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A warning about a dog
07/08/2011 7:43 AM by John M
Ben has a warning about a loose pit bull running around in the neighborhood:
My dog was attacked this morning in front of my house at the corner of 23rd and Leigh st. The dog is black and has tags and was last seen running up jefferson towards 25th st. I’ve called richmond animal control but haven’t heard back from them. People with dogs should be alert and cautious.
TAGGED: pets
People with outdoor cats should be as well. My neighbor’s cat was killed by a stray dog.
I don’t know if I would have the presence of mind to do this, but I was told by a dog trainer that if a dog is attacking your child or pet, snatch him up by the hind legs and he will let go.
(A dicey proposition, I know!!)
But it will supposedly defuse the situation long enough to save injury or even death.
my lab was attacked by similar looking dog on the ballfield at M & 28th a couple of weeks back. ended up with 4 staples in her side
Spotted this dog yesterday at 24th and Clay. Will be on the lookout.
This is one of the reasons I moved out of CH. Don’t feel safe walking my dogs. Have come across several loose Pits. Such a shame given how lovely Ch is.
Thank you for posting this warning! If your dog is attacked, call the police ASAP – Animal Control cannot respond immediately to calls.
I have had to call the police to help break up two bloody dog fights that started because some dumbass decided to walk their dog off leash. When my dogs are approached by ANY dog that is not on a leash(this even applies to Golden Retrievers, Collies, Labs, etc.) I no longer have control of the situation and because you don’t think a leash is required for your obedient dog, my dogs just might hurt your pet. I don’t want any dog to be hurt and do everything to be a responsible dog owner. But no matter what I do to keep my dogs in line, if your dog walks up to us I can’t protect your dog from injury. Sorry. That’s why we have a f-ing leash law.
Sorry to go off about that. If you are one of those dog owners, prepare for your dog to be maced(much better than mauled I think)
Far too often I see people in both Chimborazo and Libbie Hill parks letting their dogs run around loose, and I can count on seeing a dog fight at least once a week. I can also count on the owners involved claiming “I don’t know how that happened, he never does that, he’s a sweetheart!” I’ve even seen one dog at Chimborazo slip its leash and collar to go after another dog. Just because your dog is not normally aggressive doesn’t mean it will never be aggressive. If you want your dog to have freedom, buy a house in the suburbs with a yard.
Way to say it #6!! The people who walk, run, or bike with off-lead dogs that they have no control over amaze me. That you can’t be bothered to put a leash on a dog you cannot control shows a disregard for your dog’s safety, not to mention the safety of my dogs and me. I have a 70 lb pit bull with a dash of bulldog. He is ALWAYS on lead, as are all my dogs. His social skills are not the greatest, so I take care to give a buffer when coming up on other dogs when we are out, but he has never started a fight or picked up a challenge from another dog. I swear, if there is an off-lead dog within a 3-block radius, it will be drawn to my dog like a magnet. The scene is never complete without the dog owner – who is usually about a block away and yelling “he’s friendly”, as their dog comes barreling right up to us and practically chest butts my dog. A dog running untethered and full out toward us is a threat. My dog is big, confident and protective – he stands at the ready every single time he is challenged by another dog. In each instance thus far, more times than I care to count and by sheer luck and some skill, we’ve all walked away unscathed. BTW, note to the-law-does-not-apply-to-my-dog owners: That your off-lead dog will eventually, when he’s darn good and ready, come back to you does not count as control. Control is never letting your dog get away from you in the first place.
I’m sorry to heard about your lab Aaron. The pit bull that attacked my dog was coming from that direction so maybe it was the same one? Luckily my dog didn’t suffer any serious injuries from the attack other that road rash. But she’s now terrified of other dogs – ANY dogs. I’ve started carrying a small can of pepper spray on our walks.
If your dog is off-leash and charging up to mine, he/she will get sprayed. Even if you’re yelling “He’s friendly!”
There’s a woman who likes to play frisbee with her golden retriever in Jefferson park. Twice now this dog has charged up on mind scared her to death. A barking match starts up and i have to run away before anything serious happens. I don’t understand why this woman thinks the leash law doesn’t apply to her.
Sure, leash laws are great!
But it might as well be a cafeteria, for all people follow the rules.
I mean, I have heard of several dog attacks in the neighborhood perpetrated by the same animals and no one wants to report the dogs or the owner because they don’t want “to make trouble” etc.
But if the same animals are causing problems and terrorizing a neighborhood, then do those animals really belong in a community, one with kids, the elderly, people who don’t like dogs or people who are afraid of dogs? This isn’t Alaska, we shouldn’t have to be afraid of animal attacks in our community as though grizzlies are at the front gate.
So, the next time you’re pet is injured or you are injured by a loose or aggressive dog, call the police, press charges and go to court. Because you may end up saving someone else a lot of time, pain and money.
Yes, the ugly truth is that some of these animals may be destroyed, but that’s what happens to WILD and otherwise unfit animals kept as pets.
And maybe, just maybe, it will force those people inclined to keep such animals as pets to rethink that decision or move to the country.
Glad to see I’m not the only one complaining about dogs off the leash. It sure seems like I’m the villain when I’m out walking my dogs and other dogs run up to mine. I have both a rottweiler and german shepherd/boarder collie mix. If any dog or person comes running toward me, they will protect me by becoming aggressive. We have a dog park, but folks will let their dogs off the leash right outside the dog park in Chimborazo. Libbey Hill park has also become a free-for-all. I hate making this a police state by calling on any little thing, but I think the only way we can get a handle on it is to call the police if you encounter a problem. Some dogs are fine off the leash, but for those who come up to other dogs, they need to be stopped. My neighbor also lets his dog run free all the time. Folks have stopped several times concerned that the dogs will be hit. We’ve called animal control and NOTHING has happened. When the police become irritated enough, they might just act to enforce local law.
The Libby Hill free for all is an accident waiting to happen. In the early evening, there are tons of little kids out there along with tons of off-lead dogs. If someone has total recall and is totally focused on their dog, I don’t have a problem with the dog off lead. That criteria fits approximately 1 out of every 100 dogs I encounter off lead. I’ve had situations in Libby Hill and Chimbo where I am dealing with my own on-leash dog and someone elses off-lead dog and the other owner is so engrossed in conversation/socializing that he doesn’t even realize his dog is actively menacing me and my dog. It’s very frustrating.
I’ve noticed an increase of dogs off lead lately as well. Some are being “walked” off-leash and others “get out” when doors are opened. I’m pregnant and my dog (who is always on a leash) has gotten very protective lately. I’m afraid that a scuffle between him and one of the off-lead dogs might actually pull me down on the ground.
The number of people not picking up their dog poop is escalating as well. People pick up your poop – don’t leave it festering on the sidewalk (on N. 31st) or in any of the Chimbo park areas (I’ve noticed a lot of poop just outside the fence by the community garden and all over the federal park)!
I used to be polite when I met someone with a dog off leash but know I wasn’t taken seriously when I’d see the same dog off leash a day later.
Now I call the cops and knock on the owner’s door to make my request in person. Once I explain specifically why I’m so concerned about keeping dogs on leash they see I’m not just a cranky neighborhood bitch. Not all the time, anyway.
I’ve got to echo the sentiments I’m seeing here. Walked my two children 3 and 1 over to Chimbo park in their wagon a week ago. There was a lady sitting near the old hospital with her dog next to her. I intentionally skirted by a wide margin and stopped about 100 yards away. Next thing I know, that dog is tearing hellbent for leather towards us, all hackles raised. She’s impotently yelling for him to come back and walking towards us. I start yelling at the dog who just keeps on coming at my kids strapped in the wagon. Adrenaline kicked in and I charged the 70 lb dog who backed off a bit and continued to bark and growl. Finally the owner gets there apologizing about how the dog had never done anything like that before, maybe it was the wagon that spooked her. Not sure about that, but it wouldn’t have been a problem if said dog had been on lead. I love dogs, but I can barely get my kids to do what I say, and they understand English. Hate to think I’ll have to start carrying mace with me. For all of you out there who think the law is intended for other people’s dogs, you never know what your dog will do in every situation.
Call the cops. I don’t give a SH!T anymore about being friendly and neighborly here in Church Hill, people need to be held accountable for their actions. There are far too many people up here on the Hill that are under the false impression that rules don’t apply to them. I heard from a neighbor that a woman on our street had the balls to jump into the bed of a contractor’s truck (he was 2 houses away working on replacing a roof) and when he caught her, she was picking through his belongings and SCREAMING that the materials he was using weren’t up to code and “historical.” Um…OK, lady? The correct way to handle that is NOT by trespassing on someone’s property. But, ya know, she’s “HELPING”, bc she’s “preserving the neighborhood’s historic aesthetic appeal.” Oh, spare me.
I saw this dog or one similar on the corner of 27 and P last week, followed him west to 25th, he was scared of me and my dog. Saw him again exact same place tonight looking rough and scared. FYI this was not the female rottweiler that I often see running around.
I did not think the police would respond to complaints about off-lead dogs. I will make it a point to start calling the police when I have an incident. John V’s recent encounter is very frightening. It’s one thing for me to worry about one of my dogs getting injured by, or causing injury to, an off-lead dog, but little kids getting threatened is way over the line.