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Chicago man ticketed for loose dogs in Elmwood Park Staples
Updated: September 3, 2012 12:45PM
ELMWOOD PARK — A Chicago man was ticketed last week for not securing two dogs that terrorized shoppers at an Elmwood Park retailer on July 24.
Two “vicious” dogs — an Akita and a Cane Corso, similar to a Napoleon mastiff — barred customers from leaving the Staples office supply store, 1850 N. Harlem Ave., at about 10:30 a.m. July 24.
The dogs were barking and snarling at customers and employees inside the store. Police and animal control used pepper spray to subdue the dogs and transported them to a local veterinarian.
The owner, Jerry Stamps of the 2300 block of Newcastle Ave., was cited for having an unleashed dog. The fine ranges from $90 to $750, said Elmwood Park Police Chief Frank Fagiano. Stamps’ court date is Sept. 5.
Lawrence Fox, owner of Elmwood-Grove Animal Hospital in River Grove, said the dogs were probably just as afraid as the people in the store.
“They were in a strange environment where people weren’t looking to see a dog,” Fox said. “It was an unfortunate set of circumstances but everyone handled the situation responsibly.”
When the dogs arrived at his hospital, Fox said, the Akita was fine.
“The Akita, once it got in my office, it was very nice,” Fox said.
But the Cane Corso was a bit more to handle.
“That was the more aggressive of the two,” he said.
With the help of Oak Park’s animal control officer, who was called in to help secure the dogs, Fox said he was able to give the dog a sedative.
He described the Cane Corso as a breed with a negative stereotype. “It used to be the Doberman (Pinscher) breed, and now it’s the Pit Bull,” he said.
“It’s a little bit like racial profiling,” Fox said. “Both (breeds) are used as a working dog. They are used as a police dog or in the military. They are capable of being tough.”
The two dogs were returned to Stamps last week.
