EL PASO, Texas – An El Paso woman’s dog was killed by another dog in a park on the east side.
Priscilla Pinon’s niece was walking her two dogs in Tierra Buena Park when she noticed another dog owner was having trouble controlling their dogs.
“She saw the lady with two dogs and they seemed pretty aggressive,” said Pinon.
When she was about to grab the smallest of the dogs, one of the other owner’s dogs broke loose and began attacking the dog she’d left on the ground – causing the Chihuahua in her arms to jump out of her arms in shock.
ABC-7 spoke to a witness who saw this.
“The Chihuahua jumped out of her arms and ran towards the street,” explained the witness, “and then we saw her dog attack him and grab him by the chest – and shake him around like he was a toy.”
The witness, who refused to be identified, called the city’s animal services – what she said took testimony from both parties and left without detaining the attacking dog.
“I thought Animal Control took the dog away from her at the time, but they didn’t do anything,” she said.
The lack of action has torn Pinon and her family apart because they feel that the current rules do not fully protect dogs and their owners.
“What is the legislature doing to protect our animals?” she asked. “Does that mean this incident could repeat itself over and over again, and it’s ok? Only one ticket is not ok!”
Animal service officials said they handle such situations on a case-by-case basis, but said a dog will only be euthanized if its owner or a judge requests it.
While an animal-to-animal attack is handled one way, an animal attack on a human is a different situation as the Texas Health and Safety Code requires enforcement of a quarantine process.