SAGINAW, MI — Saginaw County Sheriff William Federspiel plans to ask the Michigan State Police for help in tracking a pack of stray dogs that have been blamed for the death of a family's pet in a southwest neighborhood.
The pack attacked and killed a domesticated Labrador retriever. A witness to the attack, Robert Young, said he heard his own dogs give "a crazy kinda bark," and that prompted him to go outside, where he witnessed five dogs attacking his neighbor's dog.
Young then chased the pack away with his Jeep.
The attack took place in a neighborhood where South Michigan meets West Michigan, an area that was home to the Saginaw Malleable Iron Plant before the structure was razed in 2010.
The dogs also were spotted in the area of Stanley, Germania Platz and near Green Point Nature Center.
Wednesday, the Sheriff's Posse, deputies and an airplane converged upon the Green Point Nature Center, covering several miles while trying to find the pack. The dogs were not found, and as of Thursday, July 3, Federspiel said all eight bait traps set within two miles of the most-recent sighting were empty.
Saginaw County Controller Robert Belleman has asked the sheriff about the use of thermal imaging technology, which the department does not have but MSP does.
"Michigan State Police have a very sophisticated helicopter," Federspiel said. "Mr. Belleman was asking if we had any forward looking infrared. It detects the heat of an individual — usually for humans. His idea was do we have forward looking infrared so that we can track these animals at night."
Federspiel said he plans to speak with MSP officials soon.
"If they say yes, they could track a dog or a pack of dogs," Federspiel said.
'Why we're putting so much after this'
Federspiel said his only concern is protecting the public.
"The person who owned the 72-pound Labrador retriever told us that a smaller pack than 12, actually four or five dogs, killed his dog and ate it right in front of him," Federspiel said. "A 72-pound dog could represent a child that's playing in the yard. School is out.
"For those who wonder why we're putting so much after this, it is a huge public safety concern. The motive of these dogs is to eat, and to kill whatever they think they can, which could be a child, which could be an elderly person."
Federspiel went on to say he knows people who have been attacked by only one dog and they are "lucky to be alive."
"I'd have my posse out today if I knew where they were in a general vicinity," he said. "But we don't yet. Once we know, we will reactivate the entire force and bring everything we have to take these dogs out. We are just playing a waiting game with them."
Belleman encourages residents to beware of their surroundings and notify authorities if they think they see suspicious dogs.
"Residents may only see two or three of them, where the others may be on the outer perimeter, but you may not see all seven or twelve together," Belleman said. "So even if you see multiple dogs, even in a smaller quantity, notify 911. Even if you have one or two out without a leash, call."
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