Unleashed Pit Bull Kills Poodle

An unleashed large pit bull mix attacked and killed a leashed poodle in Bingham Township Sunday.

Leelanau County Sheriff's Office deputies were dispatched to York Apartments on East Fort Road at 12:41pm, where the owners of both dogs involved in the attack spoke to deputies. According to deputies, a 77-year-old woman was out walking her granddaughter's small poodle when they encountered a large pit bull mix. The pit bull attacked the poodle and dragged the animal underneath a nearby vehicle out of reach of the woman. The pit bull later emerged from under the vehicle carrying the poodle. A neighbor was able to strike the pit bull with a golf club and scare the animal off, but the poodle was already dead.

While deputies were en route to the scene, the owner of the pit bull was able to gain control of her dog and put it in her home. Deputies interviewed the owners and witnesses and turned over the complaint to animal control. The pit bull was taken to the Leelanau County Sheriff’s Office, where it is currently being held. "The owner of the pit bull is considering having her dog euthanized," the Sheriff's Office said in a statement. "The owner will face charges involving her dog being at large and destroying someone’s property."

The Sheriff's Office is reminding dog owners to keep their animals under control at all times when out in public. "Having a dog bite someone or harm another animal can have criminal and civil consequences," the department said in a statement.