I watched my 65 year old father get bit by one of his rescue dogs today. He was breaking up a fight between two of the 3 dogs, and the Pit Bull, a dog he's had for 10 years......loved, obedience trained, endlessly cared for.....bit down on his arm and would not let go.

I luckily happened to be at his house....and when it happened....it was fast, immediate....like a car crash.

My father was standing by his lit fireplace, I was sitting in a chair, and his dogs were playing next to us. A moment later, the pit bull had clamped down on the other dog ( an Australian cattle dog mix) ......and my father grabbed both of them by the collar to separate them (which he knows he shouldn't of done, but instinct kicked in......like separating a couple of kids fighting). In a flash.......and I mean lightning quick, his pit bull clamped down on his arm, my dad fell to the ground still holding the other dog away from the pit bull (who by now really wants a piece of the pit bull).....screaming. I jumped up, grabbed the pit bull by the collar and tail (which was a bad idea, but all I saw was my dad on the ground yelling in pain).....and jerked the dog away from dad. By doing so, and the dog had not released his arm......it tore his skin vs. a normal dog bite (if there is such a thing). THE DOG HAD NOT RELEASED HIS ARM!!!!!

In hind sight, I should of hit the dog over the head with an oak log by the fireplace, but in the instant this happened, grabbing the dog and getting him off my dad was my instantaneous reaction. And again......this all happened lightning fast. I'm lucky when I got him off he didn't take a piece out of me, but within that 15 second window.......whatever made him see red, changed and he "came to" and started whimpering......for he had just "bit the hand that feeds him, saved him, loved him, etc".

All dogs have a capacity to bite, injure....but sure as the pope is Catholic........Pit Bulls are different. The power of this breed, the jaw strength, the HOLD AND NOT RELEASE danger of this dog is real and can happen TO ANYONE!

My father is a loving, caring man......and his dogs are the most wonderful animals to be around. However, after what happened today.....I'll never trust a pitbull again!!!

If this can happen to my father, it can happen to any pitbull owner!!! The HOLD AND NOT RELEASE is why I would never go around one again. Not worth the risk.