Lucy was attacked, and I'm upset

[alaskayorkie]

This happened April 29 but I've avoided writing about it here while animal control has been investigating, but I'm so upset right now that I just have to vent. This is an open and shut case, and animal control has been dragging its feet for more than 3 weeks.

Here's what happened: I was walking my three -- two Yorkies and Lucy, a 14-year-old Chesapeake Bay Retriever -- home from the park at 1 p.m. on a Tuesday afternoon on 6 foot leashes. The street is a quiet backstreet with very little traffic, especially at that hour.

I was crossing the street and heard some voices down at the end of the street. I looked back -- later pacing it off to 90 yards away -- and saw a dog on a long leash and a guy who I thought was on a bicycle. (Turns out it was a skateboard). They were in the street but facing toward a playground and I figured it was kids hanging out there and talking. I was not alarmed because I saw the leash and they were nearly a football field away.

Not 20 seconds later, I turned around and a pitbull on a long flexi lead was pulling to my side of the street and attacking an unaware Lucy from behind. He took off a 3-inch chunk of flesh from her right rear leg and literally dragged her about 4 feet down the street until I scared it away. If the Yorkies had not been on the other side of Lucy, one or both would have been killed.

The lunatic, 29 years old, actually screamed at me for being in his way!

After I dropped Lucy off at the vet -- she's had 2 surgeries now totaling more than $2,000 -- I reported it to animal control. They told me their standard answer: they likely couldn't do anything about it if I didn't have a name.

Thankfully, I had my camera with me and snapped some pictures of the guy while he was screaming at me. I put them on Facebook, got a name and address and reported it to animal control within a few days. He never reported it.

That was more than 3 weeks ago! A week ago, I called for an update and the officer said she had contacted the other guy and was waiting on his statement. Suddenly, she said, "Oh, that's right, we did get his statement back."

The guy's statement mirrored mine on all the details. He saw me from down the street, shouted back there for me to get out of his way, then came ahead as he watched me crossing the street to the side of the road.

The difference in his story is he says LUCY ATTACKED HIS DOG and led to the attack! He said she charged out behind a car and surprised his dog.

How, I asked, could she do that and the only injury to her was on the butt? She was bit from behind while walking the other direction! She didn't even know the other dog was coming. And Lucy is 14 years old and sweet. I have dozens of witnesses who can attest to her never attacking another dog.

Regardless, the dog was not under control! It was on a retractible lead anywhere from 16-20 feet! It could literally go anywhere on that street it wanted to. This guy could have stopped. He could have gone out of leash range. He could have changed his direction and avoided us entirely.

The officer told me at the time that she expected to wrap up the case the next day and classify the dog as a Level II. I'm told that's all I can hope for and I'll have to take him to small claims court to get him to pay for medical bills.

A week later, she calls me with the same question. Did Lucy surprise his dog? I told her I explained that to her a week ago. NO! She was walking home and looking the other way. I told her originally I have a witness, and now she wants to interview the witness. Only problem is, he's from Micronesia, and there's a language barrier. I have no confidence the animal control officer is going to have the wherewithal to get his story.

I could go on about how upset I am, but I'll end this for now. Here are some pictures of Lucy's injury and the attacking dog. I cut off the lunatic's face because this is going to end up in court and I don't want to be accused of purposefully defaming him.

[Cherie6446]

I am so sorry that this happened to sweet Lucy. All I can say about animal control is if the dog doesn't bite one of their people then good luck getting something done.

[Mistymillar]

Ohhhh poor, poor, Lucy, I bet she doesn't know what hit her. I hope the meds she is on are helping her pain. Why don't you try to find an interpreter and set up a meeting with animal control? If this statement can help your case you can add it to the payback?

Poor, poor Lucy I hope she heals up well and feels better soon.

[mimimomo]

OMG poor Lucy! Grrr flexi leash on a big strong dog...hope everything turns out on your favor.

[windwalker]

Sorry for your dog injury. Whenever there is an attack or even fear of attack, call 911, PD can call animal control after. Most Officers would have a different read on this then a "Dog Catcher". We have loose dogs here all the time, or uncontrolled on and off leash, aggressive with dumb owners. I carry a collapsible baton and sometimes a 5' hickory stick to protect my mutt.

[JuanRamos]

Poor Lucy. At her age it must have been really stressful for her body, so I'm glad that she didn't had any complications going through treatment.

[alaskayorkie]

Originally Posted by windwalker

Sorry for your dog injury. Whenever there is an attack or even fear of attack, call 911, PD can call animal control after. Most Officers would have a different read on this then a "Dog Catcher". We have loose dogs here all the time, or uncontrolled on and off leash, aggressive with dumb owners. I carry a collapsible baton and sometimes a 5' hickory stick to protect my mutt.

Thanks, everybody. I did call the police, not 911, and they referred me to animal control.

I honestly don't know how to protect my dogs. I've stopped walking three of them at a time. They are perfectly behaved on a leash, but I don't have the ability to protect all three of them if we're under attack.

I've carried pepper spray, but there's no guarantee that's going to work, and there's no guarantee the wind is going to be favorable.

I don't want to beat another dog, but I do want to keep it away from mine. I'm thinking now of carrying a long stick, maybe 6 feet, to keep the dog away from mine.

I'm so disappointed with animal control.

[Lovetodream88]

I'm so sorry. It's bad enough dealing with what happened but then to deal with a liar just really sucks. I will keep Lucy, you and your case in my prayers.

[alaskayorkie]

Originally Posted by JuanRamos

Poor Lucy. At her age it must have been really stressful for her body, so I'm glad that she didn't had any complications going through treatment.

That's what bothers me perhaps the most. These are her twilight years, maybe months, and she has to live them in even more pain. I will say she's been amazingly resilient and has survived two surgeries.

[LDandPasquale]

So sorry this happened to Lucy. Do you think your vet could get involved and talk to the animal control offier . The vet could probably be able to verify the attack came from behind. And I would definitely take him to small claims court.

I hate that this happened to you. I know you love spending time with all three dogs on your walks.

[margaritaville]

Poor Lucy. I hope she recovers quickly and is not in pain. She has multiple sutures and a retention suture there. Did the vet say anything about muscle damage?

[DvlshAngel985]

This makes me so mad!!! By any chance do you have pictures of the "scene of the crime"? Maybe animal control needs to get a better image in their head of what or how it happened. That guy is an idiot. Lucy is a senior dog! She just wants to live her golden years in peace with the rabble rousers she has for siblings.

[yorkiemom76]

I'm sorry this happened to your sweet girl. It makes me furious. He should have to pay every Penny of Lucy's vet bills and then some. Working in a vet clinic, I see so many of these retractable leashes and I cringe every time I see one. They are completely worthless and dangerous to the dog, its owner and the poor people and dogs that happen to be standing in the way of them. On another message board I'm on someone posted about a relative that had had her finger severed by one. They need to be banned and this idiot needs to be held accountable for his vicious dog and what happened to Lucy.

[alaskayorkie]

Originally Posted by DvlshAngel985

This makes me so mad!!! By any chance do you have pictures of the "scene of the crime"? Maybe animal control needs to get a better image in their head of what or how it happened. That guy is an idiot. Lucy is a senior dog! She just wants to live her golden years in peace with the rabble rousers she has for siblings.

They didn't mention muscle damage, but I didn't inquire either. She's so old and this is so traumatic, I don't expect her to recover fully before she passes.

The wound actually looks pretty darn good now that the stitches are out. There's one bare spot that didn't close, possibly due to licking. Doctors weren't concerned and thought it would heal on its own.

She's a little slower and has a limp, but I'm amazed at her resilience. She actually runs when she wants.

Here's a composite I did of some of the different stages that shows how she's healed.

[alaskayorkie]

Originally Posted by yorkiemom76

I'm sorry this happened to your sweet girl. It makes me furious. He should have to pay every Penny of Lucy's vet bills and then some. Working in a vet clinic, I see so many of these retractable leashes and I cringe every time I see one. They are completely worthless and dangerous to the dog, its owner and the poor people and dogs that happen to be standing in the way of them. On another message board I'm on someone posted about a relative that had had her finger severed by one. They need to be banned and this idiot needs to be held accountable for his vicious dog and what happened to Lucy.

I agree 100 percent. You have to have control of your dog. It's as simple as that. Retractables don't give you that control.

I actually tried them out when Eddie was young and thought they'd be good for practicing recalls. I only used them when were isolated. But even then, I was always fidgeting with the lock mechanism. It either worked when I didn't want to or didn't work. I ended up using long leashes -- 20 or 30 feet -- when we had the privacy to allow them that freedom. They were much more reliable and safer.