CALIFORNIA -- Soledad Police are cracking down on a growing problem of vicious dogs running loose and attacking other dogs and their owners.
Martina Shaw said her chihuahua mix, Josie, was attacked by a large dog just a few weeks ago.
"She turned and barked at him and that's when he took the first bite," she said.
Shaw said Josie was attacked so bad she had to be put down.
"They could've fixed her but her mental state would have been so bad. It was more humane to euthanize her," Shaw said.
Shaw's dog isn't the only one being threatened by vicious dogs.
In the last couple of weeks, Soledad Police have received several reports of small dogs that were severely injured, and even killed by other larger dogs on the loose.
"We haven't had this number of animals being killed by vicious dogs in the past," said Damon Wasson, commander for Soledad Police. "These dogs are either running loose, have escaped their yards and their owners have just let them run loose in the city."
Now officers are cracking down.
They're evaluating their current policies and figuring out a way to create stricter regulations for dog owners who let their pets run loose.
"I would like to see the dog license fees go up and I would like to see the fines go up for running or for having the dog run at large," Shaw said.
She hopes something can be done quick so it doesn't happen to her four other dogs, or anyone else.
"You have to get rough with the irresponsible people," she said.
Right now Soledad Police said if officers find a loose dog it will be caught and impounded.
It will cost an owner $1,500 to get it back.
(KIONrightnow.com - Nov 9, 2012)
