My community is up in arms after an unleashed dog attack!

[Cheryl and Finnegan]

My apologies in advance for posting this, but I was shaking and sick after hearing this today. From time to time, we've posted about the danger of unleashed dogs. But this time I'm squarely focused on Pit Bulls. I really need to vent and I can only think to do it here and get your thoughts as I try to collect my own.  

Our community is reeling due to a pit bull attack.  A couple was walking their 7 lb. leashed maltese in a beautiful neighborhood not far from my office when 2 pit bulls belonging to a neighbor who rescues and fosters pits came from behind.  Apparently her dogs got loose--they get loose a lot. The couple never saw them coming until it was too late. The husband tried to pick up their little dog up but one pit grabbed her by the head.  Little Sobo died instantly. The dogs devoured parts of her while the owners tried to get her body.  If that isn't horrific enough…the two dogs, in pack mentality, charged another man down the street and then made their way to a nearby development and tried to attack a woman walking a pomeranian but the woman was able to lift her dog above her head and save it just as animal control got there.  Of course, the fault is with the owner for owning these dangerous dogs and not containing them. But it's not just these two that have been aggressive. She's rescued others just as bad because now we know that several neighbors have been bitten. What I want to know is when and where does it become unacceptable to own these dogs?  I can't believe I'm saying that, but I am.  

I've worked a little bit with Pitt Bulls and Pitt-mixes in rescue and I know they can be smart, sweet, loving dogs one-on-one but there's not one pure Pitt that I would have trusted completely with others or with other animals. 

One of my staff lives in that neighborhood and her 10 year old son (cute and bright as a button) started a dog walking business about a year ago after being smitten with Finn and Oscar (our office doodle).  His favorite "client" is Edgar - a pomeranian. Jackie spends his days off thinking up special things to do with Edgar.  It was sheer luck that Jackie wasn't walking Edgar. 

BTW did I mention that the owner came across this bloody mess and drove away without saying ANYTHING when the couple told her what happened.  The husband was so distraught, he was taken to the ER.  These poor people, I can't even imagine.  Children and adults have been bringing flowers and little dog toys to a memorial that's growing for little Sobo.

I know any breed can be aggressive but --as someone has said - an aggressive dog is like a firecracker, but a pit bull is like a hand grenade.

To the borough's credit, there's going to be a community-wide meeting next week to discuss what residents feel should be done. Come on DKers, (at least anyone who's made it through this awful post) please help me with a list. 

       

[Laurie, Fudge, and Vern]

Amen. My Fudge is not dog friendly. I keep her on a leash at all times and I don't want some dog, friendly or not, running up to us. I love the leash laws and I wish everyone would obey them. I am so sick of people who let their dogs run off leash and have no control over them and then yell, "don't worry..he's friendly," as it charges at us. I walk two dogs who weigh a combined total of 170 pounds and I should not have to worry that I am going to be pulled down or hurt or one of my dogs is going to get hurt or hurt another dog because someone didn't feel like obeying the law. If dogs want to play with other dogs there are places for that, but every dog owner should know that not all dogs like to play with other dogs. 

[Jessica, Loki and Moose]

I agree with you Laurie. The combined weight of my dogs is basically what I weigh ( and the one is only 5 months) and thankfully they both are good listeners and good walkers for the most part but they both go ballistic if an off leash dog charges at them. I can't say I blame them, my older dog has met up with a pit mix off leash charging him and the younger one was bitten pretty badly at a puppy play session. Both dogs, the pit mix and the one that bit Moose ( Not sure what it was, looked like a small bull terrier or something) were "really friendly dogs and great with kids". I would never trust my boys off leash around other dogs unless we are at a controlled dog park, we have some by us. Even though both my boys are very friendly and love everyone, they don't always want to meet and greet the way other dogs do and they get very anxious and upset if an off leash dog wants to say hi when they are leashed.

[Amy and Annabelle]

About 12 years ago I was knocked down by a dog that was walking toward me with his owners. My husband and I were walking in a county park when the dog took off running toward us. It jumped up on me and knocked me to the ground. The owners laughed and thought it was funny. They said he was too friendly for his own good...umm, ok. I am afraid of dogs I don't know and that are off leash. The leash laws are the only way I feel somewhat safe going for a walk.  With the traumatic experience I had as a child, had the dog that knocked me down been mean, not sure where I would be today, but probably not with Annabelle.

[Kaitee and Orwell]

I understand this. But at the park you can't expect everyone to put their dogs on leashes for JD. I maybe should have added that parks are the only place my license would take effect. There are a lot of parks in my area, but only a few are dog-legal. I'm sorry, but I don't want to drive 15 minutes almost everyday to exercise Orwell.

Also, I don't advocate when you are simply walking your dog that they should be off leash (unless of course you live in the country and no one is around). 

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Oh, I would never expect people at a dog park to leash their dogs for JD. At the dog parks we use, it's rarely a problem, because they are huge sections of the forest preserves, 40-80 acres, and we stick to the trails and exercise areas as opposed to the big "meet & greet" section near the front where the owners are all socializing with each instead of paying attention to their dogs. I'm talking about dogs being off-leash in areas other than designated dog parks. 

At a dog park, people know what to expect. They know there are going to be lots of dogs off-leash, and that some of them may approach their dog. It's an "enter at your own risk" situation.

Very different from taking a nice walk through a regular neighborhood park and having some strange unleashed dog run up to your leashed dog. 

The off-leash dog parks near me are all more a 30 minute drive, so 15 minutes sounds fabulous, lol. 

[Kaitee and Orwell]

Haha. I hate driving. Probably because I have a 30-45 minute commute both ways for college. So when that's over you have to really persuade me to get in a car. :P

Your dog park sounds nice though. I don't think ours is nearly that big. 

And I suppose that makes sense. However, everyone in my neighborhood who doesn't want their dogs around other unleashed dogs just walks in the neighborhood. Honestly, I think the scenery in our parks are boring and would rather take a hike with Orwell in the woods on leash. 

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Imagine hiking through the woods with him off-leash. That's what some of our dog parks are like. Well worth the 40 minute drive. :) 

[Kaitee and Orwell]

That sounds lovely. I would make the drive if mine was like that. 

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

I'd also think that parents of young children in the "non-dog-legal" parks would be even more upset about dogs running loose, lol. 

[Kaitee and Orwell]

I thought about that. Perhaps there should just be more dog friendly parks. At least where I live, the mix is very uneven. Also, maybe designated times for children only would be appropriate. 

[Amy and Annabelle]

The park where I was knocked down allowed dogs on leashes, so they were breaking the park rules by letting him run loose. I would never go to a park without a leash law. Even if this park had allowed off leash, I don't think that it gives dog owners the right to have their dogs jump on people and be a pest. I want to be able to enjoy a regular park and not have dogs running around loose. There are too many dogs that aren't well behaved and too many owners that don't care what their dog does. I think you should be able to enjoy a regular park without the threat of being attacked by some dog whose owner either has no control, doesn't care or isn't paying attention. I have a dog, but I am on team leash them up in public unless it is a designated dog park. I think it is the safest for all involved. Poor Annabelle was molested by 2 large off leash male dogs her very first day of puppy class back in May. The owner of the dogs thought nothing of it. Although he said they were rescues he hadn't had very long, they were a bonded pair. Anyway they flipped her over on her back and was messing with her. She was crying and I was scared of them, and my husband was trying to get her away from them. It was before class started and he was letting them have some off leash time beforehand. So there is no way I would take her to a park without leash laws for both of our protection.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

I agree. There are even streets in my neighborhood that I have to avoid because of owners who let there dogs walk around in their front yards without leashes.