Owner identified in Saline dog attack; contests initial police report
The owner of a dog accused of attacking and injuring another dog on Saline’s north side last month identified herself to police but disputes the other dog owner's version of events.
The woman came forward last week after learning a subpoena was issued to her cell phone provider to verify her identity, police reports said. Police requested the subpoena after multiple attempts to contact her about the Sept. 29 attack were unsuccessful.
A Saline woman reported her golden retriever was attacked by a dog that was on the same sidewalk in the 400 block of Berkshire Drive at about 4:45 p.m. She said the dog was on a leash, but pulled the 12-year-old girl holding the leash toward them.
The golden retriever suffered a serious leg injury that required sutures, and incurred a $433 veterinarian bill, reports said. The injured dog’s owner obtained a cell phone number for the girl, but told police a woman who described herself as her mother hung up on her when she called.
That woman told police her daughter said the golden retriever came after her dog while the girl was occupied trying to pick up her dog’s waste. Officers cited the woman for having an unlicensed dog, but she came to Saline City Hall within the hour to obtain a license and show officers the animal’s vaccination records, reports said.
The woman told officers she planned to contact her attorney about the incident. The report will be forwarded to the city attorney’s office for review.
Art Aisner is a freelance writer for AnnArbor.com. Reach the news desk at news@annarbor.com or 734-623-2530.
Comments
paul mitchell
Mon, Nov 29, 2010 : 8:51 p.m.
trufbtold- I find your comment very interesting as I am a resident in the condo association that you and gringa just lived from. For the record, your dog attacked your neighbors dog, not once but twice. The first time your dog was on a rope tied out behind your condo, the rope went well past the sidewalk, which is a common area. You should have had the sense to make sure your dog could not get anywhere anyone or any other dog, but you lacked sense in that situation. The second attack, your dog broke out of your house, and managed to get out of a garage door with less than 8 inches of clearance, once again, you were not thinking. In addition to the two attacks on your neighbors dog, your dog attacked another dog that lives in the same community. And I am sure that your neighbor freely sent her children over to your place, probably with hotdogs in hand as a treat for your dog. You are very lucky that your neighbor did not sue you, I know for a fact that she had been approached by other concerned home owners to do so, but she did not. Apparently you had told her and her husband that you would be getting rid of your dog within 60 days of the attack. You chose not to, maybe it was due to the fact that either 1- you lied, 2-you just don't stand by your word, or 3- it had something to do with the business that you were running out of your home....yes we all knew about it and so did the police. Let's not forget that you pleaded guilty to having a vicious animal....not your neighbor and her children. So Amber, we are the happy ones that you and your dog are gone. Your dog can terrorize another community.
trufbtold
Wed, Nov 17, 2010 : 1:28 p.m.
im so glad me and gringa got out of saline! my neighbor made such a big deal about my dog attacking hers i had to move! she claimed her kids were affraid to go outside but she had no problem sending her kids to my door knowing the dog was behind it! even after the court let me keep my dog she complained to the association and they thretened to put a lean on my property so i moved!
RJA
Fri, Nov 5, 2010 : 2:40 p.m.
I won't make a comment on dogs attacking other dogs, it would not be printed. (other than my dog weighs 12 lbs. I weigh about 150, and couldn't protect him from the attack).
BSEGALZ
Fri, Nov 5, 2010 : 8:33 a.m.
The dog on dog crime in Saline is reaching epidemic proportions!!! I would never want to raise a family of dogs there.
treetowncartel
Thu, Nov 4, 2010 : 4:41 p.m.
As I said when tssi was first reported, what a tragic waste of a teaching opportunity for your child, regardless of which dog did what.
mlivesaline
Thu, Nov 4, 2010 : 3:48 p.m.
She disputes the account huh? And she hung up on the woman who's dog was attacked? Real mature. Aren't police reports public knowledge? Why doesn't this article name these two adult women? I agree with the earlier comment regarding the hang up. Very cowardly. If it's possible I hope that someone sheds some light on who these two women are.
jcj
Thu, Nov 4, 2010 : 2:45 p.m.
When they start giving IQ test to prospective dog owners I will have more confidence in certain breeds.
Atticus F.
Thu, Nov 4, 2010 : 2:29 p.m.
Don Crawford, you should also note that certain breeds were bred for certain purposes. Some dogs do have aggressive genes, and were intentionally bred to be aggressive and teritorial. Not saying that these types of breeds are terrible...Just saying that owners of such breeds need to be especially careful in training their dogs. In other words, owning one of these breeds is not for the irresponsible.
djm12652
Thu, Nov 4, 2010 : 2:07 p.m.
@Don Crawford, you fail to miss my point. A extremely friendly, vivacious 100 lb Lab would be difficult for an 80 lb child to hang on to..so yes, the size of the dog, which I tried to ascertain by the breed...is relevant. And my tone was not sarcastic, I was curious as to the level of expertise you have acheived in dog handling and/or breeding. And I have never linked breed to agression. With numerous large breed dogs in my past, I will tell you my Chihuahua is far more dangerous to someone putting their hand in my car window than any of my Dobies were.
Don
Thu, Nov 4, 2010 : 1:53 p.m.
@djm12652 - The sarcastic tone isn't at all necessary. I was simply highlighting the fact that so many people seem to think that certain breeds of dogs are vicious (pit bulls,rottweilers, dobermans, etc.) which isn't at all true. After all, there are several communities in the area that have either banned certain breeds, or have attempted to ban certain breeds of dogs within city limits; and to be honest, I could see people in Saline pushing for an ordinance to ban so-called "vicious" breeds. The size of the dog is relevant, but I have seen children lose control of beagles in my neighborhood; so judgments can't be made solely on the size of the so called "attacker" dog. But I will admit that size of the dog is one of many factors that need to be looked at here.
djm12652
Thu, Nov 4, 2010 : 1:24 p.m.
@Don Crawfor, a former Doberman breeder and show handler the breed has a lot to do with the situation. My rescue dog, a Great Dane Pitbull mix "Jake" [RIP miss ya Jake]...weighed 145 lbs and would have been more difficult to handle [had he not been trained]than my current 13 lb lap dog...I was just trying to figure out how the handler lost control of the dog and if by the breed, ergo size, this dog was more dog than a child should be allowed to handle when not properly trained. And how long have you been breeding dogs, showing dogs, training dogs? I started in 1978...
Don
Thu, Nov 4, 2010 : 1:06 p.m.
@djm12652 - I don't see how the breed of the dog is relevant. The myth about all dogs of certain breeds being vicious, is just that, a myth. It's the owner that makes a dog vicious, loving, etc.; not the breed of the dog.
Allison
Thu, Nov 4, 2010 : 12:51 p.m.
If the Golden truly was the one in the wrong why didn't the girls mother call the police on the owner of the golden? Why did it take her so long to get in touch with the police? If you are not guilty you would want your story to be heard you would go to the police right away after going to a vet to make sure your dog was okay. Sounds like she is trying to hide something.
Smiley
Thu, Nov 4, 2010 : 12:22 p.m.
The 'hang up' and refusal to communicate is what I find deplorable. I've seen several dogs owners quickly flee parks with their pets after an incident. The lack of personal responsability is astounding.
Ricebrnr
Thu, Nov 4, 2010 : noon
Well gee, that's what kinda happens when you hang up and refuse contact. You don't argue your side of the case then there is only the one initial report. First to report gets to be the good guy...
djm12652
Thu, Nov 4, 2010 : 11:55 a.m.
what breed was the "alleged" attacker dog?