Posted on 03/07/2013 8:31:50 AM PST by Slings and Arrows
SALEM, OR (KPTV) - A 6-year-old girl is recovering after she was attacked by a pack of Chihuahuas in Salem.
The attack happened Wednesday night on 17th Street Northeast near Nebraska Street, according to Salem police.
The girl was taken to the hospital but is expected to be OK.
Four of the Chihuahuas are now at the Marion County Animal Shelter under a 10-day quarantine. Once that is finished, a veterinarian will evaluate each dog for either adoption or euthanasia.
William Van Aken, the victim's father, said he and his daughter were on a walk to her school.
"We were only two blocks from the school when the five dogs just ran up barking and they ran straight after her and I thought they were just going to come up to us and back off, but the biggest one jumped up and bit her in the shoulder," he said.
A school crossing guard who was nearby chased the dogs away.
Neighbors said the Chihuahuas would routinely get loose from their yard and roam the streets.
"They actually tried to come at me and bite me but I was with my dog and he started barking at them," said neighbor Ryan Cade.
Since no one could say which dog out of the pack actually bit the girl, all but the quietest one were confiscated.
"It was bound to happen," said neighbor Barbara Gault. "We've seen them chasing after people all the time."
The dogs' owner told FOX 12 that children in the neighborhood often let the dogs out. He also said he understood it was time to give them up.
Those four “Chihuahuas” are mixes at best. I have two of them, one pretty much a pure bred, the other looks like one, but clearly is mixed with some sort of terrier. Her teeth are two to three times bigger than the pure bred. A real Chihuahua can’t do much damage to a human. But mix in some other breeds, its a different story. In fact, my mixed Chihuahua is the only dog that has ever bitten me and drawn blood, that was when she visited us the first time, and I cornered her to pick her up, and she lashed out at my hand....
>Actually, only one of them looks remotely like a Chi.<
Yep. Those dogs look like what they call feists around here.
Couldn’t tell ya....but they’re vicious little dogs with a junkyard attitude....safety in numbers? It’s the desert with few preditors except coyote/mt lion, various raptors.....????? Maybe they’re not worth the effort???????
Really?
That sounds like a Quentin Tarrantino movie, DChihua.
“Are there any good tempered chihuahuas? Every one I’ve met has had an evil disposition.”
In my experience, about half are good natured. The two males my sister owns might lick you to death. You need a crowbar to pry them from your lap! One of them is a rescue that had been abused by men in two different homes; it is a wonder the dog is still so receptive to strangers. So, while the breed has a reputation, there are plenty of exceptions.
“There was a chihuahua on Dog Whisperer - had the most disproportionately over-sized equipment I’ve ever seen on a dog.”
I was teasing my sister about her dog, that half the dog’s mass was, well, you know. I nick-named him Senor Chorizo.
You are right...they do!
LOL
Maybe it'd be too embarrassing to explain to their predator friends.
Awwwwwwww…she’s so cute! :)
"Mountain Feist" (I've no idea what the difference between a "Mountain" and a plain Fiest would be) with her litter of pups: 
Yeah, she’s cute alright...but she’s a merciless terror and the scourge of Odin’s existence.
When they’re out in the yard, she comes in fast, low and strafing, bites his hocks and makes him jump and run away.
But she always catches him.
:D
Altitude?
LOL
Please ignore all the pee breaks.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ncO61Hq2r4s
[all the horrible snarling is *her*]
The girls can be much tougher than the boys. It’s funny. Our alpha for this pack was a male, but he was also the nicest dog I’ve ever had. Both of our females were/are quite different. If there is a conflict, they’re the instigators. Our youngest male is in the process of becoming alpha (since the death of our best boy), but our elderly pack is quickly diminishing. Soon enough it will just be our last girl, who will be eleven in May, and our youngest male.
I love seeing them play. :)
When he came home, she immediately claimed him as "her puppy", so far all intents, she is his "mommy" and he won't buck her...LOL
What an adorable little baby he was! She has a lovely profile. :)
Chihuahuas are the yappiest, nastiest dogs I’ve ever encountered.
Thanks..she's my baby.
A *lot* of people helped me get her and her sister Darby out of a shelter in CA.
Her sister Darby lives in Nebraska.
[with a redhead who has the same birthday as me *and* has my Djinni's sister, Kenya...what are the odds?]..:D
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