Dogs' fate awaits ruling in attack on SMUD worker

A county hearing officer will decide the fate of two pit bull terriers involved in an attack that shocked one veteran animal control official by its intensity.

The June 16 attack on Tim Tillman, an adjuster for Sacramento Municipal Utility District, was discussed last week during a lengthy vicious-dog hearing convened by the Sacramento County Department of Animal Care and Regulation.

Tillman suffered bite wounds on both arms and a mangled hand that required surgery.

"It is one of the worst bites I have seen," said Ruben Hernandez, senior animal control officer. He said county officials would have pursued a vicious dog hearing even if Tillman had decided not to press the case.

The incident was one of several serious dog attacks in Sacramento County last month.

On the same day Tillman was attacked, a woman and her Pomeranian were jumped by a stray dog in Tempo Park in Citrus Heights.

Pool lifeguards and bystanders rushed to help Deborah Craig-Janelli, but not before the stray shook her dog, Sweetpea, like a rubber dog toy. Craig-Janelli suffered a broken finger, cuts and bruises. Sweetpea survived with a broken leg and puncture wounds.

Animal control officers are still looking for the stray, which was described as a large black and white dog, possibly a pit bull or English bull terrier.

On June 6, Florin area resident Edgar Guzman watched in horror as a pit bull ripped open the throat and chest of his 7-pound Pomeranian, Snickerz. Guzman said he threw the attacking animal off his dog. A neighbor then struck the pit bull with a sledgehammer, but it still got away. The incident occurred on Bulwick Court, off Waterman Road.

Despite serious injuries, Snickerz also survived. "He is a miracle dog," Guzman said.

While officials are not seeing a serious increase in dog bites, their statistics indicate residents should be on guard.

In June, officials recorded 123 bite reports involving dogs or cats and 69 dogs were quarantined for observation after biting someone. Animal control officers also responded to 87 reports of stray, aggressive dogs and 172 reports of dogs running loose.

Those numbers are average, and a little jump is expected in summer, said Hernandez, the animal control officer.

Tillman, the SMUD adjuster, was attacked by pit bulls Brutus and Smokey when he went to a home on the 600 block of Rye Way in Carmichael to collect payment or disconnect service. He escaped from the dogs by diving into a passing postal service truck when letter carrier Jim Daley rushed to his assistance.

During last week's hearing, the dogs' owner, Cynthia Peters, disputed some of Tillman's testimony, especially his version of the events just before the dogs attacked him.

She questioned why SMUD would send a worker onto her property when it already had information about her dogs.

Tillman told hearing officer Karyl L. Marsh that the gate to the property was open and could not be latched. When the dogs first appeared, he decided to try to handle them because he did not think he could safely get back to his truck if he made a run for it.

He was using his dog stick and a plastic trash can to block the dogs and move them back toward the door. The dog stick is a 3-foot wooden rod with a tennis ball on the end.

As he was trying to maneuver, Peters came out and incited the attack, Tillman said.

"My dogs did not bite him until he hit them with his stick," Peters said. She emphasized that she would never encourage her dogs to attack, because they would "end up in jail."

But Peters also acknowledged that she has never sought professional training for her animals, licensed them or provided them with rabies shots.

"This was a severe attack," Hernandez said. "My recommendation is that the animals not be returned and that they be destroyed."

Marsh, the hearing officer, said she probably will issue a decision by Wednesday.

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