Woman in Grave Condition After Brutal Double Pit Bull Attack

NEW HAVEN, CT- A woman, 53, in “grave” condition after a brutal double pit bull mauling Monday is fighting for her life, with severe injuries to her face and head, and having lost a leg and her eyes, according to media reports.

The woman, identified only as Jocelyn, has been undergoing a series of surgeries, including one Wednesday that was hoped would save her arm, the New Haven Independent reported. The incident is being compared to a famed Stamford chimpanzee attack in 2009, due to the brutal nature of both instances.

The owner of the dogs has been identified as Hamilton Hicks, a resident doctor at the Yale School of Medicine and friend of the woman, the New Haven Register reported. He suffered minor lacerations and was issued a misdemeanor for possessing crack at the time of the incident.

The dogs are being kept in animal control’s possession, but neighbors are reportedly recommending they be put down, according to the New Haven Register. The attack is also prompting changes in the way city emergency crews respond to calls of animal attacks, due to the Fire Department’s lack of presence at the scene among other reasons.

City Emergency Management Chief Rick Fontana said that the 911 call center will be escalating protocol for animal attack reports in the wake of this event, according to the New Haven Independent. It took 18 minutes between when a 911 call was placed and the woman arriving at the hospital.