NORTH WILDWOOD – A dachshund-beagle mix was euthanized after it was attacked and severely injured by a German shepherd that got away from its owner before it could be leashed, police said.
According to a Police Department report, the incident took place on Saturday, Aug. 3, at around 6 p.m. at the Le Boot Condominiums on 14th Avenue. Raylene Fuchsel, of Norristown, Pennsylvania, the owner of the 17-year-old dachshund-beagle, had just returned home, and her dog was on a leash, the report said.
As she was looking for a key to open the door to her unit, the occupant of another unit on the same level, Richard Beshel, of Philadelphia, opened his door, intending to take his dog outside. The initial police report named the dog as a husky, but a supplemental incident report referred to it as a German shepherd.
The shepherd, weighing about 60 pounds, went out the door before Beshel could put the leash on it, and it approached the smaller dog, weighing around 17 pounds, on the common outdoor balcony. According to the report, the dachshund-beagle growled at the shepherd, which bit the smaller dog on the back, picked it up and wouldn’t let go.
Fuchsel and another resident were eventually able to free the smaller dog, which was injured and unable to walk. It was taken to the Absecon Veterinary Hospital, where it was diagnosed with possible fractured vertebrae. There was also concern about a possible diaphragmatic hernia, a possible bladder rupture, distention on animal’s right side and its low body temperature.
The dachshund-beagle was subsequently euthanized at the animal hospital because of its extensive injuries, and Fuchsel filed a police report the following day.
The Police Department reported the incident to Shore Animal Control, which helped with a follow-up investigation. The animal control officer reported the incident to the Cape May County Health Department, which declined to investigate because both dog owners were residents of Pennsylvania and no person was injured during the incident.
Police spoke to the animal control officer about the possibility of declaring the 15-year-old German shepherd as potentially dangerous. However, when Fuchsel reported the incident, she advised the officer taking the report that she did not wish for the German shepherd to be euthanized.
According to the incident report, Beshel gave the smaller dog’s owner $700 toward veterinary bills and cremation.
The officer said in the report that Fuchsel asked if Beshel could be issued a summons for allowing the dog to go unleashed; the officer reported that he could not because the incident took place on private property. He said the applicable ordinance can be enforced when dogs are allowed to wander without a leash on public streets or public property.
Fuchsel said the condo association has rules against animals walking around the property off leash and that only unit owners may have pets stay at the property. However, the officer taking the report said the Police Department cannot enforce condo association rules.
Beshel said his dog had never behaved like this before and lives peaceably with two cats. He and the dog were only visiting North Wildwood.
The incident report was forwarded to the Philadelphia Animal Care & Control Team, but the officer was unable to speak with one of its representatives.
Contact the reporter, Christopher South, at csouth@cmcherald.com or 609-86-8600, ext. 128.
