Pit bull killed in Kits; apparent owner writes open letter

VANCOUVER (NEWS1130) – A pit bull has been stabbed to death on Kitsilano Beach.

Vancouver Police say a 72-year-old man was walking his pug at around 1 p.m. yesterday when he was approached by a woman who was walking a pit bull.

The pit bull bit down on the pug’s neck and the two couldn’t be separated.

Police say the man pulled out a folding knife and stabbed the pit bull, killing it. The pug was rushed to a veterinary hospital and received stitches to its neck.

Both the man and woman are cooperating with investigators and no charges are being considered at this time.

Marcie Moriarty with the BC SPCA says they have the pit bull and will be conducting a necropsy. She tells us a number of things need to be determined.

“Then, of course, the investigation will look into all the other surrounding factors like provocation, self defense, and intention. Did the dog die instantaneously or was there pain and suffering?”

She says it’s too early to say if charges will be laid. “There are provisions; if it was in self defense, absolutely there are provisions for that, also [for] the pain and suffering.”

Moriarty couldn’t confirm how many times the dog had been stabbed.

Woman claiming to be the pit bull’s owner posts open letter to Facebook

To everyone with an opinion who wasn’t there today to know what really happened,

The Pit Bull’s name was Pandora. She was six years old.

Ask me if I would let my very small child around this dog while I’m in another room? My answer is yes – absolutely. I did. Many times. And given the chance again, I would let that beautiful, intelligent, beloved dog care for my daughter in a heart beat. Sadly, I will never have that opportunity. My daughter has lost her best friend. That pit bull that was murdered today? She helped me raise, and care for my almost 4-year old daughter.

Was the pit bull off leash? No. She was not.

This was a clearly marked area: dogs should be kept on leash, as posted by the city bylaws. Funny thing is, it was this negligent old man who irresponsibly let his own dog run around freely: he did not have control of his own dog.

Today a man killed a dog. He screamed these words “You hurt my dog. You deserve to die” And then he took out a knife and repeatedly stabbed Pandora until she died. And as Pandora lay their lifeless, this old man fled the scene with his dog in an SUV.

Our family is in shock. In pain. We have lost our loved one. The real victim here was Pandora. My sister, a woman who has worked for and volunteered with the SPCA, who has fostered countless animals while they await adoption, who was been a dog walker, a dog groomer, has held jobs with pet stores and doggy daycares, who has just recently enrolled in a program to become a certified dog trainer, has lost her best friend. My sister’s passion is animals. She is sympathetic to the concern for the pug’s welfare that this old man may have felt in the moment. But his panic does not excuse his actions. The fact that he is “72 years old” or that Pandora is a certain breed does not justify what he did. He is a human being, but his actions were sickly inhumane.

Let me remind you that this is not your story to judge, nor is it your responsibility to decide who is right or wrong. Just as each human being is different, so are the pets we care for. The difference is, we as humans have the capacity to make choices.

Ignorance and misinformation will get the best of you. If you want the real story, I challenge you to stop hiding behind the safety of your screen and come see the family that Pandora has left behind. In fact, let this invitation be forwarded to the man that murdered Pandora. Come have coffee with my daughter and I tomorrow morning. Let me share with you my side of the story: what really happened this afternoon, as opposed to what the media is contorting this into, and then try to tell me who the victim is here.

Sincerely,
Amy

Reaction from local pet owners

Pet owners who are Kits Beach regulars were stunned to find out about the stabbing, but it’s not going to stop them from bringing their dogs to the beach.

Most people News1130 chatted with say it’s rare to come across a dog owner who is irresponsible.

“We have a wonderful time, day after day,” one owner tells us. “I have never experienced anything like that in 15 years.”

“For the most part, I haven’t really seen any aggressive behaviour and I’m not really worried about my dog,” says another.

Sophia takes her dog there twice a day. “I couldn’t imagine something like that happening to my dog.”

“I couldn’t have stabbed someone else’s dog.  I would have gone behind the dog and grabbed his legs until his owner could have done something.”