CALIFORNIA -- A Nipomo couple is grieving the loss of their dog, after it was killed by another dog at a Morro Bay RV park on Mother's Day.
Gary and Patty Roche were visiting friends at the Morro Dunes RV Park at around 5 Sunday evening. They put their 8 lb. dog on a leash and put him down on his pillow.
Gary and Patty Roche were visiting friends at the Morro Dunes RV Park at around 5 Sunday evening. They put their 8 lb. dog on a leash and put him down on his pillow.
A couple of minutes later, the people staying next to them arrived. After opening their car door, their 90 lb. pit bull jumped out and attacked their dog.
Now, the Roche's want to push for a law, they will call "Comet's Law".
Now, the Roche's want to push for a law, they will call "Comet's Law".
For Gary Roche, Comet was more than just a dog. "This is what was left of my mother who passed away at 67 years-old, which is way too young of lung cancer," said Gary Roche.
It's been two days since Comet was killed by a pit bull, and this is something, they said, could have been preventable.
"He was restrained in his asleep when this unprovoked attack, he never saw the other dog coming. He was asleep in his bed and so we were responsible for our 8 lb. dog. These people were not responsible," added Gary Roche.
They want to make it a requirement for aggressive dogs to be muzzled in public. They believe dog owners should take responsibility for their pets, regardless of the breed.
"If we would create that we wouldn't be having this conversation. We would be sitting here holding on to a picture instead of our little dog," said Patty Roche.
There is already a law in place, saying your dog needs to be restrained and leashed. If these owners ignore this basic, simple law, do you really think they would obey one that says they have to muzzle their dog AND have it leashed?
These irresponsible owners do what most owners do -- they wash their hands of the whole unpleasant mess by simply surrendering the dog to be put to sleep. Then they're free to go get another dog just like this one and the cycle starts all over again. THAT is the problem.]
In San Luis Obispo County, all animals have to be on a leash, unless they're in a dog park. The same goes for Santa Barbara County.
According to Morro Bay Animal Control, the pit bull has since been put down. But, the Roche's said, they'll continue to fight until something is done.
"I haven't slept well the past 2 nights because I can't. I keep running that scene through my head of seeing my dog being ripped apart, and I wonder what could I have done," said Gary Roche.
(KSBY - May 16, 2012)
