Western Springs Dog Won't Be Put Down, County Indicates

WESTERN SPRINGS, IL – Cook County Animal Control may take a number of actions in response to an attacking dog in Western Springs.

But a spokesman for the agency on Wednesday did not list euthanization among them.

On Aug. 28, a dog attacked a man walking his dog and killed his dog, named Moxie, on Lawn Drive in the Ridgewood neighborhood in Western Springs, police said.

Police Chief Brian Budds asked for Cook County to declare the dog dangerous, meaning the agency could take action.

The agency's spokesman, Brittany Hill, confirmed it was informed of the incident and has been working with police to conduct an investigation.

During such an inquiry, she said, the agency reviews all the evidence and alerts the owner of violations. It gives the owner a chance to speak with the agency and present any mitigating evidence, she said.

Then a final determination is made, she said.

Hill listed actions animal control could take – requiring the dog wear a muzzle, walk on a non-retractable leash, be microchipped, be spayed and neutered, and is not walked by anyone under 18.

Hill said the agency sent a letter to the owner Friday.

The dog in question is named Pierce and is a 3½-year-old boxer.

According to a Western Springs police report, a county animal control officer said a dog would not be taken or euthanized by the agency without "just cause" – in other words, documentation of multiple acts of aggression and bites.

A day after the Aug. 28 attack, another Ridgewood resident reported to police that the same dog attacked her dog on Lawn Drive in June 2021. She said she did not bring her dog to the veterinarian because the animal suffered only minor injuries. Because of that, she had no documentation on the incident, the report said.