Glendale couple wants dog owners held responsible for attacks

GLENDALE, AZ - A Glendale couple wants the owners of vicious dogs to go to jail, or be fined if their dog attacks and kills another dog.

The idea is being proposed by Richard and Sally Andrade.

The couple, who live near 91st and Glendale avenues, lost their poodle Fabian about a year ago.

"Fabian barked and turned and the pit bull was coming right at us," said Sally.

Her husband wipes away the tears as he remembers that day when he made it home to see his pet.

"To see him laying in a box was the most heartbreaking thing," he said.

The Andrades say they get more and more outraged everytime they hear of another dog-on-dog attack.

"Just brings back memories," said Sally, referencing a recent attack in Tempe.

They say Fabian was killed when a neighbor's dog escaped from an unsecured gate, ran across the street and attacked him.

"We have no kids and we treated him like our child," Sally said.

The owner of that dog was never prosecuted for his pet's action. Under the current law, the dog would not have been put down unless it exhibited vicious behavior towards humans.

The couple channeled their grief and anger into proposing a new piece of legislation in Arizona that would make owners responsible for their dogs.

Right now it's only in the drafting stages, but it's expected to be pushed through in November.

If it goes through, the Andrades are asking for tougher penalties like jail time, fines and having the dog destroyed if it kills another pet.

"If you own a vicious dog it is your responsibility to make sure that dog won't harm another dog or person," said Richard.

Until the measure makes it into the legislation, the couple is asking for community support.

"We need support. We need people to come out and help us and bug our legislators and bug our lawmakers and tell them we need this kind of law," said Richard.

For more information go to www.fabianslaw.com .