Police respond to dog attack in Bloomington

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ST. GEORGE – A Bloomington resident has been cited by police following an incident Monday involving their dogs getting loose and one attacking and ultimately killing another dog being walked at the time.

A call came into police just after 11 a.m. reporting a “vicious animal” on Santa Anita Drive. Two dogs in the area got loose, and one of them, described as a pit bull by the responding officer, ended up attacking a poodle mix being walked by its owner, St. George Police officer Lona Trombley said.

The poodle mix, which had been on a leash was injured and later died, Trombley said. The dog’s owner was not physically harmed during the incident.

The pit bull’s owner was contacted by police and cited for having animal at large, not having a dog licensed and for a vicious animal. Each citation is counted as an infraction.

The pit bull and the other loose dog were not taken to the animal shelter, Trombley said, but were instead returned to their owner.

The St. George Animal Shelter confirmed Tuesday that dogs that attack other dogs are not subject to being quarantined at the shelter as they would be if they attacked and injured a human.

It is against St. George City code for a dog to be loose and not on a leash. This is for the safety of the animal and people who come across the animal, Trombley said.

In cases where the public encounters a loose dog, they area encourages to contact the St. George Police dispatch at 435-627-4300.

“We can’t do anything if we don’t know about it,” Trombley said.

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Twitter: @MoriKessler

Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2018, all rights reserved.

 

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37 Comments

  • comments February 21, 2018 at 2:12 pm

    so when one of these things kills a little child can the owner be charged w/ a homicide?

    there are some nasty breeds out there, but pitbull terriers are far and away the most common of the nasty breeds

    when it comes to pits: shoot on sight. I wish that could be extended to the owners as well.

  • Striker4 February 21, 2018 at 3:10 pm

    and another stupid comment by the Prophet Bob. hopefully he’s the first one shot on sight !

    • Chris February 21, 2018 at 8:20 pm

      in this case, comments is completely correct. pit bulls need to be annihilated. they should be shot on sight. no jury on earth will convict you for killing a pit bull.

  • hiker75 February 21, 2018 at 3:18 pm

    I think the outcome stinks. The poor dog and owners of the dog killed. It is one thing to lose your dog but for it to be savagely attacked is worse. I cannot imagine what the owners are going through. Animal Control should take dogs away from irresponsible owners! Geez, how many more attacks will it take?

  • ScanMeister February 21, 2018 at 3:35 pm

    I lost my dog in Hawaii to an unprovoked attack by a Pit Bull loose. I blame the drug dealer owner of the dog.

  • NickDanger February 21, 2018 at 4:01 pm

    If that was my poodle – and it never would be because I would never be seen in public with a poodle – I’d be pretty upset about this.

    But those people who are saying the penalty is too light are wrong. The law is perfectly correct, a dog should not be put down for killing another dog. If an animal attacks humans, it must be put down for public safety. If it kills another animal, well, welcome to the animal kingdom.

    So yeah, someone lost their pet and it seems like the irresponsible pet owner who allowed it to happen is going to get off with paying a few small fines. HOWEVER, no one is taking into account that when the owner of the poodle SUES the owner of the pit bull in civil court, since this is a civil matter, the penalty will be much more…substantial.

    • themouse February 21, 2018 at 4:30 pm

      Welcome to the animal kingdom? Wow. When a service dog is attacked, it changes them forever and they may be so frightened that they can’t perform properly any more. Especially crushing when it is a Veteran’s service dog. Two of my friends with service dogs had their dog attacked by a pitbull and it has been hard for them to recover. One was actually attacked while on leash trotting beside his handler’s wheelchair by this same dog. Very distressing!

      • NickDanger February 21, 2018 at 4:51 pm

        I get that it’s distressing. In fact, it certainly has an impact on humans as well – one can only imagine the anguish of standing there watching your precious pet being mauled to death by some powerful beast. I assume the poodle’s owner will experience some emotional and mental trauma out of this.

        But animals are animals and sometimes they attack each other for reasons humans don’t understand. It’s impossible to make a moral judgment against a dog, only a discretionary judgment in favor of public safety. And again, only in the case of an animal that attacks a human or humans. It’s not as if this is just some ill-conceived, poorly-considered law. It is and generally has always been the judgment of the human powers-that-be that this is the correct punishment for attacks by domestic animals – a fine against the owner responsible for allowing the animal into position to make the attack, if the attack is on another animal. This is quite reasonable and morally correct for humans.

        The poodle’s owner will have his/her day in court.

        • Chris February 21, 2018 at 8:14 pm

          ” It is and generally has always been the judgment of the human powers-that-be that this is the correct punishment for attacks by domestic animals” That is total BS. If a rancher or farmer observes a renegade dog attacking his domestic animals, he is legally justified in shooting that dog. The same would have been true if the owner of the victim dog had killed the pitbull. You have absolutely no understanding of the law that governs these situations. The response of animal control in this situation is based not on the law, but on their own policy.

          • NickDanger February 21, 2018 at 10:06 pm

            I see you have a lack of understanding, Chris. The owner of that poodle would indeed have been totally justified in shooting the pit bull that was attacking his poodle. But that isn’t what happened. The owner of the poodle didn’t shoot the pit bull. The pit bull was still alive at the end of the incident. So, what to do with the pit bull? Better question – what to do with the hypothetical “renegade dog” in your scenario if the rancher didn’t shoot it? Would that dog be legally put down? Nope. The owner would be fined – pretty much anywhere in the USA. Because that’s the law.

            You are apparently unaware that there is a thing called Animal Law. And you are apparently also unaware that St. George has an Animal Control Officer (fellow by the name of William Demmons) who enforces both municipal and state ordinances (ordinances are laws, FYI) regarding dogs, other domestic animals, and occasionally wildlife. As opposed to simply arbitrarily deciding on the spot how to handle a situation like this, our governors have instead opted to create specific laws so there won’t be any big arguments between people about what should be done with animals who have done this, or that, or some other thing, as animals are prone to do.

          • Chris February 22, 2018 at 1:15 pm

            Nick, it is clearly you who has the lack of understanding. Utah statute 6.20.030 states “Any animal which bites or attacks a person or animal in violation of section 6.16.010 is deemed a vicious animal for a period of two years and may be subject to a muzzling, destruction or removal order, as determined by the supervisor.” Note, in particular, the phrase “attacks a person or ANIMAL.” So, contrary to what you claim, in Utah, it is illegal for a dog to attack another animal regardless of the “animal kingdom.” Obviously, despite your claims about “the law”, you know nothing about the applicable law in Utah.

        • Real Life February 21, 2018 at 10:26 pm

          Nick just quit while you are WAY behind.

          • Chris February 22, 2018 at 2:02 pm

            LOL, Nick managed to make a complete fool of himself in spouting off about a subject he has no knowledge of.

          • NickDanger February 22, 2018 at 4:05 pm

            Not really clear on what you’re gloating about, Chris. Let’s review. You began by saying there are no laws regarding this. I advised you that there are. You then proceeded to create an imaginary scenario involving livestock, a rancher, and the shooting of a dog. I then further educated you about this situation, which has nothing to do with that situation. Then, to your credit, you did the research and discovered there actually are laws about these attacks, and not merely “policies.” And you quoted it back to me.

            Unfortunately for you, the law you quoted back to me contradicts absolutely nothing I said. If the dog is deemed a vicious animal and put on two years of dog probation, that relates in no way whatsoever to the consequences for the human owner, other than the fact he’ll probably have to purchase a muzzle.

            I’m not sure you’re really following the conversation, Chris. But thanks for your participation.

      • comments February 21, 2018 at 7:04 pm

        whenever i read any article of a child or animal being mauled by a dog, i’d say 9 out of 10 times its a pitbull

        I’m still waiting for an article like “child mauled to death by family’s beloved golden retriever”

        simply doesn’t happen

    • Dana February 22, 2018 at 2:44 pm

      Welcome to the animal kingdom? We are not talking about wild animals who kill to survive. We are talking about domestic dogs. Pit bulls don’t kill to survive, they kill because they were selectively bred to do so.

  • Real Life February 21, 2018 at 4:03 pm

    That dog needs shot. Period.

  • KR February 21, 2018 at 4:46 pm

    I love dogs, but the dog who killed the poodle should be put down and the owner charged with animal cruelty. We need to seriously increase the penalties for these type of dog attacks. And print the owner’s name so everyone knows to watch out for this person and his/her dogs.

  • comments February 21, 2018 at 5:00 pm

    Tip to fend off a pitbull attack. Find anything handy that’s sharp and stab the animal. Hitting them with a stick or something usually isn’t enough. A big mean pitbull will turn into a whimpering little kitten after being stabbed once or a few times. They are a tough, heavily built, muscular animal and hitting and kicking them often won’t phase them when their prey drive kicks in. There a techniques of where to hit them if no weapon is available, besides the nose I forget what else. If it isn’t a huge dog you can grab it by the hind legs and body slam it, or try and get a choke hold on its neck, but again, this may not be easy since they are a very powerful, well built breed.

  • Who February 21, 2018 at 5:21 pm

    Comments,
    You are a very small hate filled person. Judging by the amount of your comments, you don’t get out much.

    • comments February 21, 2018 at 7:01 pm

      ur welcome to whine and pout and try to insult me, but u have nothing constructive to add to a dialogue… ?

      a pitbull lover i’m guessing?

    • Chris February 21, 2018 at 8:23 pm

      hate is the only appropriate response to pit bulls. any pit bull that comes close to me and my dog gets a bullet in the head, no questions asked.

    • Striker4 February 21, 2018 at 8:24 pm

      Don’t mind the Prophet Bob he loves attacking everybody and everything he is a very hateful little man

  • Honor1st February 22, 2018 at 6:17 am

    The pit owner was lucky the dog wasn’t in one of their ‘moods’ to lunch on kids .
    This breed has an excessive rate of mental psychosis leading to dead children & adults .
    Only the really stupid own them and society failing to set up strict rules is also ‘Not that bright’ .

  • redrock4 February 22, 2018 at 8:42 am

    As the pack leader you have to be prepared to fend off dog attacks when you’re walking them. I carry mace and a knife and I have no problem protecting my dog. I wish it wasn’t so as I love dogs and think that the owner is the problem most if not all of the time. But, I have learned how to protect my dog and I will if I have to – even if I have to kill the attacking animal.

    • Dana February 22, 2018 at 2:47 pm

      Unfortunately mace and tasers don’t work on pit bulls.

      • comments February 22, 2018 at 4:36 pm

        Maybe not. They’ve got that nasty terrier prey drive from dogs that were historically bred to kill big rats. The modern pitbull seems to think about anything from cats to little children are prey– they seem to view them as big rats I guess. Best bet to stop a pit is a bullet or a nice deep stab wound.

  • Caveat_Emptor February 22, 2018 at 9:13 am

    The lady who owned the now deceased poodle mix dog, has every right to pursue a civil lawsuit against the pit bull owner. She has plenty of documentary evidence of the attack, so she would be in a great position to sue, assuming the pit bull’s owner has some assets to go after.

    • semantics? February 22, 2018 at 10:36 am

      She will win in civil court. However, a dog is not a person so her damages are the value of the dog, no emotional distress damages etc. Because the pit did not attack the owner, the owner has no recourse other than the value of a replacement dog, similar to the replacement value of a car when it is totaled in a crash. Not a great remedy.

  • redrock4 February 22, 2018 at 12:39 pm

    While I’m not an attorney, I think that the deceased dog’s owner could only get damages to restore their loss of the dog. Maybe there’s some compensation for the pain of losing the dog. Again, if you’re walking your dog, be prepared to be a target of loose dogs – whether they are pitbulls or other breeds. Remember too that after you kill or gravely injure the attacking dog, you need to quickly call police. The dog owner is very likely to come after you as they almost never take responsibility in my experience. You have to be alert and prepared to do something that may feel horrible. Don’t underestimate the strength of an aggressive dog, don’t let your dog become a victim.

    • Dana February 22, 2018 at 2:49 pm

      You’re right they only get compensation for the value of the dog. But no compensation for the owner’s mental pain and suffering.

  • Dana February 22, 2018 at 2:50 pm

    Where is the justice? The dog needs to be put down and the owner arrested of animal cruelty.

    • Striker4 February 22, 2018 at 5:05 pm

      Dana I agree with you 100% the owner needs to be held accountable…but the first comment posted by the Prophet Bob ( comments ) is just his normal delusional stupidity lol !

  • scooper February 22, 2018 at 5:24 pm

    I think there should be some regulations that rules about dog breeders. Not everyone could own dogs, especially kind of pit bulls. I have just read an article that discusses about this at https://www.lemberglaw.com/dog-bite-attack-injury-lawyer-attorney-ct/. It’s a very useful information both for dog owners and also anyone who have been attacked by dogs.

  • Alyssa-Brian February 23, 2018 at 12:01 am

    An owner losing their pet is sad and tragic, nonetheless, but pit bulls are not the problem…..their owners are.
    Anybody who decides to own a pitbull needs to have very good knowledge and understanding of the breed.

    • comments February 23, 2018 at 12:58 pm

      nah. i’ve heard stories of “the sweetest and most loving” pitbulls turning on their owners with no warning. Some dogs are just prone to aggressive and unpredictable behavior, hence paying more homeowners insurance for owning certain breeds, as listed in the link a person posted above. A big part of the problem is owners as well. MOST pitbull owners are low IQ idiots who shouldn’t have any dog, let alone an aggressive and unpredictable breed. The worst kind of idiots get them solely for their reputation as a tough, fierce dog; that’s part of the problem.

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