As 15-year-old Hannah went to check out their tags, they chased her around her dad's pickup truck.
Then Loveless said one dog scooted under her fence, bit down on the leg of 9-year-old Josie sitting on the porch.
Josie was pulled off as the dog started shaking her, then bit down on her arm. Finally, Hannah and her dad were able to beat off the dogs.
Denise said a dog who lives two houses away is the culprit.
"It's scary for all of us," Denise said. "None of us want to be attacked by the dogs again."
Three weeks after the May 3 incident, Hannah still has scratches on her leg. Josie had to be taken to the emergency room. Bloody pictures from the day of the attack are too graphic to show on television.
"She's scarred for the rest of her life," Denise said. "Mentally, physically, emotionally, she's scarred."
Animal control responded to the initial call and helped get the dogs back inside the fence.
Denise said up until Tuesday, outside of a follow up call, nothing had been done.
She started a neighborhood petition to remove vicious dogs from the neighborhood. Already, it has 170 signatures, with some kids scrawling in messages such as "I want the dogs gone forever." Denise also wrote a three-page letter to the mayor.
"It upsets me a lot," Denise said. "I feel like something more should be done about the situation."
Lt. Brad Bishop with the Lafayette Police Department is also the Animal Control Director. When asked whether the Loveless case was handled appropriately, Bishop answered, "In general, we can always improve. In this case, I think we could have communicated a little bit better in this case."
Bishop said it's up to the discretion of the animal control officers to issue a dangerous animal agreement with the owner. The agreement makes the owner responsible for containing an animal that has bitten someone or making sure it's properly restrained if it's not in the owner's yard.
He said the ordinance is written with both dog owners and potential victims in mind. To be considered as a dangerous dog, he or she must be out of its own property and not on a leash. Bishop said most cases involve a bite on a human, but a vicious attack to another animal could also be considered.
"It gives the dog another chance," Bishop added. "It gives the dog owner another chance to prove they are responsible and can take care of that dog and make sure it doesn't happen again."
After NewsChannel 18 contacted police late Tuesday, animal control officers came out to the owner Wednesday and issued a dangerous dog agreement with the owner. So if the dog bites somebody else, it can be seized by the city.
Bishop said in the Loveless case, the gate had been left open accidentally. He said the owner was cooperative. She submitted to the agreement and was cited for having a dog running at large.
Bishop said, "That's a good question," when asked if a dangerous dog agreement would have been reached without NewsChannel 18 involvement.
Animal Control verified a week after the attack that the dogs were up to date on their vaccinations.
Bishop said changes may have to be made in Animal Control protocol so dangerous dog agreements are issued more quickly.
"It's taken care of," he added.
But it's not taken care of for Denise, who said the 'one-bite law' shouldn't apply in certain circumstances.
"What other neighbor needs to be torn apart to just give the dog a second chance?" she asked. "It doesn't seem right."
She would like to see the dog who attacked Josie put to sleep. In addition, she thinks the other dogs need to be muzzled and under adult supervision when they are outside. She also wishes city code would require a taller fence too.
For now, bike riding for her children will happen under the watchful eyes of Denise and her husband who will also be looking across the street to monitor where the dogs are.
"If they are going to do it once, they'll probably do it again," she believes.
NewsChannel 18 spoke with Lafayette Mayor Tony Roswarski. He said he got Denise's letter last week and was planning on meeting with Lieutenant Bishop later this week.
Any change in the dangerous dog ordinance would have to be made by the City Council.
A resident at the home of the dogs told NewsChannel 18 the owner was at work and unable to comment Wednesday
(WLFI - May 24, 2012)
