The Region - News from Sept. 25, 1987

“Patches,” a pit bull terrier abandoned in Ventura along with a rubber hose and a note urging the finder to beat her, was put to death by animal regulation officials when plans for her adoption fell through. Mia Frost of the Ventura County Animal Regulation Department said the dog was destroyed last week because an elderly couple who planned to adopt her decided she was too vicious. Patches’ plight drew interest from across the nation when she was found in July, tied to a tree in Ventura. She had bitten a passing jogger who worked for the Animal Regulation Department. Next to Patches someone had left an open bag of dog food, a rubber hose and a note. “Hello, my name is Patches, and I haven’t got an owner. Would you be mine? I don’t eat much, and I don’t take much room. I need a lot of TLC. I’m a great watchdog, and once I get used to you I’m real nice. But until then, just beat me with this rubber hose,” the note stated. Frost said the dog “was just too vicious” to be adopted out.