A cat named Chai, nearly torn apart by two roaming dogs in Denver Heights, is recovering after undergoing three surgeries. The attack, which occurred on the city’s East Side, only ended when a neighbor intervened by throwing a water bottle at the dogs. Chai’s owner, Aaron Salinas, is left with lingering concerns about how the situation was handled.
“It’s just one of those things you really don’t know how to process in the moment,” Salinas said. “It’s not one emotion. It’s pretty much all the emotions.”
Salinas discovered his injured 4-year-old cat about an hour after the attack and rushed her to receive urgent medical care. He expressed frustration with what he views as systemic failures in addressing dangerous animals roaming freely.
“There is a systematic problem within the city,” Salinas said. “I put all accountability on the lack of human response or human prevention.”
Community Outcry
After the attack, Salinas contacted 311 and shared his story online, which sparked an outcry in the Denver Heights community. In response, Animal Care Services (ACS) spent a week searching the neighborhood for the dogs involved in the attack.
Michael Shannon, interim director of ACS, acknowledged the severity of the situation, stating, “It’s a big problem. We’re out there every day addressing dangerous situations and bringing in aggressive dogs off the street.”
Euthanasia of Involved Dogs
During their search, ACS located seven roaming dogs, two of which matched the description of the animals involved in Chai’s attack. One of the dogs was chipped, but the owner did not reclaim it. Both dogs have since been euthanized, according to ACS.
In response to the ongoing issues with roaming dogs, ACS plans to open two new spay and neuter clinics by early 2025. Shannon hopes these clinics will help alleviate the problem of stray and aggressive animals in the city.
Anyone with more information regarding this incident or roaming dogs in the area is encouraged to contact Animal Care Services.
