The Emporia Gazette

DJrocksthemic (anonymous) says...

I know whoever is responsible may never read this, but if you do consider yourself lucky I'm a nice person and didn't call the police. I was out for my evening run, near Carlos O' Kelley's on seventh street. Now usually I run indoors or on the track, but tonight got home a little late from work and decided to run a course I'd plotted near my house.

As I was running I was attacked by your two dogs as I ran on the street, they tripped me up and chased me onto your lawn, biting at my legs the whole way. There is no way you couldn't have heard the commotion, and I think it was very inconsiderate that your dogs were attacking me. And even moreso that you either left then on your front lawn when you weren't home, or that you didn't have the decency to come out and call them off or apologize. Don't get me wrong I love animals and think dogs are great protectors, but I shouldn't have to run in fear in a nice neighborhood that I'm going to get attacked by dogs. Oh well, you may never read this, but hopefully some of the other runners who might have a course near here might, don't run near the dead end at seventh.

April 10, 2009 at 8:58 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

create (anonymous) says...

You're right, DJ, these people will likely never read your post, but that's not surprising. Even if they did, it wouldn't make much of a difference because people who let their animals run loose simply don't care about the rest of us. Period.

After the ice storm last week, while I was out in my own front yard picking up tree debris, two large stray dogs ran into my yard and growled at me. One stood back barking while the other became more aggressive and moved in to attack. These were large dogs, 40 - 50 pounders.

Out in the open like that, I had no place to go. I stood still. Seconds passed. While the smaller one continued to bark, the larger dog kept growling, head held low, teeth bared, inching closer. Standing still was clearly not the answer. My only hope was a defense so I raised both arms in the air, yelled loudly, and threw the handful of sticks I was holding at them. Lucky for me, it worked. They both ran off and I came indoors to call the police.

The dispatcher said, "Well, the Animal Control Officer isn't on duty yet."

Fine! In the meantime, what happens if there is a little kid out in his yard? We wait for Animal Control?

The AC arrived about a half hour later and I gave her a description of the dogs. I asked to be informed of the outcome, but was never contacted.

Like you, DJ, I was pretty helpless and had to take evasive action, something we shouldn't have to do with a leash law in force. Do we arm ourselves with pepper spray just to go for a run or clean up our yards?

Let me open another can of worms. What about all the blasted cats that use my garden for a litter box? It's disgusting to have to clean all that out before I can even plant anything. The people who let their cats out every day don't care one whit where the dang thing goes. If I knew who they were, I'd strongly suggest they come clean out my raised beds. I'm being kind here. Some people are not as kind to strat cats.

Had I been armed that day when those two dogs nearly attacked me, would I have shot them? Yes.

Now with warm weather here at last, the stray dog and cat problem will escalate, I'm sure. Nonetheless, DJ has a right to run along the streets of Emporia, and I have a right to work outside in my front yard without being fearful of stray dogs attacking us.

April 11, 2009 at 8:10 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

DJrocksthemic (anonymous) says...

Thanks Create, what's worse is that these weren't strays, and had I used pepper spray, or struck one with the stick I was carrying, I probably would have gotten sued and taken to jail for animal cruelty. Yeah, that's what the world is these days.

April 11, 2009 at 8:30 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

moderator (anonymous) says...

From Emporia Police Chief Gary Smith:

To clarify a posting regarding the Dog near Seventh Street discussion by "Create" on April 11 at 8:10 a.m., one of our dispatchers read the posting and was concerned about what she perceived as a strong misrepresentation of the facts. In researching the call, and listening to the call and radio recording I would agree with our dispatchers. While our dispatcher was on the phone with the caller, she dispatched the animal control officer who arrived at the scene within 6 minutes and picked up one of the dogs involved. I'd be happy to let anyone listen to the recording that would so care to do so or look at the time printouts. The call came in at 9:25:12, the officer responded at 9:26:40 and the officer arrived at 9:32:28. She had the pit bull confined at 9;43:08.

Our dispatchers and animal control officers take great pride in their work and do the very best that they can. At present, we have one animal control officer. Our officers respond when possible to any call where the caller specifically states that the dog is vicious and has tried to attack or appears ready to attack someone.

We are taking a very aggressive position on citing individuals who allow their dogs to run at large. If there is a message here, it would be that individuals who choose to own an animal have an obligation to keep their dogs and cats restrained and not allowed to roam.

The other call was regarding the crime of the week where a posting stated the officer "blew them off." In reviewing the recording of that call, the callers were very difficult to understand as they were yelling into their cell phones and there was a lot of background noise. Despite that, officers were detailed immediately. This matter commanded the attention of two dispatchers for a period of time. The officer was dispatched 15:29:41. The first officer arrived at 15:43:04. Officers canvassed the area and met with one reporting party. According to the call, by 15:56:28, the officers were enroute to Lyon County Jail with one person in custody. The total number of officers committed were 4 officers which was 2 short of our entire shift for that time of day. The total amount of time committed to the call started at 15:39:41 and ran until 16:09:12.

Gary Smith
Emporia (KS) Police Chief

April 13, 2009 at 11:06 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

biscuitboy (anonymous) says...

Despite budget shortages and lack of manpower, I agree the biggest problem with animals in this town is animal owners. And perhaps understandably, it seems the owners with the biggest most aggresive dogs are the one's most likely to let them run loose. I guess it's somekind of a macho thing where the biggest and strongest should get what they want. Back during the "ban the pit bull" debate I proposed an ordinance I felt was sure to solve the viscious dog problem. I proposed that the owner of any dog involved in an aggressive attack off of it's own property, that resulted in the serious injury or death of any human or other domestic animal, said owner should be summarily executed where they stood. Of course I didn't really expect this odrdinance to pass, but as long as loose and/or viscious dogs or the only ones to pay a serious price...while the owners get a slap on the wrist...the problem will continue. Most of the people that own these large viscious dogs understand only one concept...excessive force wins. Appealing to their since of fair play and decency is a waste of time. Hit them hard and make it hurt.

April 14, 2009 at 7:04 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

create (anonymous) says...

The dispatcher did not inform me that she had already dispatched the animal control officer. If she had, I clearly misunderstood her message to me, and I apologize for not hearing her correctly. It seemed that quite a bit more time had gone by than what she claims before the AC arrived. But they have the dispatch record, all I have is my experience with aggressive dogs. In the end, the real problem is the dogs. I have seen them running loose before so apparently nothing is being done to the owner(s).

April 15, 2009 at 9:49 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

justthefacts (anonymous) says...

create how do you know nothing is happening? Have you checked or are you making another unsubstantiated opinion. Have you checked with the courts or the police to see how many have been getting tickets for dogs running loose??? I think people need to be careful giving opinions as fact or giving the wrong impression. Did or did not the operator tell you the animal control officer was not on duty? I'm just curious as it appears that someone is mistaken on what happened between what you are saying and what is posted as the police side of this.

April 15, 2009 at 9:54 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

biscuitboy (anonymous) says...

Whenever any criticism, or question, about police procedure arises here comes just the facts to cross examine the person as if they were a suspect. Couple this with the user name and it is quite obvious just the facts has some connection to law enforcement. Rather than just attacking the person making the post....the department, and the city, might be better served if some attempt was made to understand why people who had after all called the police for assistence ended up so dissatisfied with the results.
In my paticular case is wasn't that the police didn't respond in a timely manner...they did, and it wasn't that a suspect was not taken into custody...one was. My unhappiness stemmed from the "fact" that thru out this episode, continuing past the time the suspect was taken into custody, I was trying desparetly to give them information about two other suspects and a vehicle that were also involved. Only after the Police Chief claims the issue was resoved did they take my information. If anything was done with it after that, I am unaware. So, in my opinion, one suspect in custody and two that apparently got away, shows some room for improvement and that was the only point I was trying to make. It was also the opinion of everybody I shared the story with.

April 17, 2009 at 8:37 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

justthefacts (anonymous) says...

well it's not my opinion. I think it is important for people to be accurate what they say. people's lives and credibility are at stake. I've made my connection known. I'm retired from law enforcement from another location. And in my experience I've seen time and time again how the wrong information skews the facts. I do find it interesting when the real story is brought to light, you all still crab. Maybe they are hiring and you can go do a better job of it. Arm chair quarterbacking is not becoming.

April 17, 2009 at 8:21 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

butterfly (anonymous) says...

so if a vicious dog comes into my yard and threatens me or my family with bodily harm - can I shoot it?

April 20, 2009 at 1:46 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

biscuitboy (anonymous) says...

why don't you shoot the owner....JUST KIDDING....KINda....maybe....

April 20, 2009 at 7:01 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )