Rottweilerlvr
03-07-2007, 01:28 AM
LAPEER - Rocky and Baby, two pit bulls in quarantine for biting three people, may have been on doggy death row. But that didn't justify someone taking the law into his or her own hands, a judge said.
A court hearing Monday to determine the dogs' fate erupted into gasps and sobs when the assistant prosecutor handling the case announced that one of the dogs died after both were poisoned while in quarantine at animal control.
The announcement left District Judge Laura C. Barnard incredulous and the dogs' owners and their friends overcome with grief.
"There's no good time to say this, but someone may have poisoned the dogs this weekend," said Assistant Prosecutor Steve Beatty. "The female dog is deceased."
"Oh, my God," said Kimberly Carreon, 40, of Lapeer, owner of the 2-year-old female dog, Baby. "My dog is dead."
Loud gasps broke out throughout the courtroom.
Carreon and Christopher Wilson of Lapeer, who owns Rocky, the other pit bull, broke into sobs and were briefly taken out of the courtroom until they calmed down.
Another spectator, a friend of the couple, was detained briefly after she blurted out angrily in the courtroom. Carreon, Wilson and the friend apologized to Barnard and promised to stay composed at future hearings.
State police are investigating to try to determine what happened to the dogs while in the county facility.
During a fight at the Pines of Lapeer apartment complex Feb. 20, the dogs were taken by animal control after three people were bitten in an apartment hallway.
Carreon and her daughter, Misty Mitchell, 18, said the dogs accidentally got out of the apartment during the fight and attacked only after seeing Carreon punched in the face.
Two people from another apartment were bitten, as was Mitchell.
Barnard seemed to be leaning toward destroying the two animals at the hearing when Beatty made his announcement
"I want an investigation undertaken," Barnard said. "For someone to deliberately poison dogs under quarantine is despicable. This is a very upsetting situation."
She set a new hearing for 9 a.m. today to give the couple time to contact an attorney and possibly save Rocky.
Beatty also apologized to the couple.
"I'm appalled. This was not our intention," Beatty said. "There's a right way to do this and a wrong way. This was the wrong way."
The dead dog was sent to Michigan State University for a necropsy to determine the cause of death. The other dog, which showed signs of illness, was taken to a Davison Township veterinarian for treatment.
Officials speculate that someone entered the shelter during public hours Friday or Saturday and threw something into the dogs' cages, Beatty said.
Although the dogs were set apart from other animals, visitors to the shelter Saturday would have been close enough to toss something into the cages, said Animal Control Chief Walt Rodabaugh.
It was the first such instance at the shelter in the 19 years he has been there, Rodabaugh said. The incident may prompt new procedures for visitors, Rodabaugh said.
On Friday, one of the combatants who lives down the hall threatened Carreon and Wilson that he would kill the dogs himself, said Mitchell.
Barnard warned everyone involved to remain calm and not take vigilante action while police determine what happened to the dogs.
"A little of that has apparently already happened," Barnard said.
http://www.mlive.com/news/fljournal/index.ssf?/base/news-4/1173194413247270.xml&coll=5
A court hearing Monday to determine the dogs' fate erupted into gasps and sobs when the assistant prosecutor handling the case announced that one of the dogs died after both were poisoned while in quarantine at animal control.
The announcement left District Judge Laura C. Barnard incredulous and the dogs' owners and their friends overcome with grief.
"There's no good time to say this, but someone may have poisoned the dogs this weekend," said Assistant Prosecutor Steve Beatty. "The female dog is deceased."
"Oh, my God," said Kimberly Carreon, 40, of Lapeer, owner of the 2-year-old female dog, Baby. "My dog is dead."
Loud gasps broke out throughout the courtroom.
Carreon and Christopher Wilson of Lapeer, who owns Rocky, the other pit bull, broke into sobs and were briefly taken out of the courtroom until they calmed down.
Another spectator, a friend of the couple, was detained briefly after she blurted out angrily in the courtroom. Carreon, Wilson and the friend apologized to Barnard and promised to stay composed at future hearings.
State police are investigating to try to determine what happened to the dogs while in the county facility.
During a fight at the Pines of Lapeer apartment complex Feb. 20, the dogs were taken by animal control after three people were bitten in an apartment hallway.
Carreon and her daughter, Misty Mitchell, 18, said the dogs accidentally got out of the apartment during the fight and attacked only after seeing Carreon punched in the face.
Two people from another apartment were bitten, as was Mitchell.
Barnard seemed to be leaning toward destroying the two animals at the hearing when Beatty made his announcement
"I want an investigation undertaken," Barnard said. "For someone to deliberately poison dogs under quarantine is despicable. This is a very upsetting situation."
She set a new hearing for 9 a.m. today to give the couple time to contact an attorney and possibly save Rocky.
Beatty also apologized to the couple.
"I'm appalled. This was not our intention," Beatty said. "There's a right way to do this and a wrong way. This was the wrong way."
The dead dog was sent to Michigan State University for a necropsy to determine the cause of death. The other dog, which showed signs of illness, was taken to a Davison Township veterinarian for treatment.
Officials speculate that someone entered the shelter during public hours Friday or Saturday and threw something into the dogs' cages, Beatty said.
Although the dogs were set apart from other animals, visitors to the shelter Saturday would have been close enough to toss something into the cages, said Animal Control Chief Walt Rodabaugh.
It was the first such instance at the shelter in the 19 years he has been there, Rodabaugh said. The incident may prompt new procedures for visitors, Rodabaugh said.
On Friday, one of the combatants who lives down the hall threatened Carreon and Wilson that he would kill the dogs himself, said Mitchell.
Barnard warned everyone involved to remain calm and not take vigilante action while police determine what happened to the dogs.
"A little of that has apparently already happened," Barnard said.
http://www.mlive.com/news/fljournal/index.ssf?/base/news-4/1173194413247270.xml&coll=5