Council votes to put down pit bull

Published 11:00 am Tuesday, April 3, 2012

After a series of testimonies on both sides, the Austin City Council passed a motion 4-2 Monday to euthanize a dangerous dog, with Jeff Austin and Janet Anderson saying nay. Judy Enright abstained from the vote because she was related to the victim.

Austin dog owner Susan Strack defended her pet pit bull during the public hearing, which was deemed a dangerous dog by Officer Ernesto Cantu. Strack’s dog attacked and killed a smaller dog in front of her property on March 9.

Strack and a number of acquaintances supported the dog’s previous good behavior. She apologized for the animal’s actions and said she would comply with all necessary dangerous dog regulations going forward if the council would not elect to euthanize the dog. The requirements included proper fencing, insurance and keeping a muzzle on the dog when outside.

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“I don’t think my dog would have done that if she knew it was someone’s pet,” Strack said, visibly upset. “She may have confused it with a squirrel.”

The dog’s owner, Mary McGrane, and her father, Donald Peterson, who was walking the dog at the time it died, both testified.

“Loving your dog doesn’t make you a good master, just like loving your kids doesn’t make you a good parent,” he said. “It just shook him like a rag doll and that was that.”

Strack will be able to appeal the decision.