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Peter Strauss Bitten, Dog Bites Dust

Posted Apr 24th 2008 1:45PM by TMZ Staff

peter straussActor Peter Strauss was viciously attacked by a pit bull -- and the attack was so bad, the authorities put down the dog.

Here's what we know. A 30-pound pit bull mix escaped through its owner's fence late last month and attacked 61-year-old Strauss ('memba "Rich Man, Poor Man"?), who was on his property outside of Ojai, CA. We're told the ferocious dog found Strauss in his orchard and attacked him. Strauss was eventually able to escape by climbing up a tree.

A struggle ensued, and the dog eventually went on the hunt for fresh skin, attacking a neighbor. The Ventura County Dept. of Animal Regulation came and subdued the dog with a dog-catching pole.

The dog's owner surrendered the animal to the VCDAR and requested it be put down ... which it was.

We know Strauss was bitten in the legs. He was taken to the hospital and treated.

Tags: bite, dog, peter strauss, PeterStrauss

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1. harvey blew me off

Posted at 1:51PM on Apr 24th 2008 by jim

2. Dogs aim to please... wish we could put the owners down and rehabilitate the dogs they are the innocents most people can't even raise a dog let alone a kid... such a shame such a waste

Posted at 3:46PM on Apr 24th 2008 by akchimer

3. Did they doing ANY investigation on the owner? Dogs come into this world as docile creatures.............It is the owners that train them to be vicious! I am so sick of Pit Bulls getting a bad rap!!!!

Posted at 1:54PM on Apr 24th 2008 by Disgusted in Dallas

4. Please stop perpetuating the bad rap of Pit Bulls by putting inflamatory pictures like this with your story. The above poster is right - Pits get a bad rap, while they are actually very sweet, loving dogs who want nothing more than to please their owners!

Posted at 1:57PM on Apr 24th 2008 by JHK

5. People should control and contain their animals. For the animals benefit as well as the neighbors. People with a dangerous breed of dog have a higher degree of responsibility to protect their neighbors. I agree with D in D about the owner needing to be prosecuted.

Posted at 1:58PM on Apr 24th 2008 by Insert comical name here

6. One of the most gentle dogs I've ever encountered was a full blooded pit bull, his owners were kind and gentle to him and it showed in his behavior. Pit bulls that attack learn that behavior from their owners, same with rottweilers.
Owners of dogs that attack people like this should be charged with assault and battery, they are responsible for the dog.

Posted at 2:02PM on Apr 24th 2008 by Kim

7. That dog in the pic above is not even looking aggressive. Looks like it is hanging it's head out of a car window just panting and enjoying life. Why try to make it look like it is attacking. Stop feeding into all the hype it is not the breed it is the owner.

Posted at 2:03PM on Apr 24th 2008 by thephoenix031107

8. My pitbull looks exactly like that one... when its yawning. They are awesome animals and should be cared for properly unlike the above situation.

Posted at 2:04PM on Apr 24th 2008 by chrissah

9. PITBALL IS NOT A A DOSILE BREED. THEY ARE MORE LIKLY TO ATTACK THEN A LABADORE FOR EXAMPLE.. IVE HAD PITS ALL MY LIFE AND THEY CAN BE GOOD OR BAD.. IVE HAD SHEAPARDS THAT WERE MORE CRAZY THEN ANY PIT IVE EVER HAD. HOWEVER A PITBULL WAS MADE TO DO DAMAGE AND KILL.. ITS IN THEIR BLOOD.. THATS WHY THEY HAVE THE MUSCLES IN THEIR FACE AND A JAW THAT LOCKS.. SO IF YOU THINK LIKE SOME MORONS THAT PITBULLS ARE SO SWEET AND LET THEM AROUND UR KIDS AND SAY THEY WOULD NEVER HURT ANYONE THEN UR A MORON TOO. THEY ARE JUST ANIMALS WITH THE CAPABILITY TO KILL!!

Posted at 2:05PM on Apr 24th 2008 by kasey

10. How many times do you need to read about the 'beloved' family pit bull, that turns and mauls one of the children. I see no logical reason to have a pet who has the potential to attack and kill a human being. I truly believe tht there IS something wrong in the chemistry of these dogs. Sometimes it comes out as an attack, sometimes it doesn't, but why would any clear-thinking person want to have a pit bull.

Posted at 2:07PM on Apr 24th 2008 by Boston Kate

11. dogs turn on you just like people and every other animal on the planet. some are just more prone to it than others. unfortunately, it's in the nature of pit bulls to do this, regardless of how "nice" you are to it.

Posted at 2:07PM on Apr 24th 2008 by me

12. I pray for the day there is federal legislation passed which requires anyone owning a vicious breed such as a Pit Bull or Rotweiler, must undergo training and carry special insurance to cover personal injuries caused by the dog to a victim.

Until then, we will continue to see the most irresponsible, stupid and low-classed individuals continue to buy these dogs.

I was attacked by a Rottweiler three years ago. And the owner of course, did not have any insurance. I ended up having to sue the owner of the property for allowing them to have a vicious dog on it, which incidentally, had attacked before. It took me three years to get a settlement. The emotional scars remain.

Posted at 2:10PM on Apr 24th 2008 by Shea

13. Yeah, they're so sweet and gentle they're banned in certain cities/counties.

Posted at 2:09PM on Apr 24th 2008 by :(

14. 8. PITBALL IS NOT A A DOSILE BREED. THEY ARE MORE LIKLY TO ATTACK THEN A LABADORE FOR EXAMPLE.. IVE HAD PITS ALL MY LIFE AND THEY CAN BE GOOD OR BAD.. IVE HAD SHEAPARDS THAT WERE MORE CRAZY THEN ANY PIT IVE EVER HAD. HOWEVER A PITBULL WAS MADE TO DO DAMAGE AND KILL.. ITS IN THEIR BLOOD.. THATS WHY THEY HAVE THE MUSCLES IN THEIR FACE AND A JAW THAT LOCKS.. SO IF YOU THINK LIKE SOME MORONS THAT PITBULLS ARE SO SWEET AND LET THEM AROUND UR KIDS AND SAY THEY WOULD NEVER HURT ANYONE THEN UR A MORON TOO. THEY ARE JUST ANIMALS WITH THE CAPABILITY TO KILL!!

Posted at 2:05PM on Apr 24th 2008 by kasey

Learn how to spell, MORON!

Posted at 2:10PM on Apr 24th 2008 by Your 2nd grade teacher

15. I agree its the people that are raising these innocent animals... Rottweillers too... I have always had a rot and they are the sweetest dogs if raised and trained properly... These irrisponsible owners are the ones that need to be fined and thrown in jail.. The pit is a very sweet by nature animal as well... They need to start doing something with these idiots that think its fun to turn an innocent animal into a ferious fighting animal.. I agree with #2 thru #7 sounds like we all know what we are talking about and knows what needs to be done.. Be responsible!

Posted at 2:13PM on Apr 24th 2008 by Brenda

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