HollisterFreelance.com | Pit bull that attacked

Pit bull that attacked

Aug 12, 2005
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San Benito County Animal Control officers euthanized the pit bull that attacked a 6-year-old Hollister girl on Sunday at the owners' request.

Animal control officials on Thursday injected the adult male pit bull-German shepherd mix with a fatal dose of sodium phenobarbital, which acts like an overdose of anesthesia, said shelter supervisor Julie Carrero. The drug renders the animal unconscious and then sends it into cardiac arrest in a matter of moments, Carrero said.

The dog's owners asked the dog be put to sleep because they were distraught over the incident.

"They were very upset about the whole thing. It was a sad deal but I think an important lesson has been learned," Carrero said. "People need to be responsible for their pets, number one, and if someone finds an animal, don't assume they're this warm, fuzzy pet they can take home with them."

The dog attacked the 6-year-old girl, leaving two large gashes on her face, late Sunday night after the girl's 26-year-old mother found the dog wandering near her home and took it in for the night, according to Hollister police spokesman George Ramirez.

The woman decided the dog was friendly and took it in because the animal shelter was closed on Sunday, Ramirez said. The woman, who police are not naming because no criminal charges were filed against her, told police she planned to take the dog to the animal shelter Monday morning. However, around 11pm, the dog jumped on her daughter and bit her on the face.

The woman took her daughter to the hospital after she called police and had officers remove the dog. The attack, which officials say was unprovoked, left two, 2-inch gashes along the girl's face.

The dog, which Carrero said had gotten out before and had been aggressive with police and animal control officers in the past, was placed in quarantine Monday morning. Carrero said she planned to file a dangerous dog proceeding against the dog, however the owners asked to have the dog put down. The owners could have faced charges for allowing the dog to get loose if an investigation warranted filing criminal dangerous dog charges, Carrero said.

There are 11 criteria used to determine whether an animal is dangerous. They include any history of an attack on a person or domestic animal and it's severity and/or provocation; damage to property; whether it appears the animal has been trained to fight; whether the animal's temperament is predictable; and whether the animal has been properly cared for.

If an inspection and hearing determine that the animal is dangerous, it's not an automatic death sentence. If a hearing officer decides that the animal doesn't warrant euthanasia and can be released, the owner must register his pet as a dangerous animal, the same way sex offenders register upon release. Such pets must wear special tags at all times, identifying them as a dangerous animal.

If the owner is allowed to keep a dangerous dog, they must pay a fee and keep the animal either in the house or behind a secure fence, with a "Beware of Dog" sign displayed in an obvious location.

Incidents involving aggressive dogs are not uncommon to San Benito County, nor is euthanizing a pit bull, Carrero said. Several weeks ago a pit bull bit its owner as the woman tried to break up a scuffle between the pit and her other dog. However, that dog was not put down.

But dogs are euthanized almost on a daily basis for one reason or another, Carrero said. Owners often have their dogs put down for trying to bite them, biting someone else or simply being uncontrollable, she said.

Hollister Animal Control's records for the past three years indicate there have been 340 dog bites of people and domestic animals during that period. Of these, 49 were by pit bulls, or approximately 14 percent. German shepherds, Rottweilers and pits together account for half of those attacks.

While some areas, such as Dade County, Fla. and Denver, Colo. have outlawed pit bulls, following the mauling death of a San Francisco boy a bill is currently making its way through the California legislature that would allow cities and municipal areas to mandate spaying or neutering of breeds deemed "vicious and dangerous." It would also require pit bull owners to hold insurance for their dog should it attack.

Hollister City Councilmember Robert Scattini said if Hollister has continued problems with aggressive dogs the issue should be addressed. However, he cautioned that other breeds of dog such as German shepherds or Rottweilers can be just as vicious as pit bulls.

"Maybe legislation might be the way to go," Scattini said. "If we have a lot of problems, at least we could piggyback onto a law. But if we did have an (ordinance), it would have to be used with discretion."

In the meantime, Carrero cautioned all residents to be careful of any stray animal and never to bring one into their home. If a dog is running loose and the animal shelter is closed, call the police or simply let it run.

Erin Musgrave covers public safety for the Free Lance. Reach her at 637-5566, ext. 336 or emusgrave@freelancenews.com.