Pit bulls attack 10-year-old

EAST FRANKFORD - February 21, 2010 (WPVI) -- A 10-year-old boy was mauled by two pit bulls and the attack almost cost him his arm.

Police say 10-year-old Philip Sheriff was playing with friends and two pit bulls at a park at Jackson and Wakeling when he was attacked by the two dogs.

"We have reports that the dogs were fighting and at one point, they turned on the 10-year-old boy and started to attack the boy," Captain Ben Naish of the Philadelphia Police said.

Philip tried to protect himself from the mauling pit bulls by using his right arm to block his face and neck. He survived, but almost at the expense of his limb.

"[The doctors] said they are going to be able to save the right arm," Philip's grandfather Martin Sheriff said.

His friends were able to eventually pull the dogs off, but not before Philip suffered a mangled arm and puncture wounds to his limbs, neck, and back.

Nearby neighbors heard the commotion.

"The early reports we got is that they thought it was trash bags being shredded by the dogs. They didn't realize it was a young boy," Captain Naish said.

Philip's friends left with the dogs before investigators arrived.

Martin Sheriff doesn't know the boys.

He says his grandson left the home Sunday morning and about a hour later, police were at his front door with the disturbing news.

"He just left and said he was going to play with his friends and the weather was nice. I don't want to keep him in the house 24/7. So I said go ahead and play with your friends," Martin said.

Police don't believe anything criminal occurred, but they'd like to talk to the boys and their parents and are hoping they'll come forward.

"We were able to get limited information about the situation from the young boy before he was sedated as a result of the injuries. So we got some information and a direction to find these young boys," Captain Naish said.

Doctors tell the family, Philip will likely be hospitalized for a couple of weeks followed by extensive rehabilitation.

This incident comes just a day after a 37-year-old woman in Fishtown was mauled to death by a family pit-bull.

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pennsylvania, philadelphia, dog attack, local/state, chad pradelli

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