Police fatally shoot loose dog on Montrose Street
WARNING: There’s a potentially disturbing picture after the jump.
If you heard a gunshot near 15th and Carpenter early this morning, that was the cops shooting a dog.
A roving pit bull was shot by police around 6:30 this morning on the 1400 block of Montrose Street, between Broad and 15th. A police spokeswoman told NBC10 that the dog had been attacking people and charged at the officers who responded.
But a resident of the block, who posted a picture of the bloody aftermath to his Twitter account, says the dog was lying on the stoop. He said he couldn’t even hear barking before the shots were fired.
https://twitter.com/LearnFromLEW/status/451315762561818624
https://twitter.com/LearnFromLEW/status/451381792470077441
https://twitter.com/LearnFromLEW/status/451382083349258243
How could it charge if the blood is all over the stoop and not the street?
If the dog was attacking people – where are these people? Where are the owners?
The dog shouldn’t have been loose in the first place. Threat or not. Justified shooting or not. Why are people not asking why in the hell the owners of this dog left it loose on the street?
Thank you! This situation was completely preventable through responsible ownership and obeying leash laws.
You’re right. Completely preventable by calling animal control and tranquilizing the dog. Firearms should only be used in life threatening situations. Don’t go near the dog and it’s not life threatening. Looks like bad pet ownership and especially bad policing.
This dave lewandowski is a moron. Pit bulls generally don’t bark or growl before they attack. That’s just one of the reasons they’re the choice of dogfighters. Little to no warning. And obviously the pit shouldn’t have been loose. A roving pit bull is a serious problem. We already have enough wanna be dog whisperers around here and know people let them get out?
while I agree no dog, pit or otherwise, should be loose roaming the street, from the picture it looks a little excessive. I wasn’t there, so I can’t speak to what happened, but I am the proud parent of a pit and all I can say is that I have never met a sweeter, more loving creature. I also spend a lot of time at the dog park and I have seen many dogs, the majority of which were not pitbulls, go after other dogs and not always provoked. I am still amazed at the horrible reputation pitbulls have. They are dogs, just like any other dog. They do not deserve the killer reputation they have. I’ve seen more fierce tiny dogs at the park…
Its kind of like how Philly sports fans are portrayed by national media… There’s this negative momentum built up that is fun for everyone outside of philly… They love to just hate on Philly…
Same thing with pitbull dogs… Its a shame..
But yes.. This is VERY excessive… Some supercop must have been so happy to pull his gun and be such a hero… LoL… Kind of like the guy who tazered the kid at the Phillies game… The neighborhoods in in South Philly are so exciting and getting so much better.. But we still have a police force left over from the bad years…
Like clockwork, whenever there’s an issue with pits someone always chimes in with the “I’m a proud pibble mommy and my Chompy is the sweetest dog ever.” “He’d never hurt a fly.” ABS, You’re amazed at their reputation? They were bred for an activity that is banned in all 50 states and now they’re pushed as family pets, when they were never intended to be. They’ve brought the rep on themselves. Thirteen are dead by dog attack so far in 2014 and eight were killed by pits/pit mixes. They’re not just like any other dog. And you bring out another tired canard… “I’ve seen more fierce , aggressive tiny dogs.” Those animals nip and bite, not maul. Asinine comparison. They’re not going to send you to the ER or morgue. The police were justified.
asinine comparison? Mmm not really. Big dogs maul. German shepherds, Rottweiler, Doberman and yes pitbulls. The reason why no one cares about lil yorkie who’s biting people left and right is because they are small. However dogs aggressive against people is a problem no matter what the size. The reason people talking about their “pibble” is because of opinions like the one you have. Are all pitbulls aggressive towards people? No. Definitely not. Those 8 reported pitbull/pitbull mixes maulings that u came up with, u know the circumstances? Probably not. They brought the rep on themselves? The dogs brought it on themselves. An animal that relies on guidance from a human brought it on themselves. Asinine statement.
Yes, Stephen.. asinine comparison. Really. Yes, big dog maul, but Pit bulls are especially dangerous. It’s due to 200+ years of breeding for aggression and it’s in their genes whether you believe it or not. Of course dog aggression is an issue no mater the breed. Guidance can only do so much. However, to compare the damage potential of pits/bully breeds to normal dogs is foolish. These dogs do not need to be neglected, abused, unsocialized, reproductively intact, trained, or provoked to explode.
And the reason I’m talking about “pibbles” is the extreme naivety in people that own these animals. I see it all the time in SP.
Yes, I do know the circumstances of the 8 fatalities. Uncle Google can help you out. In 2013 32 were killed by dogs. Pit bull type dogs killed twenty-nine of them, many of them children, and they were well loved “family pets”.
If you look at in depth investigations of those cricumstances, it turns out that the media reports are extremely inaccurate.
in 2011 the media attributed 20 of the 31 dog bite related fatalities that occurred in the United States to ‘pit bulls’ or ‘pit bulls’ mixes?
After more thorough investigation by the National Canine Research Council, they found that only 3 of those dogs could reasonably be identified as either American Pit Bull Terriers or American Staffordshire Terriers (two were registered, one visually identified)*?
That’s an only 15% accuracy rate by the media.
Research at: http://nationalcanineresearchcouncil.com/uploaded_files/tinymce/2011%20Final%20Investigative%20DBRF%20Report.pdf
Additionally, correlative data is not proof of anything other than a relationship (correlation does not prove causation). Even if the reports were accurate and breed was verified in every case, you have the potential for confounding variables. For example, the study also found a strong correlation with resident dogs status (neglected, abused, or undersocialized), unsupervised children, etc. A confounding variable would be ownership characteristics (irresponsible owners disproportionally attracted to a certain type of look of a dog).
To understand correlative data, think of it this way. A survey is conducted and finds that the amount of icecream eaten during the summer increases as does the amount of crime committed. This does not mean that eating icecream causes more crime (correlation does not prove causation). There is a confounding variable – heat.
One more thing. Small dogs do kill people when conditions present themselves as a possibility. A Jack Russell killed an infant in the UK in 2012. A Pomeranian killed an infant in 2000. A well placed bite to the face/head, neck or vulnerable area (hands with nerves) from a small dog can easily put an adult in the ER as well.
Here we go with the “small dogs kill people” silliness. Once in a blue moon, sure…but a laughable comparison to what pits do and will continue to do.
The danger from getting rabies is the same regardless of dog size… Correct?
The media reports are hardly inaccurate. Speaking of bias & skewed and groups with an agenda Karen Delise &The National Canine Research Council are notoriously pro pit. If you actually look at the incidents and especially the police reports it’s almost always pits or other molasser breeds. People also claim that the media is biased, that they discriminate against pit bulls when they’re just reporting the news. Fatalities/maimings make headlines. A 20 car pile up on 95 will make the news. A fender bender on Passyunk Ave won’t. . Pit bulls commit most of the dog attacks worth reporting. All other attacks are not severe enough to warrant coverage. The majority of serious attacks across the country in cities and towns across the USA are reported to be pitbulls and the pitbullls that are killing people are family raised and unabused pitbulls. San Antonios own Texas University did a study conducted by PhD’s that found that you have a more than 2500 times higher chance of dying if attacked by pitbulls. When dog fighting was legal, no one promoted these dogs as pets and no one promoted them on TV. Follow the money. Big tobacco once peddled on TV too. Wealthy dog fighters have promoted the breed’s popularity as pitbulls owners help hide dog fighters. Many families that have been attacked by their sweet pitbulls without rhyme or reason. Its the genes. Gambling on a pitbull is just plain stupid and reckless endangerment of human beings.
Bill, growing up we had an English Springer Spaniel…we got her as a puppy when I was three years old and had her until I was a freshman in college and se had to be put to sleep. She was the closest thing to a sister I had and we really did grow up together. Not only did she bite me in the face once (another half inch and she probably would’ve destroyed my eye and my vision), she bit my mother, and she bit a neighbor’s son – the son was tugging on her and she didn’t like it. I don’t recall provoking her in any way when she bit me in the face, nor do I recall my mother provoking her. Normally she was a sweet, sweet dog…but sometimes she would attack just like you said, without rhyme or reason. If she had been a pitbull, and it was today as opposed to 30 years ago, she probably would’ve been put down. But she was an English Springer Spaniel – so no bad reputation – and everyone just wrote it off.
ABS, with all due respect, you can’t compare an English Springer Spaniel and an APBT. I’m sorry that happened to you, but if that had been a pit chances are you wouldn’t be here to tell the tale, or you’d be horrifically mangled, and dealing with years of costly surgeries.
Yeah, I just watched a dog leap OUT of its harness and maul a pomeranian outside the Columbus Square dog park. It’s bullshit to leave town and have your dog running around ESPECIALLY if it’s a pitbull.
I bet it didn’t even have registration or rabies tags.
Is the pomeranian ok? This really upsets me, I take my dog to Columbus Square all the time.
Unsure how I feel about this shooting. My dog was attacked by 2 pits while we were walking; the dogs were sitting on their step (I did not even see them at first) but once they noticed my dog they charged across the street and began attacking her. Their owners had to pry them off my dog, I was beside myself. Not to turn this into an “old vs. new” thing, but the resident SP’ers in my neighborhood seemed to think it was no problem for dogs to be out without a leash and actually blamed it on me for walking my 20 lb mutt down an unfamiliar street. (i.e. “You should know that those dogs sit outside of their house without leashes.) The new/younger residents felt differently. However, I don’t understand how this particular dog was “attacking” people from it’s own step.
Yeah thats gas.. Find another long time “SP’er” to go “take care” of them for ya… LoL
Who leaves their dog on the front porch unattended? I don’t care if they’re old or new.. Thats just stupid.
I hear you, Leanne. I encounter the same thing everyday. My favorite is my oldtimer neighbor who, instead of walking his dog (that happens to be a pitbull), lets her out in the middle of the night to run around the neighborhood and poop on other peoples sidewalks, and then yells for her at the top of his lungs from his stoop. Classic.
We have a neighbor like that on the 900 block of Sigel Street. He used to have two but one was hit by a car at 10th and Mifflin last summer.
Ruth, that person shouldn’t be allowed to own any animal, much less a pit. How stupid can you be? Watch that dog attack someone and the owner will be the first to blame the victim, and rescue groups will swoop in to try and save the animal. Thugs with pit bulls don’t scare me. They know exactly how dangerous their dogs are and have them on big leashes/chains. Old timers & young punk rock rescue angels who think it’s okay to let their pit bulls loose scare me more than any gangster ever could.
Hey! There are actually leash laws in the city. Dogs have to be properly contained even when their on their own property. If any of you ever see an off leash dog again, I would encourage you to take video of it and make a report to animal control. The owner of said dog can be fined. Additionally, not cleaning up after your dog is also illegal and a fine can be given for that. If you want your neighborhoods and the culture of dog ownership to change, it starts with you. Off-leash dogs can be reported to animal control at 267-385-3800 or by visiting their website at http://www.acctphilly.org/programs/ac/animal-ordinance-complaints/report-a-violation/
TD, thank you for this! We’ve had an ongoing issue with one couple who feel it’s ok to walk their two pits unleashed. They do it all the time and when called out on the recklessness they get dismissive and belligerent. Dickinson St, Passyunk Ave, the fountain.. I’ve taken some pics but no video yet. With the weather getting nicer I expect we’ll see them more often.
I don’t think ANY dog should be loose in the city. Period. End of story. I don’t own a pitbull or any breed close to it. I have a Beagle…..but I DO believe that this animal was shot CLOSE to the door of a house…..no officer even suffered a scratch….when using force against a HUMAN they have can not fire unless in danger. Who what were the officers doing that they were getting so close to this dog? Also, Philly cops have a history of playing dirty. Killing people, taking bribes, raping women. I don’t trust ANY of them. Sorry. HATE THE COPS IN PHILLY
Philly cops bring in dozens if not hundreds of dogs (including many identified visually as “Pit Bull” mixes) to the shelters every year. This is not typical behavior for them.
Also, you are right that no dog should be off leash in the city. It is illegal – it violates leash laws. You can video it, find out who the owner is, and report it to animal control at 267-385-3800 or online at http://www.acctphilly.org/programs/ac/animal-ordinance-complaints/report-a-violation/
Agree!!! Remember the MOVE bomb? LoL That was filthy…
Nice shot!
Truth about pittbulls: http://www.dogsbite.org/
Pitbulls are not inherently vicious towards humans. They don’t come out of the womb looking for people to maul. Quite the opposite since they were brutally bred over generations to respect the humans that handled them.
Yeah an untrained pitbull will be a bad dog, but so will any breed. Thats just common sense.
Years of crappy breeding and unsavory types owning them created the false stereotype we see today. The amount of misinformation out there is mind numbing. They dont have a bloodlust or locking jaws or any of that. What they are – are powerful, medium to large sized dogs with a lot of energy who need responsible owners.
Dogsbite.org is a known skewed website run by a zealous moron (two actually) who was bit by one dog one time and now spreads biased reports to eradicate a species. Most of those attacks cited are by mixed breed dogs owned by the dregs of society who don’t care for or train the dogs at all. It’s sad a breeds reputation is ruined by PEOPLE.
I’m sure this will do nothing to sway anyone who is set in their minds such as Tony G. but perhaps it will help tell the other side to people with critical thinking skills in the middle of the issue.
Ian, you don’t get it. It’s simple logic & genetics. Will every pit bull maul someone? No way. But to ignore the potential for catastrophic damage is naive.The were bred over generations for animal aggression, and guess what? Humans are animals and often this aggression is projected onto humans. An entire industry has been built on the popularity of Pit Bulls.These mills don’t care about safety or responsibility, they’re just cashing in.To protect their bonanza, they run a propaganda campaign to fool suckers into thinking that Pits are no different than other dogs. But they are. They were bred for terrifying strength and tenacity, stealth, guile and unpredictability in attack, and a drive to fight to the death. It happens practically everyday. They are ticking time bombs. I find the amount of misinformation put out by the pit lobby (vast moneyed interests) is mind numbing, and it often gets people killed and maimed. The ignorance of people on this topic is astonishing. Dogs do not naturally rip people’s faces off. All breeds can attack, but pit bulls are unique in their level of attack behaviors. This is why pits account for the vast majority of dog related fatalities.Training can help, but it’s ultimately irrelevant.
Dogbite.org is a reputable site and the pit fanatics hate it because it shows the truth of what these animals are and what they’re capable of. I’ve yet to see anyone refute anything that is shared on that site, and they don’t have a bias towards pits. They report on any breed that’s responsible for fatalities or costly disfigurements. It just happens that pits are the worst offenders.
What other breeds were bred for animal aggression? All of the Terriers were bred to kill things. Hounds were bred to kill things. Is a Greyhound that kills a rabbit going to go after a human next? What about a Jack Russell that kills a rat in your home? Or a Beagle that gets a hold of a rabbit on the hunt? No. Because aggression can and is often target specific.
Dogsbite is not a reputable site. It was started by someone with an agenda. Someone that had a negative experience with a dog of a certain type and projected their experience onto all members of that breed.
Bill,
I’d suggest you read http://nationalcanineresearchcouncil.com/dogbites/dog-bite-related-fatalities/ as its not run by a woman and an attorney run by an agenda of revenge. This is one is not breed biased. There are some wonderful little bits of information to think about on there. It’s worth a read for anyone. Again, if you are stuck in your conclusion, fine, but don’t go spreading your misinformation like canon.
Agree!!!!
Bill,
Also the reason the statistics tend to be skewed comes down to identification.
http://nationalcanineresearchcouncil.com/uploaded_files/publications/38862585_Pit%20Bull%20ID%20Poster.pdf
Sometimes MIXED BREED doesn’t sound as good as PIT ATTACKS DAYCARE for selling destruction and panic like good newspapers do. A lot of things look like Pitt bulls but…arent.
This makes me so sick. Poor dog.. I highly doubt it was running around just biting people. Those cops are cowards. Also of course it was a “Pit bull” what a lame & easy way to try and make up for the fact that cops shot a dog, blame it on its breed and say it was biting random people.
AGREE AGREE AGREE
It was the right thing to do, a freakin’ dog is just that, a dog. Go to Viet Nam, you can have one Bar-B-Q’d!
PitBull (mix whatever) are inherently dangerous: http://www.dogsbite.org/ Those are facts, actual independent news accounts.
LoL at the first thing about Viet Nam… But I can’t get on board with the “inherently” part of your paradigm towards pitbulls…