A vicious dog attack on Main Street that left one animal dead has devastated a pair of Santa Monicans and angered the surrounding community.
On April 11 around 5:30 p.m., Alyssa Kluge and Christopher Dietrick were walking their toy poodle Dublin on Strand between Main Street and 2nd when tragedy struck. As they passed Samosa House, they encountered a dark-haired man with a pit bull talking to someone in a parked car.
While the couple were still several feet away, the pit bull lunged forward and attacked Dublin. Despite Dietrick repeatedly punching the pit bull and the owner tackling his dog, the attack was severe. When the dog finally released, Dublin was badly injured with fur, skin, and blood scattered around.
Dietrick was also injured in the attack sustaining a bite wound to his hand.
As the couple called 911, the pit bull owner fled northbound on Main Street. Bystanders provided assistance and a witness drove them to the nearest emergency vet, but despite immediate attention, Dublin died shortly after arrival.
The couple have been canvassing the neighborhood in the days since the attack posting flyers and gathering camera footage from a variety of nearby businesses. They said they are focused on finding the man responsible for the aggressive dog saying they want to hold him responsible and prevent any future attacks.
The outpouring of support for the couple, and criticism for the negligent dog owner who ran away, has been overwhelming.
Social media sites have been abuzz with neighbors describing scary interactions with a similar dog and internet sleuths have been searching for the man in question. While witnesses saw the man enter an apartment building on 4th Street, no one has been officially identified by authorities.
The Santa Monica Police Department has said it is seeking the public’s assistance in identifying the owner of the aggressive dog.
“In the interest of public safety and animal welfare, we urge the pit bull’s owner—or anyone who knows them—to please come forward and contact us immediately,” said SMPD in a social media post.
SMPD said the consequences for the individual who fled will be based on the results of the investigation.
"At this time, our Animal Control Unit is actively investigating the incident. Once the investigation is complete and the responsible party is identified, the case will be reviewed to determine what enforcement action, if any, is appropriate," said SMPD in a statement.
"Generally speaking, potential violations in these types of cases are most likely to fall under misdemeanor-level offenses. These could include municipal code violations related to leash laws, failure to control a dangerous dog, or failure to provide identifying information following a dog bite. If it's confirmed that a human was also bitten, additional state code sections may be considered, such as 398 PC (owner's responsibility after a dog bite)."
If you have any information related to this incident, please contact Santa Monica Animal Control at (310) 458-8595 or Kluge at 517-803-5158.
Editor’s Note: The attack occurred outside the SMDP offices and security footage from the building’s ownership has been provided to the victims.
