(Updated 22/6/01)

Pit Bull savaged by old lady!

by Nick Mays

IN AN astonishing reversal of the classic “Dog Bites Man” storyline, a 73-year-old Florida woman saved her young Scottish Terrier’s life by biting an attacking Pit Bull.

Margaret Hargrove was out for an evening stroll with her 9-month-old dog Alex when the Pit Bull attacked the smaller dog.

The Pit Bull clamped its jaws around the Terrier’s head. Mrs Hargrove had to resort to biting the attacking dog in order to make it let her dog go. Both she and Alex needed stitches afterwards.

The feisty Mrs Hargrove told the local newspaper, the Tallahassee Democrat: “I could see my dog dying right there, I had to act.” She went on to describe how she got on her knees and bit the Pit Bull - a bitch - in the back of the neck.

“She just went: ‘Yip!” said Mrs Hargrove. “I never thought I’d be biting a dog.”

The Pit Bull let go of the smaller dog and backed off, then bared its teeth at Mrs Hargrove, who defended herself by biting the dog again.

A neighbour arrived at the scene and used a baseball bat to scare off the Pit Bull.

Mrs Hargrove needed four stitches in her arm. Her dog Alex also needed stitches to close bite wounds and also suffered a bruised eye.

Marc Hicks, the Pit Bull’s owner later said that he thought some neighbourhood children may have left his gate open and allowed the dog, named Holly, to escape.

Currently, no police charges have been made to either party.