Oak Park - A couple of weeks ago, I was going out to my garage-parked car with my briefcase, a cup of coffee and our American foxhound mix Lucy, who was on a leash. I bring her to my daughter's house most mornings where she gets to play with her dog.
As is my normal routine, prior to putting her in the car, I opened the garage door leading to our alley and before I knew what had happened my dog bolted out of my grasp and was in an all-out fight with a pit bull who was also leashed and walking with its owner down our alley. I found out that the dog's owner is not a resident of our immediate neighborhood.
Before I knew it, I had dropped everything I had and found my adrenaline-charged self prying my dog out of the jaws of the pit bull. The short version of the story is that my dog survived, but not without a trip to the vet, numerous scratches and lots of pain. With the help of her loving family and some antibiotics she will be fine. The incident was disturbing in many ways, most of which became clear to me after it was over.
My dog does not have an aggressive personality. However, like most dogs, she will go into protective mode if threatened and a growling pit bull a couple of feet from the apron of our garage constituted a major threat to her and me. She reacted as most dogs would, probably even protecting me over her, and I feel very lucky that neither one of us were hurt more seriously.
In hindsight it would be easy to say I reacted foolishly, but I am sure I acted like many of us would. I was so startled that when adrenaline took over I pulled my dog away with my hands inches from the pit bull's mouth. The reaction of the owner of the other dog was to shriek at the top of her lungs.
I feel strongly that the woman walking this dog had no business in our alley. Use the sidewalk. If you have a dog that is potentially dangerous, put a muzzle on it. Alleys are an extension of our yards. There are no sidewalks there. Respect the fact that we, as homeowners, should be entitled to a bit of privacy. I don't want to have to worry every time I open my garage door that I have to brace myself for the "surprise" that might be out there. I don't want anyone in our alley for any reason unless they belong there. Especially someone with a potentially dangerous dog. I don't linger in your alley ... please don't linger in mine.
Eric Priceman
Oak Park
Read more:
Oakpark.com
Jan 14, 2013 Man let pit bull attack his mother three times.
UPDATE: Deisel the pit bull belonged to RUSIN's girlfriend.
Oak Lawn - JEREMY RUSIN, 21, was charged with battery, domestic battery and assault when he let his pit bull, Deisel, attack his mother three times. He is being held on $20,0000 bond.
RUSIN stood by and watched as Deisel mauled his mother, and he assaulted an alarmed passerby who called police.
According to police, RUSIN's mother was taken to the hospital by her sister.
Amazingly and bizarrely, animal control was not called to control and confiscate the dog. Instead, police told RUSIN's girlfriend to take the dog to Animal Welfare League even though they had judged Deisel to be "aggressive and unapproachable."
Read more:
Oak Lawn Patch
ABC Local
Related posts - pit bulls used as weapons:
Dec 16, 2012 Pit bulls killed by police during drug bust
Dec 05, 2012 Chicago police shoot pit bull sicced on them by thieves
Aug 15, 2012 Officers fatally shoot dog while serving warrant in Englewood
Oak Lawn - JEREMY RUSIN, 21, was charged with battery, domestic battery and assault when he let his pit bull, Deisel, attack his mother three times. He is being held on $20,0000 bond.
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| JEREMY RUSIN sicced his pit bull on his mother |
According to police, RUSIN's mother was taken to the hospital by her sister.
Amazingly and bizarrely, animal control was not called to control and confiscate the dog. Instead, police told RUSIN's girlfriend to take the dog to Animal Welfare League even though they had judged Deisel to be "aggressive and unapproachable."
Read more:
Oak Lawn Patch
ABC Local
Related posts - pit bulls used as weapons:
Dec 16, 2012 Pit bulls killed by police during drug bust
Dec 05, 2012 Chicago police shoot pit bull sicced on them by thieves
Aug 15, 2012 Officers fatally shoot dog while serving warrant in Englewood