New York: Woman, whose leashed Maltese was attacked by a loose pit bull, tells the mayor how animal control refused to help her

NEW YORK -- An attack on a small Maltese-mix dog has Village of Saugerties trustees scrambling to figure out a way to enforce the community’s leash law.

The Maltese’s owner, an older woman who lives on Post Street whose name is being withheld upon request, told trustees at their October 3 meeting that her dog, Cooper, was attacked on September 20.

“We were walking on Post Street at 7 a.m. when the pit bull and a Lab came running from the property on Post Street and the pit bull attacked Cooper,” the woman said.

Cooper, who also attended the meeting, had his back end shaved where a local vet treated him for his wounds.

“It was a harrowing experience,” the woman said.

She credits Stefan Yasabek, who was driving by with saving her dog.

“He jumped out of his car, and pulled the pit bull away from Cooper,” the woman said.

After the attack, in which the pit bull pulled off Cooper’s leash and collar, the woman called police.

“Officer Jeremy Rushkoski, the department’s K-9 officer, who was very nice, came out and took a complaint,” the woman said. “I also called the dog warden, but was told she didn’t have enough time to come out.”

She then called trustee Vince Buono, who was not at the meeting because of a death in his family, “and he told me I should come to this meeting.”

Mayor William Murphy pointed out that the village shares the town’s dog warden, and that she is only part-time. He added that the family which owns the pit bull should have paid for Cooper’s vet bills.

The mayor said that he will ask the dog owners to keep their dogs on their property and to have them on a leash if they leave it. He added that he will talk to police chief Joseph Sinagra to see how best to enforce the law, and to ensure that fines and penalties are stiff enough so that dog owners to obey the law.

(Hudson Valley One - Oct 5, 2016)