Standing between 2 pit bulls & 22 day old infant - a chihuahua

[Danny Tse]

From the Contra Costa Times....

A Chihuahua died Sunday afternoon in the jaws of two pit bulls after they entered its south Richmond home and approached its owner's newborn child, police say.

"The pit bulls apparently entered the residence through an open front door and approached a 22-day-old infant, whom the mom had been feeding," said Dan Barrett, deputy director of the Contra Costa Animal Services department. "The family has a Chihuahua that confronted them. Of course, they focused their attention on the small dog."

The larger animals seized the Chihuahua in their jaws and carried it out of the house, on the 300 block of South 7th Street. Authorities later found it dead nearby.

Richmond police officers responding to several 911 calls about the attack beginning at 4:35 p.m., and tracked the pit bulls to a home on the 300 block of South 4th Street, Sgt. Bisa French said. No people were hurt.

The owner did not surrender the dogs for euthanization, meaning Animal Services will conduct an investigation and may hold a hearing in a future to decide what to do with them.

County ordinance allows owners of animals accused of violent behavior an administrative hearing before the agency imposes fines, monitoring requirement or euthanization.

The family of the Chihuahua could not be reached for comment.

[Demiurge]

...and?

[RuSsMaN]

Exactly, two pits ate a chihuahua. Where's the news?

[madmax]

Sounds like gang violence to me. The PitBulls never did like the Chihauhuas...

[kawizx9r]

Hey now, my pitbull gets along with chihuahuas.

[jflail2]

I bet the Chihuahua was here illegally anyway.

[kawizx9r]

i bet the chihuahua was here illegally anyway.

lol!

[Rev. Hayes]

So, is the implication here that the pit bulls absolutely would have eaten the child had the tiny yipping beast not been there? That seems a stretch.

[Rev. Hayes]

I bet the Chihuahua was here illegally anyway.

HA!!!!!!!

that's terrible:p

[Huck344]

Why would someone leave their front door open, especially with a 22 day old child?

At the same time, why would anyone let their pit bulls wander the neighborhood especially with the way they are perceived?

[BeRad]

The pit bulls should go to doggie school and given to a new owner while it's current owner is euthanized.

[bobman1235]

Why would someone leave their front door open, especially with a 22 day old child?

Not sure what kind of gang-riddled neighborhoods you live in, but my front door is open all teh time if I'm home and the weather permits it.

[j allen]

Sounds like irresponsibility on the part of all parties. I can agree with post #11. If you're going to have a big, strong dog (especially more than one), then you need to keep track of your big, strong dog(s) and make sure they are conditioned away from aggressive behavior.

Also, if you have a newborn, and a neighbor who has no business owning dogs, it might be best to keep your front door shut.

In all likelihood, the pitbulls (and the chihuahua) are the ones losing out in this case, as the owner of the pitbulls will likely face a fine at most, and their dogs will most likely die. It's the sort of situation that is way too easy to avoid, and way to hard to repatriate.

[McLoki]

Also, if you have a newborn, and a neighbor who has no business owning dogs, it might be best to keep your front door shut.

In all fairness, it happend on 7th street and the dogs were from 4th street. Not exactly next door neighboors.

I would absolutely blame the dogs owners on this one. (not saying the dogs didn't get out completely on accident, but the fault still is with them)

There are plenty of questions about where the parents were with a toddler that close to an open door, but none of those questions really matter as they relate to this incident.

[danger boy]

i think they should let about 90 hungry pit bulls lose in a small room with the owners of these two pit bulls.

the owners and the dogs themselves are to blame.. I can leave my door open. but trust me.. no pit bull is walking out on his own, if he wandered in where he is trespassing ..

[hockeyboy]

Leash law is pretty clear. Time for sleepy time biscuits for pits.

[nadams]

Not sure what kind of gang-riddled neighborhoods you live in, but my front door is open all teh time if I'm home and the weather permits it.

Err, with no screen door or anything? Your house must be FULL of bugs.

[j allen]

Hell, I could much more support putting down the owner than the dogs, but that's just me...

[BlueFox]

I think you guys are missing the point of the story. The Chihuahua was protecting its family against the intruders, even though it was not a fair fight.

[cstmar01]

Hey now, my pitbull gets along with chihuahuas.

your pit gets along with everything/everyone. lol has to be the most adorable one I've met.

[bobman1235]

Err, with no screen door or anything? Your house must be FULL of bugs.

Well, no, I have a screen door, but a Chihuahua could walk through a screen door, let alone a couple of pit bulls.

[Keiko]

The owner of the Pits is responsible. I hate to see any dog put down because the owner was negligent. Sad in any case how this turns out.

[KrazyMofo24]

So, is the implication here that the pit bulls absolutely would have eaten the child had the tiny yipping beast not been there? That seems a stretch.

After killing a Chihuahua, I would see a threat there. How likely for that happening? I don't know, but I can definitely see the possibility. It sucks that it happened my friend has a Chihuahua, and he's real protective with their baby.

[madmax]

So the Chihuahua takes on the pit bulls and the pit bulls get blamed for defending themselves. This is so wrong...

[Joe08867]

So the Chihuahua takes on the pit bulls and the pit bulls get blamed for defending themselves. This is so wrong...

HA HA HA HA HA :D

I agree with the others that said the owners should be put down.

But shame on the parents for not having a safe home for there child. Leaving the front door open. Idiots! all of them

Poor Chihuahua, just protecting his family. He should have used his inner bark.;)

[shawn474]

The way that I read it is that the 2 pit bulls entered the residence. Open door or not, they were off leash and wandering what sounds like a good distance away from their home. They entered a private residence and the dog who lived there confronted them. Eventually that dog was killed. The owners of the pits are responsible. Leash laws, common decency of keeping your dogs, etc.

But let's just say that 22 day old infant was approached by these dogs and attempted playing with them (maybe swatting) and they mauled the kid? What then? It is completely plausible from the sounds of this story. Admittedly, this is not the FULL story. And I am not basing this scenario on the fact that they are pits. Two dogs together roaming a neighborhood and walking into any home, no matter what breed, would be cause for concern.

The sad thing is that this is anoyther situation where an irresponsible owner(s) are going to be responsible for 2 dogs losing their lives to euthanization and another family having their dog killed.

[BIZILL]

Exactly, two pits ate a chihuahua. Where's the news?

the story said the dead chi was found, so i'm guessing not eaten as it'd have been a simple small enough meal.

hooray for the chi, i say!

[bobman1235]

If one more person mentions the open front door my head will explode. The story says the parents "had been feeding" the child, meaning they were probably still in the room when the dogs entered. Is having your door open while you're home in the middle of the day an "unsafe environment?" What if she was sitting on her back deck feeding her baby? Is THAT an unsafe environment? Should people never leave their houses with infants?

Some of you guys must be those nuts who lock their kids in the basement until they're 21 and emotionally stunted.

[madmax]

Well, the front door was open and...

[Mike Kozak]

I will get the attack cat to eat the pit bulls