Warning: This story contains graphic details
Last Edited: Friday, 03 Aug 2007, 11:42 PM MDT
Created: Friday, 03 Aug 2007, 10:25 PM MDT
Mac, the pit bull stabbed to death at a Broomfield dog park. August 2007.
by JULIE HAYDEN
BROOMFIELD -- Animal Control officers are investigating a case of possible animal cruelty, involving one dog owner allegedly slitting another dog's throat at a dog park.
Ben Johnson says he had three-and-a-half year old Mac since the dog was eight weeks old.
He says pit bulls often get a bad rap, but Mac was an example of what's good with the breed.
Johnson says he took his dog to the Broomfield Dog Park, near 136th and Sheridan a couple of times a week and never had any problems.
But he says Monday, Mac and a Doberman Pinscher got into a fight. He says he and a bystander were pulling the dogs apart, when the Doberman's owner ran up with a knife.
Johnson says the Doberman's owner stabbed Mac four or five times, and then slit his throat twice. Johnson says he rushed his dog to an Animal Emergency Shelter, but it was too late.
Police say they cannot release the name of the other man because it is an open investigation.
They say the District Attorney should make a decision on filing charges soon.
sundaysbe5t wrote:I am sad to say i bring my dog to the park and let him run off leash. Unlike other owners I am watching like a hawk at where he is and if other dogs are well socialized while playing with him. He is 7 months old and everytime im at a park a dominant dog tries to hump my boy and i have to fend them off. Also two older pits double teamed my dog the other day and my puppy is very gentle compared to older tougher playful pits, so my dog felt threatened and was going to come back to bite them but i got them off of him thankfully. By the way the owner was laughing and i wished i could have kicked his dogs! anyways my pup is fine and plays with all dogs still, but im always afraid that people will bring nonsocialized dogs to the park and attack my dog. It is just hard for me not to let him play with dogs when he wants to soo bad. i feel like im in a rock and a hard place. i just dont know what else to do because san francisco has the best dog parks around and i love watching him play and romp around. keepin him on leash isnt easy when hes getting excited. all i can say is that im a good owner by watching him like crazy and keeping him close to me.
but im always afraid that people will bring nonsocialized dogs to the park and attack my dog.
cheekymunkee wrote:but im always afraid that people will bring nonsocialized dogs to the park and attack my dog.
IMO, this is a risk NOT worth taking! You NEVER know when your dog will decide he has had enough & put the smack down. OR when someone else's dog will get snarky with your dog. Your dog is still a puppy & at this time in his life he is not fully mature. As he does grow older he may become dog aggressive & the last place you want to find this out is in a dog park.
If you want to let him play off leash with other dogs, you could always arrange a play date with dogs you know & owners you trust. You can get together in someones back yard or some other enclosed area a couple of times a week. You have control over the area and the dogs that are there.
I am sure you are a good owner but things can happen in an instant & keeping an eagle eye on your dog and staying close to him just may not be enough. In reality, your puppy doesnt really NEED other dogs to play with, all he needs is you.
dlynne1123 wrote:
I have to chime in too! I agree, if you want to work on your dog and distractions, walk your dog outside the dog park fence while doing obedience.
BKBZ wrote:Thank you for posting this! I NEVER let my American Staffordshire Terriers off leash...not to mention at the dog park. My male is the sweetest, most docile and patient dog ever who will avoid a fight at all costs...usually. I am always sooo careful to keep my dogs away from other dogs. But, one day, he got into a 'fight' with a weimaraner who bit him on the face. I say 'fight' because it was more my dog dragging the screaming weimaraner around than a real fight. The weimaraner had no chance. Amstaffs and pits may not start the fight, but they will end it. Fortunately, we split them apart (coulda used a bite stick at the time ) but severe damage had already been done. The weim was rushed to vets where he is still recovering, a month later. He needed emergency surgery where he got skin graphs and numerous stitches/staples. My dog did not have even one scratch.This was the first real fight my dog had ever gotten into. Fortunately, the weimaraner's owner knew her dog was at fault and didn't even try to press charges. It's crazy how I can have a 'pit bull' on a leash and people can still manage to let their dogs get at him. Nah, for me, a dog park is a scary thing.
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