Samie Moretti, 11, is on a mission to help police find the dog which killed her poodle. "I'm just sad because I know it was really bad, my dog being dead like that," she said.
She showed ABC7 News how she barely had the door open when she says a pit bull shoved its way into the house and attacked Lacy. Her grandfather beat the animal with his fists and a stick before it ran away.
On Monday, Gilroy police began following up on numerous tips but so far, they have not found the dog responsible and are warning people to call 911 if they have a lead.
"This could potentially be a dangerous dog; I don't know how it's going to react to humans, so give us a call so we can go and handle it," Gilroy Police Sgt. Jason Kadluvoski said.
What happened to Lacy also happened to another small dog in July at a Starbucks in Gilroy. Samie wants something to be done.
"I'm hoping that we can get a ballot signed that there's no pit bulls in Gilroy at all, get them banned," she said.
Pit bull owners say banning a specific dog breed is not the answer. The CEO of California K9 Solutions in San Jose says certain dogs do require more training.
"When the door swings open and your dog gets out, you're responsible. So, it's not the dog. It's the owner and the owner has to take responsibility for making sure the pit bulls are well trained," Jas Leverette said.
Before they push for any changes in the law, the Morettis say they are first determined to find the dog that killed their beloved poodle.
"This dog should not be loose. It should not be around," Samie's grandmother Sandra Moretti said. "It killed our dog. It's going to end up hurting somebody else, hopefully not a child."
The dog is described as a pit bull or pit bull-like dog, tan in color, with white on its neck and chest. It was last seen wearing a black rhinestone collar.
Police say as tragic as Lacy's death is, it is not necessarily a death sentence for the dog responsible. If that animal is found, it would most likely be quarantined so its behavior could be assessed before any decisions are made.
(KGO - Nov 12, 2012)
