http://www.newsregister.com/news/story.cfm?story_no=168655
Man shoots pit bull to halt attack
Published: July 22, 2003
By KATIE WILLSON
Of the News-Register
WILLAMINA - Two-year-olds Digger and Buddy grew up on opposite sides of the fence in more ways than one. While mixed-breed Digger got lots of attention from owner Dan Bonson, pit bull Buddy was often left to fend for himself.
But the pups seemed to play well together when they got the chance. So Bonson was surprised Thursday night when the neighboring pit bull slipped under the wood-slat fence and attacked his dog.
As a last resort, the Willamina man ended up firing two shots into Buddy from a .357 magnum to get him to release a death grip on Digger's throat.
Both dogs survived, thanks only to a sturdy collar in Digger's case. But the pit bull was later put down by Yamhill County Dog Control, which responded when its Polk County counterpart could not or would not, even though the residence is on the Polk side of town.
The events began to unfold about 8:45.
Bonson was upstairs in his residence at 150 S.W. Ivy Street, finishing a set of shelves. His wife, Miranda, was watering the garden. Their grandchildren, 3-year-old Destiny and 8-year-old Tina, were playing in the yard nearby.
Suddenly, Bonson heard growls, snarls and a scream. He ran down just in time see Buddy grab Digger by the throat.
Digger shook hard enough to lift Buddy off the ground, but the pit bull hung on.
Bonson kicked Buddy and shattered a rake handle over him. Still, the dog wouldn't let go.
Desperate, Bonson yelled for his 13-year-old son, John, to go in and get his .357.
He fired one warning shot into the dirt, then another, but the shots had no effect.
He fired a shot into Buddy, and still the dog held his grip. It took a second shot to get the pit bull to let go.
When the dog staggered to the fence and slumped over, Bonson ran inside to put his gun away and call police. By the time he got through, alarmed neighbors had already called in reports of the series of gunshots.
When he went back outside, Buddy was not immediately in sight. He feared he had left a wounded pit bull running loose in the neighborhood, but the dog had simply collapsed behind the house.
Unable to get anyone to respond from Polk County, Bonson called Yamhill County. While officer Kay Full said the county doesn't normally venture outside its jurisdiction, she knew responding deputies weren't equipped to deal with an injured animal, so agreed to come.
When Full arrived, Miranda Bonson was sitting in the yard, holding Buddy's head in her lap.
At the scene, Full noted a gunshot had shattered the dog's shoulder. Back at the office, a fuller examination showed another gunshot had pierced a lung.
Full put the dog to sleep in lieu of commissioning emergency veterinary surgery, saying it could have cost Yamhill County taxpayers anywhere from $600 to $1,500 when the dog wasn't even from their jurisdiction.
Digger underwent treatment at Sheridan's West Valley Veterinary Hospital for wounds to the shoulder and neck. "The vet told me the collar is what saved him," Bonson said.
Bonson said Buddy's owners were in the process of moving. He said he didn't know their names, let alone their destination.
When the neighbors stopped by Saturday to pick up some more of their belongings, the Bonsons told them what had happened. "They weren't too happy about it," Bonson reported, "but they said they'd have done the same thing."
Neither family plans to press charges, according to Bonson, but the case remains under investigation by the Yamhill County Sheriff's Office, which provides police service throughout Willamina - even the Polk County side - under contract with the city.
"It's unlawful to discharge a firearm inside city limits," said Lt. Michael Runyon. "The issue here is that his dog was being attacked and there was a concern for his grandchildren."
Abandoning an animal is also punishable as a violation of animal cruelty statutes, Runyon said. He said deputies can't determine the applicability of that until they track down the pit bull's owners, who so far remain unidentified.
Man shoots pit bull to halt attack
Published: July 22, 2003
By KATIE WILLSON
Of the News-Register
WILLAMINA - Two-year-olds Digger and Buddy grew up on opposite sides of the fence in more ways than one. While mixed-breed Digger got lots of attention from owner Dan Bonson, pit bull Buddy was often left to fend for himself.
But the pups seemed to play well together when they got the chance. So Bonson was surprised Thursday night when the neighboring pit bull slipped under the wood-slat fence and attacked his dog.
As a last resort, the Willamina man ended up firing two shots into Buddy from a .357 magnum to get him to release a death grip on Digger's throat.
Both dogs survived, thanks only to a sturdy collar in Digger's case. But the pit bull was later put down by Yamhill County Dog Control, which responded when its Polk County counterpart could not or would not, even though the residence is on the Polk side of town.
The events began to unfold about 8:45.
Bonson was upstairs in his residence at 150 S.W. Ivy Street, finishing a set of shelves. His wife, Miranda, was watering the garden. Their grandchildren, 3-year-old Destiny and 8-year-old Tina, were playing in the yard nearby.
Suddenly, Bonson heard growls, snarls and a scream. He ran down just in time see Buddy grab Digger by the throat.
Digger shook hard enough to lift Buddy off the ground, but the pit bull hung on.
Bonson kicked Buddy and shattered a rake handle over him. Still, the dog wouldn't let go.
Desperate, Bonson yelled for his 13-year-old son, John, to go in and get his .357.
He fired one warning shot into the dirt, then another, but the shots had no effect.
He fired a shot into Buddy, and still the dog held his grip. It took a second shot to get the pit bull to let go.
When the dog staggered to the fence and slumped over, Bonson ran inside to put his gun away and call police. By the time he got through, alarmed neighbors had already called in reports of the series of gunshots.
When he went back outside, Buddy was not immediately in sight. He feared he had left a wounded pit bull running loose in the neighborhood, but the dog had simply collapsed behind the house.
Unable to get anyone to respond from Polk County, Bonson called Yamhill County. While officer Kay Full said the county doesn't normally venture outside its jurisdiction, she knew responding deputies weren't equipped to deal with an injured animal, so agreed to come.
When Full arrived, Miranda Bonson was sitting in the yard, holding Buddy's head in her lap.
At the scene, Full noted a gunshot had shattered the dog's shoulder. Back at the office, a fuller examination showed another gunshot had pierced a lung.
Full put the dog to sleep in lieu of commissioning emergency veterinary surgery, saying it could have cost Yamhill County taxpayers anywhere from $600 to $1,500 when the dog wasn't even from their jurisdiction.
Digger underwent treatment at Sheridan's West Valley Veterinary Hospital for wounds to the shoulder and neck. "The vet told me the collar is what saved him," Bonson said.
Bonson said Buddy's owners were in the process of moving. He said he didn't know their names, let alone their destination.
When the neighbors stopped by Saturday to pick up some more of their belongings, the Bonsons told them what had happened. "They weren't too happy about it," Bonson reported, "but they said they'd have done the same thing."
Neither family plans to press charges, according to Bonson, but the case remains under investigation by the Yamhill County Sheriff's Office, which provides police service throughout Willamina - even the Polk County side - under contract with the city.
"It's unlawful to discharge a firearm inside city limits," said Lt. Michael Runyon. "The issue here is that his dog was being attacked and there was a concern for his grandchildren."
Abandoning an animal is also punishable as a violation of animal cruelty statutes, Runyon said. He said deputies can't determine the applicability of that until they track down the pit bull's owners, who so far remain unidentified.
