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Tonya Papanikolas reporting A pit bull killed a small dog in the Rose Park neighborhood Wednesday morning. It was the second time the pit bull had killed another dog.
The pit-bull's owner says his dog got out of the backyard gate. The owners parents will be cited with misdemeanors for the incident.
After a dog bites someone or kills another dog, the owner ultimately has the choice to euthanize it. If they don't want to, they go to court, and the decision is up to a judge. Last time, the owner went to court he pleaded guilty to a dog attack. After paying the victim, the case was closed and his dog went free.
Jeremy Spotten can't seem to stop running his fingers along his dog's collar: A beloved reminder of his Maltese, Jackson.
Marsha Spotten, Dog Attacked by Pit Bull: "It's very sad that his life was cut so short before he had a chance to have a long life."
This morning, Jackson got out of the house and ran to a neighbor's yard.
Marsha Spotten: As I was turning around, I heard him screaming, and my daughter and I ran outside."
What they saw was a neighbor's pit bull attacking Jackson.
Marsha Spotten: "His dog shook my dog, and then my dog stopped screaming, and he dropped it."
The family soon learned this wasn't the first incident with the pit bull. In November, he killed a neighbor's rottweiler puppy and bit the dog's owner.
Temma Martin, Salt Lake County Animal Services: "A very dominant dog may see a young child as something to dominate, so they can just be generally dangerous."
Salt Lake County Animal Services says any breed of dog can be dangerous.
2005 Dog Bite Statistics, Salt Lake County Animal Services
642 dog bites:
- 99 Pit bulls
- 83 Labradors
- 52 German Shepherds
But in their jurisdiction, pit bulls bit the most people last year; followed by labs and German shepherds.
Temma Martin says the number is high partly because pit bulls are becoming more popular as pets. While we hear a lot about pit bulls biting humans, Martin says the breed actually has a tendency to be more aggressive towards other dogs.
Temma Martin: "Because they're a dog that has been bred to fight, they are bred for their dog-aggressive tendencies."
Martin emphasizes any dog who isn't spayed or neutered tends to be more aggressive. And all pet owners should make sure their dogs aren't running loose.
