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Maya Saves Owner from Attacker
When Angela Marcelino of San Jose, CA opened the front door of her home, she thought
she saw something out of the corner of her eye. As she turned, she was pushed into
her home and onto the floor. As she screamed, the assailant began to choke her with
one hand. As he increased the pressure on his grip, she saw a white streak run in
from another room. The only words she managed to utter were, "Maya, get him."
The Pit Bull Terrier went on the defense, snarling and biting
at the unlucky intruder. While trying to fight off the dog, the man loosened his
grip enough for Angela to stand up and grab his groin with all of her might. The
attacker gave up and ran out of the house. Angela was able to run out and get the
man's license plate number. Repeating it over and over in her head, she ran in the
house and called 911.
When the police arrived, they noticed blood on Maya's face and wondered if it was
possibly from the attacker. It took some time for the officers to gather a blood
sample from the face of the still-angry Pit Bull, but after a few tries, they were
successful. The blood sample matched the DNA of Anthony Easley, 37, who had previously
been convicted of two sexual felonies and a robbery. Since this was his third strike,
if convicted, he faces life in prison.
Angela adopted Maya as a puppy from the Humane Society and she had always been a
gentle pet; however, she knew when her owner needed her the most. After the attack,
Maya became a local hero. She has also been named the 2008 National Dog Day Hero
Dog by the Animal Miracle Foundation.
"I was very excited to show the world the good side of Pit Bulls," says Colleen
Paige, Animal Behaviorist, author and founder of National Dog Day. "She's what we're
calling our "AmbassaBULL" to all bull breeds."
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