Three dogs dead after owner shoots pit bulls

By Erik Sanzenbach
St. Tammany Parish
Published on Friday, November 21, 2008 10:13 AM CST

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A man trying to protect himself and his pet dog shot two attacking pit bulls Tuesday afternoon, according to the Slidell Police Department.

Both pit bulls died from the gunshot wounds, and the man’s dog, a Labrador/ Rotweller mix, died the next day from wounds inflicted by the pit bulls.

Lt. Ray Dupuy of the Slidell Police Department said the man, who wishes not to be identified, returned to his home on Maris Stella Street around 1 p.m., to find two pit bulls, owned by his neighbor, Brian McGragh, in his back yard attacking his pet dog. When the man tried to save his dog, the two pit bulls attacked him, and he retreated inside his house.

He got his handgun and went out into the back yard, where the two attacking dogs came at him again. Dupuy said the man fired several shots, hitting both dogs.

One of the pit bulls died immediately, and the other dog crawled through a hole in the backyard fence and died in McGragh’s yard.

The shooter’s dog was badly injured from the attack and was rushed to a veterinarian for treatment. Dupuy said the dog died Wednesday morning from loss of blood and shock.

Slidell Police did not cite the man for shooting the dogs because he was acting in self-defense, Dupuy said. McGagh was cited by Slidell Animal Control on two counts for leaving his dogs to roam at large.

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Comments

7 comment(s)

David Boyle wrote on Oct 22, 2009 4:41 PM:

" on october 20,2009 two of my cats were
attacked and tore to shreds bye 4 pitt bulls in my front yard. there is never an exscuse for this to happen and i feel there need to be strictor laws about this. this is not the first time we had problems with these 4 dogs. but now two innocent animals are dead and our family mourns the loss. "

Lucinda wrote on Nov 26, 2008 8:10 PM:

" In this day and age there is no excuse for anyone owning a pit bull. Everyone has heard too many times that they are dangerous. They're worse than guns because they don't require their owner to pull a trigger for them to kill. I won't say a person is not a nice person if they own them. I will say that their ignorance is appalling if they truly believe they and their dogs are any different from previous owners and dogs who have been the cause of death and pain and grief to others. "

resident wrote on Nov 25, 2008 8:00 PM:

" I think pit bulls are a menace to society. I would never have one and I would never be around one. You just dont know what they will do! They are dangerous and I think all of them should be put down!!! "

Stacy wrote on Nov 25, 2008 7:15 PM:

" I think that it's the owner's fault. Pit bulls need educated owners that work with their dogs on socialization, obedience, make sure they get exercised daily, and dogs shouldn't be left outside when the owners aren't home. Too many things can happen and this is one of the worst case scenarios. "

BARBARA wrote on Nov 23, 2008 8:49 PM:

" I THINK PIT BULLS ARE DANGEROUS. THE OWNER OF THE DOGS SHOULD HAVE MADE SURE THAT HIS PROPERTY WAS TOTALLY SECURE AND APPARENTLY THE PROPERTY WAS NOT SAFE. WHAT IF THAT CHILD HAD BEEN IN HIS OWN YARD AT THAT TIME? WOULD THAT MAKE IT OK? A PITBULL HAS ATTACKED MY CATAHOULA APPROXIMATELY 5 TIMES FOR NO REASON. I DON'T TRUST THEM AND DON'T LIKE THEM. THEY SHOULD NOT BE AROUND NEIGHBORS OR ALLOWED TO RUN LOOSE AT ANY TIME. HE SHOULD BE FINED BIG TIME. "

R. SIDE wrote on Nov 21, 2008 1:50 PM:

" The fellow who owned these two dogs appears to be a nice fellow. I am sure he did not intend for his dogs to crawl through a fence and kill a neighbors pet, but that is what happened. That was a bad day, come home and two pitts are tearing your pet to pieces, then they come after you, bad stuff. There is no reason for owners of pitt bulls to not be aware of the danger they present, and should be held accountable for any actions when another pet or human is injured by these dogs. "

Michele wrote on Nov 21, 2008 11:18 AM:

" I think that the man's actions in shooting the pit bulls was correct. I think these dogs should be banned and they are too dangerous to children. Even pit bulls raised from puppies by caring owners have attacked children and other dogs. I think the violent bloodline is too strong and they are too easily set off. Lets not even get on the subject of owners that actually train their dogs to be violent. "

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