DELAWARE COUNTY, Okla. — Neighbors near Grand Lake said packs of feral dogs are threatening their safety after family pets have been attacked and killed.
FOX23 talked to one man who lost his dog and feels change needs to happen fast.
The Delaware County sheriff said they are aware of the feral dog packs running around the county and are working to protect families and their animals.
Last Wednesday, John Nielsen was at a cabin on his property when he heard a lot of commotion.
He ran toward the noise and found a pack of feral dogs violently attacking his 14-year-old dog, Virgil.
Virgil
“He was bleeding from his mouth, from his ears, from his legs. They had totally chewed him up. He was still alive. I was shouting at them as I was running up the hill and they took off,” Nielsen said.
John said after the attack, he called 911 to get help from Delaware County, but had no luck. Nielsen said he then had to make the heart-wrenching decision for his sweet Virgil.
“My neighbor brought my gun about five minutes later and I put my dog down,” Nielsen said.
Residents around Dripping Springs, Patricia Island Estates and Oak Acres said they’ve spotted as many as a dozen dogs altogether.
People who live there said they’ve seen packs of dogs run off deer, kill a cat and another dog and are even responsible for the death of a horse.
Others are concerned for children and the elderly, especially when months are warmer and more people are out.
Delaware County Sheriff Ray Thomas said his office is working with other agencies to document where the feral dogs are and how to humanely stop them from wreaking havoc on communities.
“No one wants to shoot dogs, but we can’t have dogs out here chasing livestock, potentially trying to come at adults or kids. That’s a big issue that could turn out devastating for families,” Thomas said.
But removing the potential threat isn’t as easy as hunting the wild pack down, nor is it legal.
Oklahoma statute states it would be lawful to kill the dangerous dogs only if they are chasing livestock or a threat to people and animals, unprovoked. You can find those state statutes by clicking here and here.
“Our pets are our family and I’m big with pets. I’ve got hunting dogs. I’ve got, you know, they’re one of my kids, too. So, that’s issues we need to fix,” Thomas said.
An issue that Nielsen hopes is fixed fast.
The sheriff said there will be a meeting in the next few weeks where people can attend and voice their concerns.
This post was originally published on this site be sure to check out more of their content.
