A 5-year-old girl was attacked and killed by two pet Rottweilers, whose average bite force is about 328 pounds per square inch (PSI). The incident happened on December 8, 2024, in Covina, California, at the back of a house within Palomino Drive. An emergency call was made, and upon arrival, they found that the young girl had been severely injured. Nevertheless, she was given first aid, but soon, she was declared dead in one of the local hospitals at 1 PM.
Rottweilers are considered one of the strongest breeds, whose primary instinct is protection. This ranks them among some of the breeds with the highest bite force coefficient, much higher than an average human, which is about 162 PSI. Although they are loved as friendly members of the family when trained or vaccinated, they tend to pose a threat if not managed properly.
The bite force of a Rottweiler is quite powerful. For comparison, the largest mammal, the Nile crocodile, has a bite force of up to 5,000 PSI, and the hippo is around 1,800 PSI.
Thus, despite their robustness and inherent capacity for guarding and aggression in predisposing conditions, many Rottweilers would make loyal and affectionate pets if reared appropriately.
Family Rottweilers kill 5-year-old girl
According to the report by the Associated Press, the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department reported that the attack involved two family dogs: a 10-year-old Rottweiler and a 6-year-old Rottweiler, mixed breed.
The girl had lived with these dogs her entire life, and there were no signs of aggression in the past, as confirmed by Lt. Steve De Jong of Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department to USA TODAY.
The two dogs that attacked were taken away from the home. Two other dogs found in the house have also been confiscated by animal control. A member of the family received minor injuries while intending to shield the kid during the attack.
"The dogs were described as family pets. The child has had contact with the dogs her entire life," De Jong confirmed to the media outlet.
"The family has been 100% cooperative and her father is devastated by what occurred. It's just a very, very tragic incident," De Jong added.
Meanwhile, Animal Control Manager Christopher Valles told USA TODAY in an email:
"All four dogs have been impounded at the Baldwin Park Animal Care Center. The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department is currently conducting an investigation into the matter."
Dog attacks in the U.S.
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This is one tragic attack out of many others in the United States. According to statistics from various studies based on the percentage of the fatalities that occurred from different research studies and surveys, Rottweilers are included in fatal attacks to a large extent. From 2005 to 2019, they were responsible for about 10% of the attacks. In this sense, they are among the most aggressive breeds.
It is believed in many cases that a particular breed’s genetic characteristics proscribe its eventual behavior; however, it is important to recognize, especially to professional dog breeders, that training, socialization, environmental, and other factors contribute highly to the dog’s temperament. The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) has noted that one should not just look at breed-specific statistics without estimating the number of each specific breed in the country.
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