakim, current mayor of Bullhead City, told the Arizona Republic the attack was "pretty devastating" and that Diane Vick "was pretty well beat up."

“We’ve had dog bites before but never something like this,” Hakim said. “It’s very sad for us in Bullhead City."

"We’re just grateful that at least one of them was able to survive," Hakim continued.

[j]

Must have been a hell of a fight?

Sad for everyone involved

[Jed]

I just heard 4 other dogs became involved. No idea what breed, sounds as if the fight just escalated.

[MelissaS]

What a sad and terrifying situation. Just horrendous.. So tragic

BULLHEAD CITY POLICE STATEMENT

(According to the Public Information Office, Bullhead City Police Department)

On Saturday December 28th at 5:45 p.m., paramedics were called to a residence in the 2900 block of La Paloma Drive in Bullhead City for a report of a 64 year old male, Thomas J. Vick, having been badly bitten by his family dog.

According to former Bullhead City Mayor, 65-year-old Diane Rae Vick:

Diane had given their 10-year-old female Cocker Spaniel “Aly” some food in the kitchen.

Their 3-year-old female Australian Shepherd mix “Ginger” then attacked “Aly” over the food.

Then “Dempsey”, their 5-year-old male Boxer, joined in the fight.

He was followed by their other three dogs: “Dolly”, “Bella” and “Demi” (all 2 year old female boxer/shepherd mixes).

All five dogs attacked “Aly”.

When Thomas Vick tried to break up the dog fight, “Dempsey” lunged at Thomas, attacking him.

All of the other dogs (besides “Aly”) then followed “Dempsey” and attacked Thomas.

Thomas Vick suffered significant bite wounds all over his body.

Preliminary reports indicate that he ultimately died from loss of blood.

Diane Vick suffered bites to her legs from only one dog, “Dempsey”.

She was airlifted for treatment at a Las Vegas, NV hospital.

She has been released from hospital

The Cocker “Aly” died in the dog attack.

The five other dogs are currently being held at the Bullhead City Animal Control Shelter for quarantine procedures.

Diane Vick has signed over her dogs and per owner request, the dogs will be euthanized after the quarantine period.

http://leightonblog.com/

http://www.reviewjournal.com/news/family-dogs-fatal-bullhead-city-attack-be-euthanized

Edited to add links.

Edited January 10, 2014 by MelissaS

[Christina]

Diane Vick, former mayor of Bullhead City, Arizona, was injured and her husband killed

“We’ve had dog bites before but never something like this,” Hakim said. “It’s very sad for us in Bullhead City."

"We’re just grateful that at least one of them was able to survive," Hakim continued.

From the part above it does sound as though this had been an ongoing problem as most people with multiple dogs don't get bitten by their dogs. It does sound like the 3 younger dogs were a result of a mating between the 2 older dogs. Maybe pack order wasn't established well. Not easy to manage & they were fairly large dogs too.

Tragic that it ended this way.

[persephone]

[*kirty*]

Diane Vick, former mayor of Bullhead City, Arizona, was injured and her husband killed

“We’ve had dog bites before but never something like this,” Hakim said. “It’s very sad for us in Bullhead City."

"We’re just grateful that at least one of them was able to survive," Hakim continued.

From the part above it does sound as though this had been an ongoing problem as most people with multiple dogs don't get bitten by their dogs. It does sound like the 3 younger dogs were a result of a mating between the 2 older dogs. Maybe pack order wasn't established well. Not easy to manage & they were fairly large dogs too.

Tragic that it ended this way.

I think that bit you quoted means that the town has had dog bite incidents before, not that the owners had been bitten before.

What a devastating and shocking thing to happen.

[Her Majesty Dogmad]

Something was very wrong in this household, out of control. It's very frightening and must have been horrific to endure or witness ...

[OSoSwift]

How terrible, something seriously wrong in that dog pack. And yes it does sound like siblings were kept.

Very tragic

[Scottsmum]

I read this article a few days ago. It was apparently a fight between a boxer and a spaniel with the others (breed unknown to me) getting involved. The boxer bit the males femoral artery and he bleed out. The Spaniel died from its wounds and the family elected to have the rest put to sleep for a number of reasons - one of which was that all were involved and they couldn't be 100% sure the boxer delivered the fatal wound.

Very very sad, extremely traumatic for all involved

[poochmad]

OMG. That would have been one horrific and scary situation.

What a horrible thing to have happened.

Edited January 11, 2014 by poochmad

[pie]

How horrific :(

[espinay2]

What a sad situation.

Dog bites in the heat of a fight when someone gets themselves in the way trying to break it up are unfortunately not uncommon and can be deadly if bitten in the wrong place (even one 'accidental' bite in the wrong place can kill a person).

But wht made me double take was where they police statement said rest of the pack joined in attacking the owner after the Boxer lunged at and attacked him.

It does seem that not all may have been rosy when it came to managing their pack. It does make you wonder at what 'pre warnings' went unheeded.

[Scottsmum]

What a sad and terrifying situation. Just horrendous.. So tragic

BULLHEAD CITY POLICE STATEMENT

(According to the Public Information Office, Bullhead City Police Department)

On Saturday December 28th at 5:45 p.m., paramedics were called to a residence in the 2900 block of La Paloma Drive in Bullhead City for a report of a 64 year old male, Thomas J. Vick, having been badly bitten by his family dog.

According to former Bullhead City Mayor, 65-year-old Diane Rae Vick:

Diane had given their 10-year-old female Cocker Spaniel “Aly” some food in the kitchen.

Their 3-year-old female Australian Shepherd mix “Ginger” then attacked “Aly” over the food.

Then “Dempsey”, their 5-year-old male Boxer, joined in the fight.

He was followed by their other three dogs: “Dolly”, “Bella” and “Demi” (all 2 year old female boxer/shepherd mixes).

All five dogs attacked “Aly”.

When Thomas Vick tried to break up the dog fight, “Dempsey” lunged at Thomas, attacking him.

All of the other dogs (besides “Aly”) then followed “Dempsey” and attacked Thomas.

Thomas Vick suffered significant bite wounds all over his body.

Preliminary reports indicate that he ultimately died from loss of blood.

Diane Vick suffered bites to her legs from only one dog, “Dempsey”.

She was airlifted for treatment at a Las Vegas, NV hospital.

She has been released from hospital

The Cocker “Aly” died in the dog attack.

The five other dogs are currently being held at the Bullhead City Animal Control Shelter for quarantine procedures.

Diane Vick has signed over her dogs and per owner request, the dogs will be euthanized after the quarantine period.

http://leightonblog.com/'>http://leightonblog.com/

http://www.reviewjournal.com/news/family-dogs-fatal-bullhead-city-attack-be-euthanized

Edited to add links.

Oh. I hadn't read this article. I do truly feel sorry for that entire family (canine and human). What an experience. The http://leightonblog.com article is a good read.

Edited January 11, 2014 by Scottsmum