The Sunnyvale Sun

Letters & Opinions

Letters

Pit bull owner
says loss of pet
is never 'trivial'

With respect to the article on Lucy the dog (Jan. 2), I want to issue a correction/apology.

I believe I am quoted as saying, '...relatively trivial accident...' In no way did I want to trivialize the loss of Bobbi to her owner--we are going through first-hand what she went through over five months ago. I either spoke incorrectly or perhaps was misunderstood.

The loss of a family member is never trivial, whether human or animal, and if anyone thought that's what our opinion was, I and my family apologize unreservedly.

What is especially upsetting to us is that Lucy represented no threat to humans at all. The supposition that she would pose a threat in future is ridiculous--all dogs have such a potential if they get free. Lucy had over six years working with dogs from rescue organizations. She also received a 0 out of 10 for human aggression from one behaviorist, the city's own behaviorist said she was very submissive to humans, the manager of the shelter went so far as to state, "she's a fantastic, people-focused dog."

The real tragedy here is Sunnyvale's 10-year unbroken record of killing every dog that's ever been perceived to be a threat, regardless of independent tests or lack of injury.

Sunnyvale laws are at odds with the spirit of "judicial economy" granted to it by a clause under the California law, which is to reduce the caseload on courts. It was never intended to allow cities to write laws as draconian as "Unlicensed animals can be deemed vicious and are subject to be killed," which is possible under Sunnyvale law.

Citizens of Sunnyvale, read what your city is writing into its own law books--you should be more afraid of your loss of rights and freedoms being enacted on your own doorstep.

Ian Young

Bryan Avenue

There is another
side to story on
Lucy the pit bull

This is regarding Cody Kraatz's recent article (Jan. 2) on the euthanization of Lucy the pit bull. Unfortunately, Cody did not have the opportunity to interview Mary Munoz because the story would have read much differently.

I live on the 500 block of Bryan and I know Mary, who lives on the 400 block of Bryan. She is a very nice lady who I would see walking her and her sister's dogs several times a day all over the neighborhood, but no longer.

She was traumatized by the attack and she is now just taking short walks to exercise her dogs. She is still very much afraid that she will be attacked again. I saw her last week and I talked with her for a short time. She was wearing a sling and she told me she just had just surgery to repair a tendon injury suffered during the attack.

I grieve for her when I think of what she experienced.

This was not a trivial incident and the dog's family should be very grateful that the outcome of the attack was not worse than what it was. Also, I believe that Mr. Young is wrong. There isn't a social prejudice against pit bulls, there is a social fear of them. We read of their attacks all the time.

John Lopez

Bryan Avenue