Park Forest - A Park Forest woman is claiming village police slighted her after what she said was a "vicious" pit bull attack on her border collies.
Karine Mielczarek said she was walking her dogs Jan. 27 near an open field at Blackhawk Drive and Suwanee Street when the pit bulls "took on" her male dog and "pounced" on her female dog.
"They were taking her apart," Mielczarek said. "I was kicking them and punching them and screaming at the top of my lungs and finally the owner came out and peeled him off my dog."
Mielczarek said she then "drove like a maniac," to the veterinary hospital. "They were all cut up, bloody, with stitches," she said. Mielczarek also noted her finger was "nicked" during the incident.
The alleged attacking female pit bull was neither spayed nor up to date on its rabies shot, community service officer Tracy Gibson said. If the dog isn't up to date on its rabies shot, the law requires the dog to be impounded for a mandatory 10 days of rabies observation, she said. If the dog is up to date with its rabies shot, the law still requires a veterinarian to observe the animal twice in 10 days for rabies, she said.
Officials said the attacking dog was deemed obedient, "extremely well trained," and not vicious or subject to euthanasia. "By accident, they happened to slip out and the female, being in heat, it was instinctual (for the dog) to find a mate," Gibson said. "I know that it's not anything malicious."
Gibson said she is disputing Mielczarek's version of the incident. "(The pit bull owner) said the lady is laying on top of her dog on the ground trying to shelter her dog from his dog," Gibson said. "In the meantime, his dog and the lady's other dog are just running around in the field. Not fighting, never making contact."
Since the incident, Mielczarek said she called the Park Forest Police Department for daily updates on the attack, the pit bull owner and liability reimbursement.
Both police and Mielczarek said the pit bull owner agreed to cover Mielczarek's veterinary bills, already totaling $550. "They should at least call me and let me know what's going on," Mielczarek said. "I'm the victim here, OK, and my dog is the victim and I've had to call every day."
Gibson said she has wholly completed her policing duty regarding the attack. "All I need to do is take down information, do my report and report it to county," Gibson said.
"I explained to her that if she wanted some other thing to happen that she would have to contact a lawyer and sue him because it's not the police department's responsibility to be banging on a door, asking him for money."
Mielczarek is also urging the village to pass an ordinance governing pit bulls.
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