Man Who Saved Boy From Rottweiler Honored as Hero

A 3-year-old child was under attack by a Rottweiler in the locked, fenced-in parking lot of a factory near downtown. The dog’s head twisted from side to side as it bit into the youngster, who bystanders said was thrashed about like rag doll.

That was the horrifying scene that Jose Francisco Leal came across on his way to work two months ago.

As three other witnesses watched from the sidewalk, Leal swung into action. He crashed his car into the gate, jumped out, grabbed a 2-by-4, and beat the dog off Juan Donis.

Leal, 32, was honored as a hero by City Council member Richard Alatorre Saturday at Fire Station 17 at Olympic Boulevard and Santa Fe Avenue, whose personnel responded to the dog attack.

“If he hadn’t acted, the child would be dead, “ a firefighter said. “The boy’s body looked like it had been hit with a shotgun blast.”

Juan spent a week in the hospital with puncture wounds, cuts and bruises. His elbow is scarred, but Juan, who was on hand for the ceremony, is doing fine.

Juan had been with his father, Arnoldo, a guard at the factory, when three guard dogs turned on them. As his father tried to fight off the dogs with his hands, Juan ran off and the Rottweiler chased him.

At the fire station ceremony, Leal seemed somewhat uncomfortable with all the attention. “Maybe I was a hero at the time,” he said, “but when I got home, I was shaking.”