In San Francisco a lacrosse coach’s neck is torn, clothes ripped to pieces by huge dogs, leaving her to die.
A 10-year-old boy’s ears are bitten and chewed off by pit bulls in Oakland.
In March, a woman is attacked by three Rottweilers while viewing property in Malibu, leaving her with puncture wounds from her head to her feet.
Another Malibu resident and a companion up in Latigo Canyon are knocked off their motorcycle when a Great Dane attacks them.
And just a few weeks ago, a Malibu resident’s face is left scarred and her leg seriously injured, facing plastic surgery after she is attacked by Dobermans on the beach.
In what seems like continuous news reports of attacks, bites and threatening dogs, residents have expressed concern over what happens after an incident like those described above.
Sgt. Frank Bongiorno, animal control officer from the Lost Hills Animal Control and Shelter, said it all depends on the circumstances.
In the San Francisco death of lacrosse coach Diane Whipple on Jan. 26, the two owners of the hybrid Canary-mastiffs were jailed and indicted in March. Marjorie Knoller, who was present during the attack, faces second-degree murder charges for Whipple’s death. Both she and her husband, Noel, face charges of involuntary manslaughter and keeping a mischievous dog that killed a human being.
In the case of the woman attacked by Rotweilers in Malibu, the owners of the dogs decided to put the dogs to sleep, without a court order.
“[The dogs] were a male, its mate and a male offspring,” said Bongiorno, which he said contributed to “heavy pack mode” among the three Rotweilers.
The owner of the dog who was present during the attack said she could not control the dogs when they attacked, according to Bongiorno. Fearing another episode like that, she brought her husband to the shelter to speak with Bongiorno about what to do with the dogs.
“Once a dog has attacked, most likely it will do it again,” said Bongiorno.
When animal control receives a call about a bite or attack, the first thing that is done is to control the animal. Many times, said Bongiorno, the dog is left in the care of the owner, as long as they can demonstrate that the dog can be contained within their property.
The woman passenger on the motorcycle that was attacked by the Great Dane had more than $75,000 in medical expenses, according to Deputy District Attorney Michael Wilson, stationed in Malibu.
Wilson said that in a case of a dog attack, it should be reported to law enforcement, the dog quarantined and the case delivered to the District Attorney’s office.
Bongiorno said, following an investigation and determination that the Great Dane was a community hazard, the owners have been cited into court and the dog quarantined on their property.
Bongiorno said that the attack of the Malibu resident by Dobermans is still under investigation.
According to Title 10 of the L.A. County Code, if a dog has been determined to pose a threat to public safety, an animal control or law enforcement officer can seize and impound the animal until a hearing can take place.
If the dog is later determined to be potentially dangerous or vicious, the owner is liable for all costs and expenses related to keeping the dog impounded.
A dog is determined to be potentially dangerous if, within a 36 month period, on two separate occasions, has caused a person to defend themselves when off the property of the owner of the dog; when unprovoked, bites a person, causing injury; or has killed, seriously bitten, inflicted injury or otherwise causes injury to another animal.
A “vicious dog” definition, according to Title 10, is determined if the dog has been found to engage or be trained in fighting; if it inflicts severe injury or kills a person; or if it was previously listed as a potentially dangerous dog and it continues behavior as listed under the dangerous dog determination.
Or, in some cases, if the dog poses an immediate threat and cannot be contained, the dog could immediately be put to death (as in the case in Santa Ana where a bull mastiff-Rottweiler was hunted down and shot by police after it mauled a woman.)
Whether the accused dog has bitten another animal or a person, the owner of the dog can be charged with a misdemeanor, which would leave the person with a permanent criminal record.
The court can also order the dog put to death as one of the dogs that attacked the lacrosse coach was.