In Memory

Scout, our Jack Russell and Sabel, our black lab.

This post is written more for my healing, but I do want people to be aware without having to repeat all the details.

This past Tuesday night/Wednesday morning, four Pit Bulls chewed (there was no hole) through our fence and attacked our two dogs. It was a horrible. We woke up to the sound of Scout yelping and ran to the back door to see the 4 pits surrounding Scout. I banged on the door and the look the 4 dogs gave me was terrifiying. The only word to describe them is possessed. Brent called 911 and I went to Claire who had woken up. I stayed with Claire playing her music box over and over so she couldn't hear the attack. While Brent was on the phone, he grabbed his gun, but fortunately, he did not open the door. I know it was hard for him to watch as the pits finished with Scout and started to attack Sabel. Scout had tried to fight, but Sabel, who was 11, was just trying to hide, but they attacked her anyway. I also know though that if Brent had opened the door to shoot the pits, that he would have been able to get one, but the other three would have attacked him and then gotten into the house.

Three police men did arrive and went out back and were able to shoot two of the dogs with bean bags, but two got away. As soon as the police men walked out, Scout hobbled in. I picked her up and wrapped her in a towel and Brent picked up Sabel. He took both of them to the Vet ER and I stayed with the police and Claire until Animal Controll got there. At the ER the girls got pain meds right away as the doctor examined them. In the end Brent called and we decided that the most loveing thing we could do for them was to let them go. Scout, could not have lived. Sabel had a little better chance if she hadn't been so old, but she would probably have never recovered and lived the rest of her life in constant pain and suffering.

The whole thing is just so pointless. Our sweet girls did not deserve this. I have so many pictures of Claire loving on them. They were both great with her. Claire used to grab onto Sabel's fur to pull herself up when she was learning to walk. And Scout was truly Claire's best friend. Claire knows that the girls were hurt and that the police and vet came to help, but that they were hurt so badly that they can't come home again. It took quite a bit of repeating for her to understand, but since our talk Wednesday night, she hasn't asked again. She has however asked when we are getting another dog.

The Pit bull owners have taken responcibility and have been fined by the city. That doesn't seem like enough. We aren't sure what to do now. I am still in mourning, Brent is angry. A civil suit will probably be filed. The 2 pits that were captured have been put down, but the scariest part is that 2 are still roaming. It took Brent several hours to clean up the back yard and even now three days later there is still a smell. I am afraid to take the trash out at night. I make Claire get in the car before I will open the garage door. Little things are emotinally hard, like going for a walk after dinner and not getting the leash. Opening the cabinet and seeing the container of chew sticks. But I am thankful. Thankful that it was in the middle of the night and that Claire was not out back at the time. Thankful that the policemen came. Thankful that neither Brent, Claire or any of the policemen were hurt.

Thanks for reading.

Christine