MASSACHUSETTS -- A trip to Video Signals in Maynard during the spring turned fatal when Chloe, a pit bull terrier from Acton, attacked and killed the store owners' Yorkshire terrier Maya -- which convinced Acton selectmen to deem Chloe a dangerous dog Sept. 8.
The unanimous decision was in accordance with state law, which states that a dangerous dog is a dog that attacks a person or domestic animal without justification, causing physical injury or death, or behaves in a manner that a reasonable person believes poses as an unjustified risk of physical injury or death to a person or to a domestic animal.
“This dog has killed another domestic animal. Period. It needs to be classified as a dangerous dog,” said Acton Dog Officer/Animal Inspector Patrick Palmer, who suggested the dog be muzzled with a basket muzzle at all times. “There’s no professional in the world that could tell you this dog couldn’t snap at any one time. There’s no one in the world to ensure this will not happen again.”
Selectmen voted that Chloe be muzzled at all times, unless a double barrier is installed. Palmer must approve both the double barrier and muzzle.
“What this dog did to somebody else’s dear family member is pretty horrifying to me. The dog is obviously sensitive and you don’t know what could cause a dog to get so unnerved it could not distinguish between children and little animals,” said Selectwoman Janet Adachi.
According to Palmer, on April 22, Maynard's animal control officer informed him that 9-year-old Chloe attacked and killed 10-year-old Maya at Video Signals, located at 16 Nason St. in Maynard.
According to Chloe’s owners, Harold Henry and Barbara Nichols of Acton, Henry’s son William took Chloe to Video Signals with him, where he and Chloe had previously gone several times, but without Maya in the store.
After seeing Maya was inside the store, William turned to take Chloe outside, but accidentally dropped the leash, allowing Chloe to break free to attack and kill Maya. William also failed to put on Chloe’s prong collar that day, which made it easier for her to escape, said Nichols.
Chloe has no prior records of violent attacks, said Palmer, but according to Nichols, Chloe’s main issue is her predatory instinct of attacking unleashed dogs.
Because Henry and Nichols adopted Chloe, a rescue dog, two years ago, they do not know what her life was like before, and they suspect she could have been abused. However, according to her owners, Chloe has been a loving dog toward humans since they adopted her, but has had a predator response toward other dogs.
To help Chloe, Nichols said a trainer worked with her and Chloe to help desensitize her to being around other dogs. Chloe’s behavior was slow to change, so Nichols and Henry decided that since the dog is old, they would not bring her around dogs at all. Weighing 45.3 pounds, Chloe is arthritic and doesn’t like to walk often, said Nichols.
“She has never exhibited an ounce of aggression toward another human being, and if she did, we would not own her,” said Nichols, adding Chloe attacks to kill when near other dogs. “And that’s exactly what she did with this dog.”
Nichols said the only establishments she takes Chloe into are the vet and the dog groomer. She said they have not muzzled Chloe because she hasn’t needed it with her prong collar.
“It just doesn’t seem necessary given all the precautions we’re taking with her.," she said.
During the discussion, Stephen Myers of Duggan Road said Chloe is a potential threat to his 6- and 4-year-old daughters, who he said fear Chloe.
“What if it’s it my 4-year-old daughter and this thing clamps onto it? My kid’s dead. I don’t want to be the case study for whether or not this dog is human aggressive,” said Myers.
Debbie Foley of Duggan Road, who lives across the street from Chloe, said it’s hard for her to believe Henry and Nichols did not muzzle Chloe before. Foley said her concern is if Chloe escapes from the house and freely into the neighborhood, and that Chloe should be muzzled while indoors as well.
“Maybe not human aggressive today, but who knows about tomorrow?” Foley said.
“Chloe has been around children many times and she’s not aggressive with them,” said Nichols, noting they were never previously informed by animal control that Chloe should be muzzled. “Inside our house, she’s a perfectly lovable animal, and we’ve had a lot of people come through. We just know she can’t be around another dog.”
With a master’s degree in early childhood education, Henry said he understands his neighbors’ concerns for their children’s safety around dogs, which he said he has owned his whole life. Chloe, who is leashed when she is taken for walks around the neighborhood, has never attempted to escape, Henry said.
“Chloe is pretty much a couch potato. When the door opens, she pretty much does not get up. She does not run to it. She barely gets up and down the stairs,” said Henry, adding they’re willing to work with neighbors to ensure safety measures are taken.
Robert Moran of Macleod Lane, whose backyard is 30 to 40 yards from Chloe’s owners’ backyard, said he fears for the safety of his 8- and 10-year-old children, the children on the street and his family’s two dogs if Chloe escaped.
“We moved to the Acton community because we didn’t think we’d have to face situations like this. I was surprised to read the police report and very disappointed,” said Moran.
(Wicked Local - Sep 9, 2015)
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