Chihuahua attacked and killed by pit bull

IOWA -- A pit bull is suspected of killing a Chihuahua in an attack that left the smaller dog smeared with saliva, but with no visible wounds.

A black-and-white male pit bull killed a Chihuahua, age 13, in the smaller dog's yard in the 100 block of Myrtle Street around noon Tuesday, said Sioux City Animal Control Officer Megan Lalk.

She said the smaller dog didn't have any visible wounds, but officials believe the pit bull killed it because people saw the incident and pulled the dogs apart.

Due to the smaller dog's advanced age, officials believe it may have suffered a heart attack in the skirmish, Lalk said.

The pit bull, whose owners weren't home, was taken to Sioux City Animal Control. The pit bull was not properly registered in Sioux City, which bans pit bulls and pit bull mixes. It will be destroyed if its owners don't claim it, Lalk said.

Citations haven't been issued, but are possible.

The City of Sioux City passed an ordinance banning pit bulls and pit bull mixes in 2008. Owners were allowed to keep pit bulls if the dogs were properly registered before the new ordinance was passed.

Dogs not registered before the law passed are not legal and must be removed from city limits.
(Sioux City Journal - Nov 11, 2013)