Seattle woman says she was attacked by dog whose owners live in parked RV on street



SEATTLE - - A small business owner in Seattle's Sodo District says she was attacked by a dog whose owners are living in RVs parked near her store. She says it’s an ongoing problem and now she wants the city to do something about it.

On Wednesday morning, there was another attack from a dog living in this RV with its owner, police said.

The dog owner wouldn't go on camera but the woman who was attacked on Friday says she's fed up and it's time for the city to make some changes.

“It was a pit bull. How long did he have my hand? It went by so fast I can’t even tell you, but it was the most unbelievable pain I’ve ever felt,” said Leslie Shelton, owner of Sweet Lilly's Doodles.

Shelton operates her dog treat business and says she’s complained to police for months about the RVs parked along the street. But on Friday she was attacked by dogs living in one of the RVs while walking her own dog, she said.

“I’ve asked her numerous times to keep those dogs on leashes. Animal control has been out here, officers have. She refused," said Shelton.

But some help may be on the way. Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan earmarked $250,000 in the new budget for a Safe Parking Lot pilot program. The money would help about 2,300 people living in their cars get low-level services they need to keep their vehicles away from homes and businesses.

“We have had to call the police, I would say, on average a couple of times a week. They come out, they tag them, they have 72 hours to move. But they literally could pull forward 10 feet and that constitutes movement,” Shelton said.

On Wednesday, another person was attacked by a dog whose owner lives in a RV just one block over from Shelton. Police say the victim was taken to the hospital and Animal Control was called in to take the dog away.

We reached out to Seattle Councilmember Lorena Gonzalez, who represents this area, but we haven’t heard back yet.

The Safe Parking Lot program still needs to be approved by Seattle City Council.