The girl’s mother, 41, of Jackson, left her daughter with the pit bull on the sidewalk cafe of the Burgrz restaurant, 410 S. Main St., shortly before the attack Saturday afternoon, witnesses said.
“I heard the girl scream and looked up to see the pit bull scrambling after a seeing-eye dog and a blind man who were passing by,” said Lana Louys of Wyandotte who was dining at the restaurant’s outdoor area. “The pit bull pinned the seeing-eye dog to the ground and had it by the throat.”
People screamed and about 10 men got involved and somehow pried the pit bull off the 18-month-old golden retriever, Louys said.
“One of the men held the dog on his leash while others finally found the girl’s mother about five minutes later,” she said.
Police said Monday that neither of the dogs needed any medical treatment, though there was a small spot of blood on the golden retriever’s neck. The city’s animal control officer is investigating the case.
A spokeswoman at Leader Dogs for the Blind in Rochester Hills said it will take another week or two before they are able to determine if the incident will have any lasting effect on the golden retriever and possibly end its eligibility as a leader dog.
“Sometimes after certain incidents the dog will have a reaction and they won’t go into harness again,” said Rachelle Kniffen, a spokeswoman. “The dog was checked out by our veterinarians after the incident and is in good health. It didn’t have any puncture wounds and the blood on the dog’s neck might have come from the other dog’s gums.”
The golden retriever had already completed four months of training and was in its final fifth month when leader dogs typically work with deaf or blind clients, Kniffen said.
After the dog’s owner was located and brought to the scene a witness said she started slapping the pit bull, saying “bad dog.” Several people called police.
Royal Oak Police Chief Corrigan O’Donohue said the animal control officer will decide whether the pit bull’s owner will be ticketed. The owner was allowed to take the dog with her and advised to quarantine the animal for 10 days.
“What it comes down to is that it is the owner’s responsibility to maintain control of their dog,” he said. “I don’t think it’s a good idea to have a child (handling) a big dog like that, especially in a town like Royal Oak where there is a lot of stimulus.”
The heavily traveled downtown with outdoor cafes, restaurants and shops has been used as a training ground for Leader Dogs for the Blind for years. Instructors teach the dog to handle a range of distractions, from traffic and loud noises to the scents of food at sidewalk cafes.
“Royal Oak’s downtown is a great working environment for clients and dogs,” Kniffen said. “We fully anticipate continuing to work there. The community and the businesses are very welcoming for clients, instructors and the dogs.”
The Daily Tribune and Macomb Daily asked Facebook readers and Twitter followers if pit bull owners should be required to muzzle their pets in public. These are some of the things they said:
”All dogs that are unpredictable and/or known for biting should be muzzled,” said Louis Martin Cardamone. “Pit bulls should not be singled out. Also, it is irresponsible to leave any dog of that size and strength under the supervision of a 10-year-old …”
“So sad,” said Mary Adranga. “I think all aggressive breed dogs should have to be tested for temperament before receiving their license,”
(Times Herald - May 22, 2012)
