FOSTORIA, OH (WTOL) - Tragedy has struck the Dillon Crossing subdivision in Fostroria, after a man died while trying to break up a fight between his pit bull and another pit bull last night.
Just after 11 p.m. Thursday night, 60-year-old Michael Parks let his pit bull Mia outside. The dog ran across Davoli street and began fighting with another pit bull being walked on a leash by its owner.
The fight was a surprise to the Parks's family.
"You can go up and down this street and ask anybody about Mia - Mia was a gentle giant. Everybody loved Mia," said Parks's sister-in-law, who did not want to be identified. "Mia didn't harm the kids, the kids played with her and everything. She was not a vicious dog at all."
While trying to break up the scuffle, Michael was bit directly on his recently installed dialysis shunt and began bleeding profusely. He was pronounced dead at the hospital later that night.
Fostoria Police Chief Kieth Loreno says though you may love your pet, you should never physically get involved in a dog fight.
"Because they're animals, at the end of the day they're going to do what any dog does," Chief Lorena said. "And if you stick your hands down there and the dog is fighting with the other one with their teeth, obviously you're going to get injured."
Chief Loreno says you should always keep your pets on a leash, and be aware of how they act around others.
"Any animal you have, you should really be able to control that animal at all times," Chief Loreno explain. "You should be very cognizant, does that animal do well with other animals, does it do well with adults, does it do well with children. Because every dog has a little bit of a different personality just like we do."
