Team Tucker!!!
Donation protected
On May 31, 2018, I, Tucker, a 12lb Jack Russell-wire haired terrier mix was attacked by my neighbor's dog while I was in my fenced yard. The neighbor (kitty-corner behind him) also has a fenced yard. The dog was in the house and busted through their screen door in the back of their house. Then the dog jumped their fence, then jumped my fence to get to me. I'm having my family attach pictures of my terrifying experience, in various states since this happened. I apologize for the graphic nature of some of them.
I now have painful stitches, had a drain, and was paralyzed from the fear and the pain. Because of all of this, I have snapped at mom while trying to administer my meds. I have cried for close to 48 hours, I won't go more than about 4 steps away from my mom (even though I accidentally snapped at her when she was trying to help me), I hide in the corner at home, and I can't have a collar/harness because of my wounds. That neighbor dog grabbed me by my back, between my shoulder blades and shook me so hard that she pulled the skin up and away from my body, necessitating the drain. I have several deep puncture wounds and all kinds of stitches. The vet bill is over $1300 at this point with many more visits and treatments in my future. It's not over yet.
The owner of the neighbor dog has refused to take responsibility. animal control and the police were called immediately after this happened. The police pushed my mom off to animal control. After their interview with my mom and my neighbor, they've decided to list this dog as "potentially dangerous". Looking at my severe injuries, I would certainly say it's more than potentially dangerous. The neighbor dog has been off leash numerous times, in my yard several times, all documented, but because there's no history of violence, they won't do anything more. When a dog is designated potentially dangerous, there are restrictions. She has to be confined to the house unless on a leash. She busted out of the house to get me in my own back yard! The police also have a documented case when the dog was on a leash and got into my yard, per the owner's statement. So, clearly neither of those restrictions will help me or my family be safe in our own back yard.
My mom is a hard working single mom of two. As such, she worked darn hard to be able to afford a decent house in a decent neighborhood with a fenced-in yard. My human big sister and big brother are absolutely terrified to set foot in my back yard for fear off this dog doing the same to them that she did to me. My mom bought this house with this yard so she could let my kids and dog play. To feel like a prisoner in your own home because of fear is awful. My human siblings were planning a backyard camp out with their friends this summer. They can't do that now. We can't enjoy playing in the sprinkler on hot days, sit by the fire pit on cool evenings, or grill out all summer long without fear.
These people and their dog have not only hurt me physically and emotionally, but also my mom and her human children. We don't feel safe.
Police and animal control won't help us. My mom will take the neighbors to small claims court to try to recover the cost of the vet care, which is very obviously their responsibility. But in the meantime now she has to come up with all of this money and try to get a privacy fence when the neighbors should have to. And we all know how expensive a privacy fence can be!
Apparently it's going to take one of my mom's children or herself getting hurt, or me killed, to make a difference. My mom refuses to sit back and wait for that to happen. She is beyond frustrated and so upset that no one is helping protect our family.
There's so much more to this story and I'm happy to share with anyone who will listen!
We need your help! We need help with the vet bills that are STILL piling up. I am STILL not in the clear yet and have a long road to recovery ahead of me. My family needs your blessings. If you can donate even $5, every dollar will help! We've set the goal at $4000.00. Almost half of that alone will be for the past, current and future vet bills. The other half will be to start getting a privacy fence! When my mom takes those neighbor's to small claims court and WINS, she will be donating any excess funds to the Cedar Valley Human Society where I came from!
I now have painful stitches, had a drain, and was paralyzed from the fear and the pain. Because of all of this, I have snapped at mom while trying to administer my meds. I have cried for close to 48 hours, I won't go more than about 4 steps away from my mom (even though I accidentally snapped at her when she was trying to help me), I hide in the corner at home, and I can't have a collar/harness because of my wounds. That neighbor dog grabbed me by my back, between my shoulder blades and shook me so hard that she pulled the skin up and away from my body, necessitating the drain. I have several deep puncture wounds and all kinds of stitches. The vet bill is over $1300 at this point with many more visits and treatments in my future. It's not over yet.
The owner of the neighbor dog has refused to take responsibility. animal control and the police were called immediately after this happened. The police pushed my mom off to animal control. After their interview with my mom and my neighbor, they've decided to list this dog as "potentially dangerous". Looking at my severe injuries, I would certainly say it's more than potentially dangerous. The neighbor dog has been off leash numerous times, in my yard several times, all documented, but because there's no history of violence, they won't do anything more. When a dog is designated potentially dangerous, there are restrictions. She has to be confined to the house unless on a leash. She busted out of the house to get me in my own back yard! The police also have a documented case when the dog was on a leash and got into my yard, per the owner's statement. So, clearly neither of those restrictions will help me or my family be safe in our own back yard.
My mom is a hard working single mom of two. As such, she worked darn hard to be able to afford a decent house in a decent neighborhood with a fenced-in yard. My human big sister and big brother are absolutely terrified to set foot in my back yard for fear off this dog doing the same to them that she did to me. My mom bought this house with this yard so she could let my kids and dog play. To feel like a prisoner in your own home because of fear is awful. My human siblings were planning a backyard camp out with their friends this summer. They can't do that now. We can't enjoy playing in the sprinkler on hot days, sit by the fire pit on cool evenings, or grill out all summer long without fear.
These people and their dog have not only hurt me physically and emotionally, but also my mom and her human children. We don't feel safe.
Police and animal control won't help us. My mom will take the neighbors to small claims court to try to recover the cost of the vet care, which is very obviously their responsibility. But in the meantime now she has to come up with all of this money and try to get a privacy fence when the neighbors should have to. And we all know how expensive a privacy fence can be!
Apparently it's going to take one of my mom's children or herself getting hurt, or me killed, to make a difference. My mom refuses to sit back and wait for that to happen. She is beyond frustrated and so upset that no one is helping protect our family.
There's so much more to this story and I'm happy to share with anyone who will listen!
We need your help! We need help with the vet bills that are STILL piling up. I am STILL not in the clear yet and have a long road to recovery ahead of me. My family needs your blessings. If you can donate even $5, every dollar will help! We've set the goal at $4000.00. Almost half of that alone will be for the past, current and future vet bills. The other half will be to start getting a privacy fence! When my mom takes those neighbor's to small claims court and WINS, she will be donating any excess funds to the Cedar Valley Human Society where I came from!
Organizer and beneficiary
Crystal Ellis
Organizer
Cedar Rapids, IA
Katie Koopman
Beneficiary
