Saturday, February 25, 2012

Owner helpless to stop pit bulls from mauling Jack, her Shih Tzu, to death

CANADA -- An Okanagan neighbourhood is in shock following Monday’s dog attack.

On Monday afternoon, a small dog was killed by two marauding Pit Bulls in West Kelowna, right in front of its owner.


Kirsten Petersen says she threw rocks at the dogs and her tenant threw a chair but to no avail.

The dogs carried the Shi Tzu, named Jack, back to their home on Webber Road from McIvar Road, leaving it dead on the neighbouring lawn.

The two dogs were euthanized by Central Okanagan Dog Control only hours after the attack, after the owner agreed to have them put down.

CHBC News has learned this is not the first time the dogs had escaped the back yard where they live on Webber Road.

The Central Okanagan Regional District says the Pit Bulls were found wandering their neighbourhood last year.

“Everyone knows my dogs,” says their owner, who only identified himself as Robert. “They've always been out playing around and stuff like that. They've never barked or growled never caused any problems.”

When CHBC News asked Robert if he thought it was safe for his Pit Bulls to be wandering the neighbourhood like they were Monday, he answered, “I guess that's a ‘Catch 22’.”

Petersen is taking Robert up on his offer to buy her family a new dog.

He will not be fined for the attack because he agreed to cooperate with Dog Control and have his animals destroyed.

(CHBC Okanagan - Feb 21, 2012)