Dangerous dog laws must be enforced and followed

I would like to comment on the article published in the Nov. 19 issue regarding dog bites in Westlake. I believe statements made in the article need clarification.

As mentioned in the article, my golden retriever, Chelsea, was involved in an unprovoked attack by two dogs on Sept. 11, as I was walking her in my neighborhood. The attack involved multiple puncture wounds to her neck and hip. Prior to this incident, at least two people were bit by one of the dogs (Lester) and several neighbors have reported seeing both dogs leaving their property and even chasing children riding their bikes on the road. 

Lester was designated dangerous by the courts on May 13, after biting a neighbor talking a walk on the sidewalk. The attack of my dog was completely preventable if the dog owners practiced responsible pet ownership and complied with the provisions of the Ohio dangerous dog laws (as referenced in the article).

Our family has never discriminated against any particular dog breed nor engaged in any discussions regarding breed-specific laws. We are concerned about the lack of enforcement by the city and county animal control of the current dangerous dog statute. Also, the charges against the owners of the dogs were not "harboring a dangerous dog" as mentioned in the article but involved not keeping a dog under reasonable control and not abiding by dangerous dog provisions. These charges were filed by the city (not my family) and I was called as a witness only after my dog was attacked.

I will continue to support enforcing laws regarding responsible pet ownership and compliance with already existing laws to ensure the future safety of our community.

– Michele Geraci Rambasek, Westlake