# Maltese attacked and killed in Hermosa Beach



## drclee (Jul 16, 2008)

I know we all hate to read these stories. This maltese was sooo cute, it makes me so sad. Here's the link where you can see her picture: http://www.dailybreeze.com/news/ci_14479903

Unleashed dogs kill dog being walked in Hermosa Beach
By Denise Nix Staff Writer
Posted: 02/26/2010 07:15:16 PM PST


Mercedes, above, was attacked and killed by two dogs in Hermosa Beach. Two dogs with a history of terrorizing their Hermosa Beach neighborhood killed a small Maltese this week in a violent attack that left residents distraught and a good Samaritan injured. 

Sue Brennan said Friday she was walking her neighbor's 8-pound dog, Mercedes, along with her own small dog on Thursday morning when she saw two unleashed dogs headed toward her. 

"I grabbed little Mercedes," she said. "This big dog just started grabbing little Mercedes out of my arms and had his jaws around her. 

"I wanted to pull her, but I thought if I pulled her, he was gonna rip her in two," Brennan said. 

"I'm 63 years old and I think it's the most traumatic experience I've ever had," Brennan added with a catch in her voice. 

Unable to pick up both little dogs, she let her dog, Lulu, go in the hopes she could safely escape. Lulu made some evasive moves, but was ultimately bitten in the back by one of the dogs. 

At least two other people, including Stephanie Kralick, beat the attacking dogs until they retreated. 

Kralick had just gotten into her car in front of her boyfriend's house when she saw the two black dogs running at Brennan. 

She used an orange traffic cone to hit the dog who had Mercedes in his mouth. 

At one point, the dog turned on her, and she ran to her car and got in, almost smashing the dog's head with her car door. 

Kralick, 46, injured her back during the attack. She was recovering on Friday. 
The whole incident took less than two minutes. In the end, Mercedes lay dead in the street. 

"I was awake all night thinking I could have saved her," Kralick said. "It was so sad." 

Brennan regularly walked Mercedes, who would have turned 3 years old on Sunday, for owners Katherine and Michael Sommer, her neighbors in the 400 block of 30th Street. 

Katherine Sommer, who is pregnant with her first child, said she rushed home from work Thursday to the chaotic aftermath on her otherwise quiet and friendly street. 

To her horror, the two attacking dogs were back with their owner, she said. 

"Our dog was just killed and those neighbors were allowed to have their dogs back?" she said Thursday afternoon. "It's a super safety hazard and it just seems so unjust." 

However, by Friday, the dogs were being held at the Carson Animal Shelter. There they will stay until Hermosa Beach Animal Control completes its investigation, according to a shelter representative. 

The dogs, which he described as a Labrador retriever mix and a terrier mix, could be euthanized. 

Brennan, Sommer and Kralick all said the dogs' owner, David Lamonica, had not expressed any concern or offered any apologies for his dogs' actions. They said the dogs have a history of breaking loose and terrorizing other animals and people. 

Reached by phone Friday by a reporter, Lamonica said, "Oh, Jesus," and hung up. 

Police Chief Greg Savelli said the dogs' owner was cited, and could face a fine. 

[email protected]


----------



## Tina (Aug 6, 2006)

How horrible!!! I hope they hold the owner responsible and is fined or imprisoned for this. Those two dogs should be put down. They were on a rampage. The owner knew the dogs were like this. <shakes head>.

Tina


----------



## harrysmom (Sep 28, 2007)

That is so horrible! I hope that man is held responsible. It's a shame that one dog
has already died and his dogs will probably have to suffer because he is a negligent owner.


----------



## The A Team (Dec 1, 2005)

OMG! Those dogs need to be put down and their owner needs to go to jail for letting them run loose!!!!!


----------



## maltlovereileen (Jan 19, 2009)

_the dogs' owner, David Lamonica, had not expressed any concern or offered any apologies for his dogs' actions_

Unbelievable. What a *@#$head!!!! :yucky: :yucky: :yucky: That is such a nice community too...hope they run him out on a rail. If the euthanize his dogs, I hope he will also be barred from getting new ones. Poor little Mercedes...


----------



## Purple-peep (May 14, 2009)

How sad

I had something similar happen several years ago, with our Wesite. She was in our backyard, while I was cooking super. I heard these terrible cries and ran outside. :smcry: 

Two Akitas were mauling her. My dh had to beat them off with a rake. At one point, they went after him.

My Westie lived but she was never the same after that.

These dogs belonged to a trashy family, a few blocks away. They had attacked several other dogs in the neighborhood at different times.

They paid our vet bills but all the families ended up going to court over it. The two dogs were taken away and put down.

They have another big dog now that sometimes runs loose. They just don't get it! :smilie_tischkante:


----------



## bellaratamaltese (May 24, 2006)

oh how sad!!!!


----------



## CeeCee's Mom (Sep 14, 2006)

That is just horrible! The owners should be jailed for knowing how their dogs were and letting them out to roam!! Poor Mercedes and her parents~~~There are no words to justify what happened!!!


----------



## heartmadeforyou (May 16, 2009)

How sad and scary! Poor Mercedes and the other dog who was bit! It is so lucky a child or adult wasn't attacked, also. I can't imagine how traumatized the dog walker was by this attack.


----------



## iheartbisou (Feb 13, 2007)

What a traumatic, heartbreaking story. I certainly hope the owner of the 2 vicious dogs is punished severely by the law. Sadly, that is the only way people like this, learn. He sounds like a piece of work.


----------



## michellerobison (Dec 17, 2009)

QUOTE (Purple-peep @ Mar 3 2010, 06:33 PM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=892166


> How sad
> 
> I had something similar happen several years ago, with our Wesite. She was in our backyard, while I was cooking super. I heard these terrible cries and ran outside. :smcry:
> 
> ...


Akitas are known for attackign other dogs. We had one in our shelter that killed another dog,a neighbor's beloved cocker. they sent it to Akita rescue and someone did take it,but they've had Akitas for years so they knew not to ever let it off leash. So sad. It's in their nature,I hate to see an animal destroyed because of a careless owner.


----------



## michellerobison (Dec 17, 2009)

Made me cry reading about precious Mercedes,what a sweet face. Wonder what happened to her other dog Lulu,the one bitten on the back,I hope she's ok.
When I lived in Naples Florida there was a series of coyotee attacks on small dogs and a couple Maltese were killed. That's why I carried a gun when I walked my babies.


----------



## maltemom09 (Jan 27, 2010)

OMG! That sweet little thing :smcry: My heart also goes to that poor neighbor who had to witness such a tragedy and at her age ..... poor thing. I think those vicious animals need to be put down and the owner, with his shitty attitude needs severely punished!


----------



## heartmadeforyou (May 16, 2009)

QUOTE (michellerobison @ Mar 3 2010, 07:04 PM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=892182


> That's why I carried a gun when I walked my babies.[/B]



Wow, Michelle... you don't play, huh? :OMG!:


----------



## ilovemymaltese (Oct 9, 2008)

QUOTE (heartmadeforyou @ Mar 3 2010, 09:42 PM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=892210


> QUOTE (michellerobison @ Mar 3 2010, 07:04 PM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=892182





> That's why I carried a gun when I walked my babies.[/B]



Wow, Michelle... you don't play, huh? :OMG!:
[/B][/QUOTE]

Good idea, I must admit. Since I don't have one, I'm just overly protective and walk around in shopping centers and suburban areas.


----------



## myfairlacy (Dec 28, 2007)

It pisses me off that irresponsible people just let their dogs run loose! And what REALLY upsets me is that the owner of the dogs could care less about what his dogs did!! UGH... It would be soooo horrible to watch one of our babies getting attacked. It's just so scary. If one of my dogs ever got killed by another dog, I'd sue the owner for the cost of a well-bred yorkie or maltese, especially if they acted like this owner! Not that it would bring my baby back..but at least it would make them have some accountability for their and their dogs' actions. The people that were injured could probably sue for their injuries as well. Not that I'm usually for sueing people..but when people act like this owner is and just don't care..they need to be held accountable!. What makes me sad too is that a lot of times there is no punishment for the dog and their owner when another dog is attacked...the fact that these dogs turned on and injured people will probably be the reason they could be euthanized


----------



## njdrake (Apr 23, 2007)

This breaks my heart for all involved and for that poor pup. I just don't get people. My girls love taking a walk more than anything and we try to walk them everyday but then I read things like this and it makes me want to keep them inside and never take them out. I don't know what I'd do if something like this would happen. I'm very careful and look around when we walk them but its scary because this could happen to anyone  How sad.


----------



## michellerobison (Dec 17, 2009)

QUOTE (heartmadeforyou @ Mar 3 2010, 09:42 PM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=892210


> QUOTE (michellerobison @ Mar 3 2010, 07:04 PM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=892182





> That's why I carried a gun when I walked my babies.[/B]



Wow, Michelle... you don't play, huh? :OMG!:
[/B][/QUOTE]
Nope,when it comes to my babies,I mean business. I wouldn't sue if someone hurt me,not that way but I would if it were my babies, I would have a hard time killing an animal if it came after me but I would if it attacked my babies...they can't protect themselves so it's up to me. I figure I can beat it off w/ a stick or do something to hopefully avoid killing it but my little fluffs can't. I couldn't live w/ myself if I let them down and they were killed..

I started to "carry" after I went to Florida and there were so many jewelry store robberies,they'd even follow you home,so hubby said,"start packin'..." so I did. I do juried shows and travel all over w/ jewellery,not that anyone would guess I was in my ratty old sweat pants,tee shirt and old car...usually they'd never guess I had 2 nickels to rub together.


----------



## moshi melo (Jul 2, 2009)

That's so horrible!! The owner and the dogs should be punished!! I can't even think about it anymore. :bysmilie:


----------



## michellerobison (Dec 17, 2009)

My babies just love walkies...it's getting in the 40's so I take them for a little walk,they just love it. I have to hassel w/ 2 golden labs that charge us when we walk. I tell them no and they usually back off. Now that I walk 5 not sure what they'll do. All the neighbors are made,these people leave their dogs run loose.Out in the country were there's only 3 or 4 houses in a mile,they figure they can run loose. When their dogs were young they'd come over and play w/ mine but now they're older and haven't been over in a long time so I don't know what they'd do. Plus 80 pound dogs,3.5,6-8 pond malts,not a good scenario....
Every year I have to kinda,re-educate the labs on not hasseling us....If I call the owners they usually pen them up so I can walk by unmolested. I don't say too much since 7 years ago when our little blind and deaf Amy slipped outside and wondered off,they came over ,her and her kids and searched for hours to find her. I left a message on their machine,their son who was 8 at the time,said we have to help Mrs. Robison find her dog and they looked all over until we found her. So I don't get too upset,they usually keep them penned up until I finish walking by. They really should do that all the time...penned up is over 120 acres.... Not like it's a small cage....


----------



## cleooscar (May 28, 2008)

This is just horrible! How could some people be so irresponsible! Poor Mercedes and her owner. I don't know what I would do if some dog attacks one of mine. I think I'll probably try to beat it to pieces with my bare hands. I hope that guy gets what he deserves. :smmadder: :smmadder:


----------



## Matilda's mommy (Jun 1, 2005)

:crying 2: I am so :exploding: I wish they would sue the owner, I would love to be on the jury, that owner :exploding: would be wishing he was put down :exploding: maybe prison time would make him think clear :two thumbs up:


----------



## bellasmummy (Apr 8, 2009)

omg how awful!!! that is just so sad


----------



## mfa (Oct 5, 2009)

oh, poor precious little Mercedes!!! :smcry: 
to think she suffered so horribly!!!
she looks so sweet in her pic :smcry: 

i hope that pos owner ends up in jail!!!


----------



## Orla (Jul 5, 2009)

oh thats just horrible!


----------



## Cute Chloe (Nov 30, 2009)

Our Malts are so little and defenseless that even if you carry a gun or a samurai
sword for that matter, just one little bite from an 85 pound loose dog will injure
them horribly. Even if the owner successfully shoots or stabs the big dog, your
Malt will never be the same.

This is why I never walk her outside. Too many irresponsible owners out there.

I am not gonna let my several thousand dollar spoiled baby be mauled by
a rabid unleashed mutt owned by a POS trash owner.

The best way for me to protect Chloe is to NOT let her be in this
vulnerable position in the first place.


----------



## mi_ku_5 (Jun 2, 2008)

AC and the local authorities are who need to be punished. There are going to be irresponsible dog owners as long as there are no real consequences for letting your dogs run loose. These dogs had been "terrorizing" the neighborhood, why did the owner still have them? Why wasn't he forced to contain them? Why don't the authorities take these things (loose dogs) seriously until a child is killed? Even then they just want to ban pitbulls and not address the real problem. (I know there is a huge difference between human aggression and animals aggression, but either way loose dogs are a problem.) We need serious fines and mandatory spay/neuter for loose dogs, regardless of size or breed.* Offer some free or reduced cost spay/neuter along w/ obedience classes and anti-tethering laws and bye bye dog attacks. It is sad that those two dogs are only a product of their raising (allowed to run loose and develop a pack mentality) and now they will die. The owner can just go out and get another dog (or two) and allow them to do the same. Killing those two dogs will solve nothing. I'm not saying I think euthanizing them is wrong either. Their owner is incapable of caring for them and who really wants two dogs that have already killed and have behavioral problems. 

*I don't subscribe to the theory that spay/neuter is a fix all for behavioral problems and I don't know if these two dogs were spayed/neutered or not. However, had their parents been spayed/neutered that would be two less neglected dogs running loose and one less needless death of a beloved pet.


----------

