VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (WAVY) — The owner of a dog accused of an attack in Virginia Beach is telling her side of the story to 10 On Your Side.
“He’s not a dangerous dog,” said Michelle Brushingham. “He never bit anybody before.”
After 10 days in quarantine with animal control, a pit bull named True is back at his Virginia Beach home.
“I love my dog,” Brushingham added. “I love him to death and I’m sorry that happened to him, her and the dogs.”
Brushingham is referring to one of her neighbors and their rottweiler named Luna. Two weeks ago, True bolted out of the front door on Riddle Avenue toward the neighbor walking Luna. Luna was bitten on the ear.
“I couldn’t tell where the blood was coming from,” said Renee Paul, the wife of the neighbor who was walking Luna at the time of the incident. “He totally ripped her ear wide open.”
Brushingham was cited by animal control for having a nuisance dog. She doesn’t believe True meant any harm.
“He wasn’t being very aggressive,” Brushingham added. “He was being playful. He was trying to meet the dog, I guess.”
Brushingham has a history of charges by animal control. It’s happened seven times in nine years for different animals. She says she’s not a bad dog owner, but and cares very much about her pets.
However, Luna’s owners wants to see True removed from the home.
“The dog needs to be removed,” Paul said during an interview with 10 On Your Side this week. “I’m not saying the dog needs to be euthanized, but the dog needs to be rehomed to a responsible dog owner.”
But Brushingham says this was an isolated incident and she believes it’s being blown out of proportion.
“I’m a very responsible dog owner and I don’t appreciate what they said, that they want to rehome my dog,” Brushingham added. “We lived here for 30 years. We are not rehoming our dog. She needs to relocate.”
Brushingham will be in court later this month.