Details emerge on deadly dog attack in Fremont park

(KRON) — A little dog named Cheese and his owner went on their regular afternoon walk around Lake Elizabeth at Central Park in Fremont. Cheese, who had his leash on, was suddenly charged and attacked by a larger off-lease dog, police said.

The deadly dog attacked happened around 2:40 p.m. on October 23. On Thursday, the Fremont Police Department said it was still attempting to find the vicious dog and its owners. The offender dog was described as either a Cane Corso, pit bull, or similar breed, according to FPD.

“It was supposed to be a peaceful day. But out of nowhere, a large off-leash dog came charging at full speed. My mom had no time to react before the dog bit down on Cheese and refused to let go. She screamed and pulled with her bare hands, fighting to save him,” the daughter of Cheese’s owner wrote on a GoFundMe page.

A woman who had been walking with the aggressive dog tried to intervene, but “she couldn’t control her dog. She had to call her man, and together they ripped their dog off of Cheese’s tiny body,” the daughter wrote.

By the time the larger dog’s owners finally controlled their pet, Cheese was barely breathing and bleeding, the daughter said. There were several witnesses, including park employees, nearby.

The offending dog’s owners said they were going to put their dog in their car. But instead of returning to the park, “they drove away. They left, as if nothing had happened,” the daughter wrote.

Four-year-old Cheese was rushed to an emergency vet hospital, underwent surgery, and clung to life for five days. “The vet told us his intestines were torn apart and his body covered in deep bite wounds. He would still look at us with those soft, trusting eyes — as if saying, ‘I’m trying … I want to stay,'” the daughter wrote. “Cheese passed away.”

Police said the city’s animal control authorities are still trying to identify the vicious dog and its owners. FPD released a photograph of two adults and the dog on Thursday, and requested the public’s help to track them down.

Anyone with information about the incident is asked to contact Fremont Animal Services at 510-790-6635 or email AnimalServices@fremont.gov.

Cheese was a beloved family pet. The daughter wrote, “Cheese was our family. He was sweet, gentle, loving — pure joy in the shape of a little dog. Now the house is quiet. We still expect to hear his footsteps, but he’s not here anymore. My mom hasn’t been the same.”

Cheese’s owners launched the GoFundMe page to help cover $20,000 in medical bills from the dog’s five days in the vet hospital. As of Friday morning, nearly $6,000 in donations had been raised.