Waterville - Waterville Police Chief Joe Massey says in 34 years in law enforcement, he's seen dozens of brutal maulings by overly aggressive dogs. "Injuries that are life threatening. Injuries that will last a lifetime," Massey says.

Massey says statistics show most attacks happen in the victims own homes. "The top three biters according to their study are Pitbulls, German Shepards, and Rottweilers."

The last straw for Massey came after a 2-year-old Waterville boy was bitten in the face by a Pitbull last week. "In this particular case, where a two-year-old was bitten, a significant portion of his cheek is gone," Massey says. "I mean gone! It's appalling."

The boy had surgery and is now recovering at home. The same dog also bit a 6-year-old boy. The dog has since been destroyed but Massey says enough is enough. "People should do their research before they buy dogs," he says. "They should research them and particularly if they're going to get a dog that's already grown."

At the Waterville Humane Society, they don't place pitbulls in homes where there are children under 12. Executive Director Paula Mitchell says no dog should be left alone with a child. "It doesn't necessarily have to be a Pitbull, Rottweiler, German Shepard. however, when those dogs bite it's a serious bite," she says.

Massey believes stiffer punishments are needed. The fine for a dog owner whose dog attacks someone is between $250-$1000. "Those are the types of fines we have for shooting wild game out of season," Massey says. Adding that he'd also like to see the city get tougher. "Matter of fact I would almost like to see, and I know this is very controversial, to see the city take a stand where they try to prohibit specific breeds."

A notion mitchell says goes a bit too far. "I don't agree with banning them from the city," Mitchell says, "it's bad enough that insurance companies have major lists of dogs and a lot of times a homeowner has a very difficult time getting insurance because they own a pitbull."

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