Originally Posted by fasteddie

BC, Canada - A Port Coquitlam woman is out $1,800 in veterinarian bills after her six-pound Yorkshire terrier was mauled by two pit bulls during an evening walk last week.
Kathy McDonald was finishing her stroll with “Dot” in Blakeburn Park at around 9:20 p.m. last Friday when she ran into a young fellow, his girlfriend and their two unmuzzled pit bulls, which were on extended leashes.

She had spoken with the boy earlier that week about his dog, which had just given birth to 13 puppies.

When they met up again on Friday, McDonald said she scooped up Dot because the male pit bull was getting agitated and Dot was backing off. Just then, McDonald said, the female pit bull flew into a rage and broke from its leash, grabbing Dot from McDonald’s arms.

“Each [pit bull] had her between them, in their mouths, tearing her apart,” an emotional McDonald told The Tri-City News yesterday. “I just started screaming. They wouldn’t let go. It was frantic.”

McDonald said she tried to restrain the male pit bull by twisting its collar. It snarled at McDonald and was about to attack her, but instead dragged her on the concrete pavement in Dot’s direction. As a result, McDonald, a critical care nurse at Royal Columbian Hospital, sustained cuts to her elbows and knees.

McDonald finally got a hold of Dot, who suffered broken ribs and torn muscle and skin. She also asked for the names and addresses of the pit bull owners.

They refused but, the next day, the boy, who is a new neighbour of McDonald, came to her door and offered to pay for the vet costs — when he could, she said.

McDonald is now considering legal action, and has lodged complaints with the RCMP, the city and the SPCA, which handles PoCo’s animal control and care.

Dan Scones, PoCo’s manager of bylaw enforcement, said the city will automatically refer McDonald’s complaint to the SPCA for an investigation as to whether the pit bulls should be deemed dangerous.

If they are classified as dangerous, the licensing fee for the dogs may go up, and they would be required to be enclosed properly and muzzled while in public places, said SPCA’s Lorie Chortyk. In many circumstances, if a dog attacks a second time, it would be destroyed.

McDonald believes the owners should also face a fine.

She can’t shake the image of her pet being attacked. “It was absolutely horrific,” she said. “It makes me cry to think what my dog sounded like... the screaming. There needs to be consequences against the owners.”

“Too many people have these dogs,” McDonald continued. “They’re dangerous. What do they want with them? I don’t understand. You can’t even take your dog for a walk because you have to muzzle it.”

http://www.tricitynews.com/portals-c...d=704239&more=

Originally Posted by dalnna

This is so sad. I've gotten so I hate to take Abbie for a walk. We live in a great neighborhood but a careless woman down the street leaves her lab in the front yard to "sun" without a leash. Twice when I've been walking by that lab has come after Abbie. Thankfully, my husband was with me both times and backed him off while I grabbed Abbie. The woman heard me yelling at her dog and came out and I told her what happened...twice!!!! and I could hear her husband yelling from inside the house to get the dog in!. We now go a differnent way but I can't tell you the number of times I've seen dogs out on the front lawn with their owners. They DON'T have them under control. I was at my sons house one day when he was having a potential buyer through so I took his two dogs for a walk in his neighborhood and so many dogs came barking like crazy up to these little 4 foot high fences. I couldn't wait for the walk to end!. Sorry for rattleing on but this is really a pet peeve of mine.

Originally Posted by mnb's mom

:animal36 I am truly sorry to hear what happened! I have been hearing this more and more lately. Someone needs to realize we as small dog owners and our little love ones have rights too! All my love Biscuit's mom

Originally Posted by PANAMA69

:2omg: I can't image if somenthink like this happen to my Pheobe, when i go out with her like the park etc i take my (big man) husband and even my pepper spray with me just i case. i don't take any chances with her; there is a sign on the park to keep dogs on leash at all time and still you see people not obeying the rules :mad: . Poor baby this really upset me:sickie:

Originally Posted by Stormy

These little furbabies are really not "dogs" and are totally defenseless. Sigh

Originally Posted by Rae Rae

I don't know about your furbaby, but my Rocky is all dog! :p

So far everyone in my neighborhood has been considerate of eachother. They usually hold back there dog from Rocky, but if the dog is nice then I tell the owner that it's OK. Yesterday we were at petsmart, after the vet, and Rocky met to pyrese mountain dogs. These dogs are huge! The most gentle dogs ever though. Rocky loved them. Now my boyfriend wants a big dog like them.

Originally Posted by Stormy

Well lucky for you but I dont know the size of your Yorkie but mine are all under 5 lbs and no match for a big dog that decided to grab one. I surer would not want to chance it happening so I will just play it safe. Most all terriers are tough and think they are bigger then they really are so they are fearless. I have read of many owners being torn apart by their dogs so imagine one bite would devour a tiny Yorkie.

Originally Posted by Rae Rae

Rocky is under 6lbs. Not all big dogs are maniacs. My boxer is actually very gentle w/ smaller animals. If I see a dog is trying to play to rough, then I don't let Rocky play with him. At the vet there was a boxer who Rocky wanted to play with, and the boxer was friendly, but just didn't get that she was much bigger than him, so I took him away from her. But if a large dog is gentle I will let them play.

Originally Posted by Stormy

Well, I do totally agree with what you are saying, however i would not risk my baby's life that way. I don't think all, or even most. big dogs are vicious at all but you just never know what can spook them off on anything or anyone. They are all animals. Case in point, just last night my 10 lb Yorkie got into an altercation out of the blue with my 3 lb Yorkie right in front of me while I was at the computer and when I pulled him off he kept him attached and the little guy was hanging. By the time ( a few seconds) they were separated the poor little guys leg was bleeding. Now should somthing like that happen with a very large breed dog the little one would not stand a chance. I love all animals..but I maintain a healthy respect for the fact that they ARE animals and subject to their natural instincts. I sure hope you never learn that the hard and tragic way.

Originally Posted by lilbumbleybees

the one thing that bothers me the most a out this post, despite that the poor darling was attacked, is that the first thing out of their mouths is, "two unmuzzled pitbulls" so a pitbull should be muzzled jusr for being a pitbull? come on, give me a damn break! there are no bad dogs. just idiotic, BAD owners who don\'t provide the proper and adequate training for their dogs when they get them. I didn\'t even let me yorkies get away with not being trained.