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| Little Dude |
”He was like a kid to us,” Nieves said about Dude. ”He was with me all the time, 24 hours.”
But Dude isn’t around anymore, on March 10 he was attacked by a pit bull and Nieves saw it happen.
On the day of the attack Nieves said he was in his driveway, working on his car and Dude was asleep by his side. Nieves said he then heard a growling noise and when he looked up a pit bull had Dude by the throat.
“(The pit bull) just picked him up and shook him and snapped his neck, and that was it,” Nieves recalled.
Manteca Animal Control came and took the pit bull, “Biggs”, and began their investigation.
”I deemed that Biggs is too dangerous for Manteca,” said Animal Service Officer Les Rowe, “If it’s too dangerous for Manteca my feeling is it’s too dangerous for anywhere.”
Rowe also discovered that Biggs had a similar incident five years before in Contra Costa County.
Animal Control wanted to put down Biggs, but his owner Lonnie Terrell doesn’t think that should happen. However, since Lonnie is reportedly in prison his father, Chris Terrell, argued on his behalf at Tuesday’s city council meeting.
”Biggs has never been vicious toward humans,” Chris told the council.
He added that he was willing to get Biggs further training if it would save his life. Animal Control doesn’t think it’s enough. ”If a dog is willing to jump that far and make it down the street to kill another animal; what’s it willing to do next,” Rowe questioned.
The city council agreed and voted to move forward to get ownership of Biggs so he could be put down; though the process is far from over. The council filed their injunction for ownership, and Biggs’ owners have 30 days to respond. They’ve also hired an attorney to represent them.
Regardless of how long it will take to settle, Nieves believes Biggs is beyond rehabilitation and should be put down, ”That dog is dangerous.”
(Fox 40 - April 6, 2011)
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| Rest in peace, Dude |
- Drug ring busted - A San Joaquin County-based drug-trafficking ring was dismantled Thursday with the seizure of thousands of marijuana plants, a handful of luxury vehicles, two boats and $1.5 million in cash, and the arrests of six county residents - including Lonnie Terrell, 26. (Oct 29, 2010)
