Yorkie killed in attack
 

Sorry if this was already posted somewhere... Crazyy...

http://www.abcactionnews.com/news/lo...1-6800e5bc106a

and heres the newspaper article..

SEMINOLE - Still a bit groggy from having just woken up, college student Tyler Maraia was told by his mother to go outside and help a man she saw in a ditch with some dogs late Thursday morning.

From the edge of the ditch, it merely looked as if a bunch of dogs was tangled up in the ditch, perhaps by their leashes, and that an elderly man was in the ditch with them, Maraia, 18, said.

When he jumped in, however, the aspiring lawyer realized two greyhounds were pulling apart a Yorkshire terrier as if in a tug of war and the terrier's 80-year-old owner was trying to stop them, Maraia said.

"He said, 'Help me, Help me. They are going to kill my dog,'" Maraia said.

Four to five greyhounds had escaped from their home nearby and attacked Richard Graeber at about 11:30 a.m. as Graeber was walking two Yorkshire terriers and a miniature collie, Pinellas County sheriff's spokeswoman Cecilia Barreda said.

Graeber suffered some bite wounds on his hand, but the Yorkshire terrier being pulled apart died, according to Barreda and Maraia.

Five greyhounds were under quarantine late Thursday, either in a veterinary facility or in their owners' home, and were expected to remain so for 10 days until whether they had rabies could be established, said Welch Agnew, assistant director for veterinarian services with Pinellas County Animal Services.

No charges have been filed. The dogs have no prior history with animal services, and it appears they escaped from their owners' property as the result of an accident, Barreda said.

At the point Maraia jumped into the fray, one of the Yorkshire terriers and the miniature collie had escaped and ran back to the Graeber home, just a couple of blocks away from the attack in the 10800 block of Huston Lane, Maraia said. Graeber had been knocked down in the ditch with his remaining pet.

All told, there were four greyhounds in the ditch with Graeber and his Yorkshire terrier when he jumped in, Maraia said. Maraia said that when he pulled the collar of one of the greyhounds with the terrier in its mouth, Graeber told him to stop for fear he would inadvertently cause more injury to the terrier.

Graeber told Maraia to put his hands around the dog's throat and try choking the dog instead. At about this time, Graeber managed to free the terrier from one of the greyhounds and got bitten in his efforts. But the other greyhound, that had the terrier by the throat, started "twirling it around like a rag dog," and Graeber pulled out a pocket knife and stabbed that greyhound in the neck, Maraia said.

All four greyhounds then retreated as Maraia and Graeber brought the terrier to the Maraias' front porch, Maraia said. "The old guy he was in a lot of shock. He realized that was it. There was nothing we could do about it," Maraia said.

After he was treated at the scene for bites to his hand, Graeber was later taken to a hospital by a family member, Barreda said.

The four greyhounds seen by Maraia, plus one other owned by the same couple - Joseph Eisbacher and Katherine Koufas-Eisbacher, of 14845 Wildwood Drive - were quarantined, authorities said. One of them does not have an up-to-date rabies vaccination, Agnew said.

The couple could not be reached for comment.

That one - a 4-year-old male named Dakota whose vaccination expired in January 2007 - and Iris, the 8-year-old female stabbed by Graeber - are being quarantined at a veterinary hospital, he said. Three others - Rachel, an 8-year-old female, Max, an 11-year-old male, and Tootsie, an 8-year-old female - are under quarantine at the Eisbacher home, Agnew said.

If they are alive after the 10-day quarantine, they do not have rabies, Agnew

How terrible. I would have jumped in the middle of those dogs myself.

How horrible for that lady!!! Its too bad as thats what Greyhounds are bred to do. They are sight hunters.

That's aweful! Those owners need to be sued for what their dogs did and those dogs need to be put to sleep!

That is such an awful story. And at this time of the year too. How sad.:(

That is so sad :(
I'm glad that the other two little guys got away and ran home though...

Oh, that is so sad :( I bet the owner is just heart broken. :(

How horrible!! I never really thought of greyhounds in any sort of attack mode. But being bred to chase that bunny around the track would instill that desire, I assume.

That poor owner! How horrific. I just can't imagine..............

Oh how sad!!!:cry: I think I would have thrown myself over my dog.. But being 80 you're a little frail to do that.. I hope those dogs are put down..

How terrible!. I just cannot imagine the pain the poor man is going through. My thoughts and prayers are with him.

It is so very sad that even though there are leash laws that are supposed to protect everyone, that it isn't safe to walk your dog.

It's not the fault of the greyhounds. EVERY greyhound owner knows they have to stay in a fence or on a leash, so once again..irresponsible owners are at fault! Greyhounds are born with a prey drive for small moving things, even if it's a plastic bag. Then with more than one greyhound together, the pack instincts kick in and..well..we just read what can happen. My yorkie and my greyhound are very best buddies, but I don't let them play outside together, just to be on the safe side. I have had the greyhound for years. She is retired from the track and she is the most docile, sweetest dog ever. She's old now, and has a difficult time getting around. I'm SO sorry this happened to ANYBODY, but especially an older person. Glad there was somebody nearby willing to help. But let's not be so quick to think animals need to be put down. Put in a responsible owner's home, maybe..but not put to death because they weren't properly handled.

If a dog attacked or killed my dog, I'd want it put down, as well as the owners punished. What if it happened again to someone else? I never want to see animals hurt, but if one killed mine, it wouldn't be living anymore either.

and I'd sue the owners. There is just no excuse for irresponsible behavior and letting dogs run loose that end up ripping apart another dog

I think my three biggest fears are:

My dog getting run over by a car
My dog getting stolen
My dog getting attacked by another dog

I totally agree. The owners should be held responsible. The thought of a pack of dogs, ANY dogs, doing that to one another is so frightening. I'm so sorry about the yorkie. My elderly parents had a shih tzu that they were very attached to. I hate to think of someone, especially that age, watching their dog be so brutally killed. I don't post much..just a lurker I suppose;) but I was moved to comment because I have a greyhound, and I'm SO disturbed because the dogs were off lead. Responsible greyhound owners know better than that.

Ya, that is true.. I hope the owners get a nasty fine then and should have to pay the man for the lose of his Yorkie..

I agree that the Greyhounds owner is at fault for this tragedy. Those dogs should have never been on the loose. And they should never be returned to such an unresponsible owner. But to destroy them? I just don't know if I can agree with that.
Those dogs were only doing what humans bred them to do. Just like our little yorkies chase down and kill rats and mice. It's an instinct that is bred into them for hundreds of generations.
However, we think it's cute (albeit gross) when Bitsy brings momma a mouse or a bird she has killed and ripped apart. If you really think about it...there is not much differece (in the dog world) between that and what the Greyhounds did to that poor little yorkie.
But...think about this...if those dogs are destroyed...should every Greyhound fresh off the track be euthanized as well?

You cannot blame the dogs for acting on their instinct and doing what they were bred to do. I thing the owners should have to pay for anything and everything and be charged for something. I cannot stand irresponsible owners.

nevermind.... dont want to make this thread a big debate.... :D

That's so sad! When I sirst started bringing Tucker to the dog park someone there warned me to leave any time a greyhound came for this very reason. My heart hurts for that poor man.

Dog parks are the worst place for dogs, not all dogs enjoy being surrounded by others. Some get very dominant, some get very very stressed, some get protective of their owners, strange or new dogs taking your dogs toy and vise versa, therefor creating dog fight opportunities. Best thing to do is set up play dates with certain dogs they get along with.

I can see your point but Tucker LOVES the dog park and we've been many, many times. We don't have a fenced-in yard where we live right now so play dates aren't options for us. Our new house will have a fenced-in yard so maybe then we can set up a few. Thanks for the advice.

That is horrible. Those dogs have tasted blood.. They need to be put down.. They are a risk to society and other animals. Especially if they escape again. I fear the owners should be worried as they too can now be bitten because of their pets having tasted blood. I hope that elderly man presses charges on the owners of those greyhounds..

This has proven to be untrue.. Dog on dog agression is completely different than human aggression... The elderly man got bit trying to save his dog.. A lot of dog bites occur from people jumping in trying to stop them when they should use an instrument other than themselves to break it up..

I understand that but when the dogs deliberatly went up to the owner and his 3 dogs and attacked them on their walk there is an aggression issue here. I would be worried of them continuing this act of violence and horror. That elderly man was walking 3 dogs on a leash.. Those greyhounds got out and terrorized that man and his pets. Thank heavens that the other 2 got away and ran back home to safety..

I know this story because I live near the area but I am sure I will get a not so welcome response from this reply but I really feel I need to say it. I have a wonderful baby that would kill me if I had to witness such a horrible death but not the whole story has been told here and just because I have yorkie does not mean I do not love all living animals.

The people that owned the grey hounds rescued theses animals, they were destine to be killed because their need was not valuable any longer. They rescued theses dogs, and yes I cried when I heard this story but after hearing that these people for years have saved many of dogs tells me they love them. The story was the owners did not know the dogs had got out, that the lock that kept them in had broken that day. Now I know what some of you are thinking, especially some of you people I have see on this site down so many and are so judgmental think ....... they should know. But I know with just my little guy they get away from you big or little they do!

Anyway, yes, these dogs are trained to chase a small target and this is with a bunch to get to it first. I know the poor owner should have never had this happen to him and his baby is gone but to all of you here wanting the owner and the dogs put down I do not agree and think it’s wrong. Those dogs more than likely after giving their best chasing a toy are usually not wanted and these people gave them love. I do not believe they or their owners should have to suffer. Yes that poor yorkie did not deserver what horrible thing happened and I know the poor owners are just destroyed because of it. But to kill again and possible stop them from saving more wonderful animals from death is far worse.

I understand what you are saying. But believe me...accident or not...if someone or their dog killed my baby, they would pay for it.

In our society, if we have and accident and get in a wreck you get a ticket. Nobody cares if it was an accident or not, there is a consequesnce because somewhere in the process somebody was careless. I think the owners shoulde be charged with something, if they love their dogs so much they should strive to represent the breed, instead they became careless and gave a bad name to greyhounds.

On the other hand, i do not believe the dogs should be put down. The fact that the dogs have tasted blood has nothing at all to do with the situation or the future of the dogs. Dogs and wolves have survived for a long time with the tast of blood. Many Yorkies are fed a raw diet and they do not seek to kill other dogs or hunans. This situation doesnt mean those dogs were dog agressive either, they saw small game and instinct took over, they were doing what man has been telling them to do for many years so if your going to blame someone, blame man. Now if they were DA it does not mean they were human agressive, dogs know the difference. I believe any human agressive dog should be PTS as it is a major fault of characteristic in and breeds standard and a danger to humans.

oh my goodness!:eek: just terrible! My last yorkie (she was elderley too!) was picked up by a greyhound once, it had not long finished racing and SHOULD have been muzzled in my opinion! luckily after enough shouting and screaming fom myself and the owner it dropped her a little shocked, but thankfully unharmed.

i agree... and if those owners have so many greyhounds, you'd think they would be more careful than to let any accidents like that happen... gosh... where were they when their dogs were doing this? did they not try to go after them to bring them home? seems to me that they should have been the ones helping the old man... thank goodness for the college kid...but still-- shame on those owners i hope they pay the consequences

sorry i just read the other posts... i still think the owners should face consequences... i understand they weren't aware that the dogs had gotten out and what not... but i know with my little one i make sure i know where she is at all times... stuff happens, but we have to do our best to prevent it... did the owners know the lock had broken?