Man dies after three dogs attack him at homeless encampment, Oregon deputies say
Three dogs fatally attacked a 56-year-old man at a homeless encampment in Oregon, deputies said.
Deputies found Joseph Taylor Keeton losing a lot of blood at about 1:15 a.m. July 19 at the Juniper Ridge transient camp in Bend, the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office said in a news release.
Rescuers applied a tourniquet on the Bend man, performed CPR and used an automated external defibrillator, deputies said.
Keeton was then taken to a hospital where he died.
Deputies said he had been mauled by three pitbull-bullmastiff mixed dogs.
The 38-year-old owner of the dogs cooperated with investigators and had the animals crated, deputies said.
Bend is in Central Oregon about 165 miles southeast of Portland.
What to know about dog attacks
“Dogs give us comfort, companionship, exercise, entertainment, and unconditional love,” the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said. “But it’s important to remember that any dog can bite, even trusted family pets.”
Dogs bite more than 4.5 million people each year in the U.S., and nearly 800,000 of those people need medical attention, according to the CDC.
Any dog can bite if they feel scared or nervous, or if they want to be alone. You should never approach a dog that seems angry or scared, the CDC said.
If an unfamiliar dog comes up to you, officials say you should:
Stay calm and be still.
Avoid eye contact with the dog.
Don’t panic or make loud noises. Don’t run.
Say “no” or “go home” in a deep voice. Stand with the side of your body toward the dog.
Slowly raise your hands to your neck and back away slowly.
This story was originally published July 21, 2023 at 1:32 PM with the headline "Man dies after three dogs attack him at homeless encampment, Oregon deputies say."
