Kids often would play with the 3-year-old bichon frise-poodle mix. Young girls would even dress the small dog like a doll and push her around in a baby stroller.
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| RIP Daisy |
“Daisy would just let them do whatever,” Ketter said. “She was kind of the neighborhood dog.”
Daisy was with a small group of children on Sunday morning when she was attacked and killed by a pit bull that came from a neighboring backyard. The kids, including Ketter’s 11-year-old daughter, witnessed the fatal confrontation, which also left a young girl with minor injuries.
On Wednesday, Villa Park police ticketed the owner of the pit bull, charging him with violating multiple village ordinances.
Oscar D. Munez, 21, of Villa Park, was cited on charges of having a dog at large and unattended, with no valid village dog tag and no proof of rabies inoculation. A fourth citation was issued to Munez, accusing him of harboring a vicious dog and allowing it to attack a person and/or animal.
Meanwhile, Ketter says Munez has apologized to her. But she’s refused his offer to buy her a new dog.
“If he wants to do something for me, he should get rid of his dog,” Ketter said, “because now I’m afraid for the kids in our neighborhood. I don’t want that dog in our neighborhood.”
Police said Sunday’s attack happened about 11:23 a.m. on the 600 block of North Biermann Avenue. Ketter’s daughter, Delaney, was walking Daisy when she stopped at a friend’s house. Both 11-year-old girls and an 8-year-old boy then started playing outside with the dog.
While the children were playing, Munez, who lives next door, let his female pit bull run free in his backyard. Even though the yard is surrounded by a chain-link fence, the dog jumped over the fence and immediately attacked 10-pound Daisy.
“The dog grabbed my dog, got her whole body in its mouth and started shaking it like a chew toy right in front of all these kids,” Ketter said. “The kids were screaming and crying.”
Ketter said the pit bull also lunged at Delaney, who ran and managed to get away.
Police said the other 11-year-old girl suffered an apparent dog bite to her hand and scratches to her leg while trying to prevent the attack.
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| Delaney Ketter, 11, was with her family’s dog, Daisy, when the 3-year-old bichon frise-poodle mix was attacked and killed by a pit bull. |
Ketter said that Munez, who was outside when the attack happened, got his dog away from Daisy and the children.
“By that time, it was too late,” she said. “It all happened so fast.”
According to Ketter, the children claim the attack was unprovoked and that the pit bull started barking and growling as soon as it saw them.
Villa Park Detective Sgt. Dan McCann said that DuPage County Animal Care and Control officials are investigating. “They will determine if the dog can be considered dangerous,” McCann said.
In the meantime, Munez can keep his dog. Ketter says that has her neighbors fearful.
“It’s silent in my neighborhood,” she said. “None of the kids are playing outside.”
(Daily Herald - August 1, 2012)