Washington: Woman upset that city wants her to prove her claims that her Pit Bull is a Lab mix and also a Service Dog

WASHINGTON -- Danika Denton lives in Yakima and had her service dog Romeo for over a year before he was force to move outside city limits, after the city discovered he was a pit bull.

Denton is now suing the city.

"Romeo has an innate ability to really aid Danika and that makes him an emotional support animal, but he is also a service dog because of the individualized training," said attorney Adam Karp who is representing Denton.

According to the case report, Denton didn't have anywhere to take Romeo, so the city impounded him until she found someone outside the city who was willing to take him. When family members agreed to take the Pit Bull, the shelter released the dog to them.

The city of Yakima implemented a pit bull ban back in 1987 that bans four specific pit bull breeds; American pit bull terriers, Staffordshire pit bull terriers, American bulldogs and American Staffordshire pit terriers.

Yakima Communications and Public Affairs Director Randy Beehler said the council implemented the ban after a few pit bulls attacked people.

KILLED BY A PIT BULL

"The case that really drew a lot of attention was an older gentleman, a senior citizen, who was in a wheelchair and got attacked by a pit bull," said Beehler. "His injuries were so severe that he passed away." 

The city could not discuss Denton's case but Beehler said the ban excludes service dogs if they are certified in the city.

"So if somebody has a pit bull that does meet the criteria, the DNA criteria, they have to come to the city, go through a process of certifying that that dog is in fact a service animal," he said. "Otherwise no, it can't be allowed in the city." 

Although it's not clear why Romeo was forced to move outside the city if he is a service dog. However, according to the case report, Denton doesn't even think Romeo is a Pit Bull, she said he is a Labrador Retriever mix.

The author of this article is clearly biased towards the dog owner. The city official told them why the dog was banished -- they say Denton hasn't met the criteria for allowing the dog to stay. Get the DNA test done, get the proof that it is a true service dog as defined by the ADA and not just her claiming it's a therapy dog slash service dog.

According to the case file, an animal control officer determined Romeo was a pit bull simply by looking at him.

"If they're basing it purely on eyeballing by an officer who may have done a number of evaluations, but there really is no scientific foundation," Karp said.

Beehler said the city is not out actively looking for pit bulls in Yakima but if they receive a complaint, they have to investigate it.

He said the city receives between 80 and 90 complaints about pit bulls a year.

KIMA VIDEO NEWS CLIP:

(KIMA - Dec 9, 2017)

Georgia: Deputies searching for person who shot, paralyzed little dog

GEORGIA -- A dog found shot with a pellet gun in Forsyth County is showing everyone he has a lot of fight despite being paralyzed.

A handful of people have stepped in to rehabilitate him and hopefully allow him to walk again.

   

 

Channel 2’s Wendy Corona learned a pellet from a pellet gun hit 4-year-old Ryker in the spine last month in Forsyth County.

Chris Davenport first laid eyes on Ryker, the dog, in mid-July as he was getting ready to leave for work.

"He was just leaving a trail of blood from his feet trailing on the concrete," Davenport said. "I think he knew I was there to help and not harm him."

Davenport scooped the pup up and took him to the vet, where they learned the dog was shot with a pellet gun.

An X-ray showed where the pellet is in his spine, causing him to drag his hind legs. With the help of Two Tailz Rescue, however, he is rehabilitating.

A wheelchair was donated to Ryker, but his caretakers have a bigger wish for this unstoppable dog with a can-do spirit.

The rescue shelter hopes to raise approximately $3,000 to send Ryker to see a neurologist specialist. Then, the shelter could learn if the pellet can be removed from the dog and he can walk again.

Authorities are searching for the person who shot the dog in the back leaving him paralyzed.

A $500 reward is being offered in the case. The number to call at Forsyth County Sheriff's Office is 770-888-7308.

VIDEO NEWS CLIP:

(WSB - August 3, 2017)

United Kingdom: After woman's German Shepherd attacks elderly man, she tells him she's going to "get help". She never comes back.

UNITED KINGDOM -- A man has been treated for significant injuries to the arm after being bitten by a dog.

The 77-year-old-man was riding his mobility scooter along Western Way, South Ham, when he stopped by a woman and her German Shepherd-type dog.

The dog, which was on a lead, then bit the man on the arm, causing a significant wound to his right forearm which required treatment at Basingstoke hospital.

The dog owner told the man she was going to get help, but did not return to the scene before the victim was taken to hospital.

Officers reported the incident took place sometime between 7.30am and 8.05am on Friday, June 9, with the woman being described as a white woman in her 50s, with shoulder-length blonde hair. She wore a coat and trousers.

PC Emily Dixon said: “We would like to find out more about what happened and would like anyone who witnessed this incident to get in touch.

“There are roadworks along this road, and motorists may have seen something while being held at the temporary traffic lights.

“We are also urging the dog owner to contact us directly.”

Police are appealing for anyone with information or anyone who witnessed the incident to call 101, quoting 44170217818.

(Basingstoke Gazette UK - June 12, 2017)

Oregon: Woman's Golden Retriever mauled by man's pit bull that has attacked before. Why won't Marion County Dog Services do their jobs and get this dog declared vicious?

OREGON -- A Salem woman said she was frustrated after her golden retriever was attacked by a pit bull, which she said had a history of attacks.

“I was thinking ‘I’m going to see my dog die. I’m watching him die right now,’” recalled dog owner, Aimee Whitney of the Sunday morning attack.

 

 

Whitney said she was walking her golden retriever, "Chase," when the pit bull attacked them on the corner of Northgate Ave. NE and Portland Rd. in Salem.

“He just saw us and immediately charged at us,” said Whitney. She said the dog locked its jaws around Chase's neck, leaving multiple puncture wounds down to his muscle.

“It was a pit bull so he had a locked grip,” she said. “I've never seen such a vice grip in my life.”

 

     
Whitney said several strangers stopped to help them, though she couldn’t remember exactly how they managed to free Chase.

“We were being separated and somebody was holding that dog by the collar and laying on it.”

Whitney said the dog was wearing a leash but its owner wasn't holding onto it. She said the owner couldn't help because he was in a wheelchair.

“He said, ‘your dog is ok, right?’ He just didn't seem like he cared.”

Whitney reported the attack to Marion County Dog Services. She said they told her this was the second time someone had reported being attacked by that dog and that after serving another ten days in quarantine, the owner would likely get the dog back, again.  

“I was kind of horrified that that's all that they do,” said Whitney.

KGW reached out to Marion County Dog Services and is waiting for a response. We also reached out to the dog's owner but he wasn't home.

Whitney said Chase’s surgery was successful and he should make a full recovery. She hopes this is a lesson for all dog owners, no matter what breed they have.

“Know their behaviors and if they have an issue, get training or do something,” said Whitney.

 

She's wasting her breath. She thinks by telling irresponsible people to be responsible that they'll listen to her? The only way she'll get results is if she gets the laws changed in her area. If they don't have vicious dog laws or won't apply them, she needs to do something about that. There's no reason this guy should get this vicious pit bull handed back to him after two attacks. 

VIDEO (KGW)

MARION COUNTY, OREGON CODE

A hearings officer may impose any corrective action including but not limited to the following:

1. Requiring that the dog be muzzled, leashed and under the control of a keeper at all times when off the keeper’s property;

2. Requiring that the keeper and the dog attend and complete a dog behavior and training class authorized by the dog control director;

3. Requiring that the keeper spay or neuter any dog that was the subject of the violation;

4. Requiring that the keeper repair, construct or maintain a secure enclosure for the dog subject to the approval of the dog control director;

5. Requiring that a dog be kept in a keeper’s residence during hours specified by the hearings officer;

6. Requiring that a bark collar be kept on a dog when the dog is outside the residence;

7. Requiring that the dog be relocated to a new location;

8. Requiring that the keeper’s rights to the dog be relinquished to Marion County, to a new owner as approved by the dog control director or to an approved adoption agency;

9. Requiring that the dog be euthanized after consideration of the factors outlined in subsection (C) of this section;

10. In the case of repeated violations by the same keeper, suspending the keeper’s right to own or keep a dog in Marion County for a period of time not to exceed five years as specified by the hearings officer; and

11. Requiring that the keeper take other corrective actions reasonably designed to abate any future violation.

C. In determining whether a dog shall be subjected to euthanasia, the hearings officer shall consider the following factors:

1. If the dog has injured a person, the circumstances and severity of the injury, including whether the dog was provoked by the person injured;

2. If the dog has injured a domestic animal, the circumstances and severity of the injury, including whether the dog was provoked;

3. Whether the dog keeper has a history of maintaining dogs that are a public nuisance;

4. The impact of a dog keeper’s actions on the behavior of the dog;

5. The ability and inclination of the dog keeper to prevent the dog from biting, menacing or injuring domestic animals;

6. Whether the dog has unjustifiably chased or menaced a person on a prior or subsequent occasion;

7. Whether the dog can be relocated to a secure facility;

8. The effect a transfer of ownership would have on ensuring the health and safety of the public; and

9. Any other factors that the hearings officer may deem relevant.

(KGW - May 23, 2017)

Texas: Mario Cardona arrested after video shows exhausted German Shepherd being dragged by his wheelchair

TEXAS -- A man in Texas is facing an animal cruelty charge after he was caught on camera dragging his dog behind his motorized wheelchair.

A woman driving by stopped and confronted him while taking video.

 

   

 
In the video, you can see that the dog is exhausted and panting heavily while being dragged by the neck.

"Don't worry, I'll call the cops on you," she can be heard saying in the video.

"It's my dog!" he yells back.

Officers say they received hundreds of calls from concerned citizens who saw the video on social media.

That man -- 59-year-old Mario Cardona -- has since been arrested and animal control has taken away his dog. The woman who took the video says she couldn't believe what she was seeing.

"I was really upset. A lot of people told me I should've cut the dog's leash, I should've taken the dog, push him off his wheelchair... and I wanted to do all those things, but I had to think with my mind and not my emotions."

This woman is a hero. They needed the video otherwise it would've been her word against his.

The German Shepherd's name is G2. Tonight she is at an animal shelter where workers say she is doing well.

(Firstcoastnews.com - Feb 21, 2017)

United Kingdom: Hunt for man who ran off after dog killed chihuahua puppy at Chorlton Water Park

UNITED KINGDOM -- The heartbroken owner of a chihuahua puppy savaged to death by a pit bull-type dog at Chorlton Water Park has blasted its owner - who 'ran away' after the attack.

Michelle Keifer’s pet Nimh didn’t stand a chance against the huge animal, whose owner, she said, did little to stop him clamping his jaws round the tiny pup- then apparently ran off with his two children and dog in tow.

Michelle, who fears the dog is dangerous and a child could be his next target, hopes witnesses will come forward to help the police track him down.

Nimh was not just a pet - he was also in training to be a therapy dog to assist wheelchair user Michelle who has Ehlers-danlos syndrome, which causes severe fatigue and joint pain.

She was by her side every day, helping her pick up her belongings and even taking off her socks.

Michelle, 48, a mum of two, said: “I can’t believe she’s gone. I can’t eat or sleep. She was vital to help me through the day and we loved her.

“Her scream was terrible as he chased her and killed her. I need to warn people and we need to find this dog, the owner has no control over him.

“One minute he was a normal dog [pit bull], the next minute he was a monster. What if it’s a child next?”

Michelle and her friend were walking Nimh at Chorlton Water Park on August 26 at 6.30pm. Nimh had been happily playing with her ‘best friend’, a Staffordshire pit bull named Cookie also owned by Michelle, when the ‘blue’ pit bull approached.

Michelle spotted instantly that he was too big to play with Nimh - but her first two requests for the owner to restrain him were ignored.

It was as Nimh was about to jump on Michelle’s knee for protection that the other dog’s behaviour changed and he aggressively chased her down a hill.

Michelle said: “I’d just asked the owner to move him for the third time and he was about to do something. But his dog had started tracking her. She was screaming, then he got her in his jaw and gripped her. It was horrible.”

Michelle’s friend tried desperately to unclamp his jaw - even throwing him in the water. But it was too late and little Nimh was dead.

Michelle, a counselor, said: “I’ve not been able to work, I can’t believe she’s gone. She was more than a pet. She meant so much to us and now she’s gone.

“Cookie has bad hips and Nimh had given her a new lease of life. She is so sad now, she growls at every dog, she can’t trust them any more.”

Nimh was also special because she was bred from Michelle’s daughter’s pet, an assistance dog who helps her with autism.

The attacking dog is described as an ‘overweight’ silver-grey or ‘blue’ pit bull-type dog. His owner was dark-haired and had a beard and was with two small sandy-haired children aged around three and five.

(Manchester Evening News UK - Sept 5, 2016)

South Africa: Paraplegic seriously injured in pit bull attack; neighbors say pit bull has attacked before

SOUTH AFRICA -- A 41-year-old paraplegic was mauled by a vicious dog while he was driving his motorized wheelchair on Equality Road in Croftdene on Friday night.

After receiving over 40 stitches to his right leg and treatment for tetanus, Adrian Nundlall, who is also a diabetic, said he is appalled by the manner in which the owner of the dog reacted to the situation.

Reliving the horrific experience, Nundlall claimed, “I am living in the Cheshire Village for the past nine years and frequent the tuck shop to purchase small items when necessary.

"On the night of the attack, I was on my way back from the tuck shop, which was closed, when I heard the ferocious barking of a dog. I continued to make my way home when the dog jumped at me and viciously attacked me.

"Someone from the home which the dogs belonged to pulled the dog away from me and took it home. I was left to drive back home and did not get any assistance from the owners of the dog.”

PIT BULL HAD ATTACKED SOMEONE ELSE
Angered physically challenged residents said the same dog attacked another paraplegic from the home a while ago and urged the relevant authorities to take action against the reckless and negligent pet owner.

Nundlall reported the incident to Metro Police and said the incident had affected his job as well as his life. “I work at the Greyville Racecourse as a telephone betting call centre agent and if my leave expires, I will not get paid. This will have a negative impact on my finances. I am also a diabetic and my concern is the seriousness of the injury and the fact that it will not heal properly,” he said.

Nundlall previously worked as an armed response security officer and was shot five times during an armed robbery in Kharwastan. He sustained four gunshot wounds to the abdomen and one to his spinal cord, which caused his paraplegia in 2002.

(Rising Sun - August 30, 2016)

Washington: Disabled dog's wheelchair stolen in WA

WASHINGTON -- A special wheelchair used by a disabled pet was stolen off his owners’ porch.

Charlie, a 6-year-old black Lab, has used the custom-made chair to get around since he lost feeling in his hind legs a year and a half ago.

The dog’s owners usually keep the two-wheel vehicle inside, but it was accidentally left outside Monday night. Tuesday morning, the wheelchair, which cost around $400, was gone - along with the ramp they use for Charlie.

His owners say they can tell he wants to play and chase his ball, but he can’t right now. Since the theft, they have been transporting the dog outside using a blanket.

“He can’t walk now, he can’t run for his ball, he can’t get up, he can’t stand up, and he’s sad about it,” Rod Beauregard said.

“I don’t know what’s happening with the world,” Leoni Wolfe said. “People just seem to be taking more and more from each other.”

Update - A friend set up a GoFundMe page to raise money to replace Charlie's stolen wheelchair:

"Last night August 15th someone came onto my good friends porch and stole his disabled dogs wheel chair. His Dog Charley cannot walk without it. I am creating this go fund me for my friend Rod. His address is 2200 Washington Ave Long Beach washington and his phone number is 360-783-1365. I would love to be able to help him replace the custom made wheel chair for his best friend. If anyone would like to call him and or donate feel free. He has a news station from portland coming out to his house today at 3pm."

Good news! A GoFundMe page raised more than enough money within just a few hours of being posted. Faith in humanity restored.

"Thank you so kindly for your donation! Charley has a new wheel chair coming now because of your donation!"

(WTVM - Aug 24, 2016)

Florida: Pit bull mix knocks owner from wheelchair, mauls her beloved Yorkie to death

FLORIDA -- A woman in Brandon is heartbroken after her 4-year-old Yorkshire Terrier was killed in her front yard.

Georgette Walker said she saw the whole thing happen, and tried to fight off the pit bull mix as it attacked her pet.

Walker, who is disabled and relies on a motorized scooter to get around, said she and her dog, Honey, were enjoying some fresh air when they noticed a pair of unattended dogs roaming the street. Walker said she tried to get to Honey before the pit bull mixes, but she was too late.

One of the large dogs made a beeline for Honey.

"The dog darted over here and took my dog in its mouth and shoot it like a toy," Walker recalled tearfully. "I've just been haunted since, and I know it's going to haunt me for a long time."

Walker said she punched the pit bull mix several times, and even tried prying open the dog's jaws with her hands to get it to release Honey. Four days after the attack, Walker's hands were healing from bite wounds.

In the struggle, Walker was knocked out of her wheelchair, rendering her helpless to defend her best friend.

 

"I'm on the ground shaking and all I can think is, 'I'm going to watch my dog get killed,'" said Walker.

A neighbor heard her cries for help and used a rake to strike the larger dog several times before it finally released Honey. The Yorkie was rushed to an animal hospital with teeth marks covering its tiny body.

Despite the vet's best efforts, Honey didn't make it.

Walker was left without her best friend and companion, and faces more than $1,000 in vet bills; more than she can afford on her fixed income.

"I'm really in the hole with the vet bill and everything. I don't feel like I have any reason to wake up. She's not there. I don't have anybody that needs me to let them out," said Walker, who lives alone.

 

Georgette's friend, Kristin set up a GoFundMe page to help raise money to pay the vet bill, gofundme.com/honeyandgeorgette

The dog that attacked Honey was captured by Hillsborough County Animal Control and was being held in quarantine. Its owner was cited for having a vicious dog at large and faces a $500 fine

(FOX13 - April 21, 2016)

Unlikely best friends

It's always nice to see some good news when sometimes it seems there are a never-ending amount of sad stories. 

This is a commercial for Kleenex tissues. You'll need them after watching this sweet video.

A man finds companionship in a dog that faces the same struggles as he does. By giving him a chance, the two overcome life’s obstacles together.

Hospital releases man hurt by Lab mix and pit bull mix

OHIO -- A West Toledo man severely injured by a neighbor’s dogs is expected to go home today after more than a week in the hospital.

Lawrence Wnorowski, 63, of 2044 Stoneham Rd., has undergone two surgeries at ProMedica Toledo Hospital since the attack March 19.

“It’s going to be a long road ahead,” his wife, Sandy, said.

Mr. Wnorowski, who served in the Army in Vietnam, has been paralyzed on his right side since a 2006 stroke. He was leaving his property to go to Kroger in his motorized wheelchair when the neighbor’s two dogs escaped their fenced backyard at about 12:30 p.m. A Toledo police report said the gate’s latch was faulty.

The dogs’ owner, 23-year-old Christie Smith of 2030 Stoneham Road, did not return calls from The Blade seeking comment.

Mr. Wnorowski said one of the dogs, which the Lucas County Canine Care and Control identified as a Labrador retriever mix named Tucker, initially bit at the wheelchair’s tires. The Lab mix then noticed the Wnorowskis’ two dogs inside the home through a sliding-glass door and then went to bark and scratch at the glass.

Then the second dog, a “pit bull” mix named Gunner, came around the house and charged Mr. Wnorowski. Gunner initially bit at the wheels too, but then he pulled Mr. Wnorowski to the ground by his stomach.

Lying face down, Mr. Wnorowski flung his arm over his head to protect himself, and Gunner dragged him across the yard by his hand.
   
“Nobody was coming, and the dog just kept tearing and tearing at my arm,” he said. “I thought I was going to die. I didn’t have any doubt.”

Tucker also bit Mr. Wnorowski’s right side, but did not break skin and mainly caused bruising.

Neighbor Chris Magers heard an “irregular dog commotion,” saw the empty wheelchair from his window, and went to investigate.

“It was a pretty graphic scene,” he said. “I started yelling and running over there.”

That scared off Tucker, but Gunner continued his assault.

“I was about to tackle the dog,” Mr. Magers said. “I flinched at the dog like I was about to hit him, and he backed off.”

He said Gunner returned a few times, but he held the dog off by making threatening gestures until Ms. Smith emerged and took the dogs inside.

Mr. Wnorowski suffered serious injuries on his left hand, arm, leg, and stomach. An infection in his arm and hand has delayed his recovery.

Julie Lyle, director of the county shelter, said both dogs are licensed, and she has no records of any complaints.

Gunner was declared vicious and surrendered by his owner Monday. He will be killed after the bite quarantine ends Sunday. Tucker was declared dangerous and is being quarantined at home. Ms. Lyle said Ms. Smith was cited for failure to confine or control a dog acting dangerously and a dog acting viciously.

Mrs. Wnorowski said Ms. Smith and the dogs moved into the neighborhood in December. Mr. Wnorowski said he had met Ms. Smith as she was moving in, giving her treats for her dogs as he does with other neighborhood canines. He noted the dogs have seen him outside in his wheelchair on a number of occasions.

Mrs. Wnorowski said the pair did bark at them from the other side of the fence, but she considered the behavior as defending their territory and didn’t think much of it.

Because the damage was done to her husband’s functional side, he is dependent on others to help him while he heals. Mrs. Wnorowski has been off work since the incident to stay by his side.

She said the prognosis for her husband’s hand and arm is unknown, though he can move them.
“It’s just a matter of how well everything heals,” she said.

The couple plans to seek compensation for medical bills, pain, suffering, and Mrs. Wnorowski’s lost wages while she cares for her husband.

“We’ve been married 40 years,” she said. “We’ve been through a lot, and we’ll get through this too.”

An online fund-raiser has been set up at icanfundIt.com using the name “Larry Wnorowski.”

(Toledo Blade - Mar 26, 2015)

TurboRoo inspires owners to put a cart before the dog

INDIANA -- TurboRoo has two legs, two wheels and 66,000-plus Instagram followers. Next month he'll be flown to Los Angeles to be honored as the CW network's "Underdog of the Year."

It's a dog's life, a special Speedway Chihuahua's life.

Now, TurboRoo, not even a year old, is the mascot and namesake of TurboRoo Designs, a Speedway small business turning out 3-D-printed carts for other two-legged small dogs across the country. He showed off his mobility at a Purina pet tech conference in New York in October. Launched this month, TurboRoo Designs is shipping two or three of the $300 carts a week.

"We wanted to be able to do for other dogs what's worked for TurboRoo," said Ashley Looper, a vet tech at The Downtown Veterinarian who rescued the then 4-week-old pup. "When you see video of a dog running around in circles with a new cart, it makes everything worth it."

'Looked like a kangaroo'
TurboRoo's story starts when he was taken to the veterinarian's office in Chatham Arch in July. His owner said she had cared for him for his first four weeks, and maybe the vet could find someone who could care for him. She'd taken Turbo to four vets, and they said he should be euthanized. She didn't want that to happen.

Looper, 24, took to TurboRoo. "I fell in love with him," Looper said. She'd carry the Chihuahua around in the pocket of her scrubs. "He looked like a kangaroo standing up in my pocket."

She and Speedway police officer Ray Hurt took the two-legged pup into their home. And the "Turbo" part of TurboRoo's name? "We're from Speedway," Hurt, 32, said. "In the movie 'Turbo,' a snail overcomes great odds to win the 500. When TurboRoo is crouched on the ground, he looks like a snail."

Looper and Ray helped create TurboRoo's first mobility cart using PVC pipe and pieces from a Fisher-Price toy.

It didn't work as well as they'd hoped. "The wheels didn't turn like we thought they would," Looper said.

"I know what he needs to get up and get around, but I'm not an aerospace engineer."

Enter Mark Deadrick, whose California company's clients include commercial aviation, defense and space companies. Deadrick, 46, president of 3dyn in San Diego, saw a story online about TurboRoo.
That night, he went to work designing a better mobility cart using a 3-D printer. "I looked at it as more of a design challenge," Deadrick said.

He shipped the cart the next day.

It was a vast improvement. "Now, TurboRoo shows off, stopping, backing up," Hurt said.

A spokesdog and inspiration
What's next for TurboRoo? He visited the Rehabilitation Hospital of Indiana earlier this month. "I hope to be able to visit more often!" @RooTurbo tweeted.

Looper and Hurt hope TurboRoo can be a therapy dog. They plan to get him a trainer so he's "more social and less vocal," Hurt said. "TurboRoo tends to meet people all on his terms."

But TurboRoo's story — from cast-off pup to "Underdog of the Year" — is inspiring. Just check out those Instagram photos and posts. TurboRoo isn't shy in front of the camera. He clearly is a happy dog.

"We constantly will get messages from people who say, 'Every time I have a bad day, I look at TurboRoo's photos and it lifts me up,' " Looper said.

The moral of his story? "He can show people that they can overcome obstacles," Looper said.

(Indy Star - Dec 26, 2014)

Dog attack angers victim's daughter; dogs had been in trouble in past

NEW ZEALAND -- A Riverton woman says she is devastated by the loss of her dog Buddy, after the pair were attacked during their daily walk.

The attacking dogs have been surrendered to animal control and are expected to be destroyed today, and the owner of two of them said the dogs had been in trouble with the council before.

Dorothy Willis, 65, described her ordeal through her tears today.

''The police told me my dog probably saved my life ... I couldn't have saved him, I'd have been torn to pieces.''

Willis was in her motorised wheelchair taking her dog Buddy, a papillon, for his evening walk near her home when three dogs jumped a fence and attacked.

 

Screaming for help, Willis managed to scoop Buddy into her arms but was unable to stop him being killed.

One of the attacking dogs tore Buddy from her grasp, while the other two latched onto each of her hands, she said.

''One was shaking the hell out of Buddy ... I ended up on the ground but I don't know how I did it, they [the dogs] must have pulled me out of my chair.''

Neighbours heard Willis' screams while they were gardening, and came rushing across the road to help, she said.

Her neighbour hit the dogs with a garden hoe, but she couldn't remember much after that.

Willis suffered puncture wounds to her hands and leg, and was treated at Southland Hospital.
''I'm awfully thankful my wounds were minor,'' she said.

She was horrified that people could not safely walk their dogs in her neighbourhood.

Devastated that she no longer has her little dog, Willis said she would hesitate before owning one again.

''I don't know how I'll live without a wee dog, but I don't know how I could live with one [now] ... I'd be too bloody frightened to walk him.''

She said she did not understand how young children survived such horrific attacks.

''What can we do to stop this, why does this keep happening.''

Willis suffers from complex regional pain syndrome, a condition that has resulted in the partial amputation of one of her legs and left her with limited use of the other leg and her right arm.

Buddy had been instrumental in helping her manage her condition, she said.

''He always knew when I was in pain, he was a very cuddly wee dog and would sit on my shoulder ... He was irreplaceable''

Her daughter, Sheryl Willis, of Auckland, said a neighbour heard her mother screaming and ran out to help, beating the dogs with a stick.

"It makes me angry that this has happened," she said.

She says her mother told her "I don't know if I will recover from this".

Sheryl Willis would fly to Invercargill tomorrow to be with her parents.

Tom Hollands, who owns two of the dogs involved in the attack – a staffordshire cross and a shar pei cross – said he was ashamed of what his dogs had done.

He was visiting the property and let the dogs out to go to the toilet before going back inside.

He heard screaming and rushed out to see what had happened.

His dogs had been in trouble with the council before for wandering, Hollands said.

The owner of the other dog, an american pit bull, said he was gutted by his dog's behaviour.

''It kills me that this happened. I came inside and rang [animal control] and told them they needed to come and get my dog,'' he said.

He had never had any problems with his dog, which was neutered, he said.

While Willis knew there was at least one dog at the property, she had never had an encounter with them.

''I'd sometimes hear them barking, or hear the owners calling them, so I would avoid the property,'' she said.

Southland District Council chief executive Steve Ruru said the dogs were impounded, and had been surrendered by the owners.

 

 

The dogs would be destroyed today, and council animal control officers were investigating.

When investigations were completed, there was a possibility the owners could be prosecuted, Ruru said.

Council environmental health manager Michael Sarfaiti said a decision on whether to prosecute could be made by early next week.

Hollands was known to the council because previous action had been taken to disqualify him as a dog owner, Ruru said.

However, Hollands had appealed that decision, and the case was scheduled to be heard by the council on October 29.

(Stuff.co.nz - ‎Oct 15, 2014‎)