Dog Attack in Lincoln Park

US Air Force photo

We noticed this report on the NewHillEast listserv from an eyewitness to a dog attack in the Hill East neighborhood (which, as the name logically implies, is east of Capitol Hill). This report is both a specific warning to people and their pets who visit that particular park, and a more general warning about the dangers of aggressive, unleashed dogs -- a problem throughout the city.

As I was walking home through Lincoln Park this evening at around 7:30 I witnessed a disturbing dog attack that should serve as caution if you take small kids or dogs to the park. As I headed towards the north side of the park I saw what looked like a two hundred pound, shaggy-haired grey male dog (appeared to be an Albanian Mountain dog) attack a small mutt that weighed maybe 20 pounds. Neither were on their leashes of course and the big dog attacked completely unprovoked, running over and sinking its teeth into the small dog's neck, then shaking it off the ground for a good few minutes. I ran over with several other bystanders and was able to break them up, but there was definitely blood on the dogs and on several people.

The owner of the aggressive, big Mountain dog (which of course wasn't neutered) was a middle-aged Asian woman who was about 5'6" and headed in the direction of the south side of the park. Apparently she's a regular in the park, and I warned her that if I saw her with the dog off the leash again I'd call the cops.

I suggest exercising caution if you see this aggressive Mountain dog in the park. (You'll know it because the dog is twice the size of his owner and there's not too many Albanian Mountain dogs in the neighborhood.) Call the police if you see him off his leash. Several people who witnessed the incident said that the dog has previously demonstrated aggressive behavior and yet the owner continues to let it off the leash in Lincoln Park.