On July 1st, 2020 my 11 year old dog, Rosemary, was out in my yard, doing her business, when my neighbor crossed the street and approached my property with her dog. Her dogs, a young pit bull’s, loud and continuous barking lured my dog over to the edge of my yard where the pit bull viciously attacked her. The dog actually ripped her eye right out of her head. The woman walking the dog didn’t seem upset or bothered by the sudden attack at all. She just continued on her way like nothing happened.

If this wasn’t bad enough, when the police were called they didn’t even acknowledge us, instead talking to the perpetrators first and then refusing to listen to me and my family, who were the actual victims, when we tried to tell them what happened. It seemed very much like they were protecting our neighbors.

 We also contacted animal control in Stamford like you’re supposed to when something like this happens, but we received the same treatment. Not only did they talk to our neighbors first, it was almost a week before we heard back, despite numerous phone calls. I found out today that neither the police or animal control have taken any of the steps required by law when something like this happens, ie. quarantining the dangerous (unlicensed and unvaccinated)dog, even though they told me they had. 

Rosemary is a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel who suffers from sever neurological problems which have caused her to become temporarily and completely paralyzed in the past. She has been and will be on pain meds for the rest of her life as a result. She’s also in heart failure as well, for which she will also be on meds for the rest of her life. Despite that, and the fact that she now only has one eye, animal control and the police have chosen to believe that she somehow must have posed a threat and therefore deserved to be attacked, because that’s what our neighbors told them. 

I would also like to point out that Rosemary along with our other dog and cats are fully vaccinated, because unlike my neighbors, my family cares about the safety and well being of our pets and we actually follow the law. It seemed odd to me that neither the police or animal control cared at all that our neighbors were willfully and openly breaking the law in at least that regard.

Throughout this horrible experience no one has listened or acknowledged my family or how we were victimized, not just by our neighbors but by the very organizations that are supposed to protect us. I don’t want this swept under a rug, or dismissed as if we don’t matter. Law enforcement should be held accountable when they drop the ball. Please help me make sure what happened to Rosemary and my family doesn’t happen to anyone else.

Thank you

The Bell and Lande Family

and our Cavaliers, Rosemary and Charlie