Residents outraged dogs still roaming streets
FLORIDA -- A Cape Coral community on edge tonight after 2 dogs viciously attack a woman and her dog. Residents say since the attack they've seen at least one of those dogs roaming the streets and they want officials to take action.
Four in your Corner's Mike Mason is here now to explain. Residents in this neighborhood want animal control officers to stop these dogs from hurting anyone else, but we found the law may be working against them.
Susan Krueger doesn't want us to show her face on TV but says she's still traumatized after being attacked last Thursday. That's when she was walking her Dachshund, “Chief”, when her neighbors opened their garage door and their 2 large dogs bolted out, viciously attacking little Chief.
Susan Kruger: "He just picked up chief and just shook him so many times."
Susan was also bit on her leg but it wasn't too serious. Chief wasn't so lucky.
Susan Krueger: "His insides were out, his intestines were hanging out almost hanging on the ground and he got up and walked to the house."
Chief needed 17 staples to close the wound. Susan says a year and a half ago those same dogs attacked Chief, ripping his neck open.
Eric McNeely: "It's not a safe environment if these dogs are getting out and attacking people it's just not safe."
Janice Riccardi: "I think it's horrible."
Janice Riccardi says these dogs have attacked before and after this latest incident she has seen one dog running around unleashed.
Janice Riccardi: "Loose no leash no muzzle."
Mike Mason: "Since this happened?"
Janice Riccardi: "Yes."
We confronted the dogs' owner, Lidia Munoz.
Lidia Munoz: "I'm sorry, I no speak English."
Mike Mason: "Yo tengo una pregunta."
Munoz tells us she has since euthanized her German Shepard and keeps the other dog inside, despite what neighbors tell us. Officers at Lee County Animal Control say there's little they can do.
Ria Brown: "Florida statute stipulates that for a dog to be declared dangerous it has to have more than one attack on a person."
Janice Riccardi: "That's ridiculous, that law is totally, totally bogus."
Meanwhile, residents here are on edge...hoping they don't have to go through what Susan did.
Susan Krueger: "It's awful, I cry every day."
We are told Susan will have to submit a sworn statement before animal services can investigate. Susan says she plans to do that after her dog recovers from his injuries.
(fox4now - Dec 14, 2012)
