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Video shows pit bull maul boy in 'unprovoked attack'

KVUE-TV, Austin
Brison Aldridge was attacked by a pit bull mix in Manor, Texas, on Monday.

MANOR, TEXAS - Surveillance video shows a pit bull mix brutally attack a 7-year-old Texas boy in what Manor police are calling an "unprovoked" incident. 

Brison Aldridge, 7, was returning a scooter that he borrowed when the attack occurred. 

In graphic video captured on a neighbor's security camera, the dog chases Brison down, attacking him in the street as horrified neighbors rush to subdue the dog. 

The attack lasted about twelve seconds and left bite marks all over Brison's back and thighs.

"It was rough. Definitely brought tears to my eyes," Brison's mother, Shauna Aldridge said. "When something happens to your child, and you have no control over it. There was nothing I can do. I came after the (attack). It's definitely a hard thing to swallow, to see him struggling."

Brison's injuries required surgery, and now several follow-up appointments with the trauma unit. 

Aldridge said she was cleaning her van at the time of the attack and said after watching the video, she realized the injuries could have been worse.

"I was grateful for the neighbors that stepped in, and helped out for sure," Aldridge said.

Complicating matters, the dog belongs to Brison's friend.

"It's a large dog. He's an aggressive dog. And we know this... we don't allow him to go into the home," Aldridge explained.

She added that her family has a pit bull, so Brison was familiar with the breed of dog, noting she did not believe the breed was to blame.

While Shauna doesn't believe it will affect Brison and his friend's relationship, she's disappointed in the dog's owner.

"We haven't heard anything from him.  Everyone in the neighborhood has stepped up and said something.  We've had people we haven't heard from in years check on Brison, and he hasn't one time made an attempt to even say how is he doing," said Aldridge.

In the meantime, the injuries have kept Brison away from some of his favorite summer activities.

"Swimming, he's not able to do that right now for a while that's been taken off," she said. "He's been really wanting to do that. Karate - we just recently discovered they have karate here in Manor, when we moved here they didn't. And right now all this is on hold, and so he's definitely upset that these things have been pushed back for a little while." 

In response to the attack, the owners - who have not been identified - surrendered the dog to the Austin Animal Center where it was placed on a 10-day rabies quarantine. The owners have received citations for an unregistered dog, unprovoked attack, no proof of rabies vaccination, and animal at large.

If insurance does not cover the cost for Brison's treatment, Aldridge says they will consider a civil suit against the owners.

Manor Police told KVUE that prior to Monday night that they hadn't received any complaints about the owners or the dog.