Farmers market dog fight results in onlooker, 2 dogs sustaining minor injuries
Editor's note: This story has been updated to reflect additional information from eyewitness reports and police.
For the most updated version of this story, click here. The Ypsilanti Police Department is continuing to investigate a dog fight that took place on Saturday at the Ypsilanti Farmers Market, located at the corner Rice and Cross streets.
The fight broke out when one owner lost control of her dog and it attacked two smaller dogs. Ypsilanti police Sgt. Kent Overton said the attacking dog was a pit bull and the other dogs were a cocker spaniel and some kind of poodle. All of the animals were on leashes prior to the attack.
Overton said the two smaller dogs were injured and sought medical treatment though the police have not received any word on the status of the animals, Overton said "they both looked fine," before leaving the scene.
It still has not been determined if any charges will be filed.
Comments
OLDTIMER3
Mon, Jul 23, 2012 : 12:53 p.m.
You call the 2 dogs injuries as minor when they are still under vetrenarian care?
snapshot
Sun, Jul 22, 2012 : 7:08 p.m.
Lots of talk about owner/breed causes for dog bites. How about a law that calls for any dog bite to be treated as if the owner/guardian committed the same assault and demanded prosecuted for assault and euthinization of the dog. This would take care of both problems and act as an incentive for negligent dog owners. Also a law limitend leash length to the standard 6 feet might be helpful. A dog on a 20 foot leash mays as well be on no leash at all.
DBH
Sun, Jul 22, 2012 : 5:13 p.m.
"Overton said the two smaller dogs were injured and sought medical treatment." Those are resourceful dogs! I wonder if they took their owners with them.
nickcarraweigh
Sun, Jul 22, 2012 : 4:58 p.m.
The pit bull owner was bitten five times by cocker spaniels and poodles? Those breeds are notorious for viciousness, after all, and certainly life as we know it offers no fury worse than a cocker spaniel after you have insulted its dear mother.
Life in Ypsi
Sun, Jul 22, 2012 : 3:59 p.m.
I am so tired of hearing the "it's the owner, not the breed" nonsense. It's the breed. My neighborhood is over run with aggressive pit bulls. I am tired of not being able to walk around without the threat of being attacked. Yes, all dogs bite. I'd rather be bit by a small breed versus a pit bull though. There seems to be this belief by pit bull owners that they are somehow special with a false belief they have control over their gentle dogs. What a joke. When I was a dog owner and took my dog in public I put a muzzle on her. I would never take a chance of having my dog attack anyone.
Life in Ypsi
Mon, Jul 23, 2012 : 3:27 p.m.
No, I am not exaggerating. Hearing things as usual about it's not the breed is not comforting when there are constant strays roaming in my yard, people chaining their dogs to a fence next to the sidewalk, little kids "walking the pit bulls" when it's the other way around, living next door to one that's always trying to get in my yard and growling, waking up to two of them sitting on my porch, finding an abandoned one in my back yard, not being able to walk because every other house owns a pit bull and they are either in the yard loose or trying to get over the small fences and the list goes on.
stevek
Sun, Jul 22, 2012 : 9:01 p.m.
@greg,too-- I am sure almost any dog that is passed out at your feet has about 0% chance of biting someone. Bad analogy.
Themadcatter
Sun, Jul 22, 2012 : 8:06 p.m.
It's about strength and power. A pit bull is capable of causing much more significant injury in an attack than other breeds. There is a reason why people automatically think "pit bull" when they learn of an attack. That's not to say other breeds can not also cause significant harm; but they all have these characteristics in common - they are large, strong, and powerful. These dogs should not be allowed in public without muzzles. Also...my suggestion would be all owners of breeds known to be powerful and, yes, unpredictable, be required to have their dogs and themselves professionally trained by a professional dog trainer before the dogs can be taken out into the public arena. The owners need to carry proof that they and the dog have been trained, as well as anyone who might be asked to walk the dogs. Can you imagine if, say, a young child, or even a light weight adult, took one of these dogs out for a walk and encountered a situation where the dog decided to abruptly take off? No way would that person be able to stop the dog.
djacks24
Sun, Jul 22, 2012 : 6:43 p.m.
"My neighborhood is over run with aggressive pit bulls. I am tired of not being able to walk around without the threat of being attacked." I'd say either you are really exaggerating or you need to get a concealed carry permit and get in some serious weapons training and shooting time in so you can feel safe to walk your neighborhood again.
clara
Sun, Jul 22, 2012 : 6:07 p.m.
barn gurl, the article says: "An onlooker pit bull was bitten five times by the smaller dogs " were you the pit bull onlooker bit 5 times? I knew pit bulls were smart, but they can type too?!
RunsWithScissors
Sun, Jul 22, 2012 : 5:49 p.m.
@Burn Girl Which are you? The owner of the pit bull or the owner of two dogs? Your reply is unclear.
a2citizen
Sun, Jul 22, 2012 : 5:28 p.m.
barn gurl, did you tell this to the police on the scene?
barn gurl
Sun, Jul 22, 2012 : 5:13 p.m.
Purebred animal does play significant part in thismadness as wellas owner neglect...mixed breeds, mutts are my choice.
barn gurl
Sun, Jul 22, 2012 : 5:10 p.m.
and the police report is wrong about who got bit. I got bit 5 times, and left the scene to receive medical attention. poor data or are they just to overworked to care about the details. Attack is a more appropriate word in describing what happened yesterday.
greg, too
Sun, Jul 22, 2012 : 4:51 p.m.
I have a pit bull mix passed out at my feet while I type. She is one of the nicest dogs I have ever known. And that is because we raised her, and trained her, to just be herself, not an attack dog. You can train any dog, like any person, to be a killer if you want to.
Billy
Sun, Jul 22, 2012 : 4:16 p.m.
Actually it's NOT the breed and just about ALL legitimate evidence points to this...even the statistics clearly show it's not the breed. Per capita the list for highest incidents of dog bites by breed is DOMINATED by small and toy dogs. They bite FAR more often than pitbulls or any breed grouped in with them. Pitbull is by far the most popular breed right now...which means there are going to be a lot of terrible owners with pitbulls for pets. We did this same stupid thing over Dobermans and Rottweilers too.....I think it was German Sheppard before that...
kraiford12
Sun, Jul 22, 2012 : 3:59 p.m.
So, in the previous article one of your employees (Kyle Mattson) says AA.com tries to limit speculation or incorrect information. But here you state "the police have not received any word on the status of the animals" and go on to title the article with "2 dogs sustaining minor injuries"?
nuseph
Sun, Jul 22, 2012 : 5:14 p.m.
Those aren't contradictory. Minor injuries could be visibly apparent. But the police may not know their current condition.
Billy
Sun, Jul 22, 2012 : 3:54 p.m.
If your dog attacks another person or animal in public, without provocation, it needs to be euthanized...period. This behavior DEFINES it as a dangerous animal. DO NOT MISUNDERSTAND ME...I am NOT faulting the animal here...if anyone is going to have a finger pointed at them it would be the animal's guardian above all others. They failed at conditioning the animal to not be vicious, but that still doesn't change that it IS a vicious animal. I would also like to say that you need to be a lot more descriptive of the TYPE of dog bites that were sustained. There is a WORLD of difference between a "get away from me" nip....and a "tear flesh and ligament off" mauling...
Goofus
Sun, Jul 22, 2012 : 3:54 p.m.
Here's an idea: don't allow dogs where food is sold. The end.
AdmiralMoose
Sun, Jul 22, 2012 : 4:24 p.m.
The food (on the other side of the street) had nothing to do with it.
kraiford12
Sun, Jul 22, 2012 : 4 p.m.
Will probably work as well as not allowing batman masks in theaters.
a2citizen
Sun, Jul 22, 2012 : 3:20 p.m.
a2.com: This article completely contradicts "alleged" eyewitness accounts on the original posting of the event. I hope your delete key is free from obstructions.