I read the letter titled “Dogs need to be on a leash” (July 6).

On May 2 while walking my 10-pound leashed Chihuahua at the Camarillo Sports Fields at Village at the Park, my dog and I were attacked by an unleashed pit bull.

I had asked the owner to put the dog on a leash and he refused. Two seconds later that dog ripped my Chihuahua out of my arms, ripped open her hip and stomach, bit me in the face and knocked me to the ground, injuring my hip and leg.

In the attack, my dog was thrown 3 feet in the air, suffering terrible injuries.

The owner of the pit bull began dragging his dog to his parked car and began a mad dash out of the park. Luckily, a passerby stopped, took a photo of the car and checked on me as I was frantically trying to get my dog, Summer, to her vet. Thank you, sir, because in all the turmoil I did not get your name.

Summer is still healing and, in the long term, it is hard to see whether she will ever be the same again. But she is with me, and that is all that counts.

So should dog leash laws be enforced? Yes, and the laws should be made much stiffer and have greater legal consequences than they do now. Dog leash fines should be raised to $100 for the first incident and increase significantly for each subsequent incident.

I urge all Camarillo residents to call Capt. Jeremy Paris of the Camarillo Police, Animal Control and the Pleasant Valley Recreation and Park District to proactively enforce leash laws.

The next person getting attacked might not be a 72-year-old man and his 10-pound Chihuahua named Summer: It may be your 5-year-old daughter or son. Be proactive because it is something you will never forget.