Monday afternoon, a woman was walking her dachshund on a leash down West 89th Street in Cleveland.
Neighbors say two dogs, a golden retriever mix and a rottweiler mix, broke free from a fence and started attacking the dachshund.
"Those dogs ran across the street and started ripping into the little dog. His side was ripped open in two different spots," said neighbor, David Jones.
Jones tried freeing the dachshund from the other large dogs. During the dog fight, he was bitten in the face. "I had to rip the dog away from their mouths. When I grabbed the little dog, it latched a hold of my face and it was hard for me to get him off me," said Jones.
The seven-year-old dachshund named "Bonnie Jean" was taken to the West Park Animal Clinic. Upon arrival, veterinarians determined the dog needed to be euthanized because of life-threatening injuries she sustained.
The owner of the two large dogs said he was not home during the attack and does not know how the dogs got loose. "I feel bad because this is the first time I had this problem," said Modesto Velez.
Animal control officers cited Velez and transported the two large dogs to the pound. It's now up to the Cleveland dog warden to decide whether or not the dogs will be put down.
(WSBT - June 20, 2011)
