Wednesday, May 31, my daughter was walking our little doggie. The other guy, the same age as my daughter, around 18 or 19, was walking two dogs, a pitbull and a boxer. So, the pitbull lost the leash, attacked my doggie, and tried to attack my daughter. My daughter tries to defend herself and our furry, so she hit the pitbull to make him release our dog. My daughter was desperate and screamed loud to the guy, "grab your dog," and at that moment, a few neighbors got out to help her. My nephew ran after the scream and then ran to tell us that our doggy was bitten. My wife and I got out and saw our dog covered in blood. The neighbor helping my daughter told us: "you have to take your dog to the vet urgently; she is bleeding a lot." We took her to the closest 24h Vet Hospital, and there, they treated her with pain medication and antibiotics and did stitches in all her wounds. So, long story short, my sweet doggie can't make it because she will need a second surgery due to the gravity of her wounds and pass away Thursday afternoon. I join my wife in begging all dog owners, especially those with aggressive breeds, and the owners can't control it: PLEASE USE STRONG HARTNES, LEASH, or MUZZLE. My family and I, we are devastated. We lost our family member. She was smart, understood English and Spanish, and was with us for ten years, and we lost her due to the negligence of the other's dog owner when he couldn't control his dog.   ​  

As a community, we are concerned about the increasing number of dog attacks on innocent people and other animals. It is unacceptable that some dog owners do not take responsibility for their pets' actions, leaving victims suffering without recourse.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), approximately 4.5 million dog bites occur yearly in the United States, with nearly one in five requiring medical attention. Furthermore, a study by the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) found that more than half of all dog bites occur on the victim's property or neighborhood.

We believe it is time for lawmakers to adjust laws to enforce dog owners to take responsibility for their dogs' actions. This includes holding them accountable when their dogs attack other animals or people.

Currently, many states have laws that hold dog owners liable for damages caused by their pets. However, these laws are often difficult to enforce and do not always provide adequate compensation for victims.

We urge lawmakers to consider implementing stricter penalties for negligent or reckless pet owners who fail to train or control their dogs correctly. This could include fines, mandatory training classes, and even criminal charges in severe cases.

Additionally, we call on lawmakers to increase funding for animal control agencies and shelters to better respond to reports of dangerous dogs in our communities.

It is time we take action against irresponsible pet ownership and protect innocent victims from harm. We ask you, as our representatives, to prioritize this issue and make meaningful changes that will keep our communities safe from dangerous dogs.