Owner of pit bulls still being sought
Authorities had no luck Thursday finding the owner of two pit bulls who attacked an elderly woman and killed her poodle in Tustin.
The pair of 80-pound dogs, both female, were being held in quarantine at the Orange County Animal Care Center after Wednesday’s attack.
Neither dog had an identification tag, neighbors said they had not seen the pit bulls before, and county records show no licensed canines matching their description, said Ryan Drabek, a spokesman for the county’s animal care services department.
The pit bulls will be euthanized if no owner is found within 10 days, Drabek said.
If an owner does come forward, an investigation will determine whether the dogs will be destroyed or returned to their owner with restrictions, he said.
If found, the animals’ owner could be cited under two county ordinances requiring dogs to be kept on leashes and pet owners to take reasonable precautions against attacks. Both ordinances carry fines.
Dog owners can also be held civilly liable for any damage their pets cause, Drabek said.
The Tustin attack occurred about 6:30 a.m. Wednesday when Nan Haacker, 74, set out to take a walk with her 4-year-old poodle, Wolfgang.
Almost immediately, she said, the two pit bulls attacked her on the front porch, pried the poodle from her arms and killed it.
Haacker was taken to Western Medical Center-Santa Ana where she was treated for cuts on both hands and released.
Haacker, meanwhile, said Thursday that she was recovering with the help of her friends.
“My neighbors are wonderful,” she said.
“So far, both dogs are caught and nobody knows who they belong to,” she said. “I hope they euthanize them fast, and then it will be over.”
Start your day right
Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
