Xtra, a 3-year-old German shepherd, may need to retire after another dog attacked him.
Christi Lashomb hugs her guide dog Xtra, at Johnson Park in Liverpool. “She’s not just my dog, she’s my best friend” Lashomb says. While on a walk recently in her Liverpool neighborhood, Xtra was attacked by another dog. It was the second such incident in two years for the German shepherd. Both altercations could have changed the dog’s behavior.
Liverpool, NY -- Christi Lashomb, who is blind and uses a guide dog, may lose her dog, Xtra, following an attack by another dog.
Lashomb, 55, was walking home on Vine Street in Liverpool Saturday when a dog attacked Xtra, a 3-year-old German shepherd. The other dog’s owner separated the two dogs, but Lashomb was told Monday that Xtra may have to be retired as a guide dog.
“I need my dog,” said Lashomb, who lost her vision 27 years ago. “She allows me to be independent and stay active, but she’s more than that, she’s a member of my family.”
Xtra was not badly injured in the attack but shaken up, and that is enough of a reason to retire her as a guide dog, said Margo Downey, president of New York Association of Guide Dog Users.
“After being attacked, guide dogs can become more aggressive or more nervous,” Downey said. “And this could put the user in danger.”
For example, if the dog and user are crossing a street and the guide dog sees another dog they may become aggravated or excited, she said.
“This could be very dangerous for both the user and the dog,” Downey said.
Guide dog trainers evaluated Xtra on Tuesday and determined that she would not need to be retired, but she will be re-evaluated in about a month to see if she can continue to be a guide dog.
Lashomb was very thankful to hear the news but wants to make sure other dog owners obey leash laws to help protect guide dogs.
“Guide dogs are extremely important to the blind,” Lashomb said. “I just hope people will understand and respect how precious guide dogs are.”
Guide dogs are trained at several schools across the country and are worth between $20,000 and $35,000, Downey said. But to Lashomb, Xtra is priceless.
“I was so upset when I thought I was going to lose her,” Lashomb said. “I’ve had her for two years and she knows me. We work as a team.”
The owner of the dog in Saturday’s attack has not yet been ticketed by the town of Salina dog warden, said Mark Nicotra, Salina town supervisor.
Lashomb, who said this is the second time Xtra has been confronted by the same dog on Vine Street, also filed a report with the Liverpool Police Department. No one with the department was available for comment.
According to the state Agricultural and Markets Law, it is a violation for a dog owner to fail to prevent their dog from causing harm to a guide or service dog.
“I don’t want this to happen to someone else,” Lashomb said. “I want to see this law enforced to show the public that there is a zero tolerance for these attacks.”
Contact Sarah Moses at smoses@syracuse.com or 470-2298.