Owners responsible for following leash law
Updated: November 19, 2012
CHAMPAIGN -- Investigators are trying to find out who owns the pit bull which attacked another dog this weekend. Police say a woman was walking a chocolate lab when a pit bull came after them. People say the pit bull's owner should have been more responsible.
It happened at the corner of Crescent and John Saturday night. A police officer fired shots at the dogs while they were fighting to try to break it up. The lab died. WCIA-3's Anna Carrera follows the story.
Police say it was an accident. One officer says they didn't have many options when they saw the dogs fighting.
He says pepper spray doesn't work well on dogs, and even though they're sorry about what happened, it doesn't change the outcome. Dogs are allowed to roam free at the dog park, but as soon as they leave, their owners are supposed to put them on a leash.
"It's so important so that you have control of the dogs, so it doesn't hurt other dogs or get hit by cars or hurt a person."
Some pet owners say they're sad to hear about what happened. One woman says it's situations like this that give pit bulls a bad rap.
"It could have been any other dog that attacked the poor girl's dog on the leash, but it's just a shame because if everybody looked after them properly, things like that wouldn't happen."
Champaign County's Animal Control Director Stephanie Joos says pets are supposed to be on leashes anytime they're in public. Otherwise owners can face a fine and the pet can be impounded.
The rule is to protect animals and anyone they come into contact with. Animal lovers say it could keep problems from happening again.
"Someone should have been looking after it and then things lke that wouldn't happen."
No one has claimed the pit bull. If they do, they face hundreds of dollars in fines. If no one claims the dog, it will be euthanized.
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It happened at the corner of Crescent and John Saturday night. A police officer fired shots at the dogs while they were fighting to try to break it up. The lab died. WCIA-3's Anna Carrera follows the story.
Police say it was an accident. One officer says they didn't have many options when they saw the dogs fighting.
He says pepper spray doesn't work well on dogs, and even though they're sorry about what happened, it doesn't change the outcome. Dogs are allowed to roam free at the dog park, but as soon as they leave, their owners are supposed to put them on a leash.
"It's so important so that you have control of the dogs, so it doesn't hurt other dogs or get hit by cars or hurt a person."
Some pet owners say they're sad to hear about what happened. One woman says it's situations like this that give pit bulls a bad rap.
"It could have been any other dog that attacked the poor girl's dog on the leash, but it's just a shame because if everybody looked after them properly, things like that wouldn't happen."
Champaign County's Animal Control Director Stephanie Joos says pets are supposed to be on leashes anytime they're in public. Otherwise owners can face a fine and the pet can be impounded.
The rule is to protect animals and anyone they come into contact with. Animal lovers say it could keep problems from happening again.
"Someone should have been looking after it and then things lke that wouldn't happen."
No one has claimed the pit bull. If they do, they face hundreds of dollars in fines. If no one claims the dog, it will be euthanized.
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