Three people were injured in a dog attack early Thursday morning in Durham, North Carolina. According to local authorities, the incident occurred just before 3:00 a.m. on the 900 block of Main Street after a pitbull mix became aggressive following an unknown disturbance outside the home.
The Durham County Sheriff’s Office reported that the dog was initially in a bedroom with an adult female resident when her adult son entered. The animal attacked the son, biting him multiple times on his legs and arms. When the mother tried to intervene, she was also bitten and sustained similar injuries. A juvenile male present in the home was also bitten during the incident.
The family managed to secure themselves inside the bedroom and left the dog in another part of the house while waiting for emergency responders. Personnel from Durham Fire and Animal Services arrived soon after. Firefighters rescued the family from their room, and an Animal Services officer secured and transported the dog to the Animal Protection Society (APS) of Durham. The owner surrendered custody of the animal following these events.
A formal Dangerous Dog Investigation will now be conducted by Durham County Sheriff’s Office Animal Services as required by local and state ordinances. This investigation will review details such as whether or not the attack was unprovoked and assess medical injuries sustained by those involved. According to North Carolina law, if a dog is designated “Dangerous” or “Potentially Dangerous,” it may face strict lifelong confinement requirements, mandatory liability insurance for its owner, or humane euthanasia if deemed a persistent threat to public safety.
“Once the investigation is complete, Animal Services will make a decision on the designation, and APS of Durham will determine the next steps for the dog,” officials stated.