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ANIMAL WATCH - A violent attack by a Pit Bull which lasted almost ten minutes was captured on video and left a man and his dog both badly injured in Simi Valley, CA, with neighbors worried about it happening again, according to a FoxNewsLA report on August 9.
Simi Valley is a city with a current population of 126,356 residents, located in a picturesque mountainous region at the southeast corner of Ventura County and bordering Los Angeles County in the San Fernando Valley.
A surveillance video shows a neighbor with a handgun held behind him asking the victim if he wants him to shoot the dog; but, receiving no response. He then uses a large object to hit the dog and try to stop the terrifying assault.
The incident reportedly occurred around 6:00 p.m. in a peaceful community near Windmill Way and now has the community living in fear.
James Collis, a neighborhood who tried to help said, "I haven’t slept since this happened." He admitted to the KTTV reporter not feeling safe to come outside his own home.
He is shown on the surveillance holding a gun behind his back and asking the victim if he wanted him to shoot the dog.
Getting no response from the man who had been knocked to the ground and was struggling with the large, muscular dog, Collis is seen hitting the dog and making noise, but the Pit Bull would not release its hold.
The video shows the relentless attack for nine minutes before police and firefighters arrive and get the dog to release its bite on the man. “It just kept hitting the man,” he said. The victim and his dog both suffered severe wounds, and the man “had to be taken by ambulance to a hospital,” he told Fox 11 reporters.
The victim did not want to speak to reporters, but a neighbor captured a photo of the Pit Bull.
NEIGHBORS LIVING IN FEAR
Neighbors expressed concern that the police at the scene did not remove the dog. Fox 11 was told that “animal services did not take the dog and said they’re over capacity and they’re leaving the dog here," said Good Samaritan Collis, who risked his own safety to help his neighbor.
He also expressed frustration, stating that the community is “in fear this dog is going to be roaming around again."
Ventura County Animal Services’ main shelter is located in Camarillo and its website states, they have "unprecedented overcrowding and are currently at 140 percent capacity". While it is not unusual for a dog to be left in the custody of the owner after a bite--if it has up-to-date rabies vaccination, is licensed and there is a secure area to keep it--trusting the same owner whose dog has just escaped and done life-threatening damage is no comfort to the community.
"Our government is not doing anything," said Collis. "Our city is not doing anything. What am I supposed to do as a citizen?"
“The surveillance video is now haunting the community,” he said, admitting that the neighborhood believes “…either the dog will attack again or something else bad is going to happen."
A spokesperson for Ventura County Animal Services responded," As this is an ongoing investigation, we are unable to provide specific details at this time, but we can confirm that a dog was attacked by another dog in the city of Simi Valley."
This refusal by animal control agencies to admit that this Pit Bull is a public safety hazard and could escape and attack again is not acceptable.
Given the obvious injury and suffering of the victim who was trying to save his own dog, this response is an insult to the intelligence of the community and the bravery of the stranger who risked his own safety to help.
It is also a denial of the danger that is being allowed to remain unabated because of the “no kill” policies (which garner continuing donations by animal lovers hearing dire reports of conditions where their money can “save” animals) in California, resulting in overcrowding shelters with dogs that will not—and should not—be released or adopted and prolonged suffering of animals that should be mercifully euthanized for their own well-being and the public’s safety.
The agency should have at least issued a warning for residents to be aware of, and immediately report, any loose dogs in the community. It is being paid by taxpayers to respond in time and take action to avert these increasing tragedies. Not to excuse them.
See: “No Kill” Policy is Blamed for the Brutal Dog Attack on LA Animal Services Supervisor Leslie Correa
COYOTE USES DOGGIE DOOR INTO HOUSE, ATTACKS DOG AND RESIDENT
A Simi Valley Chihuaua and his owner were both victims of an attack inside their own home when a coyote entered through a doggie door in the Wood Ranch community, the Ventura Star reported on August 5.
Simi Valley Police reported receiving a call from the resident about an “animal problem” around 11:50 a.m. in the 500 block of Shadow Lane. According to the report, “The caller stated that he was upstairs in his home when he heard noise downstairs and ran down to find a coyote in the kitchen. He said he grabbed a knife to defend his Chihuahua and himself.”
The man wounded the coyote, but also caused the animal to seek refuge in another room in the house. The resident told officers he “was able to corral the wild animal in a bathroom.”
The homeowner was reportedly transported to a local hospital by ambulance, suffering from bites to his hand and wrist.
His little Chihuahua also had been bitten and was taken to a veterinarian by a neighbor, Officer Nicholson said.
The coyote later died from its injuries, the senior officer said.
Ventura County Animal Services was called to pick up the carcass, Nicholson said, but did not respond to requests for information on the animal, according to the report. California Fish and Wildlife was not called, because the animal was dead, he added.
Nicholson said, “the house backs up to open space,” which is a reminder that wild animals are nearby and may be seeking food for themselves and/or for their offspring.
REMINDER: DO NOT TOUCH WILD ANIMALS (INCLUDING FALLEN BATS)
Los Angeles County Health Department reports cases of rabid bats in local areas and annually issues a reminder not to touch any wild animal, especially one that has fallen or indicates illness during the warm months, when rabies is more prevalent.
Reports of sick bats in public or private areas, or bat incidents involving people or animals, are made to local Animal Control agencies. Bats are then collected and tested for rabies. Los Angeles County began testing bats for rabies in 1961. The data above includes rabid bats from Pasadena and Long Beach.
It is also wise to become familiar with protocols for reporting contact with any bats or wild animals (including bites or scratches from feral cats) to Los Angeles County.
(Phyllis M. Daugherty is a former Los Angeles City employee, an animal activist and a contributor to CityWatch.)
