Bulldog attacks boy in Port Richmond

Every morning before school, Shane Bucher, 11, would go to his next-door neighbor's house in Port Richmond to meet with friends before walking to Bridesburg School together.

He would often play with Zeus, the neighbor's 3-year-old American bulldog, said his 13-year-old brother, Brad.

But on Wednesday, Zeus mauled Shane, and would not unclench his jaws until a neighbor shot the dog twice, killing it.

Shane was reported in stable condition at St. Christopher's Hospital for Children after five hours of surgery, said his father, Paul.

"If my neighbor hadn't come out and shot the dog, my brother would have died," said Brad.

Melissa Pomroy, the fiancée of Bill Reynolds, 46, who shot the dog, said that he was too shaken by the incident to talk.

"He loved that dog," she said. He was upset that he had to shoot the dog, she said, "but it was either do that or Shane would be dead."

Rhiannon Kelly, the owner of the dog, could not be reached for comment.

Police said the attack started inside Kelly's house in the 3500 block of Mercer Street about 7:25 a.m.

Shane was sitting on a couch when the dog jumped up with him, police said. A baby-sitter ordered Zeus to get down, but instead the dog attacked Shane and dragged him outside.

Brad Bucher was in his house when a girl ran up and screamed, "Hurry up! Come out! Your brother's being attacked!" he recalled Wednesday evening.

He went out his front door and saw the dog biting his brother in the neck on the sidewalk. He tried to pull the dog away, but it wouldn't let go, he said. So he called 911. Others tried to beat the dog off but couldn't.

Reynolds then came out with a 9mm handgun. He shot the dog once and it let go, but then attacked again, Brad Bucher said. Reynolds fired another shot into the animal and finally it relented.

A bloodied Shane staggered into the kitchen of his house and collapsed, Brad Bucher said.

Zeus was "like the family dog," he said. "He was a friendly dog. Shane was over there 1,001 times. We've known him since he was a puppy."

Shane had a torn ear, bites to his arms and a leg, and a severe wound to the side of his abdomen, police said. His father said the boy was alert and should recover.

"All he wants is his Tech Decks [miniature skateboards] and his cell phone," he said.