Crime & Safety

'Vicious' Pit Bull Tranquilized; Small Dog Bites Child

The trend of dangerous pit bulls is continuing in Gilroy.

After Gilroy Police reported two pit bull attacks last week, Animal Control was disptached to another report of a dangerous pit on Monday morning.

At 11:47 a.m., police were sent to a house on the 400 block of Gavilan Court in response to a trespassing call. When they arrived, they found the door of the house open and a "large pit bull charged them from behind the door," Sgt. Pedro Espinoza said.

The dog was not neutered, going against municipal code. An Animal Control officer was called to the scene, who tranquilized the dog. The pit bull was declared a Level 1 Dangerous Dog, and the owner will need to be served with that declaration, Espinoza said.

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The house was empty other than the pit bull. Espinoza said it is believed that whoever was "squatting" in the home owns the dog.

But certainly all dog bites are not attributable to pit bulls. On Sunday, a resident on the 700 block of Tatum Avenue was unloading groceries from a car when a "little dog jumped out, unleashed, and bit a child," Espinoza said.

Find out what's happening in Gilroywith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The bite was classified as minor and the case was closed. 

Earlier in the week, Gilroy Patch readers engaged in a spirited debate about pit bulls. The incident on Monday involved an un-neutered Pit Bull. Do you think this is the biggest problem? Is it the breed? Is it the owner (in this case a criminal)? And how about that biting little dog? Tell us in the comments!


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