“We currently have the dog in our custody,” Van Sickle said Wednesday, adding that the Wauconda Police Department cited the owner of the aggressive dog with a dog-at-large ordinance violation.
“As far as further action against the dog owner, we are taking the lead in that role,” she said. "We are working with the Wauconda Police Department so that due justice is sought for the families involved.”
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| A Shih Tzu named Shibui Fong, left, was killed when it was attacked by a pit bull in Wauconda's Cook Park. |
The attack occurred early July 23 in Wauconda Park District’s Cook Park. The pit bull named Chuck is owned by John Bender of Wauconda. According to reports, the Shih Tzu named Shibui was being walked when it was attacked.
The dog walker, Judy Zeno, a good friend of the owner, Lisa Didier, said Bender had to pry the pit bull's mouth open to release the Shih Tzu. Zeno said she drove the dog to an animal hospital, but that it died in her lap, Van Sickle said.
Didier said Shibui served as a caretaker for a blind dog she owns. Now the blind dog cries at night, she said.
Bender relinquished custody of the dog to the county’s Animal Care and Control, Van Sickle said. The department has decided to euthanize the dog after a 10-day rabies quarantine.
Van Sickle said the department conducted an investigation involving the pit bull in November and determined the dog to be dangerous.
“The dog had bitten before – both other animals and other people – but had not caused serious injuries,” she said.
As a result of the investigation, the dog was ordered to be put on the highest restrictions under state law, which included having to be muzzled at all times on public property and to be leashed and under control of the owner. The dog also had to be neutered and microchipped, and the owner needed to pay a fine, Van Sickle said.
“The owner did not have the dog muzzled when he took the dog out last week, so it was the owner’s negligence,” she said, adding that the owner of the pit bull and caretaker of the victim dog gave conflicting descriptions of the fatal attack.
“The owner [of the pit bull] told me that he was walking the dog on a leash," Van Sickle said. "He bent down to tie his shoe and the dog took off, but the person walking the victim dog did not see a collar or leash.
“The fact is this dog did run loose without being muzzled, without being under control of its owner, and it killed another dog without being provoked."
Bender is scheduled to appear in Mundelein’s branch court Aug. 23. He could not be reached for comment.
(Northwest Herald - July 31, 2013)
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