Pit bull fatally attacks greyhound in Lake Worth
By Kara Kostanich email
Posted by Rachel Leigh email
LAKE WORTH, FL (WFLX) - An aggressive dog has a neighborhood of pet owners on alert. That's because an innocent Italian greyhound is dead after being attacked by a pit bull. It happened when the owner was walking the small dog outside his Lake Worth apartment.
"The dog is a vicious animal; it shouldn't be allowed out in public anymore. It killed my dog," said Rich Metzger who owned the small dog.
The pit bull ran through a sliding glass door that had been mistakenly left open by it's owner. Now, the dog is being quarantined at Palm Beach County Animal Care and Control.
"Unfortunately, things did happen; my dog is animal aggressive," said Isaac Sutton who owns the 5-year-old pit bull.
Harley, the pit bull, attacked the Italian greyhound, puncturing his lung and ripping his stomach wall, leaving the small canine nearly lifeless.
"I had to put him to sleep because of the damage," said Metzger.
According to county animal control, this isn't the first time Harley has been involved in a fight with another dog. The female pit bull was quarantined inside her owners house for 10 days after the first incident.
"It extremely concerns us especially if the owner has knowledge that the dog could possibly do this and still makes the mistake to let it happen again; that is completely unnecessary," said Capt. Dave Waleskey with county animal control.
Now Metzger is left without his beloved dog and a vet bill totaling $1,100. Sutton, the pit bull's owner, says he takes partial responsibility for this deadly incident and will pay for veterinary expenses. But, Metzger says, he is yet to pay up.
"If I could have done anything, I would have traded places any day, and I am very sorry it happened," said Sutton.
This case is under investigation as officials work to determine how dangerous the pit bull is. County animal control says the dog will likely be returned to Sutton who could face a citation for breaking the leash law.
