Waukegan - Two leashed pit bulls were being walked past a fence-in yard and pulled a small dog named Gus through the fence and severely mauled him. Gus’ vertebra was cracked, he lost an eye, his jugular vein was cut. Gus’ owner saved Gus' life, but the veterinary costs are astronomical. (
GoFundMe)
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| Poor Brave Gus. Waukegan Doesn't Need Pit Bulls |
Presumably because in Waukegan dangerous dogs are put down, animal control and police refused to do their job and had the audacity to say that little Gus provoked the pit bulls by barking at them from inside his own yard.
So Waukegan has put itself in the position of claiming that pit bulls that can’t be controlled even when they are leashed and still manage to pull a little dog out through a fence and inflict massive trauma and permanent damage aren’t dangerous.
Not only that, Police Sergeant Dennis Rosch is claiming that a pit bull owner that can’t control his dog even when it is on a leash and separated by a fence from another dog was acting responsibly. That is the height of irresponsibility topped only by the fact that he chose to keep the pit bulls he is unable to control after the attack.
Waukegan is going to review its dangerous dog ordinance. Waukegan dog laws were last revised in 2012 after a child was attacked by a pit bull in the 5th ward. Revisions were aimed at regulating back yard breeders. But, Waukegan chose not to implement breed specific laws for pit bulls, despite aldermen and animal control both stating that Waukegan’s dangerous dog problem is about pit bulls.
From articles at the time:
"We deal with dangerous dogs. Waukegan is known for them. Unfortunately, we are a town for pit bulls." - AC officer Nicole Garza
‘This law was made specifically for people who are just plain irresponsible,” said 1st Ward Ald. Sam Cunningham. “The unfortunate part is people have really become fascinated with owning pit bulls. (Those) irresponsible owners are causing havoc in the city of Waukegan. ... This is a good ordinance for us.”’
And before that? Waukegan dangerous dog laws were reviewed in 2008 after pit bull attack in which 2 pit bulls seriously mauled a 19 year old woman after they broke free from their leashes, but the city leaders decided not to implement a pit bull ban. They decided to modify their breed neutral dangerous dog laws instead.
From news report at the time:
“Unlike other nearby towns, Waukegan does not have any ordinances specific to pit bull ownership. Residents along the street say they will be at the city council meeting Monday to demand something be done.”
And before that? In October, 2006 waukegan city lawmakers resolved to strengthen Waukegan’s dangerous dog ordinance after two pit bulls escaped an apartment by forcing open a window, going to a park and severely mauling a little girl playing in the park by “playing tug-of war” with her little body. Still city lawmakers did not opt for restrictions on pit bulls. Instead, they crafted the dangerous dog law they have today, and which animal control and the police have failed in their responsibility to enforce.
From reporting in 2006:
“…the attack has renewed aldermanic debate about dangerous dog legislation and pit bulls as pets.
‘I’ve seen that our officers have shot more than a handful of these dogs over the last year,’ Waukegan Police Department Commander Mark Stevenson said. ‘So it seems to be a pattern that obviously these dogs are dangerous.’”
And before that? In February 2006, just months before this girl’s attack in October 2006, Waukegan city lawmakers considered implementing a pit bull ban due to the great number of recent pit bulls attacks. They failed to follow through.
2003 Aug - Waukegan Police officer was attacked by two stray pit bulls in August and required treatement for injuries to his hand. One of the dogs was later shot and killed by police when it attacked again as they attempted to seize it.
2005 Jul - A Waukegan police officer, responding to a report about a stray pit bull chasing a teenage boy on Winhaven Drive, was forced to fire a shot at the pit bull when it charged at him.
2005 Aug - 49-year-old Beach Park woman was attacked by a pit bull on the 2500 block of North McAree Road. The woman told police she was walking down the street when the dog ran from its yard, lunged at her and bit her on the right hand before being chased off by a bystander.
2005 Sep - Police seized a pit bull and a rottweiler that injured each other in a fight in a garage on Wadsworth Road. In that incident, the pit bull reportedly was on the loose and chased two girls to the roof of a car before attacking the chained rottweiler.
Despite there being persistent problems with dangerous pit bulls in Waukegan, city lawmakers, police and animal control have consistently chosen to stick their heads in the sand. They will once again attempt to modify dangerous dog laws and once again, it will not work, because they don’t have the courage to address the problem head on and regulate pit bulls.
Read more:
Lake County News-Sun
Related posts:
Sep 12, 2008 Waukegan Teenager Severely Mauled in Pit Bull Attack
Oct 4, 2006 Pit Bull Mauls 8-year old Girl Owner Charged with Reckless Conduct
Feb 02, 2006 Several Recent Waukegan Pit Bull Attacks Prompt Aldermen to Look at BSL
All reports of pit bull attacks in Waukegan
