Officials say the pit bullterrier ripped the chest and throat of a greyhound and bit its owner.
By MAURA HALPERN
Published June 30, 2004
ST. PETERSBURG - A woman and her pet greyhound are both left with injuries after a pit bullterrier attacked them, according to a police report.
Judy Sidney, 45, was walking her greyhound, Duke, on his leash about 10:30 a.m. Saturday in an alley near her home on 90th Avenue N and Eighth Street when the gate to a nearby back yard opened, letting out a pitbull, the report said.
According to police, Mrs. Sidney's husband heard her screaming, went to the alley and found the pitbull's jaws "clamped around the neck of their greyhound." The pitbull also bit Mrs. Sidney on the leg. The report did not explain how the attack was broken up.
Dianne Jordan, a friend of Mrs. Sidney, spoke with her after the attack and said the pitbull snapped at the greyhound, ripping the dog's chest and throat, leaving it bleeding severely. Duke is in serious condition, they said. According to police reports, when officers arrived they found the gray and white pitbull enclosed in a nearby yard. The report did not specify how the dog was returned to the yard.
An officer contacted the Pinellas County Animal Control unit, which took the dog and placed it into quarantine.
Mrs. Sidney and her husband, Allan, declined to comment for this story.
Mrs. Sidney owns two other dogs, including another greyhound - Duke's sister.
The dog, named Blue, is documented as a previous biter and registered in Pinellas County.
The dog will remain quarantined for at least 10 days, where animal control officers will conduct a "dangerous dog" investigation.
"We will contact previous victims and owners, and once everything has been received from present or past witnesses, the case is placed in front of directors where they decide if the dog is classified as dangerous," said Linda Britland, senior animal control officer at the county animal control office. "But at this point, nothing has been determined."
Animal control records indicate that Blue is vaccinated and all shots are up to date.
Britland said animal control dealt with more than 2,700 animal bites last year. Depending on the severity of the case and the history, the county opens an investigation.
"This is a very common occurance here," Britland said. "The pitbull's last attack history was not enough to classify it as dangerous, but there is a possibility it could with this incident."
- Staff writer Maura Halpern can be reached at 727 892-2271 or mhalpern@sptimes.com
