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Pit bulls make wonderful pets when people treat them well.

Ann Holbrook, who has lived on the Hill for eight years, was helping a neighbor on Sunday, Nov. 8, when she saw two young men inciting their pit bull-type dogs to attack feral cats that were in a neighbor’s yard. According to Holbrook, one of the young men freed the dog from its leash and set it on one of the numerous cats that populate the neighborhood causing undetermined injury. The other young man took up what Holbrook describes as a defensive position in case the cat escaped from the attack of the first dog. bull. Holbrook believes a neighbor with a security camera on his property may well  have captured this attack on video.

Holbrook called 911 immediately and left a contact number. According to Holbrook she did not hear back from MPD although later in the day an officer in a passing police cruiser informed her that the police had responded and the investigation revealed that no teens had been found. Holbrook is unhappy with the response of MPD. “No one responded nor did they forward my call to the Humane Society.“ MPD Lieutenant Ewell appeared at Holbrook’s door on Nov. 10 after an airing of the incident on the local ABC television station. Attempts to contact Lieutenant Ewell were unsuccessful.

Holbrook is one of a number of neighbors who remain concerned for the safety of more than 30 feral cats. Those concerned include PawPads, an organization which has dispersed over $5,000 for their care. Holbrook reports there are two injured cats with a number having mysteriously disappeared. Holbrook quickly spread the word about this incident on the Hillhounds and HillEast list servs and subsequently learned that what seemed like an isolated incident has been previously witnessed, but has gone unreported. The identity of the young teenagers, both African Americans, remains unknown. One pit bull is described as brown and the other is gray and black.

Officer Andrews, from MPD’s Public Information Division stated that a report was filed on November 8, but that “no one was found to have engaged in these behaviors. The investigation has been turned over to the Humane Society.” According to the police report there was “no indication that cats were injured. The Humane Society will do the follow up investigation. They will take the lead on this case.”

Sabrina Fang, Director of Marketing and Communications for the Washington Humane Society (www.washhumane.org), stated that an investigation is currently underway, adding: “It is a horrible thing if it is true.” Part of the investigation will be interviewing residents in the community in an attempt to learn who the owners of the pit bulls are and if any other similar attacks have occurred. Fang states that this is the first report the Humane Society has had of these sorts of attacks and that “it appears to be an isolated incident” with the investigation yet to be completed but she noted that “ dog fighting is a problem in the District.” According to Fang there are approximately 17,000 reports each year of animal cruelty.

Under the Animal Control Act, Section 8-1808, it is against the law “to encourage dogs to attack other animals.” If a determination is made then the matter is referred to the criminal justice system.

According to a reliable study by Merrit Clifton, published in Animal News, which covers the period of 1984 to 2008, pit bull type dogs were responsible for 137 deaths to humans or 43 % of all breeds responsible for human deaths. Of the 1.7 million dogs euthanized in 2008, 980,000 or 55% were pit bulls. There are no current statistics on how many cats have been killed or injured by pit bulls.

Council member Jim Graham regularly introduces legislation to ban pit bulls in the District. The Humane Society, on the other hand, opposes breed specific legislation believing that dogs are dangerous because of their owners and levels of socialization, not because of any inherent genetic defects.

Gary Weitzman, Executive Director of the Animal Welfare Rescue League and an owner of a pit bull, states that his organization conducts educational outreach to communities and schools about treatment and care of animals, and adds, “ It is an eye opener that some kids do not consider animals to be pets.”