BRENTWOOD -- Officials are investigating after two dogs owned by Oakland Raiders cornerback Taiwan Jones attacked and killed a Chihuahua on Monday night.
Brentwood resident Olivia Paredes said she was out walking her dog, a 12-year-old beige Chihuahua named Chula, shortly before 8 p.m. along Larkspur Court when she saw two shadows coming quickly toward her and her dog.
She said the dogs charged Chula and attacked, killing the family pet.
"I walked my dog along that street every night," Paredes said. "We've had (Chula) since she was 6 weeks old. She was part of the family. I usually have granddaughter with me and I just worry ... this could happen again."
The dogs, pit bull mixes, are family pets that belong to Jones, who grew up in Antioch and was a star running back at Deer Valley High School before he graduated in 2007. Jones attended Eastern Washington University and was drafted by the Raiders in 2011.
The attack has devastated Jones, according to his agent, Doug Hendrickson, who said Jones is a deep animal lover and has tried to reach out to Paredes since the incident. Hendrickson confirmed that Jones was with the dogs at the time of the attack.
Paredes said she has not yet spoken to Jones or his representatives.
"It was a tragic accident and he feels terrible about it," Hendrickson said. "It's never happened before. He's sick over this, no question."
According to Hendrickson, the dogs have never attacked humans or other animals before. The dogs have been quarantined with Contra Costa County Animal Services during the investigation.
According to animal services Lt. Joe DeCosta, once the investigation has concluded, a decision will be made by the animal services director on whether the animals are potentially dangerous or if they are not a threat.
Should they pose a threat, DeCosta said, the dogs and Jones could face severe restrictions. Those restrictions include having the dogs muzzled and leashed while outside at all times and having Jones apply for a potentially dangerous animal permit, which states that the animal, though dangerous, is still eligible to be owned.
While Paredes waits on the findings of the investigation in her case, she said she wishes there was something more she could have done to help Chula.
"We expected (Chula) to die of old age," she said. "We did not want her to leave us like this."
Contact Katie Nelson at knelson@bayareanewsgroup. com and follow her at Twitter.com/katienelson210.
via www.mercurynews.com/raiders/ci_24143947/officials-dogs-owned-by-oakland-raiders-cornerback-attack
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