St. Pete family in fear after pit bull kills dog

FLORIDA -- A Pinellas County family says they're living in fear after their neighbor's dog killed their small Yorkshire terrier. They say they've asked the county to take action and nothing is being done because of the wording in the dangerous-dog ordinance.

Essie McDonald says she let her dog, Sadie, out to use the bathroom in their backyard on April 13. She says she could hear both her neighbor's pit bull, Fiji, and Sadie barking, then the was a commotion and then silence. She ran to the backyard and found her 5-pound dog dead next to the fence.

 

 

"This dog broke into our yard, killed her and this is where she was safe. This is what she knew. This was her world," said Sara McDonald.

Sara and her father boarded up the fence, but the family still does not feel secure in their backyard. They worry the dog next door will attack again. "I can't even use my yard. I can't let my grandson out here. We can't let my dogs out here unless I stand out here with a golf club," said Essie McDonald.

 

10 News tried to talk with Steven Lara, the owner of the dog, but no one came to the door when we knocked. The McDonalds and other neighbors say they want the pit bull deemed dangerous because by county ordinance the owners would have to comply with a number of restrictions.

It's unlikely the dog will be deemed dangerous according to Doug Brightwell, interim director of Pinellas County Animal Services. Though he's still investigating it takes two attacks on other animals that result in severe injury or death for the county to declare a dog dangerous.

Under the ordinance, it takes only one attack on a human. Brightwell says the ordinance used to be more stringent, but the county changed the language to comply with state statute. "We all sympathize and we all understand the difficulty citizens have with it because we have some of the same difficulties. However, we have to go with the facts of the language of the statute and not the emotion of the situation."

The McDonalds say that's not enough. Something needs to happen before another dog is killed or someone gets hurt. "What are you waiting for? For the dog to come and literally kill another dog or worse?"

Brightwell says it's crucial to report any attacks, so they have a record and may be able to take action in the future. "Report it to us. Even if there's nothing we can do, report it. If we build that documentation because the next time something happens we have that history already there," said Brightwell.

(WTSP 10 News - May 28, 2015)