Two pit bulls kill dozens of cats in U.S. animal shelter

“Those dogs forced their way out of a pen,” explained Shelter Director Bill Banks in an interview with WTVY. “Then,” he continued, “they pushed hard enough on galvanized bars to knock (the bars) out of their clamps.”

Banks went on to explain that the shelter has been long overdue for a renovation or relocation and that the pit bulls’ attack may have been preventable with better equipment and cages.

“These dogs were able to eat their way out, for lack of a better term, and attack these cats. That is horrible,” commented City Commissioner Beth Kenward.

“They chewed the chain-link,” explains Banks. “They just kept pushing and pushing on the fence.”

In this instance, a total of 29 cats were mauled to death by the pair of pit bulls; yet, the owners haven’t decided on the future of the two dogs.

While many dog lovers and advocates claim that pit bull attacks are purely a result of how they are raised, statistics are against them.

Between 2005-2017, pit bulls were the cause of 65.6% of all deaths from dog bites in America, more than six times the second most dangerous breed, the rottweiler, according to Canine Journal which documents all dog bites in the country.

Part of the problem is, of course, their strength and determination. Chihuahuas bite at a comparable rate but lack the size or bite force to do serious damage.

“Pit bulls are legal in Dothan,” reports Global News, “although a handful of other Alabama communities have banned them.”

Right now, it does not look like any such banning will come from the attack, with Mayor Saliba hoping some good, referring to the outdated shelter, can come from the minor tragedy.