Man injured, dog killed in attack by two other dogs

A Raleigh man is hospitalized and his dog is dead after an attack in a southern Wake County neighborhood.

Olivia Bennett said she got a terrifying call from her husband around noon on Thursday.

"I heard Dave on the other end screaming saying, 'Come home. I'm bleeding.' I didn’t know what happened yet," she said.

Dave Bennett was walking his black Labrador Retriever, Ruger, around noon on Elbridge Drive in the Worthington subdivision when two other dogs attacked.

Ruger died and Dave Bennett was seriously injured.

"His arms are completely full of bites and tears and lacerations," his wife said. She is hoping he will be well enough to be home for Christmas.

Drake Gaines saw the attack from across the street and tried to help.

"I was on my porch and I heard my neighbor Dave scream, 'Help! Help,'" he said.

Gaines was also injured. "I thought I was going to die as both dogs were biting me and shaking my arms," he said.

Olivia Bennett said her husband, a hunter, was training Ruger to be a retriever.

"My husband devoted everything into him," she said.

"Ruger got his first retrieval a month ago. He was really proud he was able to do it and all the training was worth it." Ruger was two and a half years old.

Olivia Bennett has a message for other dog owners.

"Carry something with you. I don't care if it's a stick. I don't care if it's pepper spray. You've got to protect yourself and your animal," she said. "Be aware of your surroundings and be able to fight when something like this happens."

Wake County Animal Services is investigating the attack. They have not said what breed of dogs were involved in the attack or who those dogs belonged to. WRAL News has asked if the dogs were in quarantine, but did not get an answer Friday evening.