82-Year Old Woman Attacked by Pit Bull in New Jersey

Pit Bull Stolen from County Shelter
UPDATE 09/13/08: The day after this story was reported, a man broken into the Bergen County Animal Shelter and stole the pit bull that was being held after the attack on Stella Torti. The dog's name is Rebar, a 2-year-old pit bull owned by a scrap metal hauler from Hasbrouck Heights. The animal was being quarantined at the facility since the attack on the elderly victim.

The mother of the dog's owner called authorities after she learned of the robbery. Apparently, it was not her son that committed the act. According to Mabel Aragon, a Bergen County spokeswoman, Richard A. Delfino, a 39-year-old friend of the dog owner, turned himself into Hasbrouck Heights police. He brought Rebar with him, who was subsequently taken back to the shelter.

09/12/08: Pit Bull Tears After Woman's Dog
Hasbrouck Heights, NJ - An 82-year-old woman from Hasbrouck Heights was attacked by a pit bull while trying to shield her Shih Tzu from the attack, said police. Authorities said Stella Torti was walking her dog on Harrison Avenue when the assault occurred. Police started receiving 911 calls about the attack just after 5pm, said Captain Jack DeLorenzo.

When officer Paul Bassett arrived at the scene, Torti was on the ground bleeding and still being attacked, DeLorenzo said. The dog's owner, Joseph Cinelli, tackled the pit bull, police said, and gained control of him. A spokeswoman with Hackensack Medical Center said Torti was in the emergency room last night where she was listed in fair condition.

DeLorenzo said police removed the pit bull and a boxer that was also in Cinelli's home, and took them to the Bergen County Animal Shelter. DeLorenzo said police believe the pit bull escaped through a backyard fence and charged at Torti's dog. "We believe she bent over to pick up her dog and protect her and that's when the pit bull attacked her," DeLorenzo said.

A senior citizen plus a small dog is a magnet for a pit bull attack.

Related articles:
09/10/08: 2 Pit Bulls Killed After Mauling 71-Year Old SeaTac Woman
08/09/08: Pit Bulls Attack Grandmother's Dog While Gardening