‘Mickey’ the Pitbull Released From Penitentiary

June 3, 2015

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If you didn’t know, Zanes law handles many dog bite claims in Arizona every year…

And the incidents only seem to be increasing.

Recently in Phoenix, a pitbull by the name of Mickey has been garnering a lot of media attention after he attacked and mauled a 4 year old boy, Kevin Vicente.

Vicente has undergone extensive surgeries, had a broken jaw and lost an eye.

Mickey the pitbull was placed in jail after this incident and the boy was immediately taken to a nearby hospital.

However, late last Wednesday, Mickey was released from his captivity and transferred to a medical facility due to a recent skin cancer diagnosis.

For those scratching their heads, Mickey and the injured boy are now in a dog bite claim lawsuit and yes, Mickey the pitbull, has an attorney.

“I went back to the court and explained that Mickey would be better off in a different facility. The judge agreed and ordered Mickey to be moved to a new facility,” Mickey’s attorney John Schill said.

Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio said Mickey has been a model inmate since his incarceration April 29, 2014, and has shown “no signs of aggression whatsoever” since attacking Vicente in February 2014 as the boy tried to take the dog’s bone.

If you watched the video in our post link above, you will understand that one of the key factors in a dog attack, especially a family dog (which Mickey was indeed) are children interacting with the dog’s food i.e. Mickey’s bone.

Schill stressed at a media gathering on Wednesday that Mickey will not be adopted and will not be going to someone’s house.

The pitbull, who was sentenced to life, has been housed in a portion of the First Avenue Jail that was converted to a no-kill animal shelter in 1998.

Since then, the canine’s only human companionship has come from the female inmates who have cared for him.

The case got international attention after a heated debate on social media about the cause for the attack and the fate of the pitbull.

Since, a judge said the dog was vicious, but ruled against euthanization.

“Mickey’s attack on that little boy was enough to attract a number of death threats against the dog,” Schill says.

“We don’t want anymore harm to come from the situation, that includes harm to Mickey or the people who have agreed to quietly take him, hence the need for secured transport.”

We cannot stress this enough:

It’s vital that people pay attention to the signals that an animal is giving of distress, sickness, irritation, etc ESPECIALLY around children who are vulnerable human beings themselves.

If you or a loved one has been involved in a dog biting incident, please give Zanes Law a call immediately so we can help you with your dog bite claims and through this painful time.