A dad makes a difficult choice after his toddler was attacked by the family dog

A Massachusetts family’s pit bull/terrier mix recently attacked their 1-year-old daughter, latching onto the toddler’s face and not letting go. The family had owned the dog for five years, and never had it exhibited violent tendencies before.

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At first, the father grabbed his pistol, but after realizing it was not loaded, he found a kitchen knife and stabbed the dog to death.

The girl was taken to a local hospital, and then airlifted to a Boston-area facility.

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The toddler’s injuries are “believed to be life threatening,” Falmouth fire Lt. Scott Stanbard told WBZ-TV. Now, authorities are left to investigate the incident, and are trying to figure out what provoked the animal.