Lucy was attacked, and I'm upset

[chachi]

Im sorry. I really dont like pit bulls they are linked to too many attacks and are too unpredictable

[BabyGirl Rosie]

Well this makes me sick. Once again it seems the victim dog and owner get no support from animal control. I'm so sick of hearing how they do nothing. Uuuuuuuggggggghhhhh. On top of the vet bills poor Lucy will forever have this incident in her mind and injuries to live with. I doubt they will do anything and Mike I hope you sue his butt off.

We have a pit that shows up around here occasionally. Scares the crap out of me. I have pepper spray but I also have a stun gun. Can you carry one of those? I think it's sad that owners are so irresponsible that we have to resort to these measures.

I pray sweet Lucy continues to heal and I pray that justice will be served.

[Buster Brown]

I am so sorry for sweet Lucy. That must've been so traumatic I'm glad she's healing well. It's very sad to hear about animal control's lack of action.

[ladyjane]

Mike, you will win in court; but I so sympathize with you because no matter what it will never make things better. You have had to watch Lucy suffer because of this irresponsible jerk. Walking a bully breed dog on a retractable lead is just courting disaster. I feel sorry for his dog....this is not the fault of that dog. It is HIM.

I will say a prayer for you to find some peace in this....just so terribly frustrating.

[alaskayorkie]

Thanks for the kind words. I'm upset because if animal control doesn't classify this dog, you'd think it would make my court case more difficult. And I honestly feel animal control is looking for the easy way out so they don't have to do a difficult job.

[ladyjane]

Originally Posted by alaskayorkie

Thanks for the kind words. I'm upset because if animal control doesn't classify this dog, you'd think it would make my court case more difficult. And I honestly feel animal control is looking for the easy way out so they don't have to do a difficult job.

Honestly, I don't think it will matter. I think the case is fairly obvious. If she attacked that dog, her face would have been injured. Case closed in my mind. I could be wrong, but I can tell you I would go to court anyway ... I just would not let that jerk off the hook.

Animal control is classifying it based on what they do with the dog now that it attacked another. I don't think that classification is going to hold much weight in court.

Clearly animal control is going to be hearing about this dog again...that guy is going to let his dog fight again...I think that is a given.

[ShowGirlLola]

Poor Lucy, she's such a tough girl. I'm glad the other two are ok.

That owner is an idiot and if anything I think his statement should work against him. He must know his dog is dog agressive, why else would he have yelled? And why was he walking it on such a long leash while he was on a skateboard? He really had NO control of it.

If animal control doesn't do something very soon I'd threaten to call a news station.
I hope something is done about the dog and you at least get the money to cover Lucy's vet bills.

Something needs to be done about pit bulls in general, I'm just not sure what can be done.

[katy-yorkie]

About this time last year Buster was attacked by a dog that wasn't on a leash. When I took him to vet the next day, he asked if I had the shot records of the attacking dog, I did not. He was ready to call Animal Control if the shot records weren't produced ASAP. I'm surprised Animal Control didn't pick up the dog and put it in quarentine for a period of time - here it's ten days. Sounds like Animal Control isn't doing their job...to say the least.

Hope Lucy is feeling better...

[BabyGirl Rosie]

Originally Posted by ladyjane

Mike, you will win in court; but I so sympathize with you because no matter what it will never make things better. You have had to watch Lucy suffer because of this irresponsible jerk. Walking a bully breed dog on a retractable lead is just courting disaster. I feel sorry for his dog....this is not the fault of that dog. It is HIM.

I will say a prayer for you to find some peace in this....just so terribly frustrating.

[Island Girl]

So sorry you and Lucy had to go through this. I can only imagine the frustration you must be feeling at the lack of action from Animal Control! I hope you are able to get some justice for Lucy!

Prayers to you!

[Maximo]

Originally Posted by alaskayorkie

Thanks, everybody. I did call the police, not 911, and they referred me to animal control.

I honestly don't know how to protect my dogs. I've stopped walking three of them at a time. They are perfectly behaved on a leash, but I don't have the ability to protect all three of them if we're under attack.

I've carried pepper spray, but there's no guarantee that's going to work, and there's no guarantee the wind is going to be favorable.

I don't want to beat another dog, but I do want to keep it away from mine. I'm thinking now of carrying a long stick, maybe 6 feet, to keep the dog away from mine.

I'm so disappointed with animal control.

This is how I feel. Pepper spray is a gamble. Weapons, I just don't want to have to go there. This is why I complain so much about irresponsible people who do not control their dogs.

I am so sorry that the authorities are dropping the ball on this. It's a big disservice to poor Lucy and to the safety of your community.

[yorkietalkjilly]

I'm so sorry to read about Lucy and her attack, surgery, her pain, your anguish and all your problems with that jerk and his dog. I pray other innocents are kept safe from those two. Walking dogs is a dangerous proposition with big, powerful dogs out and about. You are literally on your own when you walk your dog - just you and your dogs and whatever is running the streets. Having learned the hard way, I now never walk a dog without a deterrent and in a case like yours, I'd have protection from that dog as well. Next time he could kill one of your Yorkies before your eyes.

My Jilly at 3 lbs. was attacked by an off-leash 65 lb. Dalmatian and she was the one who lunged forward barking a warning when the big dog was coming toward us and rather than barking back, stopping or veering away or approaching normally, he attacked her viciously, grabbing her up in his jaws and repeatedly biting and shaking her, growling and gnashing. Repeated beatings with a walking stick finally caused him to let her go and back off but he didn't leave our immediate area but stayed and threatened us. I thought Jilly was dying - she was making the worst choking noises and I didn't know what he'd done to her with his jaws. She went into a seizure almost immediately, her head bent backward touching her back and she was was foaming at the mouth, seemed to be having trouble breathing and I was certain she was dying.

We were 3 blocks from home and the dog followed us a block as I ran home with her, stopping to threaten him with the stick when he got too close, and she had surgery that evening to repair her wounds, rehabbed and did fine after that, thank God. She was a trooper and then some and had no lingering psychological big dog fears.

While she was in surgery, I called 911 and reported the attack to AC and wanted to be sure the dog was reported as dangerous in that he didn't just bite once, he attacked and sustained the attack, holding her a prolonged period of time in his jaws until repeatedly beaten with a stick and finally let go but kept lunging at us and no doubt would have re-attacked if I hadn't had a walking stick, followed us threateningly for a block despite my brandishing that stick at him and I didn't know if he'd had his rabies shots. I told them I was scared for the other dogs and kids in the neighborhood because this dog was outside off leash when he attacked, wasn't easily fought off and that those little ones who were out and about could be in danger because if one of the dogs barked at that dog, it may attack again and a dog that edgy and vicious was a potential danger to pets and kids alike.

AC called to say the dog's rabies vax was current and told me they gave the owner the choice of keeping him under 24/10 observation at an approved city vet's office or at the city pound or sending his brain to Austin, Tx. for testing, ticketed him for having him outside off leash and I think for having a dangerous dog and, after 10 days of vet observation, he was not ill with rabies symptoms so I felt better about rabies as dog vax's aren't 100% able to prevent it. Jilly's was current too, thank goodness but I honestly feared that dog might have early rabies the way he just snapped when another dog merely barked a warning at him.

After that, I began carrying my one button, auto-open big black umbrella as a deterrent and no dog has ever attacked again. Most are intimidated and go the other way fast when that big umbrella whooshes open before their eyes.

I pray your Lucy does well in her rehab and you win in court and can successfully explain to AC and your city counsel one shouldn't have to live in fear to walk the streets with toy dogs due to the presence of this man's dog in the area. Maybe they will peg this dog as a dangerous or vicious dog to be kept only on its premises in 10 foot high fencing and never taken outside them on anything but a strong collar or harness and limited length, non-retractable leash.

[matese]

what a traumatic experience for poor Lucy, a senior dog. The attack extremely severe by looks of the photos. So sorry this happened to her and thank god the two lil ones were not involved, I don't even want to think what would have been their out come. I would pursue the small claims court for the vet bill, but that cannot take away the pain this poor older lil girl suffered with surgery and the aftermath. This moron must be held accountable for his dogs action in not controlling his pit. Keeping Lucy in my prayers for a speedy and pain free recovery.

[SophieKatesMom]

Oh my goodness, poor Lucy. Get well sweet girl, I am glad your Dad was there to help you.

I do NOT like retractable leashes, you have no control over the dog period. I have seen so many times where people us them and instead of them walking the dog the dog is walking them.

Get well soon Lucy, I will think good thoughts for you.

[YazminD]

Awww, I'm so sorry sweet Lucy experienced such a nightmare! Poor baby's injury looks so painful! I pray Lucy continues to recover and that Animal Control will follow through against the irresponsible owner!