Pit bull owner Joshua Cintron volunteered in municipal court for Animal Control Officer Belinda Ogitis to take his 3-year-old Boou to be euthanized, Township Administrator Paul Pogorzelski said.
"I hope the terrier's owner doesn't grieve for too long," Cintron said. "There was no other way I could make amends for his loss."
Cintron said he was walking Boou on a leash down Creek Rim Drive July 11 when he attacked Teenie, the terrier, picking the smaller dog up in his mouth and shaking him.
The terrier's owners, John and Janice Lehet, rushed their dog to Hopewell Vet Group, but Teenie died from his injuries.
"We just can't believe it happened," Janice Lehet said. "Our house is so empty without that frisky little thing. It's just unreal to us."
Cintron, who is also a dog trainer, said Teenie, who was not on a leash and in front of the Lehet house, charged Boou, and the pit bull pulled away from his leash to attack.
John Lehet said that the idea of a Yorkshire terrier attacking a pit bull is laughable.
"Is he nuts?" Lehet said. "Teenie doesn't go near anybody. He would run away from a pit bull."
Lehet also said Boou and Cintron were on the other side of the road when the pit bull darted across the street, up the driveway and attacked Teenie.
Cintron said Boou, who had been provoked three other times by Teenie, released the terrier when commanded. Boou usually has a calm nature, he said.
"My dog is a good dog," Cintron said. "He plays well with other dogs. Unfortunately, he doesn't respond well to aggressive behavior. I can only apologize to the owners of the terrier."
Lehet said he had never met Cintron before and Teenie is anything but aggressive.
Lehet, who is disabled and has leukemia, was the only one outside with Teenie and his other Yorkshire terrier Jake, preparing the two for a walk on that Saturday morning.
When Boou attacked Teenie, Lehet rushed off of his electric scooter to save him, unable to walk well, fell and momentarily blacked out, he said.
Cintron said he went over to John Lehet to help him get back up, but was told to leave, so he did.
Lehet said he told Cintron to leave out of anger that he let Boou attack Teenie and "heard no commands whatsoever" from the owner to stop his pit bull.
However, Lehet said he expected Cintron to return or at least tell his wife he fell but he did not.
"He just disappeared off into the sunset," Lehet said.
According to the police report, Hopewell officers tracked down where Cintron was living the same day and confirmed it was Boou who attacked Teenie.
The Lehets were not informed until the next day and put posters describing what they could of Cintron and Boou around their neighborhood on Saturday and Sunday trying to locate them.
Lehet was rushed to Capital Health Medical Center after taking Teenie to the vet as he fell on his face and was bleeding, but he suffered no serious injuries.
When the incident was reported to police, Boou was given to SAVE Animal Rescue by Ogitis where he remained until taken to be put down on Tuesday.
Cintron said Teenie should have been on a leash, while Lehet argued that the owner should not have taken Boou on a walk through a residential area.
"That dog should be locked up in a parking lot with an 18-foot fence," Lehet said. "I consider myself lucky to be alive." As he said the pit bull could have attacked him too after dropping Teenie.
(NJ.com - July 23, 2015)
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