Redford family upset over deaths of 2 dogs

Family members say neighbor's dogs attacked, killed their dog

REDFORD, Mich. – A family in Redford is devastated and upset over the deaths of their two dogs.

Family members said eight months ago their neighbor's dogs attacked and killed their little dog, and then just a few weeks ago it happened again.

Police responded and filed a report after each dog was killed.

On May 6 Cheryl Smith and Ramon Smith let their two shih tzus out in the backyard; only one of the dogs, Stripe, returned. They found Sammy moments later dead in the neighbor's yard.

A gap in the neighbor's fence allowed the two huskies to snatch him. The Smiths filed a police report and talked with an animal control officer.

"He told us that he was going to pick the dogs up and have the dogs quarantined, but nothing ever took place," Cheryl Smith said.

Eight months to the day it happened again. This time it happened through a hole dug under the fence.

"My poor little dog. They drug him through. They pulled -- his fur was stuck on the bottom of the fence," Ramon Smith said.

Again, another police report, but no change.

"No justice. It feels like a kick in the face. We're taxpayers and we've been living here for 11 years," Cheryl Smith said.

The mother of the woman who owns the huskies told Local 4 News they've never been vicious and there were no witnesses to the attacks, so while she's remorseful, she's not convinced their dogs are responsible.

"She just needs to be held responsible. They need to take those dogs and they need to permanently remove those dogs from the property," Cheryl Smith said.

It turns out the first animal control officer either quit or got fired during the first investigation and still hasn't been replaced.

Local 4 News is told that case fell through the cracks, but police are handling the second one and the day Local 4 called them about this, they issued a summons to the owner of the huskies to go to court and prove her dogs aren't vicious.


About the Author:

Jason is Local 4’s utility infielder. In addition to anchoring the morning newscast, he often reports on a variety of stories from the tragic, like the shootings at Michigan State, to the off-beat, like great gas station food.