
Should the government be able to take away your dog to protect your neighbors, even if it hasn't injured anyone yet?
A Fridley family contacted Whistleblower because they are outraged that their neighbor received seven citations concerning his pit bulls, but the dogs weren't removed until last week — after they killed the family's puppy.
Since last summer, Marilyn Lambert and her daughter Kim Lambert worried that the two pit bulls next door could be dangerous. Fridley police issued seven citations since last August to the dogs' owner, Miles Ware Jr., and had declared one of the dogs potentially dangerous after it charged and nipped at an animal control officer in October.
Then last week, the dogs jumped over a chain link fence and killed Sophie, he Lamberts' 6-month-old West Highland terrier. One of the pit bulls was shot and killed after it charged at a Fridley police officer.
The Lamberts think the current laws concerning dangerous dogs didn't do enough to protect them. They said the police responded every time the dogs would jump the fence or act aggressively, but state law doesn't allow a dog to be declared dangerous until it inflicts substantial bodily harm on a person without being provoked.
"The police said they couldn't do anything until somebody gets hurt," Kim Lambert said. "Their hands are tied."
Fridley police Lt. Mike Monsrud said the citations were for excessive barking and not having the dogs tied up or licensed.
"It's sad that we have to wait until something like this happens and now her pet is dead," Monsrud said. "With his number of citations, he knew that there was potential for this to happen. Apparently, he didn't get the message."