A 10-year-old male chihuahua mix was allegedly attacked by an unattended pit bull in North Hollywood on May 30 and had to be euthanized because of his injuries.
Local resident Dylan Reynolds said he was walking his pet Chico around 8:30 a.m. when the pit bull ran to the front yard of a home in the 11100 block of Tiara St. Reynolds says he believes the backyard gate was left open.
The pit bull allegedly bit Reynolds, but he is recovering. Chico, he says, wasn't so lucky. Reynolds recalls the pit bull tearing the flesh of his dog's leg.
"The vision of this is permanently seared in my mind," he said.
An officer with the county's animal control office would not comment on the alleged attack because of an ongoing investigation.
A report from VCA Arden Animal Hospital states that Chico suffered neck wounds, possible cervical fractures, proximal humeral fractures and other injuries. It was then that Reynolds decided to put his dog down.
The pit bull's owner, Veronica Garcia, did not want to comment on this story. Her attorney, Michael Montgomery, also declined to speak with Patch.
Reynolds says he does plan on taking legal action, but that he hopes there's more people can learn from his tragedy.
"You have to take responsibility if you have a potential threat to other people and if you can't handle it, you should not have a dog," he said.
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