The owner of four dogs in Texas that killed a beagle belonging to a neighbor is suing the dead dog's owners for $1 million, USA Today reported on Tuesday.
Three pit bulls and a pit-bull mix owned by Emerald White got through the families shared fence on Oct. 27 and attacked a 10-year-old beagle named Bailey. White claims in her lawsuit that she was seriously injured trying to separate the dogs and end the fight.
But Tiffany Baker, who owned Bailey, said the horrific event is still fresh in her mind.
"When I looked out the window, I saw my dog on her back, whimpering, and I saw two pit bulls attacking her," Baker said.
White said the beagle attacked her, even though her dogs weren't hurt in the incident.
"The dog at that house attacked her, bit her, scratched her, injured her," said her lawyer, Paul Houston Lavelle. "Her dogs attacked the beagle, when the dog started attacking her."
Lavelle said White should be excused from any medical bills and said he himself has received threatening emails since becoming White's lawyer.
Bailey tried to enter White's yard first through an open space in the fence, and her dogs chased Bailey away, according to the suit.
Each of White's four dogs, which she has in her possession again, have been deemed dangerous by police. Texas City is requiring that the owners register their dogs with city officials, with a sign alerting passersby of the danger posted in their yard. White must also purchase $100,000 in liability insurance for the dogs.
Despite several people's encouragement, the Bakers have decided not to sue White, Lohud reported.
"It wasn't going to bring Bailey back," he said.
