Baltimore dog owner blames city for pet's death; Residents question Animal Control's inaction over pit bull

MARYLAND -- A stray animal attacked a woman and her dog last week, and now both animals are dead and the owner of one of the dogs blames the city.

Cindy Schafer said she's in grief counseling over the loss of her dog and she's upset about what she learned about how the city deals with strays after speaking to the director of Animal Control.

 

"I feel like the city dropped the ball," Schafer said.

Schafer is referring to the Nov. 11 attack on herself and rescue dog, Birdie. A pit bull wandering the neighborhood attacked them after breaking through a lattice fence and coming into Schafer's yard.

Schafer was scratched up and Birdie went into animal emergency care with bites and bruises.

"I lost Birdie two days after the attack. I was told she was going to make it. We did everything possible in the hospital to try to save her," Schafer said.

Schafer is beside herself over the loss of her dog and the news she obtained from her neighbor makes her angry. It seems Andrew Kratz spotted the pit bull hours earlier hanging out on a porch. Around 9 a.m., he said he called the Baltimore Animal Rescue and Care Shelter who then forwarded his call to the city.

"They basically told me they would not pick up the dog, they don't pick up strays," Kratz said. "They said if I restrained the dog, she told me to tie it to my railing, they could make it to my house in two to three days. I said, 'That's not an option.'"

Kratz said the pit bull, looking thin and unhealthy, continued to hang out on his porch. He made calls and found a friend who agreed to take the dog in, but before that could happen, the pit bull left and attacked Schafer and Birdie. Schafer said the director of Animal Control told her they could not pick up every stray.

"I was told they do not process and pick up every stray call, and you're not calling Animal Control, you're actually talking to a 311 operator," Schafer said.

Those operators will send someone out right away if the animal is aggressive. Kratz said the pit bull was not aggressive on his porch. Animal Control also said it does not have the resources to pick up every stray, but if someone contains it, the agency will send someone out to pick it up that day.

Animal Control said they pulled call logs and searched by addresses and found nothing in the system that shows that Kratz called. The pit bull was euthanized and tested negative for rabies.

(WBALTV - Nov 18, 2013)

Earlier:

• Baltimore City response questioned in dog attack