LEFT TO DIE; ATTACKS PUSHING PIT BULLS TO CITY SHELTERS.

Byline: Greg Gittrich Daily News Staff Writer

Horrified by the fatal mauling of a toddler in South Central Los Angeles, pit bull owners are abandoning their dogs in droves at animal shelters and rescue agencies, city officials said Wednesday.

``They're scared,'' said Jackie David, spokeswoman for the city Department of Animal Services. ``People are turning the dogs in because they have small children in their home. Leaving pit bulls and small children alone can be deadly.''

Nearly 100 of the controversial dogs have been jettisoned by their owners or turned in as strays to the city's six animal shelters since a family's pit pull turned on an infant Saturday, David said.

In the San Fernando Valley, the East Valley shelter has taken in up to 15 pit bulls per day since Sunday, said Lt. Karen Knipscheer, a district manager for the Animal Services department.

And at the South Central Los Angeles shelter, employees came to work one recent morning to find 10 dogs tied to the front gate and left in a nearby parking lot.

During a typical four-day span, the city receives 10 to 15 dogs at all the shelters combined, David said.

On Wednesday, these pets that suddenly no one wants waited for their fate at the city shelters.

Pleading for mercy with her sad, dark-brown eyes, an abandoned 14-month-old pit bull caged in the East Valley shelter seemed to know she is running out of time. Like the scores of other dogs in the city's care, she will be housed for eight to 11 days. If no one adopts her, a veterinarian will slip a long syringe under her caramel-brown coat and kill her with a lethal injection.

Other dogs are fortunate enough to be left with private dog rescue agencies, which hold the animals until someone adopts them.

``Panic has set in,'' said Tia Torres, owner of Villalobos Pit Bull Rescue in Agua Dulce who works with Los Angeles officials to find homes for the abandoned dogs.

Torres said she has been swamped with calls from ``frantic'' pit bull owners, hoping to get rid of their dogs.

``We have absolutely no more room for the dogs, but we're offering free obedience training and phone consultations to owners who are worried about their dog's temperament,'' she said.

``People are watching the news and falling into a frenzy,'' Torres added. ``The analogy I use is that if we see on the news that a particular race of person has committed a crime, we know not to blame the race. But we don't do that with dogs. People are blaming the breed, not the dog.''

According to the American Kennel Club, the term ``pit bull'' has become a catch-all reference to several breeds of dogs, including the American pit bull terrier, the American Staffordshire terrier and the English bull terrier.

The square-jawed, stocky breeds were created in the early 19th century by trainers who appreciated the fierceness, jaw strength and courage of bulldogs. Breeders began with the bulldog and mixed some terrier blood to meet their height and weight expectations.

Pit bulls typically demonstrate aggression toward other dogs, unrelenting bravery, a high pain threshold and a willingness to fight to the death. But experts and owners also say they are an affectionate breed.

The dogs usually stand about 19 inches tall and weigh 24 to 34 pounds, but can reach up to 40 pounds if fed incorrectly or excessively, the American Kennel Club reports on its Web site.

During a recent rally in support of pit bulls in the Valley, 10 owners and lovers of the breed argued uneducated owners, not bad dogs, should be blamed for the fatal mauling of a child in Compton and a series of recent attacks in Granada Hills.

Yet city officials stressed that pit bulls need ``special care'' from their owners. Without early obedience training, a correct diet and a commanding, loving owner, the breed has been known to bully owners and become overly aggressive, especially around playful children.

``If you treat a dog with neglect and abuse there is no telling how it will respond,'' David said. ``Dogs aren't meant to be weapons. They're meant to be companion animals.''

The No. 1 rule is to spay or neuter pit bulls, animal experts say. An unneutered pit bull is more than three times as likely to attack than a neutered pit bull, city officials and rescuers said.

``They must be neutered. Testosterone can be an evil thing,'' Torres said. ``And just like a child, every dog needs structure and a form of disciplining. As a parent with no structure and discipline, you get an out-of-control kid who runs crazy on the streets. It's the same thing with a dog.''

Dawn Capp, who saves pit bulls in Los Angeles and San Diego for a national organization, Chaco Rescue, said she's terribly distressed by the recent wave of abandonment.

``If you own a dog, you should have a good sense of that dog's temperament and know enough not to get caught up in this,'' Capp said. ``We don't recommend that anyone buy these dogs for protection. And quite frankly, if you're the type of person who would abandoned your dog to begin with, you shouldn't have a dog in the first place.''

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2 photos

PHOTO (1 -- color) A pit bull sits in a kennel Wednesday at the East Valley Animal Shelter. Numerous dogs have been abandoned after recent attacks.

(2 -- color) Animal care technician Victoria Harrison cuddles Ebac, a pit bull dropped off at the East Valley Animal Shelter.

Andy Holzman/Daily News