Police: Small dog mauled to death by pit bull in Dolores Park

Shawna Lee's dog, Fei Fei, was mauled to death by a pit bull in Dolores Park on Monday, she said. Shawna Lee's dog, Fei Fei, was mauled to death by a pit bull in Dolores Park on Monday, she said. Photo: Courtesy Shawna Lee Photo: Courtesy Shawna Lee Image 1 of / 17 Caption Close Police: Small dog mauled to death by pit bull in Dolores Park 1 / 17 Back to Gallery

A pit bull mauled a small dog to death in Dolores Park on Monday afternoon, police said.

Shawna Lee said her seven-year-old dog, a chihuahua-Pomeranian-dachshund mix named Fei Fei, was playing in the designated off-leash dog area near the playground of Dolores Park on late Monday afternoon when two large dogs approached.

Lee, a Mission resident, was watching her neighbor's children on the playground when the animals — a white pit bull and a brown short-haired dog — came barreling down the hill toward Fei Fei.

The pit bull caught the small dog in its jaws and let go when its owner intervened, Lee said. The owner of the large dogs left the scene without exchanging information, she said.

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Lee transported Fei Fei to a local vet hospital, where she later succumbed to her injuries, including three broken ribs and a punctured stomach and intestine.

"She was my constant companion," said Lee, speaking through tears.

The SFPD Vicious and Dangerous Dog Unit was notified of the incident. The agency encourages the owner of the pit bull, described as a male in his 30s or 40s, to contact them at 415-553-9182.

Anyone with information about the owner of the pit bull is asked to call the SFPD Tip Line at 415-575-4444.

There are two designated off-leash areas for dogs in Dolores Park, between 19th and Cumberland Streets along Church Street, and Church and Dolores streets between the promenade and lower soccer pitch.

In May, four people and a small dog were bitten after two pit bulls attacked them in Dolores Park. Three of the bite victims were taken to a hospital for treatment, police said. The owner of the pit bulls left the scene after the incident, without providing personal information or information on the dogs' vaccination records.

The SFPD's Vicious and Dangerous Dog Unit encourages the public to immediately report incidents involving dogs that exhibit aggressive or menacing behavior. The agency evaluates each incident and determines which remedies would prevent the dog in question from presenting a future risk to the public. Remedies include obedience training, muzzling, property inspection and educating the dog owner how to best control their animal.

Read Michelle Robertson's latest stories and send her news tips at mrobertson@sfchronicle.com.

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