After Pit Bulls Kill Family's Two Dogs, Parents Seek Ban

Abilene Man Wants Study Done
Abilene, TX - An Abilene man is dismayed after three pit bulls savagely killed his daughter's two small dogs over the weekend. He is calling for a study into the most dangerous breeds of dogs locally and for the worst to be banned. Dee Lott, of the East Radford Hills area, said he felt compelled to push for the ban in the wake of his neighbor's pit bulls killing the miniature schnauzers -- 11-month-old Stone and 4-month-old Belle.

"It was extremely graphic -- like a butcher shop," Lott said. "We have to get a power sprayer to get it (the blood) off the wall."

He and his wife, Laurie, said their daughter had taken the two dogs out that morning and then left to go to Abilene Christian University. A half hour later, "loud, unusual barking" was heard coming from their backyard. When Lott looked out the sliding glass door, he saw the three pit bulls surrounding the family's 11-year-old lab, which was cornered against the glass door. He quickly pulled the lab inside, and one of the pit bulls lunged as the door closed.

One of the pit bulls "hit the sliding door and nearly took it down," Dee Lott said. "They were in such a frenzy, you couldn't believe." After attempting to notify the owner of the pit bulls, the Lotts called 9-1-1. According to the Lotts, two on-duty police officers and an animal control worker spent the next two hours attempting to "contain and capture the three pit bulls." They almost had to shoot the dogs, but they were finally able to loop each one.

In a letter the Lotts wrote describing the incident, they said that besides the "obvious grief from losing our two precious dogs, we are even more concerned for the safety of children and adults from the documented, unpredictable behavior and aggression of the pit bull breed." This is why the Lotts believe a study should be done regarding the "most dangerous dogs" in Abilene. Then ban the top 5 percent of these dogs -- "just not allow them."

Not far from Abilene is the town of Breckenridge where 7-year old Tanner Joshua Monk was killed by several pit bulls in May. The owners of the attacking pit bulls were charged with a felony under Lillian's Law. It took the jury less than one hour to convict. Each received 7 years in jail. Texas state law does not allow for breed-specific law per say, but several cities that are seeking pit bull bans have appealed to the state for lenience toward a ban.

Related articles:
08/20/08: Dog Attacks, Trends and Dog Law Coverage of Texas
05/19/08: 2008 Fatality: Boy Killed by Pit Bulls in Breckenridge, Texas