Local News

FW Couple Wants 2 Pit Bulls Out After Attack

FORT WORTH (CBS 11 News) ― A North Texas couple is fighting to take two pit bulls off the streets after the dogs allegedly attacked them and their pets.

The victims say their dogs wouldn't be alive if Good Samaritans had not stopped to help. The attack happened in the Woodland Springs neighborhood in North Fort Worth.

The victims say they were walking their own dogs when the pit bull mixes attacked without warning. "It's horrifying," said Dale Ziegenhagen, one of the victims. "You just feel helpless to some degree."

Dale and his wife Suki Ziegenhagen say they were terrified when two pit bull mixes charged them and their dogs on Green Ash Drive Wednesday evening.

"These are our children. What can we do? Protect them. I didn't care about myself at that point," said Suki

As the couple tried to rescue their Belgian Malinoises, two Good Samaritans stopped to help. "I got out my umbrella and started swinging," said Pat Tobosa.

"I was kicking," said Suki. "Another person was hitting with an umbrella, hitting with a car shade. Nothing was going to deter them from getting to those dogs."

"I got knocked down. The other gentlemen with the umbrella also got knocked over," said Dale.

It didn't end until the Ziegenhagens managed to get their dogs into the Good Samaritan's car, but not before young Sierra was bitten on the neck.

"I would say I'm sorry that my dogs have gotten out, and they have caused maybe fear by their looks, but I'd like to reassure them that they're not vicious," said Saria Mubasher, one of the owners of the pit bulls mixes.

She says she doesn't know how the dogs got out of her backyard, but she claims they wouldn't attack for no reason. "I've never seen them be vicious to any person, any animal, anything. They're very nice," said Mubasher.

But witnesses say the attack was unprovoked and other neighbors say the pit bulls have gotten out before. "They were focused to cause harm," said Tobosa.

In a neighborhood filled with kids, the Ziegenhagens say they don't want the pit bulls on the street.

"They should be put down," said Suki. "Absolutely, they should be put down."

The Ziegenhagens are trying to get the two dogs classified as dangerous animals. That would mean the owners would have to get $100,000 worth of liability insurance for each dog. Right now, the pit bulls are in quarantine and their owners have been given six citations.

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