An off-duty St. Petersburg police officer rescued a two-month-old baby from a Rottweiler attack in Parrish, Florida, on Saturday morning. Dale Johnson was getting ready for work when he heard screams, looked over his fence, and saw a dog shaking what appeared to be a small child. He jumped the fence and ran to the scene after the unleashed dog charged into a neighbor’s yard and bit the baby’s right leg as the mother tried to break up a fight between the rottweiler and her puppy.
Johnson says he tackled the dog, restrained it, and used a technique to force it to release the baby’s leg. His wife, Megan Johnson, comforted the mother while Johnson assessed the infant’s injuries. The baby was transported to Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital in St. Petersburg for a laceration that required stitches and is recovering.
Johnson sustained minor injuries, including cuts to his hands and bruised ribs. Megan and neighbors describe him as a hero, while he says he just happened to be in the right place at the right time. He credits both his law enforcement training and a childhood experience with helping him respond quickly. Manatee County Animal Welfare is investigating, and officials said the dog’s owner is cooperating.
Source: FOX 13 NEWS
photo: GETTY