California Boy Uses Choke Hold On Vicious Pit Bull To Save Girl From Attack

January 6, 2009 3:26 p.m. EST

Bakersfield, CA (AHN) - A 9-year-old California boy used a choke hold on a pit bull to save a girl the dog was attacking.

Drew Heredia is being hailed as a hero after saving his 12-year-old friend.

Heredia and his unidentified friend were walking the girl's small dog when a pit bull attacked it.

The girl tried to save her dog and the pit bull turned on her, biting her.

Heredia said his first impulse was to kick the dog, but he decided instead to jump on it and apply a choke hold he had learned while taking classes at a Brazilian jujitsu studio in southwest Bakersfield.

He held the dog in the choke hold until animal control workers arrived 20 minutes later.

The girl was taken to the hospital for treatment for her puncture wounds. Both she and her dog are expected to fully recover.

In the meantime, the pit bull remains unclaimed in quarantine and will be euthanized.