The 60-year-old man was hospitalized with serious injuries and the jogger's dog had to be euthanized, police said.
About 6:35 a.m., a San Leandro man jogging at the marina saw a man in a blue Toyota pickup let the unleashed pit bulls out of the truck and then drive off, Lt. Robert McManus said.
The dogs then attacked the man's 7-year-old pit bull, and ran off.
The jogger took his dog to a veterinarian's office, where it had to be euthanized due to the severity of its injuries, police said.
Several hours later, at 11 a.m., police said a 60-year-old San Leandro man was walking his 3-year-old bull terrier and his 10-year-old Chihuahua dog near Horatio's restaurant when the same pair of pit bulls attacked his dogs. When the man intervened, the dogs turned on him and began to bite him, McManus said.
Guests of the Marina Inn witnessed the attack and rushed to the man's aid with chairs and attempted to fend off the dogs but were ineffective, McManus said. At one point during the attack, the man fell into the water and the dogs ran off.
The man was taken to Kaiser Permenante Hospital in Oakland, where he was treated for serious bite wounds. His two dogs were taken to a veterinarian to be treated for their wounds. The Chihuahua suffered severe injuries and will need surgery, McManus said.
After the second attack, officers began searching for the dogs and found them near the Marine Faire neighborhood in San Leandro. The two dogs split up and led the officers in different directions. At one point, an officer attempted to stop one by deploying his Taser, but it was ineffective.
Officers continued to follow the dogs, with animal control officer assisting. Two officers located one dog on Blue Whale Drive and attempted to corner it but the dog became aggressive toward the officers, who shot and killed it.
Shortly after, a church member at Our Lady of Good Council Parish, at 2500 Bermuda Ave, dialed 911 to report a vicious dog outside. Dispatchers advised everyone, including children and adults, to shelter in place in the church as officers attempted to catch the dog.
When officers arrived, they found the dog in the rear lot of the church, McManus said. The dog remained aggressive toward the officers and posed an immediate threat to the public, McManus said.
Officers shot the dog several times, but did not kill it. Eventually, the dog charged the officers and was fatally shot.
"This was a scary situation for those who were threatened or attacked by these vicious dogs and we wish that none of the animals nor the man were injured yesterday," McManus said. "It's hard for us to understand why anyone would release aggressive dogs in a public place, especially when there are other alternatives, such as dog rescue foundations and animal shelters that could have helped."
Anyone with information about the man seen abandoning the dogs is asked to call police at 510-577-2740 or the anonymous tip line: 510-577-3208
(Contra Costa Times - Dec 22, 2014)
Two gripping mauler owners have their own maulers attacked by someone else's maulers. I wonder whether they'll complain -- you know, only my own ugly grippers are allowed to attack other people's animals. The only one I feel sorry for here is the chihuahua. I'm glad two of the four bulldogs are dead. Good work officers.
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