Pit bull has attacked three dogs, two owners, in Center City

Brian Lovenduski was strolling with his leashed miniature pinscher, Ziggy, through a Center City plaza Monday evening — just another routine walk for the pair.

“Just enjoying the Christmas lights,” said Lovenduski, who had David Bowie’s Diamond Dogs pulsing through his earbuds. “And then, before I knew it, I turned around and a pit bull had latched onto Ziggy’s leg.”

Lovenduski recalled the horrific attack that followed at 12th and Chestnut Streets in front of dozens of bystanders. He was bitten and Ziggy was left seemingly near death — until the small dog rallied and fought back for his life against the much bigger, more powerful pit bull.

Miguel Torres, a spokesperson for the Philadelphia Police Department, said Saturday that the pit bull is believed to have been involved in a trio of attacks in Center City that took place in the week after Christmas. The pit bull is believed to be owned by a homeless person, police said.

Owners of two victimized dogs say they have not only been traumatized by the attacks, but face tens of thousands of dollars collectively in vet bills.

Ziggy was the second dog attacked by the pit bull.

The 4.5-minute attack left Ziggy with a long row of stitches and an amputated leg. Lovenduski was bitten on the hand as he tried to ward off the pit bull.

Lovenduski said he grabbed the pit bull by the collar and pulled its head to his chest to wrest him away from Ziggy. Dozens of people gathered, with some shouting instructions, but not intervening. At one point, Ziggy went limp.

“I was worried that I’m watching my dog die in front of me, and I can’t save him,” Lovenduski said. “And then suddenly, Ziggy in his little, little, fiery body sprung back to life and started biting the pit bull on the ears, over and over and over. There was blood everywhere.”

Lovenduski continued to strike the pit bull on the head and finally it released Ziggy. A nurse from Jefferson Hospital came and helped seek medical treatment.

Eventually, Ziggy was treated at Philadelphia Animal Specialty & Emergency on Washington Avenue in Point Breeze.

“He is little by little, starting to learn how to balance himself upright on three legs,” Lovenduski said of Ziggy. “I’m still in shock. But Ziggy’s will to live is inspiring me.”

Lovenduski estimates he faces $11,000 in medical expenses, and expects that could grow. He has set up a GoFundMe account to raise money for the bills.

The first known attack by the pit bull occurred on Dec. 26 as J. Bazzel was walking his 11-month-old sheltie Stella at Juniper and Chestnut Streets.

Bazzel said he saw a homeless woman sitting on the corner under a blanket with a pit bull to the side. He’d seen the dog before and usually gives it “a wide berth.” He believes the woman also travels with a man.

He crossed over Juniper, near the Wanamaker Building, and was startled to hear Stella suddenly yelp.

“I looked down, and saw that the dog had, very quietly, ran over, grabbed Stella’s front left leg and wouldn’t let go of it. My dog was yelping and crying in pain. I started yelling for help.”

Bazzel said a man came over and jumped on the back of the pit bull and started striking it in the head. Bazzel worked his gloved fingers into the back of the pit bull’s jaw and applied pressure until it released Stella.

“The guy who was holding back the pit bull yelled at me to run,” Bazzel recalled. “And I scooped Stella up.”

Bazzel brought the bleeding puppy to the VEG Emergency Vet center, where staff helped.

“I had blood on me, I had excrement on me,” Bazzel said. “The folks at VEG were just amazing. They quickly got the door. They escorted me right back. They got her on a table. They started taking care of me and her because I was out of breath.”

Eventually, Bazzel got Stella to Philadelphia Animal Specialty & Emergency. There, a surgeon pieced together Stella’s crushed foreleg, keeping it together with a plate. Stella also needed a skin graft.

“She’s with me every single place I go,” Bazzel said of Stella. “She’s my emotional support. She’s my best friend. It just breaks your heart to see what she’s going through.”

Bazzel is hoping the dog’s foreleg will be saved, but is still waiting to see if it heals. He said the medical bills total about $9,000 so far, and he expects it could run thousands more by the time treatment is over. He has also set up a GoFundMe account.

The third attack occurred 7 a.m., Dec. 31, as a 74-year-old man was walking his dog at 19^th and Walnut Streets, according to police.

There, a homeless person, described by police as a white male wearing a black coat and dark blankets, was lying on the ground with a pit bull.

The pit bull then rose to bite both the man and dog. The man drove himself to a hospital for treatment.

The city’s Animal Care and Control Team is aware of the situation, said ACCT Philly executive director Sarah Barnett.

But, stopping the pit bull is a process.

“We can’t just take someone’s dog; the process takes so long and it’s not victim friendly,” Barnett said.

The steps involve filing dangerous dog charges, taking the owner to court, and waiting over 30 days. This process is more complicated when the owner is unhoused, she said.

After three attacks, Barnett conceded there’s a chance that the pit bull attacks again.

“It wouldn’t surprise me if someone’s dog gets attacked and they do something horrible like shoot it,” Barnett said. She encouraged people to instead call the police if they think they have spotted the pit bull.

“Be aware of your surroundings and don’t just assume the dog is only in Center City,” she said.

This story has been corrected to say that Stella was initially bought to VEG Emergency Vet center, not Vedge the restaurant.