[Purple]

Sunnyvale family's pitbull euthanized after several appeals

By Cody Kraatz
Bay Area News Group


Lucy, a pitbull, with Liam, the son, of dog owner Ian Young. (Photo courtesy of Ian Young)




After months of unsuccessful emotional and legal appeals, a Sunnyvale family's dog, Lucy, was euthanized on Dec. 20 by court order.
A Sunnyvale Department of Public Safety administrative hearing declared the approximately 8-year-old pit bull a "vicious animal" after she broke through a rotting fence in her owners' Bryan Avenue back yard on July 30.

She killed Bobbi, a Chihuahua, and injured Dude, a small mixed-breed, and the woman walking them was slightly injured in the process, according to court documents.

Sunnyvale Animal Control took Lucy and DPS investigated.

Bobbi's owner lives several doors down on the 400 block of Bryan Avenue, according to Ian Young, Lucy's owner.

The family appealed several times, but ultimately a Santa Clara County Superior Court judge upheld the order that she be put down.

"We're destroyed. We spent all day crying," said Young shortly after Lucy was euthanized.

"We're just in disbelief that . . . it (has) come to this for a relatively trivial accident, but . . . in all other ways Lucy was a great dog and didn't deserve to die, and we didn't deserve this just before Christmas."

He said that the attack was not entirely unprovoked and that Bobbi barked at Lucy and his family on a regular basis.

The family appealed to the Sunnyvale City Council on Dec. 11 and 18 to ask Judge Brian Walsh to vacate his sentence. It took no action because the council sets policy and does not manage operational issues, said John Pilger, Sunnyvale spokesman.
In a statement, the city said Lucy's family had "ample opportunity to plead their case in the judicial system."

Young said the case illustrates a social prejudice against pit bulls, and Laura Fulda, a Humane Society spokeswoman, echoed his concern, saying, "I don't want this case to continue to vilify pit bulls."

In fact, the agency had about six "exceptional" pit bulls up for adoption recently that don't display human, animal or possessive aggression.

However, Christine Benninger, president of the local Humane Society, said there is ample evidence to back up the pit bull's reputation as vicious, including incidents in which people have been mauled and killed.

Besides very powerful jaws, the breed has a "very high arousal factor and very high prey drive," she said, meaning it quickly launches into an attack against something it perceives to be prey, and it is nearly impossible to stop its attack.

And even though she was very friendly with people, Lucy was not "exceptional," said Benninger, noting that a dog that could attack another dog in the future - and possibly hurt an adult or child in the process - poses too great a danger, in good conscience, to return it to any community.

"It's a tragedy all the way around," said Benninger.

http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_786494...nclick_check=1

[Michele]

in all other ways Lucy was a great dog and didn't deserve to die,

In EVERY way Lucy was a good dog. The owner, unless I missed it, has no clue about DA with this breed.

[RedThunder]

Just curious if you mean DA as in being "dog aggressive"? Although it is part of their trait, as in a herding dog herds, a dog that can be dog aggressive doesn't mean this is a viscous dog. They can also have a high prey drive.

I feel horrible for both owners. It is an awful way to lose a pet.

I do not think Lucy should have been put down. She was an 8 year old pet with no history (I am assuming, since it wasn't brought up) of violence.

When I worked for an ER Animal Hospital, we had a little dog come in that was mauled by Golden's...those dogs weren't put down.

I don't believe that Lucy could tell the difference between the chi and a squirrel (sp). Poor thing. My heart really does break for both families.

[Michele]

Just curious if you mean DA as in being "dog aggressive"?

yes, dog aggressive.

Although it is part of their trait, as in a herding dog herds, a dog that can be dog aggressive doesn't mean this is a viscous dog. They can also have a high prey drive.

I agree with this

[RedThunder]

lol...I thought that's what you meant, but I didn't want to look dumb

Thank you for letting me be here! Great board!

[Michele]

Originally Posted by RedThunder lol...I thought that's what you meant, but I didn't want to look dumb Thank you for letting me be here! Great board!

Thank you for being a part of this fabulous board!

[Miakoda]

This dog died because of it's owners. The owners failed to make sure the dog was safely contained at all times. And I don't want to hear any excuse about how the dogs "just broke out." The fence was rotten. I don't know how many people can honestly claim cluelessness to a fence needing repair. If these owners were responsible, they would have fixed the issue at hand to keep their dog from getting pts.

And personally, after having been on the "other side of the fence," I can honestly say that I'm not against the decision. Sure I feel for the dog, but I don't for the owners. Sometimes people need to pay a hefty price in order to make them wake up and take responsiblity. In my own case, even if the other dog had not of bitten me, I still would've pushed for it to be euthanized. If for nothing more than to teach the idiot owners a lesson. I'm sure I'll get flak for saying it, but until you are the owner of a dog that you watched die before your very eyes, you cannot honestly say what your feelings on the other dog & it's owners would be.

[RedThunder]

You have a right to your opinion, and I have been on both sides.

I do not believe that all owners are idiots, I think they are uneducated.

My sisters pitbull bit a dog that came on to her property. My sister warned the dogs owners that her pitbull did not like this dog (sister's dog got along with most dogs)many times.

Too make a long story short, My sister's dog was ordered to be put down. This was an eleven year old pitbull who had never had any trouble with anyone, except this dog. My sister even took video of the other dog coming on to her yard. Is my sister an idiot? She has an electric fence, (so no one thinks she just lets the dog rome), and the dog came on to her yard. Do you think her pitbull should have been put down? No, my sister's dog didn't kill the neighbors dog, but did send it to the ER.

Again, we both have our opinions.

[Miakoda]

RedThunder, your sister's situation was completely opposite. I went through a similar situation when we first moved into our house. Our new next-door neighbors' dog kept digging under the fence to come into our yard. On average I was filling in 5 holes a day with absolutely no help from them. Long story short, 2 of my dogs killed their dog. Was I responsible? No. Were my dogs responsible? No. Why? Because I kept my dogs properly contained on MY property.

But that's a totally different scenario than what we are talking about here. Instead we are talking about people who allow their dogs to escape and bother, or worse fatally injure, other animals on their own property or while being walked down the street on-leash by their owners. I'm sorry, but dog escapes are 100% preventable. Sure accidents happen, but when your "accident" results in someone not going to bed with their beloved dog that night, don't get all pissed off when you are held accountable.

And again, not knowing all the details of this case, but if your sister's dog was off-leash on the property, then both owner's of the animals are at fault here if there is a leash-law for the area. Which means your sister could very well have been given a ticket for violating the law, but so could the owner of the other dog. And neither dog should have been held at fault.

[RedThunder]

Ok, I understand what you mean now..

You did just raise a subject for me that I ned to look into (has nothing to do with this post) "If you have an electric fence, does your dog still need to be on a leash"? If so, what is the purpose of the electric fence? I do understand, Leash Law means just that.

[Miakoda]

Originally Posted by RedThunder Ok, I understand what you mean now.. You did just raise a subject for me that I ned to look into (has nothing to do with this post) "If you have an electric fence, does your dog still need to be on a leash"? If so, what is the purpose of the electric fence? I do understand, Leash Law means just that.

Electric fences don't count for anything here, especially the undergroundones. Mainly because they rarely keep a dog in and they never keep other dogs out. But you will need to check your city/parish/country/etc. laws.

[RedThunder]

Thanks again. I was just curious.