Speakout

Grrrrr

I still carry the scars of a vicious dog attack that happened when I was six years old. Back then, the Sikeston Police Department took the report and did nothing afterwards. The police were satisfied to let the owners keep the German Shepherd in a 4-foot fence that the dog could jump at anytime. After reading the report of the attack on Mrs. Ledbetter, I can see that the Sikeston DPS has learned absolutely nothing in the last 48 years. They turned a vicious animal back over to its owner when it should have been immediately destroyed. What if this attack had happened to a young kid? A Pit Bull could have killed a child before help arrived. I was just lucky that help was close, and even then, the dog did not want to break off the attack. As someone that has been through an attack, I believe if a dog bites once he needs to be destroyed. No exceptions.

After the attack on Sunday, the dog was euthanized on Wednesday by the owner's request.