At a community meeting held by the residents Tuesday night, police said they would issue a citation for harboring dangerous dogs, according to Michael Kleiner, a spokesman for the group. The meeting was the latest attempt the neighbors took to hold the owners accountable.
"I think we're a little more optimistic now," Kleiner said.
One of two pit bulls that Mount Airy neighbors claim
has them living in fear barks from its owner's porch.
Photo: Thom Carroll, PhillyVoice
If declared dangerous by a judge, the dogs would either be euthanized or placed under a set of strict and costly regulations that include a $50,000 liability insurance policy. The dogs would be required to be muzzled and leashed when taken off the owner's property and confined in a proper enclosure. They also would be placed on the state's dangerous dog registry.
The pit bulls live at 107 West Sedgwick with Ada Brooks. One of the animals belongs to her son, who has since moved out, Brooks said in an interview Monday. The other was bought by her son's friend, but is licensed under her name, she said.
When reached Wednesday, Brooks said her neighbors are forcing her into court, but declined further comment.
Fourteenth District Police Capt. Sekou Kinenebrew, who met with the residents, was unavailable for comment on Wednesday afternoon.
Kleiner said police are able to issue a citation only for the most recent attack, because it falls within a 30-day reporting period.
That incident occurred Feb. 11 when the unleashed dogs allegedly bit Pashi Mida after she stepped out her back door. It reignited concerns held by several West Mount Airy residents who feared the next victim could be a child. Kleiner said many residents plan to attend the court hearing, but noted it only will focus on the alleged attack on Mida.
"We may not be able to use all the other testimony," Kleiner said, "but our presence will be there and our attendance will help."
In an interview Monday, Brooks admitted her dogs have bitten other people and animals, but said her neighbors' claims were exaggerated. She placed the number of incidents at three. That included the incident involving Mida, which Brooks said happened under the watch of her son.
Brooks said only one of the dogs is aggressive and that she has kept it muzzled when off her property since the latest incident.
Mount Airy resident Pashi Mida says she was bitten by
two pit bulls after stepping outside her house into this
alleyway, which runs behind the houses on the
100 block of West Sedgwick Street.
Photo: Thom Carroll
Photo: Thom Carroll
To be declared dangerous, a judge must determine that an unprovoked dog has attacked, inflicted severe injury or killed a human or domestic animal while off its owner's property, according to Pennsylvania's dog law.
But the "dangerous dog" designation has not been applied to Philadelphia dogs as frequently as it has elsewhere in Pennsylvania. And the West Mount Airy residents claim they received little assistance from police for years, despite filing several police reports.
(Phillyvoice - March 9, 2016)
THREE NEIGHBORS, THREE STORIES:
The first attack to be recounted happened in November 2013, when Dr. Michelle Nashleanas was walking Patty, her 38-pound cattle dog/pit bull mix. Micah and Zion were not on leashes, and Zion tore into Patty.
Before Nashleanas could pull her dog to safety, Patty suffered six puncture wounds and the loss of three toenails. Nashleanas says that a year earlier, a dog belonging to neighbors who have since moved was mauled by Brooks' dogs.
In March 2015, Barbara Patrizzi was walking Jack, her 35-pound Australian cattle dog mix, when Zion and Micah ran from Brooks' home and attacked her dog, causing wounds to Jack's legs and groin. As Patrizzi pulled the bigger dogs off Jack, she was bitten, with one bite going through her hand.
Her doctor and vet bills were almost $1,000.
Mida told me that she planned to introduce herself and ask that the dogs be kept off her property. Before she could say a word, she was rushed by the dogs, with Zion biting her above the knee and Micah tearing into her calf, drawing blood.
Democratic committeemen Michael Kleiner and Maurice Sampson tell me that despite reports to the 14th District and calls to Councilwoman Cindy Bass' office, nothing changed until a recent community Town Watch meet-and-greet with new Police Commissioner Richard Ross. West Mount Airy neighbors complained about being terrorized and Ross agreed that something had to be done.
Next thing you know, a court hearing was scheduled.
After speaking to the witnesses before the hearing, I was introduced to Ada Brooks by Sampson, who has remained on good terms with her. She was standing on the edge of a forest of her neighbors, who were talking to each other in the subterranean corridor, but not to her.
Slim and stylishly dressed, Brooks said she feels ostracized by her neighbors and put most of the blame on her son, Phil, who no longer lives with her.
"This is more than the dogs," she said. "There's a persecution."
Injury to Pashi Mida's leg after she was
attacked by both of Ada Brooks' pit bulls
She repeatedly called her son "irresponsible," said he didn't inform her of the dogs' biting anyone, and, despite what her neighbors say, claimed to always leash her dogs.
Except for the time they attacked Patrizzi and Jack.
The law says dogs must be leashed in public areas, but as is true with many "minor" infractions in Philadelphia, there's little enforcement.
Brooks admits that Zion can be "aggressive," but says that hers "are not vicious dogs. They have never been in fights." Except for the times they attacked other pets.
We then were called into the courtroom of Judge Joffe C. Pittman III, who had a brief sidebar with Brooks, representing herself, and Barbara Paul, representing the commonwealth. Paul is an animal lover who often handles cruelty cases.
Three victims testified. Brooks' defense was mostly to blame her son. She was present for only one of the attacks, for which she says she apologized and promised restitution, but had not paid as of this writing.
Brooks was found guilty of harboring dangerous dogs, fined $500, and ordered to pay restitution to victims and to have her dogs registered as "dangerous," which means that she needs $50,000 in insurance, and that they must be kept securely on her property and be leashed and muzzled when they leave it.
Paul was "extremely satisfied."
The neighbors, happy with the end of three years of civic inertia, had doubts that Brooks would comply fully with the order. Until Brooks proves she will, they fear running into Zion or Micah in the street.
Brooks can be jailed or lose the dogs if she fails to comply.
After the verdict, Brooks told me she can understand her neighbors' fears, but "at this point, I ought to be keeping my mouth closed."
More important, muzzle the dogs.
(Philly.com - May 20, 2016)
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