Texas: Neighbors outraged that authorities won't do anything about vicious pit bulls

TEXAS -- A group of neighbors is outraged at their city’s response to multiple attacks by a pair of aggressive dogs. The pit bull terriers struck twice, two months apart, injuring two teens and killing family pets.

Now, one of the repeat offenders is back at home and the victims want to know why. It’s why neighbors on Palm Drive in east Mesquite keep an eye on the house with the carport in the middle of the block.

 

That’s where two pit bull terriers, “Pretty Boy” and “Cookie,” live and last December, they escaped from their yard.

The roamed four doors down where Ray Minjarez was putting up Christmas lights with his pet dog by his side.

Her says without warning, the two dogs attacked. He says he escaped inside of his front door with his dog just in time.

The pit bulls tried to attack Minjarez and his small dog.

“They were both trying to launch at me,” Minjarez said.  “The black and white dog, she had her snout inside the door. And I had a staple gun and I hit [her] in the nose and [she] yelped.”

Minjarez called Mesquite police, who captured the dogs. The owner was issued a citation and his dogs returned. The attack was never investigated by Animal Control officials, neighbors said.

Minjarez says he couldn’t believe it. “They served those two pit bull dogs right back, right back,” he said.

Sam Denny was the pit bulls' next victim

On Feb. 17, two weeks ago, “Pretty Boy” and “Cookie” got out again. Sam Denny, who lives across the street from Minjarez, says he was climbing in his truck when the black and white female attacked.

“I went to hitting her with the newspaper because she was right on top of me,” Denny said.  “She was just right there trying to bite me.”

Denny says the dogs suddenly diverted and attacked a barking Chihuahua across the street. That dog, "Rocky," was killed.

So was "Banjo," a cat belonging to Jim and Kelly Shepperd.

Rocky the Chihuahua was killed by the pit bulls

 

 

Banjo never stood a chance against the pit bulls

She's still traumatized about what happened to her beloved cat

Then, the dogs attacked and injured two neighborhood girls, 15 and 17.

Kristi Samons’ daughter suffered bites on her legs and arms. Her daughter escaped further injury by diving into a neighbor’s car. “If she hadn’t have been there to save my daughter’s life, it might have been a different story,” Samons said.

Mesquite police were called again. Both dogs were captured and, this time, placed in quarantine. The owner, again, was issued citations. Animal Control officials have banned the male dog from the city. The female, “Cookie,” has been allowed to return home.

 

Her daughter was then attacked by the pit bulls.

Neighbors who had run-ins with the female pit bull say they are shocked she’s back home. “She wasn’t coming up to play with me,” Denny said. “She was trying her damnedest to bite me.”

Sammons and Minjarez also say the female was more aggressive than the male. They can’t understand why the city would risk another attack. “If they come and attack either [of these neighborhood kids], I'm going to try to personally sue the City of Mesquite,” Minjarez said.

Mesquite City officials declined an on-camera interview but gave us a statement:

 “The City of Mesquite takes pet owner responsibilities seriously. The owner of these dogs received a citation from the city in December as a result of the initial complaint call.

 

All they do is quarantine the dogs, write a couple tickets and then
send the pit bulls back home to attack more people and pets!

The city also takes the public’s safety seriously. Upon getting the call on February 17 of these same dogs at large in the community, the city responded on scene within nine minutes and took the dogs to the city’s shelter. Due to the nature of the offenses committed by the dogs, they were placed into rabies quarantine for the required 10-day rabies observation period.

Both dogs were reclaimed by the owner. The dog who committed the bites was evicted from the city limits. Mesquite Animal Services made that decision based on the incidents reported, plus monitoring the dog’s behavior during rabies quarantine. City staff will continue to make home visits to verify the dog has not returned to the city. The dog was relocated by the owner to Sulfur Springs and their animal control has been notified by our staff.

The city will continue to swiftly and judiciously implement its procedures to enforce the ordinances when it comes to pet ownership and public safety.”

The victims say they have never been questioned by investigators. They say that had they been asked, they would have confirmed the female was dangerous as well.

Running loose again looking for something to attack. Why
won't the city of Mesquite enforce their own laws???

Just says ago, neighbors photographed what appeared to be a black and white pit bull roaming in a front yard. It’s a sight that strikes fear into those already traumatized and upset the city is not doing more.

“It doesn’t seem fair,” Samons said.

(WFAA.com - Mar 3, 2016)