New Hampshire: "This is one of the worst animal attacks that I’ve seen in my career" say police officer of small dog ripped off his runner by two Rottweilers and mauled to death

NEW HAMPSHIRE -- An 87-year-old woman is mourning the loss of her dog after it was attacked by two other dogs on Wednesday afternoon.

Ellen Smith said her four-year-old dog Spot was tied to his runner on her property on Depot Street that afternoon. She also said she didn’t even hear the dogs come onto her property.

“Then I see him lying on the ground, those two dogs biting him,” she said. “He was bleeding so profusely. He was in such pain. The screams, my God, were blood-curdling.”

Barnstead Police said two Rottweilers lived at another house in the area and had escaped their fenced-in pen.

Sgt. Douglas Trottier also said these same dogs are known to the department for being loose in the past.

“There have been some prior complaints for dogs running at large,” he said. “This is one of the worst animal attacks that I’ve seen in my career.”

Smith said Spot, the small-mixed breed dog, was badly injured when her family called police. Since she no longer drives, Trottier transported Spot to Companion Animal Hospital in Chichester for treatment.

However, Smith knew Spot’s injuries were severe and decided she didn’t want him to suffer. Shortly after the veterinarian examined him, Smith made the decision to have Spot put down.

“He was gentle, just laid-back, as gentle as anything you ever saw,” she said. “But he didn’t have a chance. He weighed about fourteen pounds, so he wasn’t very big. Those great big dogs were a hundred pounds, and they had him right on the ground.”

Police said Smith was distraught when he arrived at the scene, as was the owner of the Rottweilers.

RIP little guy

“They were very apologetic, very concerned and supportive of the victim,” Trottier said.

But they weren't willing to do the RIGHT THING - which would be to immediately euthanize both Rottweilers.

Police said one of the dogs that attacked Spot is “in custody” at the SPCA in Concord for a 10 day observation period because its rabies vaccines were not up to date. The other dog is back with its owner.

Smith said the owner is paying for Spot’s hospital bills and has offered to buy Smith a new dog.

Spot, when he had his summer cut

“She came over here trying to buy me a puppy,” Smith recalled. “Why do I want a puppy right now? I don’t want another animal. I don’t know if I could love it or if I ever will again, not when you have somebody that’s so faithful to you.”

Trottier said the investigation into the attack is still active. While none have been yet, he expects criminal charges will be filed against the Rottweilers’ owners. After that, a judge will decides what happens to them.

Why let them keep the dog at home and give them time to take it out of state and give/sell it to someone else so it can attack in another city/state or lie and say it ran away? Impound it and keep it at the shelter until the judge's decision.

Smith said she already has been speaking with an attorney, and plans to fight to get the dogs that attacked Spot out of her neighborhood.

“If they bit once, they’ll bite again,” she said.

(NH1 News - ‎Sept 9, 2016)