About 3 years ago my 2 dogs, 1) Caddy, husky lab mix 9 yrs old now and 2) Thai, Australian Shepard 5 yrs, chased a feral cat (14 years old) that the neighbors up the street had been feeding for years. They chased it into a sewer, as a result the cat died. I had to go to dog court at Animal Control, the cat people explained it was a feral cat that had been around for years and was probably 14 yrs old and they wanted me to pay the 600 vet bill. AC could not order me to pay but deemed my dogs dangerous. As a result of being deemed dangerous I had to pay fines, and adhere to all sorts of stipulations.

About 1.5 years ago they got loose (without incident) but someone called the police then AC came to my home while I was at work and took the dogs from my second story porch and threatened me with over 2000 in fines when I called to get them back. I questioned their methods of obtaining my dogs and told them they were trespassing on my property and had no business coming up on my porch and taking them and that I could not pay the 2000 in fines and asked if my daughter and I could come say our last good-bys, I ended up not having to pay any fines and the AC told me to pay for 2 doggie lo jacks and come get my dogs.

7 months ago 1 dog got loose (again without incident and was only loose for maybe 5 min. before my daughter called her back inside) but another neighbor saw the dog standing in the street in front of our house and he called AC. This time they came to my home and talked to my 10 year old daughter and told her that they would be back when I got home from work to take the 1 dog. My daughter was so scared that she took the dog and ran away. When I got home she had left me a note telling me she had gone up the street to my parents house with the dog. The AC officer came to my house 10 min. after I arrived and I explained that she was very upset and had taken the dog, he demanded the dog and I reiterated, the dog is not here, he then asked if my daughter was home alone after school and I explained that she is for an 1 hour till I get home at 4:30 and that I work 5 miles away and my parents live less then a block away. He then told me that I obliviously had no control over my daughter and that if I did not give him the dog he would call social services and tell them my daughter was being left home alone.

That struck me as a very weird thing for an AC officer to say but I quickly dismissed him and explained that I would call him as soon as I found them. I retrieved them both shortly after he left. The next day I called AC and spoke to the next on duty officer, I explained what had happened although he already knew from the nights report and he too asked where she had the dog, at that time I told him that she did not want to give AC the dog and she was afraid because they had been in trouble before and she feared AC would destroy them. He again said the same thing the first guy said, I cant' believe you don’t have enough control to get your kid to tell you where the dog is and that he would call the police and have a police officer go to her school and then said he would call social services and tell them she is home alone and that I can't controll her because she had ran away.

That's when I snapped, I said, Are you threatening me? Then I explained that my husband is a social services supervisor for child protective services in our county and that it is not against the law to leave a 10-year-old home after school for an hour.

Then he told me that if I did not produce the dog that he would have an arrest warrant out for me by NOON.

I demanded to talk to his supervisor and he refused he said it wouldn't do me any good. I told him I wanted to speak to her and I gave him my phone number, he asked if it was a work number I said yes and he asked where I worked, I told him. While waiting for a supervisors call I quickly wrote a letter to the AC supervisor, documenting the circumstances and the threats that had been made by the 2 AC officers, I included a note my daughter had wrote to AC the night before, begging them not to take her dogs because she knew we would fined and would not be able to pay, and I also included a plan of action to ensure that the dogs wouldn’t get loose again by explaining that I would reinforce the doors and she would not be allowed to let them out after school anymore.

Then I waited… and waited, for a phone call, to be arrested, something... NOTHING, so I called AC back, the supervisor said she never got my message, I explained to her that all I wanted was to be assured that my dog would not be put to sleep, she could not do that, I also wanted demand to see in writing the policy and procedure that says that AC is to threaten people with social services if they don’t get what they want, and I demanded an apology in writing from those AC officers for threatening me. She told me that I needed to give the dog up or that I would be arrested, So I waited…..& waited to be arrested, no arrest, no letters, no bill, no phone calls. I think they knew they were wrong.

I considered myself and my dogs very lucky till yesterday. I woke about 4:30 am to my dog barking outside my window only to discover that they had escaped the basement sometime in the night. I quickly retrieved them and secured them back in the basement. Then a phone call at 9:30 am, the neighbor that had the cat 3 years ago called to tell me my dogs had killed another cat and that I needed to come and see what they had done. I quickly left work and went over there. I saw the dead cat in the yard and saw her taking pictures of the blood in the driveway. I cleaned everything up and gave my deepest apologies, I put the cat in a bag and helped some workers she had there bury it. She told me that my dogs needed to be destroyed and that she had already called animal control and they were on their way.

I questioned her about how she knew it was my dogs and she said she had 1 of my dogs collars, I told her that I would take them to AC myself. She then explained to me that she had just put a cat to sleep the day before because it had feline leukemia, I stated to her that is was contagious and asked if the dead cat had it, she said her vet said probably but non the less, my dogs were killers and needed to be destroyed. I struggled over what to do, here's a lady who is just feeding feral cats and infecting them with feline leukemia, she is killing those cats herself. And Animal Control who decided they dogs were dangerous 3 years ago, not to mention the prior run ins I have had with them and their threats of imprisonment, outrageous fine amounts, and threats to call social services.

Yesterday when I called AC and told them I was coming I asked what I had to pay, they told me 20 per dog to put them down. I cried like a baby as I put my dogs in the truck. I cried the whole way there, I knew I was driving them to their fate.
When I arrived the supervisor saw me and said give me hug girl, I cried more. They took my dogs and never even charged me the 40 dollars.

Feelings overwhelmed me, sadness, anger, denial, bargaining, everything...

Most of all what will I tell my 11 yr old daughter tonight when she returns home from spring break to find that her dogs are not there? Do I tell her the truth? They broke out of the house and killed another cat so AC put them to sleep? I know I shouldn't lie to her but maybe I should just tell her they got sick and died? I don't want her resenting AC or the cat lady or me.

Any suggestions? Any comments on the way animal control handles their business? And what about the cat lady, can she just feed every neighborhood cat in town without having a registration for them and why dosent she have to keep them inside? PS, I live on an island and we are way over populated with cats for the simple fact that the cats cannot get off the island.

TOO MUCH to think about while I am in the process of grieving over the death of my dogs yesterday.

I am so angry with everyone involved, mostly myself. I just want to make it as easy as possible for my daughter. Any suggestions?

Have your daughter channel her grief into something constructive, i.e. maybe starting a group of kids involved in teaching about the responsibility of owning a pet and pet overpopulation. Check to see if there are any volunteer groups involving animals that the two of you can join and be able to interact with animals without ownership. Also, have Animal Control pick up the feral cats, especially if they are diseased and unvaccinated.

What's up with your neighbors always turning you in? It seems like you're leaving a lot of your story. If they and AC really are that bad, I'd move. And, your dogs seemed to get out a lot. If you ever get any more, they need to be better secured.

Thank you for the suggestions, I will certainly seek some kind of activities for us involving animals and I plan to have a memorial service for them at home.

In the 3 + years I have lived there, they had gotten loose maybe a half dozen times but we were always there to round them up quickly. Except for the night before last. My house does not have a fenced back yard; in fact, my tax return money was going to complete the fence this month. I am a single mother trying to keep the home we purchased just before we got divorced, in fact my ex was suppose to take 1 of the dogs but reneged and as much I wanted to only keep 1 my daughter refused. I just didn't have the money to build the fence before now and we had been managing well using leads in back yard. The man down the street has an empty lot across form me that he takes his dog on to to use the bathroom and swears everyone who owns a dog takes it there to go potty, he hates anyone that even walks by it and looks at it and there are a lot of people that walk through my neighborhood, despite my street is a cul-de-sac, he had even posted CURB YOUR DOG signs on it last year at one point and told me that people think it's a community dog crapper but he knew that I never took my dogs over there. I don't know why he called AC that day and he had no idea my dogs had been in trouble prior for chasing the cat up the street. I guess the dogs just remembered the cat lady's house and knew there would be cats there to chase. I don't think they actually ever intended to catch one. Moving is not an option, it is a nice coastal neighborhood on the waterway with mostly retired people and a most excellent investment. Besides AC being called the 3 times prior to yesterday I have never experienced any bad blood. Except, from the mean man down the street and the cat lady up the street. They are just old people and I guess have nothing better to do then call the police every time they see a loose dog.

I hope you don't take this wrong but your 10 year old daughter should not be deciding whether you keep a dog or not. No ten year old is responsible enough to make those decisions. I know it had to be hard for the two of you with the divorce, wanting to make it up to her but I believe kids are like dogs. They need their leader to be loving but firm and in charge. They're a lot happier when they don't have to lead. You have to be the bad guy.

Half a dozen times in 3 years is 6 too many times to have a dog accidentally escape. These problems would have never happened at all if the dogs were secured properly.
How can we comment on the actions of animal control with one side of the story....as there are usually many sides to a story.
If thats the law there for dangerous dog then thats the law. I don't agree that a dog that kills a cat is a dangerous dog but if thats the law there then you have to be even more cautious. I dont completely understand how they put the dogs down so fast because in my area of New York we would have to have a court action and trial to deem if a dog will be put down as a dangerous dog. It's too bad but there is only one person to blame for your dogs death. I would suggest never getting another dog. I cannot be sympathetic to your situation.

I am a bit sympathetic, but also a bit synical after reading that. I believe that the dogs should have been properly secured, especially if they were animal aggressive.

I have had my 2 dogs escape my fenced in back yard on a few different occassions so I understand the frustration and concern. These dogs are a Red Nosed Pit Bull and a Belgian Malinois which is trained in bite work. The Malinois is particularly animal aggressive, whereas the Pit is cuddly and very friendly. The lesson I learned before Animal Control was ever called was to do everything in my power to make sure it would not happen again. As a result AC has never been to my home (except for a barking dog which is a totally different story). The reason for the escapes was because the Malinois would go through fence boards trying to get at an animal running the streets. As a result, my Mal is always in her kennel, unless I am personally there to maintain control over her. There are no exceptions! After the first couple of escapes I realized there is too much of a liability to allow that to happen. Rather than take a chance on a fine I invested a few hundred dollars on a kennel.

On the other hand, I do not feel that a person should be feeding stray cats, as that creates "accidental" pets and problems in general. I have taken in 2 strays, but that was my limit. I do not feed any animals but those I care for, which are vaccinated and registered with the city.

There should be some sort of repercussion for the lady who has taken it upon herself to feed all the strays; however, it seems apparent that the dogs were never truly properly secured. I look at it like this.....you could have ended up paying $2000 in fines as you stated, but luckily you didn't. You should have taken the initiative at that point and invested in something to be certain it would not happen again. Crates are much cheaper than fines.

A key responsibility to being a pet owner, especially an owner of a pet which is animal aggressive, is to create a means to keep the animals under control at all times. This includes obedience training, proper living facilities, adequate attention and exercise, etc. I am not accusing you of not providing these things for your animals, but I am concerned as to the fact the dogs continued to escape time and time again even if it was over a period of years. Where and when did you draw the line?

I can see where an Animal Control Officer could get on a power trip and make all kinds of threats. I also sympathize with the crabby neighbors as I have a few myself; again however, it comes down to you.....as the owner. I get severely irritated when I see pets running around without immediate visual and verbal supervision. To me that says a great deal about the pet owner in general. I understand accidents happen......the first time is an accident, the second time is foolishness, the third time is negligence, etc. I was foolish after the second escape, but I will not be negligent!

As far as your daughter goes.....the truth hurts....it always will in these situations. You need to help your daughter to understand the reasons you did what you did. Help her to understand it is not her fault; and help her to understand that if she is to ever be a pet owner she needs to make absolutely certain the animals are never left with an opportunity to run loose without proper supervision.

I realize this all comes off as hard assed but I think you only did it to yourself. Good luck with your daughter and any future pets you might have. My condolences.

I have to agree. Although I am very sorry that your dogs were destroyed, you should have been a little more careful.

I currently have six dogs. One is a pit bull, one is a K9 Belgian, and one is a rottweiler. (my others are "ankle biters") but in SEVENTEEN years, two of my little dogs escaped from my yard only ONCE. They were chi mixes, and slipped through the fence.

Every week, I check my fencing with the little dogs. The rott, pit, and K9 are all housed in seperate kennels, which I also check regularly. The rott and pit are sweet and not aggresive at all, but what would other people think? And could you imagine what kind of lawsuit I would be in if my Belg got out and bit someone?

I'm not trying to crap on you, and I am very sorry for your loss. But if you get another dog, please be more careful--for your sake, your daughters and the new dog.

And I have sympathy for you having difficult neighbors. I, too, have had problems. They were even calling the cops on me! When I was on duty! So my dispatch sent my supervisor. I never had problems until I witnessed a domestic and intervened--so it was out of "revenge". But it was still a pain. Thankfully though, I work closely with AC here, and they knew the situation. These neighbors even accused me of beating and burning my animals! But I don't know what to tell you on how to fix that problem. My neighbors moved after about 6 months.

And tell your daughter the truth. It wouldn't do any good to say anything else--especially if she found out the truth later.

Again, I'm sorry.

There are a lot of great books available on how to deal with the loss of pets, and many of those are directed at children.

The public library is a great source for things like that.


Fish do make great pets, and they can't get very far if they break out of their tanks. Great pets for people in your position.

Mice, snakes, rats, hampsters, rabbits. . .all of those are good choices.