Screen grab from abc10News.
From 10News:
San Diego Animal Control officers are looking for two large dogs that attacked and killed an 86-year-old woman’s beloved pet.
The owner of the dog, Ocean Beach resident Mary Cooper, said it was two large pit bulls that mauled her beloved pet, Gracie, a 10-year-old Bichon-Poodle mix. It happened Monday at around 11 p.m. on Voltaire Street.
“At night, just before I go to bed, we go out for her last potty break. And this is when it happened,” Cooper said.
Cooper told 10News the larger of the pit bulls was dark brown and the smaller one was black. Both were unleashed and running through the street.
“These two pit bulls, I didn’t even see them coming until the big brown one attacked (Gracie),” she said. “I’m screaming, and a gentleman that was walking by heard me. I said, ‘Are these your dogs? Get your dogs!’ And he said, ‘No ma’am’, but he kicked the dog and it ran off.”
Cooper said Gracie’s neck was broken and her stomach was ripped open in the attack.
Animal Control is asking any witnesses with any information to contact them at 619-299-7012.
{ 23 comments… read them below or add one }
There is no reason to have Pitbulls in a civilized society, they should all be neutered and the bloodlines ended. They were bred by humans to do one thing and way to often they are in the news for horrific maulings and killings. Sorry for your loss Mrs. Cooper.
Dave – the dog-walker, who used to write articles for the OB Rag, taught us that there are no bad pit bulls, just human owners who train their dogs to be vicious. I personally know pit bulls who are sweet and un-intimitating. Educate yourself Eric.
Who was the Pit Bulls owner? Why no leash with dogs that size? What a shame.
You don’t know what you are talking about, Eric. Do some reading. Talk to pit bull rescue people. These are great dogs that have been badly used by human beings. Pit bulls don’t kill people, people kill people.
I feel terrible for this poor lady not only losing her beloved dog but to have to witness the dog’s death. The owner needs to be found and dealt with severely.
The best way to “educate yourself” is by googling “pit bull attacks” rather than reading propaganda produced by Best Friends and the SPCA. Then you can determine if pit bulls are dangerous and should be banned.
If that is how you educate yourself, Cunningham, I guess there is no reason to continue any discussion with you.
My heart breaks for the woman who lost her pet. No dogs have any reason to run the streets off leash and the owner should have criminal charges brought up against them and the 2 dogs in question should be put down.
Though as a pitbull owner(mine doesn’t even bark and is 100% non aggressive) I find your views as idiotic and an extreme shortcut to doing any actual thinking on the matter. Don’t be a dumbass.
There are despicable people–common in the general LA area–who perpetuate the degenerate dog-fighting “sport”, who through physical abuse and selective breeding create aggressive pits–not the dogs’ fault. These people should be in jail. Pits bred for aggression should be spayed/neutered until the aggressive lines cease to exist, and the true nature of the breed is allowed to express itself. Like any other breed, pits should be leashed when not confined. You should also know, Eric, that a large % of dogs reported to be pits, are found on DNA analysis to be some other breed or mix. As for no reason to have pits–my 80 lb pit sleeps next to me, along with a boxer and a border collie.
Wow, Gary, three dogs? I have one mixed breed Labrador/coon hound weighing 85 pounds who sleeps with me, I can’t image three. You are a dog lover. An 80 pound pit, that’s a big one, too bad we can’t post pictures here, I’d like to see that one.
One point you made is very important, that other breeds and mixes are mistaken for pit bulls, that is very true. The Wikipedia link talks about this too.
What a sad, preventable event. Poodle, Pit bull, Pointer, Pekinese, the size and shape don’t matter. What matters is the leash! I was chased (and bitten) by two German shepherds one evening while running in Golden Hill; one got in front of me and one behind me, both off leash presumably running around in the adjacent canyon behind someone’s house. I was trapped until someone came out of a house to help me. Animal control never found the dogs, and fortunately I didn’t have to get the rabies shots, just stitches.
That was 10 years ago, but now I’m still nervous around big dogs, and have an unfortunate startle response to dog barking, big or small. But when a dog is on a leash, whether he’s a Newfoundlander, Doberman, or pug, I feel safe. Soooo, put a leash on it! :-)
I’m educated on pits. I also saw a little boy at the store getting his very first bicycle, he was such a happy beautiful child. The next day I saw his picture in the newspaper, he was torn apart and disfigured by three pits.
The dogs are designed by humans to do one thing and poor Mrs Cooper got to experience that.
I didn’t say kill or euthanize the dogs.
No, you are not, Eric. You are exhibiting a prejudice based on anecdotes. For the story you told, there are many more for many other breeds. Like I said, do some reading and you’ll find that people are the problem, not the breed. That is sadly true in this case because the dogs were running unleashed. I’m guessing the owner is and idiot.
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The source of that information is highly biased. Try some different reading. Here, here and here :
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pit_bull
Geoff it’s personal for me. I worked both county hospitals in Alameda and Contra Costa County as well as Childrens in Oakland. The children I saw chewed up and disfigured are not anecdotes. None of the babies I saw were mauled by Shitzoos or Bijons they were done by pits.
Yes, it’s the owners that cause the problem and the owners fault that others died at the business ends of their purpose bred dogs. But just like assault weapons, extra large magazines, full auto kits and bump stocks they should not be on the streets.
You keep saying “bred for one purpose.” What purpose would that be?
Your experiences in the hospitals is coloring your view of a whole breed of dog. You’ve seen a concentration of the bad effects, what do you know more than that about this breed? Have you investigated it any further like talking to the pit bull rescue folks or owners of pit bulls?
So, do you have statistics to show that all of the maulings you saw were caused only by pit bulls? Did you know that dog fighting and gang use of pit bulls is prevalent in the Bay Area?
Yeah Geoff my view is colored, RED from the blood I’ve seen. Do I have the proof? It’s what gets discussed when a patient gets brought in during the what happened stage. Never did I hear it was a Maltese, Lab, Setter or Australian Shepard, never. What was uttered for the most part was Pit.
“for the most part?” What else was uttered?
How many cases did you see?
How was the breed substantiated?
People traumatized by a dog attack do not make the most reliable witnesses.
The county hospitals you said you worked in service a low income and low educated population. People from these areas keep dogs for protection not so much as pets and they prefer tough dogs. As a result. many of these people are afraid of dogs, you can see the same thing here in San Diego. I don’t doubt your experiences but I believe your opinion is colored by having witnessed a segment of the population that has a higher concentration of problem dogs because of how they are used and treated than in other areas. I would guess the incident of dog attacks that show up at these hospitals is much higher than say Scripps or Mercy Hospitals here in San diego.
I am deeply saddened by the horrible events that transpired. My condolences to your beloved family member Gracie may she find peace knowing that she was so loved in her life. If there is a way the community can help your family out I am sure many would be more that happy.
I am a dog lover my self and have rescued all of my pets. Each one has a back story that I will never understand that being said it’s my responsibility to take care of them and all that they do. I hope that the owner of the dogs will do the right thing and come forward. Justice should be served and the family needs closure.
It’s our responsibility as a community to band together and report dogs off the leash and educate owners of the danger of dogs being off the leash. I walk my two dogs all the time in ocean Beach while pushing a stroller with my son. If I can do it why can’t every one.
I have had many years of experience with different breads of dogs and have one or two close calls. Throughout my years I have learned that the breed doesn’t make a bad dog it’s a learned from the habitats that they were brought up. They simply adapt to survive it’s in there nature.
My heart goes out to you all that suffer from tragic events. Let’s move forward in a direction towards educating all in raising dogs we can be proud of through example.
LOL. dognutters at their finest once again.
I usually feel sorry for people who don’t like dogs because they haven’t experienced the joy of a dog’s unconditional love. In your case, Aiya, I’ll make an exception.
There are larger philosophical arguments, but if we could focus on the people who are responsible for this incident and bring them to justice.
I’ve read on the Next Door Neighbor site for Ocean Beach, these people live on Long Branch. According to posts, they are known and these dogs are known. The owners have continued this irresponsible and malignant behavior and they need to be stopped before another beloved pet is killed. What can be done? I don’t know how effective it would be to put up posters on Long Branch with Gracie’s picture; as a wanted poster I suppose…not sure how effective, but I am willing to do about anything to keep other OB pets safe.
I am a victim of a dog bite. At no point was the dog breed publicized that bit me. No article was ran. The hospital records mislabeled the dog. I was not attaced by a pitbull. I have undergone three reconstructive surgeries on my face to correct the damage a corgi breed did, with just one bite. I think the media likes to only focus on pitbulls, of which most of the time the breed is misidentified.