Credit: Ed Aguila, Inside the MagicWhen Guests visit Disneyland, they expect to have a magical time at the Happiest Place on Earth. No one expects to be attacked, especially not by an animal Disney owns.
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If you have ever been to Disneyland or Walt Disney World, you know that there is heavy security to get through. At Disneyland, when you are walking into Downtown Disney, you will always have to go through a metal detector and have your belongings run through a scanner to ensure you are not bringing in anything dangerous or illegal. This is to ensure Guest safety. This is also the case for those entering the property through Disney’s Grand Californian Resort to either get into Downtown Disney or Disney California Adventure. So, no matter what area of Disney you want to enter, you can be assured you will have to enter through security.
When you enter, you may also see security walking around with dogs. The security dogs are meant to sniff out anything dangerous that could be a potential threat in case it was somehow not caught during the security entrance scan. Typically, these dogs do not attack Guests and are well-behaved. Well, that was until one dog met 81-year-old Paul Perez, a grandfather from Las Vegas.
Paul Perez was attacked by a Disney security dog, who lunged and bit him in the stomach. Reports share, “The civil lawsuit was filed on Aug. 1 and accused Disneyland and the Walt Disney Co. theme park division of negligence and seeks restitution for a physical wound, pain, suffering, emotional distress, and the cost of past and future medical treatment.”
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The lawsuit alleges that a Disneyland dog handler caused a security dog to “abruptly step directly in front and very close” to Perez, who bumped into the dog at the security check. That’s when the dog allegedly attacked Perez, biting him in the stomach.
It seems Perez was just looking to visit the theme parks with his wife and two grandkids when things took a horrible turn. The grandfather was then taken to the hospital in order to treat the wounds. Thankfully, he was later released without serious injury. That being said, getting attacked by a security dog at Disney for doing nothing wrong is not acceptable, and therefore, this case will be heading to court next year.
The attack on Perez seems to be an anomaly, as we have not heard of more attacks taking place by Disneyland’s security dogs for no cause. It is still unclear why the dog would have attacked Perez, and what Disneyland will be doing to ensure that this dog never injures an innocent Guest moving forward.
What do you think about this attack? Let us know in the comments below!
Are you looking to visit Disneyland? Considering Disneyland, located in Anaheim, California, is the first ever theme park, and the only one that Walt Disney himself was able to walk through, it holds a magical spot in all of our Disney-loving hearts. Seeing Sleeping Beauty Castle is a picture-perfect moment; there is so much to do! When it comes to attractions, Guests can enjoy the spooky adventures in The Haunted Mansion during the year and Haunted Mansion Holiday (featuring the characters from Nightmare Before Christmas) during the holiday season. Pirates of the Caribbean will take you on a swashbuckling journey, and Space Mountain and Big Thunder Mountain provide thrills like no other. Classic rides like Matterhorn Bobsleds, Storybook Land Canal Boats, Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride, and Snow White’s Enchanted Wish are a must, and dining is excellent with stand-out locations like Blue Bayou and Carnation Cafe. Want to start booking so you can see Mickey Mouse in his home in Toontown?
At Disney California Adventure, Cars Land will truly blow you away as you see Lightning McQueen come alive on Route 66. Radiator Springs Racers is a must-ride, and eating at Flo’s Café has the best vibes. Want to test your thrill side? Incredicoaster will blast you through Pixar Pier. The Pixar Pal-A-Round provides DCA with the perfect backdrop, and a little further into the land, you can experience Avenger’s Campus and ride Guardians of the Galaxy – Mission: BREAKOUT! Disney’s Grand Californian Resort is attached to the theme park, so you can hop on Soarin’ Around the World and then back to your hotel!
The Disneyland website has everything you need to know about the Disneyland app, hotels, tickets, and the Disney Genie+ service. Click here to check it out.