UPDATE: According to CBC News, the letter was an open letter on Facebook by Amy Fairbridge, sister of the pit bull owner Samantha Fairbridge. The dog was being walked by roommate Lyndsey when it all went down.
We recently posted on the Kitsilano Beach Park pit bull dog-on-dog attack and subsequent old-man-on-dog stabbing. Since our post went live, a person claiming to be the pit bull owner has come forward with a statement. We hope it goes without saying that Kitsilano.ca wasn’t there and doesn’t know which side of the story is “true.” We do know that dogs, off-leash areas and dog attacks justifiably result in heated debate.
Here’s what he or she has to say:
To everyone with an opinion who wasn’t there today to know what really happened,
The Pit Bull’s name was Pandora. She was six years old.
Ask me if I would let my very small child around this dog while I’m in another room? My answer is yes – absolutely. I did. Many times. And given the chance again, I would let that beautiful, intelligent, beloved dog care for my daughter in a heart beat. Sadly, I will never have that opportunity. My daughter has lost her best friend. That pit bull that was murdered today? She helped me raise, and care for my almost 4-year old daughter.
Was the pit bull off leash? No. She was not.
This was a clearly marked area: dogs should be kept on leash, as posted by the city bylaws. Funny thing is, it was this negligent old man who irresponsibly let his own dog run around freely: he did not have control of his own dog.
Today a man killed a dog. He screamed these words “You hurt my dog. You deserve to die” And then he took out a knife and repeatedly stabbed Pandora until she died. And as Pandora lay their lifeless, this old man fled the scene with his dog in an SUV.
Our family is in shock. In pain. We have lost our loved one. The real victim here was Pandora. My sister, a woman who has worked for and volunteered with the SPCA, who has fostered countless animals while they await adoption, who was been a dog walker, a dog groomer, has held jobs with pet stores and doggy daycares, who has just recently enrolled in a program to become a certified dog trainer, has lost her best friend. My sister’s passion is animals. She is sympathetic to the concern for the pug’s welfare that this old man may have felt in the moment. But his panic does not excuse his actions. The fact that he is “72 years old” or that Pandora is a certain breed does not justify what he did. He is a human being, but his actions were sickly inhumane.
Let me remind you that this is not your story to judge, nor is it your responsibility to decide who is right or wrong. Just as each human being is different, so are the pets we care for. The difference is, we as humans have the capacity to make choices.
Ignorance and misinformation will get the best of you. If you want the real story, I challenge you to stop hiding behind the safety of your screen and come see the family that Pandora has left behind. In fact, let this invitation be forwarded to the man that murdered Pandora. Come have coffee with my daughter and I tomorrow morning. Let me share with you my side of the story: what really happened this afternoon, as opposed to what the media is contorting this into, and then try to tell me who the victim is here.
Last modified: November 22, 2013
As I read your thoughts I thought of my own dog and how much time we spent in Kits Beach when I lived there. I am so sorry for the loss of your family pet and this story is tragic on so many levels. It must have been terrifying for all involved and rushing to judgement on certain aspects whether the breed of dog who died, the breed of the dog threatened or the age of the perpetrator is all distraction from the sad sad outcome. This is a horrific moment for dog lovers everywhere.
your dog was clamped onto the pug’s neck, what did you want him to do stand there and watch your dog kill his? wouldn’t take much effort for a pitbull to kill a pug
First off I am very sorry for your loss. I can’t even imagine what it would be like to lose my dog in that same situation. I know what having an alpha dog is like. That is why I also have my dog on leash. Dogs are like humans. All dogs. Not all humans get along. The same goes for dogs. The old man should have had his dog on leash. Especially since is a dog leash area. If the dogs seem aggressive to each other on meeting or even before then you don’t let them meet. Pretty simple. I am sorry, but I am going to pass judgement. It is not ok to murder and that is what the old man did. Should all dog owners be allowed to kill other peoples dogs whenever their dogs have altercations? By doing nothing that is exactly what the law is saying.
If the man with the pug had respected the law and had his dog on a leash this would not have happened. I hope the old man feels sick about what he did.
To the old man that killed this dog,if you’re reading this,watch your back,we will find you and make things right,a dog for a dog is what they say.
I am feeling such at a loss for you. I feel very frightened to walk my dog after hearing about this. Not everyone who has a dog is a good owner – obviously this old man shouldn’t own a dog. The police should investigate his background and do a mental assessment. This is over the top. There is nothing stopping him from doing this again. I won’t feel save until he is behind bars. Do I have to carry a weapon to protect my dog? Any animal lover would react with remorse. If he gets mad about his dog, I am afraid for the public’s safety what he would do to a human.
Caroline,no need to worry,we have people out looking for him(spotted him once already,but he did not have his dog with him),things will get dealt with accordingly.The punishment will fit the crime.
animal planet=loser.
Watch Global tv tonight. A witnessing this incident is finally going to speak out at what really happened
Animal planet, your comments and threats are illegal and I’ve just reported you to the police
Interesting that the owner claims at least 10 stab wounds-there are only 3
People who own pit bulls are losers
dogs aren’t at fault-owners are
Exactly! It wouldn’t take much for a pit bull to kill a pug…that is exactly the point!!! If that pit bull wanted to kill that pug in an instant it would be done! Before anyone could react..before anyone could grab that convenient knife in his pocket that pug would be dead. So what logically lies before us is the fact that this pit bull exerted extreme restraint and patience, basically asking for the pug to back off!! These dogs acted like dogs do. The supposed more intelligent/rationale species is the one who should have known better. And now pandora is paying the ultimate price for the ignorance of said species. We own these animals yes? They rely on us to know how to understand them, how to help them live in a domesticated world where we 2 legged beings influence and govern everything. That responsibility is on us!! We failed! Not them!
my names brie ive owned many kinds of dogs over my life time. And one of the best was a pitbull/mastive cross, Ive worked in kennels and walked dogs for the SPCA… Pitbulls are not the problem?! Any dog can be aggressive, I myself own a 6 year old terrier cross who can be quite grumpy and he hold off my best friends pitbull (shes about 2 feet taller than him and outweighs him by far!!!)… Yes this pug was smaller but as already stated, if the dog wanted the pug dead it would be, PERIOD!.. If your in a dog park and off leash YOU alone are the irisponsable one! To actually approach someone who’s dog is on a leash and repeatedly stab the creature??!!!?!?!….. And to all you people stating “its a pitbull only idiots own them””serves the dog right” Shame on you!!! it could have been your dog that got stabbed but it wasn’t of course it was a pitbull there being put on trial for there owners negligence.. I want everyone to think, actually think about witnessing this event…. Imagine it was your dog… I cried when I heard this, I hugged my dog…. And I repeated the story to everyone I know… My deepest sympathy to both parties, for this is going to weigh heavy on all souls.. Pandora had to make the ultimate sacrifice for this injust treatment to be heard…
I’ve lived in Vancouver 30 years. I’ve always shared my home with big dogs. I obediently kept them on leash, when the bylaw required this. My biggest complaints, referring to small dog owners: the majority of them not abiding those bylaws; the majority not training their dogs and, I can safely claim that 99% of them have them on those darn extendable leashes, allowing them to come barking aggressively into my dog’s face. There have been too many instances of the latter. Fortunately for me, my dogs used to give me a pleading look that said: “can you please do something about that noise”? I’ve just read the VPD statement regarding this gut-wrenching story. The title made me very upset, as I believe the murdered dog owner’s story. We are to empathize, it seems with the dog owner who ‘put down’ another dog in order to save his dog’s life. No details about who was and who was not on leash, etc. Appalling. I’m so very sorry for your loss.