NEW YORK -- It was all over in a matter of seconds, a blur of fur and snarling teeth and primal violence.
Two small dogs were killed instantly when a man was walking them in an Arbor Hill alleyway on Tuesday. Around 4:20 p.m., two large dogs that weighed more than 100 pounds each crashed through the fence of a house on Clinton Avenue and fatally mauled the small dogs, police said.
The dog walker, whose name was not released, was not injured during the attack, police said. His dogs, poodle bichon frise mixes known as bich-poos, weigh 6 to 15 pounds. They were both declared dead at the scene by a city animal control officer who answered the man's emergency call.
The owner of the two large dogs, an English bull mastiff and a Presa Canario, was cited with six violations on each animal. The violations each carry a maximum fine of $1,000, up to 30 days in jail or both under the city's dog ordinance. In addition, the owner is responsible for paying veterinary and shelter expenses and the cost of destroying the attacking dogs if that determination is made.
The owner eventually got control of the two attacking animals, which were seized and taken to the Mohawk Hudson Humane Society in Menands and placed under a 10-day quarantine, police said.
The attack happened in Ludlow Alley, a side street that runs parallel to Clinton Avenue, just off Ten Broeck Street near St. Joseph's Church and two blocks from the Palace Theatre.
James Garland, 42,of Albany, was cited by the animal control officer with the following violations: vicious dog, chase and harass, dog running loose, unlicensed dog, no rabies vaccination and failure to identify your dog.
English bull mastiffs were bred to guard estates and weigh up to 130 pounds. The Presa Canario, a Spanish breed, was used to control livestock and can weigh up to 115 pounds. Both dog breeds are known for their power and strength.
(Albany Times Union - April 10, 2013)
