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Dangerous dogs kill puppy after invading Minneapolis backyard
John Fena and Edwin Schumacher had reservations about the violent crime rate in North Minneapolis, before going with their guts and buying a home on the 1400 block of Emerson. If only they'd known that it would be dangerous 'dogs' that would turn their world upside down. "They're hunting, they're hunting in our yard, and our dogs are the prey," mourned Fena. Schumacher let the couple's two pomeranians out last night just before ten, and soon after heard the rattle of chains. Two pit bulls stood outside their fence looking at the tiny dogs, and it was just seconds before they jumped in and attacked Gretchen, a one-year-old pup weighing just five pounds. "I was trying to get Gretchen out of, I don't know how many mouths, whether it was one or two, just trying to get ahold of her," recalled Fena. "At one point, I had just one of her hind legs, and I thought, if I let go, they're going to tear her apart." At one point, both pit bulls were in the entry way of the home, as the men tried to wrestle Gretchen away from her attackers. They were eventually able to chase them away, but the little pomeranian did not survive. "We're thinking of everything we could've done in hindsight, maybe if I would have grabbed the pipe, we have knives in the kitchen," said Fena. "But nothing outside of a bullet would have stopped that dog." Monday night's attack shows that although Minneapolis authorities have made progress in trying to reduce dangerous dog attacks, unrestrained animals, especially pit bulls, remain a serious problem. "It comes back to personal responsibility and community involvement, with the idea that people need to be responsible for their animals, and people need to call us if we see that responsibility not being met," explained Dan Niziolek, manager of Minneapolis Animal Care and Control. While a recently strengthened ordinance resulted in a significant increase in fines, dangerous dog designations, and the number of animals put down, Niziolek says 'everyone' needs to stay vigilant. "We can't be everywhere, we're dependant on people, if they see problematic situations, that we know about them. If they see at large, aggressive dogs that we are made aware of it," said Niziolek. John Fema and Edwin Schumacher say that won't be a problem. They called KARE 11 to make sure their story is heard. "Everybody knows your dog has to be on a leash, I mean in the city, it's like a law," reflected Shumacher. "But for some crazy reason I feel that some people who own this breed of dog don't feel like it's their responsibility to follow the same rules." Fema was more blunt in his plea for change. "Don't our dogs, our pets have rights as well? I mean, she (Gretchen)was viciously attacked, if that had been a baby, someone's child, all hell would break loose."
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