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Dog attack: How keeping them leashed may cut down on the dangers

Posted at 11:18 PM, May 06, 2016
and last updated 2016-05-06 23:25:37-04

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – A Grand Rapids dog owner wants to remind all dog owners to keep their K9s leashed. This after her dog Oliver was viciously attacked by 2 larger dogs.

It happened Tuesday afternoon along Fulton street near Diamond street, right next to the cemetery.

Angela Deckard was walking her 9-year-old Beagle Boarder-Collie mix, when 2 dogs that were not leashed, attacked Oliver.

"They came running and attacked my dog,” says Angela. “Every time I tried to get my dog away, they were back on him. They were 2 very large dogs. One was a Rottweiler. I was just trying to get Oliver away because I didn't know what else to do."

Fortunately her dog is alive and recovering. But he needed emergency surgery and dozens of stitches.

"Yeah he's OK. No internal injuries or anything so that's good.” Angela said.

Despite having her dog attacked, Angela doesn’t blame the dogs. She blames the dog owners for not having the animals on a leash.

"Just please keep your dogs on a leash,” Says Angela. “Dogs are very unpredictable, it doesn't matter what breed the dog is, any dog can react in an unpredictable manner. Just keep them leashed so this doesn't happen."

Angela says the veterinary bill to patch up Oliver is expensive, around $1,300. Although she would like the owner of the dogs who caused the damage to help, she hopes they will at least use a leash so attacks like this don’t happen again.