LAKE CITY, Fla. (WCJB) – Video from Sept. 1, taken from the surveillance cameras of a home in Lake City, shows two dogs fighting and some say this is not the first time one of the dogs has intimidated and injured their animals.
Michael Durham owns Sysko, the dog that has now been deemed ‘dangerous.’
The other dog seen in the video is Buck, who belongs to Steve and Sue Sommer.
Durham and Sommer are next-door neighbors and they have their own thoughts about what the video shows.
“They kind of greeted each other, as dogs do. My dog started walking away and their dog cut in front of my dog and jumped up towards my mother. What their dog thought, I don’t know. But what my dog that was, ‘Hey, there is a problem here,’” Durham explained to TV20.
“I see no sign that it’s anything but, puppy love. But, I grant him the possibility Sysko thought that was aggressive,” Sommer said.
Durham believes Sysko was protecting his mother when Buck jumped up to greet her. “That’s when my dog went into protective mode and said, ‘No, I think you are trying to hurt her.”
According to Columbia County records, this was the second time in about two years Sysko attacked and injured another dog. In their report of the September incident, animal control said, “The video did not show which dog was the aggressor to begin with.”
“It should have been a wash. ‘Hey, you’re both wrong, you both need to be cited’ or whatever it may be and move on,” Durham told TV20.
State statute describes a dangerous dog as one that, “has more than once severely injured or killed a domestic animal.” The county began a dangerous dog investigation and took Sysko from Durham’s home on September 11th.
That same day, Durham requested a hearing no later than 21 calendar days, which is spelled out in state statute, but his hearing happened 27 days later on October 8th.
The public likely wasn’t aware of the hearing because it wasn’t advertised. An animal control officer admitted no public notices were posted. The county’s calendar also shows no special hearing for October 8th.
A newspaper reporter, who joined by phone, also told the court he believed the meeting was not advertised.
Magistrate Vernon Douglas continued with the hearing. Durham has serious legal concerns the court is in violation of the state’s Sunshine Laws.
During the hearing, Durham’s neighbors testified they’re concerned about their safety – explaining Sysko has a bad reputation and is responsible for numerous attacks on other animals.
“We have been living in fear,” said Steve Sommer.
“Sysko would not let my dog go,” Joan LeRoy said, explaining of a situation involving Sysko about two years ago.
“He will try and kill your dog,” said Sharon Kirk.
Magistrate Douglas declared Sysko as dangerous and gave Durham the opportunity to make improvements at home, if he wanted Sysko returned.
That included Sysko being muzzled at all times when not inside his home. The Sommers installed cameras looking onto Durham’s property and recorded at least two occasions where Sysko wasn’t muzzled, including on the day he was neutered and came home wearing a cone.
Durham says Sysko wasn’t muzzled on advice from the vet. “I did not have the muzzle on him per what the vet said because he’s nauseous. He can’t have the muzzle on. It could kill him,” Durham said.
Sysko was removed a second time by animal control and is in the custody of the Humane Society until a decision is made about what should happen next. One option is euthanasia, which Durham hopes doesn’t happen.
“I do care about my dog and he is not what they claimed and got him labeled as,” Durham said.
The Sommers say they don’t want that either, but had a responsibility to report Durham’s violations to the county.
“They even asked us to monitor in compliance and watch Michael and tell us as soon as he breaks a rule,” said Sue Sommer.
Friday’s hearing is at 10 a.m. in Lake City.
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