It was a Pit Bull after all!

I was walking all 3 dogs this morning and the woman who lives in the house right at the curve where the attack occurred was in her driveway. She came over to us and told me that she had witnessed the attack but wasn't dressed and couldn't come out to assist me. She said it all happened so fast but she knew the dog - it was a pit bull owned by the neighbor 2 houses down. She also told me that the same dog had killed the poodle that lived in the house between them! She said that the woman had said she was going to put the dog down after that happened. Clearly, she did not.

As I was talking with her, the owner came out into her driveway. So I went over to talk with her. She admitted that the dog had gotten out through a broken picket that they didn't know about. I tried to keep my anger in control, but she never once apologized or offered to compensate my loss. She said that she had resolved things with the poodle's owner and that they had kept the dog under control since - that Saturday morning was the only time he'd ever gotten out. The only other time was after Ike had knocked down the fence between her and the neighbor and that's when he attacked the poodle. She then said that they were going to get rid of the dog. I asked, "When?" and she said, "As soon as my family has resolved their separation issues. We have had the dog for 2 years." I then told her that if I saw the dog again I would kill it, and she said she understood my feelings. My last comment to her was, "I'd appreciate you telling me when you have gotten rid of the dog."

I was so mad! I decided that I need to assert my right to have this dog removed from the community. So I have drafted a letter demanding she reimburse me for Porch Boy's emergency vet care ($842.86) and will send her another vet bill next week when I have to take him back to have the hernia repaired. I also reported it to Harris County Animal Control (we live outside Houston city limits) and was furious that they said that they would not take the dog unless he was unrestrained. If the dog was contained in the back yard, despite the fact that it has already attacked 2 smaller dogs by escaping, then the only recourse was civil legal remedies. They only take a dog into custody if it attacks a human. There are small children that live next door to her and it's only a matter of time before he attacks one of them! All the Animal Control officer will do is go by their house within 24 hours and talk with them about my report if they're home. If not, he will leave a copy of the Harris County Rules & Regulations for restraining animals. Fat lot of good that will do!