SACRAMENTO — The Front Street Animal Shelter in Sacramento is asking the public to beware of three husky-mix dogs on the loose in south Natomas that are responsible for killing a cat and biting a dog.
“I just saw three grown dogs wrestle around, and I knew it was one of our cats,” said the owner of the cat that was killed, who wished to remain anonymous for fear of retaliation. “I'm more worried about other animals being mauled and not only that, but if you're walking with your two- or three-year-old and they mistake it for an animal.”
The neighbor said his little “Vader” was the latest cat killed by the pack of dogs the Front Street shelter is trying to capture.
“When they do come around, I just carry this,” said another nearby neighbor, Jesse, who showed us the stick he carries. “If you threaten them, they tend to back off.”
He and other neighbors claimed that the owner of the dogs lives around the corner from them, but animal control could not confirm that since it is an active investigation.
“I don't understand how the guy could be allowed to let this happen again and again and again,” Jesse said.
A photo from CBS13's report in January shows a similar-looking pack of dogs roaming around south Natomas. This pack killed Chloe, a maltipoo, while she was out on a morning walk.
“We believe the dogs are coming from the same owner dogs that were loose several months ago that had similar descriptions, although they are different dogs,” said Ryan Hinderman, communications manager at Front Street.
Hinderman said that back then, the owner was cited multiple times. He could not give the exact number of fines, but said a single violation could be up to $500.
Two of the dogs from January were taken to a wolf sanctuary and another was euthanized. Hinderman said there is no evidence the owner is a breeder or where he is getting the dogs from.
Hinderman said the owner of the dogs claims that the dogs are malamutes, a large Alaskan dog breed.
CBS13 asked Sacramento Vice Mayor Karina Talamantes if she knew how the dogs were getting out to begin with.
“No, and that's why I want code enforcement to do an investigation,” Talamantes said.
Talamantes told CBS13 that she is working with animal control and the district attorney. She thinks this may be a case of animal abuse because of how malnourished the trio of dogs looks.
“This is not OK,” Talamantes said. “For a community, for my community, to live in fear walking their pets and walking out with their kids, this is not OK. This is not normal.”
The neighborhood is fearful that the dogs could attack again.
“More than one animal running together is kind of frightening and just the fact that I have to come out with either a stick or a bat just to protect my loved ones and pets. That's uncalled for,” said the owner of the cat that was killed.
The Front Street Animal Shelter said the dogs were last spotted running around the area near Natomas High School. One of them may have a catchpole around its neck because they were unsuccessful in capturing it over the weekend.
Although the dogs have no record of being aggressive towards people, Hinderman is warning people not to approach them and to immediately call 311 if they spot them.
It is unclear what will happen to the dogs once they are captured.
