ARIZONA -- Three pit bulls got loose from a North Center Street residence Wednesday and killed a neighbor's small dog.
According to a Flagstaff police report, an officer was called to the area at about 4 p.m. when someone reported several dogs running loose. The officer learned while still en route that the animals had killed a dog.
The report said that when police arrived, a 35-year-old Flagstaff man who owned the dogs was trying to get them into his truck, but was struggling because he didn't have a leash.
The officer nearly pepper-sprayed one of the dogs when it ran at him, but the man shouted that the dog "wasn't like that."
The man told police that the dogs are always getting out and he can't keep them contained in his yard because they can dig under the fence.
While the dogs were still loose, one of them spotted a cat in the middle of the street and chased after it until the cat managed to escape.
One of the witnesses said they saw the attack on the neighbor's dog and tried to stop the dogs by throwing a scooter at them, but the dogs continued their attack.
The dogs were not taken from the owner, but he was cited for not having his animals vaccinated or licensed and for having a vicious dog at large.
Police said that city ordinance requires them to quarantine an animal if it has shown signs of aggression against humans, not other animals.
An animal control officer is still investigating the case.
(Arizona Daily Sun - May 11, 2012)
