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FOX 2's Taryn Asher and her photographer didn't even make it to the sidewalk before a pack of dogs came darting at the fence in front of a Detroit home on Ferris Street.

Vanessa Martin and her sister know the feeling, usually walking next to the fence with their 10-pound mini schnauzer.

"As soon as we got to the fence, the dog just slipped under the board and grabbed my dog," Martin said. "I jumped on my car and she ran the other direction."

"He had him in mouth for a minute and he shook him, it was pretty scary," said Raven Wood, her sister. "He just laid there for a minute. I really thought he was dead. I lifted his head up and said 'Please be okay.'"

A 1-year-old pit bull is the one who came under the fence and attacked the little puppy Phillipe.


The owner of the family of pit bulls only spoke to FOX 2 from the porch, saying he felt bad about what happened and claims the dog is not normally aggressive.

He says he plans to put down the dog, but Vanessa isn't convinced - and worries about the faulty fence other kids who live in the neighborhood.

"I thought what if I had my baby with me would he snatch my baby up," she said. "And to have an owner not do anything about it, something has to happen."

Martin called police but she claims officers never arrived. She made a police report by phone. But all three dogs are still there.

Compared to photos taken right after the attack - it appears the owner tried to fix the fence, but there is still plenty of room for this to possibly happen again.

Little Phillipe was severely injured from the attack. Even with surgeries and thousands in vet bills, there was no guarantee the dog would survive. Late Monday afternoon Martin was forced to euthanize her puppy.

"It wasn't about the money we loved that dog it is a family pet who loves us," Martin said. "I have a baby who I looking for her puppy now. I can't bring him home because I took my dog for a walk and now I can't bring him home.

"It is hurtful; I wasn't expecting that today."

Martin wants the pit bull owner to fix his fence and reimburse her for her dog.



