Pit bull attack has Echo Park dog owners taking up arms

A vicious dog attack in Echo Park is prompting some dog owners to arm themselves.

Jenny Burman, who watches Echo Park on the Chicken Corner blog, reports that a small dog was recently attacked by a pit bull in the neighborhood. The attack highlights growing concerns by some about dangerous pit bulls in Echo Park, she said, and it's caused an extreme response on the Web.

"The attack quickly led to an extended song of fear on the list serv: Dog owners who fear for their safety and the safety of their dogs. One woman says she has a .22 and is considering bringing it with her to the park so that she can shoot a dangerous dog if it tries to attack one of her four dogs," Burman wrote. "Another woman says she already carries a stun wand. Someone asked where to get one. At least two maybe three say they pack pepper spray, but one person says it's hard to use."

Read more here

Here are some other interesting L.A. reads on the Web today: 

SANTA MONICA GROWTH WARS: There's another push in Santa Monica to reduce development, at least temporarily. From the Argonaut: "Due to the impending review of the environmental impact report on Santa Monica’s future land use guidelines, City Councilman Kevin McKeown will be asking his council colleagues to place a “temporary hold” on all development agreements, including the massive mixed-use complex planned near Bergamot Station."

DENNY'S COMES TO EAST L.A.: There's a lot of excitement as the Eastside nabs a sit-down chain eatery, according to Eastside L.A.: "It is one of the few sit-down, chain restaurants to operate in unincorporated East Los Angeles, which is still dominated by mom-and pop taquerias and independent restaurants. The last real estate boom saw the arrival of other major restaurant and coffee house chains that have brought a suburban flavor to parts of East Los Angeles, including a Starbucks on Third Street and a Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf on Mednik."

Have some news for Linking L.A.? Contact Times reporter Anthony Pesce at newstips@latimes.com.

Comments

[Andy]

I just have to say, there are pit bulls and there are pit bulls. I wish the author had clarified whether the pit bull (and the other dog) were on leashes. I have a super people-friendly neutered pit bull mix who only gets aggressive with un-neutered males (of which there are far too many in this city), so he is always on leash when we walk, and I am careful to keep him away from other dogs until I know he's ok with them. But if someone's un-neutered puppy is off-leash, and runs up to my dog, we might have a problem (which has happened). So does that make it my fault? I'm not saying the other dog owners don't have a right to protect themselves and their dogs (especially if this dog was off-leash), but please try to be as clear as possible in future articles. Pits get enough bad press, and a situation like this could just have easily involved any number of other large breeds.

[ogezzy]

what is a " Dangerous dog" sounds like breed discrimination to me, just because a Pit bull fought with a small dog does not mean that the pit bull was at fault, we all know how annoying and antagonizing small dogs are so I'm sure it was barking uncontrollably and maybe even snapped at the pit.

Were talking about pets, this crazy lady is gonna bring a gun, and the other is gonna bring a stun gun, man I'm glad I don't go to echo park dog parks.

[WP]

unfortunately for responsible dog owners, there are a good amount of pit-bull (and other fight dog breeds) owners who like to let their dogs loose on other dogs for fight practice. Add to this the more than plenty un-responsible and clueless dog owners of all types that don't know how to control their dogs. And then add that there is basically no protection or legal recourse if you or your dog gets mauled or killed. And you get people arming themselves. I don't think it's a great idea to carry a pistol out for a dog walk, but a person does have a right to walk around the city without fear of being attacked by a dog.

[Michael P.H. Barnett]

There is an old man that walks in Wimbledon Park in Costa Mesa in the early morning. When I was walking my three dogs and had stopped to pick up their poop he walked right up to my dogs and said he will squirt my dogs and me if they attack him. He then showed me something he was holding in his hand but I didn't get a good look at it because I was trying to keep my dogs from jumping up on him. I told him we're not afaid of being squirted with some water. He said it's not water as he walked around my dogs and continued on his walk. If you're walking your dogs in or around Wimbledon Park in Costa Mesa watch out for this guy!

[Steve]

Breed discrimination? The probems with pit bulls are two: the repercussions if they do become aggressive (if a poodle does, the consequences are much less); and, the tendency by many to train pit bulls to be aggressive, whether as protection or even as a sick "sport" of dog fighting (I volunteered at an animal shelter and saw many pit bulls which were not aggressive and used as bait to train aggressive dogs). If there were more prosecutions for dog fighting, and a bigger spaying and neutering program, the problem wold diminish.

[ohwell]

The BIGGEST PROBLEM is if you have a pit bull or ANY kind of dog , in the park on the street etc....is that IT SHOULD PROBABLY BE ON A LEASH ! (and while your at it , please pick up your dog turds ! )
For years , all the Yuppies that have gentrified the neighborhood ignore signs in Elysian Park about having dogs leashed , and we cant even jog on the trails anymore like we had for the last 30 years ! Its turned into a Runyon Canyon ! The dogs are not at fault , the OWNERS ARE!

[cheska crawford]

Owners have liability over their pets and so they must always be kept on leash in order to prevent animal attacks that could cause them trouble. It is unclear in this particular story how things happened but for dog owners, it should remind them of their responsibility and accountability in attacks made by their pets.

[syscom3]

Owning a Pit Bull is like giving a child a loaded gun. Sooner or later it will go off and the results will be tragic.

[Jennifer Martinez]

Can you please link to the original list serv so readers can get original information? This post is just fanning the fire.

[Michael P.H. Barnett]

This article isn't about a fire. It is about a Pit Bull attack in Echo Park.

None of my dogs are Pit Bulls and all of them are on leashes whenever they are on Public Property.

[Tom]

Folks, the pit bull breed was DEVELOPED FOR DOG FIGHTS. That was the sole purpose they have been bred for.

So yes, if you own a pit bull you should expect a lot of problems around other dogs.

[Schigolch]

The best solution to aggressive dogs is a .44 magnum.

[Faith]

I have been following pit bull attacks in the news for 10 years since I had a run in with my baby while strolling back in 2000. I have read of hundreds of people (many, many small children) getting their faces and limbs ripped off. Often remaining disfigured for life and sometimes dying from the attack. I read the same thing over and over by pit bull lovers. "Blame the deed, not the breed!" "It is the owner, not the dog!" "You are discriminating against pit bulls!" Yet, I read again and again and again that the attacking dog was often "a friendly family dog" "he never showed aggression." "He snapped." Having a pit bull in the neighborhood is like having a terrorist living there. You never know when the bomb is going to go off and cause death, disfiguration and destruction. SOMETHING must be done. I don't want to read of one more life ruined because of these ugly beasts. Whether it is a child or innocent pet, this should not be happening. Ban them.