4-Year-Old, Dad Attacked by Family Dogs

A pair of family dogs bit a 4-year-old child and attacked her dad as he lifted her away from the labrador and pit bull mix Thursday night, St. Petersburg Police said.

The girl was taken to All Children's Hospital for treatment of facial wounds, and the dogs were seized by Pinellas County Animal Control, according to police.

On Thursday night, police responded to a home in the 3000 block of Yale Street North for a report of "vicious dogs who had bitten a child," according to statement from police.

When police arrived, 37-year-old John Faucette was standing outside the home with his daughter, who had suffered a dog bite wound to the face. She was treated by paramedics.

The two family dogs were seen inside the house, and other rescue personnel were holding the front door closed to keep the dogs inside, police said. Both dogs were extremely agitated and aggressive, growling, barking and attempting to push the door open.

Faucette stated that he has had the dogs since they were pups. The dogs are a labrador and pit bull mix, and they had never before shown aggression, he said.

Here is the description of events:

Faucette was in the living room on the couch and his daughter was in her room playing. She had been playing with the dogs, and they had been running through the house together.

Suddenly he heard his daughter start screaming. When he ran into the bedroom he saw that she was bleeding from the face, and she said the one of the dogs had bitten her.

Faucette grabbed his daughter and stood up, at which time both dogs began attacking him. He fought them off by kicking and punching at them and managed to make his way into the bathroom with his daughter and shut the door.

At some point, he left the bathroom holding his daughter and grabbed a child's paint easel, which he used to fend off the two attacking dogs, so that he, his wife (who had just arrived home) and daughter could escape the home.

An Animal Control officer arrived and managed to capture the two dogs utilizing a catch pole. 

The four year old was transported to all Children's Hospital for treatment of her facial wounds.