A week ago, Gary Lohrke took Igor, his 130 pound, 3-year-old bull mastiff to the Middleton Dog Park. Igor, who was apparently not on a leash, ran into a group of small dogs and "came up with one of the dogs in his mouth". Lily, a Bedlington Terrier, had to be euthanized as a result of injuries that she sustained in the attack.
For his part, Lohrke says that Igor only wanted to play and that Lily started it all by "yipping". According to Lohrke, "It was a provoked attack".
This is not the first time that Lohrke and Igor have been in trouble. Igor bit a woman in 2006 and attacked another dog that was with a woman who was jogging on a Middleton sidewalk in 2007. As a result, Lohrke signed an agreement with Middleton officials to leash and muzzle Igor when the dog was not at home.
Lohrke claims that he did not believe that the dog park was within the city limits of MIddleton and that the agreement to leash and muzzle Igor did not therefore apply.
In any event, Middleton police are seeking a court order allowing them to euthanize Igor. Lohrke is hoping to save the life of his dog.
Later today, we'll discuss whether - in the words of the Wisconsin State Journal - Middleton should "send Igor to the doggy park in the sky"?
This site uses Facebook comments to make it easier for you to contribute. If you see a comment you would like to flag for spam or abuse, click the "x" in the upper right of it. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use.