Attack pit bull still at large
Horse recovering, dog owner sought by authorities
A day after a pit bull attacked a horse on an Auburn State Recreation Area trail, Jerry Jackson was packing a canister of pepper spray for protection as he set out from the rim of the American River canyon for a morning run. While state Parks and Recreation Department officials who patrol the recreation area adjacent to Auburn are saying the park and its labyrinth of trails are safe – and that Thursday’s incident was a rarity – Jackson said he takes no chances, particularly when he encounters dogs that are off leash. “Dogs are always a problem,†said Jackson, an Auburn resident and one-time breeder of Irish setters. “The people with them say they won’t hurt you but dogs are so unpredictable.†Others weren’t letting news of Thursday’s attack by the pit bull terrier on a trail about 4 miles east of Auburn keep them from enjoying a mild spring morning of running. “I haven’t had any problems or really felt threatened,†said Foresthill’s Chris Rowe, as he set out on a 2-mile run in the canyon in preparation for Saturday’s American River 50 ultramarathon. On Thursday, Lincoln equestrian Odette Parker and her 5-year-old gelding had started a ride with a friend when a pit bull attacked the horse on the trail. Parker described how the dog – with its owner watching in silence and apparently in fear – circled the horse, feinted, and then moved in three times to attack and bite. Parker said she was terrified as she watched from her saddle during the dog’s second attack. It clamped down on the horse’s mouth and nose in what Parker said was likely an attempt to cut off its breathing and kill it. But her 916-pound Morgan-Arabian was able to lift the dog up and fling it into a tree. With Parker off the horse, it bolted down the trail with the pit bull – estimated to weigh about 100 pounds – in pursuit. Parker’s horse – named Dancing Dandi – eventually was able to lose the dog after they both ran onto Foresthill Road and the pit bull was almost hit by a motorist. The horse was eventually caught near the Foresthill Bridge after running along the road for about three miles. The dog was picked up by the apparent owner after he had driven away from the scene, refusing to give Parker a ride or assistance. Parker said she expected the man to return after finding his dog but he never came back after picking up the pit bull farther down the road. He left in a silver SUV and Parker, expecting him back, didn’t get a license plate number. Neither the attacking pit bull or the man had been located by late Friday by authorities. “I didn’t think he would take off,†Parker said. Parks Ranger Scott Liske said his department is investigating the attack and asking for help from the public in locating both the man and the dog. The attack occurred at about noon Thursday. Anyone with information can contact the Auburn State Recreation Area office at (530) 885-4527. Parker and Debbie Torres, a Lincoln rider who was also on the trail, described the man as in his mid-to-late 20s, balding, with a short fringe of black hair near the ears, stocky and about 5 feet 5 inches tall. He wore jeans and a white T-shirt. Parker said her horse returned to the veterinarian Friday after swelling was noticed in a hind limb. It now has two legs wrapped as well as stitches in its face for puncture wounds and puncture wounds near its tail. Parker said she was questioned by Parks and Recreation and Placer County Sheriff’s Department officers about the attack. “I’m hoping to get some closure,†Parker said. “In my view the dog needs to be euthanized.†Liske said that he was glad to see rider and horse were OK. He also said that the canyon and the areas surrounding it that are part of the Auburn State Recreation Area are safe areas to visit. “We have hundreds and hundreds of people riding horses,†he said. “This is very rare.†Liske added that pepper spray is allowed but that another suggestion offered to Parker – to carry a firearm – is something that is not legal to do in the park except under certain circumstances during hunting season. Liske also outlined the recreation area’s leash laws, noting there are no current efforts to ban dogs from state parks – something that was in force through the mid-1970s. “Dogs are required to be on a leash and that leash can’t be dragging behind it,†Liske said. “You have to be in control of the dog.†Having a dog running off-leash is a citable misdemeanor with a maximum fine of $260. The pit bull could be euthanized as a result of the attack but that decision would be made following an evaluation by a county Animal Control Division official, he said. The Journal’s Gus Thomson can be reached at gust@goldcountrymedia.com.
|
Change Location:
|
Again, bad dog owners are assumed to be responsible people. Of course that JERK didn't come back. I hope the police find him and euthanize him with his dog. I don't understand why dogs in this country are sacred cows. Why is it they are allowed in parks when in so many cases they will not be restrained or supervised properly because they have lousy owners. They are allowed to run free disturbing wildlife, contaminating the area with their toxic crap and attack people and now horses. Everyone can claim this is an isolated incident, but look at the news. Everyday dogs are attacking, injuring and even killing people, yet this is allowed to continue with very little consequence. We as a society need to take a stand and expect good ownership practices to be strictly enforced. www.dogassault.com
Interesting...
...California State Parks is in the midst of a hiring freeze...
...that ended a hiring phase that was an attempt to bolster their depleted ranks...
...because they do not physically have the personnel to patrol/protect the lands under their authority...
...and they deny the mere citizen the ability to defend him/herself.
So, in essence, they can't protect you and they won't allow you to protect yourself. How typically 'government' of them.
One bullet to the head of the dog would have ended the attack quite poigniantly.
MRex21 you got your facts wrong. I feel the need to jump in a put out the best information to set things right.
State Parks is not in a hiring freeze for certain classifications like Ranger. They are taking applications now.
The 5 Rangers who patrol the 42,000 acres of the Auburn State Recreation Area are way understaffed. There should be at the min. 4 more Rangers.
FYI - Auburn is funded by the Bureau of Reclemation (BOR) under a contract. In 1976 there were 14 Ranger positions funded and the dam was moving forward. Now 1n 2008, no dam, and there is only funding for 5 Rangers.
I suggest you and others contact the BOR and ask for more funding for Ranger positions.
The rest of the park system is having trouble recruiting Rangers, however not because of a hiring freeze. The low numbers are directly related to the following facts: Rangers are paid 41% lower than CHP Officers! In the past 7 years on the average, yearly, 72 Rangers have left for other jobs in Law Enforcement that pay a higher wage. You should know that when a Ranger works OT (not a special event) they are not paid in cash. They only get CTO. CTO builds up eventually requiring the Ranger to take time off to get their balance down. As a result the other Ranger on duty will be working alone with no back up or vey delayed back up.
You mention that 'they' deny the citizen to defend themselves. The Dept of Parks and Recreation makes the rules not the individual parks and clearly not the Rangers.
I could go on and on.
Rangers are very dedicated and put on their uniforn every day for many reasons. Most of all I think its because they want to be Rangers.
This is not a normal thing. I have ridden these trails for over 40yrs and NEVER had a dog attack me or my horse, run up to us barking, sniffing, excited yes. To attack and bite flank and face of a horse, very unusual behavior of a pet dog, especially when kicked, thrown off etc. This must have been terrifying for the horse and rider. It is also not normal for a dog owner to run away after such a viscious attack, what was this fellow thinking, knowing the horse was hurt and running loose with his dog chasing it. So we don't have a normal dog or person involved. I can only say to this man please come forward so your dog can be checked for health and other issues. No matter what breed something is wrong for a dog to behave as this dog did.
Now, how do we find and make this person responsible for damages done by his dog. Well a description of the dog, color, sex etc would help. We have a description of the owner, his car but nothing on any of his 3 dogs. Should this dog be evaluated for aggressive behavior health issues, past incidents yes,! Is the dog in trouble, but of course, and needs to be evaluated before anyone else gets hurt. That an owner would not want this is beyond belief. As an owner of Dogs, Cats and Equines no matter what the consequences I try to be responsible about my animals and their behavior.
I have heard pit bull owners try to defend the breed maybe it is okay if the owner trains it right but one should never be allowed loose in public off a leash. I greatly dislike the breed myself. No one ever fears a lab when they see that coming on the trail even off a leash. I agree that severe punishment is in order here with death to the dog no question and jail time for the owner.
So, Mr. 'paidinsunsets', what you're essentially saying is that State Parks doesn't have the personnel to protect the users of the recreation area...AND...they are denying those users the ability to defend themselves. Is that about it?
Brilliant retort, Einstein.
I've been hiking or biking most of the trails in the park since the spring of 93. Over the years I have had several occasions that a dog off a leash charged me. I didn't didn't appreciate it one bit, and now that my son is out there, I am more wary of dogs than ever. By my conservative estimate is that less than one third of the dogs are in control of the owner, and in compliance with the regulations. Another third typically have a leash dragging while the owner is far behind. The rest appear to have no leash what so ever.
I think this incident is a good chance to raise awareness of the problem that has existed for some time. Better not to wait until the next time, when it could as easily be a child instead of a horse that is attacked.
In defense of the rangers who patrol the park, it is not possible for 5 or even 14 rangers to be everywhere at once in an area this large. If private citizens reported people who were violating the law, the rangers could do there job more efficiently. Most people carry a phone with them, and while reception may be spotty, it is usually possible to call out, even in remote areas. Unfortunately most people, myself included, often look the other way because they don't want to be bothered or don't want to look like a tattletale.
I certainly agree. It isn't the individual rangers' fault that their staffing levels are so low. If the administration of 'State Parks' would show some common sense and allow citizens to legally carry firearms (by legal, I mean CCW holders, etc.) they would be able to defend themselves. Reporting culprits is, for all intents and purposes, unrealistic considering the response times of the rangers due to their staffing levels. I don't envy their workloads.
This pit bull shouldn't have been 'reported', it should have been shot. The rider has the absolute right to defend herself, and her horse. What hubris on part of 'State Parks' administration to deny that right.