A Police Force Caribbean Netherlands KPCN officer holding the pit bull on a leash while the police truck moves slowly down Concordia Street in St. Eustatius.
ST. EUSTATIUS--Officers of the Police Force Caribbean Netherlands KPCN and the Royal Netherlands Marechaussee were called out to a residence in Concordia, St. Eustatius, where a pit bull attacked children in the home and in the yard on Wednesday afternoon, April 8.
Seven or eight children were playing in the yard when a large dog came after them. To escape the dog, the children ran inside the house, but the dog followed them in pursuit.
Resident R.P.L. explained that she was inside her room in the house when she heard her grandchildren crying and speaking about a dog. She left her room to investigate and encountered a “huge” dog in her house.
She said she stamped her feet and shouted at the dog to get it of her house, but the dog rushed at her and she ran back to safety in her room and shouted to everyone in the house to close the bedroom doors. L. said she was very frightened and contacted the police.
One other adult in the home came to investigate, but the pit bull also rushed at this person and she also sought shelter behind a closed door.
A neighbour heard the commotion and came to investigate and encountered an unknown dog. He gave the dog an order to sit, which the dog obeyed. He then put a leash on the dog and kept it until the officers arrived.
When she realised the dog was contained, L. came outside and looked around to verify where everybody was. She then realised that two children were missing. One of the children said they were hiding inside a car.
L. said the police had responded to her distress call very quickly. Two patrol vehicles arrived on the scene and the officers commandeered the dog. First, the officers attempted to place the dog in the back of the police truck, but that proved not feasible.
An officer then held the dog by a leash walking it to the veterinary facility, while the police vehicle drove slowly down Concordia Street.
The vet was able to identify the owner of the dog by a microchip that was implanted under the dog’s skin. The police officers said they admonished the owner to make sure the dog is better secured.
L.’s young great-nephew explained that his older cousin had helped him inside an abandoned car to escape the dog as it rushed while they were playing in the yard. He said he and his cousin were not able to run inside the house; therefore, they hid in the car and rolled up the windows instead.
Attacks by roaming and aggressive dogs and those that are not properly secured in residents’ yards are not uncommon in Statia. Adults and children alike are seen throwing stones at these dogs on a daily basis in trying to escape an attack. Some have even started walking with sticks in an attempt to protect themselves from possible dog attacks.
An officer of the Royal Dutch Marechaussee (left) and residents attempted to put the dog in the back of the police truck.
