Loripodpora

Originally Posted by Loripodpora

Hi,
My name is Lori and I live in Pennsylvania. I recently lost my dog, I believe, due to the bias involving Pitbulls. I had a beautiful, affectionate, well-trained dog that the neighbors taunted and provoked until they got what they wanted.

Delilah came into our lives when she was 9 weeks old. She was the sweetest dog you'd ever meet. Everyone we met, loved her, except my neighbors on either side of me.

Both sides have dogs that were not used to having anyone living here because the house was vacant for 2+ years before I bought it. Therefore, everytime we would come outside the dogs would bark. That's fine, I understand that. I had my Golden Mix, Meggie, only for the first 2 years here. Those dogs were relentless with barking aggressively at the fences to provoke Meggie. There didn't seem to be a problem with that as there were never any complaints made by either neighbor. (Nor did they correct their dogs).

On the 3rd year here, we brought Delilah into our home. Now, I never saw her parents, so I don't know for sure what breed/breeds she might have been. All I know is she was the cutest puppy, her eyes expressive and her smile was brilliant! She got along great with Meggie!

11 months later, my 10 yr old girls were walking her in a snow storm and a woman was coming down the street as they were leaving my Mom's house. The puppy started barking at her. She continued to approach holding a snow shovel. My daughter says the lady put her hand down to puppy as she was barking and her forearm got bumped by a puppy tooth. The woman, according to her Police Report, "thought nothing of it" regarding the injury since it was the size of a pinprick and wasn't bleeding, She says she only wanted to verify that the puppy had had her Rabies shot. She could have asked ME!
So Police and Dog Warden make their visit.

1 year later, after enduring many a dog fight at the fences provoked by the other dogs next door, I let my girls out after I came home from work. OMG! My neighbor was taking down the fence! He should have given me advanced warning. Was he crazy? Or was he inviting trouble to ultimately get rid of my dog? I think, looking back, the latter. Delilah jumped over the fence and went after this 'man with the mean dogs" that was coming into her yard and attacked him. Not viciously, tugging at his pant leg and regrabbing after he continued to kick at her. He went into his tool shed and came out a few minutes later and showed me 1 solitary puncture wound mid thigh, she never grabbed him above the knee!

Police, dog Warden involved again. Told my side of story and in Police Incident report, there is no mention of the fact that he was taking fence down! Only says Delilah jumped fence and went after him.

So far, it's becoming evident that people are not to be trusted. They will lie if it is to their advantage. One day I found a man and 2 kids standing at my back gate waving a 3 ft long pipe at my dogs! What was he doing walking down the street with a pipe? Furthermore, when I came to the gate, it was unlatched! What was going on there?....He called the police and told them he was just walking by and my dogs were barking aggressively at him, especially the little one(Delilah)! People are crazy!

Most recently, my dogs were out in my yard, (surrounded by 6ft privacy fence now) and I was watering flowers when my daughter told me through the kitchen window that Delilah was at the fence. I looked and saw that the neighbor's dog, Snowy, was provoking Delilah through the fence, barking and growling aggressively, pushing her body through the fence. Delilah was starting to retaliate as I came forward. I squirted the hose at both of them, but realized that Delilah had been bit in the jowl. She retreated from the confrontation and walked away. In my rush to prevent a full blown dog fight I left the gate open. Delilah decided to follow my cat out of the gate. When she reached the street, I called her back. She was returning to me when Snowy started up again at her front fence. Of course, Delilah went to that fence. I ran over and retrieved her. Neighbor screaming at me that he's "going to shoot that dog". Again, Police and Dog Warden.

I told police about everything including the fact that Snowy bit Delilah while she had her head completely throught the fence. All he told me was that the neighbor's "wanted something done". Well, I guess they got what they wanted.

Dog Warden came and took Delilah, mailed me a Summons for "Harbouring a Dangerous Dog" brought her to the SPCA in Williamsport. He told me that they MAY do an assessment to see if she was adoptable and that he would put in a good word for her. ( She was always polite and friendly to him on his visits) I think he liked her.

I called the following day to get a status update on her, they told me the Warden brought her in, told them she was a dangerous dog and that by law they HAD to euthanize her. WHAT HAPPENED TO THE ASSESSMENT?
they are a No-Kill Shelter! Why didn't they check her out? Why did they kill my sweet dog.

She was not yet deemed a dangerous dog, I only received the summons the day after they took her away. She was an innocent victim to the bias against pitbulls. They all insisted she was a pitbull ot "pitbull type" I NEVER would have allowed him to take her if I knew they were going to kill her. I would have fought the summons, but the Warden told me, "you won't win". Sadly, I found out after that even if I didn't win, I could have appealed!~

This was so Unfair to Delilah! We loved her so much! I miss her terribly....I believe she was murdered. I believe they handled this all wrong....They should have assessed her, they shouldn't have lied and said she was "dangerous". The only time she became aggressive was when she was provoked! If someone was provoking me on the other side of a fence constantly and then they came after me, I'd fight back! And I wouldn't get arrested for it. I'm on my own property! If someone provoked me as I walked down the street I might react, but I'm a human, I use logic. I know what is legal and what is not, a dog doesn't have this ability!

We are heartbroken, empty, shocked, sad, devastated and mad!
The local newspaper (newsitem.com) is publishing a story in tomorrows issue regarding my experiences, feelings and hopes for a change in dog breed discrimination. I only hope it does just one person and/or dog some good. In Delilah's memory, I had to DO something.

If anyone has more suggestions for me, please share them.
thank you for taking the time to hear my story.
Lori & family