Two pit bulls confiscated after attack kills neighbors' pet

By Ryan Lillis - rlillis@sacbee.com

Published 8:13 am PDT Wednesday, March 26, 2008
Story appeared in METRO section, Page B4

The Porter family of midtown Sacramento hoped to spend Sunday afternoon looking for Easter eggs in their backyard.

But their plans gave way to heartbreak when they came home from church to discover a pair of pit bulls had broken through their fence and killed their 11-year-old dog, a terrier mix.

The pit bulls were taken into custody by the city's Animal Care Services and are still at the department's shelter while authorities investigate the incident, said spokeswoman Rhea Serran.

Jenni and Marc Porter planned to hide Easter eggs in their backyard for their two children, 8-year-old Ryan and 5-year-old Michael. However, as they approached their home on 25th Street around 12:30 p.m., they saw several neighbors and animal control officers in front of the house.

"They immediately told us to get the kids in the house and keep the windows shut," Jenni Porter said.

They were told that two pit bulls had ripped a hole in a fence surrounding their dog run and pulled out their terrier mix, Millie, killing the 25-pound dog. The officers and neighbors were "trying to clean up before we got home with our kids," Jenni Porter said.

The Porters' other dog, a 14-year-old Lab named Murphy, was not hurt.

The two pit bulls were taken into custody by animal services officers soon after the attack. Neighbors later told Porter the dogs had been seen running through nearby streets, she said.

Porter said a couple stopped by their home while her husband was cleaning up after the incident and asked if anyone had seen their two pit bulls. The couple was told what had happened and said they were going to the animal care shelter.

The couple later returned to the Porters' home and were "very remorseful, very apologetic," Jenni Porter said. The owners told Porter their dogs had never hurt anyone before.

Porter said she and her older son have both had nightmares since the attack.

"I won't feel settled until I know what the fate of these dogs will be," she said.

She added she hopes the attack reminds pit bull owners to be vigilant about keeping track of their dogs.

"I hope my dog didn't die in vain," she said. "My biggest hope is that these pit bulls don't come back and hurt somebody else."

About the writer:

Call The Bee's Ryan Lillis, (916) 321-1085.

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Two pit bulls confiscated after attack kills neighbors' pet

By Ryan Lillis - rlillis@sacbee.com

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