Pit bull mauls dog to death in front of owner; pit owner says it was an "accident"

INDIANA -- A beloved pet is dead after Indianapolis Animal Care and Control officials say the dog was attacked by a pit bull.

Now, its owner is wondering why the dog responsible wasn't taken away.

“It’s bad enough having to lose your dog, but then to have it be so violent, and witness it, and not be able to do anything about it,” said Deb, who didn’t want to share her last name. “It’s very upsetting. I can’t describe the pain. It’s very painful.”

Deb says she and her two dogs were in her fenced-in backyard near the Fountain Square area on Saturday, when three dogs without collars or leashes lunged at her fence.

“They were charging and pushing at the fence, charging and barking,” explained Deb. “I went to the fence, and said, ‘No, go away,’ and one of the dogs lunged at me.”

Deb says she ran inside to get something to chase the dogs away with, and when she came back outside, she found the situation had changed.

“One of the pit bull's had jumped the fence, and completely incapacitated my 19-pound Jack Russell terrier,” she said. “He grabbed her by the throat, and tossed her around.”

Deb said the pit bull had moved on toward her other small dog Red, when her neighbor, Jeremy Fitzwater, heard her screams.

“I felt so bad for the dog. That little dog couldn’t stand a chance against that big old pitbull. No way,” said Fitzwater.

He said he told Deb to step aside, and shot the pit bull once in the shoulder.

Both police and Animal Care and Control responded to the scene. According to the IACC report, the pit bull’s owner also came to the scene.

He was cited for multiple violations.

He said his dogs got out through a hole in his fence, and he’d fixed it for now.

His pitbull was treated and released from the vet, and he told officers the dog would be quarantined at his home for 10 days, per protocol with dog attacks.

According to the report, he was cooperative, and told officers he would pay Deb’s vet bills. He told 24-Hour News 8 he didn’t want to speak on camera, but said they were sorry, and that it was an accident.

Deb says her dog Coco was set to go into surgery Monday, but never made it. She died on Sunday.

She says she contacted 24-Hour News 8 because she was concerned that the pitbull that attacked and killed her dog, had been allowed to go home.

 

 

“I didn’t really contact the news agencies because I thought my dog was so important, but I think the public should know that if this happens, a dog is not necessarily going to go to animal control. They could be returned to their owners. So if you see one or two or three dogs roaming with no leash, no owners, you should call animal control because it could be a very dangerous situation,” she said.

She's is hoping city ordinance will be changed.

Currently, Indianapolis Animal Care and Control doesn't take in a dog that attacks another dog unless the owner isn't present, or has prior violations, said administrator Dan Shackle.

“In this case, the owner was very cooperative, he clearly was very concerned,” Shackle said. “In that case, we want to keep as many animals out of our shelter as possible, so we can give a chance to animals that are currently here.”

“We would be overcrowded, and when there is an owner that is responsible, it is best for the animals here at the shelter, and for the dog, to remain in the custody of the owner until the judge can decide what to do with him in court,” Shackle added.

The pit bull’s owner was scheduled to head to court in December, where a judge could decide to take his dog away.

Deb says that’s not soon enough, as she has to watch her remaining dog in the backyard now, at all times.

“If a dog isn’t leashed, doesn’t have the proper collar and tags, breaks into your property and kills and maims one of your animals, I don’t think they should be returned to their owner,” said Deb.

(WISH - Nov 11, 2013)