City Sees Two Pit Bull Attacks in Two Days

In the second pit bull attack in the city in two days, a 3-year-old boy was bitten on the face and neck by a female pit bull on 905 Belmont Ave. in Brooklyn at 2:30 a.m. yesterday, police said. The child was taken to Bellevue Hospital in stable condition.

The owner of two male pit bulls who attacked an elderly man Tuesday morning, James McNair, 28, was charged with second-degree assault, not having proper collars or tags for his dogs, and illegal possession of fireworks in his home, officials said. Henry Piotrowski, 90, had a leg amputated following the attack and is now in critical, but stable, condition.

A spokesman for City Council Member Peter Vallone, Andrew Moesel, said the council member hoped the attacks would "show people the dangerous nature" of the dogs. Mr. Vallone has been working to ban pit bull ownership in the city.

Mr. McNair's dogs were euthanized Tuesday afternoon at the Brooklyn Animal Care and Control center, after he relinquished control of the animals. He is expected to be arraigned Thursday morning. The dog that attacked the three-year-old was put down yesterday.