North Carolina: Pit bull mauls beloved family pet to death in front of children

NORTH CAROLINA -- A family in Mocksville say they are both hurt and afraid after they claim their neighbor's pit bull brutally attacked and killed their dog this weekend.

At 17-months, Bailey was the center of Amanda Davis’ family’s world.

"We adopted Bailey from one of my friends as a birthday present for my 9-year-old twins… and he slept with them every night, wined whenever we left to go to work and school, was in the window waiting for you to come home,” she said.

"Like most of the nights he would sleep with my brothers, but almost every night he would be sleeping with me,” said Davis’ son Lucas Jones.

Saturday night, they watched as a neighbor's pit bull killed Bailey.

"Bailey went out there and he scooped him up in the driveway and just started -- started killing him,” Jones stated as he shook his head.

“But to have my kids witness that at 9 and 10 years old and hear them screaming and crying and have them watch that is not right,” Davis cried.

The pit bull was on a leash at the time and was being walked by a 14-year-old neighbor.

Now, the question is what happens to the pit bull?

Davie County Animal Services says that technically when the attack happened Bailey was off his owner's property unleashed, which is a violation of Mocksville’s leash ordinance.

However animal services admits that this is a bit of sticky situation.

"Legally my dog should have been restrained on a leash. But no child should have to watch their dog chewed to bits like my children did,” Davis explained.

A teenager who lives in a town which has a curfew does not deserve to be murdered. Yes, s/he shouldn't have been out - they were TECHNICALLY breaking the law - but that doesn't mean it's their fault for being murdered. This small dog was technically breaking the leash law, but it didn't mean it deserved to be disemboweled and torn to shreds by this dog. This 14 year old child could not control the pit bull on its leash. Most laws say that a competent person strong enough to control the dog needs to be walking it. This child should not have been walking this vicious, strong dog. 

 

However, her hope is that the dog is taken away to ensure the safety of her family.

“I just want an apology,” she said.

Animal services didn't want to go on camera but did tell us over the phone that at this point they are going to discuss how to handle to situation with the district attorney.

There was no mentioned of if the pit bull was provoked, but animal services say that the Chihuahua did go off the property.

FOX8 attempted to talk with Davis’ neighbor where the pit bull stays, but was unsuccessful.

(MyFox8 - Aug 2, 2016)