Last week Gotti, a Pit Bull/Rottweiler mix, broke his chain and attacked an 7-year-old girl playing in the next yard. The girl’s ear was pulled off but was reattached. The girl is recuperating and the dog has been returned to his family. KCCI 8 reported the story, including these facts:

The owners of Gotti, Michael and Patricia Knox, said they feel terrible about the attack and said it was a terrible accident.

They said that the dog typically stays on the front porch. On Sunday evening, it was chained in the back yard.

Chained Dog Returned To Negligent Owners

The Knoxes acknowledged that an animal control officer took the dog from them earlier this year.

So while the girl’s mother is upset (and quite understandably so) why isn’t anybody asking some hard questions of Gotti’s “family?” Why was he taken from the Knox’s and then returned? What was wrong and was it really fixed? It’s one thing to have a humane outdoor arrangement for a dog but it sounds like the Knox’s either don’t know how to care for a dog like Gotti or pretty much don’t really care.

Why was he chained out? As almost all dog trainers or behaviorists will tell you, chaining a dog is a great way to make them frustrated and therefore more likely to become aggressive. Once again, it seems like the dog is getting the rap for the owner’s disregard or stupidity. Ultimately, it may cost Gotti his life because the Knox’s can’t or won’t be responsible, loving companions.