The vicious pit bulls that have terrorized Midwood for months may have an accomplice — a human who is springing the traps left out by the city’s Animal Care and Control so the menacing mutts can avoid capture.
Residents say someone has been closing the traps that have been placed around the Long Island Rail Road tracks — where many believe the pit bulls hunt.
City animal handlers place food inside the traps, luring the dog inside. When one steps in to get the food, it triggers a spring that shuts the door.
But whoever is helping the dogs is sabotaging the setup, residents claimed.
“I saw the guy from Animal Care and Control and he showed me the traps,” said Jay Teitler, whose dog Rosie was killed by the dastardly dogs late last year. “Someone was closing the traps [before the dogs could get inside] as if someone was [taking care] of these dogs.”
Officials say at least two stray pit bulls have been collared in Midwood in the last week, but no one believes they’re the ones responsible for killing one dog, injuring another and terrorizing dozens of residents — prompting some to walk around with sticks and canes for protection.
Police reportedly corralled a pit bull near Avenue L — a grey and white dog — late last week, but the animal didn’t fit the description of the two hell hounds being sought.
Brooklyn pit bull wrangler Sean Casey also caught a female pit bull with a solid tan coat in one of his daily raids along the Long Island Rail Road tracks, but the dog doesn’t appear to have a mean bone in his body — though multiple residents have reported being attacked by a tan pit bull.
“Once we caught [the pit bull], she was jumping on us and licking us and looking quite happy,” said Casey, who is waiting to see how she behaves in his animal shelter before he decides to give her up for adoption.
Casey, who runs an animal rescue center in Kensington, says he’s seen a lot of stray pit bulls along the rail road tracks. Railroad workers say squatters who camp out there feed neighborhood strays — an explanation as to why the pit bulls appear well fed.
“We’re out there every day and looking and, from what we’re seeing, there are probably a few other dogs out there,” said Casey. “[The railroad tracks have] always been a magnet for dogs and it probably always will be.”
Reach reporter Eli Rosenberg at erosenberg@cnglocal.com or by calling (718) 260-2531. And follow him at twitter.com/emrosenberg.
